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The Lowest Price is 30!



Worth! We have a human desire within us to be appreciated, recognized and to feel a worth that we are contributing and making a difference. We place value and worth on things that are important to us like our family, career, personal possessions and investments to include even our own life.

Matthew 6:21 tells us that “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” It is undeniable that where our treasures are in this life, is where our heart will lead us. What you place value upon and those things that are most important to you is where you will focus your attention, energies, and finances to pursue.

So, I have to ask. What is most important to you? What is most valuable in your life? I hope, above and beyond, it is your relationship with Jesus Christ. Even Jesus challenged us with such a relationship when he spoke in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”

This is hyperbole…and exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. That is, Jesus would never tell us to “literally hate” our family or others. He is saying that our love for Him should be so great, so intense and intimate, that when compared to our love of others, it would almost seem like we hate our family and friends because our love for Jesus is so much greater and intense. Our love for our family, ourselves and others should pale in comparison to our love for Jesus.

So, I will ask an even deeper question. Is Jesus worth it to you? Can you love Him this deeply? Do you place such a high value on your relationship with Jesus? I know of one person who really didn’t! I think we all know who that was. Yes, it is Judas.

Even though he followed Jesus for three years, he never deepened that love for Jesus. How do we know that? Well, in the end, the Gospels tell us that Judas betrayed Jesus to His enemies for 30 pieces of silver. Some may think this must have been a great sum of money “back then.” Sadly, it wasn’t. In fact, it was hardly anything at all.

In Bible times, 30 pieces of silver was the “lowest of the lowest” amount for a slave. In fact, we see in Exodus 21:32, “If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.” Here, we have a man or woman, (human beings) dead due to a feisty ox and “all they are worth” is 30 pieces of silver…all because they are slaves. That is all their lives are worth. Pennies.

According to today’s 2019 rates (Israeli New Shekel) 30 Shekels is worth $8.63 in US dollars. That’s all. Jesus wasn’t merely betrayed by His friend Judas; He was betrayed with contempt. The Jewish leaders didn’t offer Judas millions or thousands of dollars as a great incentive to get him to “rat out” Jesus. No. All it took was just a mere thirty pieces of silver….the value of a slave. That is less than $10.00.

The cost of a slave is all it took to sell out Jesus to the Jewish leaders. Absolutely the lowest price you could put on a person's worth — and Judas took it (Matthew 26:14-15; 27:9). Judas thought so little of Jesus and thought so highly of himself, that he sold Jesus out for nearly nothing. Nothing. Ten-bucks.

Let us all re-evaluate our relationship with Jesus and take an honest inventory to see just how valuable Jesus really is to us. Don’t let this world cheapen your faith or your love for Jesus. Don’t let the world pressure you into depreciating your commitment to Jesus, His Bride the Church, your faith, others, and your calling Jesus has planted in your heart.

We have many people walking away from not only the Church and their faith today, but from Jesus Himself. Many Christians have “sold out” Jesus for even less than 30 silver Shekels by their lifestyle and by embracing the teachings and philosophies of the world. 

Many have welcomed godless myths and norms of society into their minds and hearts and adopted those same practices into their lifestyles. Even a lot of our Churches today are embracing and teaching these deceptive practices as truth despite the clear and direct teachings of Scripture that contradict these ways as evil and abhorrent to God.

Colossians 2:6-8, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

Christians need to ground themselves in Scripture and the teachings of Jesus. We need to embrace Jesus and model our lives by the examples He taught the Disciples. The world needs more Jesus. That last thing the world needs is for Christians to blend in and be more like the world. The world doesn't need more world....it needs Jesus.

I like what Pastor Tony Evans said: “A ship belongs in the water, but the water doesn’t belong in the ship. You are to be in the world, but the world should not be in you.” Forsake the ways of the world. Be brave and confident to stand even if you stand alone. God will never leave you nor forsake you. Love Jesus and be Jesus to the world.

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