Luke 22:1-13 (NRSV)
Read Luke 22:1-13 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 22Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. Verse 2The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. Verse 3Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; Verse 4he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. Verse 5They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. Verse 6So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.
Verse 7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Verse 8So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it." Verse 9They asked him, "Where do you want us to make preparations for it?" Verse 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 Verse 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?"' Verse 12He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there." Verse 13So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
Devotion
Today is Spy Wednesday, when we commemorate Judas Iscariot's collusion with the Judean high priests and scribes to capture Jesus. Luke says that Satan entered into Judas, but what happened inside Judas? Did he remember Jesus’ teacherly rebukes, feel ignored, resent the self-sacrifice of ministry? Sin didn't just reside in Judas, and it isn't just part of people who do atrocious things. Sin is inside all of us, and sometimes it happens by accident. When we deny love and caring to some because they're not worth our time or because we know what kind of people they are, then Satan has entered into us. But we are not alone, left to languish in our broken world. God has given us the wonderful gift of relationship and the ability to love at all times.
Prayer
Personal God, you are exactly whom I need, and you come to me in body and blood, in water and spirit, every day. Help me see you and love you in every person, and help me see you in me, too. Amen.