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By Hellen J. Kuleskey
Contrasting the fruit in the lives of the apostles prompted me to think on these verses and then on the subject of fruit bearing in relation to the will of God. It is when we do the will of God, becoming true servants of God, that we bear fruit unto holiness as the KJV puts it in Romans 6:22.
The 9th chapter of Luke records for us the commissioning of the 12 apostles. Luke 9: 1-2 reads: Then Jesus called together the 12 apostles, and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. And He sent them out to announce and preach the kingdom of God and to bring healing. Jesus sent out all 12 of them. Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was among them! Are you saying Judas was preaching the good news, healing the sick and casting out demons? Apparently, he was. Verse 10 says, On their return the apostles reported to Jesus all that they had done. It doesn’t say all the apostles except Judas; it says the apostles reported to Jesus. Judas must have given his report, too.
Sounds to me like Judas had had a successful trip. He had done the will of God; he had obeyed Jesus’ command.
We read about Judas again in John chapter 12. This is the story of the supper Jesus had with Lazarus, Mary and Martha. It was just six days before the Passover feast when He would eat the Last Supper with His disciples. Lazarus was sitting at the table with Jesus, Martha was serving as usual and Mary was, again, worshiping at Jesus’ feet. This time she took a pound of rare perfume and poured it on His feet and wiped them with her hair.
John 12 verses 4-6 read: But Judas Iscariot, the one of the disciples who was about to betray Him, said, “Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii, and that given to the poor—the destitute?” Now he did not say that because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and having the bag [the money box, the purse of the twelve], he took for himself what was put into it—pilfering the collections.
Earlier, we read the words, Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits. Judas’ fruit is showing. He’s producing unrighteous fruit, not fruit unto holiness. Nowhere in Scripture do we read that Judas was convicted of being a thief and stealing secretly. We do not read that he went to Jesus confessing this sin and asking for deliverance. Judas was commissioned and empowered to do the will of God, but he did not deal with sin and self-will in his life. He did it “his way.”
Probably all of us can think of fellow church members, with whom we have worked or associated, who were gifted, empowered and had great potential. Outwardly they were successful, but often the fruit they exhibited in their lives was bitter, or hard and sometimes wormy. They had not allowed our Heavenly Father, the Vinedresser, to cut away diseased branches and prune the good branches. John writes in the 15th chapter of his Gospel that the Father continually cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit (verse 2).
So Judas was bearing rotten fruit. What about the other apostles? They weren’t perfect either. Some were ambitous, arguing who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God. Some were self-seeking—having their Mom go to Jesus to ask that they sit on either side of Jesus in the Kingdom. And Peter, impulsive, quick-to- speak and quick-to-act Peter, was the pushy one. And who likes to have pushy people around?
Although Peter was quick to act and quick to speak, he was also quick to repent. When Jesus borrowed Peter’s fishing boat from which to teach the people on the shore, He later blessed Peter by telling him to pull out into the deep water and cast down his nets. Peter exclaimed, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing.” Peter was a fisherman. He knew when to fish and where to fish. But here was a preacher telling him how to do His job. However, He obeyed and the nets were so full he had to have help from his friends, James and John, in the second boat.When Peter saw the miracle he fell at Jesus’ feet and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Later, when Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet, the Lord said, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” Peter quickly responded, “Lord, don’t only wash my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
Peter sinned terribly at Jesus’ trial, showing some rotten fruit. He denied the Lord three times with cursing and swearing (Matt. 26:72). When the rooster crowed Peter remembered the words of Jesus, “Before a single rooster crows, you will deny and disown me three times.” He went outside and wept bitterly.
After the crucifixion, whenever mention is made of the apostles, it mentions eleven of them. Peter did not take off in shame, he joined himself in fellowship with the other apostles (Luke 24:9 & 33). It was Peter who ran to the empty tomb when the women reported the resurrection (Luke 24:12).
In John chapter 21 we read that Peter, whom Jesus called to be a fisher of men, went back to his old occupation. He had six of the apostles with him: Thomas, Nathanael, James, John and two others. When Peter said, “I’m going fishing,” the others said, “We’re going with you.” You know the story; they fished all night and caught nothing.
In the morning Jesus joined them. He made a camp fire and had breakfast waiting for them. He told them where to cast the net for a mighty catch of fish! At this breakfast Jesus challenged Peter to love and serve Him once more, and recommissioned him. Peter chose the Lord’s correction and accepted God’s will for a career ministry and even the manner of his death in his old age. It was this same Peter, who on the day of Pentecost, delivered such a powerful sermon that 3,000 people believed on Christ that day.
What was the end of Judas? What was the end of his sin? Sin opens the door to the enemy and gives him a foothold. Of Judas we read, ...During supper [that is, the Last Supper], Satan had already put the thought of betraying Jesus in the heart of Judas Iscariot (John 13:2). When they were eating, Jesus told the disciples that one of them was going to betray Him. Peter asked John to ask Jesus who it was. “The one to whom I am going to give this morsel of food after I have dipped it,” Jesus answered (John 13:26). He gave it to Judas Iscariot. Note the progression into evil.
Verse 27 reads: After he had taken the bit of food, Satan entered into and took possession of Judas. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do so swiftly, and make quick work of it.”... So after receiving the bread, Judas went out immediately.
The morning following the betrayal, Judas brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the priests with a confession. This is Matthew’s record of it: When Judas, His betrayer, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, with remorse [that is, an after care and little more than a selfish dread of the consequences] he brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself.” And casting the pieces of silver into the Holy Place of the sanctuary of the temple, he departed, and went off and hanged himself.
What was the end of Peter? What was the end of his sin? Peter repented from the heart and he submitted to the will of God. It led him to prison and a martyr’s death, but it also led him into a fruitful life of ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. He became a powerful evangelist and a pillar in the church at Jerusalem. It brought him into such a relationship with his Lord that he could say to the lame man, “In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.” In doing God’s will, Peter set a pattern for us. Let us also do God’s will so we, too, may bear good fruit in our lives.
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