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Choose Life: Peter v. Judas
Posted on December 28th, 2012 No commentsEarly in the morning,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left.
Then he went away and hanged himself.
Matthew 27:1-5
Earlier this evening, I had to run an errand. It took me about 1 hour. When I left home, all was well. When I returned, I saw at least two ambulances, one police car and a crowd of police officers. Someone killed himself by jumping off the roof of the building. The EMTs rolled the deceased past me to get him into the ambulance. His eyes were still open.
Just before the story of Judas, we read about Peter’s betrayal of Christ (Matthew 26:69-75). Years ago, my pastor referenced both of them in a sermon. Both betrayed Christ. Both felt remorse. The only difference between the two men was that Peter turned towards Christ for forgiveness, while Judas turned away from Christ.
I feel bad about gentleman who jumped. I always felt sorry for Judas. Out of all the people who were complicit in Christ’s crucifixion, Judas was the only one with enough decency to feel remorse. If he turned to Christ, the Lord would have been pleased to heal him and save him completely.
I decided to go online to find resources for anyone who’s thinking about taking their own life.
Boys Town National Hotline, http://www.yourlifeyourvoice.org/aboutus/Pages/default.aspx
Broken Believers, http://brokenbelievers.com/247-crisis-lines/
Safe Horizon, http://www.safehorizon.org/index/get-help-8/call-our-hotlines-51.html?gclid=CPHdgqa8vrQCFcyf4AodSj8AxQ
Samaritans, http://www.samaritansnyc.org/
USA National Suicide & Crisis Hotlines http://suicidehotlines.com/national.html
Choose life!
“But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed
and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right,
he will surely live; he will not die.
None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him.
Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live.
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?”
Declares the Sovereign Lord.
“Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”
Ezekiel 18:21-23
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pelicanflies December 29th, 2012 at 08:02