The Church Part IV: Judas and Peter, Our Brothers

This is the last sermon in our current series on what virtues I believe vibrant churches will embrace and live. We'll be looking at Peter and Judas and considering the concept of perseverance. We have previously looked at faith, love, and hope. Yet, what good are these without perseverance. What becomes of a faith lacking in perseverance? What is love without perseverance? Many at-one-time-hopeful couples might shed light on that one. Where does hope without perseverance lead but to downward slumps into anxiety and depression? Perseverance.

We can learn perseverance from one of two people in the New Testament. (There are others, but these of vital importance.) We can learn from and inherit the perseverance of Peter ... or that of Judas. Let's compare them.

Peter

When we think of Peter, we tend to venerate him despite his laughable comments of aggressive ignorance. Many of us see him as an uncle or sorts. Several of us see ourselves in him. Nonetheless Peter is venerated as a champion of faith. Let's consider his famous declaration of faith to Jesus.

Matthew 16:13-19:

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of hte prophets."

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earht shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (ESV)

We read this confession of Peter and laud him for his faith. Many believe that Jesus was referring to Peter's faith when he says he will build his church upon some rock.

This was a great moment for Peter, and we rightly celebrate this in his life. However, to be fair, Peter did not figure this one out on his own. Rather, Jesus says that this information was "revealed" to him. Secondly, based on socio-cultural studies of Caeserea Philippi, Jesus was most likely not referring to Peter's faith ... as if Peter's faith is always rock-solid. Rather Jesus most likely was referring metaphorically to the sensually depraved culture of Caesarea Philippi (http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=1530; http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=4958).

Caesarea Philippi was a center of worship of the Greek fertility god, Pan. Pagan sexuality was a sacrament to invoke the gods for agricultural blessing. In short this culture was depraved. The shrine to Pan was built in the side of a mountain. At the bottom of the cliff was a cave into which a stream flowed. It was believed Pan descended into Hades through that cave. Thus, it was known as the Gates of Hell. Jesus tells Peter that "upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Rather than referring to Peter's "faith," most likely Jesus was referring to the depraved culture of Caesarea Philippi, and by extension the depraved cultures found all over the world.

At any rate, with all due respect to the Apostle who chose to be crucified upside down instead of rightside up like Jesus, we must examine some snap shots of Peter.

Matthew 16:21-23:

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Herusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! this shall never happen to you."

but he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man" (ESV).

Here we see that right after God reveals to Peter the true nature of Jesus's identity, Peter falls prey to a seductive falsity about Jesus. Caesarea Philippi is all about sensual self-indulgence. Peter rebukes Jesus on the grounds that his self must not be harmed. Where is Peter's faith at this point? It seems possible that not only is Satan at work in the life of Judas ... He is also very much at work in the life of Peter. Let's flip over to Luke 22:31-34.

Luke 22:31-34:

"Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith might not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death."

Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me" (ESV).

Here we see more clearly that Satan has been at work in Peter's life. Jesus tells us plainly that Satan wants to destroy him. Jesus prays that his faith "might not" fail. Even though Jesus tells Peter "And when you have turned," I believe we have to take the "might not" very seriously here. Jesus's statement seems to indicate the timetable would be in Peter's court: "when you have turned again." We know that Peter wasn't much encouragement until after the Church is baptized in the Holy Spirit. Even after the Resurrection and after he reveals his resurrected body to the disciples, Peter still attempts to return to his former life of fishing (see John 21). The others are with him. Is it possible that Peter even led them all to return to fishing as well? More on this is a bit. Let's take a look at the most ignoble moment in Peter's life as described in Matthew 26:69-75.

Matthew 26:69-75:

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean."

But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you mean."

And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "The man was with Jesus of Nazareth."

And again he denied it with an oath: "I do not know the man."

After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you."

Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the rooster crowed.

And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly (ESV).

Let me say from the outset that if I were Peter here, I might well have done worse than Peter did. At least Peter followed him to the Inquisition site. Perhaps Peter remembered his telling Jesus he would follow him to jail and death. So, he follow him to the courtyard. However, something seems to harden in his heart; for he not only denies him but also invokes a curse upon himself. Like I said, I might well have performed similarly to Peter or worse, but this is hardly the faith upon which Jesus said he build his church.

So Peter weeps bitterly outside and thus is very remorseful. But what you may or may not know is that Peter actually removed himself from Jesus's band of disciples. Take a look at Mark's account of the Resurrection in 16:5-7.

Mark 16:5-7:

And entering the tomb, they (Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome) saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. he has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you (ESV).

Notice that the angel names Peter apart from the disciple band. Culturally-speaking, if Peter had still considered himself a member of this group, the angel would not have mentioned him separately.

Even still, looking back we know the end of the story. Peter still hangs out with them, and Jesus woos him back into his former place. The issue is not whether Peter maintained absolute perfect faith. Rather the issue is what Peter actually did with his failures and shortcomings? Peter persevered. See Acts chapter 2.

Judas

Now let's compare Peter with Judas. Let's face it. Judas falls out of our mouths like poision that we've accidentally ingested.

Let's have a look at John 13:21-30.


John 13:21-30:


After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table close to Jesus, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.

So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?"

Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it."

So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him.

Jesus said to him, What you are going to do, do quickly."

Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night (ESV).

Yes, Satan entered into Judas. However, let's remember that Jesus did call Judas into his band of disciples. And not only that, but he gave Judas charge over the money bag. Any serious belief in human free will will maintain that Judas began in pursuit of discipleship with Jesus in good faith. Why would Jesus willingly put a rebrobate in charge of their monetary lifeblood? The question, however, is what did Judas do along the way with Jesus's teachings? Was he transformed? I think we can safely suggest--no, he was not changed by Jesus. Let's take a look at John 12:1-8.

John 12:11-8:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"

He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me" (ESV).

Yes, Judas was one of the 12, but John's commentary on him was "he was a thief." This is not a comment on an isolate incident. Rather this was the character of Judas: "he used to help himself to what was put into" the money bag. When we choose to follow Jesus, this is a total lifestyle commitment. Thus, in reality we have the opportunity to say yes or no to Jesus with every behavioral choice. After a series of choices we are either closer to Jesus or closer to the depravity from whence we have come. When Satan entered into someone who belonged to Jesus, he entered into one who seems to never really have submitted to Jesus. His works didn't match his professed belief. His faith was dead, devoid of the works which make up the soul of faith.

However, I believe that the Holy Spirit was still attempting to pull Judas away from the grip of Satan. Let's take a look at Matthew 26:75-27:5.

Matthew 26:75-27:5:

And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him and led him away and delievered him over to Pilate the governor. Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."

They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."

And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself (ESV).

Notice that Judas had "changed his mind." Another way of saying this is Judas began the process of repentence. Of course repentence involves more than simply changing one's mind, but this is the first major step. Could it be that Judas returning the money was his attempt to put feet to his changed mind? At any rate, who is the one that initiates the process of repentence? Thy Holy Spirit. I really believe that the Holy Spirit even at this point in Judas's life was reaching out to him. Yet, Judas was quite possibly in a place to where he could effectively respond to the Spirit. Psychologically, we know that behavioral choices affect thoughts which affect emotions which affect thoughts which affect behavioral choices which affect emotions ... etc. This cycle in turn affects the neural circuitry in the brain which in turn affects the thoughts, feelings, and actions. Let's not forget to throw into the mix his default-invitation to Satan. Yes, Acts 1:15-18 seems to suggest that Scripture prophesied Judas's betrayal. Yet, did Scripture randomly determine 500 years before Judas that he would do the unthinkable? Or, did Scripture merely forsee Judas's actions of free will?

Here's a side question at this point. How important is it to say "yes" to Jesus in every thought we think, in every response to every feeling we feel, in every action we partake? Yet in reality its not really a side issue here, but rather the heart of it all. Basically defined in a rather folk-way, perseverance is faithfully determining to say "yes" to Jesus in every thought, in response to every feeling, and in every action we partake ... and actually carrying this out despite our slip-ups. Both Judas and Peter were called by Jesus. Yet Judas and Peter made radically different "everyday" choices, which played into their ultimate choice following both of their betrayals. We are no different. Let us persevere!

Hebrews 12:1,2:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run wiht endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (ESV).