Day 4 (Wednesday, April 16th)
Day 4 (Wednesday, April 16th)
PREPARATION AND BETRAYAL
Matthew 26:1-15
New International Version
Chapter 26
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you,[a] but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Chapter 26
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you,[a] but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Devotional:
As Holy Week progressed, preparations for both Passover and betrayal were underway. While Jesus prepared to share a final meal with His disciples, Judas prepared to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver. This stark contrast highlights the choice we all face: will we follow Jesus completely, or will we allow other desires—money, status, comfort, approval—to pull us away from Him? The path to abundant life requires recognizing what might betray our devotion and choosing Jesus above all else.
Application:
Reflect honestly on potential "betrayals" in your own heart. What might you be valuing above your relationship with Christ? It could be obvious things like money or status, or subtle things like comfort, control, or people's approval. Identify specific situations where these values might be competing with your loyalty to Jesus. Then make a conscious decision to reorder your priorities, surrendering these competing values to embrace Christ fully. Remember that Judas' betrayal began long before that Wednesday—it started with small compromises that grew over time.
Declaration/Confession:
Today, I choose complete loyalty to Jesus over anything that would compromise my devotion. I recognize the subtle ways that other values can compete for my heart's allegiance. Unlike Judas, I refuse to exchange the priceless relationship I have with Christ for temporary gain or comfort. I surrender my desire for _________ (name specific things) that have sometimes taken priority in my life. I declare that Jesus alone is worthy of my complete dedication. Even when following Him costs me something, I choose His path, knowing it leads to abundant life that nothing else can provide.
As Holy Week progressed, preparations for both Passover and betrayal were underway. While Jesus prepared to share a final meal with His disciples, Judas prepared to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver. This stark contrast highlights the choice we all face: will we follow Jesus completely, or will we allow other desires—money, status, comfort, approval—to pull us away from Him? The path to abundant life requires recognizing what might betray our devotion and choosing Jesus above all else.
Application:
Reflect honestly on potential "betrayals" in your own heart. What might you be valuing above your relationship with Christ? It could be obvious things like money or status, or subtle things like comfort, control, or people's approval. Identify specific situations where these values might be competing with your loyalty to Jesus. Then make a conscious decision to reorder your priorities, surrendering these competing values to embrace Christ fully. Remember that Judas' betrayal began long before that Wednesday—it started with small compromises that grew over time.
Declaration/Confession:
Today, I choose complete loyalty to Jesus over anything that would compromise my devotion. I recognize the subtle ways that other values can compete for my heart's allegiance. Unlike Judas, I refuse to exchange the priceless relationship I have with Christ for temporary gain or comfort. I surrender my desire for _________ (name specific things) that have sometimes taken priority in my life. I declare that Jesus alone is worthy of my complete dedication. Even when following Him costs me something, I choose His path, knowing it leads to abundant life that nothing else can provide.
Posted in Easter
1 Comment
Hallelujah.. Praises to our God, King of Kings.. We Magnify Him, Worship Him and give Him Glory… Worthy is the Lamb of God who is Faithful.. We ask God to Have Mercy on us and forgive us for betraying Him in our hearts, for not putting Him first for many years and times, for betraying God in our own way.. We betray our God by loving money more than Him, working too much and not giving Him our time, not giving in Church.. We betray His trust, turn our backs on Him.. We ask for forgiveness and for His Mercy… Give us the discernment to those things that turn us away from our God. We thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His sacrifice He made on the Cross.. Renew our heart ❤️, our passion for the love we have for Him… Renew our mind to be set first on God. Thank you Sister Fatima for the Fiery and Dynamic deliverance of the Prayer and Praise on this 4th day of Holy Week… Father rekindle the flame ? of our First Love for You… that our hearts desire is to seek after Him, seek approval from God not man and choose to be loyal to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.