Judas

Judas

John 18:1- When he had said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley. There was an orchard there, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times with his disciples.)

Judas knew the place. All the disciples knew the place. Jesus had taken them all there many times. The times of betrayal are all in places we know. Places where we know better and have known better. Places where we’ve been with Jesus: in the bedroom, at the computer, on the phone, in the bookstore, in the bathroom, to name a few. Places where we’ve poured our hearts out in tears, in prayer, and in study. Places where our exposure is only known to God. They are also places where we fall the hardest. This garden was one of those holy places of communion where the disciples had some of their most personal teaching from Jesus. It was here that Judas betrayed his Lord and Master with a kiss.

It was like a kiss of goodbye. Things would never be the same again. A door was closing and much more than a door. A possible future was going to shut off from a man by his own free will and Jesus knew it and had to let it happen. He saw it would happen but could only appeal to this man through his heart. Jesus would not force Judas to change. He washed Judas’ feet. Jesus empowered Judas to witness and perform miracles. Judas did so much but still withheld his heart from Jesus. Jesus even revealed to him his future. Was there no hope? There was always hope just as there was always choice. Judas had the choice. Even with all the information at his disposal he still chose and when he realized where his choice led he condemned himself as hopeless and took his own life. Judas is now asleep awaiting his wake-up call in the second resurrection where he will see that he always had the chance to make a different choice but didn’t.

Oh Lord Jesus please help us. You know our hearts. Create in us clean hearts. You know where we hurt. You know our anger. You know our ambition. You know our sins and how prone we are to falling and we beg you for forgiveness. We beg You for strength to overcome! We are simple people with no deep understanding of eternal things. We are not eloquent and cannot articulate our prayers properly. But You can make the rough places smooth. You can help us understand the heart of your gospel. You can help us understand how much you truly love us!

Do not let us condemn ourselves to hell but let us believe in You and love You with our whole hearts and receive the gift of eternal life. Amen!