What is our price?

“Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, what are you willing you give me if I hand him over to you? So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”

                                                - Matthew 26:14-16


        What could Judas have been thinking? He had been side by side with Jesus and had been witness to countless miracles. Yet he sold Jesus out for 30 silver coins. The so-called “wasteful” use of the oil was the last straw that pushed Judas over the edge. He had given up everything to become a disciple of Jesus. And now Jesus was talking about being killed by those whom he provoked with his message. And now this lady uses her perfume which I have heard it said would be equivalent to about $45,000 today on Jesus instead of giving it to the poor; and rightly so. Jesus is quick to correct Judas’ priorities when he objects. Judas could not see the value because he did not see Jesus as the Son of God. His heart had been skewed and twisted by his own machinations and paradigm.
And so for 30 coins, which equates to about $15,000 today, he sold out Christ. He started the path that led to the cross.


        Many people read this and get angry. “What was he thinking?”, “How could he do such a thing?”. But the reality is that it wasn’t Judas’ actions that brought Christ to the cross. The thing that brought our God to humble himself in human form and then be crucified was sin. And it is easy to say this when we talk about the fallen nature of man and sin in general but I really think that we need to make it more personal. We need to take more responsibility for the crucifixion of our God. Why did He have to die? For that sin that we committed yesterday. For that sin that we are going to commit today. For that sin that we are going to commit tomorrow. Judas sin was the betrayal of Jesus and his price was 30 silver coins. What is our sin? And for how much to we commit it? What do we gain? Sometimes it is a fleeting pleasure, or some temporary financial gain. Sometimes we sin to make ourselves feel better. What is our price? What is so important, so precious to us that we would crucify Christ for it?

        Judas took action because his view of Christ was not complete. He only saw him as a man who talked a good talk, but was wasteful. I would even venture out to say that Judas believed Jesus to be prideful when He talked about the kingdom and when he allowed others to use perfume on Him. How do we see Christ? What is our view of God? Is it complete? And most importantly is it real? Do I really believe that He is here and there and everywhere, even when I am sinning? How do I see God? What is God to me? Who is He to me?


God,
Help me to see you for who you completely are. Help me to see that value of who you are as my King, my Savior, my Father, my God. Forgive me when I act as if you are nothing more than a fleeting thought. Some person in History.

In Jesus Name, Amen