Word@Work Luke334 - Luke 22:47-51
Published: Wed, 04/13/11
Word@Work from BeaconLight
BETRAYING KISS AND HEALING TOUCH
Luke 22:47-51 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him. (NIV)
The moment had arrived. In the darkness Judas Iscariot appeared, leading a group of religious officials and temple security men. But how were they to recognise Jesus among the disciples? Judas had the answer and was ready to betray his Master (Matthew 26:48), and did so with a kiss. That kind of greeting was a normal mark of respect between students and their teachers, but with Judas the sign had lost its meaning.
The kiss was a cynical method of identifying the Son of God, after which Judas could claim the agreed thirty pieces of silver. Affection and respect had disappeared from Judas' heart. Satan had manipulated him to focus only on what he could get and Judas was well on his way to gaining the whole world and losing his own soul (Matthew 16:26). The only love involved with that kiss was Judas' selfish love of himself.
But Jesus was so very different. After Peter's clumsy attempt to kill the high priest's servant (John 18:10) resulting in the excision of his right ear, Jesus intervened by touching the wound and restoring the ear; totally healing the wound. Although Jesus was being unjustly hounded, His heart was not full of hatred or anger towards His attackers, but full of love - rebuking His misguided disciple and restoring the injured man.
Satan's trademark of deception painlessly soaks into our human characters. It is easy to pretend to love when really we are merely seeking to satisfy ourselves. We may do this to gain advantage in business, to win a relationship, or to hide whatever is too ugly to expose. Yet Jesus played none of those games. He was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). On the other hand, it is very difficult to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us, but the example of Jesus shows that it is not only possible but necessary (Matthew 5:43-45). It is healthy for Christians to stop from time to time to reassess their true motives and repent of the pretend love and deceptive niceness which are really the tools of Satan's trade. At the same time, we need God's help so that each life we touch, whether a friend or an enemy, will be blessed because of our encounter with them.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. It is shocking to read of Judas' blatant betrayal using a kiss which masked his greedy and callous heart. Please alert me when I do the same, and help me to see the importance of honest communication and action which represents Your heart of love, and not my own greedy ambition. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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The moment had arrived. In the darkness Judas Iscariot appeared, leading a group of religious officials and temple security men. But how were they to recognise Jesus among the disciples? Judas had the answer and was ready to betray his Master (Matthew 26:48), and did so with a kiss. That kind of greeting was a normal mark of respect between students and their teachers, but with Judas the sign had lost its meaning.
The kiss was a cynical method of identifying the Son of God, after which Judas could claim the agreed thirty pieces of silver. Affection and respect had disappeared from Judas' heart. Satan had manipulated him to focus only on what he could get and Judas was well on his way to gaining the whole world and losing his own soul (Matthew 16:26). The only love involved with that kiss was Judas' selfish love of himself.
But Jesus was so very different. After Peter's clumsy attempt to kill the high priest's servant (John 18:10) resulting in the excision of his right ear, Jesus intervened by touching the wound and restoring the ear; totally healing the wound. Although Jesus was being unjustly hounded, His heart was not full of hatred or anger towards His attackers, but full of love - rebuking His misguided disciple and restoring the injured man.
Satan's trademark of deception painlessly soaks into our human characters. It is easy to pretend to love when really we are merely seeking to satisfy ourselves. We may do this to gain advantage in business, to win a relationship, or to hide whatever is too ugly to expose. Yet Jesus played none of those games. He was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). On the other hand, it is very difficult to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us, but the example of Jesus shows that it is not only possible but necessary (Matthew 5:43-45). It is healthy for Christians to stop from time to time to reassess their true motives and repent of the pretend love and deceptive niceness which are really the tools of Satan's trade. At the same time, we need God's help so that each life we touch, whether a friend or an enemy, will be blessed because of our encounter with them.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. It is shocking to read of Judas' blatant betrayal using a kiss which masked his greedy and callous heart. Please alert me when I do the same, and help me to see the importance of honest communication and action which represents Your heart of love, and not my own greedy ambition. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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