The Betrayal

I shared this story on my main blog, but thought I would share it here also, in preparation of Easter. Blessings!

The room grew quite as He broke the bread and began to pray, thanking His Heavenly Father for the food and praying for strength for the great trial He was getting ready to face. He than began to speak to His disciples saying, "Take this bread and eat, it represents my body." Then he took a cup and gave thanks and said, "Take this and drink, it represents my blood of the covenant which will be poured out for the forgiveness of many sins."

Then He said, "One of you will betray me this night."

"Surely it is not me, Lord! Who is it?" the disciples asked.

"It is he who dips his bread with me."

Soon, Satan entered Judas after he dipped his bread with the Master. He got up and left the room.

As they finished their supper and Jesus spoke to his disciples, trying to prepare them for what lied ahead. Peter said, "Lord, even if all fall away from you, I never will!"

"Peter, you will deny Me three times this night before the cock crows!"

"Not I Lord! Never will I deny Thee." And all the others said the same.

By this time they had finished their meal and Jesus took His disciples for a walk up to Gethsemane to pray. The night was warm and the disciples were tired. When they got there, Jesus instructed them to sit while He went a little farther, taking Peter and 2 others with Him. Then He asked Peter to please keep watch while He prayed. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:38) Going a little farther still, He fell upon His face and prayed, "Father let this cup pass from Me! Nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done." Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you not stay awake to keep watch with Me? Please help me pray! Your spirit is willing, but your flesh is weak." Again, He went away to pray and again returned to find them asleep. For their eyes were very heavy. So He left them a third time, not bothering to wake this time, and began to pray for a third time. When He came back, Jesus told them to to wake up, "My hour of death is come. Rise up! For I am to be delivered unto sinners. Here comes my betrayer now!"

And Judas came up to Him and kissed Him on the cheek. How sad to betray the Son of Man with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver. And soon after, the soldiers, who had followed Judas there, seized Jesus and arrested Him.

***To be continued***
For references, look at Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, & John 13

*Something to think about: Judas was willing to betray Christ for a kiss and 30 pieces of silver. Chirst said it would have been better for Judas to never have been born. "Whoa be unto him who betrays Me!" What are some things that people are willing to betray Him for today?