Im The One To Blame

I’m the One to Blame

When people examine the Easter story they often find many people to blame for Jesus betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion.

In fact you could say it is a cast of thousands.

Oddly enough while reading this familiar passage I was struck at how easily those who were closest to Jesus also failed to understand the significance of what He was about to accomplish.

We see a conflict of values in this passage emphasised three times.

Firstly the Jewish religious leaders failed to recognize the value of the Messiah in Jesus.

They after all were the ones who should have alerted the people to the Messiahs arrival but their eyes were closed to the truth.

Rome was an occupying power in Jerusalem and the Jews wanted a warrior King like King David to rise up and free them not a spiritual King like Jesus.

In their view Jesus was sending the wrong message about their present circumstances.

Being occupied by Rome was a more pressing concern to these religious leaders than being occupied by sin.

By failing to see Jesus as Messiah they only had themselves to blame.

Secondly the Disciples reveal a conflict of values.

Only Mary realizes that what Jesus had been speaking about concerning His death was now imminent.

She alone understood the value of the Lamb of God and what He was about to suffer for her and for every other soul lost in sin.

The Disciples who had been with Jesus for several years missed the point entirely.

Jesus wanted all of us to remember this fact and He made sure that Mary’s anointing of Him should be remembered in perpetuity.

Jesus was far more precious than the expensive perfume Mary used to anoint Him.

The Disciples missed this fact and tried to blame Mary for wasting something of great value.

They had taken their eyes off Jesus failing to see His everlasting value in their midst as the Lamb of God they only had themselves to blame.

The third and final conflict of values is seen in Judas.

We can surmise that Judas had his own plans for that expensive perfume.

Mary’s action that day broke Judas plans into tiny fragments like a piggybank hit with a hammer.

This was the indignation that Judas felt.

He was shattered at the thought of missing out on controlling more of the ministries money.

He was the most indignant of all.

He sells out Jesus to the religious leaders for 30 pieces of silver.

Clearly Judas valued a quick buck at the expense of Jesus freedom more than he valued the freedom that Jesus teachings afforded him. Once again Judas only had himself to blame.

What conflict of values are we faced with today as we look to Passover and Easter this year.

Do we see Jesus as the Saviour of our souls or has His place of spiritual prominence in our lives diminished over the years?

Is Jesus your King of Kings and Lord of Lords or do you have a conflict of values concerning Him?

Do we realize that the most valuable thing in this sanctuary is not us, it’s not the beautiful pulpit or the stained glass windows or the fine oak pews?

No the most valuable thing in this sanctuary is the presence of the Living God made manifest by the Holy Spirit promised to us by Jesus.

Jesus would have us gather those who are outside these walls so that they might receive from Him the Salvation of their souls.

We should do more looking out than looking in to see the truly valuable things of God in the lost people all around us.

Break the alabaster box of your heart and pour out the love of God that is in you over them.

Then your act or love will be recorded in the Lambs book of Life like Mary’s has been.

Friends Jesus gave it all and He gave it for you and me.

He loves us that much.

He took what was rightfully our humiliation and shame our punishment and our death so that we might be born to eternal life.

Talk about a conflict of values?

John 3:16-18

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Friends we should have no conflict of values concerning Jesus.

For if you reject Him as your saviour you will only have yourself to blame. - Amen.