Clay in the Hands

It is Wednesday of Holy Week as we remember that fateful week in Jesus’ life.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread would start tomorrow and the excitement was building in and around the city.  The disciples were beginning to think about planning the supper – thinking about a place to eat together and all the preparations that would need to be made to make sure the Passover Meal was just right.

But one of the disciples was distracted by other thoughts.  At some point, Judas met with the religious leaders in Jerusalem and agreed to look for an opportunity to turn Jesus over to them.  His take in the plan?  30 pieces of silver.

Was he evil or was this part of his plan to force Jesus’ hand to step up and lead a revolt?  Any answer to that question is speculation but what we do know is that the trial and crucifixion were direct results of his betrayal and afterwards, he felt guilty enough to end his own life.

So in the midst of the celebration and festive environment, one of the disciples was at work plotting against Jesus.  For whatever reason, Judas had come to a place of realization that who he expected Jesus to be and who Jesus truly is were not the same.

It is easy, 2000 years after the fact, to condemn Judas and look on him with hatred.  But before we pick up the first stone to throw his way, ask yourself a question, “Am I any different?

Has your perception of God ever conflicted with the reality of God?  Let me ask it another way.  Have you ever made up your mind that God wanted something for you?  Maybe a job.  You prayed and read scripture and truly sought God’s guidance and felt that God must want you to have this particular job.  It was going to be great – you were made for this job and God wanted you to have it.  But then, for some unforeseen reason, you didn’t get the job.  Now what?  Did God mess up?  Did God drop the ball?

You probably felt betrayed or mislead.  For a time you might have even felt angry at God.  You might have even turned from God for a time with an attitude of “I’ll show you!”

But the reality of that situation is that God has a bigger plan.  God is still God and the plan is for us to grow into the people were created to be – through good experiences and bad.

So before we demonize Judas too badly, maybe we need to look at our own betrayal.

Jesus is about to be betrayed by one of the ones closest to him.  Will you walk the rest of the way to the cross with him or will you turn and run away and come back around on Sunday?

Stay close – Holy Week is about to get dark!

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As we walk together through Holy Week, we are at Tuesday.  Mark records that two days before the Passover, Jesus was in the house of Simon the Leper having a meal with his followers.  While there, a woman came and brought a container of extremely expensive perfume and used it all to anoint Jesus’ head.

This sparked some debate among the group because of the extravagant nature of the act.  This perfume, we are told, was worth a year’s wages.  In today’s terms, according to the national average income for 2011 in the US, that would have equated to roughly $43,000.

For one, I don’t have $43,000 to spend on perfume but even if I did, I am not sure I would have been willing to sacrifice it all to put it on Jesus’ head as an act of submission, honor and worship.  But that is what this lady did.

Those present rebuked her for “wasting” so much money when that money could have been put to much better use.  But Jesus stopped them and explained that she was following her heart and not holding anything back, but rather, was willing to serve him and honor him in what would be a preparation for his burial.

As I think about this event, I have to ask myself: how do I honor Jesus?  Am I willing to worship him and serve him extravagantly?  Or am I only willing to worship and serve him with my left overs?

What about you?

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