THE WOUND OF BETRAYAL

By Dr. Eric C. Stumpf, Senior Pastor

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church – Munster, IN

4 March 2009 + 2^nd Mid-week Lent +

Matthew 26:20-25

                 Some years ago when I was in France with my wife we were walking through a little village.  A villager was giving us a little tour when we came by the village church.  As I was looking at the steeple I noticed something that I had seen frequently in France, but had not thought what it meant.  Most of the time in this country I saw crosses on top of the steeples, but in France I noticed that most of the steeples had a rooster.  I asked why that was.  The villager said that it was a reminder to the villagers that the disciple Peter had betrayed Jesus, even though he was warned, before the rooster would crowed.  Therefore the rooster on the steeple was a constant reminder not to betray Jesus.

 Betrayal

                In Paul Gerhardt’s hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded the second verse begins, How pale Thou art with anguish, With sore abuse and scorn!  The anguish of physical abuse and scorn began long before the whipping by the soldiers.  It began by the action of a friend.  It happened when a companion who had shared his meals with Jesus, who had heard him speak, who was a witness of his miracles had chosen to betray him into the hands of people who sought to end his life.

                 Our text tells us that Jesus warned Judas of this betrayal that was growing in his heart.  It was not too late for Judas to change his mind, to repent his actions.  Least we think these words spoken almost two thousand years ago are ancient history, like the rooster on a steeple one sees, the words remind us all that we too are prone to betray our Lord.  How do we do that, you say?  We do it every time we sell Jesus out for something else on Sunday morning when we should be here to worship him and receive his forgiveness and strength to lead our life as followers of Christ.  It would be the allure of a warm bed on a winters morning, or the nice weather and friends who want us to golf with them on a nice summer Sunday.  Today it takes little to tempt people to betray their Lord.  It happens when we have the opportunity to share what Jesus means to you, but instead you say “I do not know the man,” or the same effect when we remain silent.  The wound of betrayal is not inflicted by those far from the Lord, but by those near and dear to him. 

The Love of the Lord

                For all of us who can remember with regret the times we have betrayed our Lord by finding something else to do than to worship him or keeping silent as if we did not know or care about the Lord when we could have shared the good news about Jesus with another, there is good news.  Note the love of the Lord!  Do not think for one second that the Lord’s love for Judas, his betrayer, was altered by the betrayal.  Jesus still loved Judas as he also loved Peter who denied him and all the disciples who ran away.  He loved them with his whole life.  “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)  That verse has no exceptions.  It doesn’t say, “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us…except for Judas, or for Peter, or for Eric, or for (fill in your name).” 

                 Sadly Judas did not believe this, nor did he believe in the Lord.  He thought his betrayal was too big for Jesus to forgive.  Jesus’ compassion was sorrowful because he could see were Judas was going.  He knew Judas would betray even himself as he took his life because he could not believe God forgave sinners and went to his grave believing that his sin was stronger than God’s mercy in Christ.  Jesus our great high priest would call from the cross of his sacrifice Father forgive them.  And by the name of Jesus God would forgive fully and completely.

                 That kind of forgiveness given to us when we come and confess our sins and receive the words of life, “your sins are forgiven,” changes a person.  Now we are empowered to love and forgive one another.  We can even deal with the bitterness of betrayal by friends.  It overcomes our human weakness to get even.  It is the cross of Christ, it is the power of our baptism, it is the faith created by the Holy Spirit that empowers us to forgive.  While the symbol of the rooster is a reminder, the power for change comes by the Word.               

SDG