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At some point in our lives, I am sure that we have all felt let down by someone or other, or even felt that feeling of total betrayal. This is because of human nature; we all have the ability to act selfishly. When we put ourselves above others, it has the potential to cause others hurt. When we experience this, we can, in a small way, begin to understand how God feels when we sin and let Him down. When you think that all humans have sinned and sin is against God, how much hurt must God feel at our actions, thoughts and words?
We know many blessings from God, more than we have ever contemplated, yet we still grieve God through the things we do.
Judas was one of the twelve disciples chosen by the Lord Jesus to follow Him closely during the three and half years of His teaching and miracles. He saw blind people healed, lame people walk, lepers cleansed, and the deaf made to hear. It would have been wonderful to have witnessed that almost day by day. These would be life-changing experiences.
Personally, Judas benefitted too! No doubt he would have been hungry along with the rest of the huge crowd when Jesus fed them with five loaves and two fish. The Lord fed him. He would have had compassion modelled to him as the Lord Jesus spoke with those that no one else would have spoken with.
When the disciples were in a boat and on the Lake of Galilee in a raging storm, they thought they would die. Jesus stopped the storm and saved their lives. If someone saved your life, then you would probably have that sense of indebtedness to them.
Judas, however, did not feel this way, or if he did, it was not a feeling that lasted. Judas loved money; he was incensed when a woman who knew that life-changing forgiveness of the Lord Jesus poured expensive perfumed oil on Jesus’ feet. She did this in an act of worship. She was so grateful to Him for who He is and what He had done for her. All Judas could see was the cost.
The Lord Jesus knew exactly what the cost was and appreciated her expression of gratitude and love. Judas, determined to gain money, visited the chief priest and bargained with him as to how much he would pay him to betray Jesus Christ. The price that Judas agreed for Jesus’ betrayal was thirty pieces of silver. This was the cost of a slave. Jesus certainly served, but His worth was so much higher, in fact incalculable.
Being the Son of God, the Lord Jesus knew what Judas would do, and He still allowed him to be His disciple for those three and a half years.
The Lord Jesus, while eating the Passover feast with His disciples, pointed out that He knew, and Judas left to go to betray Jesus.
Jesus led the rest of His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane; after praying so intensely thinking about what He must do on the cross to save us, He awoke His disciples who were sleeping. Almost immediately, there was a commotion as a mob with swords, clubs, and flaming torches were coming through the trees. The mob was being led by Judas!
Judas identified the Lord Jesus with a kiss. This was a greeting indicating affection for someone, but this was a betrayal. Judas showed utter disregard for the one who had demonstrated nothing but love, care, wisdom and compassion. Judas had made his choice by rejecting the Lord Jesus.
What about you? The Lord Jesus was about to show that ultimate demonstration of love in taking the place we all deserve. He suffered for sin. We might acknowledge Him, Judas did so with a kiss, but he loved money and rejected the Saviour in his heart.
Messages with Meaning (17/03/21) Written by Stuart Scammell for Your542Day
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