"Is It I, Lord?" -- "Yes!:

John 13:21-30 (NIV)

²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me." ²² His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. ²³ One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. ²⁴ Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means." ²⁵ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" ²⁶ Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. ²⁷ As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, ²⁸ but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. ³⁰ As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

I can’t begin to grasp the emotions that must have filled the upper room at this time. Jesus’ emotions, He was “troubled in spirit.” Jesus knew a man He loved, a man in whom He had invested three years of His life in intimate relationship was about to betray Him, and He knew the consequence would be His death, but not only His death—His torment for the sins of all humankind—past, present, and future. The emotions the disciples each felt as they silently examined and questioned themselves, and as they looked around at their friends, colleagues and companions with questions and suspicions. The emotions of Judas as he knew that he was the one and as he knew that Jesus knew that he was the one. I think of times I have been or have felt betrayed. I think of times I have questioned and doubted myself as well as others in my life (usually unjustly). And I think of times that I have betrayed a friend, more significantly times I have betrayed my Lord and Savior who gave Himself to death for me and all humankind. I am the reason for Jesus’ suffering and death, yet Jesus loves me, loves each of us so much that He chose to go through all of this for us. THANK YOU, JESUS!!!

John 10:17-18 (NIV)

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again."

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 John 2:2 (NIV)

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.