Ash Wednesday – February 17, 2010

John 13:¹⁸ “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ ¹⁹ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. ²⁰ I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” ²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” ²² His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. ²³ One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. ²⁴ Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” ²⁵ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. ²⁷ As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, ²⁸ but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. ³⁰ As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

“He Knows Your Heart"

The title of an old TV game show, "Truth or Consequences," suggests that if a person doesn't tell the truth there's going to be some negative consequences. But it also implies that if he does tell the truth, then those negative consequences can be avoided. In our lesson this evening we have an interesting variation on that theme. Jesus tells the truth – and a rather painful truth at that – but it doesn't spare him the consequences. In fact, knowing the truth and telling the truth simply magnified the grief that he felt. "I tell you the truth: One of you will betray me."

Though this truth would not keep Jesus from suffering the consequences of our sins, it was a truth that was intended to spare one of his disciples the worst consequence of all. This night, in the upper room, Jesus of Nazareth is Passing By, passing by his wayward disciple, passing by with one final opportunity of his grace. He spoke the truth to warn Judas, to turn him from his sin, to snatch him from the fires of hell before it was too late. But with a coldness that makes us shiver, Judas refused to listen or repent or change. And so for all time he stands as an example of what can happen to a person when he refuses to repent and believe the truth. He then faces the eternal consequences of hell.

It's good for us to remember what has taken place already this night in the Upper Room. The disciples, filled with their "So-Big" attitudes have been bickering and arguing about which of them is going to be top dog in the kingdom of heaven. Their minds are focused within. They can think of nothing but their own importance, their own imagined greatness. It's time for them to come back down to earth, to see themselves for what they really are – self-centered and egotistical.

Jesus stoops to wash their feet. He, their Lord and Teacher, shows them a different way to look at themselves, a different way to look at service, a different way of understanding greatness. But he's not yet finished with them. There's so much more they need to learn, so much more they need to understand about themselves and the true depravity of the human heart.

"I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me." "But this is to fulfill the scripture: He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me." Jesus isn’t ignorant of what's going to happen this night. He knows there's a traitor in the group. And what's more, he knows who it is. He knows all his disciples. He knows their hearts. He knows what kind of men they are. He knows them better than they know themselves. But Jesus also knows the danger these disciples face. What will they do when they see the Son of Man betrayed into the hands of sinners? Will their faith be able to withstand the doubts and questions that are sure to arise? He knows they will think twice about all his claims. If he really was the Son of God how could he fall victim to the plots of the Jewish leaders. Shouldn't he have seen it coming and used his power to stop it? How could such things happen to the almighty Son of God? So, in order to still those doubts he says, "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He."

Let these disciples be aware that their Master is not going to fall victim to circumstances. It's not going to be a bad break that hands him over to his enemies. It's not going to be the treachery of a faithless disciple that frustrates his mighty plans. On the contrary, all of this is part of his plan. It's the way it must be so that the scripture can be fulfilled, "He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me."

Earlier this evening Jesus had been happy. He was among friends, celebrating the most important and festive of all feasts, the Feast of Passover. With joy he and his disciples recalled the great deliverance God had given his people, delivering them from the destroying angel of death and from their slavery in the land of Egypt. But now the atmosphere changes. Jesus becomes troubled in spirit. It was a change that was felt by all the disciples. You could see it in his face, hear it in his voice, feel it in the way he acted. Something was wrong.

That something, of course, was Judas. The more Jesus thought about what this disciple was about to do, the more troubled he became. But we're wrong if we think that Jesus was simply thinking about himself and all the pain and the trouble he would have to endure later that night. No, Jesus was thinking about Judas. He was troubled about this disciple who was throwing everything away – his life, his salvation, his very soul – for a few pieces of silver.

Perhaps Judas - like Adam and Eve, like King David and Bathsheba, like us sometimes, too - thought he could get away with it, thought he could keep his sin secret and hidden from the eye of the Almighty. But he couldn't – just as we can't. Jesus knows all about it. He knew Judas’ heart just like he knows ours. He knows what kind of person Judas is – what kind of people we are. But he doesn't for that reason give up on us and cast us aside. Rather he shows us his love and tries to get us to realize what we're doing before it's too late. He wants us to face our sin honestly and openly, to confess it, repent of it and turn to him for forgiveness.

It would do Judas no good to let him think that he was getting away with something, that he could keep his sin bottled up and concealed from God. What Jesus said he said to them all, but the words should have seemed louder in the ears of Judas: "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me." Surely, these words fell upon each disciple like a sudden slap in the face. It was as if a bomb had exploded in the room. These few words from his lips – then only silence, a silence that grew more tense and stifling with every passing moment. How these words burned in their minds!

John tells us the disciples began to look around the room and to stare at one another. Hardly able to believe that one of them could be so treacherous, so despicable, so foul. They looked for some sign of guilt on each other’s face. But then like a ton of bricks a sudden, secret dread falls upon them. Suddenly a terrible and terrifying thought occurs to them. "What if... what if it's me!? Could I be the one? Jesus was so positive. One of us is going to betray him. What if it's me!"

Filled with dread and afraid of the answer they might receive, the disciples one by one ask, "Surely, not I, Lord?" In a sense it's a refreshing and encouraging thing to see. These disciples knew how foul the human heart can be. They knew that in a darker moment they might be capable of such a crime. And it terrified them! Modern man, though, has somehow convinced himself that he doesn't have to deal with such a treacherous heart. By and large he's bought the lie that man is basically good and that if something is wrong in his life, it isn't really his fault. Ask him and he'll tell you: "My father was an alcoholic. It's not my fault I turned out the same way." "If you had as tough a childhood as I did, you wouldn't be any better." "I was abused as I child. No wonder I beat my own kids." "I can't help it that I'm gay. That's the way God made me." And on and on it goes. Man looking here and there for any place to hang his guilt -- anywhere but on the heart gone afoul of its creator's plans.

The disciples, at least were more honest. They realized that when it came right down to it, they were capable of such a ghastly thing. And it frightened the daylights out of them. Somehow, though, Judas remains cool and calm through it all. He even has the gall to continue the charade and ask along with the others, "Surely, not I, Rabbi." Already his heart is hard and calloused. Yet still Jesus doesn't give up on him. Once more He will try to reach this falling disciple.

All eyes are now on Jesus. In answer to John's whispered question, "Lord, who is it?" he picks up a piece of bread, dips it in the dish and hands it to Judas. It's Judas' last chance. He can, in this one last moment, yet change his mind, abandon his plan, return to his Lord. He can refuse to take the bread! Surely, even at this late date, Jesus will take him back and forgive him. Like the prodigal son he can still return to his father's house and waiting arms. Judas' eyes are riveted on that hand of Jesus. He glances up at his face and looks into the Master's eyes. Can he not see the deep pain, the burning love, the mighty warning there? Yes, he sees it all – and he hardens his heart against it. He will not change. He will not repent. In an instant it's over. He takes the bread – and Satan takes his heart.

"What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus tells him. "Get on with it, Judas. I've tried again and again to break through your stony heart, to soften and melt it, to lead you to repentance before it's too late. But again and again you've refused. Now it is too late." Yes, Judas, Jesus knows what's going on. He knows of your well-laid plan with the Jewish authorities. He knows of the 30 pieces of silver that cemented the deal. He knows your heart!

In spite of all Jesus' efforts, Judas would not listen and repent. There's a lesson for us all here. You can't play around with sin, court it, cuddle up with it and expect to walk away unharmed. You play with fire and you're going to get burned. It's a lesson of what the power of Satan can do to a man. Judas, a man who might have been one of those sitting on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel, became a child of hell and earned a name to be despised to the end of time. Judas – the traitor.

But there's another lesson here for us, too. It's a lesson of the love of Jesus, a lesson that tells us that no matter how far we wander, no matter how dark the sin, the blood of Jesus can still cover and cleanse. Once Judas leaves, Jesus will turn once again to his disciples with another most solemn declaration. “Take and eat,” he says, “this is my body which is given for you...Take and drink. This is my blood of the new covenant which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19,20).

Purposely Judas is excluded. For he who will not repent, who does not want his Savior’s forgiveness, shall not have it. But for those who that night saw the blackness of their own soul and all that it was capable of, for those who felt the fear and terror, came Jesus’ forgiveness and comfort. Through his body and blood he unites himself with them, gives them the purchase price of their sin, and says to each, “Here, this is for you.” And still he comes today. Still he comes to you and to me to lay on our lips this most precious gift that we might know the full extent of his love. “I give myself on the cross for you,” he says, “for sinners.” Yes, the Lord says, “for you.” Amen.