WITNESS TO CHRIST: Judas Iscariot John 13:21–30

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be with you, from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Tonight, as we remember and celebrate the Last Supper our Lord had with His disciples, we look at the witness of Judas, the betrayer.

 

Judas was present at the Last Supper. In fact, Jesus had seated him in the position of honor next to Him. 

 

The sequence of actions that night were: 

1) Judas went to the chief priests to negotiate Jesus’ betrayal for some silver. 

2) He was with the disciples at the initial part of the Passover Supper. 

3) The devil put it in Judas’s heart to betray Jesus, something Judas allowed to happen because of his greed. 

4) Jesus told the disciples that they weren’t all clean, clearly a reference to Judas. 

5) Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him.

6) They all, including Judas, ask, “Is it I?”. 

7) Jesus responds by saying that the one who dips his morsel of bread with Him will betray Him. 

8) Jesus tells Judas that he is the one, as Judas knew full well, because he had already instigated it, and then Jesus gives him a piece of bread to dip.  

9) Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper with his disciples. 

10) Judas immediately leaves and goes to the chief priests, finishing the arrangements to betray Jesus, working out the details of where and when and how, and receives 30 pieces of silver for doing the devil’s work.

We read about this in tonight’s Gospel, from John 13. 

 

21 After saying these things, after washing their feet and telling them that they would lead by serving, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

 

At this point Jesus is using His omniscience, His divine power to know all things, in order to identify his betrayer, who would soon identify Jesus to His enemies in the Garden. 

 

 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, John, His close friend, was reclining at the table at Jesus' side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 

 

Jesus had seated Peter in the position of least honor, farthest away from Him, to teach Peter, as the spokesman of the disciples, to lead with humility. That’s why he was having trouble hearing and motioned to John to ask Jesus who He meant… 

 

25 So that disciple, John, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”

 

Matthew tells us that each of the disciples asked, “Is it I”, ending with Judas, who knew full well it was him; he had already explored the possibility with Jesus’ enemies. 

 

26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” 

So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. 

 

Luke tells us that Satan had entered his heart when Judas first starting negotiating Jesus’ betrayal, but now he fully gave his heart over to doing evil.

Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” You know you’re going to do it; go and get it over with. 

 

28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.

 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

 

At the table that night, beside his Lord, the One who could saved Him from what was happening, Judas’ hardened his heart and turned on His Teacher.

 

Judas opened up his heart to Satan and the devil gladly entered in, leading him deeper into temptation and sin; and finally into death and despair.

 

Even at the Table of our Lord, perhaps especially at His Table, Satan would have us harden our hearts toward our Forgiver. 

 

How is this done? When we approach His Table and receive His body and blood unworthily.

 

In the verses following tonight’s Epistle, Paul tells us: 27 Whoever, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 

28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

That’s what Judas did, and it ended up destroying him.

 

To receive the Sacrament unworthily is a serious thing, with devastating consequences; it hurts us more than helps us. 

But it’s what the devil would have us to do.

 

The devil has another way to trick our minds and twist the words of God to our soul’s harm: he would try to tell us that we’re unworthy because we’re weak and sinful. 

 

He wants to keep us away from God’s forgiveness, which strengthens us to be more like our Lord.

 

If we can’t receive our Lord’s body and blood because we’re sinners, then who can?

 

Then why did Jesus give it for the forgiveness of sins?

 

Matthew tells us, 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

 

27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

 

It’s not being without sin that makes us worthy and prepares us to receive our Lord’s body and blood; if we had no sin we wouldn’t need it.

 

It’s repentant faith that makes us ready to receive the Sacrament to our soul’s health.

 

Martin Luther explains it this way in His Small Catechism: 

Who receives this sacrament worthily? 

Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe. 

When we receive the Sacrament in repentant faith, it closes our heart more toward the devil, and all his works, and all his ways. 

And opens our heart more toward Christ, and all His godly works and loving ways.

 

So let us honestly examine our hearts, and see and repent of the sin in our life.

 

Let recognize and rejoice in the faith in our hearts; and then approach our Lord’s table in humble confidence that our sins are forgiven.

 

Then we will receive the body and blood of our Lord, broken and poured out on the cross for us, for our comfort and strength, for our blessing and healing.

 

And let us depart from His Table in peace, and serve our God with joy!

 

The story of Judas was such a tragedy. He thought He couldn’t be forgiven of his awful sin. 

 

But he was underestimating Jesus, and the impact of His death for us, and His power to forgive us. 

 

Judas’ sin was great, as is mine, and as is yours. But the love that led Jesus to the cross, and the grace He won there, is greater. 

 

Don’t make the mistake of thinking your sin can’t be forgiven: it can!  

 

Don’t think your life can’t be changed and renewed; it can be, but only in Christ.

 

So let us approach His Table, as we sing, Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood, was shed for me. 

 

His grace is all we have, but it’s more than enough; it’s the greatest gift ever given.

 

And with this greatest of gifts comes another amazing gift, the peace of God, which passes our understanding, and guards our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus, whose body was broken, and whose blood was shed for our soul’s salvation. Thanks be to God! Amen.