"While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, 'Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?'" (Luke 22:47-48).
Through history Judas has been vilified as the worst of the worst. How could someone who walked with the Christ suddenly turn on Him and betray Him into the hands of those who would murder Him for no reason other than preaching the forgiveness and grace of God? If that wasn't bad enough, why would Judas choose a kiss, the universal sign of love and affection, to initiate a betrayal? I have wondered that, too. Just what was going through his head when he decided to hand Jesus over to the wicked?
The truth is that Judas has completely earned the reputation he has been given in history. He is a self-serving and wicked person who is a natural infiltrator, "But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:4-6). Judas would have made a great spy. He completely fooled almost everyone he was with for years. His only mistake was that he was attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of God, and the Son was never fooled, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). Continue to the end of the story and you see that Judas certainly reaped what he sowed, "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" (Matthew 27:3-5). The question of whether or not Judas repented and was saved is not the issue. He certainly realized what he had done to some degree, but whether that was a true salvation experience will not be known in this world. The point is that Judas was a wicked and vile person. The point is that we are, too.
In order to bring the light of Christ into this world, we must have a proper view of ourselves. Before we came to Jesus and were washed clean is the person the we are by ourselves. Some of you were saved very young, so it is hard to remember who that person was, but the aspects of the "old man" still come through from time to time, so work from there. That is you. Is that person anything to be proud of? Looking at myself, I can certainly say a resounding, "No" to that. I was as wicked and self-serving as Judas was, and if you look honestly at yourself, you have to come to the same conclusion. We all do. So, is there any reason at all for us to look down on any other person for what they do?
What about the murderer? "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire" (Matthew 5:21-22).
What about the adulterer? "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).
If you have hated anyone, even if they are the most rotten person to ever exist, you are guilty. If you have ever lusted over another person, you are guilty. **BEGINNING OF SOAPBOX** By the way, it is not ok to talk about how good looking someone is to others (especially married people doing this). It may seem perfectly innocent, but all it is doing is inviting lust in yourself and others. This is true of both guys any girls. There is no exception. If there is something wonderful about them, that is certainly worth praise, but do not invite lusting eyes to feast on the physical. **END OF SOAPBOX**
"For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it" (James 2:10). We are as wicked and guilty as Judas. The good news is that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ. We need to remember that when we see the unsaved sin because we did it too before Jesus got a hold of us. So, maintain purity, but interact with the unsaved like Jesus did, not the Pharisee that prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector" (Luke 18:11). Love them. Care for them. Reach out to them, and show them the same redeeming power in Jesus that was once shown to you. Jesus was willing to "get His hands dirty." We should be, too.
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