Betrayal and Denial

Betrayal by Judas; Denial by Peter. 

Notice it wasn't an outsider, but one close to Him.  This is what hurts the most, when those who  are close to you deny you and betray you.  Those who walked with you in the ministry like  both of these men did.  What's most amazing is that Jesus tried to tell both of these men what was happening in their respective lives.   

For Peter, He said: "Tonight all will be offended because of Me.  For as it is written, the Shepherd will be smitten and the sheep will be scattered.  Peter responded, "Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in anywise".  Though Jesus tried to show Peter his weakness and the error of his way, his pride and arrogance would not allow him to receive what Jesus' was saying.  Peter would not listen, so he went on to deny the Lord later that night.  As he stood warming himself by an enemies fire the rooster crowed for the second time.  At that very moment Jesus turned and looked directly at him, and he remembered the words of the Lord.  But it was too late!  He had denied the Lord!  He went out and wept bitterly.

Judas made his deal with Chief Priest to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.  After the deal was made he came to the Last Supper to eat with Jesus one last time.  At supper, Jesus made the announcement  that one of His disciples would betray Him.  To this Judas responded, "Master, is it I?"  I can't help but notice the hypocrisy of Judas calling Him "Master" knowing that he had already done his dirty work.  At that very moment the band of soldiers were en-root  to arrest Jesus, and Judas knew it.  I guess he felt like he had to "play the game"; he had to somehow feign his allegiance to Jesus.  He slipped away from supper and met up with the mop and approached Jesus later that night.  As he approached Jesus he had already given them the sign of his betrayal; it is the one that I kiss.  So he runs up to Jesus and plants a kiss on the side of His face, again feigning his loyalty.  But Jesus saw right through the lies and hypocrisy and said: "Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"

Jesus sat there at the Passover and entertained His betrayer; the one that He knew had sold Him out.  Jesus hadn't done anything wrong or deserving of such treatment.  Judas sold him out to advance his own agenda and personal well being.  However, it didn't turn out like he'd planned.  Acts 1 tells us that another disciple was chosen to take his place, and the church moved on.  As for Judas, he took back the money, but it was too late.  They would not call off the deal.  Seeing that Jesus was now condemned, Judas went out and hanged himself. 

The difference in the two men is that Peter realized the error of his way.  He wept and cried bitterly because of his denial.  Jesus forgave him and Peter went on to become the greatest leader of the New Testament Church.  Judas, on the other hand took his own life and went into eternity unprepared to meet God.

Financial Peace University

What Does The Bible Say About Money?

Almost everyone agrees that the Bible contains great advice about life, from improving your marriage to getting along with your boss at work.  But does the Bible really say much about money?  Does it really give us advice that we can apply to our own life in today's world?
The Good News is Yes!  Absolutely!  We believe the Bible is as relevant and helpful today as when it was written, and God has a lot to say about money.  Did you know money is mentioned in the Bible over 800 times?  God must be pretty serious about this subject to talk about it that much. 
In fact, Jesus says in Luke 16:11, "So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"  It appears from this verse that God uses money as a test of our management and stewardship skills before entrusting us with spiritual things.  See more below.
Money in the Bible
1. Proverbs 13:22  "A good man leaves an inheritance to his childrens' children" indicating that God wants us to make a difference, financially, in our family tree.
2. Proverbs 21:20  "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has."  This gives us an idea of how God wants us to save for a rainy day, to set something back for safekeeping.
3. Proverbs 22:7 states that "The rich rule over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender."  Really?  The Bible discourages debt?  Does God really want me to pay my debts off and avoid debt?
4. Luke 14:28  "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it."  Does Jesus really want me to save up and pay for the things I buy?
5. Matt. 6:24  "You cannot serve both God and money".
If money is this important to God, why are there so few Sunday school classes on this topic?  Why don't we see lots of small group studies on "Managing Your Finances" or "Getting Out of Debt"?  Why aren't there more sermons in this area?
There are many reasons, but the top reason is that most people don't realize how much of a problem managing money is for the average family.  Look at the statistics below:
Financial Statistics
1. Marital Problems - 37 percent (the highest rate) of marital problems derive from financial situations

2. Cash Flow - 70 percent of all consumers live paycheck to paycheck, meaning they run out of money before the end of the month
3. Savings - The average family would have to use a credit card to pay a $1,500 unexpected expense (ex: home or car repair).
4. Retirement - Nearly half of all Americans (46%) have less than $10,000 saved for their retirement.
It is a problem that affects everyone, inside and outside of the church.  In fact George Barna says that the fastest growing churches are teaching about marriage, child rearing, finances, and careers.  Money is a serious subject, and God is serious about money, which is why we should study closely what he has to tell us.
Finally, there is something to guide us!  A study to take God's wisdom about money and help us apply it to our own lives. It is called Financial Peace University.

*This article was taken from Dave Ramsey's website.