The Judas Effect

What are the thoughts that occur when one hears the name “Judas”? The visceral response is the same as to the word “betrayer” for the name has come to mean the same thing. Those who have heard anything at all of the man who gave the Lord over to his enemies are quick to disassociate themselves from any identification with him. He has come to represent the ultimate in human evil. How did he manage to waste his life and arrive at so sad an ending? Yet his dishonor can be instructional.

Before he met Christ, Judas was a normal person, indistinguishable from almost any other Jewish person of his era. The longing for the promised messiah was the definitive desire of Hebrew society at this time, brought on by the crushing weight of Roman domination. They wanted to be freed from their chains. Listening in on the conversations of the disciples, it was obvious that the men closest to Jesus, until their last view of him, expected a violent conqueror of the enemies of Israel. Judas was probably not different in this regard.

Judas was definitely aware that Jesus was the promised one the prophets spoke of. It is likely he felt frustration that meek and servile Jesus failed to live up to his expectations. Perhaps he wished to “help” God restore the kingdom to Israel by provoking a confrontation between his messiah and the gentile rulers lording it over him and his brethren. His suicide response to the death of Jesus would seem to indicate that the Lord’s sacrifice was not the result he was expecting.

Judas entirely missed the point of why Jesus came. He had not learned, despite all his time with Jesus, that only God is qualified to control things and be the top decision maker. Only God knows everything. Like a disobedient horse stealing the reins from it’s rider, Judas felt he knew the best path and made his own plans to make sure that it happened. He was “smarter than God”. If God were to expose our innermost thoughts, wouldn’t we be flabbergasted to discover that Judas lives on… in us? Jesus gave us the example when he acknowledged his physical and emotional weakness to God and yet chose to take the path of obedience by saying “Thy will be done”. Do we follow him by bringing every thought and action “captive to Christ” or do we hedge our bets by having fallback strategies in play? Do we, maybe just occasionally, feel that we could do things better than God?

What is a good servant?

Do you know anyone that you admire as a believer? Anyone fellowshipping with the peaceful, humble brother in Christ will acknowledge it as a positive, edifying experience. An experience like this is what brought most of us to consider the Savior’s claims in the first place. When our spiritual eyes have been opened, we realize that this person, who models the Lord for us, is one to be imitated. He is the “good servant”. This brother is a “living epistle”, a love letter from God.(2 Cor 3:3) What characteristics of the good servant can we point out? Honesty would compel us to admit that as superficial beings, what we want to see are good works and a pleasing personality. We are limited and can only see the surface, and what attracts us is something that benefits us. This is the most preeminent value of a profit and production driven society, a concern that speaks to us of how we can achieve what we want. God has a different perspective than us. He looks deeper than the surface, all the way down to what motivates us. The 13th chapter of Corinthians offers a study of contrasts, that of the good servant with someone else who is merely an overachiever. If I have understanding of all spiritual knowledge and prophesy, but don’t act from love, I’m just making noise. If I truly believe, but have no love, I have no ranking with God. Sacrificing all of my possessions and my very body will not qualify to get God’s attention if I don’t do it for love. Love is the currency of the kingdom of God. God is pleased with the one who is driven by the passion to show compassion, the one who does not seek his own good, but to please the one who is loved. Where did all this love originate, and from what source? How did this helplessly besotted creature get in this condition in the first place? A story Jesus told, when he had dinner with a Pharisee, begins to answer the question. (Luke 7:36-48) The legalistic teacher had nothing but contempt for a sinful woman anointing the feet of Jesus, so Jesus asked him: Which of two debtors, the one who owed much, or the one who owed little, when forgiven of their debts, would love the Accountant more? Don’t we all know the answer to that one? He has forgiven the great debt we owe because of his love for us. Love springs from receiving the unmerited favor, which could never be earned, of the grace of God. God has told us that when we ask him to come dwell with us, that His laws will be written on our hearts. His laws are the laws of love. In contrast, the overachiever mentioned earlier is a legalistic person, bound up in duty and impressed with their own suffering. This person presents themselves as an example. They feel that they have endured meaningfully their self flagellation and thereby prevailed. They want everyone to adopt their ritual of self directed angst. After all, isn’t that how they got where they are at today? The spiritual disciplines of prayer, bible study, and church attendance have become burdens, rather than blessed freedoms. This believer has lost his first love. (Rev 2:4) What does Jesus counsel the love lost believer to do? First, to open their eyes to the truth, so they can see the poverty of their efforts, how their legalism is just an ugly noise. When their eyes are opened, they then see the glory and awesome majesty of God. They comprehend the totality of the victory already won and the honor bestowed on them in participating in the works of Christ. Instead of going through the motions of religious ritual, hoping that joy will show it’s face, they should try confessing the truth by praising the Eternal King. Lift Him up and glorify Him. Enjoy the glorious truth of what He has accomplished for us. Let joy expand outward and overflow from our cleansing like the Mr. Bubble we put in our bath. Only the driving passion of love stemming from gratitude can move us from legalism to ………praise done in faith. Yes, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. We can give voice to the excellence of His praise. Can you not see that Jesus is Lord? Inundated by the tide of His passionate joy, I lose my grip on fear. It cannot survive the onslaught of His light of celebration! I feel joy welling up within me in response to His presence. His life and creativity flow like a mighty river: Irresistible! One who has met Him is convinced. All choice is stripped from me: I can only confess the truth. Glorious truth! Jesus is Lord indeed!