BEFRIENDING THE BETRAYER
Jesus befriended many different kinds of people during his life on this earth - people who didn’t have many friends at all. He reached out to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, he went out of his way for the despised tax collector Zacchaeus, he stood up for a woman accused of adultery, he took time to heal a man alienated from society because he was possessed by demons... Christ’s concern for the outcast and the rejected, his compassion for the young children and the severely crippled and the desperately lonely is staggering. Because he actually sought out these kind of people! He longed for and cared for and even ached for those who had no one else. Jesus wasn’t interested in what others could do for him or what other people thought about his associations. He was too occupied with what he could do to meet the needs of others.
Christ’s compassion is detailed for us in dozens of different stories throughout Scripture. But his care and concern for a single person is nowhere more remarkable than in the life of Judas Iscariot. Judas, of course, was THE betrayer of the Lord himself! Nothing good is said of him in Scripture and, in fact, he was so deceitful that even those who aren’t Christians know the name of this infamous disciple. And yet, on multiple occasions, Jesus showed a genuine love for Judas. He wanted to help him with his problems. He wanted to relieve him of his troubles. Jesus wanted to befriend his betrayer. And in the upper room on Maundy Thursday evening, Christ’s compassion for the man who would soon hand him over to his enemies is undeniably clear. 21After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me." 22His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means." 25Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" 26Jesus 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 Iscariot, son of Simon. 27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, 28but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
Do you see how the Lord’s heart hurt for Judas? Jesus longed for this disciple’s reconciliation so much that he “was troubled in spirit” and he couldn’t help but reveal to his disciples that someone in the room was going to betray him. And when he was directly asked who it would be, he did not hesitate, but sadly handed that dipped piece of bread to Judas in front of the rest of his followers. Jesus left no doubt that he was fully aware of what was going on so that Judas might admit his sin and repent. And if that public demonstration of Judas’ guilt wasn’t enough, Jesus finally said directly to this traitor: “What you are about to do, do quickly.” “I know, Judas! I know what you’ve been planning. I know about the 30 silver coins in your pocket. I know about the mob waiting for your word to meet me in the Garden. I know about the hypocritical kiss you plan to give me in just a few hours. Judas, I know what you’re up to. I know your heart.” It must have ripped Jesus apart to say these words to one of his chosen twelve. Because Jesus knew everything. He was not fooled. He was not surprised. And he made that clear to Judas in order that this thief and back-stabber might stop what he was about to do and once again believe in his Savior. Of course, Jesus also knew that Judas was too far gone. He wouldn’t come back. He wouldn’t repent. But Jesus tried anyway. Because he loved Judas. Isn’t that remarkable? Jesus loved Judas! He was filled with so much compassion for Judas that he did everything he could to befriend his betrayer. But Judas didn’t want Jesus as his friend. He just wanted the money. And so when Judas left the upper room that night, Jesus was disappointed to see him leave, but he also let him go. Not because he didn’t care anymore, but because he did care. He cared enough for Judas to allow this traitor to take him one step closer to the cross so that he could die for Judas’ sins. And so even the worst thing Judas did to him Jesus worked out for Judas’ good.
Christ is the epitome of compassion. His care and concern for Judas Iscariot is incredible. And realize how different Christ’s compassion is here than any other act of compassion we observe on this earth. Normally, when we think of “compassionate” people, we think of those who have a special place in their hearts for abandoned children or battered women or the mentally disabled or the forgotten elderly… And although that is certainly a commendable Christian quality to have, this kind of compassion does not even compare to the compassion of Christ. Because the type of compassion that is found even in the most noble of Christians in this life is a tenderness for those who are helpless through no fault of their own. Abandoned children, battered women, mentally disabled, and forgotten elderly have done nothing to bring upon themselves the situations they are in; and they certainly have done nothing against the one who is filled with compassion for them. But Christ’s compassion for Judas is far more impressive. It was a profound and intense love for a person who was helpless through every fault of his own! He had done everything to put himself in the situation he was in. Judas had even lied and sold out and plotted against the very one who was filled with compassion for him! Jesus’ compassion for Judas was not just for one who was helpless, but for one who was hurtful and harmful. It was not just for one who was in an unfortunate situation, but for one who was to blame for the situation at hand. That’s why Jesus’ compassion for Judas is so unique. He had compassion for his worst enemy. And because of that, Jesus’ compassion for Judas was never going to change. No matter how many sins Judas committed against him, the Lord would always love him. Because Christ’s compassion is not based on some emotional feeling, but on his choice to care for sinners. Even the stubbornly sinful ones.
I think we are like Judas Iscariot in more ways than we would care to compare ourselves. And especially in this story of Judas on the night of the Passover, his sinful stubbornness is really no different from ours. First of all, he was sitting at the same table of the one he was going to betray that night, but Judas reclined there as if nothing was out of the ordinary. And when Jesus verbally predicted that one of his 12 disciples would hand him over to the enemy, Judas actually acted surprised and dismayed! Even when Jesus handed him that piece of bread Judas didn’t come clean. He stubbornly kept silent. And when Jesus spoke to him personally and told him to do what he had to do quickly, Judas still didn’t admit the sinfulness of his actions. He ignored his conscience, he turned his back on Jesus, and he walked out the door. And I can’t help but see a sad similarity with the stubbornness we display when it comes to our own sins.
There are times when our conscience tugs at us, and we know for a split second that what we are saying is not Christian or what we are doing is not right or what we are thinking is not appropriate in any way, but as quickly as possible we push that thought out of our minds because we stubbornly want to do this particular thing right now and we can deal with that guilty feeling later. And then there are times when we read something in the Bible or hear something in the sermon that hits us hard, words that convict us of something we’ve done, but we end up stubbornly denying it anyway. We tell ourselves that maybe those words of the law apply to others but we really have a legitimate excuse for our actions. And then there are times when commit a sin and we just don’t care. It was worth it or it was unavoidable or it was something that wasn’t too big of a deal. We ignore our consciences, we turn our backs on Jesus, and we walk out the door. Our stubborn refusal to admit our sinfulness at times is nothing different than what Judas did. God reaches out to us in his Word so that we might repent but we knock his hands down. The Lord attempts to befriend us by his grace but we turn the other way. The Lord shows us an unfathomable amount of compassion but there are times when we don’t even want it because we don’t think we need. Our stubbornness in sin is a dangerous thing. It is a deadly thing. It is worthy of the name “Iscariot.”
But if it is true that we act like Judas Iscariot, then it is also true that we are shown the same amount of compassion from the Lord. Just as Jesus loved Judas, Jesus loves you. He longs for you. He aches for you. In fact, Jesus let Judas walk out that door for you. He allowed Judas to kiss him on the cheek for you. He even permitted Judas to condemn himself, so that God himself would be condemned for you. Jesus did not look forward to Judas’ betrayal and his consequent suicide. But he knew that was the way he was going to save you. He knew that was the way in which his blood would be poured out on the cross and your forgiveness would be secured. He prayed to his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane that night: “If there is any other way… but if it has to be this way - if this is your will - then I am willing to do it.” For you. Because he is overflowing with compassion for the helpless, the lost, and the Judas’ of this world. And thankfully he has worked in your heart and he has worked in my heart to bring us to repentance and faith so that we do not end up like Judas. We are turned away from sin. We are brought back to our Savior. We are reconciled and forgiven by our great and loving and compassionate God.
And we can never pay him back. We can never become worthy enough to have earned the compassion he has shown us. And that’s OK. Because he doesn’t ask us to earn it or to repay him in some way. He just wants us to thank him. He is pleased when we thank him with our words and with our hearts, but also with our actions. He enjoys when we take that marvelous compassion that he has shown us and display that same compassion to others. Because there will be plenty of Judas’ in your own life. People whom you do not like. People who hate you. People who stab you in the back and despise everything that you are. But the Lord died for them too. The Lord rose from the grave for them too. The Lord holds out his hands and calls to them from the pages of Scripture and is filled with a never-ending compassion for them too. He wants them to be saved just as much as he wanted Judas to believe in him. He wants them to be forgiven just as much as he wanted your sins to be wiped away. And so for the Lord’s sake: care for those people who do not care for you. Be concerned about those souls who are not concerned about their souls. Have compassion on those who have every right to be left for dead. Befriend Christ’s betrayers. Show them the Lord’s love. Let them know what he did for them on the cross. And reveal to them that their Savior will never give up on them no matter how sinful they are, just as he never gives up on you. A compassion God is an easy God to love. A compassionate God is an easy God to share. Share him with the Judas’ of your life so that they do not end up like Judas, but end up with you. Because there is not other way to relieve the suffering of another, there is no other way to comfort a troubled soul, there is no other way to give someone peace, than through the love and care and concern of their compassionate God.
Amen.
“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” - 2 Thess. 3:5
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