Come Down, Lord!

  I want to look at some of the differences between Peter and Judas.  There was something of betrayal in what both men did, but there were also significant differences. I want to consider just two.  First, the difference in the character of their sin and then second the difference in their response. First their sin .   Judas’ sin was premeditated.  We are first introduced to the exchange of money.  He agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.  Next we find him at Passover with Jesus and there Jesus issues His warning.  He deals graciously with Judas even sharing the elements of the table with him 0 everything calculated to reprove Judas.  But Judas, who had already made his decision, proceeds to betray his Lord.   So this was not a spur of the moment decision.  It wasn’t made in the heat of anger or fear or some other passion.  It wasn’t sin breaking out as it sometimes does in the life of a believer.  It was p...

"The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage (Psalm 16:5-6)." What does He mean by lines?  Charles Spurgeon wrote, " Lines refers to division of the land by lot and the measuring of it by ropes and lines." So Jesus - the speaker in this Psalm - is speaking of His portion.  He is talking about the lot that God is maintaining. He is talking about what God has assigned to Him as the God-man. This is the One who said He had no place to lay His head.  This is the Christ who suffered horrendously; and yet here He is saying that the lines have fallen unto Him in pleasant places! How can He say this?   A healthy rich man with his family surrounding him could surely say this. But how can Jesus - in the midst of this fallen world, enduring what He endured, living as He lived and facing the cross - say, "the lines have fallen unto me in pleasant pl...