Words don't do justice

Matthew 27:3-4 (ESV)

3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”

In Bellport, on Long Island, there stands a bungalow, which has a garage and an attic.

If I were to ask what you would be willing to pay for the buildings, you might come up with a figure. Of course, your amount might be different than the fellow who bought the place in 2007. He paid $300,000 for the whole thing.

Both owner and seller thought the price was fair.

It was only when the new owner started to poke around that his opinion of the bungalow's value changed. His attitude changed because of the thousands of paintings, drawings and journals he found. The art was all done by an abstractionist painter by the name of Arthur Pinajian.

The name Arthur Pinajian might not ring a bell to us, but it set the hearts of art lovers all aflutter.

Pinajian's works, it seems, are very much in demand -- a demand the bungalow's owner is glad to meet by selling off some of his newfound paintings -- paintings appraised at $30 million.

So, what would you be willing to pay for that bungalow? I think your answer would depend on how much you know about the cottage, the garage, the attic and its contents.

The same thing is true in regard to Jesus. At one point in time, Judas had been willing to betray his Master for 30 pieces of silver. Only later did he realize he had betrayed innocent blood. In spite of that revelation, Judas never really saw Jesus' true value. He never saw Jesus as the Savior who was willing to forgive Peter's denial or His own betrayal.

So, what is Jesus worth? The folks who regard Jesus as the product of the disciple's over-active imaginations consider Him almost worthless. Others who see Him as a teacher, a philosopher, a good-deed doer hold Him in a higher regard.

But those who have been given eyes of faith see His true worth. He is God's innocent Son who sacrificed Himself so our sins might be forgiven, and we might be reconciled with our Heavenly Father. Because of Jesus' gracious substitution we have been saved, and our eternity will be spent in heaven and not in hell.

What is Jesus worth? He is valuable beyond our estimation.

Dear Lord, we give thanks for Your sacrifice. While we can never repay You for what You have done, we can still try to express our gratitude by thanking, praising, serving and obeying You. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.