Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – Leviticus 7-9
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Matthew 26:50
Jesus: My friend, do what you have come to do.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
We know the scene well. Judas’ name is more familiar than Hitler’s. He followed Jesus and was part of the inner circle, one of the twelve. He knew Jesus better than most as the Master shared intimate information with those twelve. But something went wrong. Judas let greed or idiology or something get to him and he sold out his loyalty to the Master for just thirty pieces of silver. Despite all he had seen and heard from this man he traveled side by side with for three years, Judas betrayed Jesus to the chief priest who wanted Him dead.
Jesus knew he would do it. He identified him as the one, though the other disiciples had no idea it was Judas until it was too late to stop him. Judas slipped out of the Passover supper with the Jesus and the other disciples thought he was going on some mission as the treasurer of the group. Instead, he headed to the chief priest and gave him the sign he would use to betray Jesus in the garden. A company of soldiers accompanied him to the garden where Jesus prayed. Judas approaches Jesus and places the kiss of betrayal on His cheek. The greeting between friends. The betrayal that would begin the most excruciating ordeal of Jesus short life.
Jesus greets Judas with just a few words, “My friend, do what you have come to do.”
There are a couple of things to notice in this very short exchange between Jesus and Judas. First, Jesus called Judas friend. Jesus knew what he did and why. He knew his heart. He knew all that was about to transpire because of that betrayal. Yet Jesus still called him My friend, and I’m sure Jesus meant the words. He counted Judas as His friend.
That tells me Jesus loves us all. Saint and sinner alike, Jesus loves us. He gave His life for all of us. If He calls Judas His friend, He calls all of us friend. We are part of His creation and so He cares for us. He loves us and would do anything for our good. In fact, He did. He gave Himself to pay the penalty we should pay for our sins. Jesus doesn’t count anyone as His enemy, only His friend.
So what does that say to us? How can we spew the vitriol that sometimes comes from the mouths of so-called Christians against this group or that group when Jesus taught us to love our enemies? Does that mean Jesus condoned their actions? Never. Does it mean we condone a sinner’s actions? Never. But how can you win someone to Jesus unless they understand that you see them as a friend, not an enemy? Jesus gave us the example to follow when Judas came to Him in the garden and placed the betrayal kiss on cheek.
Is it easy for us to call everyone friend or to treat everyone as a friend? No. It’s not something we can do in our own strength. We need something beyond ourselves to demonstrate that kind of love. We need God’s Spirit living in us to enable us to love like He loves. We can’t do it alone. We need the resurrection power of that first Easter morning helping us see others as God sees them before we can truly call every person our friend. But it’s possible to do so and Jesus teaches us by His example in the garden with Judas.
The other thing I see in this short exchange is Jesus’ desire that we not procrastinate in our business with Him. Judas was a betrayer and would give His identity to those who would carry Him away to be humiliated, flogged, and crucified. We would probably want to delay the betrayal. Buy ourselves time to avoid the pain and the cross. We would try to push away the agony that was coming. But Jesus just said, get on with it. Stop playing around. Quit trying to pretend things are okay. Stand up and be counted. You are either with Me or against Me. Just own up to who you are. See, it’s only then you can see yourself and let God change you. It’s only then you can truly repent and turn toward Him for forgiveness.
For those who have come to know Jesus as Savior and asked for forgiveness of sins past, for those who have given themselves to Him as Lord of life, His words still carry an important message. Don’t procrastinate in our business with Him. He gave us a mission to do. Go make disciples. Baptize them. Teach them. Don’t wait around for all the stars to align before you do something about it. Get to it. Do His work and don’t dawdle.
Remember His words, “My friend, do what you’ve come to do.” He’s talking to all of us.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.