Key Thought

I cannot help feeling unbelievably sad when I read this passage. Men who are called by God to intercede for his people and to expertly interpret the Scriptures for his people are plotting the worst of all things -- the murder of the Son of God. Judas, one of Jesus' 12 apostles, comes up with a plot to betray the Lord to the religious leaders. The Temple guard is in on the murderous scheming. Satan, of course, is behind it all. I wish that we could say these things don't happen today. Unfortunately, when God's leaders get caught up in self-interest and religious politics, Satan steps in and leads them astray and horrible things happen. Pray that God will protect his leaders from the devious ways of the evil one who seeks to rip apart godly leaders and destroy the work of the Kingdom.

Today's Prayer

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Father, please intervene directly in the lives of our church leaders and cast out any influence of Satan, all self-seeking and party spirit, and every hint of life-destroying political scheming. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

It was almost time for the Jewish Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover. The leading priests and teachers of the law were trying to find a quiet way to kill Jesus. They were afraid of what the people would do to them. One of Jesus' twelve apostles was named Judas Iscariot. Satan (the devil) went into Judas and made him do a bad thing. Judas went and talked with the leading priests and some of the soldiers who guarded the temple. Judas talked to them about a way to give Jesus to them. The priests were very happy about this. They promised to give Judas money {if he would give Jesus to them}. Judas agreed. Then Judas waited for the best time to give Jesus to them. Judas wanted to do it when there were no people around to see him do it. The Day of Unleavened Bread came. This was the day when the Jews always killed the lambs for the Passover. Jesus said to Peter and John, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us to eat." Peter and John said to Jesus, "Where do you want us to prepare the meal?" Jesus said to them, "Listen! After you go into the city (Jerusalem), you will see a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him. He will go into a house. You go with him. Tell the person that owns that house, 'The Teacher asks that you please show us the room where he and his followers can eat the Passover meal.' Then the man who owns the house will show you a large room upstairs. This room is ready for us. Prepare the Passover meal there." So Peter and John left. Everything happened the way Jesus said. So they prepared the Passover meal.

— Luke 22:1-13 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.