A friend of Jesus? (Ch 22)

Luke Chapter 22

SUMMARY: As Jesus approaches the final hours before his death we find these remarkable scenes among his disciples. 
v1-5 Judas overcome by satan for money agrees to betray Jesus.
v7-23 As Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples and institutes what we know as communion. with the shadow of betrayal in the room (v22-23)
v24-30 The disciples at this moment are more interested in which of them is the greatest and Jesus rebukes them.
v31-38 Simon Peter is unaware of the danger and his limitations and the emptiness of his words in v33
v39-46 His disciples in the battle they faced were sleeping instead of praying.
v47-53 Judas betray Jesus and John in his Gospel tells us it is Simon Peter who resorts to violence.
v54-62 While the rest of the disciples are nowhere to be seen Peter follows as Jesus is led away but then denies he ever knew Jesus.
v63-65 With his followers scattered Jesus is beaten, mocked and insulted. 

REFLECTION: How would you have felt if this had been your friends' behaviour?
(i) Sold out for money (v5),
(ii) More interested in who is the greatest as you face betrayal (v24)
(iii) Speaking bold words of loyalty which you know will not materialise (v33)
(iv) Sleeping as you wrestle in prayer (v46)
(v) Pretending to show love as they stab you in the back (48)
(vi) Afraid to admit that they know you. (v57, 58, 60).
Before we are too hard on these disciples and especially Peter did you notice v62 - When Peter realised what he had done 'he wept bitterly'.
When did I last do that when I let Jesus down?

PRAYER: 
Loving Heavenly Father, as we come to you the holy and perfect one, constant in you faithfulness, eternal in you love, generous in your grace so we realise our weakness and our wandering. We realise our need for salvation, forgiveness and strength in Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice for us on the cross. Yet so often like these disciples, like Peter, we have sold you out to gain something else, we have become full of our own importance we have spoken what turned out to be empty words, faltered in our commitment to prayer, been ashamed to speak of knowing you. Lord as we realise what we have done give us hearts like Peter who wept bitterly. As we do we ask that you will restore us as you did Peter, and use for your glory. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen