The name of Jesus is powerful. The name of Jesus saves. To simply look unto Jesus in faith determines one’s eternal destiny. How could the name of a person be so mighty? There is only one answer, because the name of Jesus is the name of God.

We live in a mundane world of veiled reality. Without faith we cannot see past the clouds. We don’t “know” very little of anything past our own existence and experience. We have science, but science is limited to the realm of what we can measure and comprehend. What about the vast body of knowledge we cannot grasp? What role will such knowledge play in how and where we spend eternity? These are questions we can only speculate about but truth can be found in only one source, the Bible and Holy word of God, and it’s not as complicated as the intellects would have us to believe.

The name of Jesus saves. God in all of His omnipotence has made the path to Himself very simple. So simple, that many miss it. We are sinners, we are frail, we fall, we transgress the laws of God. We possess a human nature that naturally violates His commandments and because of this we experience a broken relationship, we are estranged from Him. “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good. No, not one. Romans 3:10- 12. We are on our way to hell fire when we die for our transgressions against a Holy God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Ronans 6:23. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to earth as a little baby. He was the promised Saviour of the Old Testament, Emanuel, God with us. His purpose, to offer His life, His flesh and blood on the cross to take the punishment and the wrath of God the Father, that should have been ours, upon Himself to atone for the sins of the whole world. He offered Himself, a sacrificial lamb, to take away the sins of the world.

How is this act appropriated in the life of the individual such that eternal life in heaven and forgiveness of one’s sins is secured? God made it very simple, “Look and Live”. God says ” Look unto me all ye the ends of the earth and be saved for I am God and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22. Look unto the cross and be saved for all eternity from every transgression against a Holy God! How can it be so simple you ask? How can a look, some seemingly insignificant act save a human soul? It doesn’t take any work to look, no effort, or reform, no labor, or commitment. Just a look, just a call, just a sip of water from the well, just a mustard seed of faith and a living soul is transported into the kingdom of God. Just like that?? Yep, just like that.

You say, well that’s too easy, that didnt take any work on the part of mankind! Well did the creation of the universe take any work on the part of mankind? We’ve certainly proven we can ruin it, but we can take no credit for the magnificence of it’s creation. How about the conception of your own human life? Did that take any work on your part? When the sun comes up every morning, did one or any of us have a part in putting it there? Tell me, do you make your heart pump blood, how about your lungs? Do they obey your commands?

The problem with a lot of us is that we don’t know who God is, and WE want to be God. We’re not too sure about this God in the heavens or the expanse of His power or the truth of His promises, so we attempt to step into His shoes and rewrite “wisdom” according to our own feeble minds and understanding. God hides wisdom and knowledge from such fools, but freely gives it to the meek and childlike. Not fair? Well it’s his wisdom and He can give it to anyone He chooses. He made it too high for the learned, scholarly, and intellectual, but well within reach to the trusting believing one, the one who will simply take a ” look” and believe what He says.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”. This was told to the phillipian jailer when he asked how to be saved. Look and live is all you need to do. The rest is up to God. He raises the Son in your heart, and you are forever His. He seals you with the power of the Holy Spirit, and you shall NEVER perish. He does the work. Not us. Our part is to look, His part is to work. Too simple? Beware of stumbling over the rock of simplicity that is Christ. Simply look and live.

What is life at it’s best? What are some of the greatest blessings one can experience in their lifetime? Good health, material prosperity? Perhaps a wonderful family who loves you, or meaningful work that you enjoy. Maybe it’s the achievement of an excellent education or the experience of one’s most coveted and longed for desires and ambitions being realized. What constitutes a “good life” or one well lived and where is it all leading when it’s over? What is the meaning of life and what happens when it ends?

The older I get the more I realize how very brief life is. Life at its longest is so very very short. One day it dawns on you, as good as life may have been, as much as you may have been blessed or been able to achieve, there is is an end coming to this thing called life, there is the ” last day” to be lived. When will that last day be? No one knows, we’re not given that information but oftentimes it comes suddenly and without warning. When life ends, whether suddenly, or expected, it’s over and what then? What lies beyond this life?

Many theories and beliefs exist about what awaits us in the next life, but the Bible holds the truth to the question of eternity and the meaning of life. The Bible is the word of God. A book written through men by the Holy Spirit of God to guide us into all truth. Though we may wonder at life’s ultimate meaning and what the future holds in the afterlife, the Bible does not keep it a mystery, but lays the truth plain, if you have ears to hear.

You see, God created you. He gave you a spirit that will live forever. You have a physical body and soul, but your spirit is the part of you that is eternal. It will never cease to exist, long after your physical body has disintegrated in the grave. You will spend eternity somewhere forever and ever. The Bible speaks of only two destinies, two homes for the departed soul, heaven or hell. Religion tells us that how you live determines your eternal fate. Good people go to heaven, and bad people go to hell. This makes sense, right? If you are a good person, by this defined as, never having killed anyone, or been in trouble with the law, a “good neighbor”, good husband or wife, good son or daughter, law abiding citizen, maybe even a very benevolent person, or just someone who tried to love others, treat others the way they wanted to be treated, and did the best they could. If such a one should pass away, heaven should be expected, and why not? This individual is surely as good as most and maybe even better. Could not such a one have peace at the time of approaching death, that acceptance into heaven will be granted? And certainly the opposite would be true, that a murderer on death row, no matter how contrite, will pay for his crimes in a dark place of torment. We make the mistake as humans of thinking that God is like us and his thoughts are like ours, but the Bible does not teach this, and some may think it very unfair. But when we come to see our true condition before a Holy God, we begin to see the truth as the Bible teaches it.

We are all sinners. No matter how good or bad a life you think you have lived, we all miss the mark when it comes to being good enough to go to heaven on our own merit. ” As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one, Roman’s 3:10. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Roman’s 3:23. This pretty much includes everyone. Man’s best efforts are as filthy rags in God’s sight. Living a “good” life will not get us to Heaven. That’s why we need a Saviour! The penalty and eternal destiny for all first time offenders is hell. We are all sinners and we have all earned hell. No exceptions. ” For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Roman’s 6:23 Man can do nothing to save himself. No matter how many good works you may have done, or how well you may have loved others in this life, these works cannot earn you a place in heaven. One sin, one transgression of Gods law is all it takes to condemn a soul to eternal hell. The wages of sin, one sin is death. We cannot save ourselves, no matter how good we’ve tried to be. God offers the honest sinner who would admit their sinful condition, a Saviour and the free gift of eternal life, by simply believing on that one and only Saviour for mercy and eternal life. ” For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9. All we need for eternal life in heaven instead of eternal torment in hell is to believe (trust) in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour! ” For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16. Jesus himself stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the father but by me”. John 14:6.

God offers eternal life freely to all who will come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ and believe on Him. When Jesus Christ died on the cross He took the punishment we deserved and paid our sin debt for us. He offered Himself a sacrifice to atone for the sins of all mankind. Because He is God, He was the only one who could do this, offer himself up as a sacrifice to the Father for every human soul. John the Baptist refers to Jesus Christ in the proclamation ” Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world”. By believing on the name of the Son of God, and what He did for you on the cross in paying your sin debt, by trusting in His finished work, you are declared blameless before the Father, your “sin account” canceled! That’s why we celebrate Easter, we have proof that His death, burial and resurrection are accepted by the Father, by the open grave and the rolled away stone. He lives! Because He lives, all who believe on Him shall live forever also. What good news!

There is a life after this one, eternal life and every human soul living will spend eternity somewhere. I don’t know when you are going to die, but when it happens its going to seem like it came awfully quick. Today may not be the day that you will die, but it is the day to believe on Jesus Christ, that when that day comes expectantly or suddenly, you are ready for the next life, eternal life with Him. We are all going to die one day. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”Hebrews 9:27. When our physical body dies we will be judged according to our works, if we have not believed on the Saviour and received his love gift of eternal life. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ” Verily verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” John 6:40. There is a life beyond this one, a life in heaven that will never end for those who hear his voice and believe.

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

There is a satanic deception regarding salvation today that sadly is so prevalent that countless people are trusting in it, believing in it, and yet may not even be aware that this dead fall trap will one day cost them their very soul. In order to have this kind of power, this deception would have to be a belief that is very akin to our natural inclinations and logic. It would have to be extremely believable, and make a lot of sense to our human reasoning. In fact, this belief would have to be so persuasive, so cunning, that only one who would diligently strive against it could escape its pervasive grip. This lie, though not taught in the Bible, is common in churches today and many are living by its tenets. This falsehood is the belief in our own goodness, and the hope that it will someday justify us before a Holy God. Whatever form this self righteousness takes, and it has many manifestations, it is the belief that we can contribute in some way to the salvation of our souls through our acts of obedience, service, benevolence, or morality. In this belief not only is the ability to contribute to our justification desirable but it is, in the opinion of many, required to secure our hope of heaven. And so many go about attempting to establish their own righteousness while trusting in this perceived accomplishment as securing their salvation to its completion. Sadly, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, the more we believe in our own goodness and righteousness, the less righteous we actually are, and the less holy. Paradoxically, the potential for holiness achieved in this life seems to be directly proportional to the awareness of one’s true condition before a Holy God, as a wretched sinner, poor, naked and blind. This is precisely why this deception is so deadly, so fatal. It blinds us to our true need, and as a result we never fully come to trust in our only hope, Jesus Christ, and his blood shed for us at Calvary. This is why the apostle Paul denounced his godly works and heritage as dung that he may gain Christ! Christ alone saves, and His righteousness becomes our righteousness when we put our faith wholly in Him. The false hope that we must somehow add to his all atoning sacrifice by ” making him Lord of our life”, repentance of all our sins, or bearing fruit of a life of good deeds, to complete our salvation, actually nullifies it and Christ becomes as Paul said, of none effect to us. It is faith alone in Christ alone, that saves the human soul. No amount of goodness on our part can be added to the work done on our behalf by the Saviour.

Jesus warned, ” enter ye in at the straight gate, for many will strive to enter but will not be able.” The straight gate is faith alone. Jesus said ” I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father except by me”. He also calls himself the door and states that anyone who enters by Him, will come in and out and find pasture. In other words, will become one of his sheep. He promises, “my sheep hear my voice, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish”. But those who would place their hope in themselves and their own good works to be saved, he refers to as a ” thief and a robber”. What did they steal? They tried to steal God’s glory, in giving away freely so great a salvation, not meritoriously, but by His own goodness, and they stole the eternal life of many a poor soul who put their trust in the false prophet’s pernicious ways.

“I’m a nobody, who are you? Are you a nobody too? Then there’s a pair of us, don’t tell. They’ll banish us you know. How dreary to be somebody, how public like a frog, to tell your name and live long day, to an admiring bog.

~ Emily Dickinson

Many people may feel like nobodies today. There is a pervasive sense of loneliness and isolation that spans across every strata of society. Ironically however , in the age of social media, being a nobody isn’t allowed. We all know or can know just about anything we want about each other, or so we think. To a degree we are public beings, out on display for all to see. Of course much of what is promoted is very positive and only a sliver of who we really are. Jesus knows each one of us intimately. He knows the truth about each one of us, uncensored, raw and real. We cannot fool him, or hide from him. How wonderful this is. That the God who made us knows every intricate detail of our lives and still loves us. He does not reject us or look down on us, as we often do one another. He unconditionally deeply loves each one of us. Yet many in churches today and everywhere in society feel unloved, unwated….a nobody. Sadly, this is a common experience. That forgotten person, that lonely one, is a hidden flower in the jungle of life. God, our creator waits to shine all the love divine omnipotence can possess on such a one. Yet love unknown, no matter how great, is love unfelt, inexperienced, and unreturned. However this in no way diminishes its existence. God is love, and He loves you!

“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1: 3 No greater love has ever been shown than a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus did this for you and me. He came down from heaven, leaving his royal throne as Creator God, and took upon himself human flesh, lived the perfect life, sinless and obedient to His Father, and then offered up his life on a Roman cross for the sins of the whole world. In so doing, He paid our sin debt, and delivered us from the penalty of our sin, eternal death in hell. All He requires is that we receive so magnificent a gift by believing on His name alone and trust Him for the outcome, life eternal with Him forever.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall without your father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10: 29

In a world of nobodies where true love and friendship often elude us, will you let Jesus love you?

The long awaited hope of spring. In the throes of February up in the north country this is a familiar theme. Snow flakes fall as a howling wind blows. The earth frozen from temperatures dipping into the single digits, the white barren landscape, and the stiff dark trees against a pastel sky echoe the bleak loneliness of this silent season of stillness. We wait.

Life is passing and with each morning and sunset a new day of hope is promised. We, with all creation wait. We haven’t lost hope because our Saviour has promised us, no matter what we face a brighter day is coming. This world with all its woes cannot define this dark hour, nor take away from us the blessed hope our Lord has left us.

He will never leave us, nor forsake us. We have his word on this. No one or no thing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Days grow dark, people fail of what we hoped of them, disappointed in maybe even ourselves, we struggle for meaning, for answers, for a light that would seem to be shrouded by the clouds of circumstance. Often times its shear faith that carries us, through the arms of our Saviour. Nothing makes sense, yet He knows this. He cares, and He holds our hand in the darkness and whispers, “trust me, I love you”.

This life is a journey. He, our conductor and the tunnels we must travel through are going somewhere. This moment, as all moments, is fleeting, it will yield its fruit. It’s not forever, these moments. Though they would seem to fence us in and pin us down, the Lord has given us wings, and the day will come when we fly again. A season of waiting will give way to a season of hope. With winter past, new buds emerge, new color, new joy, new life. For what is the purpose of the darkness if not to yield to the light. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy, real joy like never before, cometh in the morning.

There are many uncertainties in life. Few things if any are guaranteed. In fact the very nature of our lives reminds us of it’s unknowable character with each unfolding day. For we are warned not to boast of tomorrow, as we don’t know what a day may bring forth. Anything awaits us, as we are told in the book of Ecclesiastes, good or evil, time and chance overtake us all. We don’t know our time, and we can’t tell all that lies ahead. Yet, in all this unknowning, God in His great love for us tells us in 1 John 5:13 how that we may know that we have eternal life! Isn’t it wonderful that in this world of chaos, uncertainties and surprises, we can know the most important thing there is to know? Where we will spend eternity when we die can be known, guaranteed and completely assured of right now!

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life. 1 John 5:13

We can know from our own consciences that we do not keep the commands of God. We are all sinners. We’ve broken every one of His laws. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Roman’s 3:23. We have at one time lied, stolen, or coveted, just to name a few. We know that there is a judgement coming for the sinner, of whom we all, in truth must admit we are. “For the wages of sin is death” Roman’s 6:23. This includes eternal separation from God in hell. ” It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement ” Hebrews 9:27. We can know that God loves us. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him hath everlasting life.” John 3:16. We can know that Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross. ” He hath made Him to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. We can know how to obtain eternal life and forgiveness of our sins, past, present and future, and stand before Him blameless children of God. “But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Roman’s 10:13 Wosoever means you! You shall be saved! Not maybe, not I hope so, not well if I live a good life, go to church, get baptized, love my neighbor, and repent of all my sins….But shall be saved! You have God’s gurentee! If you receive Him, believe on His name you can know right now that you have the Son, you’ve received Him, and you have life, eternal life that can never be lost, revoked or canceled.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that in our uncertain world of cancel culture and changing chaotic fretful times that you can have the peace of knowing that God loves you and He through His Son Jesus Christ offers you eternal life and forgiveness of sins simply if you will believe on Him and receive Him?

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” 1 John 5:11

“These people draweth nigh unto me with their mouths, and honoureth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Matthew 15:8

“More than words is all you’d have to do to make it real”

“Then you wouldn’t have to say I love you, because I’d already know”.

“What would you say if I took those words away,

Then you couldn’t make everything new, just by saying I love you.

More than words….

More than words says “I love you” in a way that mere speak never can. It’s our actions that say I love you. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”. We can sing, we can praise, we can say I love you Jesus. But when we keep His commandments, we have shown our love in a way that nothing else will. When we yield to the Holy Spirit in obedience, and humility, we have loved God in truth. Our actions leave a footprint, where are words merely cast a shadow.

There is no replacement for an act of our will. Nothing speaks louder than our deeds.

“

“Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say or what they affirm. But we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that be of sound doctrine; according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:5-17

Do you find yourself in the above list of law breakers? Ungodly, profane, disobedient, perhaps a liar or a thief? Maybe you identity with the manslayer, or the whoremonger, or even those who defile themselves with mankind. Can you see your name on this list of guilty persons before a Holy God? If you are honest you will admit that we are all in this list, somewhere. But what about the righteous man, the “teachers of the law” and keepers of the law, surely they are not included in this list. Or are they?

Those who teach lawkeeping, those who would go about to establish their own righteousness do not need the law, and it was not given for them. For they use it unlawfully, understanding neither what they say, or whereof they affirm. “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully”.

How is this done. How is the law used lawfully? What was it’s intent in the first place? Was it so that we might all become pious religious pharisees like the rich young ruler, only to take pride and trust in our good deeds? No. This was not the purpose of the law and in truth, not a one of us can keep it. Of course the all wise God, eternal, immortal and invisible, already knew this to be true. He gave us the law to show us we cannot keep it, in our fallen sinful flesh, and to lead us in love to the only one who could, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Have you been trying to keep the law, practice religious duty, bear “fruit” in keeping with repentance and live the “good” life? Or maybe you are one who has never tried to “save yourself”through your good works but found that to be an impossible task, and have lived the sinful life that comes so naturally to all of us. Perhaps you never found religion of any interest at all and are living out your life according to your own mind and ideas of what is right or wrong, living by your own creed and hoping for the best. Wherever you find yourself today, there is hope of salvation and eternal life for all of us and it is not found in the striving after wind of keeping the law.

God desires to set you free. Free from what you ask? Free form the demands of the law, free from the penalty of sin. Free from your inevitable death and its eternal consequences, free from the wages of sin which each and every one of us have rightfully earned, hell. He didn’t give the law to take away your hope, He gave you the law to give you hope. This is the best bad news you have ever been told. No you cannot keep the law. Its impossible. That is why Jesus came from heaven and lived the perfect life for you. Never having sinned once, He kept the law for you. When you believe on Him, his perfect righteousness is credited to your personal account with God. He did it, and you get it…when you believe on Him. Its given free, through faith alone. For God knew ahead of time that if the smallest portion of our salvation were left up to us, we would be lost. He didn’t take that chance, He wanted to give you eternal security, so He did it all Himself. He died for every sin you and I ever have committed or ever will commit. It’s all paid for by His shed blood on the cross. He did not leave salvation in the precarious hands of sinful men. He is the Saviour, we were lost in a sea of sin, He takes us all the way to the shore, alone. The law is that lighthouse, that points the way to the Saviour. It illumines our need for Him! It enlightens our utter inability in ourselves.

If you find your self in the above list, take heart, you are in good company. For the apostle Paul recognized himself as the “chief of sinners”. There is great hope for you, and it’s not found in keeping the law, but in believing on the name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. ” Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope.”

“The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live forever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.” Psalm 22:27

God’s kingdom is coming. No one can stop it. His kingdom is forever. This world will pass away, and the wicked will be thrust out of their place. But God’s kingdom is forever. His very word will never pass away.

He is our anchor in these troubled times. Our anchor holds through this mighty gale, this stormy tempest . Our anchor is an eternal stronghold and it will prevail in the darkest storm. For those who have placed their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, for salvation and forgiveness of sin, He is our anchor and no one can take Him away from us. He is our righteousness, our light, and our salvation, He is our very life!

Many things are changing, people are changing this world, and the times are uncertain. People leave, move away, even die in this pandemic. Our loved ones are afar off or maybe gone altogether. The Lord Jesus Christ will never leave us. He will never go away if you have placed your hope in him. He will never leave you in the fiercest storm, He is always there. We, his children, are never alone. We will never face anything in this life alone, and without Him. Even in our very death will He carry us, by his wings of love. Death is not to be feared, but merely a door to everlasting life with our Saviour. We don’t need to be afraid, we don’t need to run away, or hide to be safe. We are safe in the everlasting arms of Almighty God. God himself is here with us.

We have a number of days to live out. One day, on our last day, we will depart into eternity into the arms of our loving Saviour, and go to live with him forever. What is our life but a vapor, the Bible says. It is a space of time He has given us to live here and serve Him. When our time has expired, He is coming for us. He will redeem the work of his hands. We are His workmanship, and He will come to claim us and take us home.

Though the night be long and the hour dark, take heart, He is coming for us. Our King is coming! We are safe in Jesus, we can rest and rejoice. We are safe in the Ark of Christ. Though the wild storms toss us about, and we cannot see where we are headed, our Ark is sound. Nothing can thwart its track or it’s purpose.

Only beware of the leven of the pharisees. Keep a pure conscience, an unfeigned faith, a passionate love for the brethren. Our redemption draweth nigh.

“Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pense and the money given to the poor? This he said not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag and bear what was put therein.”

Sometimes things are not as they appear, and sometimes people are not who we perceive them to be. Judas was the very last person the disciples suspected to betray Jesus. He was the treasurer, the faithful follower of Christ, the friend and kindred brother to the men who left all to follow the Messiah. They so trusted him that even when Jesus revealed his true identity as his betrayer at the Last Supper, the disciples didn’t believe it. It just never dawned on them that it could be Judas, for he was such a convincing showman, so cunning was his disguise. Surprisingly to the disciples, that is exactly who he was, and Jesus knew. When did this truth about Judas become clear? Perhaps it was in the moment when his true value of Jesus and who Jesus was, was made plain.

In the book of John chapter 12, the story is recounted of Mary and her extravagant gift to her Saviour. “Then Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and annointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. It is then that Judas objects to this lavish demonstration of love and value that Mary had just shown her Saviour and Lord. To Judas, this was waste, this was money being thrown away, this was his money, and he had his eye on taking it’s possession. Mary had squandered what he had been coveting, and he was indignant. Of course he masked the true condition of his heart with religious piety. Pretending to care for the poor, he rebukes this act but at the same time he reveals to Jesus his true character. Judas didn’t value Jesus, he valued money, though he tried to appear benevolent, he actually was full of greed. He was a hypocrite. He had more concern for the outward appearance of doing good works, giving to the poor, while secretly planning to keep the money and satisfy his own lusts. So far was his heart in this moment from the worshipful and thankful heart of Mary, whose chief concern and desire was to honor her Saviour, to love Him in these final hours, to communicate to Him in the most powerful way she could how precious He was to her. But Judas didn’t value Jesus. He didn’t need Jesus, and he wasn’t trusting Jesus to be saved. Sadly, we learn later in the New Testament of his subsequent death by hanging, having returned the thirty pieces of silver he was paid by the Pharisees to betray Jesus. Judas’ faith, love, and devotion to Jesus was just an illusion, and a sham. His true heart would be revealed. But the Lord knew it all along.

Why would someone not value Jesus? There can be only one reason, they don’t know how precious Jesus is. Jesus is precious, and He is our only hope in this life. He is the Son of God, and He is the great “I Am”. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the Bright Morning Star. His blood and His choice to shed it on the cross of Calvary is the only provision offered for forgiveness of sin, and eternal life in heaven. He made the plan of salvation simple. He states in John 6:40 “verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life” . He has already paid our sin debt. He has already endured the wrath of the Father on our behalf on the cross. He has completed the work of salvation. There is nothing left for us to do but to believe on Him, and receive Him, trust Him for forgiveness of sin, and the free gift of eternal life. Jesus is precious!

Many sit in church pews week after week in a spiritual illusion, just as Judas was. They believe they are beneficiaries of good works, their good works. They are trusting in their religion, their deeds, their “fruit” in keeping with repentance. But they are not trusting Christ! He is not precious to them. Their good works, lifestyles, track record, that is precious, that, they greatly value. Bypassing the straight gate, the narrow way unto eternal life, they chose another way, another hope altogether. But it will prove a false hope.

When we come to see our true condition before a Holy God, that we are sinners in need of a Saviour, and we come to the realization that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour, He becomes very precious indeed.