7/2/20 - JUDAS 🤔PETER 🤔WHO ARE WE? 🤔

Before you answer that. Pause...this is reflection time.

“After sunset He came with the Twelve. As they were at the supper table eating, Jesus said, “I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand Me over to the conspirators, one who at this moment is eating with Me.”

He said, “It’s one of the Twelve, one who eats with Me out of the same bowl. In one sense, it turns out that the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense, the man who turns Him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!” Stunned, they started asking, one after another, “It isn’t me, is it?”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:17-21‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“After [Judas had taken] the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly [without delay].”

‭‭John‬ ‭13:27‬ ‭AMP‬‬

“Peter blurted out, “Even if everyone else is ashamed of you when things fall to pieces, I won’t be.” Jesus said, “Don’t be so sure. Today, this very night in fact, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” He blustered in protest, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” All the others said the same thing.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:29-31‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Interestingly enough, even Judas, knowing what he had plotted to do later, was asking the question; “is it me?” and vehemently said “even if I have to die with you, I will never deny You.” I said this was reflection time.

I’ve had to correct people who erroneously say the Jews killed Jesus. For if the truth be told, we were all complicit in His death! 😮 Yes we were! And still are today. I’ll prove it in a minute. Still others say, I would never deny Jesus like Peter did. Really? Think again. Actions speak louder than words. I said it’s reflection time...

The Scriptures says: He who knew no sin, became sin..sin was crucified in the body of Jesus, OUR sin collectively crucified Him. Yes they handed Him over, but we’re all guilty. I said we still are crucifying Him today and we are.

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6:4-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

These verses speak to those who have at one time experienced a relationship with Jesus, but have grown cold and indifferent to the Truth. The Demas’ of whom Paul spoke of in 2 Timothy 4:10. I said in a Bible Study class, that backsliding doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a gradual process of the heart. It generally starts with a little disagreement, that turns into murmuring, complaining, gossiping, offended by the simplest things, the growing cold stage. Before you know it, you’re betraying your best friend. The Judas syndrome: Among us, but not really with us. Jesus called that person or persons; “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

Mark 14:23 reads:

Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, and they ALL drank from it.

Even Judas. emphasis added.

Jesus said in John 6:70: “Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”

“Jesus said to him, “Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, and is completely clean. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you. ” For He knew who was going to betray Him; for that reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

‭‭John‬ ‭13:10-11‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Do you realize that when Jesus sent out the twelve to do anything, Judas was there? He was never excluded. Jesus knew every move he’d make, every thought he’d think, every plot and scheme, yet, he was included. How did he know where to bring the mob on the night he betrayed Jesus? He was included, he knew their private getaways. The private revelations of parables, he was included. I’ve often wondered about that. Jesus would’ve been crucified regardless, He was born to die. The Word was already written just waiting to be fulfilled. But as with all of us, even while hanging on a cross, we can be forgiven. Judas was given multiple opportunities. Someone once said Judas thought Jesus would’ve escaped as at other times when plots were made against Him. That may be, but he never repented. He tried giving the money back, he was sorry, but he didn’t repent. He took his life instead. And in doing so fulfilled the scriptures so we could say he fulfilled his destiny. John 17:12; Zechariah 11; Matthew 26-27; Psalm 41.

Let’s take a look at Peter’s denial of Jesus and what that represents for us today. I happen to love Peter. He is us in private. He says everything we’re thinking but won’t say publicly. The others just chime in or run the other way when he opens his mouth. But, he truly loved Jesus his friend, and wanted nothing bad to happen to Him. All the other writers of the gospel tried to protect his identity at the ear cutting except for John. In Marks gospel which is really Peter’s account He didn’t out himself lol.

Jesus warned Peter in Luke’s gospel of satan’s plan to sift him as wheat. But He encouraged him with these words; “But I have prayed for you, Simon, (He addressed him by his old name) that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

The old name was indicative of the old nature. Remember the message “When God changes your name? If we forget who we have become, we’ll slip back into who we were. In the heat of the moment with emotions running high, Peter declared he would die, before he would deny his friend. Have you ever made an emotional decision? We all have. The problem with that is we generally don’t have the power to take it back, or are too embarrassed to do so depending on what it is. So the others, not wanting to be seen as punks, all chimed in, “yeah! We’ll die too!” Yeah right! That night in the Garden they all high tailed it out of there, except for old Pete who followed from a distance.

Then this happens...

“Hey! I know you! You’re one of that man’s disciples”

“....uhh no I’m not”

“.....wait a minute you look familiar, I’ve seen you with Him”

“uhh I don’t think so....”

“Hey this guy was with that guy”

“blankety blank! I told you I don’t know the man!”

🐓

😰yup that’s us. But Jesus has prayed.

Peter demonstrated that we are powerless in the face of trials and temptation to win over Satan without the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus ever lives, the Bible says, to make intercession for us. Hebrews 7:25. Jesus knew and cautioned Peter about impulsivity based purely on emotion. We need to be careful too. Pray before committing, pray before promising, pray before speaking. Especially if what you’re about to do will impact the lives of others. Peter ran -they all ran- only he came back. Jesus said “when you’ve returned, strengthen or encourage and restore your brothers.”

After he’d gotten over his initial shock and hearing the rooster crow, he wept bitterly. That was a heart broken by sorrow and the realization that he had denied knowing his friend to save his own life. His bravery turned to cowardice. Humiliated, he decided to go back to his profession of fishing, and guess what the other 10 said? “We’re going with you” lol. But Jesus had prayed. After the resurrection, Jesus met them at the beach, fixed them breakfast, let them catch some fish, restored Peter by demonstrating real love, they sang kumbaya , (no they didn’t lol), He set up a meeting with them in Jerusalem, Peter got is voice back, 3000 people got saved in one day and Peter became a household name. Whew! How’s that for a turnaround? He was restored because, unlike Judas, he didn’t come up with his own way to deal with guilt, he repented.

So who are you in this message? We deny Him in so many ways by our words, actions or inaction. We have a little of both men tucked away in us by how we choose to live out our Christian life. We have to always send a clear message of who we really are in Christ. The Lord said these words to me years ago: That we can be blinded to the Judas within. Simply by refusing to admit and repent of sin in our lives. Don’t be a Judas, don’t commit spiritual suicide. If you’ve betrayed Jesus in any way, repent. If you’ve denied knowing Him by your actions, repent. Peter had godly sorrow, repented and was restored. You choose the outcome. Jesus has prayed and is praying. Be restored and strengthen your brothers and sisters.

Father in the Name of Jesus, there’s no denying that we’re all capable of being blinded by the Judas within. We’re all capable of denying You. We’re grateful that Jesus is seated at Your right hand interceding for us daily, praying that in our sifting, our faith will not fail. What a privilege we have to be able to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and forgiveness. Thank you that in Jesus we’re restored when we confess our sins. We receive that forgiveness now, and with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit we walk the overcoming life in Jesus Name.

Exodus 32:26

Written by permission of the Holy Spirit

W. Tennant