The Bible is a living Book.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12
Because the Bible is God’s living book, it always means two things:
- Something in its story, and
- Something in Your story.
Each of these characters are about to be tested for their readiness.
In this story, the Bible has the same question for both us and its characters:
FQ: Are you ready to follow Jesus wherever He goes?
The Plot Against Jesus
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
This is all foreshadowing what’s going to happen.
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper,
- Whoever this is, it is a man healed by Jesus, who has gone from outcast to grateful friend.
7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9“This perfume could have been sold at a high price (Mark 14 - more than a year’s wages) and the money given to the poor.”
10Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (we’re fulfilling this right now)
Who seems like they belong with Jesus in this story?
Who doesn’t seem like they belong?
Was this woman ready to follow Jesus wherever He goes?
YES
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
According to Matthew 10, Judas was one of the disciples Jesus sent out to do ministry with this command:
“7proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
There was another Judas who sold someone close to him for money.
But he used the Hebrew spelling of his name, Judah.
Genesis 37:26-27
26Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? ((“What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?”)) 27Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
30 pieces of silver is only about $4,000.
When money is your God, it’s easy to betray the Son of God.
So why might Judas have betrayed Jesus like this?
- Disillusionment with Jesus’ ways.
- Frustration at Jesus’ inefficient ministry.
- Judas may have thought that the religious leaders would shake Jesus up and spark his violent rise to power.
- Embarrassment at Jesus’ rebuke.
John 13:4-6
4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
FQ: Was Judas ready to follow Jesus wherever He goes?
NO
Judas didn’t trust that Jesus could do the job right.
Despite all that, Judas still gets to sit with Jesus at the table for the Last Supper.
The Last Supper
17On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
What is the Passover?
- It retold the story of Israel’s freedom from slavery in Egypt
- It centered around a meal.
- Sensory
- Experiential
- Like a Civil War reenactment
- Identity forming
Deuteronomy 25.5b-9
“My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
What Does the Passover meal look like?
A series of 4 foods and 4 glasses of wine.
- Each food represents a moment in the story.
- Each drink celebrates how God has faithfully delivered them from that moment.
Movement 1 - Dipping Vegetables in Salt Water
The dipping in salt water represents dipping Joseph’s coat.
They thought they could dip Joseph’s coat in the blood of the lamb
to cover up their sin and make them right in their Father’s sight.
Movement 2 - Unleavened Bread
They didn’t have time to let the bread rise.
They’re getting out of there, and God is going to deliver them.
Movement 3 - Dipping Bread in Bitter Herbs
Chopped horseradish, meant to produce tears
Remind them of their tears shed in slavery and at the loss of loved ones
Movement 4 - Eating a Slain Lamb
This is the moment that God frees them.
In the passover, the Lamb’s blood made the angel of death pass over their houses and spare their children.
Pay attention to what is mentioned and what is left out.
20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
John 13:26-27
“26Jesus 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. 27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.”
Sounds like when Eve ate the fruit in the garden.
24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Matthew gives an abbreviated account of the Passover meal.
He only mentions the bread, wine, and the first bowl.
- What new meaning does Jesus give to the bread and wine?
- He makes those elements sound like the slain lamb.
- The lamb was sacrificed
- It’s blood was put on the door frame of a house
- That made the angel of death passover a house.
- Jesus’ blood as the Lamb of God:
- Shed as he sacrificed himself on the cross
- His blood painted the wooden beams of the cross
- The cross is the new doorway into God’s righteous judgement passing over a person.
In Matthew’s story, Jesus only ever explains why he had to die twice: once in this story, and once in Matthew 20:28, saying he would die as a ransom (payment) for many.
John 1.29
“The next day John [the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Are the disciples picking up on this?
Were the disciples ready to follow Jesus wherever He goes?
The disciples are trying to be ready but still don’t fully grasp what’s coming.
One last part of the story.
30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
They probably sang Psalm 115 as they walked away.
1Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
2Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
6They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
9All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
Are you ready to follow Jesus wherever he goes?
The temptation is to think that we’re ready.
The temptation is to think that we could never be Judas.
The solution isn’t to be better than Judas. It’s to be closer to Jesus.
Readiness is marked by willingness.
- When you feel a prompting from the Holy Spirit to talk to someone, are you ready and willing to do that?
- When you feel the weight of resentment against someone, are you ready and willing to forgive them?
- When Jesus calls you to waste your time and resources just to be with Him, are you ready and willing?
