Untitled Sermon (4)

Read Matthew 26:20-25

Have you ever been betrayed by someone close to you?

Not a stranger. Not an enemy. But someone you trusted — someone who knew your heart, sat at your table, maybe even shared your deepest moments. There’s a certain kind of pain that comes when someone you let in… walks out with pieces of you.

Most of us have felt that. And if we haven’t yet, we will. Because betrayal doesn’t always come with a warning. Sometimes it comes with a smile.

In Matthew 26:17–25, we find Jesus at the most intimate moment with His disciples — gathered around the table for the Passover meal. It’s supposed to be a sacred moment of remembrance and connection. But right in the middle of it, Jesus says something that chills the room: “One of you will betray me.”

Can you imagine the silence? The stares across the table? The questioning — “Surely not I, Lord?”

And there’s Judas… still sitting there. Still pretending. Still dipping his bread in the bowl with Jesus, even though he had already made the deal.

This story isn’t just about Judas — it’s about us. Because this passage presses a hard but necessary question: What’s really going on in your heart when you sit at Jesus’ table? Are you faithfully following even in the shadow of doubt? Or are you, like Judas, keeping up appearances while your heart is quietly drifting?

Sometimes betrayal doesn’t start with a kiss — it starts with doubt & compromise. With loyalty sold off piece by piece.

So today, as we reflect on this moment in Scripture, let’s not just examine Judas. Let’s examine ourselves. Because Jesus is sitting at your table… and He still sees the truth in every heart.

Scripture - at the table. Passover table. Not just any table - holiday, one that centers entirely on FOOD. Symbolic, yes, but FOOD

reclining at the table - meal wasn’t over, just how they sat, during the meal that this holiday dinner took an unexpected twist.

Disciples swept up into a murder mystery party they didn’t know they had been invited to (read v21)

remember when as a kid, someone in the class had done something seriously bad but the teacher/principle wasn’t sure who did it? - different types of people - the bus drivers (you know - throw someone under the bus so they can take the wheel “I saw Luis in the supply closet eyeballing the paste”), the Italians saw nothing, know nothing, say nothing (you know because they avoid eye contact like the plague “What paste? I don’t know...”), the GOAT (scape Goat)....(you know, confess just to make the questioning stop “I did it. I ate the paste. I’m sorry I will never do it again, just stop questing me”)

Jesus one of you will betray me. Everyone “You don’t mean me, Lord?...”

elaborates (read v23-24)

Judas feeling called out or late to the game “You don’t mean me, Rabbi???”

Guilty much?

You said so.

We know the full story - days/weeks before, following a very awkward dinner where a woman dumped a very expensive jar of perfume all over Jesus head - an indignant Judas left that meal fed up w/Jesus’ waste of resources (including himself) and went chief priest struck a deal - 30pcs silver, hand Jesus over at the right moment

because we know the story - read interaction at the table of unleavened bread, think Jesus playing a game of intrigue, letting disciples play game of whose the rat.

more profound - understand little bit about what “bowl” what they are dipping - matzah in salted water - represents the tears of Israel while they were captive in Egypt

bowl of misery - sorrow - captivity

who will betray? the one who continues to eat from the bowl of misery - of course miserable, he’s about to betray Jesus - but something lead him to that point

didn’t just make a to do list - brush teeth, go to the bank, betray Jesus - what drove him? frustration that Jesus wasn’t moving fast enough? disappointment that didn’t go his way? he felt betrayed? abandoned? calculated? was it greed or something deeper? - steps leading to that decision are all speculation

wasn’t the only one at the table - all of disciples had shared from the bowl of bitterness (nature of the ritual) - while only one was paid, every person at that table abandon/deny teacher called Lord

at the table no one’s hands were clean. - describe apostles betrayal

What was the difference between Judas and the others? see vs 22, 25

Jesus will not be a Saviour to any man who refuses to bow to him as Lord.

Walter J. Chantry

What is the difference between falling short and falling away? What does “Jesus as Lord” look like?

Read Matthew 25-30