MAY 4, 2008  SERMON ARCHIVE

Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Judas is the black sheep of the Christian family. His place in the family is firmly set in history, his name inscribed onto the branches of the family tree. Still, he is one of the family members of whom people speak very little. And when they do speak of him, they speak in hushed tones, not really sure what to say about him.

Some, I suppose in an effort to protect the family name, suggest that Judas was really never part of the family. In the days of the disciples, he walked among them, he talked liked them, but, he really wasn't one of them. Judas, they would say, was a pseudo, a fake Christian, an impostor because, from the very beginning he never really believed in Jesus.

Others lament his lot in life, believing him to have been damned from the moment that he was conceived in his mother's womb. Judas, they would say, was a son of destiny, albeit a dubious destiny. Perhaps those who look on Judas in this way misunderstand Luke's words here in Acts 1, that, 'the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.'

For sure, that a betrayer would arise had been prophesied. The prophet Zechariah wrote in chapter 11, 'Throw the silver to the potter'-that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter. Then I cut in two my other staff, Bonds, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.'

Jesus would be betrayed by one of his own. Some would suggest though that Judas was born specifically to be the fulfillment of that prophecy, meaning that he was born outside of the heart of God, that Jesus would bleed and die for the sins of the world, except of course, the sins of this corrupt branch in the family tree, the one of whom we speak in hushed tones, Judas Iscariot.

Still others though, Lutherans included, not being able to fathom the grace of God in Christ Jesus excluding anyone, would say that this dark son of the Church really was a believer, at least for a time. Jesus, after-all, hand picked him along with the other 11 disciples. But, in time, he drifted away.

It might have been greed that got the best of him. He was, remember, the keeper of the apostolic treasury. Or, it may be that he just lost interest in that Kingdom of God that would be ushered in by Jesus. Whatever the reason, Judas finally saw 30 pieces of silver as more valuable than the blood of Christ that would be poured out for the sins of the world.

As Luke goes on to tell us, Judas had to be replaced in the order of apostles. We read in Acts 1 that another man had to take his office, his charge. The people prayed for guidance from the Holy Spirit and the lot fell to Matthias, who was finally numbered among the twelve.

And Judas, well Judas, 'by his transgression went to his own place, dying alone, with out God, having purchased a field with the wages of iniquity. And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood..'

Judas, the black sheep of the Christian family...we don't say much about him¡­ perhaps though we should. The fact is, what you say about Judas speaks volumes about your understanding of the reach of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. What can you say about Judas? Was he born to do what he did? Did God give him life, so that he could fulfill the Old Testament prophecies about the betrayal of Jesus? Was Judas a son of destiny? Most importantly, was the grace of God in Christ Jesus ever even intended for Judas, or, as I said earlier, was he in someway outside of the heart of God?

These questions might initially seem academic to some of you, perhaps to many of you. They may even appear to delve into the mysteries of God, into aspects of God's judgment that are finally not of our concern. I assure you though the answers to these questions, how Scripture answers them, speaks volumes to your own frail, timid hearts as you find yourselves searching for hope, for assurance, regarding your own place in God's kingdom.

If Judas was outside of the grace of God in Christ Jesus, that is, if Jesus died for the sins of the world, excepting the sins of Judas, then you are left with a salvation that you can never be certain of. In other words, if you believe that Jesus never intended to save Judas, I would suggest to you that you can never be sure that He intended to save you.

The reasoning would go like this¡­if Jesus didn't die for Judas, if His death was not intended to save Judas, how do you know it was intended to save you? When it comes to Judas, this black sheep of the Christian family, we are driven, you see, by necessity, to the universal nature of God's grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is to say, we driven to those passages of God's Word that assure us that Jesus died for all of us, to save all of us from the guilt and from the wretched consequence of our sin.

There is a story told that some attribute to Martin Luther regarding Jesus' words in John 3:16. Remember, Jesus said, 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.'

Luther once reflected on how eternally grateful he was that Jesus spoke those words in such general terms, speaking of God's love for the world, rather than His love for specific individuals. He said, 'I am grateful that our Lord didn't say 'for God so loved Martin that He gave His only begotten Son.'' For, if He did, Luther said, 'how would I ever know that I am that Martin that God so loved?'

The world is a big place and each of us, of course, are a part of it. God's grace in Christ Jesus is universal, meaning it is for all people. As we sing in one of our hymns, 'God said to His beloved Son: 'It's time to have compassion. Then go, bright jewel of My crown, and bring to ALL salvation.'

'For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son.' There is, of course, a practical application to this teaching of God's Word about the universal grace of God in Christ Jesus. First, it applies to how you look at the world around you. Second, it applies to each of you individually, as you struggle everyday to more fully embrace the love of God for you in Christ Jesus.

The world around us¡­there is a certain cynicism that so easily engulfs us, isn't there? Actually, maybe it isn't so much a cynicism as it is a hardness or a coldness of heart toward other people. A lot has to do, I suppose, with the sheer size of God's creation.

Again, the world is a big place¡­7 billion, or so, people. We look around us and like Cain, in the Book of Genesis, we wonder 'Am I my brother's keeper?' And in that philosophy of life we hold ourselves aloof from others. Their needs are not our concern, nor are their hurts or their sufferings our concern.

And besides, as it turns out, there are just enough things about other people to 'not like' that we consider ourselves justified in our loveless attitude toward them. We begin to judge others by the color of their skin, or by the inflection in their accent, or by the features on their face. As we do we put them into categories, categories that in some way except them from the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

And yet, God's grace is universal, 'for God so loved the WORLD.' Painful as it might be to acknowledge, Jesus then died for the annoying patron in line at Hy-Vee, He died for the irritating driver on North Federal, for the person who holds such annoying political and religious views, views that are so different from your own. Why, He died even for the person who does 'that thing' (whatever it might be) that annoys you the most.

And here is where our view of Judas becomes so critically important. It is finally in our callousness, in our hardness of heart toward other people that we are apt to wonder again about God's love for us. How can He love me, we reason, when I don't love others as I should? Is it possible that God never intended for me to know His love in Christ Jesus?

You see, what you say about the dark sheep of the church, the one of whom we speak in such hushed tones, speaks volumes to your own frail, timid heart as you find yourself searching for hope, for assurance, regarding your own place in God's kingdom. Was God's love in Christ, His forgiveness and grace, intended for Judas? You bet it was!! Even as much as His love, His forgiveness and His grace is for you!!

You see,
'God had seen MY wretched state
Before the world's foundation,
And mindful of His mercies great,
He planned for MY salvation.
He turned to ME a father's heart;
He did not choose the easy part
But gave His dearest treasure.'

Christ Is Risen.

Amen