Daily Gospel Devotional: October 10

Matthew 26:14-16 / Mark 14:10-11 / Luke 22:3-6…

The trail of a traitor…

Judas had been with Jesus and the other disciples for three years. He had seen more miracles than anyone today could even dream of. He had a close personal relationship with Jesus, but he didn’t have a trusting, saving relationship with Him. How can this be? Of course, Jesus knew this was going to happen (John 6:70). Here Judas takes several steps on the road to perdition.

He is consumed with evil thoughts. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He consorts with the enemy. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. He conspires to do evil. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

We think that we could never do what Judas did having all the advantages he had. It is true that our struggle with loyalty to Christ is different than his. We don’t have the opportunity to physically betray Him. But we do have the opportunity to practically betray Him.

We don’t think ourselves capable, but we are all culpable (Romans 3:23). There have been times when we know what we want to do is wrong, but we think about doing it, then we plan on doing it, and then we actually do it. The Bible describes this Judas-like death walk. We are enticed, then ensnared, then enslaved, and then we actually endorse the evil (James 1:14-15). Thankfully, we can turn around and start going the other way (1 John 1:9).

The question is, right now, are we following Jesus or are we following Judas?

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©