Are You Judas?

Are you Judas? I am Judas. Maybe not today or in this moment, but I have been Judas many times in my life and I’m sure I will be at some point again. I sell Jesus out. I don’t sell Him out for silver but nonetheless, I have sold him out. Gossip, anger, emotion, to be right, unforgiveness, bitterness, self righteousness…and when I do, I know. Judas knew….we read the memes that say “Jesus knew and He still washed Judas’ Feet” and that’s awesome. There’s a lot of message in that and it shows the heart of my Savior. It demonstrates the servants heart Jesus has, it shows that even when He knows he has been betrayed and even when He knows His relationship will be denied, He is still washing feet. What an awesome demonstration of love and humility. That’s my Savior! But, Just as Jesus knew, Judas knew. As Judas got his feet washed by the Savior, he knew he had sold Jesus out. Judas knew as he dipped his bread with his Friend that he had already accepted the 30 pieces of silver to hand Him over to the chief priests. Judas knew he traded relationship for religion (that will preach). Judas could have stopped, asked his friend to to forgive him. He could have ran to Jesus and confessed his sin. I’m not saying Judas could have stopped the death of Jesus. Jesus was going to die…that’s why He came…..to die as us. Judas could not change the outcome for Jesus, but he could have changed his own outcome. He could have changed his legacy. He could have changed his testimony. Judas could have went out as a friend instead of a foe. Judas could have changed his OWN outcome. Read that again.

I want to ask a deeper question….what’s the value of your relationship? Is it 30 pieces of silver? Judas obviously placed little value on his friendship with Jesus. 30 pieces of silver. There’s discrepancy on the value of that today. I’ve read anywhere from $25 to $600 in today’s economy. Either way, that’s not a great deal of money to sell out a friendship for. It’s cheap. Most of us know what we are selling Jesus out for. We identify it. We know. Just like Judas knew. We feel guilty about. Maybe we are angry about it or walk in a ton of shame and condemnation. What’s our price? Is it anger? Maybe angry with others or angry with ourselves? Holding onto unforgiveness or continuing to gossip? Perhaps it’s some childhood trauma? Addiction? What is separating you from your friendship with Jesus today? Which is most valuable to you? Knowing what he did, Judas had a choice to make, fess up to what he had done and trust his relationship with Jesus enough to run to Him or continue to look Him in the eye, break bread with him and pretend it is all ok? We have the same choice today. Jesus knew and he washed feet. Judas knew and did nothing. You know. I know. What will we do?