Is It I?
Matthew 26
20) When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21) And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22) And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23) He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24) The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25) Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
I’ve always found it interesting that Judas asks this question, considering Jesus knew it was him. Besides it being God’s will, and that Jesus had to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament before He died, it blows my mind that someone who lived with Jesus and followed Him for the last 3 years would betray Him. We look at Judas as the ultimate betrayer. His name is cursed even to this day. Do you know anyone named Judas? There is no greater name that stirs up thoughts of betrayal than his. Even as Christ- Followers we look upon him with contempt and disgust.
Then I look in the mirror……….
I look at a guy who has failed him so many times, and so many ways. I may not have sold my Savior out for silver, but how many times have betrayed Him in my heart and turned away and did my own thing? How many times have I made other things God instead of Him? How many bad decisions have I made that has made Him look so much less than who He truly and rightfully is? How arrogant are you to think we have right to place judgement on Judas? The Bible says to remove the log from our own eye so we may be able to remove the speck from our brother’s. (Matt 7:5)
It is by His divine love and grace that we can live in forgiveness and mercy. Without the sacrifice that Jesus paid, we are all Judas; no hope, no forgiveness, no Savior. We remain our own god in which we have no power to deliver ourselves from our sins, our fears, and our past. We are doomed to live a life of regret of what could have been and the reality of what it truly is.
Is it I?
Yes.
Kevin
