June 25, 2007 - Lesson: Matthew 26.14-25

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INTRODUCTION:

1. In the Life Application Bible there is profile of Judas.

PROFILE: JUDAS ISCARIOT

It is easy to overlook the fact that Jesus chose Judas to be his disciple. We may also forget that while Judas betrayed Jesus, all the disciples abandoned him. With the other disciples, Judas shared a persistent misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. They all expected Jesus to make the right political moves. When he kept talking about dying, they all felt varying degrees of anger, fear, and disappointment. They didn't understand why they had been chosen if Jesus' mission was doomed to fail.

We do not know the exact motivation behind Judas's betrayal. What is clear is that Judas allowed his desires to place him in a position where Satan could manipulate him. Judas accepted payment to set Jesus up for the religious leaders. He identified Jesus for the guards in the dimly lit Garden of Gethsemane. It is possible that he was trying to force Jesus' hand--would Jesus or would Jesus not rebel against Rome and set up a new political government?

Whatever his plan, though, at some point Judas realized he didn't like the way things were turning out. He tried to undo the evil he had done by returning the money to the priests, but it was too late. The wheels of God's sovereign plan had been set into motion. How sad that Judas ended his life in despair without ever experiencing the gift of reconciliation God could give even to him through Jesus Christ.

Human feelings toward Judas have always been mixed. Some have fervently hated him for his betrayal. Others have pitied him for not realizing what he was doing. A few have tried to make him a hero for his part in ending Jesus' earthly mission. Some have questioned God's fairness in allowing one man to bear such guilt. While there are many feelings about Judas, there are some facts to consider as well. He, by his own choice, betrayed God's Son into the hands of soldiers (Luke 22:48). He was a thief (John 12:6). Jesus knew that Judas's life of evil would not change (John 6:70). Judas's betrayal of Jesus was part of God's sovereign plan (Psalm 41:9; Zech. 11:12, 13; Matthew 20:18; 26:20-25; Acts 1:16, 20).

In betraying Jesus, Judas made the greatest mistake (blunder) in history. But the fact that Jesus knew Judas would betray him doesn't mean that Judas was a puppet of God's will. Judas made the choice. God knew what that choice would be and confirmed it. Judas didn't lose his relationship with Jesus; rather, he never found Jesus in the first place. He is called "doomed to destruction" (John 17:12) because he was never saved.

Judas does us a favor if he makes us think a second time about our commitment to God and the presence of God's Spirit within us. Are we true disciples and followers, or uncommitted pretenders? We can choose despair and death, or we can choose repentance, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life. Judas's betrayal sent Jesus to the cross to guarantee that second choice, our only chance. Will we accept Jesus' free gift, or, like Judas, betray him?

Strengths and accomplishments:

• He was chosen as one of the 12 disciples; the only non-Galilean

• He kept the money bag for the expenses of the group

• He was able to recognize the evil in his betrayal of Jesus

Weaknesses and mistakes:

• He was greedy (Matthew 26:14-15)

• He was a hypocrite (John 12:5-6)

• He was treacherous (Mark 14:10)

• He was dishonest (John 12:6)

• He betrayed Jesus (Matthew 26:14)

• He demonstrated remorse (Matthew 27:3)

• He committed suicide instead of seeking forgiveness (Matthew 27:5)

Lessons from his life:

• Evil plans and motives leave us open to being used by Satan for even greater evil

• The consequences of evil are so devastating that even small lies and little wrongdoings have serious results

• God's plan and his purposes are worked out even in the worst possible events

Vital statistics:

• Where: Possibly from the town of Kerioth

• Occupation: Disciple of Jesus

• Relative: Father: Simon

• Contemporaries: Jesus, Pilate, Herod, the other 11 disciples

Key verses:

"Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus" (Luke 22:3-4).

Judas's story is told in the Gospels. He is also mentioned in Acts 1:18-19.

1. I know of no boys named Judas.

2. His legacy is one of loathing and shame.

3. Judas went to the chief priests to offer to betray Jesus.

1. We don't know what was said.

2. It would be fascinating to know the content of the conversation.

3. It is not recorded.

4. We only know that he received 30 pieces of silver.

2. Perhaps, Judas can teach us something about betrayal.

1. Judas has many disciples.

Congregational Church pastor L. Alexander Harper makes a remarkable observation about Johann Sebastian Bach's musical representation of the Passion story in the Saint Matthew Passion: ⁽⁴⁾

"Judas' question to Jesus had always been a solo in other cantatas, because Judas is an individual. Not so for Bach. Breaking all tradition, he has the whole chorus instead sing that guilty question, 'Is it I, Lord?' The chorus represents you, me, the whole world. Judas is within us all, not 'out there' or 'back in history' somewhere comfortably remote. Judas is our brother."

2. Perhaps if we look at his disciples we can avoid becoming one of them.

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MAIN BODY:

1. Here is an illustration. ⁽¹⁾

Two elderly, excited Southern women were sitting together in the front pew of church listening to a fiery preacher.

When this preacher condemned the sin of stealing, these two ladies cried out at the tops of their lungs, "AMEN, BROTHER!"

When the preacher condemned the sin of lust, they yelled again, "PREACH IT, REVEREND!"

And when the preacher condemned the sin of lying, they jumped to their feet and screamed, "RIGHT ON, BROTHER! TELL IT LIKE IT IS...AMEN!"

But when the preacher condemned the sin of gossip, the two got very quiet. One turned to the other and said, "He's quit preaching and now he's meddling'."

1. We want to examine the subject.

2. We do not want to be meddling.

3. Alison Hawke, in "Gossip in church," Christian Depression observes: ⁽²⁾

More insidious than an outright lie is the lie or guess wrapped around a truth. The truth is used to validate the gossip's interpretation of the facts as the whole truth. Gossip can contain truth ("She hasn't been in church for a month") wrapped in guesses ("because she's given up on God"), but that doesn't make it true.

When gossip spreads, the victim is hurt, betrayed and ridiculed. Few gossips have the courage or decency to tell their victim what is going on. Most of us find out by accident. Gossips do not care about who they're hurting. If they did care, they would try to help or point out our errors and mistakes to us personally, not just talk to other people about their "concerns" for us.

2. One of the definitions of betray is:

(To) give away information about somebody; "He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam" [syn: denounce, tell on, give away, rat, grass, shit, shop, snitch, stag]

2. Is it possible to betray yourself?

Mark Rutland in The Finger of God: Reuniting Power and Holiness in the Church cites this illustration: ⁽³⁾

A parishioner complained about the pastor's constant harping on the theme of drawing nigh unto God. She confessed that I don't want to get close to God. I just want to get over in a corner and sneak into heaven quietly. I don't want to be a saint. I just don't want to go to hell.

I cannot believe what I'm hearing! I exclaimed.

I can explain it easily, she said calmly. When I started the ninth grade I set my heart on finishing high school with straight C's. And I did. You see, if you fail you have to repeat, and I wanted out. But if you start making A's people begin to expect things of you.
It's exactly like that with God, she continued. If you're too bad you'll go to hell, and I don't want that. But if you're too good, he'll send you to India, and I don't want that either.

Rutland provides a marvelous commentary of how his parishioner is not an isolated story, but part of a pattern of belief that reaches out to choke the lives of millions of sincere, but sincerely confused Christians. Quite apart from the obvious theology of works, her theory of C-class Christianity betrayed a pathetically distorted understanding of the character and nature of God. Her confusion, far more serious than the merely epidural misjudgment of 'how God acts,' sprang from her twisted concept of 'who God is.'

1. Another definition of betrayal is:

To be false or disloyal to: betrayed their cause; betray one's better nature.

2. So there is a way in which you can betray yourself.

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3. Perhaps there is one more that we ought to examine, though, perhaps, you are finding this meddling?

1. Donald N. Lincoln tells a story about a committed Catholic priest addressing his congregation after his scheduled week off, he declared that, instead of jetting off to some exotic destination, he had in fact stayed right there in town, even in his own parish's neighborhood.

But he had transformed his identity by dressing in the rags of a homeless person. By adding some dirt, some poured-on beer, and a stubble of beard, he made a convincing street wanderer. As luck would have it the week was cold and wet. On these dreary, gray days, he walked the streets of his parish, yet he seemed invisible to all he met.

Entering a local Quick Mart, in hopes of some food and/or shelter, the priest was nearly bumped into by one of his own parishioners, purposively striding towards his car.

The priest began to walk towards this parishioner, hoping for enough of a donation to buy a cup of hot coffee. But as he got closer, the parishioner looked right at him and clearly saw what was coming.

Noting the scruffy stranger's nearness and need, this individual hurriedly jumped into his parked car, locked the doors, started the engine and sped off.

2. This is another definition of betray:

To be false or disloyal to: betrayed their cause; betray one's better nature.

4. We have a Church Covenant that was adopted in May of 2002.

Arena Congregational Church: Church Covenant (Adopted May 5, 2002)

We are banded together as a Congregational Christian Church to maintain the worship of God, to proclaim the gospel of Christ, to develop in men and women a consciousness of our relations and duties to God and our fellow men and women; and to inspire each other with love for redeeming truth, a passion for righteousness, and an enthusiasm for service. To this end we publicly pledge our personal loyalty to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, and we covenant with God and with one another that we will strive to express his spirit in our lives, both as individual believers and as a church; to live together as Christian friends and to submit ourselves to the government of this church; always working for its progress, giving liberally of our means for its support, and praying for its increase in efficiency, its purity in life and purpose, its peace and fellowship in service, and seeking in every way to make it an influence for the building up of the kingdom of God.

1. If we accept this covenant and fail to fulfill its promises are we guilty of betrayal?

   1. Have we betrayed God, the Father.

   2. Have we betrayed Jesus Christ, the Messiah?

   3. Have we betrayed the Holy Spirit?

   4. Have we betrayed our Christian family?

2. We have.

3. This is another definition of betrayal

disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake

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CONCLUSION

1. There is a sense in which we are all betrayers and in need of understanding and forgiveness.

Congregational Church pastor L. Alexander Harper makes a remarkable observation about Johann Sebastian Bach's musical representation of the Passion story in the Saint Matthew Passion: ⁽⁴⁾

"Judas' question to Jesus had always been a solo in other cantatas, because Judas is an individual. Not so for Bach. Breaking all tradition, he has the whole chorus instead sing that guilty question, 'Is it I, Lord?' The chorus represents you, me, the whole world. Judas is within us all, not 'out there' or 'back in history' somewhere comfortably remote. Judas is our brother."

2. We may not like it, but it is true.

   2. Judas has much to teach us about betrayal.

   3. If we learn the lessons well, then maybe, simply maybe, with the help of our divine trinity, we can make some progress in becoming truthful, loyal, and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

Amen!

1. Pastor Tim [posts@cybersaltlists.org]

2. Alison Hawke, "Gossip in church," Christian Depression Pages, gospelcom.net/cdp/articles/gossip.htm. Retrieved March 3, 2003.

3. --See Mark Rutland's The Finger of God: Reuniting Power and Holiness in the Church (Wilmore, Ky: Bristol Books, 1988), 16-17.

4. L. Alexander Harper, "Judas, Our Brother," St. Luke's Journal of Theology 29 (1986),102.

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