November 2 - Mark 14:53-65, Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:66-72, Matthew 26:69-75, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:25-27, Mark 15:1, Matthew 27:1-2, Luke 22:66-71, Matthew 27:3-10

Good morning everyone,

Today, as we begin, Jesus is being escorted by the guards who blindfolded him, mocked him, taunted him and beat him, to the high priests home where it will be determined that Jesus will stand trial for blasphemy. His trial, however, will be nothing more than a series of hearings, carefully controlled to accomplish the death of Jesus. The verdict had already been decided but certain “legal” steps were necessary, you know, making sure procedure was followed. “They” worked very hard at manipulating the system to accomplish what they’d been seeking for quite some time, the irony of it all is that they themselves were merely pawns in God’s plan for the salvation of the world. 

We also read today of Peter disowning Jesus, as Jesus said he would. In Peter’s denial he was more than a little adamant. We’re told, “Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” and Luke tells us, “Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” I totally get that. You? My heart hurts today for Peter at that moment when I think about how awful the realization of what he had done struck him. Not his best hour.

However, Peter’s regret and remorsefulness pale in comparison to that of Judas Iscariot. We’re told that when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. He confessed his sin to them, trying to right his wrong  but it was too late, they basically told him, “too bad, so sad.” Judas threw the thirty pieces of coin, he sold the Lord out for, back into the Temple and sadly went off and hung himself. 

So in reading this I find myself wondering: “How do we deny Christ in our lives?” “In what ways do we throw Him under the bus?” One way can be verbally like Peter. Right? You get stressed and under pressure and either avoid the subject of Him altogether or find your self agreeing with a crowd when the say something to the effect of, “Yeah, those Christians___”. Remember, Jesus said “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” Consequence of choice can be for eternity.

But as sad as that scenario is, the greater number of people who deny Christ  are those who just plain fail to engage in the church. Those who choose sleep, or TV, or anything else over spending time with the Lord. Who deny Christ by denying time with Him, working for Him. Those who claim their lives are “way too busy” to do anything but attend an hour of church one day a week, are totally denying Christ. I understand there should be, needs to be, balance in our lives but the scale should tip more heavily towards the Lord.

You guys, Christ died for us. Think about those words. They are so easy to say but the magnitude somehow seems to get lost, we are desensitized to them. God want us to spend time with Him, He patiently waits for that. Each moment is another opportunity to reconnect with God, step away from the same old routine, and invite Him to do a new thing in our lives. When we do, the blessings from the Lord are far greater than anything the world has to offer. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all…