August 1 Why, Judas?

Luke 22:3-6 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
 
AS we have consistently written of the Jewish religious authorities’ pride and self-view, perhaps pride is the answer to, “Why, Judas, would you betray Jesus?” Surely we do not know his exact motivation for Judas’ betrayal. The bottom line is, though, that somewhere along the way Judas’ attention turned from Savior to self. You can say he broke the first commandment from Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”  Judas realized that Jesus’ plans were different that Judas’ plans. In response, Judas acted to intercept the Messiah, so Judas’ will would be done.  
    This is Satan’s attack plan against God’s will, isn’t it? In Genesis 3 you can see how Satan entered into the Garden and Eve’s mind. Read further and see how Satan entered into the world in the days of Noah. Satan’s way caused such terrible sin the Lord recreated the world through the Great Flood. See, too, Satan enter even into Jesus’ life to tempt him to reject the Father. Then Jesus rebuked Peter to even say, “Satan, get behind me.” (Mark 8:33) as Peter sought to intercept Jesus from the cross. Be alert! Know Evil’s intent is to enter our minds to intercept God’s will for our lives. He turns our attention from the Savior to satisfy our own pleasures and purposes.
    Are you tempted? Then consider Judas’ condemnation. Think how he had been one of the world’s most favored men. How dynamic and life-giving would his life had been as he walked three years with the Lord of life? How valued and affirmed to know Jesus had chosen him! But then Satan entered. All changed. In Satan’s evil, Judas became one of the world’s most hated men.
    Beware of the devil striving to intercept your life, your relationships and your discipleship. Your position in the church, your years of service, your faithfulness to Christ can be intercepted in a moment. Be always faithful as we learned in Luke 21:34-36 to “Be careful…be always on the watch…be able to escape…be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Resist temptation. Worship God above all. When the devil attempts to enter in and intercept your faith, “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” 
 
Prayer: Father in heaven, deliver me from the Evil One. In Jesus’ name and the Spirit’s power I pray. Amen.