This morning as I write I am disturbed by the world and the mockery of Jesus death and resurrection. The world claims to suffer and understands not the suffering of Jesus. How many lambs were sacrificed on the altar for sin before Christ paid the price for sin. Was the world’s sin debt paid by one man because it only took one man sin for man to enter this world we live in, once being in paradise with God and then being cast out? One-man sin verse many debts that had been paid by the law of man.

Egyptians sons died for the sin of unbelief and then the Egyptians died to their own death because they believed not. Which was a total act of God. The price of the innocent death to final destruction of unbeliever leads one straight to the hell. Yet the life of belief leads one to the promise land. Only rendition of spiritual principals to come represented by the cross of Jesus.

The plot of betrayal begins with finding a time to arrest Jesus, when the crowd was not around. They secretly arrest Jesus, for the purpose to kill him, and so that the world would loose their leader. The religious right would be saved. The religious right meaning those holding to the tradition of religious verse the truth about faith. The gold of the Pharisees more valuable then the little silver lost, for the cost of one man’s suffering. Judas was not afraid to speak to the religious leaders about such a time of betrayal. After all he lost money on the alabaster jar of perfume that Mary had anointed Jesus with because He was willing to perish. Why not make Jesus death real by betrayal. Why not get rich off of Christ death. The very point of getting rich, after all he traveled with Jesus collecting taxes no doubt on any money that people had given Jesus. After all Jesus had sat in the public square telling his stories and healing those that believed. What had Judas gained, apparently not enough.

Once the betrayal of plotting with the religious leaders was done, the place was chosen for the Passover supper. Where was Jesus but outside the building at the time of the Passover. This is important because the betrayal would not be taken inside the building of the feast. No Jewish person would of gone outside during the Passover but yet one sees the disciples with Christ in the garden, the place that Judas would bring the religious leaders too. The Passover feast in Egypt was marked by the protection of the Jewish people by the lamb’s blood on the door. The mark of the Lamb was the protection of the Hebrew people. The Lamb’s blood put on the doorpost so the death angel would pass by the house. Not entering in because of the blood of the lamb. Jesus was outside the house because he was the lamb that would be slaughter for the protection of the world. Spiritual protection by God is beyond our earthly protection. The bloodstain covering the believer marks us as protected by Christ, despite our sin. For his death was to pay for our sins. Jesus was outside the protection of his heavenly home to face the consequences of man for teaching truth.

To the world the traditions of the believer makes no sense. Yet the beauties of the passion of Christ, for those that study it, despite their faith understand the cost of one-man life for the world. Yet it is the consequences of not having God’s protection on one’s life. To have one sins forgive because of faith in God. There was faith that began at the beginning of man. Sin within the walls got one cast out, yet repentance and Christ covering, brought salvation. Man started in paradise only to be cast out and through the sacrifice of God’s word the Lamb of God man returns to paradise by faith in Christ Jesus. The cost of sin was the cost of God’s Holy Word that all man had to die for sin. Yet now only one would have to die for the world and we would no longer have to die eternally, but we would enter into heaven to remain with God for those that believe and for those of unbelief would face hell and destruction until the second resurrection where the eternal flames of fire are for those that repent not and believe not, yet in reality it was created for the devil and his angels.

The feast preparation for the disciples had come. Jesus told the disciples to go and they followed his instruction they would meet a man carrying water and they were to inquire of the place where they might eat the Passover. Rachel watered the camels of the servant who would take her to her husband. The woman at the well would take the word to the village men about Jesus. And now a man with water would bring the disciple to a place to have the Passover feast. Many were willing to serve the servants of God, even carrying the truth of living water in their heart. Not fully understand the full picture of the importance of the place for the Passover. The protection of the upper room contained the one marked as the deceiver and the other the Lamb to be slained. Both going outside for the task to come, going outside the protection of the upper room. Yet man knew not what He did for our Lord by providing the final protection if He would have remain behind the door.

Dear Heavenly Father as we think of the betrayal of Judas and the protection of the man who had the upper room, let us not remain hidden to serve you, but shine for you bearing our cross for you, because you came outside the door. In Jesus precious name, Amen.