Voice: Ting Ai
We are in the Holy Week and today is Holy Wednesday, the 1st of April. Let us be still for a moment.
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger. LAMENTATIONS 1:12
Psalm Reading
We begin by listening to Psalm 102, verses 12-17.
12 But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear
and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the Lord builds up Zion;
he appears in his glory;
17 he regards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
We continue to follow Luke’s account of the events after the Passover meal, in Luke 22:54-71. Listening to verses 63 to 71.
63 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. 64 They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.
66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Who do you say that He is?
Our reading today brings us to the first trial of Jesus before the Jewish Council. What exactly was the charge against Him?
“If you are the Christ, tell us.”
This is not a straightforward accusation. It is a trap—an invitation for Jesus to incriminate Himself. But why is it so unthinkable to them that Jesus could be the long-awaited Christ? What evidence do they see—and refuse to see?
Earlier in Gospel of Luke, even John the Baptist, from prison, sent messengers to ask: “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:18–23)
Jesus answered not with a direct claim, but with evidence—pointing to His works.
Now, before the Council, His response is different: “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer.”
This is not ignorance on their part—it is resistance. They are not seeking truth; they are seeking grounds to condemn.
Then Jesus declares:
“But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
This is unmistakable. He is identifying Himself with divine authority.
So they press further:
“Are you the Son of God, then?”
And Jesus replies:
“You say that I am.”
That is enough for them.
“What further testimony do we need?”
Everything now hinges on one question: Is it true?
If Jesus is not the Son of God, then this is blasphemy—a man claiming divine status. But if He is telling the truth, then the charge collapses completely. For how can it be blasphemy for God to speak of Himself?
There is no neutral ground here.
As C. S. Lewis argued in Mere Christianity:
A man who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.
He would either be a lunatic… or else the Devil.
Or He is who He says He is—the Son of God.
Jesus has not left us the option of polite admiration.
He forces a decision.
There is a fork in the road.
The Council made their choice—they rejected Him.
But the question remains for us.
We have heard the claims.
We have seen the witness of His life, His works, and His words.
Now the weight is not on His trial—but on ours.
So, who do you say that He is?
Collect/Prayer
Assist us mercifully with your grace,
Lord God of our salvation,
that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts
by which you have promised us life and immortality;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Be blessed by this song, King of Kings, sung by Saddleback Worship.
In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light
‘Til from Heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfill the law and prophets
To a virgin came the word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, three in one
God of glory, Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings
To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross
For even in your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake you died
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, three in one
God of glory, Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings
And the morning that You rose
All of Heaven held its breath
‘Til that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death
And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored
And the church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel, shall not faint
By His blood and in His name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, three in one
God of glory, Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings
Praise forever to the King of Kings
King of Kings By: Brooke Ligertwood, Jason Ingram, and Scott Ligertwood © 2019 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Fellow Ships Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) So Essential Tunes (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) CCLI License #42373, CCLI Song #7127647
About This Daily Devotion
This weekday devotion is drawn from the Morning Office and is part of a project initiated by Revd Canon Terry Wong, with contributions from clergy and members across various parishes. Each entry includes selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture passage, accompanied by a reflection and prayer. An audio option is also available, often ending with a hymn or song. We encourage you to both read and listen.
Our aim is to help Anglicans engage more deeply with our rich liturgical tradition, while meeting the devotional needs of today’s believers. This project began on Ash Wednesday 2025 and is offered on weekdays only.
For feedback, please write to us at terrywong@anglican.org.sg
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