Mark 14:10-11
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
Devotional
What transpires here is what occurs after Jesus having rebuked Judas when he and others there in Simon the Lepers house in Bethsaida sharply rebuked a woman who anointed Jesus’ head with expensive fragrant oil, saying it was a “waste” goes out from amongst them to the chief priests with the intent of betraying Jesus to them. Remember just before Jesus’ anointing by the woman the chief priests and scribes had wanted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But because it was nearing the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread they held themselves back from their evil desire, saying: …“Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.” Mark 14:2 And so with Judas’ approaching them to betray Jesus to them the Scripture says: “And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.” Vs. 11 Notice Judas after being rebuked by Jesus does not hesitate to go to chief priests to betray Jesus to them, and this for money, as the chief priests so quickly deducted. For from the start Judas was stealing from the money box entrusted to his care. And thus his faithfulness to Jesus Christ could be measured by how much it profited him. That is why he criticized the woman so sharply, not that he cared for the poor, as the others clearly did. But sadly he was using that righteous cause and their hearts for it, for his own ends, so that he might steal the proceeds from the sale of the oil.
And thus Judas Iscariot though a “disciple” from the beginning did not love the Lord. If he did his love of mammon soon overrode it. Indeed Judas was there when Jesus warned the disciples at the beginning of His ministry, saying: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matt. 6:24
Yet for whatever reasons Judas took no heed to obey the Lord’s Words and so over time he became more and more hardened by the deceitfulness of sin as the Book of Hebrews warns (Heb. 3:12-14). And thus Judas’ hardned heart led him to a state where Satan entered him (Luke 23:3). And with that Judas goes out to betray the Lord Jesus. Judas Iscariot then should be a warning to all who would betray the Lord Jesus or His church for their love of money. Similarly the person who comes to the church looking to exploit the charity or grace of God through His people, who see Christians not as people whose faith, Godly lives or righteous examples one should follow, but as easy marks, should think long and hard about it. For the Lord Jesus Christ is not mocked. He is the God of all knowledge and by Him actions are weighed. And those who think little of that fact will find a very sorry end for themselves. As Judas soon will. For though he thinks he’s “profited” from his scheme his temporary evil gain will only end in an eternity of regret.
As Book of Psalms declares:
“The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him,
But their fate would endure forever.” Psalm 81:15
Now in stating this, this does not preclude someone’s reconciliation to God or the church if they have sinned or have fallen into sin (James 5:19-20). For walking in the truth is not feigning sinless perfection (Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). It is being truthful about oneself and ones need for the Lord Jesus Christ to be both saved by Him and sanctified by His Spirit and His Word (John 17:17; 2 Thess. 2:13). For that is how we all enter into life in the first place not as “sinless” people who have never sinned; but as sinners in need of the grace and love of God (Matt. 5:3). Who seeing and admitting our own sinfulness, in faith call on the Name of the Lord Jesus and are saved by Him (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). Therefore having been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ through the grace and love of God we must be diligent in seeking to obey Him (1 John 1:6-7; Titus 1:1). That is why on one hand Jesus says His burden is easy and His yoke is light (Matt. 11:28-29); since salvation is a free gift of God to everyone who believes (Eph. 2:8-9). While on the other He says: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matt. 7:13-14 For in following Jesus in discipleship every believer will have struggles against their own sinful nature and will at times come under the chastening hand of God (Heb. 12:4-11). As well every believer who desires to live Godly will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Therefore I want to encourage you today to first make a decision for the Lord Jesus if you have not done that so that you might receive all that He has done to save you through His crucifixion death and resurrection from the dead. And if you have though you may be going through some trials of faith as the Apostle Peter said we would (1 Peter 1:7) to keep yourself and your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who will see you through them.
Proverb for Meditation:
“Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” Prov. 23:23
Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
Devotional
What transpires here is what occurs after Jesus having rebuked Judas when he and others there in Simon the Lepers house in Bethsaida sharply rebuked a woman who anointed Jesus’ head with expensive fragrant oil, saying it was a “waste” goes out from amongst them to the chief priests with the intent of betraying Jesus to them. Remember just before Jesus’ anointing by the woman the chief priests and scribes had wanted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But because it was nearing the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread they held themselves back from their evil desire, saying: …“Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.” Mark 14:2 And so with Judas’ approaching them to betray Jesus to them the Scripture says: “And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.” Vs. 11 Notice Judas after being rebuked by Jesus does not hesitate to go to chief priests to betray Jesus to them, and this for money, as the chief priests so quickly deducted. For from the start Judas was stealing from the money box entrusted to his care. And thus his faithfulness to Jesus Christ could be measured by how much it profited him. That is why he criticized the woman so sharply, not that he cared for the poor, as the others clearly did. But sadly he was using that righteous cause and their hearts for it, for his own ends, so that he might steal the proceeds from the sale of the oil.
And thus Judas Iscariot though a “disciple” from the beginning did not love the Lord. If he did his love of mammon soon overrode it. Indeed Judas was there when Jesus warned the disciples at the beginning of His ministry, saying: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matt. 6:24
Yet for whatever reasons Judas took no heed to obey the Lord’s Words and so over time he became more and more hardened by the deceitfulness of sin as the Book of Hebrews warns (Heb. 3:12-14). And thus Judas’ hardned heart led him to a state where Satan entered him (Luke 23:3). And with that Judas goes out to betray the Lord Jesus. Judas Iscariot then should be a warning to all who would betray the Lord Jesus or His church for their love of money. Similarly the person who comes to the church looking to exploit the charity or grace of God through His people, who see Christians not as people whose faith, Godly lives or righteous examples one should follow, but as easy marks, should think long and hard about it. For the Lord Jesus Christ is not mocked. He is the God of all knowledge and by Him actions are weighed. And those who think little of that fact will find a very sorry end for themselves. As Judas soon will. For though he thinks he’s “profited” from his scheme his temporary evil gain will only end in an eternity of regret.
As Book of Psalms declares:
“The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him,
But their fate would endure forever.” Psalm 81:15
Now in stating this, this does not preclude someone’s reconciliation to God or the church if they have sinned or have fallen into sin (James 5:19-20). For walking in the truth is not feigning sinless perfection (Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). It is being truthful about oneself and ones need for the Lord Jesus Christ to be both saved by Him and sanctified by His Spirit and His Word (John 17:17; 2 Thess. 2:13). For that is how we all enter into life in the first place not as “sinless” people who have never sinned; but as sinners in need of the grace and love of God (Matt. 5:3). Who seeing and admitting our own sinfulness, in faith call on the Name of the Lord Jesus and are saved by Him (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). Therefore having been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ through the grace and love of God we must be diligent in seeking to obey Him (1 John 1:6-7; Titus 1:1). That is why on one hand Jesus says His burden is easy and His yoke is light (Matt. 11:28-29); since salvation is a free gift of God to everyone who believes (Eph. 2:8-9). While on the other He says: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matt. 7:13-14 For in following Jesus in discipleship every believer will have struggles against their own sinful nature and will at times come under the chastening hand of God (Heb. 12:4-11). As well every believer who desires to live Godly will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Therefore I want to encourage you today to first make a decision for the Lord Jesus if you have not done that so that you might receive all that He has done to save you through His crucifixion death and resurrection from the dead. And if you have though you may be going through some trials of faith as the Apostle Peter said we would (1 Peter 1:7) to keep yourself and your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who will see you through them.
Proverb for Meditation:
“Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” Prov. 23:23
Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
No comments:
Post a Comment