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Apr 04, 2023 18:30pm

Holy Week: Forgiveness Matters

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(The following is a family devotional guide with suggested questions and scriptures.)

Talk Time

Would you rather eat at home or eat out?

Would you rather have an exciting night with acquaintances or a boring night with best friends?

What would you do if you were told one of your closest friends was revealing information about you to those who were trying to hurt you?

What if you were accused of a false crime and your best friend knew you were innocent but didn’t stand up for you? And when questioned, your best friend chose not to reveal the truth.

Bible Connection

The Passover was a special time celebrating when God saved the Jewish people from the Egyptians and rescued them from the evil Pharaoh. It was a time to spend with family, eat a traditional meal and talk faith. Jesus knew His time on earth was drawing to an end and that things were going to change dramatically in the next 24 hours. He wanted to spend His last hours with His beloved disciples celebrating the Passover dinner with them. Little did the disciples know, this night would be one they would never forget.

Read John 13:21-30. Who betrayed Jesus?

Jesus knew for three years that one of his closest friends, Judas, would sell Him out to the Pharisees. And yet, Jesus never treated Him differently. He loved Judas like He loved the others. It must have been heartbreaking for Jesus to know that someone He’d done life with for three years would betray Him.

Read John 13:36-38 and tell me what Jesus predicted.

Peter, one of Jesus’ most devoted disciples, was probably shocked and saddened by such news. Matthew recorded Peter passionately denying this, saying he would lay down his life for Jesus (Matthew 26:35). Yet, when the pressure was on and Jesus had been arrested, people questioned Peter…and he crumbled. He denied knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. At some point, we will all betray Jesus with our words or actions – it’s part of our sin nature. Judas chose to end his life out of guilt and regret for this betrayal. Peter was lost and saddened after he betrayed Jesus, but that wasn’t the end of the story for him. After Jesus’ resurrection, there is a tender moment in Scripture when Jesus and Peter have a heart-filled conversation – one of forgiveness and restoration. It’s a conversation that forever changes Peter from that impulsive, rough fisherman to a brave, passionate man on fire for the Gospel. (Read John 21 for that restoration – such a good one to share with your people!)

Faith Connection

So, what was the difference between Judas and Peter? Simply put, one sought redemption and the other didn’t. Peter sought redemption by having a repentant heart, one that was truly sorry he had made this mistake. Judas felt remorse about what he had done but never sought redemption through forgiveness and a changed life.

The really cool thing about redemption is this: it isn’t just a one-time deal! Jesus can redeem us every day – anytime, anyplace. Another form of the word redeem means “to change for the better, to repair, to restore.” That means, with Jesus living in our hearts, He has the power to help us not only overcome our mistakes but grow stronger from our mistakes. He can help change our hearts so that we don’t want to continue sinning – this is hope and encouragement for all of us! All it takes is a repentant heart, a heart that is willing to confess its wrong and seek God’s help to get better.