Betray - expose to danger by treacherously giving information to an enemy. Matthew 26:20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table[c] with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” 22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” 23 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” 25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”
Betrayal is a serious offense and we should never try to discount its effect in life. As we can see above, Jesus was betrayed by Judas. Jesus says in verse 24 24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. Just because the scriptures tell of the coming betrayal, it doesn't make the betrayal good. It just shows that the betrayal, the bad thing, was going to be done and there is no excuse for it. Further, in the verses, Jesus says It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
Have you ever been betrayed? Then you know the breach of trust that is broken and the effect it has on everything you think about life. Of course, the other side of betrayal is LOYALTY! Loyalty (def) - a strong feeling of support or allegiance. Judas was not loyal to the work of Jesus and His betrayal openly showed his lack of loyalty to Jesus. Because of Judas's betrayal, he was marked for life. As short as his life lasted. Judas hung himself not too long after collecting his blood money for betraying Jesus. The selfish act of betrayal was more than he could handle in his thoughts and his shame was beyond what he thought he could live with. So Judas hung himself.
When Cain betrayed his brother Abel by killing him while out in the field, the warning the Lord gave him came true. In Genesis 4:7b the Lord warned Cain with these words. Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” Sin is so prevalent in our society today and the ways of the world have quickly become the standard for many Christians as well. Sin is crouching at the door in our world, but it has blown the door wide open, and the result has seen our world on a downward spiral into the depravity that only sin can bring. Once again, scriptures speak to this downward spiral, but it doesn't mean that we give into it and use the excuse of "the way of the world" as our acceptance of it. Paul wrote these words to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
If anything, we need to be about the work of the Lord. Don't live a purposeless life that is totally inoculated by a lost and dying world. Reject the injection of worldliness by standing and proclaiming of a better life in Jesus. This message will be a stark contrast to the message people are hearing right now. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. Time to shine. Time to grow. Time for revival.
When Jesus sits at your table in your prayer time to Him will He believe you are about to betray Him or is loyalty what He will see? The choice is yours. Make a good one!!
The Pilgrimage Continues...
David Warren
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