The Great Pretender
Mt. 27:1-5
03/26/06
You are all familiar with the 1956 song by the Platters ‘The Great Pretender’ with the lyrics, “Oh yes, I’m the great pretender, pretending that I’m doing well; My need is such, I pretend too much; I’m lonely but no one can tell.” I’m sure that this song brings back fond memories for many of you, but as I read today’s scripture and thought about the life of Judas, this song kept crossing through my mind. And as I researched the life of Judas, I began to find similarities with my own life and it disturbed me. And so to shake myself free from this Judas syndrome, I began to think how similar he is to all of us, and that helped to comfort me.
In a sense, Judas was The Great Pretender, pretending to be someone that he wasn’t, but someone he probably really wanted to be. How often do the those words seem to describe our very own lives? Pretending to be someone we’re not, but someone we would really like to be?
A 34 year old Maryland man was recently arrested for pretending to be a policeman. One evening, he pulled over a car by using his emergency lights only to find out that the driver of the car really was a policeman!
As boys, how many of us pretended to be some famous football or baseball player out in our back yard? I often pretend to be a singer when I’m driving alone listening to music.
As Christians, do we sometimes pretend to be something other than what we really are? Pretending allows us to hide in a comfort zone so that no one really knows who we are or how we are really doing. But like Judas, we can only hide behind our false pretenses for so long. Sooner or later, the real us is revealed and we have to deal with whatever it is that we have been hiding for so long.
Terry Bradshaw, the former quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, won 4 Super Bowls during his career. After he retired, he continued to be a popular football analyst and even has appeared in a few movies. The personality he reveals is one of being a happy go lucky kind of person. But he has been pretending for a long time; he has been hiding behind a false smile and bubbly personality. Recently, he revealed that his private life has been miserable due to depression. The person we have seen on tv is not the person Terry Bradshaw honestly has been because he has been pretending to be someone other than who he is.
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that even Moses hid behind a veil so that people couldn’t see who he really was. He had had a radiant face because he had been in the presence of God. When the people saw him, how impressed they must have been knowing that Moses had the presence of God all over him. But when the presence began to fade, perhaps Moses thought the people would no longer be as impressed. Perhaps they would see him for who he really was. So he covered his face with a veil, trying to be someone he really wasn’t.
How often do we hide behind a veil, pretending to be someone other than who we really are? Judas was a pretend follower of Jesus, hiding behind the veil of discipleship and no one really knew any different, no one except for Jesus.
So let me get personal with you: what is your veil that you hide behind to keep from being known?
Some people are good at conversation and can hide behind lots of small talk. They can discuss the weather or their favorite ball team and use their words to shield them from anyone getting to close to them. Some people hide behind the veil of laughter. They have a way of making you laugh and brightening your day and when the conversation turns serious, they will continue to joke, hiding behind their smiling face. Some people hide behind their work, others behind their intelligence, some will hide behind their accomplishments and success. Some people will even hide behind the veil of spirituality to make you think that everything is ok between them and God. They can quote scripture and say all the right things and their veil is as pretty as a stained glass window. But it’s still a veil and they’re hiding behind it.
Many people don’t want you to know who they really are so they pretend to be someone else, just like Judas.
No wonder Jesus loved children so much. Children never hide behind a veil, they reveal who they are and don’t care what you may know about them. Whether it’s an ice cream cone or spinach, or whether it’s time to play or time to take a nap, children’s faces reveal what’s in their hearts. Children are real but then they grow up and discover that being real can hurt so they too find veils to hide behind.
But sooner or later, you get discovered and the pain seems unbearable. Judas got discovered for who he really was and the pain was more than he could take. If only he could have discovered the freedom of God’s mercy and grace, maybe his life would have turned out differently. Your life can be different as well, your life can be better when you discover God’s mercy and grace.
Let’s look at Judas today. As Jesus faced the cross, let’s examine the life of Judas and see how similar we are and learn from his mistakes. And as we continue in this season of Lent, let’s examine our own hearts as well.
1) Chosen by Jesus (Mk. 3:13-19)
There must have been some quality in Judas that attracted Jesus to him for along with the other 11 disciples, he was chosen to follow Jesus. Perhaps Judas had the gift of business or administration because he would be the first treasurer of this group of men, but keep in mind that Jesus chose him, Jesus called him to follow Him.
Aren’t we glad that Jesus doesn’t require that we are perfect in order to follow Him? Each day He calls us to follow Him but He doesn’t force us to do so. He allows us the freedom to choose whether we will or not. Judas was called and he hid behind the veil of his calling, he pretended that he wanted to be a serious follower of Jesus but unfortunately he had ulterior motives. Perhaps Judas had the best of intentions in following Jesus but he let other things distract him and he lost his focus. How easy it is for us to have the best of intentions in following Jesus but it may be that we lose our focus. Maybe like Judas, we have ulterior motives in following Jesus. Perhaps there is something else that we think is more important in our lives than following Jesus. So we pretend, we hide behind the veil in order for others to think that we are indeed a follower of Christ. Perhaps like Judas, we may even be so good at hiding that we fool ourselves and think that we’re following Jesus when we have other things that are more important to us. Discipleship, following the call of Jesus is not easy and we may choose an easier route, all the while hiding so that no one discovers who we really are. Jesus said if we would follow Him, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. That can sometimes be painful and to avoid the pain, we sometimes find an easier route. Yet, like Judas, we pretend to be a follower so that we don’t get discovered. Jesus loved Judas and He called him to be a follower, to be a part of His ministry and Judas accepted that call. As a Christian, Jesus has placed His call on your life as well. Are you following or have you chosen something that you think is more important, an easier route? Are you pretending and hiding behind the veil of discipleship? You can fool others, just as Judas fooled the disciples, but God doesn’t look at the outside appearance, He always sees the heart.
2) He betrayed Jesus- (Mt. 26: 47-49)
This is the part that we most remember about Judas isn’t it? He was a dirty, rotten scoundrel for what he did. We don’t think about the good qualities that Jesus must have seen in him to have chosen him. We don’t think about the amount of time he must have sacrificed in order to follow Jesus. No, we remember him for his dishonesty and betrayal. And isn’t that just like us? Our society has conditioned us into forgetting the hundreds of good qualities in a person but forever remembering the one bad quality that a person may have. We kind of enjoy seeing the bad qualities in others because then we don’t feel so badly about ourselves. When we compare our faults with some of the evil out there in the world, we’re in pretty good shape aren’t we? Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Any sin causes us to fall short of God’s glory and destroys our fellowship with God. And in the eyes of God, all sin is wrong whether it’s murder or telling a white lie. So can we really afford to compare our sins with the sins of others and think that we’re any better?
But ole Judas, he was a betrayer and we’d never go that far would we? I’ve often wondered what the intentions of Judas were on that night. Did he really care for money that much or did he want to see if Jesus would now establish His kingdom by fighting back? Perhaps, like the other disciples Judas didn’t quite understand what the kingdom of God was all about. Maybe he thought he would help to initiate the coming of the physical kingdom of God if he set Jesus up. Maybe he was trying to manipulate Jesus in order to get things done the way he thought was best.
Like Judas, how often do we twist the kingdom of God in order to try and get our own way? How often do we justify our actions all in the name of God? We may do things and say things that outside the church would be thought of as dishonesty or gossip, but as long as it’s in the context of the church, it’s ok. In the name of busyness, we justify our not having time to go to church or spend time with God.
When we don’t voice our opinion over an immoral act because we think someone else will do it, we have turned our back on what we know to be right. The sins of omission, failing to do what we know is right, are just as bad as the sins of commission, doing that which we know to be wrong.
But like Judas, whatever our reasoning may be, we too, are guilty of betraying our Lord. Anytime we place more importance on something other than our allegiance to God, whether it be money, relationships, material things, etc…, we too are selling out, we are guilty of betraying Christ. We may attempt to justify what we are doing, but again, God sees our hearts and He knows our ulterior motives. In looking at this act of betrayal by Judas, will you examine your own heart and see where you are placing your priorities?
3) Judas was remorseful (Mt. 27:1-5)
Maybe the best quality that we find in Judas was his remorse. He showed that he was truly sorry for his sins. No one can feel remorse unless they are overcome by guilt and Judas knew he was guilty and he attempted to make up for what he had done. Confession of our sins leads us back to a right relationship with God. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins”. How long has it been since you were truly sorry for your sins? How long has it been since you shed tears for your sins before God? Unless one realizes he is a sinner, there will be no need for confession. But with repentance and confession, God is merciful and gracious and leads us to a peaceful relationship with Himself. Psalm 103:11,12 “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Judas was truly a remorseful man, sorry for what he had done and we would be wise to follow this example.
Unfortunately, Judas received the wrong advice for his confession. He went to the chief priests, the religious folk, to confess his sin. What an opportune time for them to lead them back to the arms of God. But what did these religious people do? They rejected Judas. All Judas needed was a shoulder to cry on, someone to listen and encourage him and maybe his life would have turned out differently. But no, he was told, “we don’t care.” And this was more than he could take so he took his own life.
This church should be a hospital for hurting, sinful people. We should be priests who offer grace and mercy because we have found grace and mercy at the cross. There are people who want to know that someone cares, that someone will listen to them and it can make all the difference in the world to them. We dare not become apathetic people who act like the chief priests and say we don’t care.
Judas did the right thing and showed remorse, unfortunately, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was with the people who claimed to be people of God and they rejected him.
I’m here today to tell you there is grace and mercy at the cross. If you are sorrowful for your sins, God offers His open arms and welcomes you back to fellowship with Him. There is no sin so great that He can’t nor won’t forgive. Judas never learned that lesson, but it is the heart of the gospel. It is the very reason Jesus offered His life on the cross, so that you and I could receive grace and mercy and be reconciled to God.
As you look at the life of Judas, do you see any similarities with your own life?
He was a great pretender, hiding behind the veil of discipleship. He knew what was right in his heart but wasn’t willing to pay the price of following Jesus.
What are you hiding behind today? Are you pretending to be someone other than who you really are? Freedom comes from removing the veil and letting God love you just the way you are. At the foot of the cross, there is mercy and grace and it’s offered to each of us who would accept it.
