THE ENEMIES WITHIN

Dr. Richard J. Henderson June 1, 2003

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Psalm 1
Acts 1:15-26

Introduction

The church has set up lectionary readings for every Sunday of the year. There are four readings for each Sunday - one from the gospels, one from the rest of the New Testament, one from the Psalms, and one from the rest of the Old Testament.

The idea is to cover the major themes in the bible over a three-year cycle. Four readings times fifty-two weeks times three years equals two hundred eight passages altogether. I think it's also to try to keep preachers from harping on the same themes week after week!

The lectionary reading for today is not what we read from Acts today. The lectionary calls for us to skip over verses eighteen to twenty. If you remember that is the gory part about Judas committing suicide by falling into a pit.

We can understand why they might want to leave that part out. It's not very pleasant reading - especially for a group of church people! It's one of several passages in the bible that shouldn't be read in public!

But maybe there's another reason why they wanted to leave this passage out - It's embarrassing. I mean here is one of the twelve insiders who sold out his leader. It's the story of the one who betrayed Jesus. Maybe the lectionary wonks would prefer we not spend all that much time dealing with the betrayer.

I

Acts is the second part of Luke's story of Christ and the church. In part one he told the story of Jesus' birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection. That's the Gospel according to Luke. In this second part - Acts - he is explaining the history of the church, beginning after Jesus' death and resurrection.

We have to ask ourselves, "Isn't this a strange way to begin your history?" With the gory death of the one who turned on the great leader you're talking about. Luke begins his story by focusing on one of Jesus' closest followers, who betrayed him. He begins on page one of his history with a failure.

Why would he include it at all? Why not just gloss over it? Maybe throw in a little footnote in the back of the book that says, "Judas betrayed Jesus and then killed himself; he was later replaced by Matthias." Let it go at that.

Luke doesn't gloss over anything though. He starts off with Judas' death, and his replacement. Probably he didn't want to minimize it because it was an important issue that the disciples had to deal with. One of their number had betrayed Jesus, and let them all down. It was something that they all had to get beyond; it was an early hurdle they had to deal with. Luke shows how they did it.

II

"If you want to find betrayers of Jesus, look first within the church." The first time I read that I was shocked! Betrayers in the church! But within a few minutes I was nodding, "yes." We do more damage to ourselves than others to do us. We, within the church, can be our own worst enemies.

One person, referring to Judas, said that just shows that a group of twelve is one too many. But it isn't just the number of disciples. More importantly, it isn't just about Judas. The early disciples couldn't have been too shocked at what Judas did; many of them betrayed Jesus too. Remember Peter - the strong, dynamic disciple? He denied he even knew Jesus three times, because he was afraid they might arrest him and punish him like Jesus. "I do not know the man," he cried, afraid for his life.

The other disciples had their betrayals too. All of them were a close-knit group, traveling with Jesus wherever he went. But after the trial and crucifixion they all dispersed. They were discouraged. They thought Jesus had misled them. He hadn't saved himself, and shown everyone he was the Messiah, so maybe he wasn't. They scattered, going away disappointed and let down. They gave up on Jesus, thinking he had given up on them.

In terms of betrayal, Jesus' followers don't have a great track record.

III

The situation hasn't gotten a lot better with us either. We see scandals in the church today. There have been television evangelists who built amusement parks, sold the same condo multiple times, and had affairs.

Local churches have had elders who pocketed money, pastors who ran off with the organist, and bishops who moved on priests so they could prey on other children. We hate to admit it but the church has lots of people who have let down their Lord. One person even referred to the church as "The company of betrayers."

That term is true in the sense that all of us, in our own way, have betrayed Jesus at one time or another.

IV

Which makes me think Luke knew exactly what he was doing when he began his history of the church with the betrayal of Judas. He knew we all betray at some time or other. He tells the story to show how we - the church - respond.

First, any and all of us can be forgiven. There isn't anything we can do that God can't forgive. The faithless disciples were forgiven. They were drawn together and sent out stronger than they had ever been before. After their failure of faith they came back together and were more dedicated than they had ever been. Most of the original disciples gave their lives for their faith.

Peter was forgiven. In a dramatic scene Jesus comes back to Peter after his resurrection and talks with him. They have breakfast on the beach with the rest of the disciples. During that meal Jesus three times asks Peter, "Do you love me?" Three times Peter answers, "Yes." After each response Jesus says, "Feed my sheep." Rather than give up on Peter, Jesus forgives him and gives him ministry to do. Rather than giving up on himself, Peter responds with even more profound commitment. The best information we have tells us that Peter died a martyr for his faith.

I'm sure if Judas had come back, Jesus would have forgiven him too. As Jesus didn't give up on his disciples, so God doesn't give up on the church. In spite of all we have done to betray our Lord, he doesn't turn his back on us. Instead, Luke shows us that the church allows itself to be picked back up by the spirit of God and move on. The early church didn't allow anyone's betrayal to halt their mission, and in the same way the church today relies of the power of God, and moves on in its work. The ministry we have been given is too important to stop.

Rather we look to the future. Easter is about moving on from horrible discouragement to new life. The church has to be realistic about its failures, and the seriousness of those failures. It can't gloss over them or pass them on; it must confront them. But then, in God's grace, the church must move forward to a greater good.

Conclusion

Maybe Luke included the account of Judas to show how the early church worked through this horrible betrayal. They confronted it head on. They were realistic about how serious it was. It made them more sober about the mission they had before them.

Then they looked to the future, chose a disciple to take Judas' place, and got back to work. We can learn important lessons from the struggle they went through when we face times of adversity.

Amen.

©Richard J. Henderson 2003