The Beginning of the End


Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. 

(Luke 22:1-6)

Even though the chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for a way to kill Jesus, they were paralyzed by their fear of the people. The word translated “afraid” in verse two actually means “to put in fear, terrify and frighten; to cause to run away fearful and afraid” (Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible–New Testament Lexical Aids).

Sounds to me like these guys were afraid of the wrong thing–better to fear God than man!

We find this truth expressed so well in Acts:
Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
(Acts 4:18-20)

Peter also said in the next chapter of Acts:
“We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29)

Proverbs tells us that we are not to be fearful of man:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
-Proverbs 9:10

God places His people in a position of testimony–giving us an opportunity to proclaim how He has been kind to us, the deeds He has done, and the compassion that He has shown us. We are not to be intimidated–the glory of the Lord is worth more than the approval of men! To tremble or be fearful of man will inevitably be a noose around our necks luring, ensnaring, and entangling us into sin. In pleasing man over God we are asking for sure trouble. We are to be faithfully following the way of Jesus, boldly teaching His truth in love through our actions and through our words.

In our verses for today we find Judas, one of the twelve, sadly selling his soul for mere silver. And yet, Jesus, knowing exactly who would betray Him, treated Judas no differently than his other disciples–even to the point that all of them questioned who Jesus was referring to when He told them one would betray Him: “There is a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea.”
(Frederick William Faber)

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. (John 13:21-22)


Beth Yoe Devotionals
Copyright © 2014
JesusOnline Ministries
P. O. Box 6017
Great Falls, MT 59405


======

Peter Allan C. Mariano

Links2Prosperity Enterprises 
Web Marketing : Web Content : Web Design

Follow me on TWITTER:
Join my FACEBOOK Family:


0 comments:

Do you have an online business? Use PAYPAL!

Sign up for PayPal and start accepting credit card payments instantly.

Topic Tags

1800flowers academic excellence actions Acts Agonia alex crisses alternative dispute resolution Annas anniversary anti child-pornography law Apostle appearance Aramaic article writing Baby Jesus barong-barong bayan bed of roses best gifts this season Bethlehem Bible bintana black saturday blessings blog writing blood of Christ Body of Christ bondage bouquet brain bratinella Bratinella and Me brawn brothers burden burdens burdens give us wings business business plan Caesar Caesarea Philippi Caiaphas cares carry their burdens character development Chief priest child child trafficking childhood dreams children Christ Christ Jesus Christian Christian Life Program christian ways christian ways to reduce stress Christmas Christmas Card Christmas Decorations Christmas Eve christmas gift christmas list Christmas morning Christmas Party Games christmas shopping Christmas spirit Christmas Story Christmas Tree Chronicles Church Cleopas color Colossians Comforter communication community compound interest content writing contentment cook Corinthians Couples for Christ courage cross Cross of Christ crucifixion crucify daddy danger David desert Deuteronomy devotionals difficulties dinner discipline divine order dreams driving e-mail ministry easter edsa education educational programs ELIM Emmaus entrepreneurs Epaphras Ephesians evangelism Evangelization failures Faith Father father's day favors Feast of Unleavened Bread Filipino flowers forever friendship forgive fr. shay cullen Frederick William Faber friendship Galilee Garden of Gethsemane garden of love Gethsemane gift gift giving givers giving God God loves you God's Higher purpose God's plan God's Word Godhead golgotha good friday Good News Good Shepherd goodness Gospel grace great shepherd Greek word grudge han wok han wok blue wave han wok chinese cuisine happiness health food heart heaven Hebrew Hebrews high priest holiday season Holidays Holy Monday holy saturday Holy Spirit holy Thursday holy tuesday holy wednesday Holy week homesick hope Hosanna hurt independent brokers independent insurance agents Insight Venture Partners insurance internet marketing Introduction Iraq Islam Israel Israelites jelly bean prayer Jeremiah jerry murdock Jerusalem Jesus Jesus Christ jesus of nazareth jesus tomb Jewish Jewish officials Job Joseph of Arimathea Joshua journey joy judas Judas kiss King David King Herod King of the Jews kingdom of God knife wounds Lamb of God last supper Latin leadership learning leased offices Lent lenten season letters life light links to prosperity Links2Prosperity little child little orphan longing for the holy Lord Lord Jesus Lord's Passion love Luke macapagal Magi mall of asia mamamayan Mary Magdalene Mary mother of James Master Master Builder Master's Plan Matthew mayaman meditate mercy Messiah Messianic Middle East minds matter ministries miracles mistake mom money Most Holy Place Mother Mother Teresa mother's day music ministry Muslim New Testament Nicodemus offices for rent Old Testament ondoy opportunities orphans Our Father pag-asa pagbabago Passover Passover lamb Passover meal Pastor Mark Thompson Paul peace Peter Peter Allan Mariano peter denies jesus peter mariano philantrophy Philippians Philippines physical death of jesus christ Pilate pilgrims Place of the Skull plans Pontius Pilate pornography practical wisdom prayers pressures pride problems properity prophecy prosper prosperity Proverbs Providence of God Psalm 91 Psalms reduce stress relationship relationship with God RENEW international renewal resentment rest resurrection revelation rhema RHTV rick warren Robert Morgan Romans rooster crowing roses Sabbath Sabbath day Sacred Duty salvation santa claus Satan Saudi Saudi Arabia Savior Scripture search engine optimization Season self-esteem self-image senate bill no.2317 seo servant servanthood service service to God sexual exploitation SFC sharing shopping list Simon Peter sin Singles For Christ sisters sojourn solace Solomon Son of God Son of Man Spirit of the Lord spiritual guidance spiritual life spiritual renewal spiritual renewal program Spiritual vitamins St. Paul Pioneer Press & Dispatch standard offices strength strong race synagogue talents teachers testimony thankful thankfulness thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day the greatest value Tomorrow Is Not Promised toys treasures troubled true wisdom Twelve twilight typhoon Valentine's Day Valentine's Day gifts valentines Valentines Day Flowers valentines flowers valentines roses values education venture capital investors vessel vessels of gold virtual offices volunteers war washing of the feet weaknesses what money means wine wings wisdom Word yuletide Zion