Title: Until Betrayal / Luke 22:1-6
Until you become a traitor
Bible Text: Luke 22:1-6
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' twelve disciples, always had a shameful adjective attached to him. It means traitor. In Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece {The Last Supper}, he is portrayed as a sinister figure with thin eyes. Because of his betrayal of Jesus, he became the object of being turned away and despised. He decided to confirm who Jesus was by kissing him on a dark night. It is only natural to receive such treatment, since we have reduced the signs of love and affection to those of betrayal and despicableness.
I hope you will learn a lesson by examining the reasons why Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus.
First, because Satan entered Judas.
Verse 3 says that Satan entered Judah. It should be noted that this is different from the expression of possessing a demon. The demon-possessed people in the four Gospels cause physical dysfunction and sometimes show signs of self-abuse due to mental abnormalities. Anyone could tell that they were something different. But this was not the case with Judas. Satan did not turn into a devil when he became strange as soon as he entered. Outwardly there was no difference. It was also perfectly normal when he went to the chief priests and the officers to discuss. Otherwise, they would not have even dealt with Judas.
Luke apparently used this expression to mean that Judas' thoughts and actions were brought under Satan's control. Judas has not been under Satan's control since then. Later, when he saw Jesus being condemned, he felt remorse and repented of what he had done. It's hard to believe that at that moment Satan had control over him!
“When Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, when he saw that he was condemned, repented and brought the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:3). ,4)
No matter how good a person is, they should know that if their thoughts are controlled by the devil and Satan, they can act as mean and cruel as Judas Iscariot did. The devil and Satan are the enemy of mankind. Never try to glorify him or make him worship him out of fear by portraying him as a great spiritual being with great powers, as in movies and cartoons.
No one can overcome Satan by his own strength. Only God can overcome Satan in this world. Only those who have God the Holy Spirit in their hearts through faith in Jesus Christ can resist the temptations of the devil.
“Children, you are of God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Second, because Judas developed covetousness.
"Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, who was going to arrest Jesus, said, "Why didn't you sell this perfume for three hundred denarii and give it to the poor?" He said this, not because he was thinking of the poor, but because he was a thief, who took the money box and put it there. They stole things” (John 12:4-6).
Like the other disciples, Judas Iscariot left everything and followed Jesus. He believed in Jesus only as a political Messiah. I had the ambition that if I followed him, he would take a seat in his place when he became king. But even though people support him, he refuses to take on that role, and he is saying that three years later, he will die a lot.
The disappointment and loss of hope for Jesus may have sparked a moment of retaliation against Jesus. In addition, the long-cultivated covetousness must have made him think of negotiating with the religious leaders who are eager to set fire and kill him.
The betrayal of Judas is shocking in that it was an action taken after being with Jesus for three years. What he agreed to receive in return was 30 pieces of silver, which was only the ransom of a slave. It was too little for the price. So it's hard to conclude that his purpose is just for money.
Some scholars have inferred that Judas Iscariot tried to exposing Jesus, who was passive in his view, to danger, compelling him to become the political Messiah. Even in that case, his motive must be greed for material things and worldly power.
There are those who go to church who live a life of faith only with the thought of becoming rich. It is because we hear the evangelism saying, “If you believe in God, you will be blessed.” There are people who tithe only with the intention of getting rich. It's because I hear sermons saying, "You will be blessed if you tithe." It is true that if you believe in God, you will be blessed. However, simply attending worship services does not mean you will be blessed. Blessings are given to us as we put God's words into practice one by one by faith. What do you do if you tithe all the time in your life, leaving behind the sins that God hates? Can we become rich in that way? We can enjoy material blessings on this earth through obedience, but the place where God's promised blessings are fully realized is not on this earth, but in heaven.
People who are unaware of this fact complain that after years of attending church and serving, they have not become rich. They slander the church and speak blasphemy against God and Jesus.
Give me back the youth I gave to the church to become rich.
Give me back the money I gave to the church to get rich.
How different from when Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for money! I hope that no one lives a life of faith with only the thought of becoming rich.
Third, because Judas had no experience of being born again.
Before choosing the twelve disciples, Jesus prayed all night and chose them (Luke 6:12,13). When he sent his disciples out in pairs to evangelize, Judas also went out to evangelize and performed many miracles. But the Bible clearly states that he was never saved.
"Jesus answered, "Did I not choose you twelve? But one of you is a devil." These words were referring to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. He must betray Jesus as one of the twelve." (John 6:70) ,71)
"Jesus said to him, "He who has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, but his whole body is clean. You are clean, but not all." This is because he knows who will betray him. Therefore, not all are clean." (John 13) :10,11)
“The Son of Man goes as it is written about him, but woe to him who betrays him, for it would have been better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24).
Because Judas had not been born again, he could not be sensitive to Jesus' warnings. At the Passover Supper, Jesus said that one of his disciples would betray him. Judas, like the other disciples, said, "Is it me?" I asked, and the Lord answered yes. Nevertheless, far from repenting, he put into practice an evil plan.
A born-again Christian will never betray the Lord as did Judas Iscariot. However, if we are wary of greed and do not resist the devil, we may betray the love and trust that those around us have given us. A Christian should not be a traitor.