Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 76

March 17, 2018;      Matthew 26:50;       26/260(IV);        ‘Friend’

Matthew 26:50 Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for."  Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.

It amazes me how cruel religion can be.  Because of envy, the religious leaders of Israel plotted to kill Jesus (v4).  They looked for false testimony to put Jesus to death (v59).  They paid Judas, the betrayer of Jesus to turn Him over to them.  Judas looked for an opportune time to betray Jesus and led the religious leaders and a mob to Gethsemane to arrest our Lord.  Judas never called Jesus Lord, he only called Him Rabbi.  As you read the Gospels, it is clear that Jesus knew who it was who would betray Him.  Yet Jesus allowed Judas to be part of everything that the other disciples did.  This verse highlights the love of Jesus as He calls Judas, His betrayer, friend.  Not long after, Judas was filled with remorse when Jesus was betrayed and hanged himself.  I wonder if Jesus calling Judas friend in spite of what Judas did, played a role in the remorse he felt.  God’s love is incredibly powerful.  When we purpose in our hearts to operate in that love, we act just like Jesus.  The Bible says that love, His love, never fails, it always impacts others.  The Lord uses me to heal, as the tangible anointing of the Holy Spirit comes upon me to remove sickness from those afflicted.  The anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit is incredibly wonderful.  That same anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit comes upon us when we purpose to walk in love with someone we do not want to walk in love with in the natural.  The Bible teaches that the ways of the Lord are different and higher than our ways (Isaiah 55).  Deciding to walk in love when you are challenged not to opens the door to be just like Jesus.