Betrayal. It is a horrible word. Heavy. Dreadful. And words like it: disloyal, treacherous, faithless. Is the kind harm that can only be done by someone who was a friend, a confidant, a trusted partner. It is a double-cross, a stab in the back, the Judas kiss, often done with deceit, like the spider that sucks you into its web.
We think of the betrayer as the lowest of the low. Benedict Arnold, Brutus...Judas.
Betrayer: a word to describes a person so self-consumed they will hurt anyone to get their way. They deserve no respect, no honor; their true character on display. Where trust has been given the betrayer forges it into a knife and plunges it into one's back, sometimes even with a kiss.
If you have ever been betrayed you know the pain it causes.
A husband who comes home to his wife, the mother of his children, and tells her he is moving in with a young woman because his wife got fat.
The trusted associate and friend who the boss felt sorry for when he needed a job, then plays his boss with false information who acts upon it with tragic result and let go the board while the associate gets his boss's job.
The young self-important pastor who conspires with certain elders and leaders to run off the senior pastor because he doesn't see eye to eye with the senior pastor, even if it means splitting the congregation.
The trusted first Sergeant who convinced young female airmen to help him only to manipulate them into a situation where he can abuse them.
Real stories. Real history. Human history is full of betrayal, perhaps even your own history.
One of the hard things about betrayal is you don't often see it coming. The person who betrays was on the inside, was trusted, sometimes even family. Look at King David and Absalom. David is king of Israel. Absalom is his own son, a prince, lacking little. But Absalom has become convinced that he would be a better leader, that David is weak, and wrong for Israel. So he begins working. Talking. And he gains a hearing with David's own closest counselor Ahithophel. Soon the conspiracy is growing. As the Bible puts it "the people with Absalom kept increasing." Absalom makes his move and David to protect his family that he loves is forced to flee, ironically to the Mount of Olives, the place Judas betrays Jesus. Ahithophel offer to take 12,000 men to go after David. They aren't just going to depose him, they want to destroy him. And the Bible says this seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and the elders of Israel. His son and his ruling elders have turned against him. And it seems right to them to do so.
The betrayer often thinks he is right, even justified, that it is necessary, that he is the real hero risen to save the day, at least in his own eyes. There is history here. Absalom had a beloved sister raped by another son of David and David had not acted to kill him. So Absalom killed him. But David forgave Absalom. Nonetheless Absalom was convinced David was weak and that he himself would be better leader.
Absalom was charismatic as narcissists and self-important often are. He was able to get people to follow him, join him, but in his pride he tried to take what was not given to him by God and he lost his life for it.
The Mount of Olives would see a greater betrayal. Judas, a trusted disciple, one of the inner circle, one of the 12 apostles, who was in the upper room for the last supper. But the devil had entered Judas. There was some chink in his armor, something the devil could whisper to, nurture, twist to his purpose. Some fear, pride or self-righteous belief. We don't know what. But Judas conspired, he sat it up, for a price. What people will do for money or power or position, and do it all why pretending to honorable, to be friend, perhaps lying so well that they even convince themselves they are doing the right thing. And on the Mount of Olives, Judas hands Jesus over to be destroyed with a kiss.
Judas was not alone. In a few the same humanity that had been blessed for three years in the public ministry of Jesus, who had been healed and made whole, who had received compassion, who had called out "Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord", would cry out "crucify Him!" And Judas was not the only apostle to abandon Jesus. After Jesus was seized they ran. They hid. Sure, Peter and John circled back and followed at a distance, but Peter would betray Him, three times, "I don't know who He is." Of the twelve, only John would stand at the foot of cross and watch His Lord die.
Betrayors. Judas. Words that describe a despicable person. But my friends such are we. Maybe we comfort ourselves pretending we would not have ran, we would not have hid. We would not have lied to save our lives. But we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
The truth is our sin drove the nails into Christ's hands and feet and the spear into Christ's side just as powerfully with deadly purpose as did the kiss of Judas on innocent cheek.
We are the betrayers.
And Christ calls us to return.
King David had to fight his son and his son's followers because the fate of his family and his people was at stake. But he did not desire the death of Absalom. He had to stop Absalom but he wanted to save him and when he couldn't he grieved his death.
God the Father could have rendered terrible, swift, dreadful and just punish for humanity's rejection of His Son. But God chose mercy. He chose compassion. He calls us to return to Him.
Peter proclaimed the truth after these events to the crowd. You are just as guilty as the Romans and the Sanhedrin. You denied the Holy One of God. You even asked for the murderer Barabbas instead. But understand this. God allowed this, even sent His Son for this, so that as the Lamb of God He might save the world from its sins, so that we might return to God and find not condemnation, nor judgment, but mercy, compassion... even love.
For in Christ our sins are blotted out as if they never were.
O Lord have mercy upon us. In Christ's name. Amen.
2nd Samuel 15, 16
12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing. 1 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
John 18
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So He asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He. So, if you seek Me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken: “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?”
Acts 3
14 “But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And His name—by faith in His name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.”
