“Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out” Acts 1: 16-18(KJV).
Judas was one of the original disciples and the treasurer of the group. He was handling the group’s purse with greed. The scriptures refer to him as a thief – “This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein” John 12:6(KJV). A thief was handling the purse of the group headed by the righteous Saviour? What a contradiction! Christ knew that Judas was not part of him from beginning but accommodated him so that the scriptures will be fulfilled. How many Judases are we having in the body of Christ today? Pastors who deep their hands in the offering bag and spend recklessly. Deacons who count money and collude to defraud the church. How many deacons in the church today are driven by the excessive love for money and wealth that are ready to do anything to have it? Men’s heart has for centuries been seared with hot iron to the extent that they take God for granted even when they witnessed God’s raw power in action. God is very merciful giving us very long rope for repentance as stated in Romans 9:22(KJV) “What if God, willing to shew his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:” These greedy individuals like Judas most times overstep their bounds. They are at the center of most disputes in the churches that are finance related. Most times they end up like Judas. In their lust for money and excessive greed they lose their salvation and become possessed of their own lost ending up in perdition.
Prayer: O God, grant me the grace to put money appropriately where it belongs in my life in Jesus Name.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo