Resurrection Eggs: Egg Two

*This is number two of a twelve post series. There will be a new one each day for the next eleven days*

Egg #2: Silver Coins



"Judas accepted 30 silver coins for betraying Jesus into the hands of the Jewish leaders.

Read: Matthew 26:14-16, 46-50; 27:1-5

The Jewish leaders wanted to get rid of Jesus. He was not the kind of Messiah or Son of God they wanted. They were looking for God to send a warrior-king--one riding on a horse, not a donkey--who would conquer the Roman Empire that ruled over the Jews. But that was not God's plan.

Instead of a conquering warrior-king, Jesus came as a man--peaceful, humble, and full of God's love. He came to earth to show us this love, and teach us that true life and goodness only come from our Fathere in heaven. We experience the best of God's goodness for us when God comes into our lives, changes our hearts, and gives us the ability to follow Jesus. We can't do anything good without God.

The Pharisees, however, were not good. They paraded around, showing how good they thought they were. But their hearts were evil (sinful). They were judgemental, selfish, and prideful. Jesus wanted the people to know that this was wrong. He taught that it's not what we're like on the outside that's important; it's what is in our hearts that really matters.

Jesus told the Pharisees that what they were doing was wrong and that their hearts needed to be changed. The Pharisees and Jewish leaders were mad because they didn't want Jesus to tell them they were sinful. These leaders didn't want to change and be like God wanted them to be. And this is what sin is--living in disobedience, or saying "no" to God and to His commandments. Sin is when God tells us to go one way, but we go to the other. Have you ever done this?

Judas was one of Jesus's disciples who at first followed Jesus, but decided later to be disobedient to God. He chose to throw away his love for Jesus by betraying Him to His enemies. And Judas betrayed Jesus for only 30 silver coins!

When someone betrays Jesus, it is sin. Betrayal is when someone lies, pretending to be a friend, but instead is really an enemy. Even though Judas was one of Jesus's trusted disciples, he turned against Jesus. Judas led the Jewish leaders to where Jesus was so they could capture Jesus and put Him on trial for saying He was God."

From Resurrection Eggs Randal Lee Walti