Betrayal

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Sunday morning, the 3rd of November, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We go to the Gospel of Mark 14:11:

“And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.” 

We are talking about Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. You know, folks, when you are betrayed by someone you don’t regard very much, it is painful, but it is not that painful, you kind of expect it, but when you are betrayed by someone who trusts you - and Judas was entrusted by Jesus to look after the money bag. He was from the inner circle. He was one of the twelve.

That is why divorce is such a painful thing. When people don’t regard you very much then it is not so hurtful, is it? But I want to tell you something now - when it is someone you love and you trust, then it is extremely painful. You know, when Judas Iscariot took the soldiers of the high priest into the Garden of Gethsemane in the darkness of night and betrayed the Master, he walked up to Jesus and he kissed Him. Folks, so painful, very painful! Maybe you are there today. Maybe someone has really hurt you and let you down. You need to stand because Jesus will never betray you. 

Do you remember that movie, The Cross and the Switchblade? There was a book written as well about that skinny preacher, David Wilkerson, who had a heart for the gangs in downtown New York. The leader of one of the main gangs was a man by the name of Nicky Cruz. He was the leader of the Mau Mau Gang, a fierce gang. His own mother called him “the son of satan.” He was an evil young man but he came to Christ. David Wilkerson preached the Gospel and he accepted Jesus, and one night he was tested. They had had a meeting in a movie house, or some place like that, and they took the collection and they asked Nicky Cruz to take the collection. Some of David Wilkerson’s men said, “Don’t let him do that. Don’t trust him with that money.” 

David Wilkerson allowed him to take the collection. He went right down the aisles and then he had to go up onto the stage, behind the curtain and there was a door, an open door there. He could have run away with all the money, and then he had to come around the curtain and down the other side of the steps to collect the money on the other side, but he didn’t run away. He carried on. That man has become one of the greatest evangelists of the modern era. 

Let’s not betray Jesus today by selling Him for 30 pieces of silver. Let’s be bold and stand up and say, “Yes, I am a follower of Jesus Christ.” Let us not turn our backs on Him. He has promised you and me in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you and I will never forsake you.”

He won’t betray you.
Jesus bless you and goodbye.