William H. Willimon and Nancy Ferree-Clark - "Company of Betrayers" Good Friday Service (April 17, 1987)

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	(slow organ music)	0:03
	(slow organ music)	3:53
	(slow organ music)	8:55
-	Let us read responsively.	10:13
	My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?	10:15
-	Why art thou far from helping me?	10:20
-	Oh, my God, I cry by day	10:23
	but thou does not answer.	10:27
	(audience murmurs)	10:29
	Yet thou are holy.	10:33
	(audience murmurs)	10:36
	In thee our fathers trusted.	10:39
	(audience murmurs)	10:42
	To thee, they cry and were saved.	10:45
	(audience murmurs)	10:49
	All who see me mock at me.	10:53
	(audience murmurs)	10:56
	He committed his cause to the Lord, let him deliver him.	11:01
	(audience murmurs)	11:06
	They divide my garments among them.	11:09
	(audience murmurs)	11:12
	But, thou, oh Lord, be not far off.	11:15
	(audience murmurs)	11:19
	I will tell of thy name to my brethren.	11:23
	(audience murmurs)	11:27
	You who fear the Lord, praise him.	11:30
	(audience murmurs)	11:34
	For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction	11:38
	of the afflicted.	11:42
	(audience murmurs)	11:44
	From thee comes my praise in the great congregation.	11:51
	(audience murmurs)	11:56
	All the ends of the earth shall remember	12:00
	and turn to the Lord.	12:03
	(audience murmurs)	12:06
	For dominion belongs to the Lord.	12:10
	(audience murmurs)	12:14
	(slow organ music)	12:19
-	The Lord be with you.	17:09
-	And also with you.	17:12
-	Let us pray.	17:13
	Most gracious God,	17:19
	look, with mercy, upon your family gathered here	17:22
	for whom our Lord, Christ, was betrayed.	17:26
	Given into sinful hands and suffered death upon the cross.	17:29
	Strengthen our faith	17:34
	and forgive our betrayals as we enter the way	17:37
	of his passion.	17:40
	Through him who lives and reigns with you	17:42
	and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.	17:45
	Amen.	17:49
-	The lesson for this Good Friday.	18:01
	Then one of the 12 who was called Judas Iscariot	18:06
	went to the chief priest and said,	18:10
	what will give me if I deliver him to you?	18:14
	And they paid him 30 pieces of silver.	18:18
	And from that moment,	18:22
	Judas sought an opportunity to betray him.	18:24
-	Now, on the first day of unleavened bread,	18:30
	the disciples came to Jesus saying,	18:33
	where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?	18:36
	He said, go into the city to a certain one and say to him,	18:41
	the teacher says my time is at hand,	18:47
	I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.	18:51
	And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them	18:55
	and they prepared the Passover.	18:59
-	And when it was evening, he sat at table	19:03
	with his 12 disciples.	19:06
	And as they were eating, he said to them,	19:09
	truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.	19:11
	And they were sorrowful and began to say to one another,	19:18
	it is I, Lord?	19:24
	He answered, he who has dipped his hand into the dish	19:27
	with me, the same shall betray me.	19:32
	The son of man goes as it was written of him	19:37
	but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed.	19:41
	It would be better for that man if he had never been born.	19:46
	Judas, who betrayed him, said,	19:52
	is it I, Master?	19:56
	He said to him, you have said so.	19:59
-	Now, as they were eating, Jesus took bread	20:06
	and blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples	20:09
	and said, take, eat, this is my body.	20:13
	And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks,	20:18
	he gave it to them saying, drink of it, all of you,	20:22
	for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out	20:27
	for many for the forgiveness of sins.	20:30
	I tell you, I shall not drink again of this fruit	20:34
	of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you	20:37
	in my father's kingdom.	20:42
-	And when they had sung a hymn, they went out	20:45
	to the Mount of Olives and Jesus said to them,	20:48
	you will all fall away because of me this night.	20:53
	For it is written, I will strike the shepherd	20:57
	and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.	21:02
	But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.	21:05
	Peter declared to him, though they all fall away	21:11
	because of you, I will never fall away.	21:15
	Jesus said to him, truly, I say to you this very night,	21:19
	before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.	21:24
	Peter said to him, even if I must die with you,	21:29
	I will not deny you.	21:33
	And so said all the disciples.	21:35
-	While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the 12.	21:39
	And with him, a great crowd with swords and clubs	21:43
	from the chief priest and the elders of the people.	21:47
	Now, the betrayer had given them a sign saying,	21:52
	the one I shall kiss is the man, seize him.	21:55
	(coughs)	22:00
	And he came up to Jesus at once and said,	22:01
	hail, Master, and he kissed him.	22:04
	Jesus said to him, friend, why are you here?	22:08
	Then, they came up and laid hands on Jesus	22:14
	and seized him.	22:17
-	Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.	22:21
	Here ends the lesson.	22:27
	They said to him,	22:33
	Lord, who is it that betrays you?	22:36
	And Jesus said, he who dips his hand into the dish with me,	22:39
	the same shall betray me.	22:45
-	Now, wait just a minute.	22:48
	There is something fishy about this whole Judas story.	22:50
	It just doesn't make a lot of sense.	22:56
	It all seems a little phony.	22:58
	It's as if Matthew had to tack it on the end	23:01
	to try to make some sense of it all.	23:05
	But it doesn't make sense.	23:07
	I tell you, somebody's getting framed here.	23:10
	Somebody's getting disposed of here.	23:14
	And quite neatly.	23:18
-	Are you saying the disciples,	23:20
	the company of the faithful	23:23
	is washing its hands of somebody?	23:26
	Are you saying that somebody is getting set up,	23:29
	taking the rap, left holding the bag?	23:32
-	Yes.	23:36
	Looking back over its shoulder down the ages,	23:38
	the church has always said,	23:40
	you know, we didn't ever really trust this Judas character.	23:43
	We thought he was stealing from us all along.	23:48
-	Well, come to think of it, the gospel writers	23:53
	never mentioned why Judas did it or what his motive was,	23:56
	that, at 30 pieces of silver thing was hardly	24:01
	any motive at all.	24:05
-	No motive at all.	24:07
	The church has simply sealed him shut.	24:10
	He's excommunicated into outer darkness.	24:13
	Judas is whisked off the stage amidst the boos	24:16
	and the hisses and the catcalls of the righteous.	24:19
	And that's that.	24:24
	The play must go on.	24:26
	His name is never mentioned again.	24:28
-	No, it doesn't make a lot of sense.	24:33
	It's a lousy detective story.	24:36
	People who wanted Jesus arrested knew where he was	24:38
	all week long.	24:41
	Jesus wasn't hiding from anybody, they knew what	24:43
	he looked like.	24:45
	They didn't need any kiss from Judas to tell them	24:47
	who Jesus was.	24:51
-	Right.	24:53
	Judas is there for convenience.	24:54
	I'll tell you why Judas is there.	24:58
	He's there to soothe the consciences	25:00
	of the other 11 disciples.	25:03
	It's as if, with that lonely body, twisting and gagging	25:07
	at the end of the rope on some olive tree branch.	25:10
	The other 11 neatly disposed of the consciences.	25:14
	They hung their shame on Judas.	25:20
-	Well, the gospel writers are obviously embarrassed	25:23
	that all the disciples cut out and fled	25:28
	when Jesus was arrested.	25:32
	Mark makes little mention of it.	25:35
	Matthew tries to cover it up.	25:39
	Luke utters not a word about it.	25:43
	Early Christians must have wondered	25:47
	why the disciples did nothing to save Jesus	25:51
	from the mob.	25:55
	Where were the other 11 when things got rough?	25:57
	Must have haunted those who ran.	26:02
	So, perhaps the Christian church has used Judas.	26:05
	And we have used him.	26:11
	We've gotten our mileage out of Judas.	26:14
	Oh, Judas, a thousand Good Friday sermons	26:17
	have put down Judas.	26:19
	The great betrayer.	26:22
	There he is, hanging there.	26:25
	And, at last, justice is done.	26:28
	We've shook our fist at him, time after time.	26:31
	Shame on you, you dog, Judas, we never trusted you.	26:34
	We were never one of us.	26:38
-	Yes, the church has used Judas.	26:42
	Just as Matthew has used him here.	26:46
	Judas is there to cover up the odor of some other stench.	26:49
	Judas is there to screen from our view	26:54
	the real nature of the disciples around Jesus.	26:58
	He's there to keep the smell of our infidelity	27:03
	from creeping out of this story.	27:08
-	Ah, those terrible, terrible words.	27:11
	Then they all forsook him and fled.	27:17
-	Right.	27:24
	This, not Judas, is the church's real shame.	27:25
	This is the real betrayal.	27:30
	Jesus said, he that dips his hand into the dish with me	27:33
	is the betrayer.	27:38
	And, remember, that night, at the table,	27:40
	they all dipped their grubby hands	27:44
	into that dish with Jesus.	27:46
	Everybody betrayed him.	27:49
	They just cut out and left little brother, Judas,	27:51
	standing there with the peanut butter on his hands	27:55
	to bear the guilt.	27:58
-	If Jesus died for the sins of the whole world,	28:01
	did Judas die for the sin of the church?	28:06
-	He's age-old scapegoat.	28:10
	Peter and all the others come out smelling like a rose.	28:13
-	And so do we.	28:16
-	But we're all the company of the betrayers.	28:18
	Last night, we all ate at table with Jesus.	28:22
	All of us ate from the same dish.	28:26
	And then, all of us got out while the getting out was good.	28:30
-	We still have our Judases.	28:35
	We just can't stand to be guilty.	28:39
	We hate guilt.	28:41
	The smell of our guilt sickens us.	28:43
-	We mumble through the confession at the beginning	28:46
	of most worship services.	28:49
	That doesn't mean me, we say.	28:50
	Those aren't my sins.	28:52
	All this conversion must apply to someone else, we say.	28:55
	Somebody like Judas.	28:58
	We can't bear to face our own guilt.	29:02
-	We have our Judases today.	29:07
	Somebody to blame things on.	29:10
	Somebody to blame things on for the mess we're in.	29:12
	We complain about the kids, the neighbors,	29:16
	the federal government, Reagan got us into Nicaragua,	29:19
	our mothers spoiled us, our daddies beat us,	29:23
	our teachers failed us.	29:25
-	We can't accept our guilt because we could never believe	29:32
	that God will accept us even in our guilt.	29:35
	We keep trying to divert ourselves.	29:41
	Just as we are, God accepts us, dirty hands and everything.	29:46
-	We must have our Judas, our scapegoat.	29:54
	We cannot confess out of our fear.	29:57
	We cannot accept ourselves around that table	30:02
	because we cannot believe that God would.	30:06
	We keep trying to divert ourselves, explain,	30:11
	to rationalize, to justify ourselves.	30:14
	We use Judas to bear the blame and banish our sin away.	30:17
-	The Jews, the Nazis, the Russians, the politicians,	30:23
	the newspapers, the radicals.	30:27
	These are our Judases.	30:30
-	We just can't stand guilt.	30:32
-	Why must we always be right?	30:36
	Why must we always look like angels?	30:39
	Why must our hands be so pure?	30:43
-	But there can be no salvation, no redemption,	30:48
	no healing, until we first face up to our guilt.	30:53
	We cannot be healed until we first admit that we're sick.	31:00
	We cannot be put back together until we first admit	31:04
	we're broken.	31:09
-	And this is where all the redemption must begin.	31:12
	This is where the healing can start.	31:16
-	Let us prepare for this Easter time	31:21
	by first being able to at least admit	31:25
	that the company of the glad is also the company	31:29
	of the guilty.	31:34
-	We who have set up so many ways to avoid	31:37
	looking in the mirror at our real selves.	31:40
	We who have played the little games and worn	31:44
	the phony mask.	31:46
	We who have blamed and excused and lied.	31:49
-	Let us begin	31:55
	with a prayer for the grace to be glad.	31:59
	That we, too, are among the company of the guilty.	32:04
	That we, too, are the betrayers of Christ	32:11
	and all the Judases that have ever lived	32:14
	and, therefore, that we, too,	32:19
	are among the ones for whom Christ has died.	32:23
	Let us give thanks that Judas was at the table.	32:28
	But if he were not there, we could not be here.	32:33
	We, too, are among that bunch of good-for-nothing sinners	32:37
	and betrayers whom God has loved	32:42
	and for whom Christ has died.	32:48
	Amen.	32:54
	(scattered footfalls)	33:26
	(choir vocalizes)	34:57
	(choir vocalizes)	41:17
	Please, rise.	45:46
	And now, may the grace and peace of God	45:52
	be with you this night and always.	45:56
	Amen.	46:00
	(soft murmurs)	46:20
	(scattered footfalls)	46:31

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Item Info

Title:

William H. Willimon and Nancy Ferree-Clark - "Company of Betrayers" Good Friday Service (April 17, 1987)

Description:

The preachers believe writers of the gospels want to soothe the consciences of the other eleven disciples and thus portray Judas as the only betrayer. In fact, all the disciples dipped into the bowl and ate with Jesus at the Last Supper. Just as Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, Judas died for the guilt of the Church. The preacher asks the audience to confess their guilt and pray for God’s salvation. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r41n7z21j

Date:

April 17, 1987

Speaker:

Liturgical Calendar:

Biblical Book:

Matthew

Chapter and Verse:

Matthew 26:14-50

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 CS-0386
ref8320_1p7
uachapelsermaud
duke:320260
dcrau001349
ark:/87924/r41n7z21j
a30cc7b8-ff44-4270-811b-6f7f01f2e1bc

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Duke University Chapel recordings, 1954-2005

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North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

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The Duke University Chapel Recordings were transferred to the Duke University Archives beginning in 1970.

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CC BY-NC 4.0

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William H. Willimon and Nancy Ferree-Clark - "Company of Betrayers" Good Friday Service (April 17, 1987)

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1. William H. Willimon and Nancy Ferree-Clark - "Company of Betrayers" Good Friday (April 17, 1987)

Duke University Archives

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William H. Willimon and Nancy Ferree-Clark - "Company of Betrayers" Good Friday Service (April 17, 1987)

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