Innocent - Two: Betrayed
Opening Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Be with the followers of your Holy Son each moment of the day.
Lead us not into temptation nor into falsehood but into righteousness for your kingdom’s sake.
Show us the path of your footsteps and the way of your heart.
Keep us close and have mercy on us - on all of us.
Amen.
Key Scriptures:
“6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”
“20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.””
“47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.””
Summary:
Amelia Smith continues our Innocent series with a look at the person of Judas and the reasons why despite everything he saw and heard of Jesus, he still betrayed him. Asking us again, ‘Who do we say that Jesus is?’ Like Judas, we have a choice about how to react, how much of ourselves to give to Jesus, and what we will do in response. Below is a summary of the talk:
Questions to Consider:
What is your opinion of Judas Iscariot? Why?
Why do you think Judas betrayed Jesus? What do you think Judas hoped would happen?
What do you notice about Mary’s response to Jesus in comparison with Judas?
Tim Keller said “God is not the means to the end. He is the End.” Have you, like Judas, ever viewed God as the means to the end rather than the end?
In Matthew’s gospel, those who believe Jesus is who He says He is call Him “Lord” and those that don’t call Him “Rabbai” or “Teacher” What is the difference between these two terms?
…
What has God been saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
Who are you going to tell?
Practices to Consider:
Conduct an Examen prayer of the last week, asking yourself who do you say Jesus is.
Below are the five steps of an examine prayer to help you with this practice:
Step 1: Become Aware of God's Presence:
Find a quiet space and time: Choose a time and place where you can focus and be present with God.
Invite the Holy Spirit: Ask for God's grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help you discern God’s presence in your day.
Acknowledge God's presence: Recognise that God is with you.
Step 2: Review the Day with Gratitude:
Replay your day: Mentally walk through your day, noticing the different events and situations.
Give thanks: Be grateful for the good things that happened, the blessings you received, and the moments of joy and peace.
Pay attention to your emotions: Notice how you felt during different parts of the day, both positive and negative emotions.
Step 3: Reflect on Your Actions and Reactions:
Identify areas of growth: Consider where you might have fallen short, where you could have acted with more love, compassion, or wisdom.
Ask for forgiveness: Acknowledge your mistakes and ask God for forgiveness and healing.
Seek insight: Ask God to help you understand your actions and reactions, and to discern how you can grow in holiness.
4. Look Towards the Future:
Pray for guidance: Ask God to guide you in the coming day/week, to help you make wise choices, and to lead you toward God’s will.
Anticipate challenges and opportunities: Consider what potential challenges and opportunities might arise in the coming day and ask for the grace to meet them with faith and courage.
Commit to living in God's presence: Resolve to be mindful of God's presence throughout the day and to respond to his call with love and openness.
Prayer Prompts:
Pray for those affected by the Thailand-Myanmar earthquake.
Additional Resources:
Find the full sermon recording here
Find Sundays PPT here
For a printable version of this guide click here