BLESSED BETRAYAL
Sermon
God's Most Unmistakable Message
Sermons For Lent
Have you ever noticed how some things in life sometimes just
don't seem to go together? I've always marveled at an expensive
Cadillac with a squirrel tail tied to the antenna. It looks
absurd. I heard recently of a fellow who saw this bumper sticker:
"A WOMAN WITHOUT A MAN IS LIKE A FISH WITHOUT A BICYCLE." Well,
you understand what I mean.
Paul brings together some words like that, words that do not
seem to fit. Listen to them again: The Lord Jesus on the night
when he was betrayed took bread .... What a strange thing to do!
On the night of betrayal, Jesus did not run, nor did he fight. He
broke bread, blessed it, and gave it as a sign to his disciples.
A sign of what? Consider these:
I. Jesus broke the bread as a sign that love is more enduring
than hate. Jesus knew exactly what Judas Iscariot was up to. One
such as Judas could not escape Jesus' notice for long. Not only
were they traveling companions, they were also close compatriots
in a spiritual tug of war. Jesus had watched Judas in action and
he understood what drove Judas. There are a couple of places in
the gospels where we are given glimpses of him, where we can see
his motives. John 12 gives us the best picture. Mary and Martha
were hosting a party for Jesus just before he entered Jerusalem
for what would be the last time. Mary took out a jar of expensive
perfume and poured it on Jesus' feet. It was a beautiful gesture
of admiration and affection. But one person objected. Guess who?
The narrative reads, But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot,
who was later to betray him, objected. "Why wasn't this perfume
sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's
wages."
He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because
he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help
himself to what was put into it.
This scripture helps us understand better. This attitude of
Judas often surfaces today. It shows up in statements or
questions like these: "Why don't we do it my way?" or "Why fool
around with this spiritual stuff when we should talk cold cash?"
And the big one, "How much is this going to cost?"
Now listen to the reply: Leave her alone, Jesus replied. It
was meant that she should save this perfume for the day of my
burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not
always have me. This answer is a rebuke to all of us who seem to
value budgets more than souls. It is judgment on all of us who
care more about the bottom line than the inner dimension. It is a
stinging reminder of how easy it is to overlook the absolute
worth of people in the sight of God. All along Jesus had watched
Judas and knew him better than Judas knew himself. The protest
about the perfume came as no surprise. It is typical of someone
with the defect in moral character such as Judas had. But he
couldn't seem to hear those words. Here was a warning, a chance,
a roadblock on the road to destruction. But Judas ignored it all
and continued on his petty little plot to deliver Jesus over to
his enemies for 30 pieces of silver.
On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread. Amazing isn't
it? In the midst of such treachery Jesus acted from love and
delivered to his disciples a sign of grace. In a short while the
others would betray Jesus in their own way. Some would run away.
Some would hide. Peter denied and cursed. But Jesus broke bread,
and said in this way that love is more enduring than hate. This
wretched betrayal of Judas was not the last word! His hateful
attitudes toward the Son of God and toward others was not the end
of the story! This fact gives me hope that my unchristian
attitudes and my actions which betray Christ are transformed and
made to work for his purposes. Christ still breaks the bread and
hands it to us, knowing fully well what we are. But his love will
not give up or let go.
48
He gives until he has given all he has. A poet says:
Love is that liqueur sweet
and most divine
Which my God feels as blood
but I as wine.
His blood is the wine for this meal. How did Jesus put it? This
cup is the new covenant in my blood. Love is more enduring than
hate. We approach the Lord's supper table with this word of grace
given in our hearts. Do not hold back. Remember, the Lord himself
is giving this spiritual feast, and he has sent you an
invitation. Written across the bottom of the invitation is RSVP.
II. Jesus broke the bread -- a sign that even our mixed
motives can serve him. His ride into Jerusalem on that last
Sunday is remarkable. Jesus knew what lay in store for him. He
was aware that the crowds who shouted "Hosanna!" could easily be
swayed to shout "Crucify him!" He had seen the stealthy glances
of Judas and knew what would come of that. He had heard the
boisterous bragging of Simon Peter and knew the disciple would
not stand up under the crisis of the last week. He had watched
James and John wrangling for positions in the kingdom and knew
that such power grabs were no training for the night of the
cross. Jesus had seen all of this and much more. He knew what
would happen when the final crisis came.
Yet he chose to go to Jerusalem and take his chances with the
people. He understood the mixed up motives of his own closest
group, and he chose to honor even the smallest amount of
faithfulness. I do not know if that gives you hope, but it surely
does give it to me. What separated Jesus from the rest of
humanity was the fact that his were unmixed motives. He had a
perfect God-consciousness and was always motivated by love. Can
you say that about yourself? Can any of us?
I can imagine the conversation among the disciples in the
upper room after the crucifixion of Christ. It might have gone
something like this, if we will allow them to speak as we speak.
Simon Peter perhaps spoke up with difficulty as he choked back
the tears: "I didn't want to deny him. I didn't! My desire was to
stand by him all the way. But when I saw the reflected light as
the swords were drawn and heard the thunderous march of the
soldiers I panicked. I wanted to stand by him, but I just
couldn't. I betrayed him by my cowardice." James and John might
have spoken next: "We didn't understand. We were jockeying for
first place in Jesus' kingdom and didn't know what he meant when
he would say things like 'He who would be first must become the
servant of all.' We betrayed him by our hunger for power." On and
on it might have gone as each disciple confessed his own reason
for deserting Jesus on that fateful Friday. But it was to that
very group -- who followed with mixed motives -- that Jesus broke
the bread and gave it as a blessing. There is hope! The beginning
of the Lenten season is called Ash Wednesday. It is the day when
many Christians attend church services and get a smudge of ashes
on their foreheads. Where do those ashes come from? They are the
remains of the palm branches of the previous Palm Sunday. Jesus
entered Jerusalem and the people spread cloaks and waved palm
branches to welcome him. But they turned on him later. It is a
fitting symbol, then. This year's palm branches are burned to
provide the ashes of repentance next year.
Conclusion
On the night of his betrayal, Jesus took bread. He could have
taken a sword against those who would disobey, but he chose
bread. He could have scathed them with bitter accusations, but he
broke bread. He could have denied them all, the way they would
deny him, but he took bread.
In some word or action you have betrayed Christ this week, as
I have. Come to this table, then, with a sense of sin but more
importantly, with a sense of his forgiveness. He is still
breaking bread for us betrayers.
don't seem to go together? I've always marveled at an expensive
Cadillac with a squirrel tail tied to the antenna. It looks
absurd. I heard recently of a fellow who saw this bumper sticker:
"A WOMAN WITHOUT A MAN IS LIKE A FISH WITHOUT A BICYCLE." Well,
you understand what I mean.
Paul brings together some words like that, words that do not
seem to fit. Listen to them again: The Lord Jesus on the night
when he was betrayed took bread .... What a strange thing to do!
On the night of betrayal, Jesus did not run, nor did he fight. He
broke bread, blessed it, and gave it as a sign to his disciples.
A sign of what? Consider these:
I. Jesus broke the bread as a sign that love is more enduring
than hate. Jesus knew exactly what Judas Iscariot was up to. One
such as Judas could not escape Jesus' notice for long. Not only
were they traveling companions, they were also close compatriots
in a spiritual tug of war. Jesus had watched Judas in action and
he understood what drove Judas. There are a couple of places in
the gospels where we are given glimpses of him, where we can see
his motives. John 12 gives us the best picture. Mary and Martha
were hosting a party for Jesus just before he entered Jerusalem
for what would be the last time. Mary took out a jar of expensive
perfume and poured it on Jesus' feet. It was a beautiful gesture
of admiration and affection. But one person objected. Guess who?
The narrative reads, But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot,
who was later to betray him, objected. "Why wasn't this perfume
sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's
wages."
He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because
he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help
himself to what was put into it.
This scripture helps us understand better. This attitude of
Judas often surfaces today. It shows up in statements or
questions like these: "Why don't we do it my way?" or "Why fool
around with this spiritual stuff when we should talk cold cash?"
And the big one, "How much is this going to cost?"
Now listen to the reply: Leave her alone, Jesus replied. It
was meant that she should save this perfume for the day of my
burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not
always have me. This answer is a rebuke to all of us who seem to
value budgets more than souls. It is judgment on all of us who
care more about the bottom line than the inner dimension. It is a
stinging reminder of how easy it is to overlook the absolute
worth of people in the sight of God. All along Jesus had watched
Judas and knew him better than Judas knew himself. The protest
about the perfume came as no surprise. It is typical of someone
with the defect in moral character such as Judas had. But he
couldn't seem to hear those words. Here was a warning, a chance,
a roadblock on the road to destruction. But Judas ignored it all
and continued on his petty little plot to deliver Jesus over to
his enemies for 30 pieces of silver.
On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread. Amazing isn't
it? In the midst of such treachery Jesus acted from love and
delivered to his disciples a sign of grace. In a short while the
others would betray Jesus in their own way. Some would run away.
Some would hide. Peter denied and cursed. But Jesus broke bread,
and said in this way that love is more enduring than hate. This
wretched betrayal of Judas was not the last word! His hateful
attitudes toward the Son of God and toward others was not the end
of the story! This fact gives me hope that my unchristian
attitudes and my actions which betray Christ are transformed and
made to work for his purposes. Christ still breaks the bread and
hands it to us, knowing fully well what we are. But his love will
not give up or let go.
48
He gives until he has given all he has. A poet says:
Love is that liqueur sweet
and most divine
Which my God feels as blood
but I as wine.
His blood is the wine for this meal. How did Jesus put it? This
cup is the new covenant in my blood. Love is more enduring than
hate. We approach the Lord's supper table with this word of grace
given in our hearts. Do not hold back. Remember, the Lord himself
is giving this spiritual feast, and he has sent you an
invitation. Written across the bottom of the invitation is RSVP.
II. Jesus broke the bread -- a sign that even our mixed
motives can serve him. His ride into Jerusalem on that last
Sunday is remarkable. Jesus knew what lay in store for him. He
was aware that the crowds who shouted "Hosanna!" could easily be
swayed to shout "Crucify him!" He had seen the stealthy glances
of Judas and knew what would come of that. He had heard the
boisterous bragging of Simon Peter and knew the disciple would
not stand up under the crisis of the last week. He had watched
James and John wrangling for positions in the kingdom and knew
that such power grabs were no training for the night of the
cross. Jesus had seen all of this and much more. He knew what
would happen when the final crisis came.
Yet he chose to go to Jerusalem and take his chances with the
people. He understood the mixed up motives of his own closest
group, and he chose to honor even the smallest amount of
faithfulness. I do not know if that gives you hope, but it surely
does give it to me. What separated Jesus from the rest of
humanity was the fact that his were unmixed motives. He had a
perfect God-consciousness and was always motivated by love. Can
you say that about yourself? Can any of us?
I can imagine the conversation among the disciples in the
upper room after the crucifixion of Christ. It might have gone
something like this, if we will allow them to speak as we speak.
Simon Peter perhaps spoke up with difficulty as he choked back
the tears: "I didn't want to deny him. I didn't! My desire was to
stand by him all the way. But when I saw the reflected light as
the swords were drawn and heard the thunderous march of the
soldiers I panicked. I wanted to stand by him, but I just
couldn't. I betrayed him by my cowardice." James and John might
have spoken next: "We didn't understand. We were jockeying for
first place in Jesus' kingdom and didn't know what he meant when
he would say things like 'He who would be first must become the
servant of all.' We betrayed him by our hunger for power." On and
on it might have gone as each disciple confessed his own reason
for deserting Jesus on that fateful Friday. But it was to that
very group -- who followed with mixed motives -- that Jesus broke
the bread and gave it as a blessing. There is hope! The beginning
of the Lenten season is called Ash Wednesday. It is the day when
many Christians attend church services and get a smudge of ashes
on their foreheads. Where do those ashes come from? They are the
remains of the palm branches of the previous Palm Sunday. Jesus
entered Jerusalem and the people spread cloaks and waved palm
branches to welcome him. But they turned on him later. It is a
fitting symbol, then. This year's palm branches are burned to
provide the ashes of repentance next year.
Conclusion
On the night of his betrayal, Jesus took bread. He could have
taken a sword against those who would disobey, but he chose
bread. He could have scathed them with bitter accusations, but he
broke bread. He could have denied them all, the way they would
deny him, but he took bread.
In some word or action you have betrayed Christ this week, as
I have. Come to this table, then, with a sense of sin but more
importantly, with a sense of his forgiveness. He is still
breaking bread for us betrayers.
