Lent series; 3/9/11 People of the passion Judas

Ash Wednesday
3/9/11
Text: Luke 22:1-6; John 12:4-6
Title: Judas, the Opportunist

We have gathered here today once again to meditate on Jesus’ passion which culminated in his death on the cross. The passion of Jesus Christ is all about people. Jesus suffered and died for all kinds of people. All kinds of people had a hand in his suffering and death. All kinds of people were there.
Each Wednesday during Lent we will take a closer look at different people involved in Jesus’ passionToday, we look at the infamous Judas Iscariot. We have questions: “How,” we ask, “Could Judas be one of Jesus’ trusted disciples and then deliberately turn him over to his enemies to suffer and die? How could he do it? What can we learn from this man who was the devil’s pawn?” As I have studied the text it would be appropriate to call him Judas, the opportunist. He could take charge of things. He more than likely was looking for the easy route to fame and fortune.
When Judas joined with Jesus and the other disciples, he likely saw his opportunity to be in on the ground floor of something big. Imagine him thinking: “This Jesus is someone whose cause I can promote. Here may be the Jewish Messiah who would emerge as the new ruler who would like King David restore the Jewish people to the great people they once were.”
Judas knew he was on the right track. There were the miracles, the crowds of people, the growing numbers of regular followers. He saw what Jesus could do. He saw some of Jesus’ power and glory. There was no doubt he was on the right track. He was going to hitch his wagon to the star, the one with a bright future, the man Jesus.
The other disciples welcomed Judas. They saw in him an able and prudent man and a good administrator. They made him the treasurer and manager of their common purse. He fit in well with the group and shared their zeal for Jesus’ cause. The Jesus movement was under way for Judas, and everything looked promising.
We can’t help but wonder why Jesus ever let Judas become one of his closest disciples. For after all we know that Judas was the man who would do anything to satisfy his selfish ambitions. Why would Jesus take this political opportunist and potential traitor into his confidence and include him among his most intimate followers? Surely he knew what Judas would become unless it truly is, as some believe Judas’s destiny and he had no choice in the matter.
He would do it because of his remarkable love and mercy. Jesus came to save all sinners including all of his disciples which included Judas. But sadly Judas, turned away from the opportunity and turned instead to the way of destruction.
It all started quite well. Judas was a zealous supporter of Jesus. He certainly was not the only disciple with flawed thinking at the start. The question is how did he become so hostile? As you read the account of Judas’ deed you see that it was ambition that drove him. Ambition had a heavy grip on Judas’ heart. Imagine the disillusion he must have felt as, step-by-step, he saw his ambitions disappointed by Jesus himself. It could not have taken long for Judas to realize that Jesus had never once intended to establish a kingdom on this earth.
Look at what had happened during the time he became a disciple; John the Baptist was beheaded and not avenged. Instead, Jesus left the area. A groundswell of people wanted to make Jesus a bread king, and again he withdrew. When the Pharisees challenged Jesus to show a sign of his authority Jesus didn’t capitalize on the moment. How was he ever going to be a mighty king acting that way?
Instead, Jesus talked increasingly of shame and death. Jesus stressed more and more the moral and spiritual aspects of his kingdom. Towards the end the people began to desert him. Judas saw it all with growing dismay. He did not necessarily hate Jesus, but he began to see him as a deluded failure with some mysterious but ill-used powers. He began to plan how he, Judas, could salvage something from the unhappy course of events.
Judas’ spiritual life quickly deteriorated. He tottered on the brink and then fell into the beckoning abyss of hell. He tried to hold on to something, but having refused Jesus’ teaching, he could clutch only the misdirected passion of his own soul. One day, we don’t know when, he started down that slippery slope of rejecting Jesus.
Satan entered his heart and Judas whose heart had become hardened that even after sharing in the Passover meal he went to negotiate his despicable deed. Jesus is going to fall, that is certain. Why not make a little money before it all collapsed.
Judas’ faith had died, but not his conscience. Tormented by what he had done, he tried to return the money, but he did not look to Jesus for forgiveness. It was too late to change what was going to happen, the wheels of injustice were set in motion. But it was not too late to turn back to Jesus. Jesus never left him, never denounced him, but Judas would not turn back to him. Jesus still had room for him, but he had no room for Jesus. Satan had claimed him, and in despair; even before the verdict was passed to crucify Jesus Judas plunged into eternity at the end of a rope.
As we look back, we see the tragic irony of Judas’ case. Jesus offered everything Judas wanted, but Judas could not see it. Judas wanted fame, social approval, prestige. Jesus offered him lasting fame as one of the Twelve, the friendship of the angels, the love of God. Judas wanted a position worthy of his talents. Jesus offered to make him a child of God and a steward of the mysteries of God. Judas wanted earthly security and wealth. Jesus offered him eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, and the riches of heaven. Judas wanted Jesus, but only on his own terms.
Haven’t we all had our moments when we stood where Judas once stood wanting Jesus on our terms? Weren’t the times when storms of doubt shook our very souls? Remember those time when our personal passions and self-will tried to sweep us away from Jesus. But his voice called us back before we slipped and plunged headlong as Judas did.
Even now we are not immune from the errors of Judas. We by nature are fixed on our earthly welfare. Health and prosperity, prestige and power are high on the list of blessings we want. And some of today’s so-called evangelists even tell us we ought to expect those things from Jesus. We find it easy, like Judas, to want this world’s benefits from Jesus, forgetting that he already has given us much more. Looking to earth, we ignore heaven.
However, by the grace of God, we leave the way of Judas for the way of Jesus. We have security. God’s Word tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). We have peace: “My peace I give you,” says Jesus (John 14:27). We have the strength of God on our side: “I can do everything through [Christ] who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). We have love and comfort with Jesus.
Jesus died burdened with Judas’ sin and with our sins. He suffered the punishment for Judas’ sin and for our sins. He died in Judas’ stead and in our stead. He paid the full cost of redemption for Judas and for us. But Judas got nothing because he refused to trust. We have everything, everything; when we trust in Jesus. Amen.

Transfiguration Sunday 3/6/11

Transfiguration Sunday
3/6/11
Text: Matthew 17:1-9
Title: Listening to God

In our Gospel reading for today Saint Matthew describes a wondrous event on a mountain top. We don’t know why Jesus chose to only take Peter, James, and John, but we do know that what they had experienced no one had ever experienced before. They saw Moses, and Elijah talking with Jesus and heard the voice of God say, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

You would have thought that when they heard God speak that they would have been lifted up instead of driven to the ground. You would think that, but, as Saint Matthew tells us they were afraid, so afraid, that they fell to the ground.

You would think that an experience like this might serve as just the thing to transform a person from the inside out. Matthew describes this scene in such a way that we would think all doubts would vanish, all fears would fade away, all resistance to God’s summons would evaporate. You would think that all of the doubts and questions the three disciples might have had found answers in that scene on the mountain.

That is what you would think; after all Jesus is the message of Old Testament Scriptures. Moses and Elijah were with him. Jesus was a manifestation of God’s presence. His face shone and his clothes turned white. God’s voice sounded from the cloud. “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” Surely, from that day forward they would bear courageous, humble witness to Jesus’ ministry in the world.

You would think that they would have gotten it, except that they didn’t. Despite having seen and heard things that should have melted away their fears and insecurities, all three disciples flunked the salt-and-light test. You know, the one where Jesus said that those that believe in him are the salt and light of the earth.

Shortly after this incident, James and John let ambition get away from them. In Mark’s gospel, the two brothers themselves ask Jesus for permission to sit on his right and left when he comes in his glory. Jesus rebukes them. Having Jesus choose them as inner-circle disciples, seeing as much of God’s presence as anyone in scripture, hearing God’s voice, knowing that everything came together in Jesus; all of this was not enough for them. They still felt an urge for recognition, for status, for elevation above the other disciples that the Transfiguration had not satisfied.

What is the problem? Simply put they did not get it. That is why they fell down in fear when God spoke from the cloud. But then a most wonderful thing happened. Jesus walked over, as they lay there trembling in fear and touched them, as he said, “Rise and have no fear.” What wonderful words for them, yet, as we all know they continued to live lives of fear.

We know about Peter, of course, the great disciple of Jesus. We would expect great things from Peter, but that is not what Saint Matthew wrote down. He tells us that even after Peter was warned that he would deny Christ, you would not have done it, but he did in the courtyard three times he denied that he knew Jesus, the one he swore allegiance to just a couple of weeks earlier. It just doesn’t make sense. He saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. He saw Jesus transformed into a heavenly image. He heard God’s very voice. He should have had the courage to stand up before unbelievers even in the face of danger?

Now that I have pointed out the spiritual faults of the disciples for not living the lives that we think they should have lived we need to take a look at our own lives. Oh, we are not quaking in our sandals as they were that day, but deep down inside of us, in that place where we bury our fears we live in fear. We fear the things that happened in the past that might have consequences today or tomorrow. We fear today with all of its problems, we fear tomorrow since we don’t know what it will bring, we fear that we are not going to be liked, and most of all we fear that someone will find out we are afraid, that our faith is not as strong as we say.

God’s human creation did not start out that way, for God created them to live in a trusting relationship with him. There was no room for fear, for God provided all that was needed for each day. Trust ruled the day until Adam and Eve put their trust in the words of Satan instead of God. We all know what happened after that don’t we? The wonderful right side up world of God turned upside down.

We who proclaim our love of God, who confess our Christian faith in the Apostles Creed every Sunday live in fear when we shouldn’t, for every Sunday as we come together to worship our God we hear “Rise and have no fear.” through the words of the Absolution, the Holy Word of God, and his Holy Supper.

What is the problem then? Why is it that we still live in fear? Just like the disciples that day and Jesus followers through the centuries have lived in fear we live in fear because we just can’t get rid of thinking that we must have at least some small part to play in our salvation. And as long as we think that way we will live in fear because we are not fully trusting in God.

Saint Matthew in recording the Transfiguration points us beyond the weakness of our human flesh to the power Jesus the Christ unleashed in his life, ministry, death and resurrection. God gets it right, even if Christians don’t, for the Transfiguration points us toward the resurrection. God raised Jesus from the dead. He did what he said he would do, even if we can’t let that message sink in far enough to overcome every weakness.

The most wonderful news is that even while we are fearful we are also holy; set apart to continue the work of Jesus on this earth. We are holy not because we are good enough, for even those who believe that their lives are God pleasing know deep down that they are not living entirely God pleasing lives.

We are holy because of Jesus’ birth, life, and death on our behalf. It is in our sinfulness, our weaknesses, our lives of fear that God’s power shines. God’s grace, his free gift of salvation, for not just our souls but our bodies also, heals our betrayals and lapses. The glory of God that transfigured Jesus can transform us. Let us open ourselves to the transforming power of God. Let us cling to the power of God shown on the mountain, so that, as our faith in God increases we will be less and fearful, so we become all that God wants us to be. Amen.