“Behold,
the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29)
This week is Holy Week, the week leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection. It’s a week to reflect on our need for a Saviour, the depth of our sin, and how God went about saving us - something He was at work doing from the beginning of time; through the whole of history, the Old Testament, He was looking ahead to Jesus, who came, just at the right time, to accomplish salvation for the world…
Holy Wednesday
Waiting.
We wait for different things. To see family again. For test results. To be able to meet together on a Sunday again. For the family trip. For dinner.
On the Thursday of Passover week, the series of events leading to Jesus’ death would begin with a faster pace than the first few laps of a NASCAR race. But we don’t know much about what happened on the Wednesday of Holy Week. We see a dinner, and we see someone using something of great value to anoint Jesus, and we see someone else accepting payment to betray him.
We read about it in Matthew 26:6-16:
Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
John Greco writes a reflection of this passage as it relates to our uncertain days. Click here to read it.
Questions for Thought
-Jesus was at the home of Simon the Leper. How does He welcome the “unwelcome” of the world? How does He welcome us?
-What treasures of earth are we willing to give for our Lord, our Saviour? How valuable is He? How do we measure value?
-How might we “betray” Jesus, handing Him over for something we might consider more valuable?
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Here we see two different takes on who You are. On Your worth. We see this woman who anointed You with the expensive oil, preparing You for your burial. We see how she took something of great monetary value, and did not waste it, but considered it more important to use it for Your sake. Lord, whatever the cost, may we pour out our lives for Your sake, even in these uncertain days, because we know what is certain: eternity for we who belong to You.
And yet, how may we betray You, Lord Jesus? Choosing lesser things to love and give time and resources to, handing You over for these other things. Forgive us, Lord; reorient our hearts toward You. You are our sure foundation and hope and strength of soul.
Make us Yours,
We pray in Your worthy name,
Amen.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power
and wealth
and wisdom
and might
and honour
and glory
and blessing!
(Revelation 5:12)