IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY
MATTHEW 27:3-5
MATTHEW 27:3-5 NKJ
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
I realize Judas does not draw much empathy. He was the one who betrayed Jesus and is not considered by most to be a sympathetic figure.
But Judas never intended for Jesus to die. When he saw Jesus be condemned to death, it bothered him. The scripture says he was remorseful. It did not say he was relieved or glad or smug or justified. He felt horrible because he realized he had betrayed an innocent man.
Judas had watched Jesus get out of every tight place He had ever encountered. Judas had a front row seat as Jesus stumped the bible scholars of the day and defied the religious rules and regulations. Judas had seen Jesus walk through angry mobs unscathed. If anyone could get out of a situation, it was Jesus. Except this time, he didn't.
Judas had a money problem. He may have been the best one with numbers because he kept the money bag for Jesus and His disciples. He also stole from that money bag. So, when Judas had a chance to make some good money by betraying Jesus, he was easily deceived by Satan and did it.
Judas never expected Jesus to be condemned to die. And when it happened, he could not bear up under the guilt. He went and hanged himself. He gave the money back and took his own life. He never even gave Jesus the chance to forgive him. He could not handle the grief. It just wasn't supposed to be this way.
Application
Judas' story is sad. Yes, he betrayed Jesus, but the other disciples abandoned Jesus and Peter denied ever knowing Him.
Judas was deceived. He thought Jesus would walk away and he would make a profit. But isn't that the rationale of sin? We rarely think it all the way through. We rarely see sin's end game. How often have people been deceived and later said it wasn't supposed to turn out this way? But that's the challenge with sin and deception. They rarely show you how things will turn out.
That's why the bible tells us areas to avoid, to not flirt with sin, to steer clear. When we sin, we don't always get to choose the ending. And often, it turns out in a way we never saw coming.
Thank God we, unlike Judas, can receive God's forgiveness and walk away. And that sets us up for a much better outcome.
Prayer
Forgive me, Lord, for the areas I have sinned and missed it. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that cleanses me.