4th April 2012 John 13:21-32

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”n His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”. Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

How do you feel about the fact that if Jesus hadn't given Judas that bread then perhaps Satan wodnt have enterred him? I find that so shocking. It intimates that Judas was not born to betray Jesus but was given this role by the Lord himself. It was a necessary role, essential role; part of the plan, without which everything would have been different. But poor Judas, could he not have been healed after? How could this be his lot? Where was forgiveness for him? It's hard to accept, I'm challenged with this today.

Jesus you are full of grace, love and compassion; yet you gave this awful task to Judas and he suffered greatly in his part of the plan. Help us know that your forgiveness is complete in our lives even when we don't understand how, amen.