Monthly Archives: March 2026

LUKE’S GOSPEL…THE PLOT THICKENS – 55

Bible Study, ,

“Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 Judas loved money! Let’s follow the money!

Both Luke and John, in their records of the events leading up to Jesus’ arrest, commented on something chilling…

“Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.” Luke 22:3 NIV

“Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How did Judas reach this point when he lost control of his choices and actions?

Of the twelve men whom Jesus had chosen from all who had initially followed Him, Judas Iscariot revealed his doubled-mindedness in subtle ways, through comments he made…

“But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 

…and the observations of his fellow disciples…

“He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He had followed Jesus, sat under Jesus’ teaching, received Jesus’ authority to do miracles and cast out demons, done everything the other disciples did…but he loved money…and Jesus had warned…. ”No one can serve two masters!”

So, slowly but surely, Judas began to reveal the identity of his real master…money. 

Why did Jesus entrust the group’s finances to Judas? He knew the man from the inside out. Was He giving Judas the opportunity to redeem himself or was He purposely exposing him to temptation to test his character?

However, there was a cancer in Judas that was fed by this golden opportunity to betray his Master for money. What was the tipping point? 

Picture the scene…a woman kneeling on the floor…pouring expensive and precious oil of spikenard from a broken alabaster jar all over Jesus’ feet, spilling it on the floor, careless of the waste. The disciples are incensed. 

…“Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”…

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ NIV‬‬

Judas’ voice was the loudest, protesting against the “waste” of the perfume. 

“But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”… 

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.””

‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭4‬-‭5‬, ‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ public rebuke was, for Judas, the last straw. He snapped! This was the devil’s cue.    

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

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The lure of money, the glitter of gold, the devil’s bait to lure Judas to his doom. 

Now let’s examine Satan’s modus operandi. This ruse is so successful that he uses it repeatedly to snare unsuspecting victims into his trap.   

Step one…the flesh! This is the seat of evil human desires that lure us into danger and, if we follow it blindly, it will take us down. 

Step two…gratify the evil desires without thought of consequences. Satan helps by painting a rosy picture of pleasure, enjoyment, and gratification. He never reveals the ”small print”. He eggs the victim on by tugging hard at the heart, igniting the imagination, promising all good, no consequences. 

Step three…control! The devil gives the final push. The deed is done!

Step four…condemnation! The conscience on steroids kicks in. As hard as the devil eggs the unsuspecting sinner on, so hard he piles on the guilt when the deed is done. “Now look what you’ve done. You are wicked, good for nothing, condemned, doomed!”

Gone the empty promises, gone the fleeting pleasure, gone the glitter and satisfaction of “more”!Only guilt, misery, and gnawing regret! Now it’s impossible to turn the clock back. 

Judas didn’t even wait to see the consequences of his wicked deed. For him, there was no way back. 

“Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. So 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 pieces of silver 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.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭27‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Had Judas only taken the time and used the opportunity to get to know the real Jesus, he might have followed the path that Peter took. He might have be forgiven, restored, and transformed by grace into a new creation. He might have taken his rightful place among the Twelve as anointed and appointed to take the Good News to the world. He might have heard the words of Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” at the end of his term of office…but he lost it all for money! 

What a poor choice, what a horrible exchange!

Take note, dear reader. What started with an innocent-enough desire, ended in doom because Judas failed to recognise the process or contemplate the outcome. Let us not be fooled by the same delusion. 

To be continued…

LUKE’S GOSPEL…STAND FIRM – 54

Bible Study, ,

“”Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” …He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” …Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭5‬-‭9‬, ‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How relevant are Jesus’ warnings for us today!

Our world is in turmoil. Talk about shaking! God said He would, in the last days, shake everything…and for one reason, to sift the temporal and transient from the permanent and eternal. 

“See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Sobering words! People think that this world is eternal. They act as though everything they live for and depend on will last forever but …there’s a problem!

What is the most serious problem in our world and world system today, which has always been since Adam? Jesus put His finger on it…deception! The entire world, without God, functions on a delusion…that man can run the world his way, without God. 

God’s arch enemy had one purpose in mind when he confronted Eve, and Adam through her…to lure them by deception into delusion…that they could be free from God to be God. The deception was subtle. By following the devil’s insinuation that God was not to be trusted, they transferred authority, not to themselves, as they thought, but to the devil. They placed themselves firmly in his camp. Instead of being free to live and serve God, they became slaves to Satan.  

So, in answer to the disciples’ question, “When will the disaster (destruction of the temple) happen and how will we know when it’s about to happen?” In the other gospels, for example, in Matthew…their question not only related to the fate of the temple in the near future, but also to Jesus’ return and the end of this age…

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.”

A great deception…the first of many signs…about what? Do we not have many voices proclaiming, in the midst of the current shaking, “Listen to me! I have the authority to tell you that Jesus’ return is near.” These would-be false messiahs interpret prophecy according to their own imagination, putting in place timelines and dates and casting doubt on Jesus’ words…Jesus said clearly, 

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Matthew 24:36 NIV

Why would the Father keep secret the day of His Son’s return? 

First, this is part of the protocol of the Jewish wedding. The Bible has in it, among other themes, the story of the Father’s search for a bride for His Son. Having chosen His Bride, and before the Groom comes to claim His Bride, He, the Bridegroom, prepares the bridal chamber, at His Father’s house, for the consummation of the marriage. He would return for her when the Father was satisfied with the condition of the bridal chamber. Thus, only the Father could determine the time of the Bridegroom’s return. 

So, as Jesus told His disciples…

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Wedding talk…He would return for them at the Father’s appointed time. 

Second, the great danger is that many people, even including some of God’s own people, would live careless lives with the idea that they could repent in good time for Jesus’ return.    

Jesus often spoke of His return and how to be ready…

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭42‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭NIV‬

The crux of the matter is simple. Mature believers are those who are steadfast in their faith and secure in their knowledge and practice of the truth. They are not easily unsettled by those who propagate deception or fear. They remain faithful to their calling and their tasks. They are ready at all times, no matter the circumstances, for Jesus’ return. They know that testing and suffering may come but their hope is in God and in the security of His eternal kingdom. As Paul wrote…

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, in the midst of whatever form the shaking may take…wars, famine, political turmoil, natural disasters, family upheavals, even loss or death…our hope is anchored to the eternal values and promises of God’s kingdom.   

To be continued…