In his State of the Union address in January 2002, President George W. Bush called on all Americans to become more engaged as active citizens and to volunteer 4,000 hours over their lifetimes to volunteer service.
This “Call to Service” that President Bush suggested was for the purpose of “taking personal action to improve the lives of others.”
Yet, this week I did a little study to see what it costs to volunteer especially if you leave home like Jesus did and go abroad to volunteer. I was surprised to see that the NPR already did the study and reported that the average cost of volunteering is $1037.00 per week abroad, not to mention travel costs.
Here’s how the math works out: There are 168 hours in a week so if someone did as President Bush suggests of 4000 hours that would be 23.81 weeks in their lifetime which would cost
$24, 690.97 to serve others for free.
The bottom line is: Volunteering is never free. In reality; it is costly. Volunteers don’t get paid, in reality; instead they pay.
Transition:
Yet, volunteering is powerful. Dave Glynn said: “Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers, the Titanic was built by professionals.”
Yet, the greatest volunteer of all time was Jesus and the cost of His volunteering was the highest cost that could be paid. He paid with His life. That’s what Good Friday is all about.
When we think about what Jesus’ death we have to begin with “how He died”-- He died by crucifixion.
The word “crucifixion” comes from the word “excruciating” which describes the most intense type of pain possible.
Yet, tonight I want to talk about one of the most painful parts of the Good Friday event; that was, the betrayal of Jesus on Thursday night and the rejection of God’s grace from Judas on Friday.
Perhaps this story not only accentuates the voluntarism of Jesus perfectly, but the decision everyone must make concerning what Jesus chose to do for us.
This evening let’s take a look at Judas. What do we learn about Jesus from Judas? We learn:
I. Who Jesus Volunteered to Serve
Matthew 26: 24-25- “The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed....”
Explanation:
The relationship of Jesus and Judas began early in Jesus ministry. We know this because he is listed early among the disciples. In Mark 3:16 we read: “And he appointed the twelve; Simon to which He gave the name Peter) and then in verse 9 it says, “and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.”
Jesus never called perfect people. Peter denied Jesus three times and Judas betrayed Jesus once. The story of Judas is not one that accentuates his flaws; instead, it accentuates how we handle forgiveness.
When we think of Judas we think of how despicable he was. We put him in a box of betrayers.
The world has been full of them.
Illustration: Emperor Nero
The Roman Emperor Nero was a betrayer. He betrayed his mother. He invited her to a lavish banquet in her honor and after warm embraces., he put her on a boat for a special cruise. She was delighted with her sons lavishing of love upon her.
Yet, in reality, it was a betrayal. The boat had been built to collapse at sea, and thus, it was designed to drown her. Yet, the boat failed to disintegrate completely and she survived; only two days later be assassinated by soldiers that Nero sent to kill her.
Application:
Yet, when we think about Judas there are often things that we fail to understand:
a) When it came to Jesus, he made a commitment- Judas made a commitment to follow Jesus. Like the other disciples he left many things to follow the Lord. Luke tells us that Jesus called “the twelve together which included Judas-- and gave them power and authority over demons and to cure diseases...”
That’s almost dumbfounding considering the fact that Jesus would say later in John 6:70: “Have
not I chose you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
The word “devil” in this context means “ a deceiver”--- yet Judas had made a type of commitment to follow Jesus practically, even if it were not spiritually with his heart.
b) When it came to Jesus; He was given opportunity- Judas walked with Jesus . He heard the teachings of Jesus first hand. He heard the warnings Jesus gave to the Pharisees. He saw with his own eyes the clearest evidence of Jesus being Messiah and heart the greatest preaching with his own ears. He had opportunity.
Yet, the problem was that Judas had an idol in his life. He loved money more than the Messiah.
In John 12: 6 we read: “But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, Why was this perfume no sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?
It was in that same verse that we continue to read: “Now he said this, not because He was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into in.”
The word “pilfer” is a Greek word that gives us our word “kleptomaniac”-- which means that Judas was on the slippery slope of stealing and sliding a few denarii into his own money bag.
In the upper room, when Jesus announced that someone would betray Him he was sitting in the seat of honor next to Jesus; and even asked: “Am I the one?” To which Jesus declares that he would hand a morsel of the bread his betrayer; and Judas was the recipient.
But I want you to see something about how Jesus treated Judas at the Passover meal:
a) Judas ate too.
b) Jesus washed Judas feet too.
c) Jesus reached out to Judas too.
d) Ultimately Jesus would die for Judas too.
Can you fathom a love that would feed the mouth of someone who would betray you with that same mouth? Can you fathom a love that would wash the feet that would run to mischief? Would you grasp hold of a hand that would later grasp hold on money and sell you off for the price of a common slave?
This is the type of person Jesus served.
Illustration: Two faced- Leonardo Da Vinci
One of my favorite stories is the story of Leonardo de Vinci who when painting “The Last Supper” went looking for models to sit for the various disciples of Jesus. He found a handsome and innocent looking man in one of the choirs in a church in Italy to be the model for Jesus.
For many years he left the face of Judas Iscariot empty. At one point he even painted the face of one of his enemies as Judas’ face, but soon sensed conviction for doing so and painted it out.
Yet, interesting enough, years later he saw a man with a villainous face that was drawn, rugged, worn, and angry.
Insisting that he use the man, he brought him in and copied his face, painting it on canvas. After finishing he prepared to pay the man and asked him his name. The man looked started. He said, “You don’t remember me?” Da Vinci embarrassed admitted that he did not know him.
He said: “Mr. Da Vinci, I am Pietro Bandinelli, you used my face years ago as the model for Jesus Christ.
Application:
The point is: While we all are born with angel faces and pure hearts; we also are born with a sin nature just like Judas.
One man said it this way: “If you look at the cross and Jesus hanging there, you are reminded of your sin. You are reminded that despite how good Jesus has been to us; we have all sinned. We are all Judas.”
Amos Oz reflecting on the fact that we are all sinners said: “We are all Judas. Even eighty generations later, we are still Judas.”
Good Friday begs the question: “Aren’t we all like Judas?
Yet, even when we betray, even when we turn to our own way. Even when it seems that we have gone too far; Jesus doesn’t give up on us. We’ve betrayed Him through our words, our justifications for sin, our addictions to self-pleasures, our pursuits of money and man’s praise more than seeking the face of God.
30 pieces of silver was the price for accidently killing someone’s slave. It was as if to say: “It was an accident that I ever followed Jesus. Killing Him will mean no more to me than accidently running over a slave with a horse or hitting him accidently with a tool in the head.”
Judas sin was an idolatrous discount of the sacred Son of God and undervaluing the rich blessing of following him.
Let this hit your hard tonight: Yet, while Jesus was treated as a slave by Judas; Judas was treated like a King by Jesus. Jesus gave Him the seat of honor at the Passover. Jesus gave Him authority over His finances. Jesus honored Judas while Judas dishonored him with a betray kiss.
Yet knew from the beginning Judas would betray Him and Jesus’ love for Judas was radical and redemptive. This same love can be yours tonight.
The question is not: What did Jesus do for Judas. The answer is simple: He loved Him. The question is: What did Judas do with Jesus? He betrayed him.
We all have a choice of what we do with the one who has served us so completely.
This evening let’s take a look at Judas. What do we learn about Jesus from Judas? We learn:
II. Who Jesus Volunteered to Save
Matthew 26: 50- “ Friend do what you have come for. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.”
Matthew 27: 3- “Then Judas who had betrayed Him saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. Bu they said, What is that to us? See to that yourself! And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed and he went away and hanged himself.”
Explanation:
When Judas betrayed Jesus he betrayed Him in the most blasphemous way possible.
Luke gives us a nudge and gives us a little clue of why this betrayal was so blasphemous as He says: “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.” Luke 22:3
It was Satan who tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry; and now Satan who is at work at the end of Jesus’ ministry.
The Bible tells us Matthew 26:49: “Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, Hail Rabbi! and kissed Him.”
The verb tense indicates that Judas repeatedly kissed Jesus over and over. This type of exchange of kissing someone’s cheek over and over is that like a Father kissing his child over and over to show and communicate endless affection and love.
Illustration: Kissy torture
In my family we call that “kissy torture.” My kids were subjected to such kissing as I would often kiss their cheeks until that begged for mercy. Yet the whole time they were giggling and laughing.
Yet, Judas kiss was nothing to laugh about because it blasphemously was a symbol of love; yet boldly became a symbol of just the opposite; it reflected Satan’s hatred.
Chapter 27 provides a picture of the following day. In chapter 27 Judas went to the Chief Priests and the Bible says: “he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver.”
The word “remorse” is not the Greek word “Metamnoeo” which means: “Genuine sorrow over sin.” Instead the word used here is a Greek word that refers to extreme guilt.
What is interesting about Judas and Jesus is that they both died on the same day. Likewise, another man who died that day. Like Judas, He was a thief as well.
We don’t know his name. He was a nameless criminal who hung beside Jesus.
Luke records the words of this criminals exchange with Jesus:
"But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.'" (Luke 23:40-41)
Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered," Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
That day two thief’s died. One went to paradise and the other did not. What made all the difference is what the two thief’s chose to do with the death of another man who died that day: His name was Jesus.
One brought His sins to Jesus, the other dealt with sin by himself.
One thief took His sins to a bloody hill called Calvary and found forgiveness.
The other thief His to a Hill called Akeidama (bloody hill and field) and found only death.
Both thief’s knew that they had sinned, but people don’t go to heaven because they know they have sinned; they only go to heaven if they take their sins to the Savior.
You see, that’s what makes Good Friday a good day. It was they day God opened His arms to thief’s and sinners like you and me and not only invited us to Himself, but accepted the punishment for our sins.
I often wish Judas would have come to Jesus. What a story that would be. If he would have only brought His sin to Jesus instead of the Chief Priests-- what if He would have brought His sins to the High Priest named Jesus?
The Cliffs of Akeidama.
Hebrews 10 tells us what our High Priest does: “For by this we are permanently sanctified-- through the offering of the body of Jesus, once for all.” Hebrews 10:10
Jesus volunteers to save you as well. That’s what makes this Friday good.
