Wednesday, April 12, 2006
WEDNESDAY -- THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
Matthew 26:14-16 Then one of the Twelve -- the one called Judas Iscariot -- went to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
HOW LONG?
On a Tuesday those conspiring to kill Jesus agreed they would not arrest Him that week -- not while Jerusalem was full of Passover pilgrims. On Thursday night they sent soldiers and temple guards into Gethsemane to capture Christ. What changed their minds? On Wednesday night (this is not a job for broad daylight) Judas met with his Master's enemies.
It would be interesting to ask Judas how it all came about -- just what was going through his mind. We will never get the chance.
Besides, why talk to Judas? This text, after all, is not really about Judas; it is about you and about me. We might be surprised that Jesus did not dismiss the greedy Judas weeks before that night, but we ought not marvel that Jesus was patient with Judas, but that He is so patient with us.
How long has Jesus waited for me to put away those ugly pet sins into which I keep falling? How long has Jesus been waiting for you to put away the love of this world and to really dedicate your life to him? How long has our Lord waited for us to clear sinful pride, lack of forgiveness for others, and the love of sin out of our hearts and to replace these with the loving patience, self denial, and obedience He himself demonstrated?
How we ought to fall on our knees this Holy Week and thank our Lord that He is so patient with us. Judas ultimately rejected his Lord's call to turn and repent. For Judas now there is hell to pay (really!), as there will also be hell to pay for anyone who allows sin to live unabated in his heart.
Sin cannot go unchecked in our lives without eventually destroying saving faith. We might hide our sins from others but Jesus sees. Jesus knows. In great patience He calls to each one of us to turn from those sins to Him and find in His forgiveness the strength to live as His disciples.
