How does a shadow happen? Light pours around an object leaving the image of the object in darkness and that image is reflected against a wall of something relatively flat. This may seem like a children’s game, but is it?

Do betrayals cast a shadow? I have to admit, I really struggled with the theme for today - we don’t often talk to each other of ‘betrayal’ – even though some of us may have felt this way at one time or another. So I looked it up – and since I’m still a seminary student – that’s what I’m supposed to do!!

So anyway - To betray means to break a trust – to be a traitor - to deceive. I think it’s what we do when we cast a shadow on someone.

So what does it feel like when you are betrayed?
when a trust is broken
when a confidence is shared that shouldn’t be
when a truth is not told that should have been
when a friend turns her back on you when you need her most
when a friend ignores you or turns away, or says hurtful things.

What does it feel like for some of our kids in school ?
when they are taunted
when they are made fun of or ignored
when they are left to eat lunch alone
when they have friends one day and not the next.

What does it feel like when our politicians lie, cheat and steal, or
involve themselves with partners that aren’t their spouses.

Do we feel betrayed when our expectations aren’t met?

Imagine how Jesus must have felt - he and his disciples are in a private room in the house of a stranger, a room that was prepared just for them for this Passover meal. It is a cozy room, with just enough room for a low table and numerous pillows on the floor, people ate reclining on the floor in those days, they didn’t sit on chairs. Intimate and cozy - like a picnic in the living room - breaking bread with his disciples - eating the Passover meal - eating with men with whom he has traveled and lived for 3 years.

In those days, and in many cultures around the world even today, to share table with someone was and is a very intimate thing to do - you don’t eat with just anybody. Jesus did, but that’s a different story.

So they are sharing a meal - the last one, Jesus knows although the disciples don’t realize it yet. And seemingly out of nowhere, Jesus says “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” What an amazing thing to say! First of all how does Jesus know this? And how do the disciples respond? ‘Surely you can’t be serious?’ ‘It can’t be me can it?’ And Jesus says “ It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into a bowl with me.“

We have all seen various pictures of this Last Supper, with Judas sitting next to Jesus - a place of honor and trust - so they were probably sharing the same bowl. And in this time and place - this betrayal after fellowship, after communion, is the worst kind of betrayal. Judas knows what he has done, but the other eleven are thinking maybe it’s them? Did they do something that they weren’t aware of? Do we feel guilty when accused of something we didn’t do, BUT COULD HAVE?

We do not know exactly why Judas did what he did - we don’t know what lead him into that descent into the shadowess - and at least for tonight it doesn’t matter. What matters is that this betrayal - this broken trust - this broken friendship - this treachery - this handing over - is something that we are all capable of. We have all ‘dipped into the dish with Jesus.’ we have all broken bread with him - we have all shared fellowship and communion - - and so we can all ask ourselves – “Is it I Lord?”

But I think there is something more here - I think that even more than our brokenness making itself known in how we treat others is how we treat God.
Can we betray God?
Do we betray God?
Do we ever feel that God betrays us?

Another way of thinking about betrayal is that it is “ ….acting in a way that is contrary to a promise made.” How many of us have made promises - either to others, to ourselves or to God - and not kept them?

Do we betray God by not following through on what we promise to God?

Do we betray God by being indifferent to the poor - not feeding the hungry - not speaking the truth when we need to - ignoring the social injustices in our own backyards?

Do we betray God when we do not answer God’s call to do God’s work in the world?
Do we betray God when we think we can do it all on our own?
Do we betray God when we think we are in control?
Do we betray God when we do not give God our thanks and praise for all of God’s blessings?
Do we betray God when we are self centered?
Do we betray God when we do not love our neighbor?
Do we betray when we do not trust in God’s love?
Do we betray when we attempt to fit Jesus into our lives, rather than fitting into Jesus’ life?
Do we betray when we do not live ‘in Christ’.
Do we betray God when we deny God - and do we betray God when we judge others for the very things we do not do ourselves?

I think we do. Probably not intentionally - but out of our human brokenness. Judas, too, was human - and maybe that’s why we dislike him so - he is a mirror reflecting us back to ourselves.
What a bleak picture - it’s understandable how Judas could have been so despondent that he took his own life - but there is more.

Lest we forget - the shadow - the shadow that requires light to exist. BUT – if you shine enough light on an object there is no shadow! The sun directly overhead at high noon does not cast a shadow. The brilliant blinding light of God’s love in the death and resurrection of Jesus our Christ casts the shadow of redemption – but not the shadow of betrayal – of brokenness – of darkness. This beloved Son of God, who died for all of us so that our sins, our betrayals would be swept away – this blinding light of the glory of the risen Christ cleanses us of all our shadows.

Was Judas repentant at the end – it seems he tried to undo what he had done - we can’t know - and it is not for us to judge. A better question is are WE repentant, are we willing to turn around and face Jesus and say, Father forgive me…

We make shadow puppets on the wall every time we betray - every time our brokenness pushes through - every time we forget in whom we are created. But by the grace of God, we can turn around and face the light - we will dispel those shadow puppets.

The Psalms tell us that “the Lord is my light and salvation - whom shall I fear? Do not hide your face from me’ says the psalmist. ‘Do not give me up to my enemies.’ And Paul in 2nd Corinthians tells us that because of Jesus death and resurrection, ’we are to regard no one from a human point of view’ - we are to see and be seen as new creation - if we are ‘in Christ’ we are made new.

God ‘reconciled us to himself through Christ’ not counting our trespasses against us.’ Our God is a forgiving God - our God is a loving and compassionate God - our God is a God who, seeing our betrayal and brokenness shines a light so bright that the shadows are no more. The full glory of the light of Jesus Christ standing before us eliminates the shadows of our sin – our betrayal is no more.

The light of Christ will be made fully known at Easter, but we are not there yet. And it will come to its' fullness when the Kingdom of God is complete - but we are not there yet either. And so as we journey through these 40 days of wilderness we remember that we live in the shadow of the cross.