A Turn of Events

 

by Alry Macalisang

Scripture Text: John 13: 21-32

Introduction

Good morning good and faithful servants, today we’ll be reflecting on a story some of us would avoid to talk to. The story of a man whom we would not want to name our children with, the name everyone despised, the name you cursed your partners when they cheat on you, the name equivalent to evil.

When you hear of a name Judas? What comes into your mind? In our present day when we hear a name Judas, in your sit, your chair or in your bed, you are now something. Maybe you are thinking of a person or a group or you think of depression, guilt, hate, anger, that you want to beat yourself up and hang yourself so the pain would be gone, the suffering, the mocking.

In all that negativity, maybe we could reflect on the other side, because we live in the world of duality, the good and bad. Even the moon has its dark side, man has its shadows, batteries and magnets has negative and positive side.

But I will not be talking about convincing you to name your children Judas, I will be talking about the situation of Jesus’ ministry with the disciples and with Judas into a turn of event the would be a nightmare of all the followers of Jesus but would turn out to be the fulfillment of the promise.

So it was like Jesus was on a 100-meter dash and the officiating official said “Ready!”

So Jesus makes himself ready. In John 2:19 Jesus knew the time is near, referring the temple as his body being teared down and also when he predicted his death in chapter 12:20-36 and said “It was not for my sake that this voice spoke, but for yours. Now is the time for this world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be overthrown. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” (In saying this he indicated the kind of death he was going to suffer.) and so in chapter 13 when Jesus was washing the disciple’s feet he was talking about “the man who shared my food turned against me”, he was referring to Judas. Jesus was having trouble so he shared what was on his mind, telling the disciples that one of them would betray him. And all of his reflecting in the mountains until this time he knew it would come, so he was making himself ready of what’s coming.

We the children of God would also be reminded to be ready at all times, like the Scout Motto “Laging Handa” of what’s coming, the church now is facing, or always, the fear of getting killed, shot in the head, or put to jail because of being involved in social issues. Like what we heard in the news, ministers being red tagged and shot and churches being vandalized and labeled us as terrorist. Let us condition ourselves in every action we take, like helping rape victims, political prisoners, indigenous people, the poor and the oppressed, that there will always be persecutions. And there will be a situation who would lead you to make yourselves ready of what’s coming, and that situation is your Judas the action you take that would sell you to the one who will lead you to your death. So, if you’re taking it, trouble may come, just like how Jesus was being troubled, so be ready.

And now the official said “Get Set!”, so Jesus makes his position in the starting block. Now Jesus was telling his disciples who would betray him? What he said about “the man who shared my food turned against me” was revealed. So, he set the scenario, in verse 26, Jesus said, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. the man who will turn against Jesus was Judas.

Now, Jesus on the starting block composing himself and was set to take off. And all what Jesus had said, the disciples never did understand, they were blinded because all they know is that Judas was in charge of the money bag, he was their treasurer. They thought Jesus was just asking Judas to buy food for the poor (poor disciples), because maybe they would not accept if Jesus would be killed. They were asking for an answer so Jesus answered them and they did not even get it.

Servants, the moment we give our food dipped in a sauce we should set ourselves that we are letting Judas in, and the moment we let Judas in, you have to understand what will happen. Just like in track in field, when you’re in the starting block you have to understand everything. In the starting block, the first thing you would think of is for you to finish first but in order to finish first, you have to apply all of what you have understood, the dynamics of your body, your feet, your breathing, and your surroundings. Sometimes we missed that because all we think is to just run and run and run. When we set ourselves for take-off and understand the dynamics, also think that when you start your feet moving the muscles will start to strain and you will feel the pain.

So the official fire the gun and Jesus take-off, Go! And so does Judas. And Jesus commanded Judas, in verse 27, “Hurry and do what you must!” so Judas accepted the bread and went out at once. And Jesus said in the following verses that the Son of Man’s glory is revealed. So Judas make him known. In Luke 22:3 ff. Judas went off and spoke to the chief priest and the officers of the temple guard and agreed to start looking for a good chance to hand Jesus over them.

This lead the to the turn of event where the wave was so calm and the disciples, with Jesus predicting his death, would never expect a very tragic experience all have to suffer emotionally. All of it, Jesus never hesitate to take off. And in Luke 22:47-53 Jesus receives a kiss from Judas and got arrested, that will lead to his death.

Would you ask someone to betray you and exchange you for a money? If yes, who? If you ask someone, no one would accept your offer. But to all of us we forget ourselves. We have our Judases inside of us. We sell and expose ourselves for the fulfillment. We also have promised that needs to be fulfilled, and that was to uphold justice by being involved in societal issues, helping the poor and oppressed.

Judas role in the bible no one would accept because you wouldn’t want to be the bad guy in the story. All of us Christians blame him for Jesus’ crucifixion. But, Jesus would have not fulfilled the promised if not for Judas who also sacrificed his life and if not it would have been delayed and ask someone else like Peter for example and we would now hate Peter for betraying Jesus and no child would be named Peter.

 

Conclusion

In our lives when it seemed to be so calm and steady we make ourselves like the disciples that never understood what was Jesus was telling, we failed to listen and in fulfilling our promise. We should be like Judas though it was a tough decision to betray whom you followed and adore, still he accept it, just to fulfill what was said in the scripture. Judas act was a turn of event that we thought it was the end but it turns out to be the most epic move to fulfill the most epic save in the world. So to all of us Ready! Get Set! Go! And do what you must.

(This sermon was delivered during the Wednesday Chapel Service held March 31, 2021 via ZOOM and Facebook Live in celebration of the Holy Week.)