Jesus told the followers, "Tonight you will lose your faith because of me. It is written {in the Scriptures }: 'I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will run away.' But {after I die}, I will rise from death. Then I will go into Galilee. I will be there before you go there." Peter answered, "All the other followers may lose their faith because of you. But I will never lose my faith." Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Tonight you will say you don't know me. You will say this three times before the rooster crows." But Peter answered, "I will never say that I don't know you! I will even die with you!" And all the other followers said the same thing.
—Matthew 26:31-35
Key Thought
Confessing Jesus as Lord and pledging our allegiance to him is not difficult when we are around church people in church settings doing church things. But loyalty is a little more difficult to come by when the world around you is antagonistic and hostile. Our intentions and commitments may be clothed in valor, but in the face of cruel opposition, commitment of any kind may be hard to find. Such is the way of fickle humans. Such is the way sometimes, I am ashamed to admit, for me.
Just as Jesus had warned, Peter's resolve melts under pressure, hostility, and misunderstanding. Would mine? When the true test comes, Peter denies him, Judas betrays him, and all the other apostles forsake him and run away in fear. Would I do the same?
Today's Prayer
Holy God, I don't want to be a Judas or a Peter and abandon Jesus under pressure. I need your help, Father, to be the person you want me to be. Please empower me to be bold in declaring my faith in Jesus and my allegiance to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. The followers said, "We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?" Jesus answered, "Go into the city. Go to a man I know. Tell him that the teacher says, 'The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover meal with my followers at your house.'" The followers obeyed and did the thing Jesus told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal. In the evening Jesus was at the table with the twelve followers. They were all eating. Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. One of you twelve here will soon give me to my enemies." The followers were very sad to hear this. Each follower said to Jesus, "Lord, surely I am not the one!" Jesus answered, "The man that has dipped his hand into the same bowl with me is the person that will be against me. The Son of Man will go {and die}. The Scriptures say this will happen. But it will be very bad for the person that gives the Son of Man {to be killed}. It would be better for that person if he were never born." Then Judas said to Jesus, "Teacher, surely I will not be against you!" (Judas is the one that would give Jesus to his enemies.) Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. Jesus thanked God for the bread and divided it. He gave the bread to his followers. Jesus said, "Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body." Then Jesus took a cup of wine. Jesus thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. Jesus said, "Every one of you drink this. This wine is my blood. My blood (death) begins the new agreement {from God to his people}. This blood is given for many people to forgive their sins. I tell you this: I will not drink this wine again until that day when we are together in my Father's kingdom and the wine is new. Then I will drink it again with you." All the followers sang a song. Then they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus told the followers,"Tonight you will lose your faith because of me. It is written {in the Scriptures }: 'I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will run away.' But {after I die}, I will rise from death. Then I will go into Galilee. I will be there before you go there." Peter answered, "All the other followers may lose their faith because of you. But I will never lose my faith." Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Tonight you will say you don't know me. You will say this three times before the rooster crows." But Peter answered, "I will never say that I don't know you! I will even die with you!" And all the other followers said the same thing.Matthew 26:17-35
Related Scripture Readings
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages. Jesus taught in their synagogues and told people the Good News about the kingdom. And Jesus healed all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. Jesus saw the many people and felt sorry for them. Jesus felt sorry for the people because the people were worried and helpless. The people were like sheep without a shepherd to lead them. Jesus said to his followers, "There are many, many people to harvest (save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. God owns the harvest (people). Pray to him that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest." — Matthew 9:35-38
Then Jesus said to his followers, "If any person wants to follow me, he must say 'No' to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him, and he must follow me. The person that wants to save his life will lose it. And every person that gives his life for me will save it. It is worth nothing for a person to have the whole world, if he loses his soul. A person could never pay enough to buy back his soul. — Matthew 16:24-26
— Matthew 26:74-76
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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—Matthew 26:31-35
Key Thought
Confessing Jesus as Lord and pledging our allegiance to him is not difficult when we are around church people in church settings doing church things. But loyalty is a little more difficult to come by when the world around you is antagonistic and hostile. Our intentions and commitments may be clothed in valor, but in the face of cruel opposition, commitment of any kind may be hard to find. Such is the way of fickle humans. Such is the way sometimes, I am ashamed to admit, for me.
Just as Jesus had warned, Peter's resolve melts under pressure, hostility, and misunderstanding. Would mine? When the true test comes, Peter denies him, Judas betrays him, and all the other apostles forsake him and run away in fear. Would I do the same?
Today's Prayer
Holy God, I don't want to be a Judas or a Peter and abandon Jesus under pressure. I need your help, Father, to be the person you want me to be. Please empower me to be bold in declaring my faith in Jesus and my allegiance to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. The followers said, "We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?" Jesus answered, "Go into the city. Go to a man I know. Tell him that the teacher says, 'The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover meal with my followers at your house.'" The followers obeyed and did the thing Jesus told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal. In the evening Jesus was at the table with the twelve followers. They were all eating. Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. One of you twelve here will soon give me to my enemies." The followers were very sad to hear this. Each follower said to Jesus, "Lord, surely I am not the one!" Jesus answered, "The man that has dipped his hand into the same bowl with me is the person that will be against me. The Son of Man will go {and die}. The Scriptures say this will happen. But it will be very bad for the person that gives the Son of Man {to be killed}. It would be better for that person if he were never born." Then Judas said to Jesus, "Teacher, surely I will not be against you!" (Judas is the one that would give Jesus to his enemies.) Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. Jesus thanked God for the bread and divided it. He gave the bread to his followers. Jesus said, "Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body." Then Jesus took a cup of wine. Jesus thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. Jesus said, "Every one of you drink this. This wine is my blood. My blood (death) begins the new agreement {from God to his people}. This blood is given for many people to forgive their sins. I tell you this: I will not drink this wine again until that day when we are together in my Father's kingdom and the wine is new. Then I will drink it again with you." All the followers sang a song. Then they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus told the followers,"Tonight you will lose your faith because of me. It is written {in the Scriptures }: 'I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will run away.' But {after I die}, I will rise from death. Then I will go into Galilee. I will be there before you go there." Peter answered, "All the other followers may lose their faith because of you. But I will never lose my faith." Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Tonight you will say you don't know me. You will say this three times before the rooster crows." But Peter answered, "I will never say that I don't know you! I will even die with you!" And all the other followers said the same thing.Matthew 26:17-35
Related Scripture Readings
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages. Jesus taught in their synagogues and told people the Good News about the kingdom. And Jesus healed all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. Jesus saw the many people and felt sorry for them. Jesus felt sorry for the people because the people were worried and helpless. The people were like sheep without a shepherd to lead them. Jesus said to his followers, "There are many, many people to harvest (save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. God owns the harvest (people). Pray to him that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest." — Matthew 9:35-38
Then Jesus said to his followers, "If any person wants to follow me, he must say 'No' to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him, and he must follow me. The person that wants to save his life will lose it. And every person that gives his life for me will save it. It is worth nothing for a person to have the whole world, if he loses his soul. A person could never pay enough to buy back his soul. — Matthew 16:24-26
— Matthew 26:74-76
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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