Week 34: Betrayed by the One You Invited to Table

This Motivational Christian Moment comes from my Sister and Friend, Charryse Wright

Betrayed by the One You Invited to Table

Text: Luke 22: 1-23

My Best Friend’s Wedding is a movie that came out in 1997 starring Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz and Dermot Mulroney. Julianne is played by Julia Robert and is the best friend from childhood of Dermot Mulroney’s character, Michael.  Michael calls Julianne who lives in New York and tells her that he has met and fallen in love with Cameron Diaz’s character, Kimmy. Julianne is devastated and realizes that she is in love with Michael and sets out to Chicago intent to sabotage this wedding, because she had decided that Kimmy was not the right woman for Michael.  Upon arrival to Chicago she meets Kimmy, who lovingly and excitedly says “I have never had a sister” and is immediately asked to be the maid-of-honor. Guess what, she said YES!! Knowing that her intentions were not pure and that her sole purpose in accepting the position was destruction. In movie time, Julianne spent the majority of the movie deliberately attempting to sabotage her best friend’s wedding planning.

Think about this, you are deliberately planning a very special meal to celebrate your love with those closest to you.

• You deliberately pick the date
• You deliberately pick the time.
• You deliberately pick the menu.
• You deliberately pick the private location.
• You deliberately pick the décor and furnishings
• You deliberately invite those nearest and dearest to your heart.
• Then someone that you lovingly and deliberately invited to the table has deliberately accepted your invitation with betrayal in their heart.  

This is what we see in the text.   We learn in the beginning of chapter 22 that satan has entered Judas and the plan to betray Jesus is seen. In verse 7, we are in the Passover which celebrates the Israelites liberation from slavery in Egypt and thus the beginning of the story of the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb who is Jesus sacrificing himself, so we are liberated from the slavery of sin.    In verse 8, Jesus begins executing his plan for his celebration. He has created a private guest list, it does not include his beloved Mary, Martha or Lazarus, nor does it include the multitudes, nor anyone that he had performed a miracle on or for, but it is only for Him and his disciples.

As was customary when celebrating Passover, the city is overflowing and bustling with people.   Jesus calls on Peter and John to go prepare the Passover Meal for them. They ask, where? This is a serious logistical question, because people are everywhere.  Jesus responds, with a deliberate special location. I don’t believe Jesus prearranged this location, because He could have easily said, I spoke to Joseph Simon who lives on Upper Room Blvd and I told him that my disciples would meet him at the city gates.    

He doesn’t say anything remotely closely to that, instead He tells them, when you enter the city, meet and follow the man carrying the jug filled with water. This is very specific. think about it, a celebration is happening, and the city is full of people.  If the city is full of people, how would they know what man to meet and follow? During this time, carrying a jug of water is considered woman’s work, so why would there be a man carrying this jug? There has to be a specific reason for this man to be seen carrying a jug of water through the city. I would imagine that this was a difficult task for this man, and then to compound this he is being followed by two unknown men and not afraid when they followed him into his house.   Come with me…think about you for a minute, imagine walking home your hands filled with bags and then two unfamiliar burly men are intently and deliberately following you and they don’t stop but follow you right into YOUR house. In the two seconds it takes to realize that strangers have followed you in your house, the hairs on the back of your neck are standing up, your heart is racing erratically, there are those little beads of perspiration that are forming on your forehead, your palms are sweating, your throat is dry, you are scared silent or maybe you are screaming and in your attack position.   No matter what has happened to your body, the average person is faced with some level of fear. But the text does not describe any level of fear coming from the man with the strangers standing in his house.

This says to me that when Jesus develops a plan He deliberately prepares for it and it takes your obedience to see it manifest.   While I do not believe that Jesus prearrange this meeting, I believe that there was a Godly encounter that allowed this man to be in place and obedient to ensure Jesus’ plan was manifested.  What else could explain the behavior of this man, that he not only allowed strangers into his home, he allowed them to wander and find everything the Teacher said would be there.

Jesus knew where to send his disciples.

Jesus knew the man would be amenable.

Jesus knew the furnished room is not being used.

Jesus knew that the owner will allow the “Teacher” to use it.

Jesus knew how to tie this all together to make sure his plan was executed

Jesus planned this deliberately because it was necessary for the Last Supper to happen just as he planned.

The remaining disciples weren’t informed about the Passover meal and location until the last minute.  Why do you think Jesus was so deliberate in his actions? Because of Judas. Previously we discussed that Judas had betrayed Jesus by accepting money from the chief priests and scribes who were plotting to kill Jesus.   The text tells us in verse 6 that Judas was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus away from the crowd and the location of the Last Supper was the perfect opportunity. They could have come in and arrested Jesus with no crowd present.  But because Judas doesn’t know the location he could not betray Jesus then.

Judas a member of Jesus’ circle.  Satan didn’t use the man who didn’t have an intimate relationship with Jesus to betray him, he used someone close to Jesus’ heart and ministry.  This man whose house Jesus is using didn’t charge rent or betray him and he had the opportunity to do both. Satan used Judas who was close to Jesus, who could hurt him the most and cause the most damage to Jesus ministry because he was involved.  

The Last Supper was very important and needed to happen in the way Jesus planned.

It is a very deliberate action by Jesus because, what takes place in the Upper Room is important, and it cannot be disrupted or interrupted.

It is the Inauguration of a Deliberate Love Feast.

The meal is very familiar to us because the church today continues to celebrate: Some weekly, monthly, less frequently.  

• The broken bread signifies the body which is broken for the forgiveness and restoration of sinners who are accepted by grace into family of Jesus.
• The cup which points to the sacrifice of the blood of Christ poured out freely and willingly for the sins of mankind.
• Through the Lord's Supper we remember the work of Christ who died in our place and took the wrath of God for us.

The Lord’s Supper is a part of our Christian heritage … and it was deliberately put into place by Jesus for us.  Remember what Jesus said in verse 15, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

Had Judas betrayed Jesus before hand we may have lost this important part of our Christian heritage.  Judas is someone we love to hate. I mean he betrayed our Lord and Savior for a price. He is easy to hate and judge.  Come with me, while we discuss Judas for a minute. Why would Judas betray Jesus? On the surface, it is easy- money. But that doesn’t make sense to me, Judas was a thief.  He was made the CFO of the ministry and was stealing the ministry’s money. Why he would sabotage his income? Would you betray your primary source of income for additional temporary income that would affect your primary income? He knew the chief priest wanted to kill Jesus, so why would he help them kill off his primary means of income.  It makes no sense. What I realized was different, is that in verse 6 the text tells us that Satan had entered Judas. Why would Luke tell us that satan entered Judas? Because now Satan is in complete control of Judas. We want to stand for Jesus. We are firm that we won’t let Him down. But there is another who is very determined to see us fail. Satan? Satan makes us question. Satan prods and pushes and frustrates. Satan encourages us to make big claims which we can’t always back-up. Satan is after our soul.   There is battle in the spiritual realm. We stand in the middle. And we get caught. One moment we can be so confident - it seems that nothing will be able to knock the wind out of our sails. And then down we go. Spiritual strength sapped. Confidence smashed.

We tend to be more lenient with the other disciples because we can see ourselves doubting God, denying God or questioning God, but satan would NEVER cause me to betray God, right? WRONG! Satan uses the church to betray Jesus all the time.  

Prosperity Gospel- taking advantage of God’s people for personal gain.

Evangelical Churches – promotes liars, thieves, murderers and the current Commander in Chief, telling people who they can or cannot love, telling women what they can or cannot do with their body.

Black Church- lack of prophetic preaching, teaching and living.

Satan uses us individually to betray Jesus all the time. I know that is a hard pill for our Christian mind to swallow but we do.   God told us in the beginning when God made heaven and earth that humanity was made in the image of THEM-God the Creator, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  Which means when you see me, and I see you, we each see the image of God.

• When we walk past people experiencing homelessness and don’t offer food, we are betraying God with hungry.
• When we take our international mission trips, but disregard those in Flint, MI who still do not have clean water, we are betraying God with thirst.
• When we watch our Queer siblings in Christ face marginalization and oppression and don’t stand strong beside them, we are betraying God with our weakness.
• When we watch our Black and Brown siblings in Christ face racism and we don’t speak up, we are betraying God with our apathy.
• When we allow the opinions of others to dictate our decisions, we are betraying God with our fear.
• When we dismiss another’s voice or cries of inequality because it is not our individual experience, we are betraying God with our complacency.
• When we sit silently by whenever anyone is facing abuse, we are betraying God with our silence of approval.

Judas isn’t some abstract figure, Judas is here and very much alive in each and every one of else.   In verse 21 and 22, Jesus says, “But see, the one who betrays me is with me and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed”. Jesus knew Judas was his betrayer and verse 23 tells us they all, including Judas are looking around trying to figure out who would do such a thing, just like some of you today are saying “this is a pretty good message, but it is not for me”.  It is difficult to look in the mirror and say, “ugh that was very Judas like” but it is often necessary because just like Jesus saw through Judas, Jesus sees through us.

Jesus has perfectly planned out ever detail of this declaration and celebration of his undying love for all of us, just as we see in My Best Friend’ Wedding, Kimmy and Michael were attempting to plan their declaration and celebration of undying love for one another.   While Julianne was sabotaging the wedding, she called her friend George and told him that she needed help and he came to her rescue. He tried to get her to stop but she was committed.  She eventually kissed Michael and Kimmy saw it, breaking her heart. Michael runs after Kimmy and Julianne runs after Michael. In the midst of the chase she calls George and he says “ “Michael’s chasing Kimmy, you’re chasing Michael,” George shouts at her in the climax of the movie, culminating with a bread van vehicle chase down Michigan Avenue. “Who’s chasing you? Nobody. Get it? There’s you’re answer. Jules, you are not the one. You have a small but distinct window of opportunity to do the right thing.”

You have a small but distinct window of opportunity to do the right thing.  Julianne finally listens, apologies and helps her best friend get married to the woman of his dreams.  Judas did not take the small but distinct window of opportunity to do the right thing while at the table, he completes his plan of betrayal and hands Jesus over.  Fortunately, these two examples of betrayal revealed a purpose: Kimmy was Michael’s true Love and Jesus is our Love and Savior, who was betrayed and sacrificed so that we may have eternal life.

As we go into the future as servants we will have times when we fail.

Jesus deliberately makes sure we hear the encouragement.

A failure of action …

… a moral failure.

… a spiritual failure.

… a failure with huge negative consequences.

… a failure which we only know about.

… a failure because of sin … which causes guilt … and creates hurt.

Because we have the Savior … whose blood is poured out and whose body is given … who is praying for us. He will deliberately hold us and bring us back.

Look at the Last Supper. Do you see what Jesus is doing?

He chooses a deliberate location … so there won’t be interruptions.

He inaugurates a deliberate feast … which points to a future relationship.

He deliberately chastises … to remind us of our humble servant hood.

He deliberately encourages … so that our faith may not fail on the journey.

All of this needed to be in place … which is why Jesus was so eager to make sure this Passover meal happened.

And then it is time.

And then it is time.

Now Judas will have the opportunity to hand Him over where there are no crowds.

The deliberate plan of Jesus … at exactly the right time and moment … giving His life.

The deliberate plan so each one of us can be part of the family of Jesus.

He deliberately acts.

Let’s now go, encouraged as humble disciples, and deliberately serve.