June 7, 2012 Cowards

Cowards Mark 14:1-2 Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2 “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.” WHY would the priests and teachers hide their actions? What guilt and shame defiled their heart! If Jesus were such a terrible threat to the Jews and to the nation, why didn’t they publicly arrest him? Surely they had the power of Rome on their side to keep the peace. Truth is, they knew the truth, and they wanted to kill him. They knew Jesus had spoken truth in all he taught. They had no reply to his truth. They gave up trying to trick him because he made fools of them. Jesus exposed their lies and their false motives. Only one thing motivated them—their love of power. What motivates you? Are you ready to “kill” Jesus because you have no reply to his truth? Yes, you can kill Jesus by avoiding him and what he teaches. Think of lessons you learned in school long ago. Actually, you can’t, can you? You’ve forgotten much of what you learned to pass the tests and to get your diploma. You retain only the information you use. You’ve killed the other stuff by neglecting it and not using it. Jesus’ truth is what you need in your life each day. Are you feeling guilt and shame for killing Jesus? Then pray to him, and ask him to revive his truth in you, to make his truth come alive in you. Pause and consider you must keep the truth alive in you.