Three men are on trial in this section, charged with opposing the truth in word and deed: guilty, or not guilty?
Trial One: Judas
Read Luke 22:47
• What’s especially tragic about the manner of the betrayal (v 47-48)?
Judas knows who Jesus is: and yet he does this to Him.
Judas: Guilty.
Trial Two: Peter
ReadLuke 22:54
• Peter had said he was “ready to go with you” (v 33); how’s he doing in v 54?
• How intimidating are the questioners and their interrogations?
• How does Peter answer?
Picture the scene in verse 61. There’s Jesus, on trial for His life. There’s His closest friend Peter, disowning Him. And “the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter” (v 61). What a tragic moment. It’s no surprise that Peter “went outside and wept bitterly” (v 62).
Peter: Guilty.
The question isn’t whether we’re guilty of disowning Jesus; we all are. The question is whether we are prepared to recognise those moments, and weep at our disowning of our Lord.
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PRAY
Take time now to admit to your Lord the times in the last week when you’ve disowned Him in what you have done or said.
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APPLY
• In which situations this week can you stand up and own Jesus as your Lord, instead of keeping quiet?
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Trial Three: Jesus
Will Jesus also take the easy way out and deny the truth about who He is?
Read Luke 22:63
• Jesus is suffering—but what is He looking forward to? (v 69)
• What does Jesus, bloodied and beaten, still claim about Himself (v 70)?
With the might of the Jewish leadership surrounding Him, and the agony of the cross before Him, Jesus still maintains the truth about who He is, and where He will be. Set against a very black background, He alone is a beacon of truthfulness. He
alone is willing to suffer for the truth.
Jesus: Guilty—but only of being the Son of God.
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PRAY
Lord, Thank You that You are the Son of God, and that You’re now seated at His right hand. Thank You for dying for me even though I sometimes disown You. Amen.
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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from the good book company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.
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