Matthew 26:46-58 KJV
46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Judas seen Jesus one more time, and betrays him with a kiss. Not only does he kiss Jesus as a sign to the soldiers who Jesus is, but also instructs him to hold him fast(tight, don't let go). Judas had the hold part correct just with the wrong reason to hold him fast. Pastors and ministers will tell you to hold on to Jesus. Not to hold him to betray him but to follow his leadership. Judas has that teaching backwards it seems, he only understood it from the bonds and chains of capture, for his own heart was captured by Satan. If you want to be a chain breaker, you got to be willing to allow people to stumble, but at the same time pick them up with the correction of the word of God. Jesus had told the disciples In Luke's Gospel in chapter 23, verse 36, that they needed two swords. Did Jesus tell them when or how to use it. Definitely not, but he did tell them to put it away when Peter cuts off the high Priest servant's ear off. Now we know in another Gospel that the High Priest servant was possibly a cousin to Peter, John 18:10, use a Bible dictionary. We also know from Luke 23:51 Jesus touch the High Priest servant and his ear was healed. A time for the sword was not now. Yet Peter showed his muscle to defend Jesus though he soon would deny him not once but thrice(three times). Now with all this in mind, Jesus said carry the swords, but he never said use them to defend him. If Jesus needed protection he could called ten thousand angels, so he said to the disciples to put those swords away. When no longer able to defend Jesus, they ran, they were not ready to lay their life down with Jesus. Yet it was to fulfill scripture. Peter would follow to see what would become of Jesus, only himself would deny knowing Jesus.

The disciples, Judas and Peter, all clinging to him, but not for the right reasons. We follow Jesus why to defend him? It not our place to defend God's word, to defend God. Does God need us to defend him? God needs us to demonstrate the fruits and gifts of His Spirit. We get caught up in religious disagreement and fail to see the anger does not display anything Christ taught us. Judas definitely did not get it. Peter wanted to defend, but he also wanted to follow Jesus to know the end result. With Peter's denial out of fear, he was not ready to stick his neck out for Jesus. Yet he was ready to defend him with a sword a little bit ago. All had to forsake Jesus. In our decisions we forsake Jesus for a time, until we are sure he is the Messiah and want to follow him. Until we are sure we want to take up our cross and follow in Christ example. Until we are ready to receive him as Lord, and to abide by his rules. Even after getting saved, there are times when we struggle not only with faith but our actions. When we finally get that receiving Christ must come with following Jesus, we can not deny the truth of prophecy. Disciple obedient to the word of God, without knowledge, but foresaking Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. My my, what a thought, obedience because of the word of God, and not because of our own desire, not exactly. God foreknowledge of our reaction, what he desire to happen to save us. We have to run toward Jesus without the knowledge of the cost of following Jesus.

Who runs at knowing faith might take you to your cross? How many will stand and know the cost still preach. Ask a good samaritan that helps a person on the side of the road in a state that the good samaritan law is forbidden. Ask the person who car was on fire, under the do not help law, that appreciates the person that dragged him from the car, though now in a wheel chair. Point where is the line for help or aiding someone. Where is the line of showing compassion, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, and mercy. Ask Jesus who was it that did not want him to pay a price for our sin, and you find it was the devil. Who wanted the law not broken in a car accident when their life remained in danger and they could not wait for fire and rescue to show because they would surely die.

Even false teachers lead people to Christ just to not be overthrown by another. Seen a cartoon the other day that said remember that no one will never give you the knowledge to overthrow their power. Devil is no exception to this. If he got an enemy of concience he rather send them to Jesus, then deal with their concientious objector status. For example our government protects the concientious objector to the point they accept the traitor as one of their own, by turning them away or finding another way for them to serve. It is the same attitude some take on those who have disabilities they must find another way to work to live, even if it is volunteering or some type of community service. Most people find once doing something they be rather doing something then nothing, so the devil is producing for his glory and not God's glory. Thus the concientious objector is serving the devil, to only truly serving God by faith alone. God's provision that allows the devil to look good, or only to fall when faith arises to shine forth above Satan.

Christ taught people to be the concientious objector of faith. What is the concientious object, one that will follow his teachings but not yet read to follow to his cross of will doing. Devil on the other hand wants that contract to do evil, to follow our desires, to seek after the things and desires of the world that in opposition to Christ and his life style. If we can not be a warrior for Jesus will we at least do good works. If we become a warrior for Jesus will we take up our cross and follow after him even unto death. Will we become a willing participant in the will of God for our life. Not willing but doing it because that what God said to do. Peter put away the sword out of obedience to Jesus. Then he followed close behind Jesus to see what would happen to Jesus only to deny Jesus.

The cost of being a good person is what, the same price of taking up one's cross and following Jesus, receiving Jesus and obeying Jesus. Yet that warrior Christian cares nothing for his life but to loose it for Jesus is honor. Then we have to see how Christ lost his life, not in battle but as a pacificist, not showing anger but going to the cross peacefully and obeying the will of God first and the will of the people second.

Paul, Peter and John felt it better to obey God rather then man. They used the laws of the land to protect themselves before facing their own crosses. Obeying God over man. Paying the consequence if it is sin to man. Daniel went to the lions den for obeying God instead of the king, Jesus went to the cross, because of the crowd, even Roman obeyed the mob that day. Yet they did it doing the will of God, unknown to them. Would you rather be in the will of God or be in the will of God and not know it and face the judgment of going to hell.

Example in modern times, helping mothers that might aborted their infants instead of taking the law into one's own hand by causing destruction or hate. Showing Christ love by showing a woman a choice to do good by giving a woman an infant that wants children and can't have them. Not to use their problem as a solution and right to kill unborn child. Instead providing a safe house tell the baby is born. If the mother then decides to keep that child helping her with work and safe daycare for her child. Providing solutions not problems. Giving a hands up and not a handout. The more the world can see the benefit of hands up, they will not need to see the problem of helping those that can't help theirselves. The more we educate the path of Christ the more we see the love flow through our nation. The more we teach hope the more we see others not without hope. Yet the minute one becomes the abuser it is only of the devil.

Everyone will run away from the light of Christ, why because of the cost of the light. Point if the light cost nothing, then no one gets the value of it, yet if they get the value of the light then the cost is sufficient for the need of the light. We need the light of Christ in our world and not the destruction with a price. A man once told me he was a divorce lawyer, because he like wrecking marriages. God not in that either. God is in the stablizing of marriage. Stablizing of bad situations and solving the problem and not the reaction of bad situation. God wants to cure all the diseases in our world, but diseases are sometimes caused by man's evilness. Then we got to work on ways to safe guard the world from itself, like we do nuclear war.

Love is going to cross so the world can see the suffering of sin eternally. The suffering of sin that last through eternity if one does not believe. The suffering because of other's sin. The cost of Barabbas being set free, and Jesus being nailed to a tree between two other thieves. The cost of following Jesus, is obeying God rather then man for the protection and hope of man.

Dear Heavenly Father, we receive your Son Jesus into our hearts and learn to follow and obey you. Others may of followed before receiving you as the disciples did. None were ready for the cross, but you were preparing them for victory through Christ's resurrection. Remind us of that victory in Jesus this Resurrection season, In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Colossians 2:6-7 KJV
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.