Two Betrayals of Jesus
Michelle DiGaurdi gives us today’s moving devotional. And it will cause you to decide where you will spend eternity if you haven’t already decided. Ty Michelle well done!
As another Easter draws near I'm thinking again about the events that led up to the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior. How often we've heard the story of Judas Iscariot. We wonder, how could he do that, betray the One he had been following? Was it really for the thirty pieces of silver? Judas most likely was a Zealot, and along with the other disciples, did not really understand the purpose of Jesus coming. Maybe he believed He was the Messiah Who would overthrow the Roman government, bringing a political revolution. Possibly Judas was trying to force Jesus’ hand and apparently he became disillusioned when he began to see failure in that happening. He didn't trust the words of Jesus. The betrayal was prophesied in the book of Zechariah, chapter 11, verses 12-13, the prophecy of the shepherds, “Then I said to them, ‘If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.’ So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter - that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.” You can't help but wonder if Judas knew he was fulfilling a prophecy. Peter didn't trust Jesus’ words either that particular evening in the courtyard and his betrayal was just as serious. Listening to a BEMA podcast recently, I learned that from a rabbinical point of view, Peter's denial of his Rabbi was unthinkable. For a disciple to deny his rabbi was unheard of and he was in many ways no longer a disciple. We know the impact of his denial was shattering to Peter and possibly this is why after the resurrection he went back to fishing, his former occupation, feeling totally unworthy to be called a follower of Jesus anymore. Maybe that’s why it was said to the women who came to anoint Jesus’ body, “Do not be alarmed, you seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples- and Peter- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” Mark 16:6-7. And later, on the beach over a breakfast of grilled fish Jesus restores Peter fully and Peter, unlike Judas, is willing to trust Jesus to give him a new tomorrow. Jesus does the same for us today. There is nothing we can do, no mess we've made too big, no sin bad enough, that God won't restore when we come to Him asking to be forgiven. “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23.
We have the choice to make. Bob Dylan writes us this in his song You Gotta Serve Somebody.
“But you're gonna have to serve somebody
Yes, you are, you're gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody”
We can, like Judas, ignore the words of Jesus and die not believing what He came here to do. Or we can say yes, You are Who You say You are! Hallelujah!
Make it a Serving Saturday! God is good…