Act 1:17-20 “For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.”
How often do we take our part in the service of God for granted? Here, Peter declares that Judas Iscariot was reckoned with the twelve and had a portion in that ministry. Jesus chose Judas to be among the twelve (Luke 6:13-16). Jesus gave to Judas Iscariot the same power he gave the other eleven (Mat 10:1-4).
Regardless of where you think Judas is spending eternity, one thing is clear. Jesus granted to him a portion in ministering to the sick and casting out unclean spirits. After experiencing all this, we might wonder how he ever came to betray Jesus. While there might be several reasons, Peter presented the primary one in verse sixteen when he declared that the scripture concerning Judas must be fulfilled.
As the servants of God, we need to realize that we have the potential (and sometimes have) betrayed Jesus for much less than Judas did. We may get caught up in worldly pursuits that cause us to turn our backs on the cause of Christ. It might be a job or a hobby we enjoy. Whatever it is, it is not worth the cost of losing our portion in His ministry.
We may suppose for a while that we have gained something in these pursuits that come between us and Jesus. However, there will never be any real profit in a field purchased with the reward of iniquity. We will find it a place of destruction. That destruction will be known to those who dwell in the city of God.
Peter quotes the Psalms concerning Judas’ end. His dwelling place is to be empty. He will have no one left to care for his habitation. The portion of his service in the kingdom of God will pass to another.
We, as God’s servants, need to take heed to the lessons taught us by Judas. While we will never be in danger of losing our eternal salvation, we will certainly find our habitation wasted and lonely if we turn our back on the ministry that He has given us. Our lives will be empty of His peace and contentment. Our ministry will become empty, and we know that God is able to call others to serve Him if we fail to do so.
May God grant us the grace to cling to Jesus and forsake all else, knowing that no field is worth the price of losing our portion in His service!
