Soap Opera or Bible Story

Wednesday April 13, 2022

Created by Jillian Russell

John 13:21–32 (NIV)

21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples — the one whom Jesus loved — was reclining next to him; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.

Devotion

Possibly one of the most read soap operas in the bible is the betrayal of Jesus by Judas of Iscariot. It starts with a typical dinner led by Jesus. All is calm as Jesus finishes his final dinner with his friends. Then BAM! Jesus drops a bombshell. He says that one of his friends eating at that very table had betrayed him, but the question is who? The table erupts in a madhouse. No one trusts anyone and everyone is questioning each other. Who could it possibly be? Jesus keeps us on the edge of our seats as he draws out the drama of the betrayal. He then ups the dramatics and says that whoever he gives a piece of bread dipped in wine to is the betrayer. Finally, we find out who betrayed Jesus — Judas of Iscariot.

We have probably all been betrayed by someone we love in our lifetime. But, what would you do if you knew in advance that someone whom you trusted was going to betray you? I’m guessing that you would feel pretty shocked and hurt. You don’t expect to be blindsided or betrayed by someone whom you love. Jesus knew that he was going to be betrayed. Jesus also knew his betrayer, yet Jesus didn’t do anything to stop him. Jesus knew that he was going to die. He knew that the course of events was not going to stop that. Jesus did not let the threat of death prevent him from carrying out God’s plan for him. He did not let the news of his betrayal stop him from accomplishing what he was supposed to do. Jesus knew and accepted that his death was part of God’s plan. Jesus went to his death willingly so that we could be reborn again. That the betrayals and sins that we had previously done would be forgiven — That no matter how many times that Jesus knows that we will betray him, he will always sacrifice himself so that we can be forgiven.

Prayer

Forgiving God, thank you for your forgiveness. Help us to trust in you. Amen.