May 25 - Judas. In Control?

May 25 – Judas. In Control?

“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’ 

“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. (John 13:18-30)

It’s like a standard story plot, isn’t it!  A close friend of the hero betrays him and everything turns upside down.  However, in this story, the hero is prepared for the betrayal – even knows which of his friends will do it and how it will happen.  It’s part of the plan.

How do you explain to the world, though that there will be one among those whom are entrusted with Jesus’ life while on earth who will betray Him to His death?  When Jesus chose the twelve who would follow Him, there would be one who would never have the chance to spread the Good News of His transformative power. 

As I thought about that, I realized that we all have the choice to be Judas or Peter.  It wasn’t just the fact that Judas betrayed Jesus one time, it was that he would never again have the chance to tell people about the new life that can be found in knowing Jesus personally.  He cut himself off from the source of life and the opportunities that awaited him in the future.  Betrayal led to Jesus’ death, Judas’ death and the death of one man’s positive impact on the world.  The other disciples were able to experience the joy of telling the world about their relationship with Jesus.  They found so much in that joy that they suffered incredible pain.  Judas stopped before he even had a chance to get started. 

Judas’ life was centered in the minutiae.  He was worried about the money, he was worried about himself, he was worried about how all of Jesus’ teachings would impact his little world.  So, he took control of the situation in order to maintain status quo in his little world.  With Jesus arrested and gone, the world he had created around himself might stay within his control and offer a sense of normal.  He didn’t want to experience anything more than what he was familiar with.

As disciples we are called to reach beyond our small lives to tell the world about Jesus – no matter the cost.  It’s an exciting life.