Christ is Able to Help

We are finishing off our meditation on Judas—why did he betray Christ? (Scroll down for earlier reflections). Some suggest that Judas was seeking to force Jesus' hand to revolt against the Romans so that a confrontation would take place and Jesus would use His power to overcome Roman rule. Who knows what was in the mind of Judas as he walked to visit with the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard? (Luke 22:4). What we do know is that he watched for a convenient time and place to betray his master with a kiss on the cheek and that he had already received the thirty silver coins in payment for betraying Christ before the Last Supper:

 

¹⁴Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for himthirty silver coins. ¹⁶From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over(Matthew 26:14-16).

 

Thirty silver coins were the cost of a common slave in the time of Jesus (Exodus 21:32). The Supreme Servant of all was valued and sold for the price of a common slave and selling out his Master was not a rash decision made by Judas. In verse 16 of Matthew's Gospel above, Judas took the time to think through how he was going to call the temple guards and betray Jesus. He waited for an hour of darkness, not knowing that it was also God's hour for His Son to be glorified as the Lamb of God Who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). 

 

Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? Many of us go through this test of being betrayed by a friend, business partner, or relative. Has someone very close to you ever hurt you with their words and actions? No one can ever say to God, “You don’t know what it’s like.” Jesus took the worst that this world could throw at Him. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when Judas walked up to Christ, greeting Him and kissing Him on the cheek, Jesus said to Judas, “Friend, do what you came for” (Matthew 26:50). There was no anger, hatred or bitterness in the heart of Jesus toward Judas. It must also be the same for each of us.

 

Whatever you and I go through in life, Jesus has been there and is able and available to help. As our leader, He has endured every fiery trial that can be thrown at us by our enemy and, yet, harbor no bitterness and resentment. His trust was in His Father every step of the way through the pain of being rejected and betrayed. Whatever you are experiencing in life, He has been there before you and can come alongside you in every trial and help you through it.

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he isableto helpthose who are being tempted (Hebrews 2:18).

 

Doctor Donald Grey Barnhouse told the story of a certain man who had a beautiful estate upon which were some magnificent trees in which this man took great pride. It was his custom to walk among the trees and gaze upon their beauty. This man had an enemy who hated him sorely; this enemy was always seeking ways of annoying the master of the estate. At last, the enemy conceived a plan, which he thought would greatly wound the heart of the estate owner.

 

He decided to go to the estate in the dark of night and cut down one of the most beautiful of the trees. He laid his plans well. He took with him a saw and an ax and worked energetically. All night, he toiled until his muscles were sore and his hands were blistered. As morning dawned, he saw the estate owner riding with a companion toward the trees where he had been toiling. He redoubled his efforts, and finally, the great tree began to creak and to totter. As the tree started to fall, the enemy began to shout in triumph. However, one of the branches fell on him and mortally pinned him to the ground in agony. 

 

His hatred, however, was intense, and in his death throes, he jeered at the estate owner approaching him. The owner called his companion to him and said to the enemy, "You thought to do me great harm, but I want to show you what you have done. This man with me is the architect of a beautiful home that I intend to build here in the midst of these trees. In order to make room for the house, it was necessary to cut down one of these trees. Look at this plan. The tree upon which you have toiled all night and which is now the cause of your death is the tree, which must be cut down to make room for my house. You have worked for me without knowing it, and your toil is for nothing, and bitterness is your food in death."

 

In his opposition to God's kingdom, Satan may be thinking that he is smart, but there will come a time when he will see that he has been out-smartened by God. We know because we have read the end of the book!

 

Taken from the series on the Gospel of Luke. Click on study 58. (Luke 22:1-6). The Betrayal of Jesus. Keith Thomas