John 17:12-13 "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (13) And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves."
I confess to each of you that from the beginning of the study of the book of
John, I have dreaded this particular verse of Scripture. Why have I
dreaded it? For centuries, people have argued about Judas. Was he a child
of God? Was he not a child of God? I admit in earlier years, I
participated in the debate. I have my thoughts, but I'm not going to share them
here. I will just issue a warning concerning this debate? How did
you arrive at your conclusion whatever your conclusion may be?
The only evidence either side can produce is based upon works. If you feel he
was not a child of God, then the only thing you can base that conclusion on is
his works. He betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. If you feel he was
a child of God, then the only thing you can base that conclusion upon is the
work of Jesus Christ in shedding His blood for an unworthy sinner. Oh
wait, that would be me! Thank you Jesus. I encourage people not to
get caught up in the debate/argument over whether Judas was a child of God or
not. That's God's business, not yours or mine.
So, my devotion this morning is not about whether Judas was, or was not, a
child of God. My devotion this morning is concerning the sovereignty of God in
the manner that "the scripture might be fulfilled." The Holy
Spirit moved men to write concerning this event thousands of years before Judas
received the thirty pieces of silver. Let me remind us of a couple
passages concerning this. "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I
trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."
(Psalm 41:9) Here is another passage that very specifically points toward
Judas. "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price;
and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
(13) And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price
that I was priced at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast
them to the potter in the house of the LORD." (Zechariah 11:12-13)
The Lord foretold how Jesus would be betrayed and it was carried out
exactly as the Lord had prescribed.
"I kept them in thy name ... that they might have my joy fulfilled in
themselves." Instead of looking at the negative, now let's look at
the positive. If the Lord has revealed to you that Jesus died for YOUR
sins, then you have a joy that the world knows nothing about. There is a
peace within you that has been placed there by the Holy Spirit because He has
revealed the righteousness of Jesus Christ that has been implanted within
you. Why do we not always experience that peace and joy? Is it not
because we allow the things of the world to get in our way? We allow our
minds to be taken to things that are intentionally placed in our paths by Satan
with the intention of robbing our joy and peace.
Just as Jesus kept the disciples in the name of the Father, He also is keeping
you. Nothing can pluck you out of the hands of Jesus. You belong to Him. The
only true joy and peace comes from walking in fellowship with Him. He is
keeping you and me. Now should we not be keeping Him in our thoughts and
actions each day?