Betrayed & Arrested
Luke 22.47-48:
While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Judas not only became one of the most despised characters in history when he betrayed Jesus – he also became a haunting reminder to every Jesus-follower that there have been times when we’ve fallen into temptation to sin. For the Christian, stumbling in sin can be like betraying the One who gave His life for us. How much greater is that betrayal when the sin is a chosen behavior, a decided and deliberate turning away from spiritual conviction?
Judas lived with Jesus and sat at His feet, learning from Him for years. But because his heart was not truly transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, he fell away when tempted by Satan. As believers, we are told to “examine ourselves” to see if we are truly in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13.5)
Yet we can have confidence, knowing that Jesus remains ever and always faithful, even when we struggle to do the same. And we’re also reminded later in Scripture, “We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” (Hebrews 10.39)