it isn’t me, is it?

Posted: September 6th, 2010 | Filed under: life | 2 Comments »

We start out with so much hope and aspiration to make it work. When we hear the Gospel and taste the water from the well of life, everything is new and young and full of promise. The thought of betraying our love is foreign and offensive.

“…you will betray me.” -Jesus, Matthew 26:21

If there was a way to avoid it, we would. We try.

We know some betray Him, but not us. Not those who really love Him. We can’t conceive the thought, much less give birth to the arrant rejection. That would make us monsters. Who could actually experience Him and still reject Him? It’s unthinkable.

“It isn’t me, is it, Master?” -Matthew 26:22

The disciples felt the fear of ruin and took turns asking the same question. Did they know that Jesus knew what would happen even though they didn’t have any intention of denying Him? Did they know that they could do what they don’t want to do? Why would they ask if it was them if they knew it wasn’t?

Jesus told His disciples that they would all deny Him because of Him.

Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” -Matthew 26:33

I know how Peter felt. I thought I wouldn’t either.

It’s different after you become a Christian. Just because you love Jesus doesn’t mean you won’t sin. It just hurts worse when you do. There are certain behaviors that you will be able to walk away from, but there are still others that won’t walk away from you.

“…you will deny me…” -Jesus, Matthew 26:34

Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. -Matthew 26:35

You can have the best intentions. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that you’ll stop sinning. It means that you’ll stop dying from it.

There is no suffering like the experience when the one who loves Jesus sins. They are not celebrating. They’re mourning the loss of every good thing they thought about themselves. They’re seeing their monster.

Because of Jesus, we all must see who we are and why we need Him. It’s something that every one of us has to go through. Repeatedly. We will never reach a point when we will not sin because we will never reach a point when we are independent of the cross.