Betrayal During a Celebration
Mark 14:10-21
“Et tu Brute (ay)” is a famous quote from English literature, and it comes from Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar.
In one of the most dramatic, violent, and bloody scenes, a group of murderers, which included Brutus, go to stab Julius Caesar to death, and then they wash their hands in his blood.
Caesar’s last words are, “Et tu Brute(ay)!”, which means, “You too Brutus”.
Just as humans are prone to love, strive, and hate; unfortunately, humans are also prone to betray.
Betrayal, unfortunately, is part of the fallen human nature and has been involved in human history with many unpleasant things that humans do to each other.
Often times, betrayal is dramatic in the way it begins as well as the long-lasting consequences that can come from a betrayal.
Please open your Bible to Mark 14 as we continue in that study.
Last time we were in Mark, we heard about a woman who loved the Lord so much, that she broke all cultural norms to serve and worship Jesus in a very radical way.
We began hearing about Passover, which was a feast, offering a sacrificial Lamb, which celebrated the redemption of Israel from bondage and death in Egypt under Pharaoh.
Jesus gave His life on the Passover holiday, because He is the Passover Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
Then we learned about an extravagant gift given at dinner.
Mary entered with a grateful heart and brought a costly gift of worship to Jesus; a bottle of very expensive perfume. Breaking open the perfume, Mary anointed Jesus with a very costly gift.
Some were quick to rebuke her…BUT Jesus was quick to honor her! Jesus blesses her for her gift and made sure her selfless act would be remembered forever.
Mark 14:9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." NKJV
We ended saying, authentic worship is all about people truly being moved because Jesus is the God of infinite worth.
This morning, we will learn how Jesus celebrated His last Passover meal while physically here on earth, all the while, being betrayed by one of His closest followers.
I. The pain of betrayal.
Read Mark 14:10-11
The twelve Apostles were Jesus Christ’s closest followers, and after His death, eleven of them became major leaders in the Church and helped spread the Gospel throughout the world.
The twelve Apostles learned from Jesus and assisted Him in carrying out His mission here on Earth.
The Apostles were eyewitnesses to the fulfilled prophecies and had overwhelming evidence Jesus was the promised Messiah.
We really do not know much about Judas’ background because his first encounter with Jesus is not recorded in Scripture.
Judas followed and stayed with Jesus for three years, but he never fully gave Jesus his heart, and Jesus knew it.
Here in Mark, we learn Judas went to the religious rulers and began to negotiate a price in order to betray his mentor and king.
Judas had been looking forward to gaining a high position in the kingdom, but he began to learn that the kingdom of God does not operate like the kingdom of man.
Jesus had been talking about dying and He had also been teaching on servant leadership. I believe the final straw was when Mary wasted a very costly gift and Jesus honored her.
Judas should serve as a warning how the desires of our hearts can cause us to hear what we want to hear, instead of recognizing the truth, which comes from the Lord.
Judas was disillusioned with Jesus because he was out for personal gain rather than being a servant and following Jesus’ plan for him.
Last week we said, the Disciples longed for fame and influence, but Mary gained a lasting memorial, not by longing for position, but simply by loving Jesus and authentically serving Him.
Jesus was now clearly telling the Disciples He was going to die.
Judas began to believe that following Jesus was leading nowhere, so he began to think that he should get out, while he still could gain something for himself.
Luke 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
Luke 22:4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. NKJV
Satan found an entrance into this scene through the way Judas thought and lived. How could one of Jesus’ closest followers be used by Satan?
Saint Augustine, “There can be only two basic loves: of God unto the forgetfulness of self, or of self, unto the denial of God.”
Again, Judas never fully gave his heart to Jesus, because with Judas, Jesus was simply a means to an end. Judas fellowshipped and lived among the believers.
Judas served Jesus with others without actually being a believer!
In today’s Church, Jesus is sometimes presented as the way to have your way. The modern church says, “Come to Jesus and you can have whatever you claim, right now.”
Timothy Keller said, “You cannot have Jesus’ rescue without accepting His rule. If Jesus is King, you cannot make him a means to your end.” (Timothy Keller)
Notice vs. 11, “When they heard it, they were glad”. Like we said last week, the religious leaders had been wanting to destroy Jesus for a long time and now they had an inside accomplice.
II. The place to enjoy a meal.
Read Mark 14:12-16
C.S. Lewis, “Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”
The reason so many people are disillusioned within marriage or other relationships is because they think another person or thing can fulfill them, but only God can fill the hole in our hearts.
Luke 22:8 says the two men sent by Jesus were Peter and John.
The other Disciples may have been unaware of Judas’ plans, but Jesus foreknew everything Judas was planning.
The day began at sundown, so this was Friday when Jesus and His disciples met in the upper room for His last Passover.
Jesus tells the two men to find a specific guy and use his house.
This story shows how Jesus used supernatural foreknowledge of where the man would be, along with using human resources.
When we willingly offer the Lord our meager offerings, He will add to our offerings to fulfill His plan and purposes.
Peter and John were told to look for a man carrying a pitcher of water on his head.
Warren Wiersbe said, “It would not be difficult to locate the man carrying the jar of water because the women usually performed this task.”
We must realize, even as Judas was preparing to betray Jesus, Jesus was in full control of everything that was happening.
During the feast, Jesus told the Disciples how they were to live for Him in this world.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." NKJV
During the feast, Jesus comforted them and assured them about hope for the future.
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. NKJV
Jesus knew the future of the Disciples. Judas died of suicide, ten of them would die violent deaths because of their faith, and John was going to be boiled in oil and then exiled because of his faith.
Jesus knows what encouragement we need and will give us all we need to continue to serve Him until the end of our days.
These words from Jesus in John 14 were crucial to millions of believers in the early church who would suffer violent persecution and death for their faith in Jesus.
Richard Cimino said, “Jesus essentially says to them, “Death is troubling, betrayal is troubling, suffering is troubling, but Heaven is real.”
At funerals, people face the reality of death and the afterlife, and we know we can never expect to be exempt from such trouble.
Even the best of fallen mankind have discovered death, betrayal, pain and suffering are universal.
Jesus took this opportunity at the Passover feast to comfort His followers with the words of truth about eternity, because there is no state of mind that can remedy the troubled heart.
Notice vs. 16, the Disciples found everything just as the Lord said it would be and then they prepared the Passover.
We are not told exactly how they got the Lamb, the unleavened bread, or the rest of the items, but it is ironic how the Disciples prepared the Passover meal for the Passover Lamb Himself.
III. The ultimate betrayal.
Read Mark 14:17-21
Warren Wiersbe said, “Between Mark 14:17 and 18 are details of the washing of the disciples’ feet and the lesson on humility (John 13:1–20).
Following that lesson, Jesus became deeply troubled and announced that one of the disciples was a traitor.
This announcement stunned all the disciples except Judas, who knew that Jesus was speaking about him.
Until the very end, Jesus hid from the other disciples the identity of His betrayer, for He wanted to give Judas every opportunity to turn from sin.
“He even washed Judas’s feet! Had Peter known the truth about Judas, he might have been tempted to kill him.”
Notice vs. 18 says, as they sat and ate.
David Guzik said, “At the first Passover, God commanded them to eat the meal standing and ready to leave Egypt.
“Since Israel came into the Promised Land, they believed that they could eat the Passover sitting or reclining, because now they were at rest in the land God gave them.”
But what I want us to focus on, is how Jesus loved Judas, even while Jesus knew he would betray Him.
From the moment Jesus chose Judas, until the night Judas betrayed Him, Jesus poured out love, mercy, and grace on him.
Jesus poured Himself into Judas as a mentor, just as He did to the other eleven men. He did everything He could to save Judas.
It could have been different for Judas. He could have repented before he went ahead with the betrayal and been saved.
But notice how Jesus warned Judas discreetly, when Jesus said He knew He would be betrayed by one of them.
Was Jesus letting Judas know that even though He knew what Judas was capable of, and what he was going to do, Jesus still loved him?
Judas could have still been forgiven and restored.
Think about Peter, and how the Lord restored him even after Peter denied Jesus three times.
What was the difference?
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. NKJV
Godly sorrow produces repentance. Repentance simply means to change direction in our actions and thinking.
If you are sorry for your behavior, but it does not change your action and attitude toward that sin, it is not godly sorrow.
C. H. Spurgeon said, “Repentance must never be thought of as something we must do before we can come back to God.
Repentance describes the very act of coming to God. You can’t turn towards God without turning from the things He is against.
This is a hard saying because many of us struggle with besetting sins in our life even after salvation.
There are certain sins within the lives of true believers known as besetting sins. Besetting sins comes Hebrews 12:1 in the KJV
Hebrews 12:1 “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” KJV
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a besetting sin refers to “a main or constant problem or fault”.
A besetting sin is a sin a believer continually struggles with, is convicted of and constantly tries to surrender the sin to the Lord.
All Christians can struggle with certain sins, but that is the key, we struggle, but we are not happy or at peace while sinning.
A besetting sin is different than a lifestyle sin.
A lifestyle sin is where a person is unrepentant and unwilling to change a habit or lifestyle. A true Christian who does not repent of their sin, is one of the most miserable people on the planet.
A person with worldly sorrow will remain in sorrow, wallow in sorrow, and regret their actions. But they never move out of their sorrow and receive freedom from Jesus over their sin.
Mark 14:18 Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."
In the Jewish culture, betraying a friend after eating a meal with him, was thought of as the worst kind of disloyalty, but even still, Jesus loved Judas.
Remember this follows the story of the counter cultural love of Mary and the extravagant gift she offered while anointing Jesus for burial.
It is easy to assume Jesus loved Mary, but hated Judas; however, that is just not true.
This is a great lesson for us when it comes to loving unlovable people. It is easy to love some people, but it is very difficult to love others.
John 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." NKJV
A lot of Christians major on minor things and argue about certain doctrines; we hear, “This is the mountain I will die on”.
Don’t get me wrong, doctrine is so important, but love is placed above all other attributes, for a Christ follower.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Colossians 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. NKJV
Paul says, “Above everything else within our walks, love is the most important and it is also the glue that binds us together.”
Paul also said in 2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us, NKJV
We serve and love the Lord because He first loved us. It is a response from a love relationship, not based on our deeds.
1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us. NKJV
The only reason you can love God or anybody else is because God first loved you. He proved it by sending Jesus Christ to die.
If you want to learn how to love other people, you first need to learn of His unconditional love, and then we can love others.
IV. Practical Application.
I want to discuss how to deal with, and move on from, betrayal.
We can experience betrayal in relationships, from friends or family, and betrayal can leave you feeling overwhelmed. So, here are some practical tips on how to deal with those emotions.
1. Seek godly counsel.
This is not an excuse to gossip, rather we should go to a trusted confidant, without bashing an individual, and seek godly advice.
Proverbs 19:20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.
Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the LORD's counsel — that will stand. NKJV
Talking about the situation with someone you can trust who loves the Lord, can help you clear your thoughts.
2. Take care of your physical health.
Proper eating, sleeping, exercise, relaxation, and overall physical health affects our mental health and can also help us to mentally move on from the feelings that come from betrayal.
If things within our physical health are out of balance, many times they negatively affect our mental health as well.
3. Acknowledge the pain in order to deal with the issue.
Denying or trying to bury our emotions simply causes us to store the emotions up until an emotional explosion takes place.
Acknowledging the pain and dealing with it in a healthy, biblical manner, will allow you to feel your emotions and then work through them in a way that brings honor to God and true closure.
4. Forgive yourself.
When trying to deal with betrayal, we need to discern whether or not we had a part to play in it, and if so, repent and forgive yourself before dealing with the betrayer.
Healing from betrayal can be a process, so be patient and work towards reconciliation as much as possible.
Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. NKJV
5. Don’t seek vengeance.
Being betrayed can be very hurtful, and you might want to get even with the person who hurt you. But revenge is detrimental, and the Lord tells us that is His responsibility, not ours.
Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. NKJV
6. Offer forgiveness.
Unforgiveness has a tremendous toll on our physical health, including heart issues, blood pressure, and so many other areas.
Dr. Swartz said, “Forgiveness is a choice; you are choosing to offer compassion and empathy to the person who wronged you.”
In order to offer forgiveness and love to others, we must let God’s love flow into our hearts and overflow to the world.
We must also give ourselves permission to forgive and forget, letting go of the bitterness while remembering clearly our needs to set healthy boundaries with those who betrayed us.
While God commands us to forgive others, we can and should, hold others accountable for their actions or lack of actions, while choosing not to hold onto bitterness.
Keeping forgiveness from others will cause a person to miss the joy of grace, as they refuse to extend grace to others, because unforgiveness causes bitterness and it will bind a person up.
When we let go of unforgiveness, it removes walls we have placed in our relationships, including the most important relationship, the one we have with the Lord.
So, we forgive others because the Lord told us to, in order to maintain a healthy relationship with Him, but we also forgive for our own mental and physical sake as well.
The best way to move past betrayal is following the example of Christ, how He loved Judas even after His betrayal.
1. You have never and will never be betrayed as much as Jesus was with Judas or even from our sin. (the Cross)
2. If you have been betrayed, because we owe Jesus so much for the forgiveness He gives us, place the debt on His account and love the person is spite of their actions.
