Matthew 27:1-10 - May 25, 2010
Matthew 27:1-10 - May 25, 2010
Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."
Matthew 27:1-10
Judas should have listened to and believed his Teacher who told the parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-22). There Jesus illustrated that the heavenly Father is always waiting with open arms for sinners to return to him. Judas heard the words of his Rabbi: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) He also heard Jesus say, "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (John 6:37). If he had only listened and believed, then his terror-stricken conscience would have been comforted, and in Jesus he would have found peace. But Satan convinced Judas that his sin was so great that it could never be forgiven. Therefore, he despaired and killed himself. What a tragedy!
While Judas was filled with remorse for what he had done, he failed to look in faith to Jesus as his Savior. This is what God wants us to avoid. He never wants our sorrow to drive us to dwell on our guilt or think that because of the magnitude of our sins we are unforgivable. He wants us to remember the truth: “The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Don’t let guilt overwhelm you. Look to the cross of Christ. Jesus has taken away the guilt of your sins! Trusting in him you can go to sleep tonight, wake up tomorrow, and live every day with the peace of God!
Jesus, keep me focused on the sacrifice that you made so that the peace of the forgiveness of sins may dwell in my heart. All praise to you, my precious Savior! Amen.
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