John 13: 36-38, 21-33
Judas makes his move
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
"And it was night," Yes, in more ways than one, as the darkness of natural night was exceeded by the deeper darkness of the betrayal which Judas left the meal to arrange. His mind was set on it at this point, but only later did he regret it and try to stop it, casting his 30 pieces of silver back at the Pharisees who gave it to him. It was too late, however, the die was cast.
How often do we regret an action or statement and seek to reverse it? Sometimes we succeed, others, we have to live with the mistake. But as with Peter's denial, repentance and forgiveness by Jesus, Judas would have also had a chance to save himself, but despaired beyond repair. May we learn from his mistakes not to refuse the pardon God is only too willing to give us, no matter what we have done.
Bro. Rene
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