The story of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, is one of the most tragic and sobering episodes in the Bible. Judas, who had followed Jesus for three years, witnessed His miracles, heard His teachings, and shared His fellowship, betrayed Him to the Jewish authorities for thirty pieces of silver. He then led a mob of soldiers and officials to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he identified Jesus with a kiss. This act of treachery set in motion the events that led to Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection.
Why did Judas do it? What motivated him to turn against his Master and friend? The Bible does not give us a clear answer, but it does offer some clues. Judas was a thief, who used to steal from the money bag that he kept for the group (John 12:6). He was a hypocrite, who pretended to care for the poor, but was really greedy and selfish (John 12:4-6). He was influenced by Satan, who entered into him and prompted him to betray Jesus (John 13:27). Judas may have been disillusioned with Jesus, who did not meet his expectations of a political Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and restore the kingdom of Israel (Luke 22:3-6).
Whatever the reasons, Judas made a terrible choice that had devastating consequences. He betrayed the Son of God, who loved him and died for him. He betrayed his fellow disciples, who trusted him and considered him a brother. He betrayed himself, by losing his integrity, dignity, and salvation. He felt so remorseful and hopeless that he hanged himself, ending his miserable life (Matthew 27:3-5).
The betrayal of Judas is a stark reminder of the human capacity for betrayal and the importance of discerning the true nature of one’s commitments. Judas was not a true disciple of Jesus, but a false one. He did not love Jesus, but loved money more. He did not obey Jesus, but followed his own agenda. He did not serve Jesus, but served the enemy. He did not remain faithful to Jesus, but abandoned Him at the most critical moment.
We can learn from Judas’ example and avoid making the same mistake. We can examine our hearts and motives, and make sure that we are truly committed to Jesus, not to anything or anyone else. We can love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and not let anything or anyone take His place. We can obey Jesus’ commands and follow His will, not our own. We can serve Jesus with all our gifts and resources, and not waste them on selfish pursuits. We can remain faithful to Jesus until the end, and not forsake Him when trials and temptations come.
The betrayal of Judas underscores the gravity of our choices and the consequences of aligning ourselves with or against the will of God. Judas chose to reject Jesus, and he faced eternal condemnation. He chose to side with the enemies of God, and he became an enemy himself. He chose to exchange the priceless treasure of Jesus for the worthless trinkets of this world, and he lost everything.
We can choose differently. We can choose to accept Jesus, and receive eternal life. We can choose to side with the friends of God, and become God’s children. We can choose to value the precious gift of Jesus above all else, and gain everything.
The choice is ours. Let us choose wisely. Let us choose Jesus.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
We come to You today with heavy hearts, as we remember the painful betrayal of Judas, who sold out Your Son for a few coins. We are saddened and shocked by his actions, and we wonder how he could do such a thing.
Lord, we confess that we too have betrayed You in different ways. We have been unfaithful, dishonest, selfish, and rebellious. We have loved the world more than You. We have followed our own desires more than Your will. We have served ourselves more than You. We have forsaken You when You needed us most.
Forgive us, Lord, for our sins. Cleanse us, Lord, from our guilt. Restore us, Lord, to Your grace. Help us, Lord, to learn from Judas’ mistake, and to avoid repeating it.
Lord, we thank You for Your love, that is stronger than any betrayal. We thank You for Your mercy, that is greater than any sin. We thank You for Your grace, that is sufficient for any weakness. We thank You for Your Son, who died for us, even though we betrayed Him.
Lord, we ask You to fill us with Your Spirit, that we may love You with all our being. We ask You to guide us with Your Word, that we may obey You in all our actions. We ask You to empower us with Your gifts, that we may serve You with all our abilities. We ask You to sustain us with Your faithfulness, that we may follow You until the end.
Lord, we choose You today, and every day. We choose life over death, light over darkness, truth over lies, peace over strife, joy over sorrow, hope over despair, and love over hate. We choose You, Lord, because You are the best choice we can ever make.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Recent Comments