I see you…

Hurt. Angry. Confused.

Wrestling to make sense of shattered expectations.

How could anyone professing the message of Christ turn your carefully constructed world into chaos?

You crumble on the sidelines as people full of deception, slander and pervert truth, all in the “name of Jesus.”

The knife of betrayal, twists deeper with every single revelation.

Perhaps bitterness begins to sprout, warping your worldview, until nothing makes sense.

Is this how Jesus felt on the eve of the Last Supper when confronted by Judas?

Even knowing what was to come, was Jesus troubled by this necessary chain of events?

A once faithful friend, now stands before his Savior as the accuser. 
(Matthew 26:46-49)

If you have read Jesus’ story, culminating at the cross; you recognize Christ’s ultimate purpose while on earth.

He came to provide redemption for the world, through His death, burial, and resurrection.

Nevertheless, I find myself burdened with the question…

If Judas, an imperfect human, hadn’t betrayed Jesus, and the religious leaders adored the Messiah

Would Jesus have experienced the horrors of the cross?

Surely God could have provided another way…

But would an alternative plan have impacted how we, as the hearers, receive the message of the gospel?

Perhaps... 

Regardless of the way in which the act was completed; Christ’s primary objective of salvation through the shedding of blood would have remained intact. 

Therefore, one could conclude that the deception and betrayal woven within the text seem imperative to the completion of Jesus’ mission.

Each aspect leading up to and beyond the cross became integral parts of HIS STORY.

What does this mean for us?

Could experiencing betrayal be important to the completion of our story? 

The narrow pathway toward Heaven is riddled with trials of every kind - navigated by imperfect humans, making flawed decisions.

Betrayal along our journey presents us with a choice.

We can allow Satan to keep us bound by disappointment and bitterness as we continually look back.

Or, we can fix our gaze ahead, on the things of Christ.  

“Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:2-4, AMP)

When we recognize betrayal as part of our story and strive to pursue our mission…

We have a tremendous opportunity to make an eternal impact by using HIS STORY as our guide.