Betrayal

To Seek and Save the Lost  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Introduction:
* "Evil has an ordinary face. It laughs, it cries, it deflects, it rationalizes, it makes great pasta.” – James Comey
· I have no idea whether or not Judas made great pasta; but we assume evil is easily identifiable.
BUT IT’S NOT SO SIMPLE. LET’S WALK THROUGH THIS STORY AND SEE WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THE TRUE FACE OF EVIL, AND WHERE GOD IS IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL.

I) The Face of Evil (vv. 1-6)

A. The Human Players in the Story

i. The ordinary actions behind the traitor (vv. 3, 47)
1. As the 11: Judas left all to follow Christ; preached healed, cast out demons
2. Yet, he loved the world: (piously criticizing Mary’s extravagance)
3. So: Judas looked like other disciples who’d left all…but his heart!
ii. Religion hates Gospel (vv. 2, 4, 52)
1. Religious leaders took pride in their ability to climb the “ladder”
2. Grace scandalously refuses to give credit, so “religion” hates gospel!
3. EXAMPLE: hookers & drug dealers find a seat at the dinner table with the Son of Man (& if this doesn’t offend, maybe we don’t grasp the gospel!)

B. The Supernatural player in the story (vs 3)

i. Satan exploits our weaknesses
1. Evil is connected to the spiritual realm – behind the scenes, Satan works
2. We aren’t puppets: Satan works by exploiting us appealing to our desires
a. man who loves money;
b. religious leaders who hate Jesus & have money
ii. The ordinary picture of evil: (vv. 4-5)
1. It’s shady – religious leaders who believe they are “doing their job.”
2. EXAMPLE: Eichmann on trial – and a transaction in the temple, the banality of evil
iii. Yet: God allows? (vs. 53)
1. This is Your hour: God is permitting Satan the power to act
2. The age-old question: Why does God allow evil? Where is God?
THAT TAKES US TO THE SECOND PART OF THIS STORY – IN THE GARDEN.

II) The Purpose of God in the Midst of Evil (vv. 47-53)

A. The Garden Revisited…and redeemed

i. Eden 2.0: Satan makes ap ower play in the garden…and loses
1. The drama of salvation returns to a Garden, Satan enters the playing field
2. Judas’ twisted act of friendship reveals his hatred (vs. 47-48)
ii. A kingdom of force…meets the healing hand of a Savior (vs. 49-51)
1. Keyed up disciples, ready to fight for the kingdom with swords & clubs
2. Malchus: a front-line servant of the High Priest
iii. Yet the kingdom of God meets force with mercy (vs. 51)
3. How did Jesus’ healing change Malchus? Did Malchus not sleep?
4. That’s the power of grace: God meets our hatred with mercy

B. God is Instituting the True Feast

i. The Feasts of Unleavened Bread & Passover celebrating (vs. 1)
1. As the religious leaders are killing the Son of Man, they are celebrating the feast, cleaning the yeast, selecting a lamb
2. They needed a heart change – sin removed from their hearts
3. As we do: “Evil runs through every human heart.” A. Solzhenitsyn
i. Murderers out there (but: our hatred for our ex-spouse)
ii. Homewreckers (but: pornography addiction)
ii. Jesus is the true Feast
1. Jesus our true Passover Lamb came to take away the sins of the world
2. Because all along: God’s plan was to take the twisted, hateful, actions of sinful human beings and use them as the building blocks of salvation
Transition:
Conclusion
Coming to a table of grace: