The kiss of remorse

"One of you will betray Me.” (Matthew 26:21)

Scripture must be fulfilled. Jesus knew the path. He couldn’t waiver from it. The course of history could not be changed.

Betrayal … a turning against, a lack of trust and belief. It never comes from outside the ranks, but from within.  

The hour is at hand.

“… See, he who betrays Me is at hand.” (Matthew 26:46)

Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, whom Jesus selected. For 30 pieces of silver, counted, Jesus was delivered unto death.

Judgment was executed because of God’s love for mankind. Mankind was doomed, wickedness abounded everywhere. It was this wickedness, this evil of the world, in the world, that nailed Christ to the cross. It had to be.

Judas …

he brings a multitude … chief priests and elders and others with swords and clubs… he comes to Jesus and says, “ ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kisses Him. (Matthew 26:49) Jesus knows why he has come, yet he asks of him, “ ‘Friend, why have you come?’ (Matthew 26:50a)

The kiss of death. The kiss of comdemnation.

“Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.” (Matthew 26:50)

“… all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death.
And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” (Matthew 27:1-2)

The kiss of remorse.

Judas, the betrayer, was filled with guilt, great sadness, extreme remorse. For Jesus, His teacher, the One whom He did not believe nor follow, the One whom He delivered unto death at Calvary for a mere pittance realizes the error of his ways.

“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it!
Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27: 3-5)

Jesus, from the cross, forgave all of mankind.

Was Judas forgiven at the moment he realized what he had done?

Men can be saved from damnation at the last moment before death. Is Judas among those counted? 

You are a chosen vessel of the Lord

"But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel." (Acts 9:15) 

You too are a chosen vessel of the Lord, 

to bear His name before all you come in contact. 

He will show you how 

and in what way. ... 

but not necessarily the way you think it should be.

Remember ... ? 

His ways are not your ways. 

His way is better, far better 

than anything we suppose.

We are to show "cares for the things that belong to the Lord - how he may please the Lord."                          (I Corinthians 7:32)

Whatever our stage in life, 

the Lord's desire is for us to care, 

to be concerned about what is pleasing to Him.

Sometimes you run when you're scared or frightened or frustrated; sometimes you withdraw. 

God doesn't want us to be stagnant, but to run, run with endurance, in the way He has destined for us. 

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured ... lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." (Hebrews 12:1-3)

The Lord knows your heart
He knows your innermost being

Remember ...? 

He formed you.

He understands your desires, 

your misgivings,
your pain

He tells us to lay aside every hindrance, every sin which traps us so easily. 

Discouragement is not a sin, nor is frustration or disappointment.

But all can lead to places God does not wish us to partake in. 

God has forgiven you
He has cleansed you 

of your sin

of your guilt

He has pardoned you

He has restored you to righteousness. 

God does not keep a record of your wrongs

He is not like your peers

who remember

and bring before you

your faults, failures, 

making claim to 

disqualification.

Who are they to judge

Who made them Lord

What makes them higher and more powerful than the Lord God Almighty? 

He has pardoned you

Of what matter, 

of what consequence is it

when others put us down. 

Their level is not where God wants you.

He has forgiven you.

Once. Twice. and more. 

He forgives us our trespasses 

again and again, 

when we actively seek His forgiveness

and live the life 

He has chosen for us. 

 

"But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you." (Luke 10:10-11)

Whatever city

Whatever church

Whatever congregation 

Whatever people

if so embittered 

against you

to not receive you

then wipe off the dust

wipe the slate clean

move on 

It is not they who ultimately decide your path. 

It is God. His will. 

Follow Him. 

Jesus went places of which His disciples cringed.

Jesus' determination super-ceded those who followed Him. 

He listened and discussed with others, 

But it was His Father to whom He obeyed. 

The hostility we face should not deter us 

from following and being obedient 

to our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We need to meet our opposition 

head on, 

not withdraw from it.

Move on and do. 

Perhaps 

not literally, as moving your place of residency to another 

but symbolically, within your heart and soul

Don't become complacent

Don't let those who oppose 

control. 

Let God. 

The Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, saying
"Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you." (Acts 18:9-10)

Do not be afraid. 

Do not keep silent.

Sometimes silence of words is necessary, 

but the silence of the heart need not be.

Seek the Lord

Seek His way for you to go. 

He is with you.

He is always with you.

Nothing another says 

because of their fears and unstableness

can truly harm you

if it is to the Lord 

we look and seek and pray and be.

He is our enabler. 

Our all. 

In Him do we trust. 

Amen. 

Documentary: Forgiveness

Richard Cook, husband of my cousin Katy, wrote a historical screen play he has titled "Forgiveness." It is a documentary that takes place during World War II in Oak Ridge, Tenn. A place that wasn't, became.

I have visited here a few times. My cousins, Katy, her older sister, and two older brothers, grew up here. Katy, with her husband, and her mother, still do.

Listen to the story.

God in the midst of forgiveness, bitterness, time, interruptions

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJ)

Bitterness is its own prison.

Are you a victim of betrayal, resentment, self-pity, abuse ... untold hurts that keep you chained, defeated? Or have you forgiven another? Have you moved on?

You still remember the pains, but its not keeping you in bitter remorse.

You asked God for healing and He answered.

The dungeon of despair is deep and dark.

Come into the light with the Lord Jesus.

~~~~

Do you have time?

Not time to do

or go

or be

But time to

listen

To your co-workers

your neighbors

your friends

your family

To God

Time to stop

Be still

See

Smell

Wait

Do you have time?

If you only have time for yourself .... you have lost much.

~~~~

"Continue to have faith and do what you know is right. Some people have rejected this and their faith has been shipwrecked."

1 Timothy 1:19 (New Century version)

We should never take our own work too seriously, but always have room, be prepared for interruptions, particularly when it is God who does the interrupting. Be watchful - God will block our path and thwart our plans by putting people and events in our way. It is still our choice what we do, how we proceed. Getting what we want is not what counts. God's way is best. That's why, I think, He sends us an interruptions. Even in following God's way, He may send us an interruption for us to learn by.