Jesus

JESUS

by

Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (March 13, 2015)

“And he answered and said, “He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.” (St. Matthew 26:23, King James Version (KJV) [The last supper]. “But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.” (St. Luke 22:21(KJV) [The last supper]. “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his hand against me.” (St. John 13:18 (KJV) [He foretelleth his betrayal]. “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalms 41:9 (KJV) [David's zeal to serve God].

Greetings In The Name Of Jesus,

My brothers and sisters. Betrayal is not a far-fetched or outlandish notion to consider the mere thought that the one who will offend you also ate with you or still eats with you as a friend does to confirm [validate] sincerity---truth of friendship yet the possibility of failed friendship, betrayal, and mistrust exists between you as the spirit of Satan stood between Jesus and Peter:

“Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that

he was Jesus the Christ. From that time forth began Jesus to shew

unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer

many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be

killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and

began to rebuke him, saying, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall

not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee

behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest

not the things that be of God, but those things that be of men.”

(St. Matthew 16:20-23 (KJV) [Peter's confession of Christ].

The betrayal between men who love and trust each other, boggled even the minds of those who denied that they could and would behave that way to a friend even Peter could not believe the spirit of Satan would come upon him possess and cause him to betray Jesus Christ whom he loved. We find this break-down in familiar relationships every day, when two brothers offend each other even in the test of love for God in relationships of father to son, mother to daughter, and mother-in-law to daughter-in law.

Is it possible that a God-fearing man, woman, child of God who stood the test of love still could and would betray the one whom love is undeniable. How can you deny Christ Jesus love when God is love therefore the son of God, Jesus Christ is love yet he was denied? Is it that we only betray those whom we hate? It is nonsense to think to utter the thought that love is only denied to those we hate.

We deny those we love as history repeats itself---again and again, we deny love and betray those we love. Is this what happened in our society today in modern times when the mother hired someone to kill her daughter, when the father/grandfather killed his daughter and her six children who lived with him since earlier he killed his son and only received a gun possession crime, when the father killed his five children since the courts gave him the right to raise his children. Do we think of Christ Jesus' relationship with his family when they chose to kill him over Barabbas without cause:

“But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they

should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.” (St. Matthew 27:20 (KJV)

[corruption in priesthood]. “Then Judas, which had betrayed him,

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when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and

brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and

elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the

innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to

that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and

departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests

took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them

into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took

counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers

in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this

day.” (St. Matthew 27:3-8 (KJV) [Judas betrayed Jesus with the

chief priests and elders].

Is that what happened to the husband and wife who sought marriage counseling only to have the minister start a relationship with the wife and the husband thrown in jail for trying to kill those in court after losing his wife? Who do you run to---to help you solve the problems of your heart and mind? Is it your minister? Is it a counselor outside of your faith? Is it a friend or a confidante---someone you can tell your secrets and the darkness of your heart and soul? Is it prayer? What happens when the one you run to betrays you---casts you into death and destruction? Satan acted like Jesus could come to him for help when Jesus prayed in the quiet of Gethsemane just to get angry when Jesus rejected him and continued in prayer to God his father.