“Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”” (John 13:21, NLT)
In a moment that should have been filled with joy, Jesus uttered gut-wrenching words to His disciples. Gathering with His disciples in the upper room, Jesus spent a beautiful meal with the disciples. It was the Passover. It was a holy time in the holy land. It was a time for families to be close, for people to gather together and celebrate. It was a holy, treasured moment. And in that precious time, Jesus confided to His closest followers: “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” (John 13:21). The scripture tells us that when Jesus spoke these words, He was “deeply troubled”. His heart must have ached. He was hurting. He was overcome with intense emotional pain. One of His own disciples, one who had seen the healings and miracles, was going to betray Him. Of course, Judas was the one to betray Jesus. Judas turned against Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. In the end, Judas’ regret at the betrayal caused him to commit suicide. No wonder Jesus was visibly shaken and “deeply troubled”.
It's a terrible thing to realize when someone so close to you has betrayed you and broken your trust. The hurt is deep. It is heart-shattering. Maybe you have felt this intense hurt, this “deeply troubled” pain. Has someone ever betrayed your trust?
“CIA hearings held in 1982 revealed that the Abwehr, Germany’s Intelligence service in World War II, had been seriously compromised by Allied agents. Allen Dulles, then chief of OSS, reported that 10 percent of the Abwehr was involved in passing information to the Allies. He even had direct communication with Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the Abwehr chief. Included was some of the first information about the guided missiles Germany would deploy as the V1 and V2 rockets. Irreplaceable intelligence came to America and her allies from the very heart of the enemy. News of German decisions at the highest level were passed to Moscow, Washington, and London.” (p. 99, Speaker’s Sourcebook). Adolf Hitler had no idea this was happening. The betrayal was occurring in the highest levels of his government. It helped to bring down the Third Reich.
While the world is thankful for those who helped to defeat evil Nazi Germany through their betrayal, it is a terrible thing when godliness is subverted through the same method. When innocent and godly people are betrayed, it is a shameful thing. When those who tell the truth and stand for what is right are betrayed by those who will be paid off for their evil, the world suffers. In the same way that Jesus suffered because of the betrayal by Judas, good people suffer every day due to the betrayal of those who do not care to be holy, good, virtuous, righteous, or faithful.
I just hope this won’t be you!
Every one of us has the capability to betray our Lord. You and I could easily be a Judas. What amount of money might cause you to do something wrong or evil? What kind of pressure could someone put on you to sell out a good person? To keep something secret, would you be willing to sell your soul or turn against a trusted friend?
After buying a new restaurant, a businessman wanted to see for himself why the place was losing money. He believed that the food was great, the staff was competent, and the location was perfect. For some reason, the restaurant lost money year after year. To get an inside perspective on what was hampering the success, the businessman got himself hired on anonymously as a dishwasher. He spent three months working forty to fifty hours in the kitchen area. What he saw gave him chills. The manager was a slave driver. He ruled with an iron fist. He thought nothing of making fun of the employees. His attitude was toxic to the working environment.
One day, while doing his shift, the owner was busy washing dishes when the manager approached the chef. The manager said quietly, “Don’t screw this up Vargas. You don’t say anything, and you keep your job. That’s how this works.” The chef responded, “I’ll keep my mouth shut. You just make sure I get my raise.” The manager nodded. Looking up, the manager saw that the dishwasher/owner was listening. The manager said, “If you want to keep your job, you better keep your ears closed and your mouth shut. Got it? Or should I put something negative on your work record? No one will hire you if I give you a bad recommendation; are you aware of that?” The dishwasher/owner bowed his head and kept working. The manager thought he had everything under control.
In the end, the dishwasher/owner found out that the manager and chef had been scheming against the owners. They had been purchasing extra food and charging it to the restaurant, only to sell it on the side at a hefty profit. Only employees who kept the secret were allowed to keep their jobs. The dishwasher/owner fired the entire staff, reported the theft, and reorganized the financials. Today, that small-town restaurant is not only profitable but a bedrock for that downtown area.
Betrayals happen all too often. A betrayal happened to Jesus. What makes you think it couldn’t happen to you? It’s heart-breaking and “deeply troubling” to know that someone you care about has broken your trust. I just hope there is never a day when you betray our Lord. I hope that not only Jesus, but others can trust your word, rely on your commitment, and see you as faithful.
Jesus’ heart was broken by the betrayal of a trusted disciple. He’d be just as crushed if you were to betray the faith, sell out a faithful friend, or deceive a person who is relying on your integrity. Don’t go there… ever! Remember how Judas felt after he betrayed Jesus?
Today, I want you to celebrate all those times in which you remained faithful and did not betray the trust of Jesus. Enjoy the blessing of God if you have been trustworthy in your dealings with others.
It's a terrible thing to realize when someone so close to you has betrayed you and broken your trust. The hurt is deep. It is heart-shattering. Maybe you have felt this intense hurt, this “deeply troubled” pain. Has someone ever betrayed your trust?
“CIA hearings held in 1982 revealed that the Abwehr, Germany’s Intelligence service in World War II, had been seriously compromised by Allied agents. Allen Dulles, then chief of OSS, reported that 10 percent of the Abwehr was involved in passing information to the Allies. He even had direct communication with Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the Abwehr chief. Included was some of the first information about the guided missiles Germany would deploy as the V1 and V2 rockets. Irreplaceable intelligence came to America and her allies from the very heart of the enemy. News of German decisions at the highest level were passed to Moscow, Washington, and London.” (p. 99, Speaker’s Sourcebook). Adolf Hitler had no idea this was happening. The betrayal was occurring in the highest levels of his government. It helped to bring down the Third Reich.
While the world is thankful for those who helped to defeat evil Nazi Germany through their betrayal, it is a terrible thing when godliness is subverted through the same method. When innocent and godly people are betrayed, it is a shameful thing. When those who tell the truth and stand for what is right are betrayed by those who will be paid off for their evil, the world suffers. In the same way that Jesus suffered because of the betrayal by Judas, good people suffer every day due to the betrayal of those who do not care to be holy, good, virtuous, righteous, or faithful.
I just hope this won’t be you!
Every one of us has the capability to betray our Lord. You and I could easily be a Judas. What amount of money might cause you to do something wrong or evil? What kind of pressure could someone put on you to sell out a good person? To keep something secret, would you be willing to sell your soul or turn against a trusted friend?
After buying a new restaurant, a businessman wanted to see for himself why the place was losing money. He believed that the food was great, the staff was competent, and the location was perfect. For some reason, the restaurant lost money year after year. To get an inside perspective on what was hampering the success, the businessman got himself hired on anonymously as a dishwasher. He spent three months working forty to fifty hours in the kitchen area. What he saw gave him chills. The manager was a slave driver. He ruled with an iron fist. He thought nothing of making fun of the employees. His attitude was toxic to the working environment.
One day, while doing his shift, the owner was busy washing dishes when the manager approached the chef. The manager said quietly, “Don’t screw this up Vargas. You don’t say anything, and you keep your job. That’s how this works.” The chef responded, “I’ll keep my mouth shut. You just make sure I get my raise.” The manager nodded. Looking up, the manager saw that the dishwasher/owner was listening. The manager said, “If you want to keep your job, you better keep your ears closed and your mouth shut. Got it? Or should I put something negative on your work record? No one will hire you if I give you a bad recommendation; are you aware of that?” The dishwasher/owner bowed his head and kept working. The manager thought he had everything under control.
In the end, the dishwasher/owner found out that the manager and chef had been scheming against the owners. They had been purchasing extra food and charging it to the restaurant, only to sell it on the side at a hefty profit. Only employees who kept the secret were allowed to keep their jobs. The dishwasher/owner fired the entire staff, reported the theft, and reorganized the financials. Today, that small-town restaurant is not only profitable but a bedrock for that downtown area.
Betrayals happen all too often. A betrayal happened to Jesus. What makes you think it couldn’t happen to you? It’s heart-breaking and “deeply troubling” to know that someone you care about has broken your trust. I just hope there is never a day when you betray our Lord. I hope that not only Jesus, but others can trust your word, rely on your commitment, and see you as faithful.
Jesus’ heart was broken by the betrayal of a trusted disciple. He’d be just as crushed if you were to betray the faith, sell out a faithful friend, or deceive a person who is relying on your integrity. Don’t go there… ever! Remember how Judas felt after he betrayed Jesus?
Today, I want you to celebrate all those times in which you remained faithful and did not betray the trust of Jesus. Enjoy the blessing of God if you have been trustworthy in your dealings with others.