you can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/218516186232718/
How many of us can say that we have at one time or another felt as if we had been betrayed. Unfortunately as a pastor, I can say that I have experienced it on more than one occasion. Jesus was not sheltered from this either.
John 13:18-30 (NIV) “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Jesus has just shared the Passover meal with His disciples and it was different to say the least. Jesus had made the meal all about Himself and it seemed more about something to come rather than something to be remembered. And then towards the end of the evening, Jesus warns them of the betrayal that would befall Him. But why did it have to be this way? I guess the real question is did it really have to be this way?
Was betrayal the way God designed it? None of the writers let us in on this and why it was this way. Except that when you think about it, what hurts more than betrayal? If Jesus was the sacrificial lamb, or as John the Baptist said The Lamb Who would take away the sin of the world, why wouldn’t Jesus encounter sin at its worst, absolute ugliest, shameless fundamental nature.
And that is what betrayal is, sin. When we look at sin from a New Testament biblical perspective, we see an attitude of willful action. You see when circumstances come to pass out of ignorance or accident they truly are not willful acts.
But sin truly is the knowledgeable and intentional rejection of the good God who has graciously created and sustained the entire world. And what other word than betrayal expresses the very character of sin?
The Scripture tells us that Jesus was troubled in His spirit so much so that He warns them and then confusion sets in. They don’t see it, they misinterpret why Judas was sent off into the night to accomplish.
I bring all of this to our attention first so that we can remember what Jesus was experiencing in His last few days while journeying toward the cross.
Secondly, I believe that this time today, this holy week can be a time for each of us to reflect and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us so that we will be better equipped for the Holy Spirit to work through us for those around us.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV) Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
And if you remember anything from today, remember this: any betrayal that you or I have experienced is nothing compared to the betrayal that Christ experienced for us. This tidbit of information helps each and everyone of us to deepen and strengthen our faith in Christ. Knowing that He has experienced everything we have experienced, and that He who lives in us has indeed overcome the world.