Happy Wednesday

WHAT IS THE WORTH OF JESUS CHRIST?

          “Then one of the Twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over” (Matthew 26:14-16 NIV).

          Judas Iscariot is known for his nefarious act of betraying Jesus Christ to Jewish leaders for the sum of thirty silver coins only. That was the worth of Jesus Christ to him. He later regretted his action, returned the money to the leaders and went to hang himself.

          The worth of Jesus Christ varied to the other disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. Joseph of Arimathea valued even the corpse of Jesus Christ that he “wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock” (Matthew 27:59-60 NIV). He gave to Jesus was special to him because he valued Him greatly. Mary Magdalene and the other women that had been serving Him before His death were still loyal to Him even after His death. They brought spices and perfume to anoint His body. Paul’s statement about the worth of Jesus Christ is classic: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 NIV). Jesus Christ worth the whole life to Paul. No wonder, he later said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8 NIV). Simon Peter had earlier said similar thing: “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28 NIV).

          Jesus Christ does not worth a dime to many people. Like Judas, such people do not care about what happen to Jesus Christ and the cause of the Gospel. Such people may even be so-called Christians. Inasmuch as their interest is not affected, they can sell Jesus Christ for any amount. On the other hand, Jesus Christ is all the world to some people. Like Paul and other faithful followers of Jesus Christ in the Bible, such people are ready to give everything to Jesus Christ and the cause of the Gospel.

          What is the worth of Jesus Christ to you? Does He worth anything to you? What can you give up or give away because of Jesus Christ? Like Will L. Thomp­son (1847-1909), I have the courage to say, “Jesus is all the world to me, and true to Him I’ll be; O how could I this Friend deny, when He’s so true to me? Following Him I know I’m right, He watches o’er me day and night; Following Him by day and night, He’s my Friend.”

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

Daily Smile:

Mr. Norton was in the hospital recovering from an operation when the nurse on duty received a call from a man who asked how Mr. Norton was doing.

"Oh, quite well. We expect he'll be released in the morning."
"Very good, thank you."

"May I ask who is calling so that I can tell Mr. Norton?" inquired the nurse.

"This Is Mr. Norton. The doctors don't tell me anything!"