Betrayal in the Garden

*these are my notes from Sunday, March 10, 2024.

I used to be a Judas. I went to church on the holidays. I heard Him preached. I was in His presence. Yet I would walk out of that building back into life totally rejecting Him. 

In college I had a wrestling teammate who told me all about Jesus’ sacrificial atonement and the depravity of my sin. Yet I refused to accept it and continued to deny the truth. 

Even early in my Christian walk, after I accepted Jesus and put my faith, hope, & trust in Him; I would walk in my new self one minute, betraying His commands the next. 

To this day and into the future, it will always be a battle between the Spirit and the flesh. For Jesus himself said, “the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Matt 26:41

Like Judas, I was picked. The difference is I chose to hand myself over to him, not my ways.

Like Judas, I’ve been positioned to be a disciple. The difference is I’m not just walking with Jesus as part of religion, I’m for him and all of His ways in a direct relationship. 

Like Judas, I’ve been placed at the table as a guest of honor. The difference is I won’t walk out and because of the position that Christ put himself in on the cross to die for my sins, I will never take for granted the reconciliation I receive to spend eternity in heaven with our Father. 

Perhaps I sound like a wack-a-doodle. But people ask me how I train…this is how I do it!

If you want to read more about Judas, check out my notes from Handed Over: the Betrayal in the Garden. 

Judas handed Jesus over, but then he had a choice. Instead of handing himself over to Christ for forgiveness, he handed himself over to madness and took his own life. God doesn’t send people to hell. He gives us a choice. Which one will you make? 

At the last supper Jesus is reclining with the 12. “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me. Deeply distressed, each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord.”

They then have the last supper. Sing a hymn. Head to the garden. Jesus will pray in anguish. A large mob will come to arrest him. By end, all the disciples deserted him and ran away. Matt 26:56

But who is this one that leads to ultimate betrayal? Who is the person, among this group that has been hanging with each other for three years now, that is about to walk out of the last meal when Jesus says whatever you’re about to do, go do it quickly!

Who is the one that Satan enters into?

Who is this one that Jesus says it would have been better for him if he had not been born.” (Matt 26:24)

Jesus says to his disciples in Matthew 26:2 “You know that the Passover takes place after two days, and the Son of Man will be HANDED OVER to be crucified.”

Who is it that hands Him over?

Surely not I the disciples say…

Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” (You said it; Yes, it is you.) Matthew 26:25

Jesus calls out his betrayer. Sneaky Judas acts as if he doesn’t know it’s him. Judas knew it was himself. The plot already began long before this Last Supper.

Matthew 14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

You can lie to others but you can’t lie to yourself or God…he knows your heart.

What’s in a name:

Judas always identified and named last among the 12. Judas Iscariot, meaning…man of Kerioth (city), but also “weak yet social.”

Always labeled for identification. Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus. Luke 6:16 And Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

There was another disciple named Judas (Thaddeus son of James). When Matthew names all 12 he deciphers between the two.

Jesus had a step-brother Judas, who wrote a letter about contending for our faith and he made sure to refer to himself as Jude.

How many of you would name your kid Judas? Or hang with someone named Judas?

Makes sense considering that this name is heavily associated with the “Son of perdition.”

Judas was clearly labeled and identified. Even still, it’s important to know he was picked, positioned, placed, predicted & prophesied:

#1. Judas was picked as an original disciple:

Matthew 10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Judas was the only one not from Galilee, but Judea.

He was in Jesus’ inner circle, witnessed all the same miracles, signs and wonders, and even given the same authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

*Not all who do church stuff are saved. Not all who do things in Jesus name will enter the narrow gate. Why? Because they might engage in religion but not a relationship.

Also, how many of you know just because someone is with you doesn’t mean they are necessarily for you?!

Remember, Jesus knows. And one day he’ll look as His posers and say, “Depart from me I never knew you.”

#2. Judas was positioned as the money bag treasurer:

Yet he handed himself over to temptation and then to Satan.

Known as thief. John tells us it’s Judas who really complained about the perfume. John 12:6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Earlier we saw the moment he sought the opportunity to betray Jesus, but really the stirring in his heart began long before that.

As the 12’s ministry grew, so did tithes and offerings and giving to the poor. Someone had to steward the $$. Perhaps what started as mixed emotions, turned in to true temptations rising. He was entrusted with larger sums of money than before, and with this there came covetousness, unfaithfulness, embezzlement. Then before u know it, Satan enters him.

If temptation isn’t squashed, it brews and rises and strengthens and before you know it will lead to devastation consequences. Submit yourselves, then, to God. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:17)

#3. And yet still, Judas was placed next to Jesus at the last Supper:

Jesus placed him next to him at supper , John was to the right leaning in. Was Judas to the left? Do we know what that means?

Luke 14:7-10 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.”

Judas may have been placed as the guest of honor.

Jesus answers the disciples concern over who it is, “The one who dipped his bread with me.”

Jesus even washed his feet.

Oh, don’t miss this-He called him out. “It is you.” “Go do it quickly.”

Make note: it’s important that Jesus explains to his disciples all that is going to happen so that when it happens, they understand and believe.

#4. Judas was predicted:

John 6:64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)

His betrayal was known. John 18:4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him, went out and said to them, “who is it that you’re seeking?” Jesus of Nazareth. “I am He.” John tells us they all fell to the ground.

#5. Judas was prophesied about…”so that scripture would be fulfilled.”

Matthew 26:24 the son of man will go just as it is written about Him.

Matthew 26:56 all this happened so that writings of the prophets would be fulfilled

Raised his heel against me. John 13:18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ Psalm 41:9 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

Thirty pieces. Zechariah 11:12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.

So Judas leaves the last supper. John gives us major narrative of what Jesus continues to explain to 11 now left.

Now we come to Anguish in the Garden…

Jesus is in anguish but submits to God’s will. Luke tells us that angels help. He’s a doctor so he also points out blood. And why disciples are sleeping—-cuz of grief exhaustion.

They just won’t stay awake. “Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is handed over into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

The One that I Kiss…

A kiss meant honor and respect.

Could you imagine in one of your weakest moments a friend comes with an honorable kiss, yet with the utmost ill heart?!

Judas’ actions said, “I respectand honor you,” at the exact time he was betraying Jesus to be murdered. Judas’s actions illustrate Proverbs 27:6, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Often, foes disguise selves as friends. Evil often wears a mask to conceal its true purpose.

How does Jesus respond: “According to Matthew 26:50, Jesus responded: “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Luke 22:48 quotes “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

He doesn’t punch him. He doesn’t pull back with offended feelings and say how could you do this?

Takeaway 1: Some of us have been betrayed.

Oh, it doesn’t mean you don’t tell them and call them out like Jesus does to Judas. It doesn’t mean you don’t guard up. When you choose to love and get close to people you open yourself up no matter what to being betrayed. How does Jesus respond if betrayers come back? Learn about the returning 11 and see how he forgave and used them.

Regarding Judas, he was Remorseful but not repentant.

Matt 27:3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Maybe he didn’t think it would end this way. The guilt takes over. He returns the money. The laugh and scoff. Judas can’t bear it. And so he hangs himself.

Splat. Guts come out. Apostles will replace him. (Fulfills prophecy) Psalm 109:8

Rulers buy Potter’s Field. (Fulfills prophecy) Matthew 27:8-10

Where does Judas go? We look back at something Jesus says in John 6:67 this isn’t for all of you. Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

John 13:10, not all of you are clean.

John 17:12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction (perdition, lost, hell) that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

All disciples fled. We can argue John didn’t. All return and turn to Christ, receive Him as he received them, and devote their forever changed lives to Him.

You can be remorseful because you hate being caught, but not because you hate sin.

“Against you alone God I have sinned,” cries out David in Psalm 51.

Did Judas seek forgiveness when he felt remorseful? Did he seek Jesus when the weight of his sin was unbearable? The reality is not all people go to heaven. There is only one way.

Judas handed the money back and then he could have handed himself over to Christ. Instead he handed himself over to madness and suicide.

Takeaway 2:

Some of us have betrayed others. Have we sought forgiveness, if not with them especially with the Lord?

All of us at one point have betrayed Jesus. Have we handed ourselves over to Him?

The Greek word for “betray” used in Matthew 26 is “paradidomi”, which means to hand over, to give up, to deliver. It’s a word that carries a sense of surrender, of giving up control. It’s used in several other passages in the New Testament, including Mark 15:15, where Pilate decided to “paradidomi” Jesus to be crucified. In Romans 4:25, it’s used to describe how Jesus was “paradidomi” for our sins. In each of these instances, the word carries a sense of surrender, of giving up control, of being handed over to the will of others.

Was Jesus really handed over? Or did he hand himself over for you, me, us?

He bore the weight of our sins: He took upon Himself the punishment that we deserved. He was handed over, He was given up, He was delivered into the hands of those who would crucify Him. But He did it willingly, He did it out of love, and He did it so that we could be forgiven.

Action steps:

First and foremost, as a betrayer to Christ, we must repent and be baptized, every one of us, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Second, to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5) and walk in love, wisdom, and light, we must continually and consistently hand over all of our selfish desires & sinful natures, deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him.

Jesus bore the weight of our pain: He understands what it’s like to be betrayed, to be hurt, to be abandoned. He knows the pain of rejection, the sting of betrayal, the loneliness of abandonment. And because He bore our pain, He can comfort us in our pain. He can heal our wounds, He can mend our broken hearts, He can restore our shattered lives.

Like Judas you were picked. Before He formed you in the womb He knew you. If you are actually hearing this message right now, I believe you’re part of the chosen, but you still have to make a choice.

Jesus wants to position you as a disciple…

And place you as a guest of honor at the table.

What is it that you need to surrender, give up, & HAND OVER today so you can make the right choice?

God Bless,

Coach Theo