Mark 14:18
And as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, "Truly I
say to you that one of you will betray Me--one who is eating with Me."
NASB
In the name of our patient King, amen.
How it must have troubled Jesus to know what would happen to Judas. Even
now at the final hour Jesus warns Him. "Is it I? Is it I?" the disciples
all ask. Even after Jesus hands Judas the bread that He had dipped,
Judas does not turn from his evil path.
A betrayer. How we scorn him. We more readily identify with Peter the
denier. Who could ever betray. Yet it is possible. Anytime we do
things to hinder the Gospel we betray Jesus. Any time we have ridiculed
someone for their faith, even when people know we are a Christian and we
blatantly commit gross sin, we have crossed the line.
But whether we are a Judas or a Peter, there is not much difference in
the sin. Both are damning and faith destroying. What is important is
what comes after the sin is committed. After we have done our crime and
the accuser comes saying, "You worthless creature! How could God ever
forgive you?"
Judas was close. He went to the people who should have comforted Him
with the Gospel. He went to the priests. But in their own unbelief they
could not point to the Lamb of God. He despaired. Not so with Peter.
As horrible as He must have felt, He knew there was forgiveness even for
Him.
Perhaps Peter heard the Gospel hidden in Jesus warning, but Judas did
not. For Peter it was, "When you return." For Judas it was a piece of
bread and the words, "Friend, do you betray me with a kiss?"
All of us in our lives find us warned by Jesus. The warning comes in
different was. It is through a parent or friend. It can be through
God's written word. Sometimes it is an accident or sickness. At times
it is the voice of our conscience screaming in our ears as we are about
to commit our sin.
Then, the accuser never fails to come. This is the true test. Once the
sin is committed he must get you to despair and lose you faith for good.
This is the hour when the Gospel must be heard. No form of Law can help.
"I will do better," does not forgive us. "I'll make it up," means
nothing. "Everyone does it," only condemns us more. Now is the time we
must remember our Savior's words, "Given for you." May these words ring
loudly in your ears. May they ring so loudly that the accuser's voice is
drowned out, and your attention held only by your Savior who deals with
you in love as a true friend. Amen.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, our lives are full of little betrayals and denials
of Jesus our Savior. Forgive us and keep the Gospel always before us so
that we act more like Peter whose faith was strengthened, than like Judas
whose faith was destroyed. We ask this in our Savior Jesus' name, amen.