Would You Take Money From A Cartel?

Matthew 28:12
When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,
Matthew 28:13
telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’
Matthew 28:14
If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
Matthew 28:15
So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

A cartel is a group of people who have colluded to work together to their own interests and many times at the expense of the organization, government, and public good. A cartel looks at all possibilities of their plans being thwarted and they ensure those possibilities are defeated in advance. A cartel will make the situation look like a normal due process yet it has been twisted to serve their interests. Where there is a cartel nothing works normally particularly if it is not in their interest. Where there is a cartel, what should be straightforward has many explanations that do not make sense. Cartels ensure everything works in their interest or it will not work at all. In order to get people to serve their interests, cartels will pay people large sums of money. Would you take money from a cartel?

Would you take money from a cartel? In other words, would you assist a cartel to achieve its criminal corrupt ends? Would you facilitate a corrupt deal? Would you defeat justice, fairness, and proper systems in order for a few people to benefit? Would you let the majority suffer so that the few can enrich themselves? What if the cartel promised you benefits in return to helping them, would you help them? Money just represents the many benefits that a cartel can promise you in order to get your help in their corrupt dealings. Would you take money from a cartel?

Our Bible text today tells us that Jesus had just resurrected on Sunday morning. The soldiers guarding the tomb of Jesus had witnessed the entire resurrection. The religious leaders had convinced people that Jesus should be crucified because Jesus was not God and He was worse than a criminal. The resurrection of Jesus could easily turn the public against the religious leaders. The public would discover that Jesus was right and the leaders were wrong. The leaders were afraid of losing their income and privileges of leadership. The leaders came together to protect their interests in leadership, and by coming together for that purpose, they became a cartel. Would you take money from this cartel?

Cartels are made of people in leadership and positions of responsibility. If you are not in a system, you cannot corrupt a system. It is the insiders who understand the system and its weaknesses and it is they who corrupt it. They may work with people outside the system or below them, but the insiders are the core engineers of the cartel. This cartel of religious leaders paid a large sum of money to the soldiers who witnessed the resurrection so that the soldiers can tell a story that fits their narrative. Would you take money from this cartel?

The soldiers were to say that the body of Jesus was stolen at night. The governor would have fired the soldiers for sleeping on their job and letting the body of Jesus be stolen. The cartel promised to cover the soldiers. They promised in our text today, that they will convince the governor not to take any action against them. With the promise of large sums of money and their jobs covered, the soldiers accepted to work with the cartel of religious leaders. Would you take money from a cartel?

If you were promised job security in spite of your incompetence, would you take money from a cartel? The reason why some people are so incompetent and careless about their work and they are not afraid of losing their jobs, is because they have protection from a cartel. Cartels do not care about competence but allegiance that would facilitate their interests. This is the reason why every one of good sense wonders how such incompetence is tolerated in certain positions. The Bible reveals the reason, a cartel has put the person in power to facilitate their interests. Would you take the money and such job security benefits from a cartel?

The Bible tells us today that the consequences of that corruption have affected the Jewish people to this day. Some Jews believe that the body of Jesus was stolen and He did not resurrect. Some religions of the Middle East have rejected Christianity because they believe Jesus did not resurrect instead His body was stolen. Many will end up in hell because of believing this false narrative. Many will die without Christ in their lives because of this narrative. Many at the time of Jesus were misled forever because of this narrative. For a large sum of money and job security, millions, perhaps billions of people will end up in hell and be lost forever. That is how corruption works. Would you take the money and such job security benefits from a cartel?

Because of corruption patients die on the way to the hospital, because someone diverted funds for a good road or a nearby hospital or both. Because of corruption, incompetent persons have slowed development that would have helped many get out of poverty. Because of poverty caused by corruption, many have gone into drug abuse and have even committed suicide. Because of poverty caused by corruption child labor thrives and prostitution and abuse take root in society. All these because someone wanted some money or job security. Would you take the money and such job security benefits from a cartel?

Cartels are in every aspect of society. The Bible has introduced us to cartels in the religious organization. There are cartels in government and even the private sector. Corruption by cartels is the reason why there is no development in various countries and societies. Corruption by cartels is the reason why the church is struggling to achieve its mission with difficulty. Cartels work in secrecy and pretense of innocence, but the damage they cause can’t be ignored. Cartels will promise money and security but will deny you eternal life. The curse of being in a cartel will affect you and your children for eternity. What would you exchange for your soul? Would you take the money and such job security benefits from a cartel?

May God save us from being in a cartel, being threatened by cartels, or serving the interests of any cartel whether in church, society, government, or wherever. May we never yield to temptations of money or job security and similar benefits from cartels. May God defeat and destroy all cartels affecting us in Jesus’ name, Amen!