Key Thought

"It's not me Lord, is it?" Each disciple wanted Jesus' assurance that his worst nightmare wouldn't be real. It's our question, too. On those days of great discouragement or great honesty, we ask ourselves and our Lord the same question. We don't want it to be true in us.
However, in a series of honest encounters with faith, reality, and lack of understanding, we find the disciples confused, weak, and pitiful -- maybe even despicable at times. But in our heart of hearts, we know they are us. But each of them is redeemable because of one key word that they all use to address Jesus. All of them address Jesus as Lord. At least all of them address Jesus as Lord in the confusion except one. Judas uses the word Rabbi, which means teacher.
Is that the difference between Jesus and the others? Is it the difference between him and us? I don't want to make too much of one word, but this one word is the absolute key. Is Jesus our Lord or is he merely our teacher? Do we recognize him as our Master or do we see him as just another good guide to life? It makes a life of difference what we truly decide!

Today's Prayer

Today's Verses in Context

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. The followers said, "We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?" Jesus answered, "Go into the city. Go to a man I know. Tell him that the teacher says, 'The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover meal with my followers at your house.'" The followers obeyed and did the thing Jesus told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal. In the evening Jesus was at the table with the twelve followers. They were all eating. Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. One of you twelve here will soon give me to my enemies." The followers were very sad to hear this. Each follower said to Jesus, "Lord, surely I am not the one!" Jesus answered, "The man that has dipped his hand into the same bowl with me is the person that will be against me. The Son of Man will go {and die}. The Scriptures say this will happen. But it will be very bad for the person that gives the Son of Man {to be killed}. It would be better for that person if he were never born." Then Judas said to Jesus, "Teacher, surely I will not be against you!" (Judas is the one that would give Jesus to his enemies.) Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. Jesus thanked God for the bread and divided it. He gave the bread to his followers. Jesus said, "Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body." Then Jesus took a cup of wine. Jesus thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. Jesus said, "Every one of you drink this. This wine is my blood. My blood (death) begins the new agreement {from God to his people}. This blood is given for many people to forgive their sins. I tell you this: I will not drink this wine again until that day when we are together in my Father's kingdom and the wine is new. Then I will drink it again with you." All the followers sang a song. Then they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus told the followers,"Tonight you will lose your faith because of me. It is written {in the Scriptures }: 'I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will run away.' But {after I die}, I will rise from death. Then I will go into Galilee. I will be there before you go there." Peter answered, "All the other followers may lose their faith because of you. But I will never lose my faith." Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Tonight you will say you don't know me. You will say this three times before the rooster crows." But Peter answered, "I will never say that I don't know you! I will even die with you!" And all the other followers said the same thing.

— Matthew 26:17-35 (ERV)

Comments on "Teacher or Lord?":

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