Mark 14:17-26 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me — one who is eating with me. They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely not I?” “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
"Will you betray me for gain?" Jesus asks “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me — one who is eating with me.” Jesus directs his comment at Judas' heart, for He knows Judas will betray him for 30 pieces of silver, money Judas later despises. How many of us use the gospel of Jesus Christ for gain? Are we like Judas, trying to get more out of this world because of our acquaintance with Jesus Christ? For sure, Judas betrayed him, but do we not betray him when we skew his teachings, when we tell people they should believe in Jesus so they might gain more from this world because of their position with God. Judas betrayed Jesus' whole message when he went to the religious elite for the wealth they promised. He had heard Jesus' teaching: Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" (Luke 9:23-25) Judas obviously did not believe Jesus, for he sought his own wellbeing over dying to this world and its goods. He was no longer going to deny himself of what the world offered by taking up his cross daily and following Christ. How tempting it is to use our relationship with Jesus for our self-serving interests. We like it when the millionaire football player crosses the goal line and points to heaven to acknowledge the supreme being or kneels in a prayerful attitude, but we are not too sure we should cheer the status of a martyr who has given his or her all for the cause of Jesus our Lord. However, the acclamation for the football hero will be nothing in comparison with the thunderous acclaim the martyrs will receive when they are revealed in the heavenly domain. These are those we read of in the Word: Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. (Hebrews 11:35-38)
Luke records Jesus saying these words to the crowd that followed him: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26-27) Jesus knew people would experience problems totally surrendering to his will, totally committing to serving God. We can see this problem throughout history as passion for Christ comes and goes in societies. The church finds itself in a retrograde position when trying to uphold the teachings of Christ. We are in retreat sometimes to the materialism of this world, finding our position overshadowed by the allurements that tempt people away from their love for Jesus. Of course, having Christ as Lord and winning the world offers amazing hope and peace and is an attractive doctrine to share with others. In reality, winning the world and its goods cannot possibly compare to winning Christ as Lord. He gives life, real life and true freedom. Outside of him there is nothing but death and captivity to sin. We who are alive in him have passed from death to life. If we choose the meagerness of this world as a meaningful existence for ourselves, we will miss out on eternity with God. The Bible says, But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:22-23) Yes, we all have the goods of this world in our possession, but these goods should not have relevance in or spiritual lives. If we believe we are blessed because of our beliefs, because of our superior faith, we must be careful about such a doctrine. It is leaven that will leaven our souls; pretty soon, we will be working for flesh rather than for Christ. Jesus said He did not have a place to lay his head, and He also said, In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33)
Jesus does not ask for our complete allegiance to him without making provision for us. He does not ask anything of us that He will not empower us to do through the Holy Spirit. In today's passage, Jesus takes the bread and the cup of wine and tells his disciples to eat the bread, “Take it; this is my body,” and to drink from the cup, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” He is preparing them for his death and the offering of his own body on the cross. But He is also telling them there is life in the body that will be broken for them; there is power in the blood that will flow at Calvary. They do not understand at that moment all that Christ is saying, but they will come to know what He means when the Holy Spirit is poured out at Pentecost. When Jesus talked to them after his resurrection, they wanted to know if He would restore the kingdom of Israel. He said it was not for them to know the times. Then He said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) This same power is available to all believers today as we commit fully to Christ and take up the cross and follow him. We must follow the example of our brother the Apostle Paul, who said, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) As we fall more in love with Jesus, we will be less involved with this world and what it has to offer. As we serve others, we will care less about the things we once thought so important to our happiness. To know Jesus as Savior and Lord is truly joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8) Today, the Lord asks us to break bread with him and to drink from his cup. He says, "Take up your cross daily and follow me, my child." In him are the riches of the spirit that we all long to receive. Bless you dear ones.
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