| Betrayed - article by Joel Hempel What’s your definition of a friend? Here’s mine: Someone who is trustworthy, supportive, and is there when you need them. Jesus, on the night Judas sold out his Lord, the night Peter denied him and the others abandoned him – Jesus, on that night, gave himself into the hands of Hate – for them. Have you ever rejected someone who thought of you as their friend? Have you ever broken a promise others believed to be solid gold? Have you been unfaithful, uncaring, unresponsive? Did you ever betray another person’s trust? On the night he was betrayed, on the night hate prevailed, on the night loyalty was abandoned, Jesus forgave you and bowed in humility to serve you. Have you ever experienced betrayal? Have you been rejected, had lies told about you, gossip spread behind your back? Have others climbed over you, stepped on you, disregarded the solemn promise they made to you? Forgive me for not asking you how you felt. I know! On the night he was betrayed, Jesus reached out in love to our enemies. Let me ask you: When you come to the Lord’s Table to receive his body and blood – to receive Jesus, do you think he closes his eyes because he can’t stand looking at you in all of your sinful ugliness? Sometimes, you may think he does when guilt and shame are having their way with you. But raise your head; look at him. What do you see? Look closely! Do you see the same face of compassion when he looked upon the woman caught in adultery,1 when he commissioned Peter following Jesus’ resurrection,2 when he invited doubting Thomas to touch his wounds,3 or when he called the woman at the well into faith and ministry4? Jesus sees us for who we are when we are at our best and when our worst is on full display. At the Table, Jesus welcomes us into his presence with arms wide open and eyes full of love. On the night when Jesus was betrayed, on every night and every day Jesus is betrayed, he welcomes us to the Table of Forgiveness and invites us to take eat, take drink. At that Table of Forgiveness, surrounded by our broken and forgiven brothers and sisters, we are strengthened to go forth and serve, to love the unworthy, and to forgive the undeserving. On that night when Jesus was betrayed, he sent us – enriched and empowered by God’s grace. 1. John 8:1-11 2. John 21:15-19 3. John 20:26-29 4. John 4:7-42 | 
