Wednesday, 20 April 2011

• Passion Week: Betrayal!

  That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests and said, "What will you give me if I hand him over to you?" They settled on thirty silver pieces. He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.
  
  "The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!"

  Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, "It isn't me, is it, Rabbi?"

  Jesus said, "Don't play games with me, Judas."
  - Matthew 26: 14-16, 23-25

  We are a lot like Judas, but no one wants to admit it.  We read the scriptures, we pray and we fast, but one day we hear the voice of Jesus say, "One of you will betray me."  We gasp at the thought and, with a smirk, sarcastically reply, "Surely, Lord, you couldn't mean me, of all people."
  
  Yes, you.  And me.  We betray God all the time.  There's a line in a song I used to hear frequently this time of year that says, "How many times have I nailed you up today?"  Judas betrays Jesus in this story, but in tomorrow's story, I'm the betrayer.  I hand over Jesus to be crucified when I gossip with my co-workers.  When I'm ungrateful for my parents' abundant concern, I put the coins in the high priest's hand.
  
  Forgiveness is coming.  Forgiveness is here.  What will you do with it?
  
  Have you ever felt like you had a lot in common with Judas?  What have you done to betray Him?  What can we do to be less Judas and more Jesus?
  

  Image Source

  • 10:28 AM
  • 325 Views
  • 6 eProps
  • 2 Comments