betrayal and sacrifice

Good morning all,
Our reading for this morning doesn't have much April Fool's Day humor in it, but Judas has clearly been fooled by the devil. The Bible doesn't offer any reason for Judas's decision other than the devil's influence. Jesus Christ Superstar suggests it was because Judas didn't think, Jesus was fulfilling his role appropriately. That's as good a reason as any and in the end we just don't know. All we know is that the religious leaders needed an opportunity to find Jesus away from the crowds and Judas provided just that.

It's haunting that one of the twelve, someone who had been closest to Jesus for three years, would betray him. Imagine Jesus washing the disciples' feet and relaxing over supper with them knowing that one of them was going to hand him over to death. So the Passover lamb was slaughtered, and Jesus and his disciples shared a last meal together before his arrest. Come and remember that meal and the costly love Jesus has for us. The darkness gathers and God brings salvation out of betrayal. Today and tomorrow invite us to look closely at what God's love cost God; may we look and be changed.
God bless,
Sam

Luke 22:1-13

Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. 2The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. 3Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; 4he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. 5They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. 6So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” 9They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” 10“Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” 13So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.