It’s a fair question, I think. What is a relationship with Jesus worth?
Judas has an answer. 30 pieces of silver!
He trades three years of friendship for some shiny metal.
Only good for a few months of bread! Perhaps a week’s cruise on the Mediterranean or a few days of luxury on the beaches of the Red Sea!
We don’t know what he planned to do with the money.
But we know where it was eventually spent - on a cemetery plot! His own! That’s all he got out of it, as it turned out.
Judas didn’t trade his friendship with the Teacher for 30 coins. He was deceived. He traded his own life for it!
That’s what a relationship with Jesus is worth. It’s worth our life. We shouldn’t be deceived. Our life depends on our connection to Him.
Poor Judas didn’t understand that until it was too late.
It’s still a good question to ask. What’s He worth?
The answer is the same for us as it was for Judas, isn’t it?
If we betray our association with Jesus, like Judas, we betray ourselves.
Judas’ story is a sad one. Like the other apostles, he could have done great things. The saddest words of tongue or pen, it might have been!
What is a relationship with Jesus worth? The story of Judas answers the question for all of us. It’s worth our lives.
Take it from the teacher himself.
ReplyDeleteThen Jesus sadi to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will losse it, but whoever looses his life for me will find it." Mt 16:24-25
I wonder if Judas was thinking earthly Kingdom and military nation like David's? Lost faith that it would happen, so instead of dying in a weak revolt, decided to try to "save his life" by turning Jesus over to the chief priest.
If so, again Jesus' words were true "For whoever wants to save his life will losse it,"
While following Jesus will cost us everything - we will also gain more than we can ever imagine!
In other words, it's worth it!