Judas Experience
The Pain of
Betrayal
by Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus
What’s your Judas experience?
We all have a Judas experience in which someone we care about, or
deeply love, has betrayed us in some way.
Perhaps it was a breach of confidence or trust, or maybe you
were grievously betrayed and your heart was broken.
Betrayal can be devastating.
Jesus taught us a great lesson about this in His final hours
with His disciples.
Remembering His Words
For those who walked with Jesus, the week prior to Easter was
filled with revelation of what was to come.
Jesus was preparing His
followers for His departure. He also spent a great deal of time teaching them
and providing comfort and assurance of His love and provision for them.
Additionally, Jesus was giving
them hope. The hope they would need when His death would bring despair.
Holy Week is the time in which
we remember Jesus’ final days on earth and His death, burial and resurrection.
His journey to the cross began
in Bethlehem, came into view on the day we call Palm Sunday and was finished
when Jesus spoke His final words.
The week began with what we now
call Palm Sunday. On that day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey,
and the people hailed Him as King.
Yet this King did not wear
regal attire, nor was He accompanied by soldiers and servants to protect and
care for Him.
This King did not ride on a
horse. Instead, He came into the bustling city of Jerusalem, just as He entered
into the small, sleeping town of Bethlehem, more than thirty years earlier —
under the humblest of circumstances.
The days before the
crucifixion are recorded in all four Gospels.
In these accounts, we are given
great insight into Jesus’ thoughts, words, and actions during His final days.
We read of His teachings and
His sacrificial service to others.
The most significant event,
prior to the final hours of His journey to the cross, was Jesus’ last
supper with His disciples.
The Bible tells us that this
supper took place on the evening of Nisan 14, the day of preparation for
the Passover feast day.
Jesus gathered with His 12
disciples and shared a meal with them in the upper room in the home of a
friend.
Betrayal Revealed
At this meal, Jesus proclaimed that one who was present with them
would betray Him (John 13:21).
This betrayer would soon hand
Him over to the authorities to be killed.
Prior to making this statement,
Jesus had humbled Himself and taken on the role of a servant washing the feet
of those present.
In doing this, He washed the
feet of all 12 disciples, including Judas the one who would betray Him.
What must Jesus have thought
when He stooped to wash Judas’ feet?
What burned in His heart as He
looked up into the eyes of Judas, knowing the evil intent that filled the heart
of this disciple?
We know the amazing love of God
and we know God’s mercy and grace in loving unworthy sinners.
Jesus loved Judas, even though
it would be just a short time later that Judas would betray Him with a
kiss.
“But Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man
with a kiss?’” (Luke 22:48)
Would you, could you, have that
kind of sacrificial love for someone, if you knew the person was
about to betray you?
What’s Your Judas Experience?
Everyone has been betrayed by someone, in some way, and at some
time.
Some betrayals are more
devastating than others, and some have greater consequences than others, but
all betrayals strike a blow to our hearts and pierce our souls.
And, in some way and to some
extent, betrayal will affect our love for the betrayer.
We are not Jesus. We do not
posses the unconditional love that He has for us, the unlovable.
We do not give others the
mercy and forgiveness that He gives to us, the unworthy.
And the grace that He so
generously gives us, the underserving, we often withhold from those we deem to
be undeserving.
But do we not all want to be
more like Jesus?
And do we not all want to
be conformed to His image? (Romans 8:29)
Remember You Have Been Forgiven
Therefore, when we are betrayed, or when we reflect on a time
in which we were betrayed, we should be quick to pause and remember that
we were also betrayers at one time.
Before we found salvation in
Christ, we were betrayers of the only One who is worthy of all our love, all
our devotion, our complete surrender and total obedience.
Yet, Jesus still loved us and
He forgave us.
We should remember that we are
to love our neighbors, even those who betray us, in the same way that
Jesus loved Judas -with a sacrificial love.
While we might not be able to
love completely unconditionally, we are very capable of loving sacrificially,
without conditions.
Because, in Christ, we have
already been given all that we need, we are therefore free to give all
that we have.
That includes loving those
who have wronged us. Loving those who are undeserving. Loving others as we have
been loved.
Count Your Blessings, Not Your
Misfortunes
Set your mind and thoughts on Jesus. Look unto the Author and
Finisher of your faith.
May we all devote our hearts to
Him and remember how much He loved us, even when we were sinful betrayers
of His love.
“For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)
“Wherefore, as by one
man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans
5:12)
“But God commended his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Be a Fast Forgiver
Are we quick to forgive those who betray us? Or do we withhold
forgiveness with selfish conditions?
Only when we consider how much
we have been forgiven will we be able to quickly and willingly forgive
others.
Forgiving love is sacrificial
and must be without “strings.”
Conditions such as, “If you meet my expectations, then I will
accept you.”
Or, “If you make restitution for how you wronged me, then I will forgive
you.” It is not grace … it is self-vindication and self-justification.
“If you do this or do that … then I will love you” is not love … it is control.
Cut the “strings” of
conditions. Love others sacrificially because you are loved with the
sacrificial and unconditional love of Jesus.
· In His perfect love, Jesus offered Himself for our sins.
· In His perfect love, Jesus opened the way for
our sins to be forgiven.
· In His perfect love, Jesus gives salvation to
us when we repent and trust in His finished work.
· In His perfect love, Jesus bestowed upon
us His Holy Spirit to indwell us and to teach and guide us.
· In His perfect love, Jesus continues to
forgive us each time we sin, for “… he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins” (1 John 1:9).
· In His perfect love, Jesus promises that one day all things
will be restored to the way God created the world and intended it to be in that
first Garden: Perfect shalom (peace) on earth.
Next time you are betrayed by
someone you love, do not dwell on the pain and suffering the betrayer has
caused.
Instead …
· Remember that Jesus loved the one who betrayed Him.
· Remember that the one who betrayed Jesus was not only
Judas…it was also you and me.
· Remember that Jesus has forgiven us and we can forgive
others.
· Remember that Jesus has given us the greatest gift ever—peace with
God.
Next time you are betrayed by
someone be quick to remember the apostle Paul’s words:
“And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians
4:32)
· During Holy Week hail the King of kings, who came to seek and save
the lost (Luke 19:10).
For we were all once lost, but
because of His great love we are found.
· During Holy Week commit to seeking Jesus by spending more
time in daily Bible reading and prayer (Matthew 7:7).
· During Holy Week remember the One who gave His all to free
you from your sins (John 3:16).
Establish your
heart, anchor your soul, and transform your mind by remembering who
Jesus is, what He has done for you, and who you are in Him.
God the
Father chose to send Jesus to the cross to show His love and the seriousness of
our sin.
Jesus accepted to take our punishment, to save all who would believe.
Why
not receive
God's gift of salvation and become His child?
Open
your heart and say this prayer:
“Father God, I confess I am
a sinner and my sins have separated me from You.
I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from
my past sinful life and live a new life pleasing to You.
Please forgive me, and help
me avoid sinning again.
I believe that Your Son,
Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and
hears my prayer.
I invite Jesus to become the
Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Thank You
that according to Your Word, I am now born again.
Please send your Holy Spirit
to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. I promise to
study Your Word - the Bible.
Use me for Your glory.
In Jesus' Name I pray.
Amen.”
"WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved," (Romans 10:13).
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“Count Your Blessings”
Johnson Oatman, Jr.
CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist
lyrics
1 When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
2 Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
[Refrain]
3 When you look at others with their lands and gold,Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
[Refrain]
4 So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
[Refrain]
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