March 27, 2024 

Today's Reading: Mark 14:12-21

Daily Lectionary: Exodus 10:21-11:10, Lamentations 3:1-66, Hebrews 4:1-16

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”  They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?”.  (Mark 14:18-19)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever found it odd that the disciples need to ask Jesus if it is them?  Each one asks Him, “Is it I?”  I always thought that you would probably know if you were about to betray your friend and turn him over to a bunch of murderers.  But maybe I’m wrong about that…

And another thing… Jesus doesn’t seem to clear anything up, does He?  He doesn’t comfort Peter with an, “Of course not,” or take John aside and tell him he can breathe a sigh of relief.  No, He just lets it awkwardly hang there, giving some ambiguous answer of how it is one of the twelve dipping bread into oil with Him.  But all of them had surely done that.  Is Jesus saying that any of them are capable of betraying Him?

I hope that isn’t the case because if any of them could’ve betrayed Him then that means that I could’ve betrayed Him.  …  But, then, who am I kidding, why do I think that I am above such a thing?  I know the wretchedness of my heart and the evil that lurks within.  Maybe I should stop pretending I am better than I really am and just go ahead and number myself with Judas.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t comfort any of His disciples with the Law or with a call to their own self-righteousness, for that would only bring them despair.  Instead, He just moves on to the Gospel, to the only thing that can and will relieve a terrified conscience who has just figured out just how depraved he really is.  …  And so Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper.  We’ll talk about that tomorrow, but just know that it is pure Gospel!

So in the midst of your doubting and your terrified conscience perhaps you should stop asking, “Is it I, Lord?”  Of course it is you.  …  So move on from that question to the one that matters, ‘Is it you, Lord, who will save me from my sin?”  And He will say, “Yes!  I am your Passover Lamb that has been slain for you!” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

On whose hard arms, so widely flung, The weight of this world’s ransom hung, The price of humankind to pay And spoil the spoiler of his prey.  O tree of beauty, tree most fair, Ordained those holy limbs to bear; Gone is thy shame, each crimsoned bough Proclaims the King of Glory now. (LSB 455:4,5)

- Pastor Eli Lietzau is pastor of Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Unforgivable? Unforgiveness is a prison—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In a world full of turmoil, many use forgiveness as a coping mechanism without understanding what true forgiveness is. Learn what forgiveness from Christ looks like, and how He forgives His people.