Actions Have Consequences

~~~ Isaiah 50:4-9a ~~~ Psalm 69 ~~~ Matthew 26:14-25 ~~~

“What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?”

We may not say these exact words, 

but we do express the same sentiment of the heart

in our sinfulness.

When we chose sin we are choosing something other than God.

We are choosing the pleasures of sin.

When we are in sin we are handing over our soul 

in much the same way Judas handed over Jesus.

They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

We may not consciously think about in a monetary way.

Judas betrayed Jesus for a bribe.

Judas betrayed Jesus for an empty promise.

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss of friendship.

It is worth noting that the price of a slave 

was about thirty silver shekels...

the equivalent of three months wages.

Judas gave up his soul when he betrayed Jesus;

he became a slave to Satan.

Satan tempted him and seduced him into the darkness.

What would you be willing to betray Jesus for?

Would it be financial gain...

fame...or satisfactions of the flesh.

I am afraid that sometimes we commit sin 

without fully comprehending the price.

Later we will hear that Judas was distraught as he learned 

Jesus was to be killed.

Too many times our sins are committed 

with only the immediate rewards in view.

We do not see the greater consequences of our offenses.

Judas was greedy and wanted more money;

he never agreed to take part in the actual killing of Jesus.

So I can see his great remorse as the hours

 and the reality of what he had done unfolded.

What Judas put in motion he could not stop.

It was all down hill like a runaway train on a collision course.

Part of me actually feels sorry for Judas, 

because he did not allow the grace of God to stop him from acting.

Every day we must pay attention to the words of the Our Father...

...lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...

I invite you to pray for the blessing of God's grace;

especially when you are confronted with your

'thirty pieces of silver'.

Peace.