Psalm 41:9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Well hello there mih LOVELIES! How goes it on this bright, beautiful, bounteous day, so LOVINGLY created for our enjoyment by our heavenly Father? I sure hope it goes well with all of us believers in Christ Jesus. But just in case all’s not going too well, I want to remind us not to fall apart, not to give up, because we have an Advocate with the Father, namely Jesus, to plead our case. So whatever’s wrong, let’s stand strong in faith, do our best, while looking to Him for guidance and help. Remember He either personally experienced or saw the stuff we’re going through, during His sojourn here on earth in human form. So He knows and understands the human problems and frailties from both sides now; as God, as well as man. That brings us to our Bit: ‘Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against (has betrayed) me. ‘ And amongst those human problems that Jesus faced and experienced was the most hurtful one of betrayal by a close friend. In fact several people close to Him betrayed Him. So although He was the Son of God, He wasn’t immune to human disappointment. And though He knew beforehand what the script called for, since He had a hand in writing it, those betrayals still inflicted hurt, pain and disappointment on His human sensibilities, like it does on ours. Over the last couple days we’ve discussed the betrayals of Bruh David, Job and Jeremiah, today we’ll look at some Jesus suffered. Now we said that Jesus knew the betrayals would come and after washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus told them about it. ‘I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.’ (John 13:18-19) Jesus quoted our Bit there, knowing that many who had been with Him during the good times would desert Him, when things got rough, but it had to happen to fulfill the scripture. After that ‘he was troubled in sprit, and testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.’ (John 13:21) Obviously all the disciples wanted to know who it was. Then Simon Peter looked at John, who was leaning back against Jesus, and motioned him to ask about the betrayer. ‘Jesus answered, He it is to whom I shall give a sop (piece of bread), when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.’ (John 13:26-27) The scholars state that during Jesus’ time, a host would often distinguish an honoured guest by giving him a choice morsel dipped in the sauce and placing it on his tongue. And according to the rest of that passage, (John 13:28-30) it seems only John and Judas heard or understood Jesus last words to Judas. Then Judas went out and plotted with the chief priests to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver. (Matt.26:14-16) And that night in Gethsemane, Judas showed up with soldiers of the chief priests and a lynching mob, just as Jesus was telling the three who had gone apart to pray with Him: ‘Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.’ (Matt.26:46) And Judas was so boldfaced, that after telling the soldiers; ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he, hold him fast (seize him) (Matt.26:48) he approached Jesus and said: ‘Hail, master; and kissed him.’ (Matt.26:49) That possibly began the since oft used scheme of betrayal with a kiss. But notice Jesus’ cool and somewhat sarcastic response: ‘Friend, wherefore art thou come?’ (Matt.26:50) Yes people, though Jesus was well aware of the betrayal, He still called Judas ‘friend.’ What a wonderful man Jesus was! And still is! And will always be wonderful! Oh Friends, we don’t have time to talk about how most of the disciples forsook Jesus and fled, when He was arrested (Matt.26:56) or when Peter betrayed Jesus by denying three times that he knew Him. (John 18:15-27) But no doubt those things hurt Jesus a lot, even though he knew beforehand that they’d happen, for betrayals always hurt regardless of how or when we know of them. Anyway, we’ll end with some very wise words of Micah when he spoke of the moral sin of Israel, which, compared to ours today, is like a small lake to the ocean, so terrible is the immorality in our society. ‘Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (companion): keep (guard) the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.’ (Mic.7:5-6) And far too often that is the gospel truth my people! Let us try to undo that nuh, cause if we don’t, we’ll just continue on the downward slide to destruction, to Hades and Lucifer, a rather unpleasant thought. Much LOVE!…therefore I will look unto the Lord…I will wait for the God of my salvation…my God will hear me… (Mic.7:7)
SCRIP-BITS 