HOW'S YOUR LEVEL OF SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY?
by Pastor Lem Niere
The next two or three blogs will focus on the “Passion week” with Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.
“And he that betrayed him (Jesus) had given them a token, saying, ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him and lead him away safely.’ And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him and said, ‘Master, master; and kissed him.’” Mark 14:44, 45.
When Judas Iscariot came to the Garden of Gethsemane the night he betrayed Jesus, he said something that revealed he had never been truly submitted to Him. The truth about Judas’ recognition of and submission to Jesus’ authority was exposed that night. Mark 14:45 says, ‘And as soon as he [Judas] was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, ‘Master, master; and kissed him.”
Notice that Judas called Jesus, “Master, master.” These words reveal the relationship that really existed in Judas’ heart toward Jesus. They reveal the reason the devil was able to use Judas, and not one of the other disciples, to betray Jesus. The word “master” comes from the Greek word didaskalos, which means teacher. The Hebrew equivalent is the word rabbi.
Titles are important because they define relationships. For instance, the words Daddy and Mother define the unique relationship between a child and a parent. The word Boss defines the relationship between an employee and his employer. The words Mr. President define the relationship between the nation and its leader. The word Pastor defines the relationship between a church and its pastor.
But I want you to notice what title Judas didn’t use that night—he didn’t call Jesus “Lord.” The word Lord expresses the idea of One who has ultimate and supreme authority in your life. If you called someone Lord, it meant you were submitted to that person’s authority and yielded every realm of your life to his management, direction, and control.
Judas didn’t use the word Lord; he used the word for Teacher, which revealed that Jesus had never really become God’s authority in Judas’ life. Judas’ side of his relationship with Jesus had been artificial from the very beginning. Jesus knew what was in Judas’ heart, yet continued to work patiently with him, extending mercy, amazing grace, and patience toward him!
I have learned over the years in my ministry that it takes time to really get to know who people are. So don’t be shocked if you discover someone whom you thought was with you all the way isn’t really with you at all. If this ever happens to you, remember that it happened to Jesus too. Just as God used Jesus to extend mercy, grace, and patience to Judas Iscariot, God may be using you now to given an unfaithful person a chance to have a change of heart so he can become a faithful person.
Can God count on you to be His extension of kindness to that person?
Are you to be His mercy outstretched to give that person a magnificent opportunity to make a true turnaround in his life?
