Service and Betrayal

Service and Betrayal
John 13:21-23

21 When Jesus [Iesous] had [epo] thus [tauta] said [epo] , he was troubled [tarasso] in spirit [pneuma] , and [kai] testified [martureo] , and [kai] said [epo] , Verily [amen] , verily [amen] , I say [lego] unto you [humin] , that [hoti] one [heis] of [ek] you [humon] shall betray [paradidomi] me [me] .
22 Then [oun] the disciples [mathetes] looked [blepo] one on another [eis] [allelon] , doubting [aporeo] of [peri] whom [tis] he spake [lego] .
23 Now [de] there was [en] leaning [anakeimai] on [en] Jesus [Iesous] ' bosom [kolpos] one [heis] of his [autos] disciples [mathetes] , whom [hos] Jesus [Iesous] loved [agapao] . KJV-Interlinear

21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.' 22 The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 23 There was reclining on Jesus' breast one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. NASB

We studied before, Jesus' concern and disappointment with regard to the varying types of reception to Himself and to scripture that people had. Some listened only to get the miracle healing power that they needed, then they went their way. Some watched as one would watch a circus act and would be in awe at the miracles, but they would be nothing more than a conversation piece for them.

Still others would have great care and concern for Jesus and what His coming really meant to them and to humanity. And there are always those who will go through the motions of pretending Christianity, but in their hearts they are full of betrayal. Such is the kind of person Judas was.

Judas has been with Jesus for over two years. He has seen the miracles, heard the teachings of scripture, but he was always negative to the message, and looked only to his own immediate interests.

Judas was a fence straddler. He would go with those whom he thought would have the upper hand. And at the moment he was going to get money for the simple task of turning Jesus in to the authorities. After all if Jesus was to be arrested, then why shouldn't he collect the money as opposed to someone else. Or such would be his reasoning. We have already studied the gossip on the street which the Pharisees started. 'If anyone knows the whereabouts of Jesus, then he should turn him in to be arrested.'

We have a contrast in these verses. John is the one leaning up against Jesus. Judas is the one who will betray Him.

Just as Daniel was said to be held in high regard in heaven and as such was given the privilege of writing the prophecies of history for the end of the Age of Israel, including the dating of the first advent of Christ. So too, John was given the privilege of writing the Book of Revelation.

God has varying degrees of love 'agape' (a policy love) toward people. For unbelievers there is great concern that they should lose out in eternity by their rejection of Him. For believers there is love with regard to their spiritual growth and thus the rewards that will be given out.

Those who advance further in their spiritual life will receive more than those who are indifferent to their spiritual life.

The apostles look around wondering who is the culprit, but their wondering mises all of the clues which Jesus gives. People cannot see the spiritual status of others. But a person can recognize his own spiritual status or lack of it.

Here Judas is confronted on a personal level. Judas knows what he has already arranged. Jesus too, knows what Judas has already done, but Jesus here gives him one last opportunity to change his mind and not go through with his plan.

If there could ever be something that we could classify as a tragedy in life, then it would be a person knowing that his actions were wrong, but goes ahead and does them anyway. Smoking cigarettes is a perfect example of this type of behavior. There can't be anyone who does not know of the danger in smoking, yet people will light up anyway, with total disregard to the repercussions of smoking.

And you say you don't smoke! Well there are those who go to church once a week or once a year, and they could study daily, but they do not. There are folks who lean toward homosexual life styles. There are those who shack up rather than getting married. It's a trial run you see.

If you think hard enough (don't strain yourself), then you can find many compromises in life which would qualify you as a potential betrayer of Christ.

Now we are all weak and we all fail in life, but the big difference between those who fail and get back up and move on in their spiritual life, and those who don't even try, is their attitude and dedication to their Bible study.

Both John and Judas had the same opportunity to listen and learn. To John, God was more important than life. To Judas, life was more important than God. Which is more important to you?

Our focus in life is not to try to evaluate others, but to evaluate our own life. We are to discover our own flaws, and through Bible study, correct our own life and move forward in our spiritual life. That is our most important objective in life - spiritual maturity.

To advance to spiritual maturity and thus be included in a very small minority of mature believers held in high esteem in heaven is the ultimate privilege. To disregard everything in the spiritual realm, or to make excuse after excuse, and just be historical filler is the ultimate failure of ones existence.

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