LUKE 22:2-6
SINNERS SELLING SINLESS SAVIOUR
I. SELLER:
A. Simpleton.
B. Savvy.
C. Selling.
II. SHAME:
A. Sorrow.
B. Suddenness.
C. Sustaining.
III. SAINTS?
A. Superior?
B. Sedulousness?
C. Sobriety?
When President Roosevelt spoke to the nation following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he said that that day would, “Live in infamy.” How true he was. The context of that statement was made conderning the attack by the Japanese on our slumbering Pacific Ocean fleet. The attack came without warning and it involved a misguided nation into thinking that it was doing something brave and courageous by destroying a nation who was at peace with it. The American armed services eventually won the day but it was a long time in coming and the days between the attack and the final surrender of the Japanese forces were often dark and foreboding. Finally the light shown clearly and America rose to the occasion and won her respect around the world.
Centuries before the attack to which I am referring, there was a misguided man in Israel who really thought he was doing something great for his nation and he sold the Master for thirty pieces of silver. This action caught every one by complete surprise and the days following the infamous deed were dark indeed. But, Jesus came back and is now alive and He has won the respect and allegiance of millions around the world because He overcame the debacle which Judas foisted on Him.
Judas really thought he was doing right-but he was so wrong. He was misguided, rebellious, and self-seeking, and he cared for no one except himself and what he wanted. He was used by the religious leaders of his day for their means to capture Jesus and to do away with Him. Yet, He survived and arose from the dead while Judas hung himself. Judas thought he would be honored for his deed, but he has been the epitome of nefarious, diabolical means to destroy One who was at peace with him and with all of mankind. Instead of Judas going down in history as a great man, his name is forever linked to a misdeed so terrible that he his remembrance lives in “infamy” and will do so forever.
As I study the text of my sermon, I draw three interesting insights from these verses about Judas and maybe even we who now call ourselves Christians. I note the SELLER of our Lord-Judas. I then turn my attention to his SHAME, and then I think of we SAINTS of today who name the name of Jesus. Are we any better than Judas? Stay with me as I develop my sermon to see if we are any better than that traitor of years gone by.
I. SELLER: I cannot help but note that Judas was many things and one of them was that he was a business man who became the most famous seller in selling a human being which the world has ever seen.
The first part of his acumen of being a trader in humanity was the fact that Judas was a Simpleton, a dupe, a misguided patriot, a blinded zealot, a man of little to no comprehension of the situation in which he lived. He was a Hebrew, of the first order, and he was one who was held in captivity-like millions of other Hebrews of his day-by the hated Romans.
Rome came on the heals of the disintegrating Greek empire and found easy pickings for its vast army in the part of the world known as Palestine. Its mighty army literally overran the tiny country of Israel and once it gained the area-it would not loosen its vice like grip on Israel for many, many years. Israel ,as well as other countries under Rome’s rule, would do as Rome dictated without any interference from the captured nations. Israel was no different than any other country where Rome planted its heavy foot and ruled with its iron maul. Yet, in spite of this knowledge, there were some who thought that they could dislodge Rome from its hold in various places on the Earth and return to normal living without being held subjects by a nation located so far away. Judas was one of those misguided people. Only people with limited outlook could ever believe that they could set themselves free from Rome. These people I call Simpletons. I do not use this word in a pejorative manner; I use it to state that any one who had such a myopic view was not looking at the all of the facts of what their hopes were telling them. It would be impossible to do as they wished. Yet, Judas was of that ilk. One of the reasons he joined up with Jesus was with the misguided hope that Jesus would set Israel free. When it dawned upon him that this was not to be, Judas began to plot ways to disengage himself from Jesus. When the moment came he moved with rapidity and set in motion events which spun quickly out of control.
Not only was Judas a man with a simple belief in riding Israel of Rome, but I must confess that Judas was one Savvy person. He was a politician who was able to mask his intents and interests very well. He was a smart man with money-he was the one who, “Held the bag” of money for the disciples and for Jesus. He knew how to bargain for the best price on what he bought for the group. He knew the value of each coin which passed through his hand and he was able to make sure that the group had what it needed for its expenses. He was street smart, conniving and brutal regarding being swindled out of one cent. He could “smell” a come-on from any person in the market places and he was able to hold his own with the best of the hawkers and buyers where ever the band went. He knew bargains and he new false advertising. If he were alive today, he could make a mint handling money anywhere he went to work. He was trustworthy, bold, direct and a quick thinker regarding finances. If I were with the band of followers of Jesus when he was the band’s treasurer, I would not hesitate to let him deal for me when I needed something to purchase. I have a feeling he was gifted with this quality and the rest of the group stood in awe of his finesse in anything relating to money. He was good: he was very good in his field and he was slick, cunning and very Savvy regarding the handling of money. The group trusted him and this is evident when he left the Upper Room in the middle of the Passover feast and the men thought he went to pay for that night’s affair.
Not only was he a man with a simple hope and faith of defeating the Romans for his homeland, but he was also one very good business man. Putting these two things together spelled disaster. When He finally realized that Jesus was not going to be the One to set up a kingdom on this Earth and he would not be a possible Treasure or one of importance in this free Israelite nation, he moved to distance himself from his Leader as soon as he had the opportunity. He did not have long to wait.
Making his way from the Upper Room where he was celebrating the Passover meal with Jesus, he made his way to the temple and there finding the High Priests and his cohorts-he started the process of selling Jesus.
The Bible says that Judas was paid thirty-pieces of silver, the price of a slave, for Jesus. I do not find it in the Bible, but I have a deep feeling that Judas bargained for a good price before he consented to surrender Jesus. This was his nature. He had Something of value which the High Priest wanted and the High Priest had the money to pay for the offer. Judas knew that his “dickering” over the price for the Master could never get him what he really wanted because if he did not yield Jesus soon, he would be arrested and the Priest would bid his time to get Jesus. While Judas held the Ace, the High Priest held the Trump and the settlement for Jesus was thirty pieces of silver-the price of a slave.
A Slave!!! The price for a slave-one who would do menial work in a house hold. A slave was valuable in that time-but not indispensable. A slave could be bought by the rich people at will, and at will the rich people could do what they wanted to do with the slave. All of the bargaining abilities for which Judas was famous became limited as he engaged in the Selling of an innocent man. The next time one is tempted to think one is undervalued and not appreciated, think of what was paid for Jesus-the Creator of the Universe. The One who healed the sick, gave sight to the blind,; the One who stilled the storms who had control over nature; the One who freed the demoniacs; that One was sold for thirty-pieces of silver-greatly undervalued.
II. SHANE: What is there to add about the shame of Judas which has not been explored before? Nothing!!! Yet, it is of interest to stop and study the remorse and the degradation he must have felt once he knew what he had really done.
The Bible says that once he realized just what his misguided actions wrought, he was sorry and he went and hanged himself. Edersheim states in his volume, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, when Judas entered the Garden, ahead of the armed cohort composed of the Temple police and a Roman armed band, he proceeded to kiss Jesus profusely as a warning that soldiers were coming and that He should flee. Jesus walked on past the stunned Judas and met His captors face to face. According to Edersheim, Judas was already having pangs of deep Sorrow when he saw that Jesus was not going to flee, but was going to allow Himself to be arrested.
Not only did the pangs of remorse grip him and never released him, but they came so Suddenly and with such force. Watching Jesus willingly allow Himself to be carried away to be interrogated and then to be crucified, Judas SHAME of his misdeeds griped the rest of the disciples and at long last, they saw Judas for who he really was-a misguided, self-serving, conniving scoundrel who had just brought down Jesus and possibly jeopardized the lives of all of those who were once his friends.
Somehow, sin has this uncanny ability to wreck havoc so quickly. No one really knows the true intent of that man’s heart, but we do know he was suddenly shamed with unbearable remorse. And, if Judas thought that his actions would somehow make his name live on in an aura of greatness-he was sadly mistaken. His name is now one a name which lives on in infamy. No one wants to name their boy “Judas.” In fact, the very name conjures up all that is evil of which a man could do-betray a trust, a friend, a hope. Judas never lived to see his name drop from the time honored role call of male names for young and innocent baby boys. To be called a “Judas” even after all of these years, marks one for life with the connotation of all that is evil and underhanded.
The name endures; it is Sustained, by hatred, disgust, and blotted by the one who was a true Judas to his Master. Even the atheist, the unbelievers of Christ, those who do not follow Jesus shy away from that name due to the one who made it so popular centuries ago. To be branded a “Judas” strips one of all honesty and all that is wholesome. Unlike the names of Matthew, Thomas, John, Peter, Simon and Mark-men who lived with Jesus for years, these names are still in vogue today, the name of His betrayer has been relegated to the dark side of our human psyche and we shy away from that name as if it bites the one who not only is called by that name, but also by the one who spits it out in hatred and disgust. The American Indians used to wait and give a person a permanent name once that person’s true identity was noted. The natives believed that the name marked the person’s true self hence the name had to be earned. We carry part of that philosophy today, lest we name a child “Judas” and mark that one for life. If Judas thought that his name would be held in honor-he was so wrong. That name will never rise above the one who made it infamous.
III. SAINTS? I turn from Judas now to we who claim the name of Jesus and who I term SAINTS but with a question mark. How are we doing regarding our walk with Jesus?
I ask this question because it is easy to sit and criticize Judas for what he did but are we any better? Are we Superior to this betrayer? Are we always willing to give our support to Jesus when we are alone with others who may not believe in Him. Are we willing to deny Him when it is convenient for us to so do? No, we may not have the same outlook on life as Judas had, but to betray Christ in any manner is equal to the sin which Judas committed. Are we any better?
Are we a always trying to find better ways to support Jesus? The term of being active in our walk with Christ is a big word but it means to keep busy doing something for Jesus: Sedulous. We cannot allow ourselves to be lulled to sleep in thinking that others can do the job for Jesus while we rest. No, we must be better than Judas. We cannot afford to deny Him and we cannot afford to be idle in our walk with Him. Judas began to be idle in his walk with Jesus. He paused too often and far too long to contemplate the fact that Jesus was not going to be an earthly king, but He was going to be the Saviour of the nation of Israel and the world in His time and Judas could not accept this fact. We must never stop working for Jesus and we must never ever deny Him.
Lastly, when I ask the question if we people who name the name of Jesus are any better than Judas was, I must add the fact that we are in a life and death struggle with our Lord against the powers of darkness. Let us be Sober and industrious for Jesus. We must be about our Father’s business; we must put on the breastplate of righteousness and we must be sober as we see the day approaching for our redemption.
Judas refused to do these things and was lost-we must do these things and be saved. Our Lord deserves our loyalty our hard work and our vigilance. Judas failed in these accounts and his name is forever blackened by what he did.
He was s a simple man in his faith to overthrow the mighty Romans; he was a keen money man and he wound up selling out for a mere price one would pay for a slave. His shame is eternal as it started so quickly with such deep sorrow and as a result he is forever blackened by his misdeed. Let us not be like him; let us never betray Him; let us be industrious for Him and let us work now for the night cometh when no one shall work.
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