Greg Laurie - The Surprising Story of Judas Iscariot (10/10/2017)
- Watch
- Donate
- Become Partner
Pastor Greg Laurie examines Matthew 26 in the God Came Near series, focusing on Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus in the message "So Close Yet So Far." Despite being chosen by Christ and witnessing His ministry, Judas chose greed and betrayal, showing that proximity to Jesus doesn't guarantee salvation—true repentance and faith do.
Introduction: The Surprising Story of Judas Iscariot
We're back in our God Came Near series today. That's a chronological look at the life of Christ from all four Gospels. And today we're going to be looking at Matthew chapter 26. So if you would, grab your Bible now. Matthew 26. And the title of my message is, So Close Yet So Far. Subtitle, The Surprising Story of Judas Iscariot.
Matthew 26. I heard the story of an elderly man that was out on a cruise ship. You know, they say that cruises are for the newly married and the nearly buried, right? So he was out there enjoying a cruise. And one night, a big storm came unexpectedly. And a young lady fell over the side of the rail into the icy waters of the Atlantic. The folks on the cruise ship were shocked, looking over the side, not knowing what to do. And suddenly, a man plunged into the waves, swam to the young girl, held on to her until help came.
Well, as it turns out, everyone was amazed to find, astonished, to find the man who saved the young girl was the oldest man on the ship, this elderly gentleman. So that night, they decided to have a banquet in his honor and thank him for saving this young girl's life. And they asked him if he would like to say a few words, and he said he would. And he stepped up to the microphone, and he looked out at the audience, and he said to them, there's something I would like to know. Everyone was a little embarrassed, because some of the able-bodied young men knew that they should have been the ones over the side, instead of this elderly man.
There's one thing I would like to know, he said to the people. And then he said, I want to know who pushed me. And that's my own story. I am that elderly man. No.
Was Judas Pushed or Did He Choose Betrayal?
Well, we're going to look at one of the most misunderstood people in all of the Bible, Judas Iscariot. Some would say that he was pushed into doing what he did in his betrayal of Christ. But that is not true at all. He acted on his own volition. Despite the fact that he was handpicked by the Lord himself, Judas went out of his way to betray the Lord.
I would suggest to you that Judas Iscariot may be the most wicked man who has ever lived.
Now, this is a new section of our God Came Near series, where we're following Jesus through his life, teachings, and miracles. We're coming to the closing section now. Really, we're coming to the part of the Gospels, where we see Christ on his way to die on the cross. And this is very important, because we're addressing the question, why did Jesus come to this earth in the first place?
Why Jesus Came to Earth
Well, there's a number of answers to that question biblically, and I could spend weeks talking about it. But let me just give you some quick takeaway reasons why Jesus came to this earth. If you're taking notes, you might jot these down with the references.
Number one, Jesus came to give us life in its fullest measure. Jesus came to give us life in its fullest measure. Jesus said in John 10:10, I have come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly. Jesus shows us how life is to be lived with him in a relationship with him. You know, medical science seeks to add years to our life, but only Christ can add life to our years.
Number two, Jesus came to seek us out, save us, and bring us into a right relationship with the Father. Again, he came to seek us out and save us, and bring us into a right relationship with the Father. First Timothy 1:15 says, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. Matthew 18:11 says, The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost. And in Luke 15, Jesus illustrates this by talking about the Shepherd going out searching for his wayward lamb or sheep and bringing it back. And that's why Jesus came to bring us into this right relationship with God.
And the way he did this, number three, is through his death. Hebrews 9:26 says, Once and for all, he has appeared at the end of the age. Why? To remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And Jesus himself said in Matthew 20:28, The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many.
Jesus came to the earth to die. The crucifixion was not an unexpected turn of events. He came with the express purpose of dying. In fact, the Bible says of him, He was slain from the foundation of the world. What that means is, long before there was a Garden of Eden or a couple known as Adam and Eve or even a planet called Earth, a decision was made in the councils of eternity that God would come to this earth and be born as a baby in a manger and he would go to a cross and he would die for the sin of the world and he would rise again from the dead.
And fourth and lastly, in doing this, he would break Satan's power in people's lives. First John 3:8 says, the Son of God appeared for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil.
The Role of Judas in Bringing About the Crucifixion
So now we're gonna follow Jesus to the cross and to that tomb and ultimately to his ascension. And what brought about that crucifixion was part due, or due in part, I should say, to his betrayal which was done by Judas Iscariot.
Judas Iscariot. The very name suggests evil. We use it as a picture of something negative. Well, don't be a Judas because we think of him as a betrayer and indeed he was.
Sometimes we wonder, was he French? Maybe I'm the only one who has wondered that. Say, what are you talking about? Well, in my spell check, whenever I've spoken on Judas Iscariot, it always stops on the word Iscariot and suggests the word escargot. Why? Was he really Judas Escargot? Snails with garlic? No, I don't think so.
But you know, when you think of Judas, you think of betrayal, you think of evil. But someone suggests we have it all wrong. Actually, Judas was a really good guy. And he was trying to help Jesus, but things just sort of went off the rails. Is that true?
Well, according to New Yorker magazine, it is in an article with the title Betrayal, written by Joan Akasella. She says, should we hate Judas Iscariot? She writes, and I quote, did Judas deserve this fate? If Jesus tells you that you will betray him and tells you to hurry up and do it, are you really responsible for your act? Furthermore, she writes, if your act sets in motion the process, that is the passion of Christ, whereby humankind is saved, shouldn't somebody thank you? No, says the church. If you betray your friend, you're a sinner, no matter how foreordained or collaterally beneficial. And if the friend should happen to be the son of God, so much the worse for you. End quote.
So, is that true? Was Judas really a good guy and this was all preordained? And look at the good that came out of it. So how can we fault him? Was Judas actually an unsung hero? Or was he in reality a pathetic zero?
Well, the Bible tells us that he was a wicked man. As I already said, perhaps the most wicked man who ever lived. Why? As I'll point out to you, and we'll see together, Judas wanted to betray Jesus. Judas did it for money. Judas initiated it, and he couldn't wait to betray his Lord. So no, he was not a good guy gone wrong. He was an evil man.
God and Satan Moving Toward the Cross
You know, it's an interesting thing when you look at the death of Jesus because for a rare moment in time, God and Satan were moving in the same direction. Let me explain. They were both moving toward the death of Jesus on the cross.
Now, their objectives were different. Satan wanted Jesus humiliated, tortured, beaten, and most of all stopped. God the Father wanted the Son to atone for the sin of the world. So they both wanted the death of Jesus to take place, but for different reasons.
But Judas played his role, but he was not a victim of circumstances or a passive tool of Providence. He made his choice, and his choice made him.
Sure, it's true that Satan put it in the mind of Judas to betray Christ, but it's also true that he found a willing accomplice in Judas Iscariot. Judas could have resisted that temptation, just like you can resist temptation.
You know, sometimes people say, well, if I'm tempted to do a certain thing that defines me, let's say a person deals with same-sex attraction. Oh, well, that must mean that I'm gay. No, that means that you're tempted with same-sex attraction. Then there's somebody else that's attracted to a member of the opposite sex, but in an illicit way in a premarital or extramarital relationship. So what is the answer? Don't give in to the temptation. You're not defined by your temptations. You see? And God will give you the power to resist that temptation no matter what it is.
Judas could have resisted it, just as you can resist temptation as well. And he certainly knew better. I mean, this guy spent three years with God in human form. You'd think he would have picked a few things up. Yes, he was complicit in all of this. And as I said, Judas himself initiated the betrayal of Christ.
Matthew 26:14 says, Then Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 disciples, went to the leading priest and asked, How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you? And they gave him 30 pieces of silver. And from that time on, Judas began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus.
So this goes way back, you see? This wasn't just something that happened in the spur of the moment. No, he'd been plotting and planning to betray Jesus for quite a long time.
The Greed That Motivated Judas
And what motivated Judas? Money. He did it out of pure greed. That was what he was all about. Judas was in love with money.
In fact, there's a particular incident that shows how greedy he was. The disciples were gathered together in the house of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. And by the way, Lazarus had just been resurrected from the dead. We looked at this story together. You remember that Mary took out a very expensive kind of perfume, probably a family heirloom, worth thousands and thousands of dollars, and poured it all out on Jesus in honor of the fact that he was going to die. And she wanted to do something extravagant to show her love.
And it was Judas Iscariot that spoke up, looking like the ultimate good steward, and saying, well, should this not have been sold and the money given to the poor? All the disciples were probably nodding, saying, man, that Judas, he's a great guy. He's thinking about the poor, and he's thinking about others.
But then John says, yeah, the reason he said this was not because he cared for the poor, but it was because he was the treasurer, and he was stealing the money, you see. Things are not always as they appear.
Judas: The Master Hypocrite Among the Disciples
If we could get into a little time machine and go back 2,000 years, and I bet if you were inserted into the upper room with the disciples, you could not pick out Judas. Oh, we think we could because we've seen all these movies. And he's always the easy guy to identify because he's in a black robe while everyone else is in a white one, right? That's the first tip. And he always is sort of standing in the shadows, you know.
No, it would be the opposite. You might have looked at him and thought he was the most spiritual guy of the lot initially.
Here's what Judas was. He was a great actor. He was a performer. He was the literal definition of a hypocrite. A hypocrite is not somebody that says something that contradicts it. That's a human. We all have our moments of weakness. A hypocrite is a person in its literal presentation, back in that culture, who was acting. They were playing a part. They wanted you to believe they were that person.
And he wanted people to believe he was pious and spiritual and humble and considerate and caring for the poor when in reality he was wicked and depraved and evil.
And there was no excuse for it because in Jesus he had a perfect example. Jesus never messed up. Can you imagine never messing up? Can you imagine never having to apologize? Can you imagine never having to say to God you're sorry?
Well Donald Trump says that he doesn't have to ask God to forgive him for his sins. He just says well I don't ask for forgiveness I figure I'll do better next time. Wow. I don't know about Donald Trump. I know I need God's forgiveness. And you know what else I know? I know that I need to apologize to people when I say something that hurts them or I do the wrong thing.
And Jesus never had to apologize. He never had to say I'm sorry I said that. Why did I say that? Hey I'm sorry I just did that. I shouldn't have done that. Because he never sinned. He was perfect. He was flawless.
And Judas watched the ultimate example. And the reason I bring this up is because sometimes non-believers will say well the reason I'm not a Christian is because there's so many hypocrites. You know yeah that's a good excuse but it's not the reason. Jesus was never a hypocrite not even close to being a hypocrite but yet Judas managed to betray him.
Jesus Washes Judas' Feet: One Last Chance
So here we are now with the disciples in the upper room. What does Jesus do? He gets down on his hands and knees and does something normally a servant would do. He starts to wash the feet of the disciples. Can you imagine? Every disciple he washed their feet including Judas.
Now Jesus knowing Judas would betray him, washed his feet. If I were Jesus I would have broken Judas' feet not washed them. I know what you're up to buddy. Yeah try it now. No. He washed his feet.
But John's gospel tells us he said not all of you are clean. What was the point of that? He was giving Judas one last chance to repent.
Now our Lord drops the bombshell and tells them that one of them is going to betray him. He asked Judas to sit at the table with them at his left in the place of honor. And we pick the story up. Matthew 26 starting in verse 21. Look at that if you would.
As they were eating Jesus said. Assuredly I say to you one of you will betray me. And they were exceedingly sorrowful and each one of them began to say Lord is it I?
And he answered and said he who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me. The son of man indeed goes just as it is written of him but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed it would have been good for that man if he had never been born.
We'll stop there.
The Last Supper: Identifying the Betrayer
So imagine the scene if you will the disciples are in the upper room and they're seated around a table. No they're not all behind one table like in the Last Supper painted by Leonardo Da Vinci or was it Leonardo DiCaprio? I can't remember. Some Leonardo.
No they weren't like posing for a shot of cake it's good good hold it yeah they were around a table that was probably round it was also low to the ground they didn't sit in little chairs they would recline on pillows and a meal would take a long period of time and on the table there would be different kinds of sauces and bits of fish and other things to eat and there would be this bread that they would have this unleavened bread on our last trip to Israel we went to Galilee and they made us this fresh kind of pita bread man it's so different than the kind you get in the markets here.
This massive heated stone. And then they sort of folded it up. It was like the ultimate tortilla. But it's pita bread. And then you dip it, you know, in the various sauces and into the hummus, or as they say in Israel, hummus, you know.
And so that's what the disciples are doing. They have this food and they're enjoying it. And then Jesus identifies Judas. But he gives him some of his bread.
Now understand, guys don't generally like to share food. I want you girls to know this. When we go into a restaurant, girls love to share. You know, my wife will go in and she'll say to one of the other girls with us, maybe, do you want to share something? We'll split it. Yeah, let's split that. Let's split this other thing. And let's split the split of the split. Okay. And like they're working this out and they're asking the server all these questions. Can we substitute this for that and that for this? And, and you know, okay. And, and like the moment I sat down, I knew what I was eating. I knew it immediately. I just get on the menu. Okay. I know. I'm just waiting for my turn. And then I order.
My wife says, can I have a bite of that? I know what that means. When Kathy says, can I have a bite of it? That's Kathy speak for, she's going to take more than a bite. So I'll say, I'll tell you what, I'll get you your own. No, no. I just want a bite. Well, I'll get you your, no, I just want a bite. Why would you give me a bite? Okay, fine.
And so the food comes and she comes for her bite. It's just that she takes so long. She, she comes in and she takes a little bite and she gets a little sauce here and a little thing over here and a little, and I'm just waiting, waiting, waiting. And then she eats it. And then she comes up for a second bite.
I don't like to share. Okay. I'll get her her own. Girls, they want to share their food. They want to go to the bathroom together. We don't understand this as men. Put food on plate, eat food, digest food, take nap, do it again. That's us. Okay.
So all the sharing business or when someone says, can I have a drink of that? You know, it's like, uh, with my straw, you mean? I'll get you your own straw, take your sip and then take your straw back and, or if they drink from your cup, you notice what part of the cup. I don't want to drink from that side of the oven. Or is this just me? Uh, anyway, how many of you guys are with me in this? Raise your hand. How many? Okay. Thank you guys.
Men, how many of you don't like to share your food? Just raise your hand. Okay. Men, how many of you like to share your food? You like to share, see, I don't understand you. Uh, you're actually maybe more Christian than I am. I don't know.
Jesus is sharing his food with Judas. Escargot. Why? Then he identifies that he's a betrayer. And then once Judas is outed, Jesus says, whatever you do, go do it quickly. So Judas leaves the scene.
In the Garden of Gethsemane: Jesus' Agony
And now we come to another scene. We're in the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26, verse 39. And Jesus takes with him Peter, James, and John. And we read these words.
He went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying, Oh, my father, if it's possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.
And he came to his disciples and he found them asleep. He said to Peter, What? You couldn't watch with me one hour. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Again, a second time he went away and prayed saying, Oh, my father, if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, your will be done.
And he came back and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
And he came to his disciples and said, Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise and let us be going. My betrayer is at hand.
While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude, with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders.
Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying, Whomever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him.
Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, Greetings, Rabbi, and kissed him.
And Jesus said to him, Friend, why have you come? Well, stop there.
Jesus' Intense Suffering and Prayer
So as we look at this scene, we find Jesus in Gethsemane. Only a stone's throw away are Peter, James, and John. They could see Jesus was in anguish. They've never seen him like this before. He's under pressure. He is in pain. And he's praying over and over again. He's visibly upset. He's sweating blood.
Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and a physician said, He sweat as it were great drops of blood. Some medical experts believe that may have been referring to the modern medical condition today known as hematidrosis. Hematidrosis is a condition that one experiences when they're under extreme pressure, where it's possible for them to literally perspire not only their sweat, but even a bit of blood. It's possible Jesus was literally sweating blood at this point. He was under such pressure.
It's interesting that the word Gethsemane means oil press. And in effect, he's being pressed.
What does he want Peter, James, and John to do? Amen. He just wants some companions. Jesus was God, but let's not forget he was human. And sometimes when you're in pain, you just want someone there with you.
You know, here's just a thought. If you know somebody that is sick, maybe they're battling cancer, or you know somebody that's mourning they've lost a loved one, or you know somebody else that's going through a very hard time, and you wonder, what is my role as a friend in their life? Consider this. Just be there for them. It's not always that people need a sermon, but if you have some helpful words in scripture, you should share them. But a lot of times what people want is just a companion, someone that's in their corner, if you will. Someone that can even do the simple things for them, like, hey, can I help you out? Can I run an errand for you? Can I make you a meal? You know, can I just pray for you?
I think a lot of times we feel they need a lecture. They need an explanation. Jesus didn't need anyone to explain this to him. He knew what was going on. He just wanted some friends, and he kept coming back to see if they were up and they were asleep. He's like, guys, couldn't you stay awake for a little while with me? As he's under this intense pressure, waiting for the betrayal to actually take place. He was experiencing loneliness.
In fact, it's interesting, because in Mark's gospel, his first words were, Abba, Father. So he prays, Abba, Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. The phrase Abba, Father, is the Hebrew equivalent of a child saying, Daddy or Papa today. Oh, Father, Papa, Daddy. It's a term of endearment. It's affection.
And he's saying, in a sense, Father, I trust you, but oh, if there's any other way to deal with this, let this cup pass from me.
Why did he recoil from the cup? Because this cup represented the wrath of God that he was about to drink.
And this is a model for us to keep in mind when we're under spiritual attack. Are you under spiritual attack right now? Are doubts flooding your mind? Are fears gripping you? Is worry choking you? What should you do? Here's the answer. Cry out to God. That's what Jesus did. He cried out to the Father.
And there are times when you'll know God's will and it won't make sense. Or quite frankly, you won't like it. I'll be honest with you. I've not always liked the will of God for my life. When he's made it clear to me, I'm thinking, I don't really like this, Lord. I really don't even want to do this. And there are things that have happened to me that I've thought, why have you let this happen to me? It doesn't make sense.
But I've also learned that I should never be afraid to commit an unknown future to a known God. Because I look at my past and I realize the Lord has always been faithful. He's always been good. And he's always worked all things together for good because I love him. And I'm the called according to his purpose. And he'll do that for you.
But there are times we don't understand. So we just say, Lord, I don't get it. I don't even like it. But not my will, but yours be done. Can you do that right now with your situation? Lord, I don't understand it, but not my will, but yours be done.
D.L. Moody, the great evangelist, once said, quote, spread out your petition before God and then say, thy will, not mine, be done. Moody concludes, the sweetest lesson I've learned in God's school is to let the Lord choose for me, end quote. We can do that as well.
He didn't want to drink this cup. Have you ever taken a swig of something and not wanted to swallow it? Maybe it was milk and you didn't look at the expiration date. Or you put something in your mouth and it was rancid or awful.
You know, coming back to my wife, I'll eat something and I'll say, that's good. She goes, I don't know. It seemed rancid to me. I'm rancid? Could you have told me that like five minutes ago? No, because I swallowed all of it and actually I was enjoying it in its rancid state, I guess. Seemed flavorful.
Years ago, I was in the Philippines and speaking and they offered me one of their delicacies. And they said, we would like you to eat this. There's a lot of people in the room and they said, this is called the balut egg. How many of you know what a balut is? Okay, wow, okay. How many of you have eaten a balut? You've eaten a balut, okay. And you're alive still. That's amazing, good.
I didn't find this appealing. A balut is a duck egg. So duck eggs are a little bit bigger than chicken eggs. And it's a partially formed duck embryo inside. So what they do is they take off the top shell and there's this sort of brown fluid. You drink the fluid. And then you see the little duck's head, partially formed. Sometimes even feathers. Now sometimes I like them softer, sometimes more developed depending on your preference. If you like the crunch of duck bones when you chew or... This is all true.
So you eat the little duck head. And then the other part of the egg is sometimes sort of like a hard-boiled egg. So they ate one and showed it to me and I watched and was thoroughly disgusted by it. And wow. And they said, now Greg, we have one for you and we want you to eat it now.
And I said, I don't think I can eat that. And someone whispered in my ear, if you don't eat it, the people will be offended. You'll culturally offend them. And I whispered back, if I eat it, I'll throw up. And that'll really be offensive.
I didn't eat it. I'm sorry, don't clap. It's, you know, maybe I should have eaten it. I don't know. But, you know, that was not appealing to me. Just like Sushi. People seem to love it or hate it. How many of you like Sushi? Raise your hand. Okay, how many of you don't like Sushi? See? I think there were more not like than like, right?
So some get it. They dig it. Raw fish, wasabi, soy sauce. Yes. Others, disgusting, slimy, horrible.
But this was a repulsive thing to Christ, this cup. Because it was the cup of the wrath of God Almighty. That is why he recoiled from it.
The Betrayal with a Kiss
So here he's dealing with this. And now comes this mob with torches and spears and swords to arrest Jesus. You'd have the temple guard, the temple police. But they were limited on what they could do. So they brought some Roman soldiers along. There could have been as many as 600 to 1,000 people coming to arrest Jesus. They sent a small army to arrest the Lord.
And there he stands. This is a man who's never broken a law. This is a man who's never done an act of violence. Well, he did overturn the tables in the temple. But, you know, they didn't need to send all these guys.
And just to show you how Jesus could have gotten out of this, there's one scene that only is in the Gospel of John, and I love it. He could come bursting in, and he said to them, Who are you seeking? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. And Jesus says two words. I am. And John's Gospel says, and they all fell backwards.
Can you see the scene? Like dominoes, one on top of the other. Torches flying, spears here and there. They all fell backwards.
You see, when he said, I am, he was affirming his deity. Because that's what God said to Moses at the burning bush. Moses says, who shall I say sent me? God says, I am that I am. And so, he was saying, I'm God. He could have just said, I am. And you were. Bye. It's all over with.
But he willingly submits. Because remember, he was coming to this earth to die for the sin of the world. No one was taking his life. He was laying it down of his own accord.
This brings up an interesting point. That Jesus had to identify himself. He actually says, who are you looking for? They say, Jesus of Nazareth. They didn't know he was Jesus of Nazareth.
And sometimes, I think, we think Jesus stood out in a crowd. I mean, every movie about Jesus. He's always, you know, they cast handsome actors in the role. You know, he's a sculptor, cheekbones, and the blue eyes, and the blonde hair. And I guarantee, Jesus didn't look like a surfer dude. You know, he was Semitic. His hair would have been dark. His skin would have been dark. His eyes would have been dark.
And even more to the point, he did not stand out in a crowd. He didn't have a halo over his head. He didn't walk around with a lamb wrapped around his neck all the time. And he did not glow in the dark. Otherwise, they'd say, the guy who glows in the dark, that's the one.
No. In fact, we're actually told over in the book of Isaiah that he was so ordinary in his appearance, according to Isaiah 53:2, there was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance. Nothing to attract us to him.
So he was so ordinary, Judas had to identify him. And how does Judas decide to do that? He does it with a kiss.
Look at verse 49. Immediately, he went up to Jesus. It said, greetings, Rabbi, and kissed him.
Notice the word immediately. Judas could not wait to betray Christ. He was chomping at the bit. Hey, let me show you where he is. Let's get this over with so I can get my loot and get out of here.
And did he have to betray him with a kiss? You know, there was a lot of ways people kissed in this culture. Number one, a slave would kiss the feet of a master or a noble person. An enemy who had been captured might kiss the feet of a king when he begged for mercy. Then ordinary people would kiss the back of the hand of the one they loved.
But to kiss someone on the cheek was reserved only for those who were close. It was a mark of affection and love. It spoke of intimacy.
Judas could have just pointed to him and said, there he is, get him. Or he could have kissed his feet. That would have at least been appropriate. Or maybe kissed the back of his head. No, Judas kisses Jesus on the face. And even more, it could literally be translated, he smothered Jesus with kisses.
Have you ever been smothered with kisses? Let me restate the question. Do you have like a grandmother? And she hasn't seen you for a while. And she kisses you, kisses you, kisses you. And afterwards you smell like her perfume for a month.
But he kisses him over and over and over again. And this is why Judas is so wicked. He wants to appear devout when he is being so devious. It's absolutely frightening that a person's heart could be so hard as to go through motions like this and yet betray the Lord.
Jesus Calls Judas "Friend" – The Final Offer
But let's not miss one really important point. As Judas approaches, Jesus says this to him. Friend, verse 50, why have you come? What? Friend. He should have said fiend. Why have you come? No, he offered friendship.
Don't forget this. Yes, Judas was a disciple. But Judas was a friend of Jesus. A hand-picked friend. A companion. A man that was loved by Jesus.
Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? That hurts more than anything, doesn't it? Someone you trusted. Someone you opened your heart to. Have you ever been betrayed by a family member?
The scripture says they ask him this question. Where did you receive these wounds in your hands? And he says, I received them in the house of my friends. And his friend was betraying him.
But here's the point. When Jesus said friend to Judas, he was offering him one last chance to repent. If Judas had said, I don't know what I was thinking, Lord. I'm sorry. Jesus would have forgiven him right then and there.
But Judas was so blinded by his sin and his greed, he went through with it.
The Tragic End of Judas Iscariot
So let's see how things turned out for Judas Iscariot. Judas Iscariot. Go to Matthew 27. Drop down to verse 3.
When they had bound Jesus and led him away, they delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing he had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.
They said, what's that to us? You see to it. And he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself.
He committed suicide. What a tragic waste of an incredible opportunity. Did you know that the name Judas means son of waste? So when you're looking for names for your children, strike this from the list. Let's name him Judas. It's a biblical name. Yeah, but not all biblical names are good. This is a revelation to some people. Oh, if the name's in the Bible, it's good. Wait, who is... Don't name your daughter Delilah. Okay? Don't name your son Judas. These are evil people.
And so, I'm sorry if you're named Delilah. I'm sure you've somehow redeemed that name in a wonderful way. And your parents just probably didn't know. And God bless you, Delilah, wherever you are. Because I'm going to get letters from Delilah's. But, no, I forgot what I was talking about.
But here's the thing with Judas. You know, he lived up to his name. He was the son of waste. And he threw it all away. Things could have gone much differently.
But Judas was not repentant. He was remorseful. Notice that. There's a difference between remorse and repentance. Remorse is being sorry for something. Repentance is being sorry enough to stop doing it.
The Bible says godly sorrow produces repentance. There's a lot of ways you can be brought to tears. You can chop onions and be brought to tears. Or you can get caught doing something and be sorry. Not sorry you did it. But sorry you got caught.
Let's say you're cruising down the 91. And all of a sudden CHP pulls in behind you. And they light you up. You're sorry. Why are you sorry? You're sorry you weren't looking more carefully for the CHP. You're sorry because your insurance rates are going up. And you're sorry you didn't turn that stinking little gadget on that detects the presence of a police officer hitting you with this little speed gun.
But that's not repentance. Because you do it again right after he writes you up. And you do it the next day. That's remorse. That's not repentance.
Remorse or repentance is being sorry enough to stop you, change your behavior. You see, Judas was remorseful. But he was not repentant.
In this night, two men walked out. One betrayed the Lord. The other denied the Lord. We're going to talk about Peter next time who denied the Lord three times. But one walked out in misery and emptiness and killed himself. And the other walked into the open arms of God. One was pardoned. One was not. Because they didn't accept it.
Warning: Hardening Your Heart in Church
Now look, maybe God's Holy Spirit has shown you that there's a sin in your life. Here's the thing you need to know. The easiest place to get a hard heart is in the church and living a Christian life without any intention to be a true follower of Jesus.
This is why I say church can be a dangerous place. Let me say something to you that may shock you. If you're just coming here out of mere duty because your wife asked you to come or your kids asked you to come or your parents are making you come. If you really don't want to be here and you can't wait for this to be over and you just endure these services and you'll be back again next Sunday and you'll be back again with no desire to change.
I'm concerned and in a way I would almost say maybe you should just stop coming. Here's why. Every time you hear God's truth and you don't respond to it, your heart can get harder.
You see, Pharaoh saw miracles performed by the hand of God and we just read Pharaoh hardened his heart. Pharaoh hardened his heart. Pharaoh hardened his heart. And then suddenly we read God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Some people say, oh, it's a contradiction in the Bible. No, it's not a contradiction. It's a completion.
See, really what that is saying is Pharaoh hardened his heart over and over and then God hardened it or a better translation would be God strengthened it. In other words, God said, okay, you have a choice in the matter. Where do you want to go? I want to know you. I want to follow you. God says, and I'm going to strengthen you in that faith. Where do you want to go? I don't want to know you. I don't care that I in effect will strengthen you in that decision as well, even though it is the wrong one.
Yet Judas got harder and harder and went out into darkness.
Maybe the Lord's been speaking to you and there's something you've been doing you shouldn't be doing. And here's the question. What are you going to do with it? Are you going to say to God, I'm sorry for it, and stop and ask for his forgiveness? Or are you going to continue in that course of sin?
The most important thing is what you do with Jesus Christ. Judas could have been forgiven by Jesus, and you can be forgiven by Jesus today if you'll ask for his forgiveness.
Is there something you've done that you know is a sin before him that you need him to forgive you for? Then this is the time to act on it.
Or maybe for some of you, you've never even heard these things before. This is your first time at church. You were invited by a friend, possibly. And you're hearing for the first time that there's a God in heaven who loves you, who wants to forgive you and pardon you for all the wrongs you've done. And you must believe in him.
Closing Invitation: Receive Forgiveness Today
So as we close now in prayer, I'm going to give you an opportunity to get right with God if you need to. And also an opportunity to make a recommitment to Jesus Christ if you need to. So think about that as we close in prayer. Everybody praying, please.
Father, we've heard your word, and now I pray that your Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of those that do not yet know you. Lord, we pray they won't just be remorseful. We pray that they'll be repentant, that they'll want to change. Help them to come to you and find your forgiveness.
Now, but our heads are bowed, and our eyes are closed, and we're praying. And maybe you've joined us here today, and you're not sure if Jesus Christ is living in your heart. You're not sure that you will go to heaven when you die. But you want to know God in a personal way. You want your sins forgiven. You want a second chance in life. You want your guilt taken away. You've made a mess of your life, but you need God's help.
If you would like Jesus Christ to come into your life, if you would like him to forgive you of your sin, if you would like that second chance in life, if you're ready to say yes to Jesus, would you raise your hand up wherever you are? And I'll pray for you today. Just raise your hand up, and I'll pray for you.
God bless you. Lift your hand up higher where I can see it. You want his forgiveness. You want Christ to come into your life. Raise your hand up. God bless you that are raising your hand. I can't see all of you. Some of you are watching this on the screen, but God sees you. Will you take that little step of faith and raise your hand too? God bless all of you that have responded.
Now, when our heads are still bowed, maybe some of you would say, I'm a Christian, I know it's right, but I've been doing things I should not be doing. And God's Holy Spirit has convicted me today, and I'm ready to repent of it. I don't want to live in this course any longer. I want to change. I'm asking the Lord to forgive me.
If that's you and he's spoken to you, would you raise your hand up? Let me pray for you today. God bless you. Don't be embarrassed. This is the place to take care of it, here in the church. God bless each one of you, raising your hand.
Father, help these folks now. Forgive them. Because of the death of Jesus, which satisfied your righteous demands, we can be forgiven and made right before you. And I pray for every one of these that have lifted their hand, help them to come to you now and believe in you and receive your forgiveness.
You might just pray this prayer right where you are after me. Just pray:
Lord Jesus, I know that I've sinned, and I'm sorry for that sin. And I repent of it now. I turn from it now. And I accept and receive your forgiveness. Thank you for dying on the cross for this sin. Now, I pray that I'll be whiter than snow. And I thank you for it. In Jesus' name, amen.