So Close Yet So Far

Intro

Illustration - thought we had the house but didn’t.

Who is Judas?

The first time we meet Judas is when Jesus calls him to be a disciple.

Mark 3:16–19 (NLT)

These are the twelve he chose:

Simon (whom he named Peter),

James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”),

Andrew,

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Matthew,

Thomas,

James (son of Alphaeus),

Thaddaeus,

Simon (the zealot),

Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

There isn’t much said about who Judas was.

John 12:5 NLT

“That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.”

John 12:6 (NLT)

Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

Judas has just watched Mary break an incredibly expensive bottle of perfume on Jesus’ feet and he objects. Saying can’t this be given to the poor. Really he just cared because he couldn’t take some of the money for himself. All of a sudden we are learning a little about the character of Judas.

From the little amount that we have about Judas, we understand that he likes his money, and he also doesn’t really understand the purpose of Jesus on earth. To be fair none of the disciples did but Judas allowed this misunderstand of the purpose of Jesus’ life to give himself the excuse to betray Jesus.

Luke 22:1–6 NLT

The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction. Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

Ellen White says,

“Judas reasoned that if Jesus was to be crucified, the event must come to pass. His own act in betraying the Saviour would not change the result. If Jesus was not to die, it would only force Him to deliver Himself. At all events, Judas would gain something by his treachery. He counted that he had made a sharp bargain in betraying his Lord.”

Desire of Ages, Pg 720

John 13:1–11 NLT

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

In a moment we are going to follow Jesus’ example of footwashing and wash one anothers feet. Here’s the thing, Firstly, John says that Jesus knew that God had given him all authority and that he would return, SO he got up and washed their feet. When you have all authority you don’t wash someones feet and yet Jesus shows us what leadership should look like. If you have all authority wash someone’s feet. Jesus knew that Judas had betrayed him, that he had gone and sold his life for 30 pieces of silver, And Jesus got down on his knees and washed his feet. Does that hit you, how many of you could learn that someone had sold you out, betrayed you, literally sold your life for a some money, now get on your knees and wash that persons feet. It is an incredible picture of God’s grace and love.

Let’s park that thought, we will come back to it.

Jesus is condemned and sentenced to death and this happens.

Matthew 27:3–5 ESV

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Judas seemingly changes his mind and tries to return the money, as if to say, The deal is off, release Jesus, here is your money. The religious leaders laugh in his face. He is overcome with guilt, he believes that there is not enough grace and forgiveness in the world to free him and so he ends his own life. He missed the point of Jesus! There is always grace and forgivesness that Jesus is willing to give.

Ellen White

“Judas now cast himself at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and entreating Him to deliver Himself. The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer. He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israel. Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnation. He looked pityingly upon Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world.”

Desire of Ages Pg. 722

Reproach

Jesus showed no disapproval or disappointment in the actions of Judas,

Pityingly - 1800s meant

in a compassionate manner.

Jesus still loves Judas, and wether or not Judas accepts the love and salvation that Jesus is offering is not the point. Jesus still washed Judas’ feet, after the betrayal was complete he still look at him with compassion with no disapproval or disappointment. And he went to the cross to die for the sins of Judas. Judas may not have accepted the sacrifice, the gift, but Jesus still did it for him regardless.

Judas spent 3 years with Jesus, he was so close with the saviour of the world. Yet he was so far from Him. He missed the point, he let his pride and love for money and power get in the way.

When we come to communion today, to remeber what Jesus did on the cross. We come as broken sinners before Jesus. As sinners we regularly betray Jesus, maybe there has been times in your life when you have felt that God couldn’t possibly forgive you or love you. We can sit in church our whole lives, hearing the message of Jesus, but we are so far from it because we don’t allow Jesus to infiltrate every part of our life. We miss the point of the gospel because of our pride, greed and need for control. I don’t know about you but there are times in my life where this is true. But I tell you today, Jesus regardless of if you accept his forgiveness. grace and love that he died on the cross for you and for me. This is the power of the story of Judas, even the man that sent him to his death he loved and he died for, and if he can do that for Judas, he can do it for you and for me.

As we wash each others feet, and we partake in the symbols of Jesus through the bread and the wine, remember that Jesus loves you despite you sins, and he looks upon you with compassion, without disapproval or dissppointment and he says Matthew 11:28-30

Matthew 11:28–30 NLT

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

My prayer for each of us today, is that no matter where we sit in our walk today, that we lay our burdens at the foot of the cross, accepting the gift of love, grace and mercy from Jesus and allowing it to transform our lives, finding rest in Jesus Christ.