Safety from Betrayal Easter 2

Safety from Betrayal

Luke 22:1-6

March 17, 2024

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This past week I had the opportunity to hang out with Nate and Isaac skiing after church. I was told by Isaac that his mom was “reassured” that I was going with them (a major misconception on safety). It was funny when Isaac told Nate and I that he told Sara, “Mom, do you know who spawn Nate? “After hanging out with the Wellingtons for many years, Isaac knows our family very well.

When we got to the top of the mountain Nate and I were watching Isaac progress like crazy! He was eating the mountain up like a pro. As we sat on the lift, Isaac was sitting in the middle as the three of us traveled up the mountain. Nate and I had a full conversation without even talking to each other and our horns grew through our helmets. Nate said, “We should go look at the face Isaac, it’s an amazing view!” Wisely Isaac said, “I don’t know guys, Brent will kill me if I don’t make it to work in the morning.”

My response was, “it doesn’t hurt to go look, Isaac!” When we got to the top, we started to move to the face. I told Isaac to ignore this sign: (draw the sign) DOUBLE BLACK DIAMONDS/Expert and caution signs. Now to my credit, I didn’t remember that to “take a look at the face” meant moving like 15% of the way down the mountain making it almost impossible to go back up. In other words, to “take a look” meant you HAD to go down the face.

Nate was a good friend and hung out with Isaac the entire way down. At the time it was funny. Isaac was a boss! He dug his heels in and slid down the run. No one got hurt and it was hilarious now that we look back on it. I knew he could do it but I bet that doesn’t make his mom feel any better about going with us.

When I rethought this situation, although it was funny, I wondered if Isaac felt like his friends betrayed him. We did a great job getting him to the edge, literally, and then allowed him to deal with the consequences of the decision. I’m making this out to be way worse than it was, please believe me Sara. But, in reality, one could argue that the betrayal is real. What if he did get hurt?

Context:

In today’s passage, we find our Lord just a few short hours away from the cross, the instrument of His death. The day of this recording was the feast of the Unleavened Bread or the Passover (the two are the same). The key players are Jesus, Judas, and the Chief Priests along with their officers, the temple guards. Remember that the Priest’s job was to maintain the law. The scribes were to interpret the Law (lawyers) and the guards carried out the orders of enforcement. They had one focus at this time, kill Jesus.

Luke is part of the synoptic (a comprehensive view or overview of the events) gospels. The synoptic or record of Christ’s works and life were Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew adds an important detail that Lukes does not. Matthew 26:1-5 records that at the time of Luke’s recording, Judas had already met with the religious leaders and had gotten paid. When Luke recorded this account, he writes in our passage today:

Vs 1 “Now the Feast of Unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover.”

Judas was waiting for the right time to betray Jesus and we will see why in a few minutes.

The message today is over such a vast amount of treasures. Without this, Easter would not have been fulfilled according to the Word of God. In three short verses, I have 4 hours of notes. No Eutychus today! Everyone who laughed gets a gold star, which means you have been reading your Bibles.

The betrayal of Judas has echoed throughout human history. Today we will look closely at how betrayal attacks personally, where betrayal comes from, how we all act like Judas. Then finally, how-to live-in freedom from betrayal.

1. Betrayal is personal.

Hurting another person can be done in many ways but betrayal is unique in nature. It is very interesting to me that the word “betrayal” goes perfectly with a name. You don’t even have to be a Christian or Bible believer to attribute “betrayal” to the name Judas. The reason is that this crime was so horrendous that time has not freed Judas from the yoke of the title of “betrayer”.

Let’s take a look at Judas. Here are some interesting facts about Judas:

a. We never know how Judas was called as one of the 12, but we do know that judging by some of the other writings of the Synoptics he is listed early enough to assume that he walked with Jesus for almost the entire 3-year ministry.

b. Judas is often associated with or listed as “son of Simon.” Meaning, the authors are very careful to make sure you and I know which Judas they were talking about. The reason why:

a. Judas was a very common name (The book of Jude was written by Judas the ½ brother of Jesus.

b. Lineage was very important to the Jews when last names were not used. Simon would have given the heritage and where he was from.

c. Iscariot was NOT a last name. It was where he was from. Interesting that where Judas was thought to come from was a community of assassins out of Moab or 11 miles south of Hebron. And, in Aramaic, Iscariot is translated as “Man of Kerioth; a man of murder. He will be hired.”

d. Dads, imagine your son doing something like this and you are linked to that action for eternity! Simon is linked to Judas as his father in no less than three other locations.

c. Judas was consistently listed last in the line of attendees in the historical record. Why? Because looking back, even keeping the record objective, the author’s disdain for what Judas did.

Is Judas the only one to blame in this story though? No, but he was the willing agent of the act. But, before we finish on Judas, let’s look at who took him to the face of the cliff.

We have covered before in previous sermons the hatred for Jesus from the religious establishment (pharisees). In short, the plot to kill Jesus came down to Envy and fear. As a great friend once said, “Envy is the handmaiden to murder.” And in this situation, he could not be more accurate.

Jesus had amassed great popularity, and influence. The religious leaders saw Jesus as a direct threat to their power and positions, this is why they wanted Him dead. What they needed was a willing party to put the plan in motion. This is where Judas fit in perfectly.

But they could not do it in front of the crowd, it had to be in secret something only one of Jesus’s own could manage.

Vs 2: And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put Him to death, for they feared the people… VS 4 “He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad…”

The word choices Luke uses are key to understanding the event and motive.

a. He “went away” – infers isolation. This was an act in the cover of secrecy. It was intended to be kept, or hidden. An application for us today is simple here. If you have to do something that requires this level of secrecy, it may give you a hint that it is something that is not worth doing! Please write this down and come back to this verse: Proverbs 18:1 “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” When people leave the body, they do so at their own cost.

b. “conferred” – in the Greek it means to “commune” or to chat with. Judas had at this point had done the dead. Remember what I said, in Matthew 26, he had already been paid. This conferring was him now in perfect harmony with the priests. Our application looks similar. Let me ask, who in your life do you know that you are hanging out with that you KNOW is evil? Who are you conferring with that encourages you to do dumb things? 1 Corinthians 15:33 says “Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.”

c. “betray” – paradidomi –means to hand over, entrust. It is an intimate giving. Judas was giving over the Lord of the universe into the hands of evil men. This intimate betrayal confirms the darkness of this man’s heart! If he would have truly know who he was handing over, he would NEVER had been able to do this. But, as a chosen participant, he was a willing participant.

I would ask, what is it that is precious that you are giving to sin? What are you giving up and handing over to evil? Highschoolers/collage people, are you forfeiting popularity for your purity? Same questions for the adults. Do not paradidomi the precious!

d. “they were glad” – chairo – means they rejoiced over the betrayal. If there was any heart of regret, it is absent here. Imagine, the two parties, Judas and the Priests shaking hands and celebrating the murder of an innocent man. Not just any man, but the One and Only Son of God. You may say, I would never do that! Well, actually, I would argue, our sin does this daily.

Every one of these actions I have been guilty of! In my sin I have gone in secret for my own gain. I have conferred with evil people to protect my lusts and desires. I have betrayed the innocent blood of Christ and paradidomidthe sacred for the vial. The only thing that separates me from Judas is the last one. I hated myself for it. I repented of these deeds. But I want all of us to understand that our sin is an act of betrayal. It is rebellion that put Christ on that cross.

The darkness of Judas’s action is beyond my comprehension though. The weight for this action should never be dismissed. It was an action that may have tasted sweet but quickly turned bitter. But, why do this?

Have you ever asked your parents why it had to be one way or another and they responded with, “Because I told you so?” Church the why may never be in our grasp. We may not know the specifics but I am going to say something pretty hard. It was because God said so.

The truth is this, God was not caught off guard by this action. Matter of fact, He saw it from eternity past. From the fall in Genesis 3, He knew that Judas would betray the only means of salvation unto death. It was foretold and preordained and scripted. Judas was the agent for this action and God knew it. God ordained this action to fulfill this plan.

Psalm 41:9: 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,

who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. [1]

The betrayal was in fact a requirement to the master’s plan. Could the cross happen without Judas? I would argue no. 1. It was foretold. 2. The religious leaders had a problem. The crowd and people were in the way. They needed an inside man. They could not act without getting Jesus away from the people. Look at Mark 14

14 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” [3]

Now to be clear, it was Judas who did the betrayal. You can’t blame the Pharisees (bad guys) for the act of betrayal. It was in fact Judas who did the deed. Mark 14:10-11

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him. [4]

Each Gospel gives us enough detail to put the entire story together. The betrayal was 100% necessary and 100% on God’s radar and plan. Even in the worst possible situation, do you think that God could have stopped it? Could God have forgiven Judas and set everything right? YES! But did He? No.

This is important to understand. I do not believe that Judas was made for this task. He could have chosen to repent and humble himself and like Peter, be restored. But he did not. God used this horrendous action for a greater plan of salvation for all.

God chose this action, this man and redeemed it and saved the souls of the lost. Did God create evil in Judas? NO! But, God chose him for this task. This is important to catch. If God created Judas and made him do this, it would be as if God created new evil. That is not what is taught. God allowed this evil for fulfillment of the plan of salvation.

What happened to this man’s heart to choose this action? Luke does a great job showing us how this came to be.

2. The father of betrayal is Satan.

Vs 3 “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.”

Again, Iscariot, a man of murder for hire, is indwelled with Satan. Now before I go any further, I have some words of caution. This is NOT the point of the text but a lot of attention is given to it. I have some very clear words of caution for all of us before I break this down:

1. Demons and Satan are 100% real.

2. We as believers have authority over them but no authority in that realm. (I’ll explain later).

3. We should NEVER pursue, get into or seek this realm. That is not our place. Many good intending Christians get captivated with Angelology and demonology and find themselves in places that they should never be.

4. We should be serious but never afraid as believers.

So, let’s break this down. There is a huge difference between “Possession and Temptation”. Allow me to describe each.

Possession is best described by JC Ryle. He says “ He (satan) is said to enter into the reprobate (non believer/un saved)when he takes possession of all their senses, overthrows the fear of God, extinguishes the light of reason, and destroys every feeling of shame.”

For Judas, I honestly believe that Satan was in fact the one who entered him. But for the many people who are “possessed,” they don’t rate having Satan as their possessor. He can’t be in all places at all times. He is NOT God! He can, however, use one of his companions to possess.

When a non-believer is possessed, the victim is like their father and becomes a man of destruction. There is no guilt for the betrayal of the Son of God during the act. Even after, Judas did not come to Christ in repentance and sorrow, instead, he kills himself. Possession is a complete surrender to the father of lies and death. A possessed person is completely surrendered to the control of evil.

At this point, it is important to know that Satan is NOT the opposite of God. If I asked, who is the enemy of God, you can’t say Satan. An enemy of someone would imply that that enemy had a fighting chance. NO, Satan is owned. He can not do anything without permission or the ability given to him. He is like a rabid dog at the end of a leash. The One who holds that leash is God. If God wanted him dead it is no fight. God is in complete control of and will destroy him with only words.

Is there hope for a possessed person? Church, remember, Satan and his angels are the fathers of lies and will tell their victim there is no going back, no hope and no salvation. But, that is in fact not true. Matthew 8:28-34 records men who were possessed and Christ freed them. The disciples freed people from possession, Paul freed people from possession, even today people are freed from possession.. No matter the lie, the possession is broken with the Gospel of Christ!

Remember I said we have authority over demons but have no authority in this realm. When Jesus sent out His disciples, they returned with excitement saying even the demons were subject to them!

Luke 10:17-20

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” [5]

The point is that last verse! Rejoice that your names are written in heaven! Believer, rejoice that your name is in heaven. We are not to mess with the realm of the spiritual. We are to be consumed with the Gospel and it’s message not what we can not see or understand. Our power over demons is ONLY THE GOSPEL!

But, can a believer be possessed? Can Satan possess a believer?

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.[6]

OR

Matthew 12:25:

Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27[7]

Can a believer, a true believer, be possessed by Satan or any one of his angels? NO! But, can a believer be oppressed? Meaning, can the hand of temptation and oppression be on a believer? Yes, that can in fact happen. This is why Paul tells us to put on the entire armor of God in Ephesians. We also see this played out in Job 1 as Satan basically turns Job’s entire world upside down (by permission from God only). But, the critic will say, Pastor, you have a problem. Jesus Himself calls Peter Satan to his face!

I am so glad to talk about this situation. Turn with me to that passage.

Matthew 16:23

Peter had just confessed that Jesus was the LORD. Jesus had just affirmed him by saying Peter upon this rock I’ll build my church. Peter follows the conventional wisdom of the world and echoes Satan’s own plan that he tempted Jesus with at the beginning of his ministry. Jesus replies to Peter’s suggestion about not going to the cross with:

“Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Yikes! Hard words! Peter was NOT Satan. Peter was acting as a mouthpiece from hell. Peter was demonstrating oppression from the evil one. Peter was saved at this point! Just as Peter had just been told he was going to be the rock to build the church, he was now a rock to stumble over (hindrance = a stumbling block/rock) that was misplaced in the way of the Lord.

Truthfully many well-meaning Christians are like this I am sorry to say. We all can say that we have been the mouthpiece of evil. I am guilty of this myself. Here are some tangibles I have been apart of.

Our complaints on how the church functions with not contribution to fix it? Or, our desires for how things should be run delivered with anger? Or our opinions that are thought to be delivered in “love” bur are really oppressive thoughts delivered in stumbling block form?

If not done from the right heart, they become hurtful hindrances and are damaging. Peter was not Satan. Well-meaning brothers and sisters are NOT Satan. They act based on the oppression of influence of the sin nature. Outbursts from evil oppression are not possessions, but are still routed from the same pit of evil.

As your Pastor, I would challenge all of us to remember a couple of things. Please, watch the words that come out. Do they come with loving suggestions or critical spirits? If you want to know if your words are from the oppression of hell or loving suggestions, ask for feedback on the comment. Look at the face of the one you are talking to. Did it hurt? If so, you may want to look deeply and ask, was that a spirit of oppression or a spirit of love? Ask for feedback!

Now, if you feel like you have been attacked by a spirit of oppression, I would challenge you to share that with that person. Make it clear, lovingly that the criticism hurt and was not warranted. It’s okay to share that. The fewer stumbling blocks the better because sin makes all of us act like Judas.

Let’s go back to my introduction. I should have not allowed Isaac to go out for the look of that face at bogus. I betrayed his trust. Do you know the power of that betrayal? He could have been seriously hurt. He trusted me. Things could have gone horribly wrong. I said things in “fun” that got him to go to the face. It was funny at the time but not so much now. Isaac should have told me no and went in a different direction. Ultimately it could have caused physical hurt.

My comments could have truly hurt him physically, but I am more concerned about spiritual damage caused by and to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

My desire for all of us is that we go in a direction pleasing to God and live in freedom from betrayal.

3. Live in your source of freedom.

Ever wonder how 1/3 of the angels who were in the face of God still fell from heaven? Ever wonder how you could spend 3 years with God in the flesh and still miss it? Ever wonder how you could spend an entire lifetime in church and still miss Christ? Unfortunately, there are people in this room who are living a life like Judas because they do not recognize their source of protection and freedom.

Protection from betrayal is found in Christ. I can’t say it any more clearly than that! Do you know the difference between Judas who betrayed Jesus and Peter who denied Jesus? It is found in two passages but my favorite is

Luke 22:31-32

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”[8]

The difference is that Christ prayed for Peter! Christ afforded Peter the protection of the Son. Peter, “When you have turned again” strengthen your brothers. Look closely at this. Jesus recognized that He would turn and then gave him a command. Peter was offered the protection and took it! 100% act of God in flesh and 100% Peter in response!

Judas never turned to Christ. Instead He attempted to fix the problem of guilt after being caught himself only to learn that it was impossible. He was a willing party to the betrayal. But, Peter turned and repented as a result of Christ’s prayer.

The result of Judas’s actions was his suicide. The result of Peter’s repentance and Chrit’s promise was that a church was built that is still striving today. Peter went to glory, Judas went to destruction. He (Judas) is even called the “man of destruction” in John 17:12.

2 Corinthians 7:10 says “10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance [a]without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

The first half of that verse should have a picture of Peter next to it. The second half that talks about “without regret produces death” should have a picture of Judas next to it! When sin is confronted and the response is repentance and humility, God saves.

The difference could not be more obvious. Peter lived in the source of freedom, Christ! He is showing us how to do the same thing! Jesus came to offer true freedom from the bondage of oppression and destruction.

John 10:10

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.[1]

I do not know why Jesus did not pray for Judas. It’s not mine to ask. What is seen is the effect of that prayer. As believers, Christ prays for and intercedes for our freedom from sin. Romans 8:26-28 speaks of our weakness being helped by the Spirit. The Spirit intercedes with groanings. And we know that God works for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

He (Jesus) is advocating for us in the face of God. The expectation is that we “turn again” and strengthen our brothers. We are no longer to be betrayers of the Son in sin. We are called to a new life of freedom.

You know church, we really do have a choice. We have been given the message. We see the good news is in Christ alone. Jesus knows the decision is not for all. He will even give you an out. When the crowds left Him because of his hard truths, He asks a strong question

John 6:67

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Do you know who was in that crowd that stayed with Jesus? Judas! He pretended that He was OF Christ or believed. He was with Christ, but that is not good enough. To not be OF Christ means you are following the wrong leader. You are following the one who will lead you to the same fate as Judas.

THE UNBELIEVER ASIDE:

Judas goat analogy:

At the right time, the goat leaves in a secret door and the lamb is left to deal with the guilt and shame. The goat returns to the herd for another batch and escapes the guilt. The guilt crashes in on the sheep, the knife is put to the throat and the goat is nowhere to be found. Listen, unbeliever, before it is too late, stop following the goat. The source of freedom from death is the one who came in the flesh.

Christ came and was betrayed by Judas to the cross in a perfect plan to save the lost. Jesus was sent to pay the penalty for your sin and justify the righteous anger of God towards you. Christ paid for that. He will free you from that penalty of sin and death! He said I have come so that they may have a life! Now live in that free gift. Confess that Jesus is Lord over your life and you will be saved.

Unfortunately, there are still some that are like Judas. Don’t leave here like that! It’s not too late! Before you will be held responsible for your betrayal in sin, repent! Come to Christ!

Conclusion

Judas followed the goat and unfortunately, others are following him in the same direction. Wide is the path of destruction, and narrow is the way... (that way is Christ.... John 14:6) He was left with the crushing feeling of shame that ended his life. Today we looked at the role he played, the reason he played it and why. It was God’s plan that His Son go to that cross to pay for the many other Judas in the world. Although our sin makes us like Judas, He provided us freedom from the same end. My challenge to all of us is simple. Live in that freedom from being like Judas!