Betrayal

Problems with your attorney think you would to Luke chapter 22 and will be looking at verses 47 through 53 this morning while he was still speaking, there came a cry out in the man called Judas, one of the 12 was leading them. He drew near to Jesus, to kissing, but Jesus said to him, Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss with those who around him, Saul would follow. They say Lord Joey strike with the sword and one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Jesus said no more of this and he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who would come out against team have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs when I was with you day after day in the temple. You do not lay hands on me with this is your hour in the power of darkness that with me as we got our Lord in prayer. Heavenly father.

Next week is Easter resurrection Sunday the greatest day of the year for the true believers. Next week will focus on the victories of glory, the power of our risen Lord. We will shout sing for joy that we worship a living Savior. The grade could not hold, the sin was priced and he is alive. Hallelujah this week we focus on the pain and the betrayal that sending to the cross. Father, you have not left us wondering if this pain.

This betrayal is suffering Jesus experienced was somehow not your plan, you made it evident your word that before creation.

The cross was your plan, you called your son. The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Jesus himself said no one takes my life. For me, but I lay down my life for the sheep were going to focus on Gethsemane today. This is where Jesus drank of the bitter cup.

This is where Jesus was betrayed by a friend.

This betrayal did not catch Jesus by surprise. It was even prophesied in the Old Testament but yet it stung the heart of our Savior. Father, help us to understand the heart of Judas so that we may fight to be not like him got us through this passage of Scripture, exalt Christ through it edify this congregation, for it is the precious and holy name of Jesus that we pray.

Amen. You may be seated in a magazine. Psychology today AKS is described this way. A kiss is an implicit expression of openness and trust to touch with the lips as an expression of either affection greeting respect or love pretty good description West James used to be, pastor of Harbor PCA church in Mooresville, North Carolina. I'll never forget illustration that he used an sermon that he was preaching to our Presbytery. His wife was getting ready to I have her baby. She is getting ready to deliver to twin girls and he was in the labor room with his wife and every body and and the first baby was delivered and the nurse took the baby clean that at daughter often and then took her and put her in the bassinet and the doctor called her over very quickly. To help with the second baby. Well, as soon as she put the baby down the baby started wailing. I mean just bellowing just howling and I had her mouth wide open face was red. The nurse turned around the West and said daddy do something with your daughter and so Wes walked over to the bassinet hail litany looked down he got real close to work and said hello Caroline I'm your daddy and I love you and he kissed her right on the floor. Immediately she stopped crying and she completely punished. She recognize that voice and then West burst out into tears and he started crying. He said he would never forget that kiss how many husbands do we have here this morning that remember the first kiss you got from your wife if you didn't if you don't remember, don't say anything because I don't I don't have time for marital counseling this week, but I remember my first time that I that I kissed Cindy we were in Valley cruises North Carolina we took a day trip up to the mountains went to the Mass General store and there is a river of the Watauga River that runs right behind it. We walked down to the river to the shore. We took our shoes off and we walked out into the into the water and that we got out into that water about about knee-deep and as we were out in that water I decided here's my chance. And so I told her that I loved her. I reached over, hugged her realizing that she couldn't run because of water and realizing that she tried to run. She fall down. Water was way too cold and so I got my TS and as soon as I did. I reached down in the water right up under our feet. Not I found a little flat stone and I pulled it off. I washed it off real quickly put in my pocket. That stone was to be a reminder to me never to forget that day and that place and that kiss BB Warfield was a theology professor at Princeton seminary is was during the time back in the early late 1800s with Princeton seminary really stood for truth was a seminary professor, they are only 20 years old when he was 20 years old. He got married and when he got married. I went on their honeymoon they went to Switzerland celebrate their their marriage they got there to Switzerland on their honeymoon, and she was struck by lightning and she was paralyzed from the neck down. He took her back home and they built a house right there on the property right beside the campus and then he set up his schedule so they never have to be away from her more than two hours at a time. He had invitations from all over the world for him to come and preach at those places and he turned them all down because he knew he didn't want to be away from her.

He couldn't be away from her. Every day he got up and took care of her a wash. Terry based her close to her each day and then he fed her every meal that she ate and she needed to go someplace. He picked her up in his arms in a carrier from the day that she was paralyzed until the day that she died.

They had no marital intimacy whatsoever.

She lived for 60 more years. She died when she was 81 of the will of seminary professors with the BB Warfield said that he would never forget the day of her death. He was with them, and said she breathed her last breath and when she breathed her last breath BB Warfield reached over.

He picked her up in his arms and he kissed her of the last kiss and he burst into tears and he thanked and praised God for the gift of that wife when I think of the kiss. That's what I think of those type of things right there for the Lord gave us a heart for loving but he gave us lips for kissing and did you realize that one of the Greek words for love how Leo literally means to kiss now set all that because I want us to consider today.

The irony of of what we are seeing in this passage in the kiss that we can be looking at.

It was not a romantic kiss.

It was not an affectionate TS. It was a wicked, ungodly kiss therefore points on one share with you this morning .1 is is betrayed by kiss. Look at verse 47 through 48. While he was still speaking, there came a cry out and the man called Judas, one of the 12 is leading them. He drew near to Jesus, to kissing, but Jesus said to him, Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss not understand what a bitter betrayal. This was we need to remember how much Jesus had done for Judas. Jesus called Judas to be one of the 12 disciples that Jesus related to lots and lots of people, but he related differently to these 12 Jesus would heal the multitudes Jesus would preach to the multitudes Jesus would feed the multitudes, but he disciple only 12 they took these 12 million put them up under his wing and poured his heart and soul into these men. Jesus taught Judas he was with them for three years and Judas heard almost all of that teaching Judas was they are.

You he would. Jesus would preach and teach to the multitudes. What a night they come back and he sat down to eat supper with them and he would elaborate on the teaching Jesus would teach the parables to the multitudes that he would explain the parables to the disciples. Jesus said to Judas, and the disciples this to you and is been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven after Jesus was resurrected from the dead on that Sunday afternoon he came back and was walking on the, the, the road to Emmaus.

There he met two men that we call them to the two men. The two disciples from Emmaus and when we met these men that they might not of been in one of them may have been clearances why they could be in. But Jesus spoke to them and begin to talk to them. I didn't recognize the presenter's new resurrected body and Jesus began to preach to them and this is what the Scripture says, and beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them and all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

The word interpreted in the and in the Greek language is that word Herman knew that we get our word hermeneutics from it is a discipline where you take Scripture and you break down the words and you break down the tenses so that you will not just know about the word of God says that you will know the word of God know what happened.

They went back home.

They went back to the house where these two disciples. Leo did and they had a meal together in the Scripture says that as they were eating the bread that they recognize Jesus in the eating the bread and is soon as they did Jesus disappeared from them. Don't listen to what was said. After that in verse 32 they said to each other did not.

Our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road while he opened the Scriptures while I said when Jesus was share in the Scripture with us something very unusual happened. Our heart burn within us as he opened the word of God to us folks.

That's what was going on with the disciples for three years when Jesus would teach the word of God to them about the word of God would just burn in their heart and would live and grow and not only was the other 11 disciples. They are, but Jesus was there as well, folks, Judas knew the word of God.

Judas was taught the word of God by the author of the word of God is a privilege that was but not only was Jean did Jesus teach Judas but Jesus was also a front row spectator to the miracles of Jesus, Judas was on the boat when Jesus calm the storm and stop the wind, Jesus, Judas, all the healing that Jesus did with the blind receive their sight, the deaf receive their hearing, and the laying received mobility in their Liam Judas got to see the 5000 people failed with five lows to fish.

Jesus watched Jesus raised three different people and then Jesus, Judas was taught how to pray. Jesus told them by example. Jesus talking by the Bob just words and teaching them how to pray. He taught Judas how to serve the that the other disciples went out to about two they were taught how to spread the gospel how to cast out demons out to how to heal the sick. I think Jesus had Judas in mind when he said what he did in Matthew chapter 7 verse 21 to 23 when Jesus said not everyone is safe to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but in that last day there will be many that will come to Mason Lord, do we not prophesy in your name. Do we not cast out demons in your name.

Do we not do many wonderful works in your name and Jesus would say to them, depart from the workers of iniquity. I never knew you. And then last of all, Judas on the night that he was going to betray Jesus Christ was there with Jesus in the upper room, the Lord of glory got down his hands and his knees before Judas took a basin of water and is powerful and cleans the grit and the grime from between the toes of Judas.

If you don't read Dan Brown's book called the da Vinci code. I'm not encouraging you to read its heretical book. But if you have read that book and if you've read the ancient book the Gospel according to Judas, then you will Lee be led to feel sorry for Judas. Those books will lead you to believe that he was just a poor pawn in the hand of God.

I encourage you not to pity this wicked trader.

Only a handful of people at the opportunities and the privilege that privileges that Judas had and what did Jesus do for a handful of coins and from a nudge from Satan. He betrayed the son of God Philip Reich and said the following. Even the last words Jesus ever spoke to his betrayers were spoken in love. Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss. Jesus loved you call Judas by his personal name. Matthew tells us that even call Judas his friend that night and it was as a friend that Jesus called him one last time to repentance.

When he asked Judas his question he was not expressing his own surprise, but trying to startle Judas into the recognition of what he was really doing all Judas Judas, are you sure you want to go through with this. Don't you see that I am the one and only divine son of God, can't you see what you're doing.

You are becoming a traitor to the cause of Christ.

Thus, to the end price seeks to keep them from ruin the listen. No one on the face of the earth ever loved Jesus like Jesus did. And Judas did what the guard next Gethsemane comes he kisses Jesus on the cheek that gives the okay to the Sanhedrin to the soldiers to all that are they are to come and arrest Jesus and what he was actually saying with that kiss was this kill him killing. I don't care how much you love me. I don't care what he did for me but taking them and beating and scourging and cursing and spent owning and nail him to a cross had depleted that betrayal wound hurt the heart of Christ.

I don't think we can even begin to imagine. John MacArthur was preaching the pastors conference years ago and he was sharing with pastors about some of the wounds that we will receive in the ministry at those things will come. John was sharing about his greatest ministerial heartbreak to share the gospel with a young teenage boy in the boy trusted Christ.

He made a profession of faith and John took them up under his wing to personally discipling and as he did he found out that the boy was homeless, had no family had no place to live and so Johnson's don't you come and live with us, you will be like one of my children will eat meals at our house will take care of you and went all the way through high school after high school he said he wanted to go to college. John paid his tuition to go to to the date to go to the college they are on campus and then not only did he pay his tuition for that. He wanted to going to seminary any papers is tuition for seminary and then the ministry. They are at Grace Community Church took aim on as part of their staff paid staff one long before this young man begin to say some very ugly things about John to people. He was the work with the youth and he was saying things about John to the youth that were horrible things and always rumors got started. People started leaving the church. Following the elders got together and they said to this young man what are you doing why are you saying these things and I began asking questions and and they called him in all kind of lies they had to fire him off the staff and they had excommunicated him from the church. John says he's never felt that kind attention and that kind of stress in his whole life he lost weight. He could need. He couldn't sleep and beg this young man to to to find out why he had betrayed him like he did any got right in his face and the asking why did you betray me like this, said the young man smiled and said I just don't like you.

I just don't like you multiply John's hurt by about 10,000, and you have a little bit of feeling of the hurt that Jesus Christ failed over the betrayal of Judas might point to this permission requested verse 49 and on those who were around him saw that what would follow, they said, Lord, shall we strike with the sword. What is the natural thing to do when you're betrayed. I think the natural thing is to seek vengeance or to won't pay back, and the word band to this is is a word that she used to describe the group that was they are that that night in the garden is not used here in Luke is used in the other Gospels and in that word band always describes a group of over 200 people so there's a huge group that was they are. There were religious leaders that were there in their decorative clothing were soldiers that were there with a sword in one hand and the club and the other there were servants that were there that were hired to come on in and to work and help with this arrest and Judas Iscariot walks in and leaves them in and he walks over Jesus and he kisses him on the cheek and then that the soldiers and all began to to approach Jesus and when the idea Jesus looked at the soldiers and they said he said to him whom do you see Mason we sing Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus said to them, I am the Greek word eagle on the or the Hebrew or Aramaic word. Yahweh was Jesus doing he was proclaiming his deity. He was saying. I am Yahweh, I am Jehovah God.

He said you came in here seeking for Jesus the man, but who you have found is Jesus the son of God and his son as he said I am they were knocked off their feet lying prostrate before him, and they could not even move books lite something they did not terribly. They were knocked off their feet by the power of God's name only ask you something, who's in control layer is no question about it. Jesus is in control. Jesus could've just walked away thinking of than anything he wanted to do, but he didn't.

He released his power and let them up so that put a little backbone in the in the 11 other disciples.

One of them steps up says you want to talk about all the Lord is that what you all you want us to do that. I know that might not been the right move mate. What I like I like the idea of a man be in a man and protecting those who he loves thing the disciples got scared and ran off. Later, when Jesus was being taken to the cross. At this point in time they were ready to die for Jesus.

There's something in my heart that appreciates that, man. 5.3 a sermon for the high priest. Look at verse 5351, and one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said no more of this and he touched his ear and healed.

If you've ever wondered why we needed for Gospels instead of just one. I think this event is a great answer for that Matthew and Mark tell us that that one of the disciples cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest, but we go to the gospel of John, we are told who that disciple was that it was Peter and we are told the name of the high servant of the high priest that was Malcolm's we get Evan the gospel of Luke and we find out that he cut off his right ear and we find out that Jesus healed him. Now let's get this picture in our mind once again Judas waltzed leads the group into the garden of Gethsemane. He walks over Jesus.

He kisses him on the cheek. Jesus sees the men coming toward him and he stops him and he says whom you seek.

They said were seeking Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus said to them, I am Yahweh and his soon as he says that soon as he proclaims his deity. They are knocked off their feet and a prostate trait position right before him, and they cannot move.

I think Jesus probably just let them lay there for just a minute, absolutely motionless because they can't get up. They can't do anything. Then Jesus releases its power and he lets them get up so they can arrest him. I think this show of divine power against the soldiers and the anger that these disciples have in their heart forward toward Judas at this point in time in bold in the disciples and they said, Lord, shall we strike them with the sword and before Jesus can say anything impetuous Peter jumps up, he pulls his sword out of the sheath and he starts swinging the guy that's right next to him is not a soldier but happens to be the servant of the high priest. What was Peter trying to do. I don't think Peter is trying to pop his ear off electric Peter was trying to pop his head off and EA swings at Eamon and Malka's ducts and with Malka's Doxy instead of hitting his neck. He hits the side of his head.

He gets his ear just severs his ear from his body. Now I can just imagine Malka's at this point in time he's he's jumping up and down hopping around like a chicken with its head cut off the blood is just that year. The pain is absolutely horrendous and he's losing his hearing very very quickly. It all happened so quickly that the soldiers have not even responded to it yet. Jesus sees what's going on and he screams at Peter and he screams at the other disciples. He said guys stop. Stop right now. No more of the S put your swords up and then as soon as Jesus said that he reached down in the ground and he pulled up that ear in his hand dirty sand covered Lenny ear and he reaches every places it on the head of Malka's and as soon as he does the bleeding stops. The pain stops in his hearing comes right back that the soldiers and all the religious leaders are looking at this.

Her eyes are wide open.

What in the world has just happened and there's there they said piece of my goodness.

They go over to Malka's start pulling on his ear, checking email and they are absolutely shocked at what is taking place here only ask you something why we have all this information about this incident. While all four Gospels tell us about this event to think about all the things that are not in Scripture that would like to know about. I would like to know more about the creation I would like to know more about Jesus's relationship with his earthly father Joseph. I like to know more about the second coming of Christ. I like to know more about what God did before the earth was created in and in eternity past boat. We don't have that doing those things are not recorded for us in Scripture were not gonna find out those things until we go to be with him in glory. But here we have a story about an event that took place in the garden of Gethsemane in all four Gospels tell us about that story when we find out we know that the servant of the high priest was attacked by Peter. We know that he had his ear chopped off. We know that it was his right ear. We know that his name was Malka's and we know that Jesus healed him.

Why all this information on to think about it. Where did Malka's go when he went back home, he went right back to his master, who was his master's master was Caiaphas the high priest. Can you imagine what happened that this crowd. This arrested Jesus there marching back to the home of Caiaphas and is there there marching back Caiaphas, here's a crowd coming. He runs out to meet him. He sees him they are in, looks over everything is as well and the sergeant says we guiding we're resting he's here with us and Matt and Casas was any trouble and the the Sgt. turns around to Malka's look setting and then Caiaphas looks over at Matheson Malka's you troubles you get in Malka's is all excited.

He said you won't believe what happened. One of the servants of Jesus took his sword and he was trying to cut cut my head off any and I ducked any hit my ear in my ear was cut off from my body and Jesus reached down and he took my ear and he put it back on my head and he made me wail conferences coming coming coming and comes over here seem reached up and grab another year starts pulling on it ear and tugging on it and he says boy ain't nothing wrong with your ear.

Your ears just fine. Malka said yes it is now, but it was a little while ago.

The city is they said the servant Jesus cut my ear off and it was laying on the ground and it was pain and there was all the bleeding and I was losing my hearing in the Jesus fixed it. He reached Danny put it back on my head and all of a sudden I was totally wail the bleeding stopped the pain stopped. And I can hear just perfectly. And while all that was going on. I felt something going on in my heart like I've never felt before Jesus costs Caiaphas you sure we got the right guy, you sure we got the right man in the Sgt. looks over Caiaphas again. Caiaphas, are you sure we got the right man.

Caiaphas reaches back over any pools that ear once again and then he looks up and he's got this wicked smile on his face he says yeah we got the right man. This is the one I want to see his bloodied broken beaten body hanging dead from across. I reject him and I went to seemed.

I believe this was the last sermon that Caiaphas was ever forced to respond to. Just like Judas. Caiaphas took unquestioned truth and he spit on it. My fourth point is the dark our look at verse 52 through 53 then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders whose come out against him. Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs when I was with you day after day in the temple. You do not lay hands on me, but this is your hour in the power of darkness. What you consider the irony of this event just minutes before Jesus was speaking to these this big group this. The soldiers in the in the religious leaders in the servants and and he spoke to them and he said his name, and when he did. They were all not down on their face prostrate before him.

Jesus left them up didn't have to but he did and then he says to them you come out here with me in the garden with all these weapons and you come to arrest me. So I was in the temple day after day after day, preaching the word of God said you never came after me than limitation Jesus could have destroyed them all. Right then, but he didn't.

And the question is why didn't he want any. Just do it right then because it was the will of God the father that he be betrayed, arrested and nailed to the cross owner close with the statement that Philip Reich and made because I think it's important to realize that Satan was never calling the shots here. We need to remember what Martin Luther said. Martin Luther said to believers we need to understand that even the devil is God's devil first Corinthians chapter 2 verse nine sales if the princes of this world had known what they were doing they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. The princes of this world is talking about is the demonic Graham. He said if they just knew what they were doing.

He said they never would have done it, but they were used by God in a very powerful way. Reich and said it this way. When Jesus said this is your hour he was not referring to 60 minutes on the clock, which is a short indefinite period of time when evil men would have their way. This was the hour when Judas would give his treacherous kiss and the leaders of Israel would make their unlawful arrest. This was our one angry man would call for blood and cruel soldiers would carry out their terrible torture. This was the hour when the Son of Man would suffer and to death. In other words, this was the hour when Satan would try out there is deeper encouragement for us in the ass. However, that even the dark hour that seem to be under Satan's power was really God's our the very fact that Jesus told forces of darkness which hour was layers show that he was Lord of that hour and every hour even the dark our betrayal was under the greater power of God and of his Christ, all of the things it seemed at that time, like victories for Satan including Judas and his nefarious kiss actually fulfill the prophecies of God.

Jesus allowed Satan to have this our power only because he knew it would help to accomplish our salvation by suffering. This betrayal of everything else that happened to him on the way to his death, Jesus was paying the price for our sin and purchasing our salvation therefore lowers Satan's power was at the same time the day of our redemption.

What comforting courage. This gives to us in every dark hour.

It is true that our present trials will not last forever. Soon we will enter the eternal light of our salvation.

But even this present darkness, whatever it is for us is under the power of God.

If God was at work, even during the dark hour of our Lord's betrayal than whether we can see it or not, we may believe with hope that he's also at work right now in our dark trials but soft talk to so many Christians lately who are horribly discouraged Christians and churches that once stood for truth have now become one churches. Churches where the pastors of those churches are walking away from the word of God. If they might bounce to the culture churches were pastors are saying the word of God is not really what is important anymore. What's important is social justice folks that hurts and it's discouraging.

But make no mistake about this Jesus Christ is still on the throne. God's sovereignty has not been diminished.

His providences are still certain. Don't fear don't quit and don't compromise our faithfulness will glorify him. Amen. Let's pray heavenly father's 2750 years ago, you told the prophet Isaiah that he was to preach to Israel, but they would not listen. You said they would wouldn't listen because you would make them dull of hearing that you would make them spiritually deaf and spiritually blind that you would take away their ability to perceive the truth you were sand Isaiah that these people and send away their day of grace they had stepped over your line in the sand and you are finished with them but you told Isaiah to keep on preaching because you had an electric remnant who would hear the truth and respond in faith and obedience Lord is that where America is. Is our country, so mark your holiness and belittle your truth that you said it's too late father churches all over our nation are abandoning your truth to appease the culture. Churches and preachers who refuse to compromise are being persecuted and canceled out. God give Grace Church the heart to weather the storm to be a light in a dark world. Help us to be tough and tender bold but humble. Help us to be so Christlike different that the world would see the difference that Jesus makes put steel in our backbone and steadfastness in our hearts force in the precious and holy name of Jesus that we pray.

Amen