Hands of betrayal.

 

Sermon for 2^nd midweek Lent, February 24, 2021

Grace, mercy, and peace to you all from God the Father and Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

John 13:21-30  ²¹After saying this, Jesus was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: One of you will betray me.”  ²²The disciples were looking at each other, uncertain which of them he meant.  ²³One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side.  ²⁴So Simon Peter motioned to him to find out which one he was talking about.  ²⁵So leaning back against Jesus’ side, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”  ²⁶Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread, after I have dipped it in the dish.”  Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  ²⁷As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.  So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do more quickly.”  ²⁸None of those reclining at the table understood why Jesus said this to him.  ²⁹Because Judas kept the money box, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the Festival,” or to give something to the poor.  ³⁰As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out.  And it was night. (EHV)

Hands of betrayal.

Dear friends in Christ,

            Betrayal!  The word itself sends chills up our spines.  We hate the idea of any friend betraying our darkest secrets or exposing us to shame or pain.  How much more we would dread being caught betraying a good friend?  How could we ever expect to face that person again?

When we study the Bible, we soon realize that this is God’s story and God’s message of salvation to the world, so it is be easy to wonder why there is so much betrayal found in those pages.  We might consider King David, upon whose throne God had promised his descendant would reign forever, but David’s life was often troubled by betrayal.  Long before David became king, the king David served so faithfully tried to kill him on numerous occasions.  Later, David’s son, Absalom betrayed his father by trying to steal the kingdom away from him, and in that rebellion, David’s trusted advisor, Ahithophel, turned against David to join the attempted coup. 

We could mention others who betrayed David, and David’s betrayals too, but David was so troubled by his trusted friend turning against him that he wrote, “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalm 41:9 NKJ)  If you’ve ever watched a mixed martial arts battle, one of the most devastating moves is a spinning kick that ends with the heel catching the victim in the face or the side of the head.  Successfully delivered, that move often results in an immediate knockout, so we likewise call a friend’s betrayal, “a kick in the teeth.”  Ahithophel’s betrayal of his friend and king foreshadowed what Judas was doing to Jesus, right down to his suicide when his betrayal failed to make him a success.

Throughout history, it has been exceedingly common for parents to name their children using Biblical names.  There have been countless Peters, James, Pauls, Marks, Marys, Deborahs, Michaels, Davids, Ruths, Noahs, Gideons, Annas, Jonahs, and the list goes on, but since the New Testament was written, you have to look pretty hard to discover any new babies being named Judas.  Why?  Because betraying the Savior of the world burns and shames like almost nothing else.

Betrayal hurts because it is so personal, but it also hurts because while it usually happens in secret, its devastating consequences are often seen publicly.  So, how could Judas get involved in such a tragedy?  What would make this man, who obviously had been in Jesus’ inner circle, turn against the Savior of the world?  The answer comes down to greed.

Greed became a cancer in Judas’ heart.  Was it always there?  We don’t know.  We do know that Jesus called Judas to be one of the twelve who were to be His witnesses testifying to the world of the salvation Jesus was accomplishing for all people.  Yet, somewhere along the way, the silver that clinked in the money bag got the best of Judas.  Actually, the devil who got the best of Judas.  Satan used the trust Jesus and His disciples had placed in Judas to turn Judas against his Lord.

Perhaps greed took root when Jesus first foretold His suffering and death.  Maybe Judas decided, then, that he might as well get something out of this discipleship.  Maybe it had been there all along as a secret urging in his heart.  There was earlier evidence of Judas’s greed.  When Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with precious nard, Judas was aghast.  He said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” [John reports] “He did not say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief.  He held the money box and used to steal what was put into it.” (John 12:5-6)

A little theft here, sticky fingers there, and pretty soon Judas was consumed.  As his greed grew, his faith diminished, so Judas struck a deal; he went to those who were seeking to kill Jesus, and Judas agreed to a trade—his Friend for thirty silver coins.  Worse, Judas traded his eternal salvation for silver that wouldn’t have lasted a year, and in fact, that he never got to spend.

Judas’ greed is a lesson for all of us.  Have you ever considered your little sins inconsequential?  Who doesn’t, right?  Many people imagine that only really serious sins will lead to damnation.  However, little sins eat away at our faith nibble by nibble.  Oh, we maybe don’t take a big bite of death with things like murder, grand larceny, treason, or rape, but by a thousand little cuts, the devil chisels away at our faith as he tempts us with the little sins.  How long does it take for an occasional swear word to turn into a steadily filthy mouth?  How long does sleeping in on Sunday mornings turn into feeling no need for God’s Word?  How long does it take for little glimpses at racy pictures in a magazine or on your phone or laptop to turn a man on to a porn addiction?  It doesn’t matter what sin it is, if we hide it in our hearts, it is not only dangerous, it is actually a betrayal of the Savior who loved us enough to sacrifice His life for us on a cross.

Did you ever imagine that your betrayals are hidden?  Our neighbors don’t always see those little sins, do they?  They don’t always know what is in your thoughts and desires.  Maybe even your family doesn’t notice.  The other eleven disciples had no clue about Judas’ greed and betrayal, but Jesus knew.  King David once wrote, “Lord, you have investigated me, and you know.  You know when I sit down and when I get up.  You understand my thoughts from far off.” (Psalms 139:1-2)

Jesus point blank declared, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: One of you will betray me.”  And all twelve expressed shock and befuddlement.  “The disciples were looking at each other, uncertain which of them he meant.  One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side.  So Simon Peter motioned to him to find out which one he was talking about.  So leaning back against Jesus’ side, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”  Those twelve men couldn’t imagine this happening.  Most likely even Judas was surprised Jesus knew, but like the deceitful sinner he was, Judas didn’t repent.

Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread, after I have dipped it in the dish.”  Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  Jesus knew the plans Judas had to betray Jesus.  The Father in heaven always knew.  Furthermore, it wasn’t that Jesus wanted Judas to betray Him.  Rather, Jesus tried numerous times to call Judas to repentance, but the urgent calls fell on deaf ears. 

We need to beware that we don’t allow God’s calls to repentance to bounce off us.  God loves us even when He is making us squirm with guilt as the law is preached.  Just as Jesus wanted to save Judas from his self-destruction, Jesus calls for you to turn to Him in repentance and trust.  Because here’s the thing, Jesus was giving His life into death for Judas, and for you, just as much as for anyone else.  Jesus died for the sins of the world.  He gave His holy, precious life as a ransom for you.

Judas again failed to repent.  As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.  So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do more quickly.”  The devil had Judas firmly hooked.  Because faith in Jesus was gone, Jesus turned the man loose.  This was not God giving up on Judas, but rather, Judas giving up on Jesus.  Jesus was determined to suffer and die on that weekend as the Passover Lamb of God.  He gave Judas every possible chance not to take part in the destruction of his soul, but to the wicked ones Judas went.  John reports, “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out.  And it was night.”

That last phrase rings sadly in the ear.  It stands there all by itself—darkness had come.  Yes, it was dark outside, but it was especially dark in Judas’ future.  He was firmly under the devil’s control now.  His heart was hardened against the Lord he had followed for three years.  Later that night, Jesus gave Judas one more chance to repent when the man led that band of soldiers to arrest Jesus, but it didn’t succeed.  When Judas finally realized the horrible thing he had done, he gave himself into destruction.  Yet, that didn’t have to be, because Jesus was paying for Judas’ betrayal too.

We may wonder, how could Jesus give His life for a wretched sinner like Judas?  Why would Jesus go to the cross pleading for His Father to forgive those who betrayed Him, abandoned Him, falsely accused Him, whipped and beat Him, and nailed Him to the cross?  Jesus did that out of love.  Because God loves all the sinners of the world, because Jesus loves His Father in heaven, and because He loves you and me, because of love, Jesus became our Substitute, and God abandoned Jesus in our place.  There in the hours Jesus hung bleeding and dying on the cross, God was treating Jesus as if He had committed Judas’ and Ahithophel’s betrayals.  God turned against the Son He loved counting all your sins, your betrayals, as though Jesus had done them, not you.

The prophet wrote, “We all have gone astray like sheep.  Each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has charged all our guilt to him.” (Isaiah 53:6)  Before He went to the cross, Jesus knew your sin, and He knew that only He could save you.  Therefore, because He loves you, Jesus gave His body and blood into death bearing all your guilt, so that you, being cleansed of all wickedness, may live with Him forever in heaven.  You see, though He truly died and was buried, our great Lord and Savior didn’t stay dead.  On the third day He rose from the grave in glory to announce to the world God’s victory over the rebellious traitor who had brought all mankind into sin.  Yes, win Jesus did, and His victory is now given to us by faith. 

After Judas left the upper room that night, Jesus instituted the supper we still celebrate, and every time we partake of that holy meal, Jesus is right there with us in, with, and under the bread and wine, personally bringing to you again the reconciliation of God.  Again, and again, Jesus tells you in the Supper that you are forgiven for the sake of His body and blood, broken and shed on the cross.  Jesus lives, so that you will live also.  All of your betrayals have been taken from God’s memory and He remembers your sins no more.  Amen.

Glory be to Jesus Who in bitter pains poured for you the lifeblood from His sacred veins.  Amen.