The ministry of Jesus was such a hallmark of seamless and powerful experience, the disciples saw outstanding miracles, even had the privilege of doing some themselves. They had a great leader whose ministry anyone would love to be. You can imagine how they would have been proud of working with Jesus, and the hope of having a better government to administer with Him when He restores the kingdom back to Israel, but there came “SUCH A TIME AS THIS” where those who boast in the name of Jesus began to hide away from him, and denying they never knew Him. What happened?
TEXT: Genesis 1:26, Matthew 26: 31–49, Matthew 27:11-14
Jesus’ coming to this earth was for one purpose, and that is to do the will of the father, and through parables and symbols, he explained to his disciples how he must die for salvation to come to the world. At a time when they were around the temple of Solomon, whilst they were talking about the temple, he dropped an interpolation, saying they should destroy the temple and he will raise it up in three days. What!? They were all disappointed he was saying rubbish, they never knew that was a hint about his purpose. Not even the disciples could comprehend all he said in the regard of his death, and come to think of it, would you support his death when he was the reason you’re living? I mean, these guys left all to follow him, their hopes cannot be dashed!
Finally, the time of accomplishment came, and it became dawn on them all that Jesus told them. Then, a time to test their loyalty and sincerity arrived. Jesus told them in Matthew 26:31, “…all ye shall be offended because of me this night…” Of course, no heat yet, so words would be sweet to say – “No, Lord, don’t talk like that, we have walked with you for more than three years, and not at this point, you’re our master and lord”. It would have been an honest reply indeed except that what you carry must be tested, and your ability to survive the heat is what proves you are truly convinced!
When the heat came, the twelve disciples were divided into three fragments, -there was a Peter, there was a Judas, and there were the others. A close examination of these three groups will help you know where you’re standing in the ministry God has placed you.
The Peter
Such a man of stubborn faith, he so much loved his master that not even the “get behind me, Satan” reply discouraged him. Although older than Jesus, he humbled himself, and yes, every time Jesus said something quite awkward to him, he would respond, “you will die no death”. Perhaps he was the first to examine himself when Jesus said one of them was going to betray him saying, “Lord, is it I?” Oh, he meant business when he told Jesus that he was ready to die with him, and Jesus could not even shut him up, when he told him he would deny him thrice, he kept his testimony.
I know you would say “but he eventually denied Jesus”, well, his broken repentance proved it was beyond him, he saw a fierce heat that not even you that’s reading can endure, and of course, the word of Jesus must come to pass. Don’t be quick to blame Peter. Let me throw some questions to you: think about your loyal self around the pavement of Herod and the religious leaders, and you see Jesus (who had the power to save himself) powerless, beaten and battered by the military force, would you be bold to name yourself as his disciples? I hope you know that not even Jesus would escape death? He had been the troubler of the world’s peace with his doctrines, desecrating the law of Moses.
Peter, though hiding, was still hanging around, he couldn’t stand the torture, and he had to save himself with his words, “I never knew him”. We are justifying Peter’s denial of Jesus, but as a man that you are, no one would want to face the fire of the Roman soldiers, especially when you’re quite sure the person captured had the power to save himself but didn’t. What is the assurance he would save you if you lay down your life for this man who suddenly turns into something else?
The Others
Did Jesus suddenly lose his powers? Is he no longer the Son of God? Was he deceiving us all these while? What is happening to Jesus? Has God left Him? Would God do something like this? Our hopes are obviously dashed! The belief of the disciples was that Jesus had come to save the children of Israel from the tyranny government of the Romans, probably fight for their independence, and restore the kingdom to the Jews where they will no longer be under bondage, so possibly, they had their motive of walking with Jesus, maybe so they could be members of cabinet when he becomes the king. They were willing to make him king already, he had fed them enough for them to be convinced he should be their king. If we read the bible well, we would realize that the disciples only understood Jesus’ purpose when he resurrected and the prophecies concerning his death and resurrection came to pass.
Because of their lack of understanding, when the heat of the time came, they all fled for their lives, we never heard of them when Jesus was going through those tough times of His ministry. Like Jesus said, they were indeed disappointed in Him. He failed them! But He didn’t come to satisfy their kind gestures, He came to fulfil the will of the father. So, their opinions were not important.
The Judas
It wasn’t just because Judas lacked understanding, it wasn’t just because Judas was ordained to deny Jesus, Judas legit found offense in Jesus. All the words of Jesus were not falling on a good ground in Judas, anytime Jesus speaks, he was hearing another thing, he was seeing another thing, he didn’t have the word of God to hear the word of God, he was processing every words of Jesus by his carnal minds, thus, betrayal was not far from him. The deep in him was a different one. His understanding was darkened, if he had any understanding at all. The love Jesus showed, the benevolence, the rebuke of Jesus to Judas, the parables of Jesus, Judas interpreted them to mean Jesus taking too much of Himself. “Who does that? How can he destroy the temple and raise it up in three days?”
At one time, a woman came with an alabaster box filled with sweet perfume. She lavished it upon Jesus to show her love for the word of God, but what was the response of Judas? He hated the fact that Jesus was honoured to such a high degree, “for what? The money could have been used to feed the poor” he said. Was it really because he loved the poor or because of his own selfish interest? Things that obviously were not favouring him needed to be killed even if it’s for the progress of the gospel.
His stay in the ministry of Jesus was only an opportunity to find more reasons why Jesus should die. There are make believers whose ambition is to ruin the ministry where they are. There was no revelation in him at all to discern the ministry in which he was a trustee, perhaps because he had the money bag, he wanted to establish Jesus, having a big synagogue like the denominational world of his days, which Jesus would obviously shun, and of course, the Satan in him would make him interpret those shunning to mean that he’s not welcome. He had no character whatsoever, he was only pretending till the time the seed in him would find expression.
He knew everything about Jesus, he had seen the things he wasn’t doing right, so he had all it takes to rebel. He didn’t just rebel because he was created to, he also worked his way into rebellion. He knew well enough all the weaknesses of Jesus, till he had to betray Jesus with a kiss (fake love). He knew Him to be a being of Love, and that became an entry point to sell out his friend.
If not because a wrong seed was in Judas, imagine you planning to betray Jesus, and He discerns your intentions, and tells you that ‘that exact thing you want to do, do it quick’, would you not fall before him and confess yourself? But no, that even infuriated him and the devil in him gained mileage to run into mischief.
Where Are You Standing?
This is obviously the best question to ask you right? God used to test for faithfulness, God used to test for sincerity! And as such, whatever you have fed the deep in you with will play out. Betrayal is not far from someone who sees himself better than the man God has made his shepherd, he’s a ruler on his seat, he sees what others are doing wrong.
Rebellion does not start in a day, it’s a seed that would have been growing in the mind of its victim. Do you have revelation of where God has placed you? Are you faithfully serving or you’re waiting for the time the evil in you will be watered to sprout out? What is your motive towards the work of God? Are you already picking offense in the corrections that the Holy Spirit brings to you through your brothers? Are you already misinterpreting His selfless love to mean something different from what He’s projecting?
The word of God is pure, ensure that the seed in you is watered right -with the word of God that gives life. If you are standing, then take heed, so that you will not fall. May we be found faithful at our post of duty when He comes for us. Amen!