“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ [Psalm 41:9] Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” (John 13:18-20)
We can't just hang around Christians and think we'll be saved; nor can we just go to church and think we're okay. We all, just like the twelve disciples, have heard the same Word. Either we will choose to believe in Him or not. But if we reject the Word, we are rejecting God, The Father and Creator of all things. As Jesus had stated before, Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. (John 12:44-48; see THE GOSPEL: Released from Fear and Darkness, to Life and Light; THE GOSPEL: Believe the Signs, Believe the Word)
When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” (John 13:21; Matthew 26:21; Mark 14:18) Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. (John 13:22) Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing. (Luke 22:23) And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?" (Mark 14:19; Matthew 26:22) It was bad enough that Jesus had the "weight of the world on His shoulders", knowing what was going to happen to Him in Jerusalem in just a few hours, before His crucifixion and resurrection; but to feel troubled in spirit, knowing that one of the disciples who had been with Him from the beginning would betray Him had to be overwhelming.
Remember, Christ Jesus is Lord God in the flesh, but He was in the flesh. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:14-15) He felt every emotion we feel, and He was hurt just like we would be hurt or have been hurt, if someone in our confidence betrayed us. But why make this feeling known to the others? "Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He." Yet again, Jesus uses almost every opportunity as a "teaching moment".
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom [or reclining near Jesus, read "The Seder Service in a Nutshell"] one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” (John 13:23-25) Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. (John 13:26; Matthew 26:23; Mark 14:20; Luke 22:21) "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22) Don't let our living be in vain, be for nothing! Let's not also betray the Son of God, by refusing to believe in The Word of God.
Jesus revealed to Peter who would betray Him, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. And Peter would eventually testify to this fact, after Jesus' resurrection. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.” (Acts 1:15-17)
Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” (Matthew 26:25) Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night. (John 13:27-30)
WOW! If we ever had any doubt that God is in control, we shouldn't after this. Peter would testify to this fact also. “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God,... (Acts 2:22-23) Everything that happened to Christ Jesus was a part of God's plan. But Judas Iscariot still had a choice to make, and we do also. We are not to betray Jesus, nor give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27)
If we haven't put God first in our lives and accepted Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord yet, it's not too late, no matter what we may have done. For the Lord spoke through Moses, and said, "But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you... But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days... (Deuteronomy 30:14-18)
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land..." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) Judas Iscariot's days were cut short, because He betrayed Jesus. "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” God said, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing..." Let's choose life and blessing today! Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) AMEN!
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