Listen here.
I’ve struggled with this message. It’s a little bit hard –
not difficult mind you, but hard, painful, to approach Jesus’ betrayal.
It’s tempting to keep everything at arm’s length. Judas
betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Focus in on the facts, his greed, his
regret, his despair. Peter denied knowing Jesus as he was confronted at the
fire. Don’t take your eyes off him, his fear, his weakness, and his failure
after boasting. We could even speak of the other disciples – all running away
in the face of danger, abandoning their Lord, their rabbi, their friend.
That’s easy. Just talk about what those men did all those
years ago. What is hard is taking this account to heart and seeing our own
actions that betray Jesus. It’s embarrassing. It raises shame in our hearts to
think of times that we committed ourselves to follow Jesus, to reject our sin,
to not give in to that temptation ever again … and we find that our actions
betray our Lord … again. It makes us fearful to consider, if I turned my back
on Jesus, if I was unfaithful to him, will he reject me, lock me out of his
kingdom, kick me out of his family? It’s much more comfortable to think about
Judas and Peter, and their fates, than to consider ourselves.
But let’s consider ourselves. Let’s examine our hearts.
Let’s ask the question: What’s your price?
You see we are all people who have experienced God’s love in
Christ. We have felt the joy of His salvation. We know our sins are forgiven.
We know that God is love, and that God so loved the world that He gave his only
Son, and that this is love, not that we have loved God, but He has loved us and
Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Everything we do here is
because God loves us.
Yet over and over again we leave that love behind. We step
away from it. We deny it by our actions. We betray the one who loves us by our
choices, our priorities, our desires. We flee the presence of God’s love and
run off to experience life, to have a little fun, and, perhaps, even to find a
different love. And this is such a tragedy! Somehow we become deaf to the voice
that calls us “Beloved” and we go seek what the world offers us instead.
Is that not a betrayal of God’s love? A betrayal of Jesus’
sacrifice?
So Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. What was
the price for you to turn away from his will for you, to turn away from his
love. Was it the fierce satisfaction that comes after speaking a stinging word
to win an argument? Was it the promise of some pleasure that you feel God
denies you? Could it be the moment of numbness for the painful experiences of
life?
Peter betrayed Jesus because he was afraid those around him
would find out that he was one of Jesus’ followers. What about you? Does the
promise of safety, avoiding a confrontation, saving your reputation, not
looking foolish keep you from fully following where Jesus would lead you? Does
it keep you from trusting His Word and promises?
Do you see why this is hard? We don’t always like what we
see when we look closely. And the fact of the matter is that we have all
betrayed Jesus … in our thoughts, in our actions, in our attitudes, in our
words, in our priorities, and in so many ways. And deep down, we know it.
But so does Jesus. He knew Judas would betray him, and yet
he continued to call him friend. He knew that Peter would deny him, and he
prayed for Peter and warned him. He knew we would betray him too, and he
continues to love us, to forgive us, to call us his own, and to work in our
lives to draw us close to him.
Why? Why would he do that?
Because … He … Loves … You.
And this is what makes Jesus’ love such a treasure. It is
completely undeserved, thoroughly unearned, and we are absolutely unworthy, and
he loves us anyway. He lavishly, abundantly, generously, almost foolishly,
pours out his love on us.
Treasure that love.
Over the years I have read many motivational books. Many
talk about our reason for doing what we do. In the Christian life, our reason
always begins with this – because God loves us.
Why come to church? Because God loves you.
Why confess my sins? Because God loves you.
Why read my Bible? Because God loves you.
Why be a good citizen? Because God loves you.
Why be generous? Because God loves you.
Why work to the best of my ability? Because God loves you.
Why should I hope for the future? Because God loves you.
Why should I have joy in the midst of troubles? Because God
loves you.
And God’s love is more than an emotion or a sentiment. God’s
love is action and purpose. God’s love is Creation – taking nothing and
creating everything. God’s love is the Cross – taking our sin and death and
giving us life. God’s love is his Spirit dwelling within us every day, never leaving
us, never forsaking us, always calling, encouraging, strengthening, and leading
us in faith.
Jesus bore betrayal so that we can treasure God’s love. May
that treasure move you to love the Lord all the more, and may God’s love
motivate you to love him beyond sentiment or feeling, but to love him with
actions of obedience, mercy, kindness and acts of love for your neighbor. Amen.
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