Traitors in the Church

 The characters in this drama:

Judas Iscariot, self-important goes with the flow for his own profit

Peter whose loud mouth hid a weak heart and uncertainty

Caiaphas the legalistic senior pastor who refuses to have his traditions challenged

Pontius Pilate the politician who avoids difficult decisions trying to please everyone

The crowd like all crowds follows and does as others do because they can't all be wrong, can they?

Me an example of all of the above.

The Bible is littered with people who betrayed their leaders, friends, lovers, and family. Cain murdered Abel, Abraham betrayed Sarah when he disavowed his relationship with her, Joseph's brothers betrayed him out of jealousy, Aaron and Miriam tried to usurp the leadership from Moses their brother, Delilah betrayed Samson, and the list goes on and on. What is interesting is that most of them were forgiven. God forgave Cain, Abimelech forgave Abraham, Joseph forgave his brothers.

I have always thought myself a good Christian until I read Matt.26:47- 27:25. The names mentioned are well known – Judas Iscariot, Simon Peter, Caiaphas the Chief Priest, Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor, the Jewish crowd, Barabbas. Except for Peter, we have come to despise the others but am I much different from them? I think not. In fact, in some ways I might be much worse.

Judas Iscariot the follower seeking his own enrichment. How much do we put wealth ahead of our Lord? Don't we expect a reward each time we do something? Jesus said we can't serve two masters, mammon and God. We must choose or we deceive ourselves.

Simon Peter, he betrayed Jesus with his triple denial before the cock crowed. We might not deny Jesus openly but when we walk in the council of the ungodly and nod in agreement, when we stand in the path of the sinners and share a secret, or when we sit in the seat of the scornful and smirk, we betray Him. Each time we laugh at a foul joke, ignore the blasphemous use of God’s name, follow the way of the world and let them bully us into keeping quiet about our faith, we let Him down. That silence in acknowledging Jesus in our lives is tantamount to denial of knowing Him. 

Caiaphas, the senior priest of the nation, stuck in his dogma and rules, afraid of any assault on his position. Scared he might lose followers, probably shaken by this Man who did not fear him. It is done in the church today. We attack anything we do not understand, or we feel threatens our traditions. We are afraid of being shaken out of our complacency, not to mention our position in the eyes of people and what they think of us. Have we forgotten that it is the church built by Jesus Christ the Son of the living God. It is His church. We are part of it. It will survive without us. It will not survive without Him.

The crowd called for His crucifixion. How many times have I followed the crowd? How many times have I nodded in agreement?

There is a way that looks right but it’s end is death Prov.14:12.(KJV)

The crowd always seems to be the right way, it is a convenient hiding place, but all the great men who have ever lived walked a lonely path. The wide path is the easiest to follow and the hardest to fall off. The narrow path is the hardest to follow and the easiest to fall off. Basil the Great said ‘there is nothing that a prudent man must shun more carefully than living with a view to popularity and giving serious thought to the things esteemed by the multitude.’ 

We may look on all these I have mentioned and shake our heads in disbelief but I for one am guilty of doing the same thing. My traitorous heart and mouth and mind have betrayed our Lord numerous times.

We can, like Pilate, wash our hands in innocence. Or like Judas we can destroy ourselves. Or like Caiaphas hide behind rules and traditions. Or like the crowd we can continue in ignorance and blame others.

Luke.22:61(KJV) And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.  V62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Peter ran to hide his tears of shame. He had come face to face with his own humanity. He wasn’t the man he thought he was. Like the young man discovered in the garden of Gethsemane who had his garments ripped from his body, exposing his nakedness, Peter had his heart ripped open by the look in Jesus’ eyes. It exposed his weakness. It was a watershed moment that was necessary for him to become the man he was called to be. 

Can you look the Lord in the eyes?

Lord forgive me my traitorous heart. Cleanse me of all wickedness and judgment. Keep my feet firmly on the road you have laid out for me. Help me keep the faith and to receive the crown You have for me. Amen.