Have you ever noticed how some things in life sometimes just don't seem to go together? I've always marveled at an expensive Cadillac with a squirrel tail tied to the antenna. It looks absurd. I heard recently of a fellow who saw this bumper sticker: "A WOMAN WITHOUT A MAN IS LIKE A FISH WITHOUT A BICYCLE." Well, you understand what I mean.

Paul brings together some words like that, words that do not seem to fit. Listen to them again: The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread .... What a strange thing to do! On the night of betrayal, Jesus did not run, nor did he fight. He broke bread, blessed it, and gave it as a sign to his disciples. A sign of what? Consider these:

I.

Jesus broke the bread as a sign that love is more enduring than hate. Jesus knew exactly what Judas Iscariot was up to. One such as Judas could not escape Jesus' notice for long. Not only were they traveling companions, they were also close compatriots in a spiritual tug of war. Jesus had watched Judas in action and he understood what drove Judas. There are a couple of places in the gospels where we are given glimpses of him, where we can see his motives. John 12 gives us the best picture. Mary and Martha were hosting a party for Jesus just before he entered Jerusalem for what would be the last time. Mary took out a jar of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus' feet. It was a beautiful gesture of admiration and affection. But one person objected. Guess who? The narrative reads, But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected. "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 47He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

This scripture helps us understand better. This attitude of Judas often surfaces today. It shows up in statements or questions like these: "Why don't we do it my way?" or "Why fool around with this spiritual stuff when we should talk cold cash?" And the big one, "How much is this going to cost?"

Now listen to the reply: Leave her alone, Jesus replied. It was meant that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. This answer is a rebuke to all of us who seem to value budgets more than souls. It is judgment on all of us who care more about the bottom line than the inner dimension. It is a stinging reminder of how easy it is to overlook the absolute worth of people in the sight of God. All along Jesus had watched Judas and knew him better than Judas knew himself. The protest about the perfume came as no surprise. It is typical of someone with the defect in moral character such as Judas had. But he couldn't seem to hear those words. Here was a warning, a chance, a roadblock on the road to destruction. But Judas ignored it all and continued on his petty little plot to deliver Jesus over to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver.

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread. Amazing isn't it? In the midst of such treachery Jesus acted from love and delivered to his disciples a sign of grace. In a short while the others would betray Jesus in their own way. Some would run away. Some would hide. Peter denied and cursed. But Jesus broke bread, and said in this way that love is more enduring than hate. This wretched betrayal of Judas was not the last word! His hateful attitudes toward the Son of God and toward others was not the end of the story! This fact gives me hope that my unchristian attitudes and my actions which betray Christ are transformed and made to work for his purposes. Christ still breaks the bread and hands it to us, knowing fully well what we are. But his love will not give up or let go. 48

He gives until he has given all he has. A poet says: Love is that liqueur sweetand most divineWhich my God feels as bloodbut I as wine.His blood is the wine for this meal. How did Jesus put it? This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Love is more enduring than hate. We approach the Lord's supper table with this word of grace given in our hearts. Do not hold back. Remember, the Lord himself is giving this spiritual feast, and he has sent you an invitation. Written across the bottom of the invitation is RSVP

II.

Jesus broke the bread -- a sign that even our mixed motives can serve him. His ride into Jerusalem on that last Sunday is remarkable. Jesus knew what lay in store for him. He was aware that the crowds who shouted "Hosanna!" could easily be swayed to shout "Crucify him!" He had seen the stealthy glances of Judas and knew what would come of that. He had heard the boisterous bragging of Simon Peter and knew the disciple would not stand up under the crisis of the last week. He had watched James and John wrangling for positions in the kingdom and knew that such power grabs were no training for the night of the cross. Jesus had seen all of this and much more. He knew what would happen when the final crisis came.

Yet he chose to go to Jerusalem and take his chances with the people. He understood the mixed up motives of his own closest group, and he chose to honor even the smallest amount of faithfulness. I do not know if that gives you hope, but it surely does give it to me. What separated Jesus from the rest of humanity was the fact that his were unmixed motives. He had a perfect God-consciousness and was always motivated by love. Can you say that about yourself? Can any of us?

I can imagine the conversation among the disciples in the upper room after the crucifixion of Christ. It might have gone 49something like this, if we will allow them to speak as we speak. Simon Peter perhaps spoke up with difficulty as he choked back the tears: "I didn't want to deny him. I didn't! My desire was to stand by him all the way. But when I saw the reflected light as the swords were drawn and heard the thunderous march of the soldiers I panicked. I wanted to stand by him, but I just couldn't. I betrayed him by my cowardice." James and John might have spoken next: "We didn't understand. We were jockeying for first place in Jesus' kingdom and didn't know what he meant when he would say things like 'He who would be first must become the servant of all.' We betrayed him by our hunger for power." On and on it might have gone as each disciple confessed his own reason for deserting Jesus on that fateful Friday. But it was to that very group -- who followed with mixed motives -- that Jesus broke the bread and gave it as a blessing. There is hope! The beginning of the Lenten season is called Ash Wednesday. It is the day when many Christians attend church services and get a smudge of ashes on their foreheads. Where do those ashes come from? They are the remains of the palm branches of the previous Palm Sunday. Jesus entered Jerusalem and the people spread cloaks and waved palm branches to welcome him. But they turned on him later. It is a fitting symbol, then. This year's palm branches are burned to provide the ashes of repentance next year. Conclusion

On the night of his betrayal, Jesus took bread. He could have taken a sword against those who would disobey, but he chose bread. He could have scathed them with bitter accusations, but he broke bread. He could have denied them all, the way they would deny him, but he took bread.

In some word or action you have betrayed Christ this week, as I have. Come to this table, then, with a sense of sin but more importantly, with a sense of his forgiveness. He is still breaking bread for us betrayers. 50"