"One time when my daughter was 14 years old, she and I built a clothing company. Believe it or not. We were trying to build a camp for inner city kids. And we certainly did not have the money to do that. We need to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. And this little girl began to dream up these clothing ideas. And she began to tell the world in newspapers and on television around the world about her desire to build this clothing company to build a camp for inner city kids."
Family Discussion:
- How much of Judas do you see in you?
- Why is it impossible to point your finger at that man?
- How can you be different from the way the real Judas' life?
- How can your life and more like Peters'?
Transcription:
00:13 You know of all the things that I admire about the men and women who fight on the battlefields around this world for our freedom and for the freedom of others is the spirit of Valor. It's the spirit of truth. It's men and women who would rather give their lives than betray their nation than betray the men and women they fight with. Listen to Luke chapter 22 verses 21 through 23. This is the night before Jesus is crucified and he tells a foreboding tale. He says, "Behold, the hand of one betraying me is with mine on the table. For indeed, the son of man is going as it has been determined. But woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. And they begin to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who he was speaking of, who was going to do this thing."
01:04 One time when my daughter was 14 years old, she and I built a clothing company. Believe it or not. We were trying to build a camp for inner city kids. And we certainly did not have the money to do that. We need to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. And this little girl began to dream up these clothing ideas. And she began to tell the world in newspapers and on television around the world about her desire to build this clothing company to build a camp for inner city kids. And indeed, she raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and gave every penny of it to build the first Kids Across America Kamp in Southwest Missouri. For which now over a hundred thousand kids from the city have come and had a bubble bath of Jesus and the joy of their life. But one of the TV shows she was on was to tell the truth.
01:53 And I remember they land her up with two other teenagers and the other two masqueraded themselves as the real Jamie Jo White, the real one who had built this clothing company that was selling, you know, clothes in department stores around the country. And it was really interesting because she didn't fool anybody. I think she got one vote against her, but the girl couldn't lie and the other girls weren't very good at trying to lie. And so to tell the truth. Everybody, you know, except for one of the guests agreed that she was indeed the real Jamie Jo White. Well, that summer we did a tell the truth at camp and we did a roleplay of to tell the truth. And the one we were portraying was Judas Iscariot. And you know what was interesting when we said, the real Judas Iscariot please stand up. Not only did three of the three actors stand up, but one at a time, everybody in the stands, there were probably 500 people watching students begin to stand up and said, I'm Judas Iscariot. No, I'm Judas Iscariot. It was a humbling night as 500 students stood up and said, I am Judas Iscariot. Because indeed there's been a time, it probably everybody's life as a follower of Christ, that we too, have betray Jesus. That we didn't keep our word. We didn't live with the integrity that would be asked of us as a Christian. We didn't represent Christ with our friends, but thanks be to God that even though the real Judas went out and hung himself, there were people like Peter who also denied Jesus, but they went out and they repented and they'd begin to lead the world to God.
03:30 You see, Judas' last act doesn't have to be shame. Judas' last act could be a repentant heart, a heart that says, I'm sorry and a heart that goes out and represents Christ for the rest of his life. So may the real Judas Iscariot please stand up. Well, if you're standing like me, you don't have to stand forever. You can receive the grace of Christ and you can sit down now and you can say by the grace of Christ and by his forgiveness, I don't have to do that again. I don't have to betray him again. I can bring honor back into my life. And here's my question and this honest, humbling question, but how much of Judas do you see in you and why is it impossible to point your finger at that man? But by the grace of God, how can you be different from the way the real Judas' life? How can your life and more like Peters'? Because even though maybe you've denied him, now you can turn in the opposite direction and live for Christ. How are you going to do that today?
