I grew up attending a church in Africa with the idea that the church people were the best people on the planet, and that the “worldly” people were the bad people who would hate us. This was based on the teachings of Jesus where he said: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)
Jesus taught his disciples to love one another. (John 13:34) So my idea was that the church people were full of love, and the “worldly” people were full of hate.
When I was a minister of a church in Canada, I did the Gospel of Mark in pictures, and it was then that I realized that the “world” who hated Jesus was not the bad sinners, but the religious people. That was a shock to me, and it became even more real to me when the church people turned against me, and wanted me dead.
They wanted to kick us out of the church in the middle of winter, when it was -20C at night and -10C in the day. We were living in the back of the church building, with no money, my car was broken, and my credit card was at the limit. We had no home to go to. The leader of the church made us both quit our jobs and move down there. In the old days people were burned at the stake, etc, but the modern day is more sophisticated, but the end result is the same! When my trial was on, I just sat there quietly with my head down.
So anyway, I can relate to the words that Jesus will one day say to his people as recorded in the words of the prophet: And one shall say unto him, “What are these wounds in thine hands?” Then he shall answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)
At the last supper, Judas left the table to betray Jesus. Then Jesus referred to his disciples as his ”Friends.” (John 15:15) In the Garden of Gethsemane after Judas had betrayed Jesus with a kiss, Jesus called him “Friend.” (Matthew 26: 50)
So it seems like Jesus still loved Judas, even though he had betrayed him. Maybe Jesus still loves every one of us, no matter who we are or what we have done. Our job is to repent of our sins and get saved.
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Related scriptures:
Psalm 22:16 – For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Zechariah 12:10 – And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zechariah 13:6 – And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
Matthew 26
48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
John 13:34 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 15:15 – Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
John 15:18 – If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
John 19:37 – And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
Revelation 1:7 – Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.