Lures and Choices

“When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in Him…’” (John 13:31, BSB)

John’s recounting of Judas’ betray of Jesus in chapter thirteen should lead people to consider their life choices. He used Judas’ betrayal of Jesus to highlight the choices Jesus gives people. The text explains the choices and the consequences. Judas’ name became synonymous for a reason. We can learn from Judas’ actions and their results. What can we learn from this occurrence during Jesus’ earthly life? What did Jesus say happened right after Judas walked away from him?

Judas’ departure from the supper table to see the priests pointed a sign toward Jesus. This sign declared Jesus is the Son of Man. Judas believed Jesus was the Messiah, but he did not believe in Jesus. He did not accept salvation from his sins by faith in Jesus. According to John, Judas “had gone out” (exerchomai). (Interestingly, other Bible writers used exerchomai to tell of demons leaving.) What caused Judas to betray Jesus? What caused him to choose money instead of salvation? Did God fore-ordain that Judas would betray Jesús and not be saved?

God knew someone would betray Jesus. Many of us refuse to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and our Savior. We might run from Him when God is convicting us of our sins. We may avoid Jesus when we do not want to obey God. Perhaps we run from God because someone in our past, who was a supposed Christian, hurt us. People run away from Jesus for various reasons. God does not force our belief or our giving up the right to ourselves. God gives each of us a choice to follow Jesus or not. Despite knowing Jesus is the Messiah, Judas refused to trust Him for salvation and eternal life. Perhaps the fastest way Judas found to avoid spiritual conviction was to leave Jesus’ presence, physically. The lure of thirty pieces of silver from the priests to betray Jesus led Judas to desire “easy money.” The lure fed Judas’ love of money. It provided a safe distance from Jesus’ influence, so he would not have to deal with his heart’s sin conviction.

Jesus grieves the lost souls in the world. He desires no one to be lost. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us this. Peter wrote, “God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit­--did not want Judas to run away from Jesus or the Spirit’s convicting him of his sins. God’s desire is for all to repent, believe in Jesus, and be saved from sins. By that salvation, each person enters an eternal relationship with Him. Judas chose to run from the Holy Spirit’s convicting of his heart and run toward his temptation.

God is greater than any person. He can use all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Satan tried to thwart God’s plan to provide eternal forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. But Satan was not all-knowing, almighty, or omnipotent. God’s plans prevail. God’s plan never forces a person to receive salvation. His plan in John 13:31 was for Jesus to be glorified as the Son of Man, the Messiah. God’s plan included Himself being glorified. Glorification of Jesus and God affirmed they are real, trustworthy, and the only deity. The human life of Jesus came to its culmination, and His heavenly reality became apparent with the start of His finish on earth that Passover week. The person betraying Jesus that week ushered in the last days of Jesus’ earthly life.

Jesus planned to be crucified as the perfect human sacrifice—one without sin. He planned to die as the sacrifice for the sins of humanity. According to God’s plan, anyone who has faith in Jesus and repents of their sins can receive salvation and be restored to a right relationship with God. As Jesus’ last days opened, Judas’ betrayal of Him led to Jesus’ glorification as Son of Man, deity. Jesus was 100% human and is 100% God. Jesus and the Father received glory that day. The disciples acknowledged and honored Jesus’ true nature, part of the Trinity.

Jesus wants everyone to accept His offer of salvation and avoid eternal separation from God. He does not want backhand acknowledgement of His divinity by the intentional turning away from Him, like Judas. Jesus wishes for a relationship with each person by their belief in Him as their Savior from their sins.

What lures you away from God and the salvation He gives to everyone who believes in Jesus? What do you choose for your life instead of acknowledging Jesus as your Savior and Lord? Don’t be the person who fears the future and chooses what is tangible. Choose absolute certainty in the Savior and guaranteed eternal life with God. Judas saw and believed Jesus was God manifested in the flesh, but he chose a lure instead of Jesus. 

 

Ask in My Name

 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:12-15 [NASB])

So often, we come to God and ask for things and wonder when He will give that for which we ask or why hasn’t He given what I asked. You claim John 14:13 saying, “I asked in Jesus name and prayed a prayer like this. ‘Lord God, You know my needs and You know I need this now. I cannot go on. I ask this request in Jesus’ name.’” We must consider our prayers and four things Jesus set before His disciples in verse thirteen.

We need to consider what kind of prayer Jesus spoke of here. Is that need or desire something for which we need so intensely we would humble ourselves and beg? Do we crave this answer to prayer like we crave the relationship with God the prayer supposes? Do we require the relationship with God that prayer implies? When Jesus taught the disciples about prayer in this passage, He began with verse two showing the depth of relationship He has with the Father. He said in verse two, “I go to prepare a place for you in My Father’s house.” To make ready a place for someone in one’s house means a very close relationship exists. Understanding this, we must realize what Jesus said in the first part of verse thirteen. The asking comes with the understanding a close, intimate relationship exists between the Father and the disciple. When that is the case, the craving the person does is likely for what God wills. One’s asking is in line with the will of the Father.

The second thing needing understanding in this verse is Jesus said, “Ask in My name.” Asking in Jesus’ name is not a magic phrase to make all one’s dreams come true. It is a power statement. When Jesus told His disciples to ask in His name, He said to ask realizing and knowing personally everything which His name includes. Remember His stature, His rank, and everything which His name involves, recalling the power He has over demons, life, death, sin, resurrection, sickness, health, provisions, hope, love, etc. Jesus meant each disciple must be in a close personal relationship that craves communion with God. This supposes a relationship that desires His will and asks based on Jesus’ authority on earth and in heaven, knowing He has the power to do what you ask.

For the third point in this verse, Jesus said when His disciples ask craving for continued communion with God so what is asked for is God’s will, and knowing well Jesus has the power to cause that for which one asks, He will do it. This “do” is not just an everyday doing like working in the yard, but comes with divine appointment and ordination. That for which you crave in the Father’s will and ask of Him in the power of Jesus, the Savior will appoint and ordain it to be done according to the Father’s will. He has power over heaven and earth and gives divine promise that whatever is in accordance to God’s will eventually will come to happen. “Doing” understands power resides in the person to effect the action.

The final point of this verse says these types of requests to the Father and their resultant answers will glorify the Father. The Son will not do anything that doesn’t bring glory to Him. What is this glory? Is it glorifying to God just say off the cuff, “Hey, God gave it to me,” then not live a life that supports the statement, but which blatantly shows continual, intentional disobedience to the Father’s will and commandments? No. Verse fifteen speaks about this. If one does not keep Jesus’ commandments, one does not love Him. Therefore, one is not in a close relationship with God and the cravings for which he or she begs is not necessarily in God’s will. Jesus said, for Him to answer any prayer, if must glorify the Father. Glorifying means raising up the name of God so people can be in awe and wonder. To glorify God means to praise Him for who He is and what He’s done. It means to celebrate and honor the Lord and proclaim His excellences. When a person glorifies the Father, he or she recognizes all good things received came not of his or her own doing, but from the Father and so testifies to His great mercy and grace.  

The person who glorifies the Father loves the Son and obeys His commandments. This person who obeys His commandments loves Him. A person who loves Jesus and obeys the Lord’s commands is the one in a close, intimate relationship with God, and recognizes the power of the Lord to cause that for which he or she asks in prayer. Finally, Jesus said this person who craves what God craves and will glorify the Father is the one for whom He will ordain to happen what a person prays for and upon what the Father and believer agree.

Ask having a deep relationship with God. God desires to have a deep relationship with you.

Dear Lord above, help me see where I have not grasped the depth of a relationship with You. Help me seek this relationship. Forgive me for my selfish intentions that have been in the way of what You want to do in me and through me. Make me useful for Your service for your glory. Amen.

Nations Will Know

When we become Christians by profession of faith and cleansing from sin, God calls us His own and makes us sacred for Him and His purposes. The Israelites experienced this same calling to be sacred/holy for and by God. God chose the people of Israel to be His people. He led them through a desert after rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. God prepared a place for them the people had never known. He was their Savior and Provider.

The Israelites did not quite understand and within a few years, the land of Israel split in two. Israel, the northern tribes, led by abominable kings and a queen, fell away from God and His purposes. The southern kingdom of Judah, in which Jerusalem lay and contained His temple, grew stubborn and rebellious later than the northern kingdom. They like all people sinned against God by being stubborn and insubordinate towards God and His laws, ordinances, and statues.

Each of these 12 tribes God called His own and made them sacred because of His choosing and calling. He set them up as the nation of God, a theocracy, to shine His light to the surrounding nations. The surrounding nations saw or heard about the Israelites’ God as they journeyed 40 years to the Promised Land. They knew of God’s power, might, provision, love, and salvation.

When the Judahites became impudent and stubborn (3:7), God sent His servant, a man called by Him to prophesy, to tell the people of Judah of His judgment against them because of their rebelliousness. Ezekiel first enacted God’s judgment then proclaimed it. He dared not proclaim it because God said the blood of the people, if he did not warn them, would be upon Ezekiel’s hands.

With 5:7-9, & 15, God through Ezekiel proclaimed,

Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because you have more turmoil than the nations which surround you and have not walked in My statutes, nor observed My ordinances, nor observed the ordinances of the nations which surround you,’ therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold I, even I, and against you, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of nations. And because of all your abominations, I will do among you what I have not done, and the like of which I will never do again.’

‘So, it will be a reproach, a reviling, a warning and an object of horror to the nations who surround you when I execute judgments against you in anger, wrath, and raging rebukes.’ I, the LORD, have spoken. [NASB]

The sacredness of the Israelites did not exempt them from God’s punishment, His judgment. Rather, as the loving Father, His love for the Israelites required Him to punish them to bring them back to Him. God sent them to be a light proclaiming Him as the One and Only God. Instead, the Judahites followed the gods of other nations. The people who were to shine a light for Yahweh, of whom the surrounding nations knew about, instead shone a light on their disobedience and rebellion.

Because of God’s love for the Judahites, He rebuked and punished them. When you near the end of Ezekiel, God proclaimed He would bring a remnant of the original Judahites back to the land He promised to them. They would still be His people called by Him to be a beacon. The people of Israel would either be a beacon for God’s love by their obedience or through their disobedience and God’s faithfulness to them carried out through judgment.

Each of us who are Christians have this same responsibility. We can be the sacred light of God to the people who surround us with our acts, words, and thoughts of love toward God and other people. We can live our lives obeying God or we can do what we want and be disobedient. This freewill is one of God’s gifts to humans. If, however, we choose in our freewill to walk away from God, He will chastise or rebuke us so we turn around and return to Him. Either way, God’s glory shines because of His love for us-a love so great He would discipline us. Just as the prodigal’s return brings great joy and the father’s love shines from his eyes on his son or daughter who returned, so the Father’s love and joy shine and He receives glory and praise when His child returns to Him after walking away.

I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, and your truth reaches to the skies. Be exalted, oh God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth. (Psalm 108:3-4 [NASB])

Lord, help me be obedient to You and Your will each day. Lead me back to Your presence and forgive me when I turn away from You. Let Your name be praised and glorified in all I do and all You do to and through me. For You are glorious, oh Lord. Amen.

Glory: What is it and to Whom? - A Matthew 5:13-16 Devotional

¹³“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

This passage caught my attention yesterday. I have read it many times and heard sermons throughout my life upon it. This time, though, a part of it struck a new chord with me. Perhaps that new chord came because of the studies I have done on the book of Deuteronomy.

In Deuteronomy, Moses told the Israelites several times the LORD chose them as His people because He loved them (Deut 7:6-8, 10:15). He said other nations would call the Israelites wise and understanding (Deut 4:5-7). They were called wise and understanding if they kept the LORD’s statutes. With the LORD’s actions for the Israelites, other nations feared the Israelites and began to consider Yahweh God more powerful than their man-made gods (Deut 28:9-10). The Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon and after staying with him, she declared, “Blessed be the LORD your God.” (1 Kings 10:9 [NASB])

In the Matthew passage of today’s study, Jesus said the people of Israel were a light to the world and a city set on a hill. Geographically, the temple of God resided upon the highest hill in Judah’s territory within Jerusalem, also called Zion. Yet the problem became that the Jews did not lead people to want to know and follow God. Their light did not burn bright like a beacon. The Jews had the geographical advantage of being a beacon. They, too, had the spiritual advantage in that God chose them to receive His love and to share about Him to the neighboring people. Instead, they absorbed beliefs and lifestyles of their neighbors, which meant the light of God did not shine as brightly and did not draw as many people to Him.

Jesus applied this to his followers in this Sermon on the Mount, too. He told His disciples and other believers to be the salt and light to the world. Keep growing and applying the Word and love of God to the world as they lived. Keep shining brightly the love God put in them when they became believers. Geography is not the factor because no matter where a believer lives God’s light, the Gospel, can shine from a person in their words, actions, and attitudes.

The most important part of this verse, though, the part that captured my attention is at the end of verse sixteen. Jesus said in this verse, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus did not mean we are to do good works to gain praise for ourselves. Rather, we do good works out of the promptings of the Holy Spirit who lives in each believer, because of God. Our works should reflect God’s love and the glory for the good works, words, and attitudes should reflect back onto God and give Him the glory.

What is “giving glory” or “glorifying the Father?” The word “glorify” comes from the Greek word doxazo and means to cause glory – to cause recognition, honor, acclaim, and reverence to go to God[1]. When a believer in Jesus Christ says or does a loving and good thing, the glory should reflect back to God, to His honor. When we do this, we and other people recognize God’s majesty and righteousness and give Him the glory.

When believers let the light that is in them shine to the world around them, they show God’s love for the world. Christians can shine through kind, gentle, compassionate, and loving words and actions. The purpose for is to show God’s love as modeled by Jesus Christ. When people respond with gratitude and praise, believers have two options, to reflect the glory to God or to keep it to one’s self. The first is what Jesus taught His followers. To do the latter makes a person’s pride build and shows self-reliance instead of reliance upon God. It builds up a person’s ego and leads the person to forget the Lord and walk in his or her own way – to walk away from God.

We must understand the love and good deeds or words that came from that love came from God, what He imparted into us through the Holy Spirit of Jesus. No good deed comes from our selves, but from the Spirit as a gift. When we begin to accept and keep the glory we should reflect to God, we begin to consider ourselves as the ones who gave the gift of loving actions or words. We negate the effect of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Jesus did not teach this. He taught His followers their good deeds, words, and attitudes came from the Father and glory was due back to Him for His grace and love. Jesus meant this above in verse sixteen. We do good deeds, speak kind words, and live with good attitudes – each coming from purity, which humans are not – out of love for the Lord. We obey the promptings of His Holy Spirit out of obedience and with the resources He supplies into our hearts and hands.

Rightness and love do not come from human nature because people are sinful. Paul said everyone is sinful and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). God is the one who forgives the sin of humankind upon each person’s faith in Jesus Christ because of His love and mercy (Romans 6:23). Only by God’s grace do we have love and the other gifts of the Spirit within each believer. So, any praise and honor we receive for good and kind works and words should reflect back to God. He empowers us to do these things through His Holy Spirit. Only God is due the glory!

Today we must decide, as we must every day, if we will give all glory back to God. We can be the living witness for God just as He wanted the Israelites to be and as Jesus called His followers to be in Matthew 28:18-20. Each of us makes this decision for ourselves.

Each day, when you awake, make the decision and pray for the strength to reflect the glory back to God.

Give Him the recognition, praise, honor, and reverence He is due.

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[1] Walter Elwell. “Evangelical Dictionary of Theology,” Baker Academic Publisher: Grand Rapids, 2001.