Betrayal

Have you ever felt betrayed? I mean when someone very close to you turns their back on you. Someone leaves you. It hurts. It is most likely that on Wednesday Jesus was betrayed by Judas and Peter (Luke 22:47-62). These were two very different men yet much the same. It is clear that Judas had an agenda to make sure that his relationship with Christ was turned into a personal benefit at any cost. Peter was a man who loved Christ and had proclaimed he would die for Him. Judas betrayed Christ by saying ,“I know Him”, while Peter denied Him by saying “I do not know Him”. Judas’ “I know Him” was tainted with “but He means nothing to me”. Peter’s “I don’t know Him” was tainted with “but I really do”. Neither man made the second statement but history tells us of the truth of them. Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Peter denied Him to save his own life and to fight off pressures. Judas went out and hung himself. Peter went out and wept bitterly. Judas’ life came to a bitter end. Peter’s life turned and made a huge impact in the early church. Will you live a Judas life and try to use Jesus for your own advancement or will you live a Peter life and repent and make a huge impact in the church of today. The choice is yours.

Scrubbing Bubbles

My wife, Mary Anne, loves to clean. One of her favorite cleaning solutions is Scrubbing Bubble. You can spray it on all kinds of surfaces and it will clean it. I love the commercials for Scrubbing Bubbles. The bubbles scrub and everything goes down the drain. It is gone! Disappears!! Sometimes I think it would be great if there were something we could drink that would cleanse us. More about that later. Today, by some people’s calculations, would be the day that Jesus cleansed the temple (Luke 19:45-46). As we approach Easter Sunday, let each of us have a day of cleansing – spring cleaning. What is it in your life that competes for your total commitment to Christ? The temple had people that were religious in nature but had lost sight of the purpose of the temple. Paul writes, “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Cor 3:16-17). We as the Body of Christ are His temple. It is you and I. We are a holy place. We are where the Spirit of God dwells What is it in your life that makes you like the robbers in Luke 19? Let us take time today to pray and seek God to show us what it is in our life that is messing up our spiritual life in Christ. “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Cor 7:1). So is there is something we can use as our Scrubbing Bubbles? Yes, John gives us clear direction how to cleanse ourselves. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:9-10). Today, “bring holiness to completion in the fear of God”.

The Importance of the Resurrection

We might forget the importance of the resurrection of Christ in living out our Christian life. It is critical to who we are, what we believe and how we live.

Paul in writing to the church in Corinth wrote: "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain...And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. (1 Cor 15:14,17)

So, if Christ would have live a sinless life and died on the cross and never was resurrected all Christianity is in vain, it is futile. If the resurrection did not occur we (all of us) are still in our sins that brings death. Therefore, Christ would have died in vain. So, that is why Easter is such an important day in the life of a Christian. Yes, we celebrate the resurrection each Sunday but Easter is different. It is like if you are born on a Tuesday all Tuesdays are a celebration but there is one time a year that marks the date. This week is a hard week for me. One year ago this Friday (Good Friday) my mother died. If the resurrection of Christ did not happen then I have seen the last of my mom. But I refuse to believe that. I do no totally understand how it all works, but I believe the Bible even when I do not understand. Paul told those in Thessalonica that we are not as those who are without hope. Today, I praise God for the resurrection of Jesus Christ of which I do not totally understand. I praise Him for I know there is eternity. I know I will spend eternity with Him. I know I will see my mom again. My life is not in vain. My preaching is not in vain, BECAUSE He is alive. Rejoice, praise and celebrate this Easter like never before. God bless and have a wonderful holy week.