And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus,

It's one of the worst feelings in the world. You've betrayed one of your best friends by saying you don't know who they are. It points to your integrity, your friendship and your backbone.

This is what St. Peter suffered as Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin. While Jesus was saying nothing, Peter was doing what Peter did best--saying things that would get him in trouble. Not once, not twice, but three times he denied even having ever heard of Jesus. Why? To keep himself out of trouble.

Don't get me wrong. I like St. Peter. In fact, he and Thomas are my favorite Apostles. Why? I relate to them very well. There are times, like Peter, where I want to keep myself intact and not cause problems. There are other times where I do stick my neck out. Unfortunately, like St. Peter, I often do both at the wrong time.

Peter wanted to have nothing to do with the impending punishment that was coming to Jesus, but he wanted to be there just to see what would happen. So should you. Amen.  

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, Second Article

Large Catechism: II 31-33

Scripture: John 20:1-10

Commentary: Hesychius of Jerusalem, Easter Homily 5-6

And the high priest arose and said to Him,

Caiaphas, the high priest in Jerusalem, was woken from his sleep by news that excited him greatly. Jesus of Nazareth had been arrested. Now, the Sanhedrin wanted a trial before dawn so that there wouldn't be such an uproar in the city about the arrest.

The leaders of the people feared the people. They didn't want to have to defend and justify themselves. They wanted something nice, quick and easy. And that's what Jesus gave them. Jesus didn't try any fancy finagling of the Law to excuse Himself. In fact, He gave no defense whatsoever. He was silent before the Sanhedrin.

Manufactured evidence stacked higher and higher against Him, but He stayed silent. People told bold-faced lies about Him and He said not a word. He was silent because no one listening would believe Him anyway. He was silent because His upcoming actions would speak louder than any other words. Amen.  

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, Second Article

Large Catechism: II 26-30

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Commentary: Athanasius, On the Incarnation 9.1-4

Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying,

"Betrayed by a kiss." That's how the Passion of Christ began. That's how we'll begin our devotions this Lenten season.

Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, one of Jesus' closest associates, betrayed Jesus into the hands of those who wanted Him dead. One of Jesus' hand-picked disciples. How does THAT happen?

What Judas did was absolutely horrible. What Judas did alienated him from everyone. What Judas did was exactly what Jesus wanted.

WHAT?! Jesus WANTED Judas to betray Him? Jesus had been right in front of His enemies for most of the last week. It was time for Jesus to sacrifice Himself. Jesus didn't tell Judas to do it, but God used it to keep His plan of salvation in motion. That plan of salvation ends with Jesus dying--something that Judas didn't expect when he betrayed Jesus.

Tune in next time to see what happens next! Amen.  

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "Beautiful Savior"

Small Catechism: Apostles' Creed, First Article

Large Catechism: II 12-19

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3

Commentary: John Chrysostom, Hebrews 22.1-2

Wrestling Profile: Review of the March 22, 1986 episode of World Championship Wrestling on TBS.

Video posting on Green Friday Wrestling on Facebook on March 29, 2019 at noon CST.

Confessional Corner: Augsburg Confession I-III (God, Original Sin, Jesus Christ)

[Jesus said:] "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;

After the Beatitudes, Jesus continues to admonish and encourage His disciples about the life we are to lead. He does not burden us with a new Law. Instead, He gives us reassurance. He says, "I have not come to abolish [the Law] but to fulfill them." 

When we look at our lives, we see that we don't keep the Law as we should. We've broken commandment after commandment since the day we were born. When you first think about Jesus' statement, don't you wish that Jesus would have abolished the Law? You wouldn't feel so bad then. But why didn't Jesus abolish it? Because it is the Word of God. Nothing abolishes the Word of God.

Jesus, being God in the flesh--God with us, might have been able to get rid of it, but that is not what He came to do. He came to be your substitute. He came to fulfill the very Law that condemns you. He came so that He could offer His obedience to God in exchange for your disobedience. This is what He did at the Cross. He became your disobedience--your curse. "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" (Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:22-23). In exchange, you got His righteousness and blessedness.

The Law is not abolished. It is fulfilled. By being a child of God and an heir with Jesus Christ, you are seen by God not as one who has broken the Law but as one who has kept it perfectly because you have been clothed with Christ in Baptism (Galatians 3:27). May the righteousness and blessedness of Christ be yours. Amen.  

"Farther along we'll know all about it,

Farther along we'll understand why;

Cheer up, my brother, live in the sunshine,

We'll understand it all by and by."

Office Hymn: "When the Roll Is Called up Yonder"

Small Catechism: Close of the Commandments

Large Catechism: I 311-318

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 36:15-21

Commentary: Jerome, Letter 133.13

"Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain,

Our meditation this morning shows Jesus as the Great Discipler. This is the beginning verse of the Sermon on the Mount--one of the greatest sermons that we have from the lips of the Savior.

Jesus was walking around, teaching His disciples when He saw the great number of people thronging to hear what He had to say. To say He had a "captive audience" would be an understatement. As St. Matthew says at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, "the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes" (7:28-29).

Jesus was one who knew how to teach. He could adapt His message to the audience before Him. Of course, He had an advantage because He's God, but He gives us a great example. Almost everyone can think of at least one person--a teacher, a parent, a grandparent, an uncle or aunt--who helped to shape their lives. That's the role of a mentor--a discipler.

Jesus calls each of His disciples to be disciplers. In His final instructions, He says, "[While going] make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). As Christians--disciples of Christ--we're to make disciples. We start with our families--parents and grandparents passing on the faith the their children and grandchildren--but it goes throughout our lives as we go to school, as we work and as we talk with our friends and neighbors. Discipling is in every aspect of life. May the Lord bless you as you fulfill this task today and always. Amen.