Watching the latest display of the "beautiful people", and the associated glitterati attending the Grammy Awards last night, I notced a shift.
Jesus is out of style. Even Carrie Underwood gave just a polite and cursory thank you to God for her talents. And she's a believer. On the world stage, Jesus loses out to the risk of not wanting to offend people. We forget who He is (The Rock of Offense) and exchange Him for tiny idols that will fade and tarnish.
Money. Fame. Wealth. Glitter. Shiny objects. All perfectly assembled in hell sometimes and custom made for us to exchange for Jesus.
Romans 1:25 (AMP) - Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it).
Take Judas for example. He is arguably one of the most hated figures in history. He betrayed the beloved Savior Jesus Christ.
Thirty pieces of silver in exchange for a friend. Silver for blood.
Judas was an unwitting pawn in a devious plan unraveled by just as unwitting a devil.
Seriously. God knew all along how it was going to unfold and simply allowed what appeared to be an act of evil to bring about what was God's plan from the foundation of the world, which was sinful man would someday be atoned for and pardoned.
Judas probably thought he was simply helping along a plot to bring Jesus to power in order to get rid of Roman authority in the province. He was a Zealot and saw Jesus more as a potential earthly king than a King of Kings over everything.
Or he could have been jealous and just plain greedy. A dupe. A phony. The perfect type that would acquiesce to the needs and desires of the flesh.
In any event, it appears he was remorseful about what he did (most usually are when the plan goes awry) when he saw what they were going to do to Jesus. I don't think he weighed all of the penalties and options.
Just like today.
Jesus is being sold out in many cases for a lot less than thirty pieces of silver.
What's your marriage worth? Your health? Sobriety? Financial security?
It's all on the table of the Great Exchange.
It's an exchange because it's yours. Salvation in Christ is yours to have but it is sold on the open market for shiny objects, toys, recognition and power.
When the rude awakening came to Judas that he had been played (which is the side effect of exchanging Jesus for anything) he hanged himself.
It's a funny thing. The only person who probably really cared was Jesus Himself.
That's what makes it so tragic.
The One who cares for us the most is the greatest object of the world's scorn.
Everyday Jesus is exchanged for greed, false religions and idols, apathy, ignorance, lust, and just about anything else a person could chase after in their futile attempt at Peace, wealth, fame, and happiness.
The only source of true peace and happiness is Jesus Christ.
Don't trade Him away for things that will never bring the peace you are looking for.
Embrace HIM.
Keepin' it Real,
Pastor Kevin <><
www.reallifect.com
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