Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed… – Matthew 20:18
Note well what our Lord said about his sufferings. “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed.” Stop there: “Betrayed”! It is as though I heard the deep boom of a death-knell. “Betrayed”! “Betrayed”! To die, ay, that is not a word with a sting in it to Him! But “Betrayed”! -that means sold by cruel treachery. It means that one who ate bread with Him lifted up his heel against Him. It means that a man who was His familiar acquaintance, with whom He walked to the house of God in company, sold Him for a paltry bribe. “Betrayed, for thirty pieces of silver! A goodly price, indeed, for the blood of such a friend! “Betrayed”! Hear how He cries: “If it was an enemy, then I could have borne it.” “Betrayed”! It was no stranger; it was no bloodhound of the Pharisees who scented Him out in the garden; but “Judas also, which betrayed Him, knew the place. Betrayed with a kiss, and with a friendly word! Handed over to them who sought His blood by one who ought to have defended Him to the death. “Betrayed”! It is a dreadful word to be set here before the passion, and it throws a lurid light over it all. We read-“The same night in which He was betrayed He took bread.” This was the bitterest drop in His cup, that He was betrayed.
If our churches lose their holy influence among men, write on them, “Betrayed.” What care we for infidels? What care we for those who curse and blaspheme? They cannot hurt the Christ. His wounds are those which He receives in the house of His friends. “Betrayed”! O Savior, some of us have been betrayed; but ours was a small sorrow compared with Thine; for Thou wast betrayed into the hands of sinners by one who claimed to be Thy friend, by one who was bound by every tie to have been Thy faithful follower. “Betrayed”! Beloved, I cannot bear the word. It falls like a flake of fire into my bosom and burns its way into my inmost soul. “Betrayed”! And such a faithful friend as He! So full of love; and yet betrayed! ~ C.H. Spurgeon
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2212.cfm
He Hath Said 
I had stated yesterday: how can many in the church neglect so great a salvation. But betrayal is an even more sorrowful word. Churches twisting his own word to their own destruction. That surely is betrayal of equal sorrow to our Lord.
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Oh, yes, it is! 😦
An oft repeated prayer of mine is that I do not believe lies as “truth” nor “truths” as lies, and the Holy Spirit has been faithful in this to this day as He teaches me His Word. When I take communion, I often will read about Judas and pray that I do not betray Him before others. An ambassador for Christ is serious business.
Have a blessed day, Jerry, amen! \o/
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