March 19, 2008 - "Let Judas Shake You"

“Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.”
Matthew 26:14-15

Today Chris Quinlan, our great Communications/Technology Director, reminded me that he will portray Judas in the Passover presentations on March 21 and 22. That conversation came just minutes after reading this brief commentary by John Piper, found in the blog section of desiringgod.org:

“Judas left the fellowship of the twelve apostles after the anointing in Bethany and arranged to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-15). But when they met again at the last supper, there he was! Near enough to dip into the Savior’s cup.”

“When our family read this for devotions last night I was angry at the absolute wickedness of Judas coming back to eat Passover with the one he had just sold. I said to my daughter, evidently with more emotion that she was used to, ‘That is utterly wicked!’”

“She said, ‘What is so wicked?’ I said, ‘What if I went out tonight and arranged for a cruel man to kill you on the way to school tomorrow morning? That would be horrible. But then would it not be wicked to high heaven if I came home, after arranging your murder, and had devotions with you and prayed with you?’

“She was shaken.”

“Small wonder that Jesus said, ‘It would have been better for that man (Judas) if he had never been born’ (Matthew 26:24).”

“Let us be shaken this week, again and again.”

Powerful. O Lord, that I may not pretentiously follow you and call you my Lord and then sell you out for the temporary pleasures of sin! Shaking is good, so do shake me at the thought of such betrayal. Amen.