Friday 11-21-2014 (City of Santiago del
Estero) Matt 8-10
S. Matt 10:1-10 Jesus called his twelve
disciples to him and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal
every kind of disease and illness. Here are the names of the twelve apostles:
first Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter's brother), James (son of
Zebedee), John (James's brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the
tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, 4 Simon (the Zealot), Judas
Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
O. “And I choose you, Judas Iscariot. You
will be my treasurer,” “Me? Wow! Okay!” Jesus chose his
disciples with care and prayer. (Luke
6:12-13 NLT “… soon afterward Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he prayed
to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and
chose twelve of them to be apostles.”) He made a prayerful
choice of each one.
We have no reason to believe that Judas Iscariot did
not go out to heal the sick and cast out demons along with the others.
How could he later be led astray? Jesus, however, says (John 6:70-71…"I chose the twelve of you, but one is
a devil." He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of
the Twelve, who would betray him. NLT) It
is interesting that Jesus knows full well the final fall of Judas, but even so
He chooses him; treats him the same as the others; teaches him just as the
others; sends him out to preach, heal the sick and cast out demons with the
others; washes his feet along with the others and even hands him food at the
last supper. It is clear that Jesus gave equal chance to Judas as to the
others. Jesus knew his evil heart, but he chose him, and put up with him for 3
years without complaint… and without firing him from his job as personal
treasurer.
A. Sometimes I wonder if there is not a
potential Judas hidden in every group… someone that is capable of falling away
and purposely striking out at his former master. I think of that sacred,
bewildering moment of the last supper when Jesus announces that one of them
will betray Him. They look at each other with suspicion. “Who could
do such a thing? What does Jesus know that we do not know?” “It’s
not me, is it?” And John who is next to Jesus leans over and whispers, “Who is
it, Lord?” And Jesus responds, “I am going to dip the bread in the soup
and hand it to him now.” So now at least John and Peter know who it
is. Nobody takes any action, except Judas who immediately slips
away. John 13:30 “He then having received
the sop went immediately out: and it was night.” KJV
Yes,
it was night… a very dark night indeed. Jesus talked about that kind of
darkness. (John 3:19 “…they loved the darkness
more than the light, for their actions were evil.”) Satan had
entered into Judas and was controlling his steps. In the dark of night he
runs to the temple where the enemies of his Master are hiding out. He is
still panting as he enters their hiding place. There they are surrounding
a single lantern, dressed in religious robes, with gaudy head gear showing
their ranks of authority as chief priests.
Now all eyes are focused on a shadowy figure moving in
a dark corner. A pact is made. A coffer is unlocked and
opened. No doubt this is money received as temple offerings by faithful
religious Jews. The widow’s useless copper pennies were not included in
the payoff. 30 silver coins are counted out into trembling hands.
Judas has to know that this is wrong. He has
surrendered to the enemy of his soul. Now he is driven by unseen
forces. He trembles as he hides the pouch of money in his robe and slinks
out of sight. He is caught in a web. He has received payment.
Now he has to go through with the plan.
“Just follow me in the darkness. Be sure you
have armed men with you. I will lead you to Him. I know Him well. I
will recognize His voice even in the dark. He will be praying there in
total darkness in the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s what He does. He
prays at night. I will run up and greet Him with a kiss. That will
be Him. Grab Him, bind Him, drag Him away to your midnight court-room
thing, try Him, accuse Him and condemn Him! Whatever! The 30 silver
coins are mine… and He is yours!”
Is Judas listening and watching from the dark shadows
as his Master, Jesus is condemned to die? What is happening inside this
troubled soul? Remorse. He hates himself. The pouch of coins
that he once coveted now loses its attraction. It becomes a nasty, heavy
burden tied to his waist-band. It is pulling him down… down!
“I’ve got to get
rid of this evil thing!” Once again he runs to the temple, panting… some
of the same religious hierarchy are still there. “Here, take your
money! I have betrayed innocent blood!” They look the other way…
“Who cares! That’s your problem, buddy!” He throws the open pouch at
them. It falls to the floor and silver coins roll and scatter. He
runs out again into the darkness.
Oh, if He had only run to Jesus! If only he had
found his Master, crowned with thorns, bound and beaten and covered with blood
and spittle. If only he had fallen in repentance before Him. Judas
would have been forgiven! But no! Driven by the weight of his sin
he seeks to escape in death and plunges his soul into eternal damnation.
He could have been there alongside of Simon Peter and
the others at the resurrection meeting. He could have been transformed
into a great witness for Jesus. We could have met Judas in heaven.
There is a repentance that saves the sinner and there
is a remorse that damns the soul. Oh, how different it might have been
for Judas!
P. Lord Jesus, I cry out to you. Oh, I
want to repent for the lost sinners that still refuse to bow in humble
repentance before You. But I find that I cannot do what only they can
do. I cannot bend their wills to coerce them into saving belief and true
repentance.
Day before yesterday I looked out at this sea of public school
kids that I was preaching to in a town called Nueva Francia in Santiago del Estero. I wanted to pick each one up and set them
on the Jesus road, but I could not.
Like Judas and like me, they have to
make a personal choice. So, dear Lord, hear my cry and may Your Holy
Spirit bring them conviction that results in repentance and saving faith!
Amen.
Ralph
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