Modern Day Judas Iscariot

What is your first thought when you think of Judas Iscariot?  For me, I view him as the "bad" disciple, the one who betrayed Jesus.  I can't understand why anyone who followed Jesus would do this.  After witnessing his miracles, hearing him teach, traveling with him??  How could anyone betray Jesus after seeing him do all of these amazing things?  How could anyone who knows that He is God do that?  This morning my reading was Mark 14:1-25.  This reading included the section where Jesus predicts Judas' betrayal.

As I was reading this section I realized....I'm Judas.  The evil man that did something so stupid as to betray the King of the Universe.  The man who betrayed a God who loved him more than anything in the world.  I am that man.  (Okay, not a man, but you get what I mean.)

I've seen God work in marvelous ways.  I've seen Him transform lives and work in crazy awesome ways.  I've read His incredible word.  I've walked with Him.  He loves me more than anyone does, He upholds me, He strengthens me, He comforts me, He knows me.  And in return....I betray Him.  After seeing God work so marvelously in my life, I put Him on a cross.

I know we always talk about how its our sin that put Jesus on the cross, but how many of us truly understand what we're saying when we say that?  I mean, yes, Jesus died on the cross because we sinned, but honestly..we weren't there.  We hadn't sinned yet?  So it's kind of hard to put that into perspective.  But if we look at the story and recognize that we are (in a sense) Judas, we can see how we really did put him on that cross.  We "sneak around behind Jesus back," we seek things such as money and other idols rather than Jesus, we find ourselves getting wrapped up with ungodly people and ungodly decisions, we sin directly against Christ.  These are all things that Judas did in order to put our savior on the cross.

Why should we hate sin and abhor falsehood?  Because our sin crucified Christ.  When we sin against God, we betray Him.  Can you imagine Judas watching Jesus on that cross?  And what he was feeling?  We don't always see how our sin affects Christ, and certainly not in the manner that Judas did.  But maybe that is one reason that we so easily step into sin.

As we make decisions, it is our responsibility to remember Judas.  Although we have already been in his "same position," we can choose not to betray Jesus again.