back to index2021-03-31 Passion Week Silent Wednesday
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As we continue to reflect upon this week and just again, the various aspects of what Christ 00:00:21.000 |
has accomplished, we're so thankful for everything that Christ has done. 00:00:25.440 |
Thank you Adam for sharing how the Lord has been good to you with us. 00:00:29.020 |
At this time, let's take a moment to turn in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 26, verses 00:00:42.320 |
Today is called Silent Wednesday and here we see a narrative of what Judas did during 00:00:56.360 |
Let's take a moment to read this passage, Matthew 16, verses 14 through 19. 00:01:00.800 |
And it says, "Then one of the twelve named Judas Iscariot went to the chief priest and 00:01:06.400 |
said, 'What are you willing to give me to betray him to you?' 00:01:10.680 |
And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 00:01:14.200 |
From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus. 00:01:18.300 |
Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Where 00:01:23.160 |
do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?' 00:01:26.360 |
And he said, 'Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The teacher says, 'My 00:01:32.360 |
I am to keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.' 00:01:35.160 |
The disciples did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the Passover." 00:01:40.760 |
Real briefly, I want to review the various events of the Passion Week using the graphic 00:01:48.720 |
That on Saturday of the week, they came to Bethany and they stayed over at Mary, Martha 00:01:54.000 |
And the thing about it is, by this time, anywhere Jesus went, there was already a crowd. 00:01:59.640 |
There was already a massive crowd and because Lazarus had been raised from the dead, there 00:02:04.560 |
is just this massive amount of people that are trying to always see Jesus. 00:02:09.600 |
That always upset the Pharisees and the religious leaders of the day. 00:02:13.640 |
On Sunday, Jesus enters into Jerusalem and saying there is masses of people is an understatement. 00:02:21.000 |
There are hordes of people praising him with palm branches saying, "Hosanna, Hosanna," 00:02:25.920 |
which essentially means, "Save us, save us, O son of David." 00:02:29.720 |
And so, that also upset the religious leaders of the time to the degree they were commanding 00:02:38.520 |
And then on Monday, Jesus went into the temple and cleared it, disrupting the corrupt economy 00:02:49.160 |
That sure upset the religious leaders of the time. 00:02:53.520 |
Just like we reviewed yesterday, Jesus went head to head in heated debates, saying parables 00:02:59.620 |
and describing specific depictions and the Pharisees and the religious leaders knew that 00:03:08.620 |
And so, that upset the religious leaders even more. 00:03:11.880 |
Essentially, what we see as things are developing is there is a ramping up of the hatred of 00:03:19.440 |
Christ and Pastor Nate eloquently said yesterday night that there was murderous intent by this 00:03:26.320 |
Already, they wanted him to either be quiet, be disproved, or completely thrown off or 00:03:33.560 |
seen as a fake, but by this time, they just wanted to eliminate him. 00:03:39.000 |
And what you have essentially, Judas, I think that Judas was one that was paying attention 00:03:48.440 |
You see, perhaps some of the other disciples, maybe Peter might have been thinking, "Yeah, 00:03:55.600 |
Because there are a lot of Jews who wanted Jesus to be a revolutionary. 00:03:58.960 |
And perhaps there was a lot of people who were already in the community had angst towards 00:04:04.040 |
Clearly, they had angst towards the ruling power, right? 00:04:11.680 |
Every time he went head to head in a debate, maybe they were just sitting there pumping 00:04:14.840 |
their fists and going, "Ooh, that's right, burn," you know? 00:04:21.680 |
I think perhaps Judas was sitting there like this crazy guy. 00:04:25.200 |
He told us he was going to die, but look at him, flipping tables, challenging the authorities. 00:04:31.200 |
These high priests, these scribes, these Pharisees and Sadducees, they had temple officers. 00:04:40.720 |
A lot of times, they enacted capital punishment when they felt that certain crimes fit the 00:04:48.080 |
Judas is sitting here like, "This guy is nuts. 00:04:54.040 |
Because sometimes, mistakenly, people say the disciples didn't really get it. 00:04:58.600 |
They didn't really know that Jesus was going to go to the cross. 00:05:01.400 |
No, actually, starting from Matthew 16, and even prior to then, Jesus was already both 00:05:06.680 |
hinting and then explicitly told them, "I am going to suffer." 00:05:10.120 |
For example, Matthew 16, 21 through 22 says, "From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples 00:05:16.160 |
that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders and chief priests, 00:05:21.160 |
and be killed and be raised up on the third day. 00:05:24.800 |
That's when Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, 'God forbid it. 00:05:31.960 |
The disciples knew, they just didn't like the idea. 00:05:36.620 |
Another example, Matthew 17, 22, 23, "And while they were gathering together in Galilee, 00:05:41.680 |
Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and 00:05:55.400 |
Not only in these instances, but you can count about five instances where Jesus was explicitly 00:06:01.160 |
Prior to that, Jesus also hinted, "The Son of Man must be lifted. 00:06:05.560 |
There were enough pre-disclosures, so to speak, that the disciples should have known if they 00:06:13.320 |
But the fact of the matter is, they were just wondering, "Huh? 00:06:22.720 |
Judas essentially then understood Jesus' statements. 00:06:31.220 |
In his eyes, he was thinking, "Oh my goodness, this rabbi of ours, this lord and master of 00:06:43.720 |
Jesus is going to get himself killed and us along with him. 00:06:49.280 |
He was the individual who was taking care of the money bag for the group. 00:06:53.820 |
He was the man, do you remember, when the lady came, broke the alabaster, and was anointing 00:07:06.920 |
He was a quick calculating man who understood Jesus was going to get himself killed. 00:07:12.680 |
And so, as an opportunist, he decides to get in on the game. 00:07:16.760 |
If Jesus is going to be killed by the Pharisees, then at least I'm going to benefit from it. 00:07:23.440 |
What I found very interesting was that I just always assumed that the scribes and Pharisees 00:07:28.840 |
were looking for an opportunity to kill Jesus, so they kind of egged on one of the disciples, 00:07:35.200 |
Maybe one of the Pharisees came along and said, "Come here. 00:07:38.840 |
Let me give you some money," or something like that. 00:07:44.360 |
After reviewing the details of this passage, notice how in this passage in Matthew 26, 00:07:49.280 |
verse 14, it says that Judas actually went and asked this question of them, "What are 00:07:58.400 |
And Judas at this point didn't even have a plan yet. 00:08:02.080 |
But what he was doing was he was working with both the Pharisees and the temple officers, 00:08:07.000 |
those soldiers I was talking about, to devise a plan from that time. 00:08:12.120 |
And I thought this was really interesting because at that moment then, Judas didn't 00:08:17.880 |
And as a matter of fact, he, in my eyes, didn't even add that much to the plan. 00:08:25.940 |
What did Judas add to the plan of betraying Christ? 00:08:29.440 |
I mean, you could readily see where Jesus was. 00:08:34.880 |
And then I realized this is the only thing, essentially, Judas was adding to the betrayal 00:08:41.980 |
The Pharisees, because of their fear of man, wanted to find Jesus in a secluded moment. 00:08:50.840 |
And so, here in this passage, if you take a look in Luke 22, verse 3 through 6, it says, 00:08:56.900 |
"Satan entered into Judas, who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 00:09:01.620 |
And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him 00:09:09.100 |
So he consented and began seeking a good opportunity to betray him to them apart from the crowd." 00:09:18.820 |
I'm highlighting these aspects of the story because we're taking a look at Judas and his 00:09:24.100 |
And to me, what's really interesting about all this is there was such a greed in Judas' 00:09:32.460 |
heart that I believe Satan seized that, entered into him, and played on him. 00:09:38.300 |
Now just as a quick side note, the story is quite crazy because we recognize that everything 00:09:43.480 |
that is happening is absolutely according to the timetable of God. 00:09:48.300 |
God is so sovereign that everything is falling into place and the Scripture is being fulfilled. 00:09:53.460 |
Nevertheless, Satan is also entering into Judas, fulfilling his schemes and his devices. 00:10:01.320 |
But also, Judas himself is a foolish, greedy man, seizing the opportunity. 00:10:10.420 |
And what Judas is doing is he is trying to, I think, make up perhaps for some lost time. 00:10:18.100 |
If Jesus is going to go out, at least I'm going to recoup a little bit of money. 00:10:22.980 |
What's really crazy about this is the passage in Matthew says that they offer, when he asked, 00:10:30.880 |
When I reviewed that, I was like, "Wait a minute. 00:10:38.220 |
Thirty pieces of silver in that time would be worth about five weeks' wage, they say. 00:10:44.480 |
A Lord, a rabbi, a master, even to this individual, walking with him for three years, and yet 00:10:53.540 |
for a single month's wage, he'd be willing to say, "Deal. 00:11:02.280 |
And what I like to say this, when an individual gives into one's greed, it makes the individual 00:11:09.760 |
The plan is so foolish, Jesus himself calls it foolish. 00:11:12.620 |
The plan is so foolish, when you read it, you kind of wonder, truly, Judas didn't even 00:11:19.980 |
As a matter of fact, in this passage I want to highlight for you in Matthew 26, verse 00:11:23.780 |
55 through 56, it says, "At that time, Jesus said to the crowds who had gathered," so this, 00:11:29.180 |
right now, what I'm reading is when the people actually try to come and seize Jesus. 00:11:33.140 |
He asked this question, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as you 00:11:40.220 |
Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 00:11:44.340 |
But all this has taken place to fulfill the scriptures of the prophets. 00:12:02.100 |
And then the funny thing about it is they're trying to avoid a crowd, but there was already 00:12:09.460 |
But essentially, when I think about this, I think about as a reflection and meditation, 00:12:15.660 |
there is such a greed in Judas' heart that we can reflect on. 00:12:20.200 |
To ask the question, if we are tempted with this, I guess, expectation of what is Jesus 00:12:29.180 |
going to avail to me, what kind of benefit, or perhaps if Satan would tempt us with this 00:12:40.460 |
Or perhaps the angst and frustration that perhaps we live in this day, where Satan puts 00:12:48.380 |
these foolish words into our head, where we start to complain and say, "I'm tired of living 00:12:57.680 |
I'm tired of going through the village and having to pick up the leftover grain." 00:13:04.080 |
Those kinds of sentiments, what does that reveal? 00:13:08.320 |
I think those kind of sentiments are the sentiments essentially pervasive in this generation. 00:13:19.020 |
When Judas is tempted with this betrayal, this disloyalty, I wonder if his reason and 00:13:26.300 |
rationale for him following Jesus in the first place is actually the exact same reason why 00:13:35.660 |
If Judas thought like the rest of the disciples, "Hey, Jesus, look at you. 00:13:46.160 |
So now tell us who's going to be on your right and left." 00:13:52.260 |
"Yes, Jesus, tell us who is going to be on your right and left." 00:13:58.660 |
And so what's really interesting about this is with Judas' greed and his looking to Christ 00:14:04.300 |
for some kind of benefit, even if at least you're going to gain me this 30 shekels, 30 00:14:11.380 |
silver, I mean, that is a horrible, horrible sentiment. 00:14:15.300 |
But what I liken it to is somebody who has Jesus in their garage. 00:14:22.540 |
I believe one of the grave sins of this generation is a lot of time people like holding onto 00:14:27.540 |
Christ as something of value, valuable enough that I can't throw him away. 00:14:34.580 |
They'll like to have him in his garage just in case we need him, but when the opportune 00:14:38.980 |
time comes, we might have a garage sale because at least if I sell it, then I'll have some 00:14:46.900 |
What's really crazy about all this, again, is we can reflect on lots of different things. 00:14:52.620 |
Oh my gosh, incredible amounts of vanity that Judas would walk with Jesus for so long and 00:15:00.140 |
But in the end, when greed takes control of the heart, we will do all kinds of heinous 00:15:06.820 |
And so as a reflection and challenge to us, I want to ask you, do you have any of these 00:15:11.380 |
discontent, disappointed sentiments, perhaps even a grumbling complaint against Christ? 00:15:22.980 |
If that is the case, we have to be very careful, amen? 00:15:26.140 |
Now what I would like to highlight by way of closing thought is not so much Judas because 00:15:31.620 |
there is still nevertheless Jesus who is exhibiting incredible amounts of composure. 00:15:39.900 |
What I'm trying to say is today, although it is Silent Wednesday, let us not just simply 00:15:45.460 |
think about Judas the sinner, the betrayer, one who is, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, it must have 00:15:49.620 |
been better for you not to have been born because woe is the one who would betray the 00:15:54.740 |
But let's actually focus on the son of God who is to be appreciated for his incredible 00:16:03.180 |
When I think about the events leading up to this week, I mean, I think about like Jesus 00:16:08.740 |
knowing what he knows in terms of what is filled in the heart of man. 00:16:13.700 |
Jesus knew all along that there would be a betrayer. 00:16:17.980 |
Jesus knows when people are asking him questions, "Tell us, Jesus. 00:16:23.380 |
He knows what is contained in the heart of all those who would ask him and accuse him. 00:16:28.100 |
When he is walking into the city in Jerusalem, all these individuals praising him and giving 00:16:33.980 |
him branches, he knows what's in their heart. 00:16:38.500 |
When he is debating, when he is engaged in all the teaching and the debates and the fierce 00:16:45.860 |
combats with the scribes of the day, he knows what's in their hearts. 00:16:51.480 |
And while Judas thinks he's secretly going and making a deal, is Jesus not aware? 00:16:59.940 |
Tomorrow during the Passover, Jesus calls it out, "He whose hand is on the table with 00:17:07.540 |
And all the disciples are like, "Dude, not me. 00:17:12.260 |
And he could have easily said, "And you will deny me and you will run and you will..." 00:17:20.240 |
So when I reflect on the passages when Jesus says, "I did not come to judge," every single 00:17:26.100 |
step of the way, I'm sitting there thinking, "Thank you, Lord, because if I were you, I 00:17:30.500 |
would sit there and call out every single person. 00:17:37.900 |
And then even here, to be aware that Judas is doing this and then has the audacity come 00:17:46.980 |
with the rest of the disciples to share in the meal where Jesus is instituting the new 00:17:51.700 |
covenant and he's explaining to them, "This is my body broken, my blood shed for you." 00:18:02.540 |
I can't imagine like sometimes you put yourself in the shoes thinking that this is the bread 00:18:08.500 |
broken for you and you would just look and be like, "Not you." 00:18:17.460 |
Lord, thank you that you did not come first to judge, but you came first to show mercy. 00:18:25.540 |
And so scripture talks about the greatness of Christ. 00:18:29.660 |
First Peter chapter 2, verse 21 through 24, it says, "For you have been called for this 00:18:34.340 |
purpose since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in 00:18:39.260 |
his steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. 00:18:44.580 |
While being reviled, he did not revile in return. 00:18:51.300 |
And then I would add, "While being betrayed." 00:18:53.900 |
"While being betrayed, he did not react, but kept entrusting himself to him who judges 00:19:03.060 |
And he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sin and 00:19:13.260 |
Let us continue to reflect and recognize when Christ entered into that scene and was going 00:19:22.580 |
to the cross, the scene is horrific because there's just so much corruption, waywardness, 00:19:32.160 |
And what would feel natural if you put yourself in his shoes would be, "You should just judge 00:19:39.700 |
And so we praise Christ and we pray in appreciation. 00:19:45.020 |
What great composure, what great dedication to fulfill your merciful, saving grace. 00:19:53.780 |
Would you take a moment to examine your heart? 00:19:59.660 |
Is there any grumbling complaint upon Christ, disappointment in your heart? 00:20:04.860 |
But also let's quickly turn that around to say to the Lord, "God, we appreciate every 00:20:11.020 |
aspect of what you've done, even making sure that you walk through all of these necessary 00:20:16.080 |
steps so that the scripture would be fulfilled, but that your mercy would be fulfilled upon