August 29, 2023
Once Concealed, Now Revealed
“Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, ‘Buy the things we have need of for the feast;’ or else, that he should give something to the poor. So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.” John 13:28-30 (NASB)
We often hear stories in Christianity of those who were in ministry, who had great success, later recant their faith. It is a shame. In my previous career, I watched videos in Sex Crimes training showing young men who went into youth ministry with an expressed desire to exploit young people. I remember a comment from a felony charged youth pastor who said, “It was so easy to get their (students) trust. It was like they were coming to me in childlike faith, and I knew I could get whatever I wanted from them in return.” It boiled my blood when I heard it. How could someone do something like this? Later in prayer in another circumstance I asked the Lord, “How can people who are called by Your Name act like they act?” I remember the Holy Spirit’s reply, “Mark, maybe they aren’t Mine.” None of us can be sure of one’s true conversion, but we can see evidence of spiritual fruit in the lives of the converted. God knows though, Jesus knows, and the Holy Spirit knows who He enters and who He does not. Jesus knew the traitor that night.
“Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him.” No person knew the thoughts and plotting’s of Judas. His secret had been kept in darkness. His soul was darker than the sky over his head. The others were in the light, and their thoughts were in tandem with Jesus. I wonder how much darkness Jesus saw in the upper room that night during the feast. While serving His disciples, the shadow of darkness would have loomed over the room, which only Jesus could see. The enemy was in the room, and now took possession over Judas. Jesus knew the identity of darkness in the room. Even though it went many miles with Him on journeys, it was still counterfeit. The disciples were clueless to the identity of Judas. Judas was undetectable by the disciples. MacArthur says, “… inner transformation results in changed life, the external fruit of which is seen in a believer’s behavior, including both attitude and actions… The Bible repeatedly warns of those who claim to be Christ’s disciples, but are not (John 2:23-24; 6:60-66; 12:25-26). What makes false disciples so difficult to detect is that they often have the outward trappings of genuine disciples, such as visible morality, an intellectual knowledge of the Bible, and even a level of involvement in the outward life of the church. But such things are neutral; they neither prove nor disprove the genuineness of a person’s faith.”[1]
I have seen over the years those who claim to be Christians, only to disappear. You could not find them without a search warrant. Then I am assured by the Apostle John’s words who writes, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19). Eventually, Judas left the twelve. They did not know why at the time. They thought he was going to “Buy the things we have need of for the feast;” or else, that he should give something to the poor.” But the motive was completely opposite to their belief. It was darker than they could have imagined. Today, this spirit is still very much alive. It is lurking in the darkness waiting for it is next prey. Follow Jesus. He will protect you from the evil one.
[1] (John MacArthur, 2006), 84-85.