JUDAS AGREES TO BETRAY JESUS

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Judas has to be one of the most enigmatic characters you'll ever observe. He chose to be a disciple of Jesus. Jesus chose him to be a follower. He was involved in, at least, two missions of healing and performing miracles. He was on the inside of the inner 12 and had been chosen to be the group's treasurer. Then at the Passover season, when the opportunity presented itself for him to deliver Jesus into the hands of the Jewish leadership, he seized upon the moment with the promise of being handsomely paid for it. Let's look at it:

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

No doubt Judas was following Jesus as were the others with a political motive, but he seems to embrace that image more than the others. He was watching the money bag and he knew all of the inner workings of the group. He probably had many thoughts as to how this movement was going to go and grow. However, when he saw that the movement was not gaining the proper endorsements from the Jewish leadership and the tide of opinion of those who could make the decisions for the nation was all going against Jesus, Judas was wide open to a better deal.

It was a little thing at first. But then when we come to the story of John 12 where Mary was "wasting" the expensive perfume on Jesus, that seems to be the straw that changed everything. Think of it this way:

Sow a thought and reap a deed; Sow a deed and reap a character; Sow a character and reap a destiny.

It was a little seed that was sown in Judas, but it grew. Judas became a traitor the same way any of us may become a traitor to Jesus-by compromising secretly in the mind just that one time too many. It's also difficult to know how his background played into this. Judas was the only one of the Twelve who was not from Galilee. He was from the south near Jerusalem.

NOTE that in John 13 Jesus washed the feet of Judas as He did the others. He didn't discriminate against him. In fact, theoretically, Judas might have changed his mind after this dramatic act of love and servitude Jesus displayed.

NOTE a few observations: FIRST-You can take comfort in the fact that when you choose someone to come alongside, you may lose this person as did Jesus.

SECOND-Theoretically, anyone of the disciples might have played the role of Judas. But for the grace of God, right? I am convinced that any one of us is capable of doing almost anything at any time. No one is exempt.

THIRD-There are always two ways to go-your way and Jesus' way. When Judas no longer trusted in Jesus' way, he was vulnerable to whatever opportunity presented itself.

You see, Jesus was on a mission no matter how impractical that mission seemed to be. Jesus' ways are not our ways. And no matter how much evidence seems to stack up against what Jesus says to be and to do, His way is the best. Or, to put it more succinctly, HE IS THE WAY. It's not what you believe or what you think is best; it's all about the person of Jesus, the great I AM.

Judas ended his life in a pile of depression. He made the fatal mistake of trying to make something of his life without Jesus, therefore he lost his way and his self-esteem was obliterated. When he stopped following Jesus, he lost his way and his identity. This reminds me of a most profound saying, "You cannot know who you are, until you know whose you are."