11/03/2026
Surely Not I!
Joy and I were making the trip back from Florida. I’m driving just west of Erie, two hours from home, following a line of cars as we crest a hill. There up ahead was a state trooper in the median. We were doing 75, okay 80 in a 65mph zone. As I drove past, he pulled out. I slowed. He slowed. Eventually his lights went on. I pulled over. After what seemed like forever I pulled away with a $178 ticket for expired registration. Somehow, we forgot to renew it. I was a gift from him that he didn’t pop me for the speeding ticket which would be points on my license. Plus I have a CDL! But what chafes my hide is there were 3 cars in front of me driving the same speed. Why’d he nail me!?!?
That’s the rub isn’t it? Sometimes, in an effort to hide our sin, we become more concerned with the sin of others. When we do that we have missed the point of the gospel.
Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples. They’re having one last meal together. We know it as the Last Supper. The mood is light, probably even celebratory, because this meal coincides with Passover. The reminder that the Lord saved the Jews from captivity in Israel. Mark records this even in chapter 14: 12-26. While they’re eating Jesus says to them, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me – one who is eating with me.” Talk about sucking the air out of the room.
The passage says the disciples were saddened. Since Jesus doesn’t name who will betray who it is I imagine they probably started looking around the room wondering who it could be. Whispering to one another, “I bet it was Matthew, after all he is a tax collector.” “I wonder if it’s Simon? He is a zealot after all.” Whether they did or not we do know at one point “one by one they said to him, “Surely not I.”
As I thought about this statement it did give me pause. Is what Jesus is doing in this moment is getting them to reflect on their own sin? The disciples could just as easily have continued to point fingers at everyone else, but there came a point when they needed to look inward and ask the question, “Do I have within me the capability to betray Jesus?”
And what this should do is cause each one of us to reflect on our own sin, because when we understand our own propensity to sin, when we understand that you and I have within ourselves the capability for any and all kinds of evil, then it does away with all the finger-pointing and speculation of other people.
It’s easy to point to the flaws in others. There were three cars in front of me. Why didn’t they get pulled over?!?! Yet at the end of it, I was guilty of exceeding the speed limit. I have to own that.
We can easily become experts at identifying the sins of others while overlooking the sin in our own hearts. But the gospel calls us to honest self-examination, humility, and repentance.
Stop pointing fingers. Before criticizing someone else's failures, ask God to reveal where you need to grow. Bring hidden sin into the light. Don't allow a private compromise, bitterness, or disobedience to become a settled pattern in your life.
Respond to conviction with repentance. When God reveals sin, don't make excuses or put off obedience. Turn from your sin and turn toward Jesus, trusting in His grace. Instead of asking, “What's wrong with everyone else?” ask, “Lord, what needs to change in me?” Take time this week to confess any sin God brings to mind and take a concrete step toward repentance.
The good news is we have a Father that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) The first step is confess. “Surely, not I.” Yes . . . yes I am guilty. I own that and I confess that.
Don’t hold on to your sin. Don’t point to the actions of others. Own it and confess it.
Or just don’t do it. It cost me 178 bucks!
Pastor Rob
