Luke 21:37-22:8 - Learning from Judas

  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him. Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.
 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude. Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

From Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ

In this passage, I learn how Jesus is betrayed by one of His friends. It says in the text that Judas was numbered among the twelve. That is, he was chosen by Jesus to be His disciple.  And even though Judas was a witness to all Christ did~ all His miracles, all His teachings, all His actions and even though Judas was one who was "sent out" and performed miracles and cast out demons (Luke 9: 1-6). yet he found himself in a position where he would sell out the Lord.  In some movies about the Life of Christ, much is made of the motivation for why Judas did it~ how he was trying to force Jesus' Hand so He could reveal Himself as Messiah and kick out the Romans but, according to Scripture, the only reason Judas betrayed Christ was for money.  There might have been other, more lofty reasons but we are not told.

In my life, my own betrayal of Christ by how I live may be for reasons just as base as Judas'. Do I neglect prayer? It usually isn't because I was exhausted from performing great acts of mercy but rather because I am simply lazy.  Do I neglect the poor? Surely it is because I'd rather spend money on myself, little as I have than, give it to someone more needy.

I call myself a friend of Christ. So did Judas. May my life not betray Him today. Amen.