Lord, Is It I?
[Editor's Note: This is a devotion before the Lord's Supper. It is brief, but the dramatic conclusion usually leads to a number of commitments that may take some time within the service. I trust is will be of use to Lord in your ministry.]
Introduction
In the Upper Room, on the night when Jesus was betrayed, a critical question was asked by the disciples. Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him. At that moment, they asked, “Lord, is it I?”
This is a question that demands another question. Why did they all ask that question? Many have hypothesized concerning this but the answer surely lies in a combination of factors.
When we look at Jesus with His disciples on that fateful night, our own weaknesses become transparent. That is surely what happened to the disciples. You see, if we are honest, we all must admit that without God’s help we don’t know what sins we might commit!
So, before we receive the Lord’s Supper today, let’s look at this incident and see ourselves in it. If the Lord spoke in this service today and said, “After you receive this Lord’s Supper, one of you is going to betray me,” would you look around trying to figure out who it might be or would you look inside and ask, “Is it I?”
I. This is a Serious Issue
They must have known from the facial expression, tone of voice and direct method of communication that Jesus used that this was a serious matter. It was so serious they responded by asking if in fact each one was the person of whom Jesus spoke.
First, let’s admit that the question they asked is commendable, for it points out that no arrogance or pride seemed to be present in that room. When Jesus speaks of guilt, betrayal, judgment, and the like, we should all look inward. After all, the disciples knew that Jesus did not throw words around loosely. When He spoke, it was not without thought and reason.
It is important that we take the words of Jesus seriously. Words are cheap in our world, but Christ never used cheap words. Every word He spoke was important and His disciples on that night alone with Him knew what was happening was critical, and what Jesus was saying was critical.
II. This is a Satanic Issue
By now they knew that Satan was a person and that he opposed the work of Christ as well as to the person of Christ. They knew that he used people against the Savior. Each one might well have wondered if he would be the one that Satan would attempt to use. Think of it! Satan used Judas, the Gentile government, the crowds and even false witnesses to crucify Christ. He is still using people whenever and wherever he can.
It is a frightening thought to be the one used by the devil to hurt God's work! The disciples must have trembled at the thought of being the one who would fall into the clutches of Satan to be used to harm the Lord.
What about us today? Will we receive this Lord’s Supper today and harm the work of God tomorrow? In our lives this coming week, we will say or do something that leaves a poor impression on the nature of the salvation Christ has given us through His sacrifice at Calvary? We all know at times we fail to do what we ought to do, we fail to say what God would have us say, and we do and say those things that we ought not do and say. Satan is always looking for a Christian he can use to harm God’s work and reflect badly on God’s Son. Is it I? What a question to ask!
III. This is a Self-Issue
Perhaps more than anything else, each one of the disciples knew himself and was aware of the weakness that dwelt in his flesh. They knew the tendency to wander away from God.
"Prone to wander, God I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take a seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above."
If you look at the lives of the disciples you will note that weakness characterized them, as it does us. Each of the disciples knew the feeling of temptation and the tendency to follow the wrong path at times. Judas betrayed Jesus because he was covetous, because he was jealous, because he was impatient, but each of the disciples knew that without God’s help any sin might befall him.
Conclusion
As we receive this Communion today, I am asking you, as I ask myself, to consider whether you ought to come before Jesus just now and recommit your life to Him. What temptation lies before you? Not only ought we to come to Him now to ask that we are cleansed before placing the bread and cup to our lips, but we need to ask that He strengthen us so that we might not fail Him in this coming week and days that follow.
Someone will surely fail our Lord soon. Someone will.