The Beginning of the End

I tried to just pick out something and write about it today and it just wasn’t going to happen because I was trying to write just about chapter 15 in Mark. Starting with the last supper Jesus had with his disciples till Jesus is buried is about 24 hours and is covered in chapters 14 & 15. It’s simply impossible to leave with Jesus in the tomb! So I had to gone to chapter 16.
That leaves me with a question; just how tough are you because this article may end up being a real record setter. So if you insist on reading the entire article I would recommend that you go to the bathroom if you need to, then get a cup of tea or coffee or some other beverage and cozy up to your computer, because you will be here for a while.
It is so easy for us to isolate different sections of the life of Jesus, and discuss different conversations and events that occur at different times in his 3 ½ years of ministry but to break this up just ain’t gonna happen with me today so hold on to your hats because it will take me three times longer to write this than it will for you to read it. So if you will stop here and read from Mark chapter 14 to the end of the book you will enjoy this trip just a little more.

Jesus said:
18. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
19. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
20. And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.
21. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Let me paint a little picture for you. It might have been the day before, or maybe a little more than that but Judas had made his move.
14:10 & 11
10. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
11. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

Would you say that Judas has decided to sin? What sin would we call this? How about lying? He is pretending to be devoted to Jesus and conspiring with those who Judas knows want to do him harm. Are you with me so far? Judas then joins back with his group. I would suppose that Judas didn’t engage in any intimate conversation with Jesus after making the deal with the chief priests because he wouldn’t have wanted to take the chance of being confronted with his sin by Jesus, I mean after all Peter was confronted point blank.
Let me ask you another question, what is the kindest thing God can do for us when we are in blatant sin? Your right! Let us know about it so we can repent of it, and that is exactly what Jesus is doing with his announcement of betrayal. We are never forced obey God, none of us, on the other hand each of us can attest to the force exhibited upon our will by sin in our lives. So Jesus speaks a general word of warning in the presence of them all so the one who is guilty can make his own choice.
22. The last words that Jesus spoke were: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

That’s about as strong a warning that can be given, and when Jesus said it, I don’t hear him using a commanding voice but the same tone of genuineness that had stirred the other disciples who were deeply concerned that it might be one of them could do this! Here we have the mercy of God at work speaking the truth in love.
After Jesus strong warning Matthew records Jesus and Judas speaking one on one.
Matthew 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

O.K. Let’s just sit down and chat here for a little while and take a fresh look at this and note the sequence of events.
1. Judas decides to betray Jesus
2. Jesus makes the act(sin) known to all
(self examination of each)
3. Jesus identifies the traitor when he asks
(thus making the sin personal)

I just wanted to go through this to make it easier for us to recognize when the Holy Ghost is doing the same thing for us now today. We decide to sin, we sin, God exposes the sin and identifies us personally to help us know our need for repentance.

I would like to ask the question, What if Judas had repented and not betrayed Jesus after all? We will never know the answer to that question because he didn’t repent. Could he have? Well aren’t we just full of questions today. Of course he could have, but his heart was already committed, he had entered into a contract by taking the money from the chief priests and was obligated to follow through just as a matter of pride if nothing else.

I will have to quit for now and come back tomorrow and continue.
To Be Continued…