Luke 22:47-48: While Jesus was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, "Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?"
From where we are in the history of the church, it's easy to condemn Judas. Few people in history have been loathed more, and certainly Christians in New Testament times - and now, have good reason for doing so. After all, using a sign of respect for your teacher to betray him, is the utmost deed of malicious treachery. It was the custom that a student would greet his teacher with a kiss in Biblical times – to show respect and to show submission. It would be similar to the kiss of a son given to a father today!
Yet, by heaping still more shame on Judas than the church did over centuries, may con us into overlooking the chance to confront the Judas that remains in us as well.
What about our own mixed messages to Jesus?
How many times do we Christian people, who respectfully confess Jesus as Saviour and Lord, betray him? No, not visibly and literally - but in our hearts and in the intentions of our actions?
How many times did we reverently confess Jesus as Lord, yet we are continuously reinforcing ourselves as the real lord of our lives?
How many times have we worshiped Jesus, saying and singing that we are in awe of his sacrifice - with our mouths - not with a kiss but with words, only to again abandon him in our souls and in our works?
Do we not also betray the Saviour with a kiss? Outwardly respectful, reverent, pious and in awe - yet in reality crucifying him with our selfishness and our deceit, because inwardly we are more often renegades rather than champions of his Kingdom.
Yes, I know we all want to be devoted to Jesus. But as we reflect on the kiss of Judas – do we not detect a prowling Judas in our hearts, tempting us to stab Jesus and his cause in the back when it serves our personal agendas?
A spirit of dissention, a word of doubt, a slackness when passion is required and a silly excuse when we should be broken up by remorse - yes – I have to admit, I too can betray my Saviour, my Lord – with a kiss!
“O Lord, as much as I hate to confess it, there is a bit of Judas in me. Forgive me for the times when I pledged allegiance to you, made promises to you, (even in church with the congregation as witnesses) only to discard you in the way that I live.
Help me to see where my message to you is a mixed one, where worship and praise and betrayal and deceit live in the very same heart. Deliver me oh Lord, for what I do, is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing!
What a wretched person I am! Rescue me from this body of death, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen."
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