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1998-03-19 - Actions and Reactions
The Cross Series, Part 31
Matt 27:1-10 Now when morning had come, all the chief
priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him
to death; 2 and they bound Him, and led Him away, and delivered
Him up to Pilate the governor. 3 Then when Judas, who had
betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned
the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But
they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!" 5 And
he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went
away and hanged himself. 6 And the chief priests took the
pieces of silver and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the temple
treasury, since it is the price of blood." 7 And they counseled
together and with the money bought the Potter's Field as a burial place for
strangers. 8 For this reason that field has been called the
Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then that which was spoken
through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, "And they took the thirty
pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons
of Israel; 10 and they gave them for the Potter's Field,
as the Lord directed me."
The laws of physics dictates that for every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction. Far too many times this law spills over into the arena
of human affairs. We push the limits of technology - man and machine - and
press to higher speeds, deeper oceans and further into space. We drive the
limits of human endurance to say we were there - Everest, the North and South
Poles, the Moon - and if the Lord tarries, Mars. We do learn in the effort.
Science and medicine delve deeper into the body, down into the DNA itself
to the point where a living creature has been cloned. The stuff of science
fiction only a few short years ago.
But, there is often a backlash. Scott did not live to return from the South
Pole. The men of Apollo 13 and the Mir Spacelab have had their own near misses
with the vacuum of space. The men and women of Apollo 1, the Challenger
Space Shuttle and a few of the Russian cosmonauts have fallen on the
other side of the margin and passed into eternity in their efforts.
And now we are embroiled in a debate over the wisdom of cloning human beings.
Sadly, someone will do it - just to be first.
It is the competitive spirit in humanity that seeks to push back the envelope
just a little further. At its best, it drives us to learn to save lives,
reap more per acre and reach for Don Quixote's farthest star from The
Impossible Dream. At its worst it drives mankind to grapple for political
power at the expense of those they represent - even friends, and chafes against
the wisdom of God given out of love to protect us.
None of us knows what Judas' motivations were. I see him as a political
opportunist. He saw Jesus as the Messiah King who would throw off the Roman
yoke and free Israel. But the Lord had higher sights first. It is true, He
will return in majesty and power to free Israel when all will seem
lost. First, the Messiah had to free the hearts and minds of all mankind
from the slavery of sin.
There are times when I wonder about odd things. One day, when I was struggling
with my faith, I thought how much easier it would be to have been with Jesus.
To have been one of the disciples would surely have dispelled all my questions
and mental issues. Judas could not see or was not listening to what Jesus
was saying. For the better part of three years, he walked and talked and
sat at the feet of Jesus. Here, I believe he is trying to force the hand
of Jesus to take the Throne of David. There is no doubt that Jesus could
have done exactly that at any time. But He would have passed up the plan
of the ages to redeem mankind from the fall of Adam and Eve. So it seems
that being a disciple is no guarantee at all.
Judas was hoping for a Cabinet posting; perhaps as Treasurer. He did
have the inside track and experience. The 30 pieces of silver - the price
of a slave - was no small matter. But it would have become pocket change.
But Judas tried to make God do it his way - the way Judas thought it should
happen. Jesus had told him, "Do quickly what you must..." at the Passover
meal. The keeper of the money purse bolted from the room with his plan in
motion. But it was not God's plan after all. In the morning, Judas returned
to the religious leaders grief stricken and searching for answers. These
same men who had paid him for Jesus betrayal. Again, Judas' plan. God's plan
is for us to turn to Him for help in those times. Sometimes the Lord will
lead us to a friend, but that friend will be pointing us through our pain
to Jesus. In the end, Judas' plan cost him his life and the Paradise that
the second thief on the cross was promised. Judas' enormous action had an
equally huge reaction.
Peter's enormous boast that he would die with Jesus if need be also had its
reaction. Peter spiraled into grief that racked his body with sobs. But Peter
held on to a thread of hope that God the Father would be as merciful
as his Master. Peter had made the enormous step of faith in claiming Jesus
as Messiah, the Christ. As the rooster had crowed and Jesus and Peter's eyes
met Peter must have seem a well of love and mercy so deep. It broke Peter's
heart to find out he was not the man he had boasted to be, and to think it
might have cost him Paradise. At breakfast a few days later, Peter would
learn personally what Paul would write a few decades later.
Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,
or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "For Thy sake
we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be
slaughtered." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly
conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth,
nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Do you feel separated from the love of God by some event in your past? Verses
38 and 39 sum up the hope that is available to those who know Jesus.
Nothing at all can break the bond between you and Jesus once it is
established. If you don't believe me, ask Him. I think you will find Him
waiting for you - just has He promised.
Lord Jesus - so many of us know the pain that Peter and Judas suffered.
We have blown it so big that it seems that nothing could ever make it right.
And here you assure us that that is not the case. That your love, mercy and
grace is deeper and wider than anything we can do or say. The promise and
assurance of forgiveness is a comfort that You have for Your children. May
we all learn that You are waiting to wipe the cuts and scrapes and tears
after our falls. And that You will help to pick us up and put us on the right
road again. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Mike
jmhoskins@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org
http://www.peacewithgod.net
All verses are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.
CFD | March 1998
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