It was a common name that meant “praise.” In fact, as many as three of Jesus’ disciples might have shared the name. But then one night, evil swallowed a man whole, and he exchanged his Lord for a few bits of silver. His fall from grace was so tragic and so total that he ruined a good name forever. When was the last time you heard of a baby named Judas? The name that once meant praise thereafter brought scorn. What brought him to that point? How did he find himself so far from the grace of God?

Read Luke 22:1-6,47,48

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ²and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. ³Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. . . .
⁴⁷While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Gifts of grace

Identify gifts of grace that Jesus gave to Judas.