Easter Words - Betrayed

Blog - Easter Words “Betrayed” Betrayed is a hurtful word. Just to say the word brings feelings of hurt, incomprehension, mistrust and sorrow for that relationship which cannot ever be the same again. Saying the word in jest, or with a sneer, or with a sorrowful voice, it doesn’t matter how you say it there is deceit and sorrow in the word. Do you feel you have ever been betrayed at some time by a friend, your spouse, your child, or even your government? Webster says to betray is “to deliver into the hands of an enemy, to lead astray or to desert in time of need.” Jesus certainly knew the feelings of betrayal, but He knew those “friends,” this night, this time in history, this place, this pain – all was prophesied. This was the night and the time for the “King of the Jews” to be betrayed. This night was meant to be a time of meditation and remembering. This Pass-over night was to be celebrated with special foods, with special friends, in a prepared place. But as the fulfillment of prophecy would make it, this night became the night of great loss for Jesus, part of which was never to be gained again. It was to be the eternal loss of one of twelve of Jesus’ closest friends, Judas Iscariot, loss temporarily of all of His other friends and family. He had to bear this loss alone. All the disciples slept while Jesus agonized in prayer over the coming events, but Jesus recognized the betrayal was soon to be completed, “Get up, let us be going” See, My betrayer is at hand!” Even as He was speaking, the betrayer came with a great crowd of especially wicked sinners whose nature was to act in opposition to God. They had swords and clubs. Betrayers are always cowards who hide behind someone or something else to do their “dirty” work. Jesus had trusted His betrayer with the group’s money bag – Judas was the treasurer. He could have at any time taken any or all of this small group’s money to keep for his own, if he chose. Isn’t it ironic that it was money, just 30 pieces of silver, that was the betrayal barter used to buy Judas. Judas was to hand Jesus over to the “haters” in exchange for these few coins. To demonstrate how very deceitful this betrayer was, he preplanned his hypocrisy with a friendly greeting, an embrace and a kiss of pretended warmth and devotion, to signify the certain one to be taken. Even then Jesus called Judas, “Friend, – for what reason are you here?” (Jesus knew the answer.) But Jesus went willingly, as a Lamb to the slaughter, although Jesus could have appealed to His Father and He would have provided more than twelve legions (80,000 angels), but He did not in order that all the scriptures might be fulfilled. So all this must come about. All these happenings were prophesied and fulfilled in Matt.26:1-57. Were there other betrayers among the twelve? Matthew 26:56 says, “Then all the disciples deserted Him and fleeing, escaped.” Was that betrayal? Verse fifty eight says that Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s home; and even went into the courtyard to watch as Jesus was accused, spit upon, and struck with fists and slapped in His face. While sitting and watching in the courtyard a maid came to Peter and accused him of being with Jesus the Galilean, but Peter denied (he lied). He went out to the porch where another maid saw him and also said he had been with the Nazarene. Peter again denied it and disowned Jesus with an oath (I guess to make emphasis??), saying he did not know the Man. Later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them too, for even your accent betrays you.” Peter began to invoke a curse on himself and swear, “I do not even know the Man!” After the third denial a rooster crowed as prophesied by Jesus. And Peter remembered Jesus’ words, and he went out and wept bitterly. Did Peter betray Jesus? You answer this for yourself. Did the other twelve betray Jesus when they ran away when confronted with arrest and possible death? You answer. Do we, in myriad and sometimes like ways, betray Jesus by our denial of being “one of His?” Do we betray Him by failing to support His cause? Do we betray Him by failing to walk a godly life and fail to point others to the only One Who can give them salvation now and forever? Do we betray Him by failing to stand alone when others (maybe all others) will not stand for Christ? Is there enough evidence against us to convict us of being a Christian, a Christ follower? After the deed was done Judas, the betrayer, became very remorseful – but it was too late to undo what had been done. It isn’t remorse that saves anyone. Judas could have been saved if he would have only confessed his horrific sin, repented and asked for forgiveness. When Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly; and with remorse (which was little more than a selfish dread of the consequences, and hopefully a realization of the Truth about Jesus), he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself.” Were the Betrayer’s last thoughts not only of remorse but of the true price of betraying the One Who loved Him most. Did Judas have remorse for betraying the only one who could change his darkness into light; and change him from being a “betrayer” to being a kind, loving, loyal and devoted friend; and, most of all, the only One Who could save Him eternally. And casting the pieces of silver into the holy place of the sanctuary of the temple, he departed; and he went off and hanged himself (Matt 27:3-5 Amp.). Erwin Lutzer said that the gate to hell is right by the gate to heaven. Judas took the wrong path. Judas’ epitaph would have been, “It would have been better for this man if he had not been born.” For us we can say, “Unless I have been born twice, it would be better if I had not been born at all.” Although Jesus Christ was betrayed He continued to love and now He lives and enables us to love although we have been betrayed, hurt, disillusioned, rejected and despised - so was He! If I Gained The World But Lost The Savior Anna Olander If I gained the world, but lost the Savior, Were my life worth living for a day? Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort, In the things that soon must pass away? If I gained the world, but lost the Savior, Would my gain be worth the lifelong strife? Are all earthly pleasures worth comparing, For a moment with a Christ-filled life. Had I wealth and love in fullest measure, And a name revered both far and near, Yet no hope beyond, no harbor waiting, Where my storm-tossed vessel I could steer; If I gained the world, but lost the Savior, Who endured the cross and died for me, Could then all the world afford a refuge, Whither, in my anguish, I might flee? O what emptiness!—without the Savior, ’Mid the sins and sorrows here below! And eternity, how dark without Him! Only night and tears and endless woe! What, though I might live without the Savior, When I come to die, how would it be? O to face the valley’s gloom without Him! And without Him all eternity! O the joy of having all in Jesus! What a balm the broken heart to heal! Ne’er a sin so great, but He’ll forgive it, Nor a sorrow that He does not feel! If I have but Jesus, only Jesus, Nothing else in all the world beside— O then everything is mine in Jesus; For my needs and more He will provide.