Lent Wed 1a Luke 22:1-6 & 47-53 Betrayed with a Kiss
Confessions of Christ’s Enemies
In the 10th chapter of Romans, Saint Paul tells us, “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."” Romans 10:9-11 (ESV) Our confession is important. In fact without a confession of faith, we will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. But do the confessions of the enemies of Jesus lead to salvation? Is it possible to be near Christ, to associate with his followers and still not be truly saved? Tonight we will look at the confession of Judas.
The first mention of Judas is in Matthew 10 where Jesus gave Judas and the other eleven, power over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and diseases. Jesus sends all twelve out with the following instructions, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.” Matthew 10:5-10 (ESV)
We can’t help but wonder as to how Judas felt about having such great abilities and being instructed by Jesus to not make a tidy sum of money from them. John tells us about the time when “Mary took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. But Judas said, "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" John tells us that Judas said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Jesus chastised Judas and said, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." John 12:3-8 (ESV) So from this we learn that Judas was a thief and it must have annoyed him that Jesus would not let him make a profit.
It could well be that Judas was annoyed with Jesus because he couldn’t hide his thoughts and intentions from the Lord. When other people looked at Judas they saw one of Christ’s disciples doing the work of a good and kind man, but Jesus saw him for who he truly was. The thought of God knowing your deepest thoughts and secret desires is enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Many deny their Lord and Savior because they cannot hide their true selves from God.
Or maybe Judas went to the chief priest and scribes out of plain and simple greed. Thirty pieces of silver would have been worth at least three or four months pay. That’s quite a sum of money for a few hours work. Sometimes money talks so loud that it can’t be ignored and we all can use more money. But money is like a prostitute. It is going to go with the one who offers her the most flattery and who is willing to do anything for her; no matter how much honesty and uprightness they have to give up to get her.
But money and sin never deliver what they promise. Money and Satan entice people to act in a way that they consider in their own best interests, but which in reality only extends control over their lives. Neither sin nor the love of money can bring about true happiness. They only bring about enslavement. You have to be able to live with your decisions for the rest of your life. While sin may give one temporary pleasure, it does not bring about lasting love or comfort. Still, that much money for such a little effort was hard for Judas to forego, so he makes a deal to be disloyal to Jesus.
On the night of the Last Supper we can see how Jesus was reaching out to Judas. Jesus knows that Judas has already made the deal to betray Him but He uses the Passover meal as one last chance to appeal for the soul of Judas. Before the meal, as Jesus goes around the table washing each of the disciple’s feet, He also washed the feet of Judas.
We do not know whether Judas was uncomfortable having His feet washed as many of the other disciples were or if Judas enjoyed the special attention. But we do know that Jesus was reaching out to him. As He washed Peter’s feet he said, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you." John 13:10 (ESV) Jesus said this in love. It was aimed at the conscience of Judas. His words perhaps caused Judas pain, but apparently not enough for him to repent from his sin, or to confess what he had planned.
As the meal commenced, John (13:18) also tells us that Jesus said, “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” It is plain to see that this is an offer showing Judas that it is not too late; he does not have to go through with his betrayal. But clearly Judas’ loyalties lie elsewhere as he takes the bread that Jesus offers without exhibiting any sign of guilt.
So it is today, in order to turn our backs on Jesus; either to refuse His offer of forgiveness or to continue in a path of destruction, we have to ignore Jesus and every opportunity He places in our path. We must ignore the Bible which is God’s recorded word that is the most published book in the world. We must forego humble prayers and reject the help and advice of good Christian people that God puts in our lives. We may turn our backs on Jesus, we may choose to ignore him and reject His forgiveness but will do so only because we have chosen to.
When we continue in our sins and refuse to confess them before God, He will ultimately give us over to our sinful desires. After Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." John 13:27 (ESV) How foolish Judas looks in our eyes! How foolish it seems to us that someone who has been with Jesus, who has even done miraculous things in His name, who has witnessed so much of the power of the Savior can still remain so blind. And yet there are many who refuse to turn to Jesus in faith and trust Him as their Savior.
Saint Paul says of all those who lack faith, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Philip. 3:18-19 (ESV)
Later that night, however Judas comes near to Jesus to confess that he is the One. He does not speak; rather He comes to Jesus to identify Him with a kiss. And most regrettably, Judas comes not to confess his sins to Jesus but only to point Him out to a mob intent on taking the Lord prisoner. In those days a kiss was like a handshake or a warm hug. It was done among friends. Even today one of the most beautiful means that we show love to one another is kissing. We kiss friends, lovers, our children, our parents and others whom we love deeply. In fact, tomorrow we celebrate Valentines Day with love and kisses. How appalling it is for Judas to consider using a kiss as a means of betrayal. It is even shocking to Jesus.
Our lesson tells us, “While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, "Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"” (Luke 22:47-48 ESV) So we see that Judas knew who Jesus was; His confession was in his attempted kiss.
But his confession did not come from a heart filled with love and understanding. Rather, Judas confessed Christ only to satisfy His own sinful desires. Judas did not see Jesus as his Savior and his confession did not lead to his salvation. But God used the evil heart of Judas to bring about His plan of salvation for all those who would believe. It is for this very reason that Jesus chose Judas to be one of the twelve.
Jesus went peacefully with the crowd who had come to arrest him because this was the Father’s will. The Son of God would go before the Sanhedrin and then before Pilate to be condemned and crucified as a criminal. There Jesus would die for the sins of all mankind as Jesus had foretold the twelve. This of course was all according to God’s plan, but it was not what Judas had expected.
Even though he heard Jesus say that He would die on a cross, Judas never really paid any attention to His words. Judas was too wrapped up in himself and his sinful desires to have understood. But sinful plans never go according to people’s desires. Sin never turns out as good as people expect it to and in this case Judas realizes that his betrayal meant that Jesus would die.
Now we know from scripture that Judas went back to the Chief Priests and Pharisees saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." (Matthew 27:4 ESV) Judas went to the wrong people for absolution. He put himself back under the Law rather than returning to Jesus. Remorse without repentance leads only to despair. And yet even with Judas’ acknowledgement of his sin, and his remorsefulness, he still couldn’t bring himself to ask for forgiveness from the only one who could give it.
So Judas one of the twelve, who from all outward appearances was a member of Christ’s inner circle, went from there and hung himself. It is a terrible thing to go to Hell from anywhere, but what terrible anguish there for those who go to Hell from the church.
It is too late for Judas, but it is not too late for you. Let the Lord fill your heart with the knowledge that Jesus Christ died for your sins and that you can come to Him for forgiveness. Let the Holy Spirit sanctify your heart with the love of God so that you detest sin and look forward to living a godly life. And most of all let your heart believe and your tongue confess that Jesus is Lord and you will be saved. In Jesus Name, Amen.