*Betrayal and
Hatred. When someone betrays another, it creates Strong emotions that many would
say are completely justified in harboring. Instead, the Lord wants to work His love and
mercy and bring complete forgiveness.
*Hatred is one of
the strongest emotion’s we humans have to deal with in our lives. Often, to us, it seems entirely
justified. If only you had known what
that person did, you too would hate them for what they have done. You didn’t deserve this betrayal.
*You would want to
seek vengeance equal or worse than what they did. You don’t care about justice; you want them
torn limb by limb and want to see them writhe in pain. You want them to suffer greatly, to lay in
anguish in guilt for their actions.
*There is an even
greater emotion. Jesus our savior had exampled it on His way to the cross. One of
His closest friends and a disciple betrayed Him to the authorities knowing He
was to be handed over for crucifixion.
Judas likely had a good idea of what Jesus faced.
*The false
accusations, the scourging’s, the mocking and beatings and finally the cross
which Jesus would have to bear alone. Jesus didn’t deserve any of
this abuse. He was without sin, a very
wise and compassionate man who genuinely loved people selflessly!
*For his gross betrayal,
Judas received 30 pieces of silver! 30
pieces of silver was the price paid to a master of a dead slave that had been
gored by an ox. It was the price Judas
bargained for when he went to the rulers of Israel. It was what they considered Jesus to be
worth. A dead slave!
*The Son of God,
who had committed no sin was valued with the worst of the worst, a dead
worthless slave. They hated Jesus and
wanted Him dead!
*Jesus forgave
His crucifiers as He hung on His cross:
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary,
there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the
other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not
know what they do.” Luke 23: 33, 34 NKJV
*Can you NOT
forgive another… anyone? Can you NOT give up your hate? Look to Jesus and ask Him to take away the
hatred which has become so dear to you.
Give it up and follow Him. Follow
HIM!
*Fear and hatred among those persecuted for their faith.
* There is a common
thread of thought from the Gospel of Matthew that runs through the lives and
hearts of persecuted Christians:
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot
kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls
to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many
sparrows. Matthew 10: 28-31 NKJV
*Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, 3 men written of in the book of
Daniel, stand confidently and rejoice in God their savior regardless of
the earthly consequences.
*We live in very
perilous and perverse times. Who knows
what tomorrow may bring to our doorsteps?
Is your life defined by what you are fearful of? Or is it whom and from where your peace is
found? Fear will breed hatred in our
lives if we are not willing to give it up to Jesus.
*Can you stand
confidently in Christ Jesus while everything is stripped away from you, your
family, your home, your safety? Or is
your life completely filled with the peace and comfort and power of the Holy
Spirit? In Him is where the strength of our
salvation is.
*Betrayal and Fear
and Hatred. Strong emotions that will
kill us here on earth and keep us from
heaven.
*Love and forgiveness: strong emotions that
bring power and life and love to any and every situation you or I will face in
our lives.
*There is no
greater work, no greater effort we can commit our lives to, than to bring that
love and forgiveness found in Jesus to others. Whatever we do in
telling others of Jesus and His love and forgiveness has eternal value in the
lives of those who hear. There is no
greater work or effort for our lives!
*Jonah from the
Bible: obedience to God’s leading in your life is of greatest importance. Don’t ever believe that God’s leading in
your life is of secondary importance.
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of
Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against
it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to
Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship
going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them
to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Jonah 1: 1-3 NKJV
*? Rebellion is a powerful attitude driven by
anger. It says, I will do what I want to
do! What God wants is the least of my
worries!
*Anger drives people to all
sorts of attitudes like hatred and rebellion.
*Consider how
terrible Jonah’s anger was toward God that he spent three days and three nights
in that whale’s stomach. He was so mad
at God for the assignment that he could not even pray for three days and three
nights. God had to track him down and
have a whale swallow him. It took him
three days and three nights before he finally prayed and sought the Lord.
*Anger in our lives always puts us in terrible circumstances. Anger breeds greater anger.
*Strong
emotions. Betrayal and Fear and Anger and
Hate. All lead to death. There are also the strong emotions of love
and forgiveness. These lead to life! You choose which ones you will live by.
*The Apostle Paul
wrote to the church in Galatia:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such
there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the
Spirit. Galations 5: 22-25 NKJV
*Peter wrote us:
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to
self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly
kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and
abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. 2nd Peter 1:
5-8 NKJV
*Walking in the
Spirit and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is truly the only way we can walk
in perfect love and forgiveness!!
*Is your life
guided by past betrayals; or the fears that daily surround us; anger and
hatreds? Or is your life filled with the
Love and forgiveness of God so that your life shows the light and life of Jesus
to all around you? Jesus tells us all
we need do is to ask for His help and leading and He will give it:
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you
will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks
receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or
what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a
stone? Matthew 7: 7-9 NKJV
*Choose life in the power of Jesus’ love and forgiveness!
*This is a time for our faith to become real! Trust Him. Hear Him!
