Good Friday?!!!

TO BE OR NOT TO BETRAY

What safe guards do you put in place? Who do you allow into your inner circle and intimate places? I heard a girl tell a story of her escape from a man that stalked her. When she escaped him, she got into a relationship with a man because she was afraid to be alone. She moved in with him swiftly. He was "somewhat" physically abusive but her focus was on escaping the stalker. She was with him for a year before she found out' (after going through his phone) that he was texting his friend to say things like "I know what aisle you are on in Target". Talking about sleeping with the enemy! What betrayal!!!

THE WAY HE MOVES

I have seen my share of betrayal and I hate the way he moves. The most wicked kind is that which is in your face and violates trusted spaces. What do you say to that? Not gonna tell you what I say, but I tell you what Jesus said… Judas is the betrayer. He was considered by many to be friend. He walked with Jesus. He talked with Jesus. He listened to Jesus' stories. Jesus trusted him with the money. He sat with Jesus. He ate with Jesus. Nothing withheld from him. He dipped his hand in the same dish to betray Jesus. And in the language of the conniving betrayer said, "Master, is it I?" Matthew 26:25 Oh the oxymoronic display of respect (Master) and disrespect (is it I)? Like Judas was playing Jesus like He was simple. Jesus had already spoken, "woe unto that man… it had been good for that man if he had not been born".

…WAIT, THERE'S MORE

But in that very next verse (you really need to pull out your Bible) Jesus, in the midst of betrayal, COMMUNES with the betrayer and offenders… People who would later scatter, scram and ghost Him!!! For Judas gets the title of betrayer, but within the next 21 verses, Jesus navigates through offense, lack of support and anguish like none other.

• Communion comes in verses 26 - 30

• Jesus speaks of the offense of the resurrection 31-32

• Peter exclaims he would never be offended vs 33.

• Jesus prophesied that before the cock crowed 3 times Peter would deny him 3 times vs 34. And Peter yaps on in vs 35.

• Verses 36-46 Jesus takes 3 of His disciples to the Garden to pray. He TOLD them "My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death: tarry ye here and watch with me." He went and prayed 3 times, each time returning to men that slept on Him.

• Only to get the betrayed by a kiss in vs 47. Using codes and signals… appearing to be slick but one of the dumbest men ever born.

That ever happened to you? Any of it? Ever been the slick one? Don't be dumb-er (as in continuing to be so..)

THE VERDICT

And that is just the beginning…. Jesus would go on to be indicted and convicted of a crime He did not commit and pay the penalty that none of us are sufficient to satisfy. Good Friday only because of Christ. To tell you the truth, I like none of this. I see myself in so many facets of this text. I have lived the betrayed by those close. Played like I didn't and don't and would never know. Some people live thinking they will just take certain things to their grave. And those things may just be the coffin glue that keeps their soul from ascending when repentance and confession is available to the living. Wow and woe unto them. But I too have betrayed and slept on people and Jesus. So here we stand at the Cross. Witnessing a crucified savior… having lived cowardly lives too sleep to pray and too proud to see our own denial…. Standing at the cross needing the penalty paid and hanging on to the words of a man dying… "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". If a dying man can offer forgiveness, surely the living can evoke that same power. Good Friday to you. I stand offering and asking for forgiveness. May our darkest days be overshadowed by the Light of Christ. May the Resurrected God Resurrect within us, His children.