Tuesday, March 18, 2008
May We Be Shaken
John Piper today wrote:
John Piper wrote about wicked Judas today...the sobering part of this story is that none of us are any better. Only because God's grace has been shown to me,I can utter anything good or kind or do anything acceptable to God. And when I do anything good, it is still tainted with my sinful nature. If it were not for grace, I would be just like Judas! Jesus sacrifice on the cross made me right before God...not my goodness or lack of goodness. We are all utterly wicked and in need of a Savior...that Savior is Jesus Christ. This is why the people waved palm branches when they saw Jesus coming into Jerusalem on a donkey, which showed His great humility...it wasn't a simple expression of praise, but a pleading cry...*Hosanna*...God save us, please!!! The people then knew what we know now...we are sinful and Jesus is the only way to salvation. God, save us...PLEASE!
Judas left the fellowship of the twelve apostles after the anointing in Bethany and arranged to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-15). But when they met again at the last supper, there he was! Near enough to dip in the Savior’s cup.
When our family read this for devotions last night I was angry at the absolute wickedness of Judas coming back to eat Passover with the one he had just sold. I said to my daughter, evidently with more emotion than she was used to, “That is utterly wicked!”
She said, “What is so wicked?” I said: “What if I went out tonight and arranged for a cruel man to kill you on the way to school tomorrow morning? That would be horrible. But then would it not be wicked to high heaven if I came home, after arranging for your murder, and had devotions with you and prayed with you?”
She was shaken.
Small wonder that Jesus said, “It would have been better for that man if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24).
Let us be shaken this week, again and again.
John Piper wrote about wicked Judas today...the sobering part of this story is that none of us are any better. Only because God's grace has been shown to me,I can utter anything good or kind or do anything acceptable to God. And when I do anything good, it is still tainted with my sinful nature. If it were not for grace, I would be just like Judas! Jesus sacrifice on the cross made me right before God...not my goodness or lack of goodness. We are all utterly wicked and in need of a Savior...that Savior is Jesus Christ. This is why the people waved palm branches when they saw Jesus coming into Jerusalem on a donkey, which showed His great humility...it wasn't a simple expression of praise, but a pleading cry...*Hosanna*...God save us, please!!! The people then knew what we know now...we are sinful and Jesus is the only way to salvation. God, save us...PLEASE!
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
9 Comments:
Thank you, Kim. This was sobering but spot on in its truth. I plan to share your post and John Piper's with my family in our devotions this week.
I truly appreciate your heart.
How very thought-provoking. I am now encouraged, nay, URGED!, to see where I need to be "shook" and make sure my life is one where I am not betraying Jesus in the least. Thanks for sharing.
Kim, I agree that we need to be shook over and over again. It is not until we face the reality of our own sin that we realize what a price Christ paid for us. God takes sin VERY seriously, and I pray that I will never take His grace for granted.
Thank you for this post. It is awe inspiring to think about the amazing gift He came down to this wicked world and to us wicked human beings to give us--all for His love for us. Truly amazing!
Thanks for sharing this, Kim.
Oh, I read this today too, Kim. Humbling...
And the reminder that these same people days later cried out "Crucify Him!".....and that is who we really are. And yet, while we were enemies of His and while we were sinners, He PURSUED us, died for us. Totally mind-boggling! What an amazing grace! Thanks, Kim!
Sobering thoughts...may we not forget the depravity of our sin nor the high cost of God's grace...how great a salvation!
Thank you for such an excellent reminder. When I think about His sacrifice as if I were in His shoes, it makes it all the more real and amazing to me.
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