Saturday, March 21, 2026

Opening Scripture

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:7-10

Opening Prayer

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for your love and mercy, your protection and provision, your comfort and healing. Help me to trust you in all things and orient my life toward you today. May my mind’s attention and heart’s affection be on you. Guide my choices and direct my decisions for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

John 13:18-38

“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’ I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

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.” 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. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.”

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Reflection  

John told us at the beginning of this chapter that the devil had already prompted Judas to betray Jesus. He was simply waiting for the right opportunity to act on his treachery. It seems that time had come.

Jesus shared the burden of imminent betrayal with his disciples, triggering a series of actions. Jesus’ statement naturally concerned everyone at the table, but in true form, Peter is the first to respond. He told John (who was next to Jesus) to find out who the betrayer was. John asks Jesus. Jesus hands bread to Judas. Satan prompts. Judas leaves. “It was night” – as Judas walks out of the light and into the darkness. At the time, none of the others put the pieces together.

Of course, several chapters earlier, John quotes Jesus predicting this turn of events (John 6:70-71). “Then Jesus replied, ‘Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!’ (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)”

It’s interesting that shortly after Judas leaves the meal to act on his betrayal, Jesus predicts Peter’s denial. While we may be tempted to imagine similarities here, these are significantly different actions. Judas’ betrayal was selfish, premeditated, and nurtured by Satan. Peter’s denial was an act of weakness, fearful and impulsive.

Luke offers insight into the two experiences in his gospel.

Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. Luke 22:3-6

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:31-34

Flourishing Habit

Intentional Discipleship

These significant events in the life of Jesus and His disciples took place on what is known as Maundy Thursday. Each year, on the Thursday before Easter, we remember the Last Supper, Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, and the establishment of the Lord’s Supper (Communion).

The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum” meaning “command.” Here, it refers to the command Jesus gave His disciples that night, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Certainly, Jesus had talked about love before, but this declaration signaled that God’s love would be the hallmark of the New Covenant. Indeed, these men – and those who came after them – would thrive in Jesus’ absence in a hostile world only by loving each other the way He had loved them.

Jesus had previously stated that blessedness comes through obedience. Now that the disciples knew what Jesus required of them, the blessing was in the doing. The eleven remaining disciples would ultimately flourish – and the Kingdom of God would continue to expand – by embracing Jesus’ command to love.

John clearly understood Jesus’ directive to His disciples, and he reiterates the urgency of the Lord’s command in the third chapter of his first letter.

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”

God wants His people to be characterized by His divine (agape’) love. We can only do this as we experience that love personally and allow His Spirit to love others through us. In fact, that love is supposed to be an obvious trait of a follower of Jesus!

Love only exists in relationship. Are your relationships characterized by love? Love looks like patience, kindness, humility, and forgiveness. Love isn’t easily angered. Love doesn’t keep score. Love encourages and defends.

Who do you have a hard time loving? Ask God to help you do it. Today.

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!