Easter Story - The lessons you can learn from Judas

As the Easter season comes upon us, we will hear again the story of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice he made for us. He allowed mankind to hand him over to death and place him on the cross. We will rejoice in the fact that he rose again proving he could not be overcome by death and that, through this sacrifice, he offers us salvation from our sins. This is a wonderful fact and I am excited to share in the celebration of Easter every year. As I dive into the story once more, I realize there is so much to take from it. Jesus is the main plot, but there are other sub-plots to the story that we can draw understanding from. We can learn something from the fickle nature of the Israelites, who called out to Jesus with praise while he rode into Jerusalem on the donkey (Matthew 21:9) and then less than a week later called out to have him crucified (Matthew 27:22). We can learn from the fear that led to the three denials by Peter about his association with Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75). Perhaps the largest warning given through the story is that which can be learned by taking a look at Judas Iscariot.

             Reading through all four Gospels, you would be hard pressed to find even a verse that sheds this man named Judas in a positive light. He is known simply as the betrayer. He is known for the kiss (Luke 22:48).

 

            Did Judas always intend to betray Jesus? It would seem the answer to this is no. In Matthew 24:14-16, we read that Judas found an opportunity to make some money by betraying his friend. It says “From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:16). It wasn’t until after being offered something that Judas looked to betray Jesus Christ. Judas had a price. Much like Esau in Genesis 25:29-34, Judas valued what he could get more than what he already had. Esau valued a bowl of lentil stew over his own birthright and the Bible says that, from then on, he despised his birthright. Judas valued 30 silver coins over his friendship and relationship with Jesus and, therefore, ultimately despised Jesus. Jesus himself warned about what Judas was going through when he said, ”No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). The lesson we can learn from this is simple. Who or what do you serve? Is it God? Is it something else? Is anything worth enough to you to betray God for? If your answer is yes, I’d suggest you run as far away from that thing as fast as you can. You will regret it later. How do I know? Judas did. We will see more on that later.

Did Judas really understand what he was doing? He may have intentionally betrayed a friend but he very likely didn’t understand the consequences to his actions. Proverbs 16:25 says “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death”.  Judas likely thought he was doing the right thing by getting Jesus into the custody of the religious leaders. Judas did not truly understand or believe in who Jesus was. Jesus was aware of this fact. He told it directly to his disciples when he said, “’But some of you do not believe me.’ (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)” (John 6:64). What do you believe? Are you on a path that seems right but ends in death? If the path does not lead to Jesus please take concern in this. Jesus himself said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me (John 6:35, 36). Jesus also said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12). Jesus wants you to believe in him and also follow him. Judas physically followed Jesus but he could not spiritually follow Jesus because he did not truly believe that Jesus was who he said he was.

        Did Judas regret his decision? You bet he did. The Gospel of Matthew is the only one that records what happened to Judas after he betrayed Jesus:

When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5)

 

Those 30 silver coins that were so valuable to Judas such a short time ago suddenly had no meaning at all. He realized that without Jesus, there was nothing of value. He realized he had traded his own salvation for a little money. I pray that all of us get to this point before it is too late like it was for Judas. The point when we realize that Jesus is all we truly need. Are you to that point? If not, what is in your way? Do you not believe? Do you serve something else over God?

 Charles Spurgeon wrote a yearlong devotional called “Morning and Evening” and on March 25^th, he writes of Judas’ kiss. Here is a selection from that piece:

 "But what if I should be guilty of the same accursed sin as Judas, that son of perdition? I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; I am a member of his visible Church; I sit at the communion table: all these are so many kisses of my lips. Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor. Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule, and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if I act thus inconsistently I am a Judas, and it were better for me that I had never been born. Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, O Lord, keep me so. O Lord, make me sincere and true. Preserve me from every false way. Never let me betray my Saviour. I do love thee, Jesus, and though I often grieve thee, yet I would desire to abide faithful even unto death. O God, forbid that I should be a high-soaring professor, and then fall at last into the lake of fire, because I betrayed my Master with a kiss."

 Mike

A story for you…

Today, I feel like telling a story:

One day a young man decided it was time to start saving money for his retirement. He realized that it was important to be prepared for that time in which he would no longer be able to work. However, he was not really sure what was the best way to do this.  After some research, he came to the decision that a bank would be a good place to get advice on this. 

The young man went to the bank and told a banker that he was ready to start saving for retirement and wanted to know how he could do that. The banker said to him that he was making a very good decision and that all he needed to do was open a bank account. The young man was very excited. Was it really that easy? He opened up a bank account with the banker and walked out of the bank with a smile on his face. 

Over the many years that followed, the man would visit the bank. He would walk in the doors and, with a smile on his face, think about how this bank was where he opened an account for his retirement savings. He would even talk to and thank the bankers there for helping him open a bank account. 

Many years later, when the man was very old and no longer able to work, he came into the bank to collect his savings for retirement. He walked up to a banker and asked for his savings. Upon checking the account, the banker informed the man that there was nothing in it. How could this be?!? The old man was told that he needed to open a bank account and then he would be ready for retirement! He asked to speak to the bank manager. 

The old man explained to the bank manager that many, many years ago he came to the bank and opened an account so that he would be ready for retirement but now there was nothing in it. The manager assured him that there must be some mistake and asked the old man what he had put into the account over the years. With a bewildered look on his face, the man informed the manager that he had never put anything into the account. When he had inquired about saving for retirement, he had only been told by the banker that he should open an account. He was never informed that he was required to put anything into it. 

The bank manager's face grew solemn. He explained to the old man that some of the bankers that had worked at the bank over the years were lazy. Many concerned themselves only with how many bank accounts they could get people to open and often forgot to advise those people on how to sow into those bank accounts to grow their savings.  The bank manager wished that there was something he could do for this old man. He wished that the man had sown into his account over the years so that the manager could give him all that he had given back to him along with much more gained in interest.  The manager walked the old man to the door and told him that he was very sorry but there was nothing he could do for him. The old man left very bitter and very disappointed.

Mike