Walking With Christ

⚓ Floatie:  Unwitting Honesty

Matthew 26:25  Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?”  He said to him, “You have said so.”(ESV)

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✒️ Forge:  One Stood Alone

The night Jesus was betrayed, all twelve sat at the same table.  They shared the same bread, heard the same words, and had their feet washed by the same hands.  Yet one of them was not the same.  When Jesus revealed that a betrayer was present, eleven asked with trembling hearts, “Is it I, Lord?”  But one said, “Is it I, Rabbi?”

This isn’t just a shift in vocabulary.  It’s a shift in posture.
The Greek confirms the contrast:

• Eleven called Him Kýrie – “Lord”
• One called Him Rabbí – “Teacher”

Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, this distinction is intentional.  Disciples call Jesus “Lord.”  Outsiders—Pharisees, the rich young ruler, and eventually Judas—use “Rabbi.”  The title “Lord” confesses authority and surrender.  “Rabbi” recognizes status and intellect, but retains personal control.  One yields.  The other admires.

And so, the great divide on that night wasn’t just about betrayal.

It was about allegiance.

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⚒️ Anvil:  Betrayal Was Long Before the Kiss

Here is the blunt edge:  You can follow Jesus for years, walk with Him, serve in ministry, perform miracles, and still only call Him “Rabbi.”

• You can be moved by His teaching, yet unmoved in your soul.
• You can kneel to wash feet but not bow your heart in surrender.
• You can ask the same question the others asked—“Is it I?”—but still mean something completely different.

When Judas asked, he wasn’t seeking truth.  He was masking treason with religious politeness.  He already held the money.  He already made the deal.  And Jesus let him speak.

Here’s the piercing question:  When you examine your heart, do you say, “Is it I, Lord?”  Or do you find that, deep down, it’s always been, “Is it I, Rabbi?”

We do not betray Jesus with a kiss until after we stop calling Him Lord.

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🔥 Ember:  It Wasn’t About Judas

This is not just a story about Judas.  It is a warning for the Church.

In an age of Christian influencers, platforms, theology debates, and stage lights, it’s easy to surround Jesus with admiration while never giving Him dominion.

You can be close enough to share the cup, yet far enough to hand Him over.  The betrayal didn’t start in Gethsemane.  It started when Judas decided Jesus was worth following but not worth obeying.

There are many who walk in Judas’ shoes today:

• They love the teacher, not the King.
• They preach the words, but never yield to the Word.
• They believe in His mission, but not in His mastery.

Hell will be filled with people who called Him “Rabbi.”

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🌿 Covenant Triumph:  There’s Still Time

But here is the grace:  If you still have breath, it’s not too late to switch titles.  Peter also failed that night—denying Jesus three times.  But Peter never stopped calling Him Lord.  And because of that, he was restored.

Your past may resemble Judas, but your ending doesn’t have to.  Trade in your admiration for surrender.  Lay down your plans, your reputation, your pride.  And say, “Is it I, Lord?”—not with performance, but with repentance.

Only one of those questions leads to redemption.  The other leads out into the night.

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[⚓ Floatie] [✒️ Forge] [⚒️ Anvil] [🔥 Ember] [🌿 Covenant Triumph]
This post follows the Forge Baseline Rule—layered truth for the discerning remnant.