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JUDAS; MAKE BELIEVER
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Did Judas
have a Choice – Was he predestined – Was this the Sovereignty of God?
First Word
The Jews were under oppression from Rome,
particularly in the area of heavy taxation.
They were praying for redemption by a Messiah that would come and set up
a kingdom and overthrow Rome.
Many believed that Jesus was that person, and it
would happen soon.
The Kingdom
·
All Twelve of the Disciples were common fishermen or
farmers with little education and all were from Galilee except for Judas
Iscariot.
- Judas
believed
that an economic militant kingdom would happen shortly and that
Rome would be overthrown and he wanted to force it to happen right
away.
- He reasoned that all
the disciples would then be in leadership positions and receive
lots of wealth, not realizing that it was the final reward that was the
most important.
- What’s
in this deal for us? - We can see in the scriptures, James and
John arguing about who would be the greatest in this new kingdom. – Jesus EXPLAINED the kingdom to the
inner circle of twelve and they all understood it and received it except
for Judas.
- Many of the other Disciples
or followers of Christ who had witnessed the power of the Holy
Spirit through miracles, healings and feedings of thousands still did not
“get it” and they turned away and left Him. – Only those who SPIRITUALLY
discerned the kingdom stayed.
John 6:53-66
– Many disciples left Jesus
53 Jesus said to them,
"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink his blood; you have no life in you. ….
60 On hearing it, many of
his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
61 Aware that his
disciples were grumbling about this….there are some of you who do not
believe For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did
not believe and who would betray him.
65 He went on to say,
"This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has
enabled him."
66 From this time MANY
of his DISCIPLES turned back and no longer followed him. NIV
Matt 19:27 – What’s in it for ME?
27 Peter answered him,
"We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be
for us?" NIV
Luke
18:29-30
– Receive in this age and the age to
come
29 "I tell you the
truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or
brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30 will fail to receive
many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal
life." NIV
Judas
Iscariot
- Judas was the son of a man named Simon.
- Judas’
name
means “Jehovah leads” – Isc means Man of - Cariot means he
was a man of Kerioth, his home town.
- He
was the only Disciple that did not come from Galilee, but
probably came from a small town in South Judea, Kerioth-hezron and
probably felt as an outsider and was jealous of the others. He was a Judean and Judeans actually
hated the crude people from Galilee anyway.
- Iscariot comes from the Latin
word “sicarius” which
means “Dagger Man”, a
designation for the most fanatical radical anti-Roman terror group known
as the Zelotes, which carried
daggers and would kill a Roman in a heartbeat.
- Judas
Iscariot
is painted, not as spiritual, but as an extremist; a patriot
who was probably disappointed that Jesus failed to take a radical stand
and lead them into a revolt against Rome. - NYOBS
32.13 – ZEALOTS
- Treasurer - Judas was placed
in the privileged high position of “Treasurer”; in charge of the Money Bag, the
finances of their ministry. – Don’t you think that it would be good to
have a man in this position that was a KNOWN Zelote at heart that possibly
carried a dagger in his waist band protecting the money? - Just
saying.
- He
had a love of money; scriptures bear out that he was a thief and
embezzled money, and most of his comments were about how to get more money
into the treasury, so he could embezzle more. – You could say Judas
moved money around - He that is faithful in little will be
faithful in much. – Judas failed.
- A Test
for a Christian; what does your CHECKBOOK look like? - How do you handle
your own finances; how is your church handling their finances? - Do they move
money around for things other than for what it was intended or designated?
- Note: In Leonardo da
Vinci’s greatest masterpiece; the picture of “The Last Supper”, Judas is depicted sitting silently
clutching the “Money Bag”.
- Judas
was politically inclined, looking to Jesus to deliver them from the
oppression of Rome and Judas being a disciple, would be a part of the new
governing authority.
- He
was a disciple for nearly three years and had the benefit of being
close to the Savior, but was spiritually careless. - He did not share
Christ’s Spirit. - Judas at best referred to Jesus as “Rabbi” (teacher), never “Lord”.
- His
name appears last in three of the four lists of the Twelve Apostles, with
some kind of description that negatively labels him. His name does not appear at all in the
fourth list which was written after his death; that’s probably why his
name was left out.
- Jesus
had SPANKED Judas with an earlier rebuke in front of the other
Disciples when he fussed about the expensive perfume being poured out on
Jesus and not being sold with the money given to him to hold “for the
Poor”. - That hurt Judas’
feelings and with furious disillusionment, this probably motivated him to
initiate a meeting with the Chief Priest.
- Jealousy, greed, bitterness
and disappointment turned into spite and a plan was hatched. This dark
character of Judas remains an enigma to this day.
John 12:6 - Judas was in charge of their finances; an embezzler
6 He did not say this
because he cared about the poor but because he was a THIEF; as keeper
of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. NIV
Matt 25:23 – Faithful in Little will be faithful in much
23 His lord said unto him,
well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things: KJV
John 12:4-6 – Judas wanted
more money in his money bag.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said,
5 Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.(ESV)
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said,
5 Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.(ESV)
Mark 14:6 – Judas was
SPANKED – Rebuked – Leave her alone
6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. (ESV)
6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. (ESV)
The Plot
- GET THIS – Judas wanted Rome
overthrown by the new government of the Messiah and planned to FORCE it to
happen by getting Jesus Arrested. -
Judas believed that Jesus would declare Himself as the Messiah and perform
a miracle which would result in his new kingdom being formed, and all
would be well and Judas would be one of the main players.
- If the plan didn’t work, ALL the disciples
including himself would now be in some DEEP TROUBLE, so Judas figured out
a way he could “Turn States
Evidence”, save his own skin and make a profit too. –
Anyway Jesus was already speaking about His own death and besides that if
He was not the Messiah, then he would just look for another Messiah to
follow. - It would be a WIN WIN
situation for him.
- Note: Scripture bears witness that Jesus would
never use miracles or His powers to benefit either Himself or his
disciples when natural resources were readily available to Him.
- The sin of Judas allowed Satan to
enter into him and take control of his spirit; betraying Christ. - I can see how Satan could instill
thoughts in Judas; that Jesus was a “False Messiah”, because by now
Jesus would have already set up His kingdom.
- Serious plots on the life of Jesus
had already taken shape and Judas decided to join in on the plans as if he
was one of them. – He appeared before the Council of the Sanhedrin and
contracted to betray Jesus for a price.
- 30 pieces of silver was the prize for
which he would receive for betraying Christ; this was actually only a
month’s pay; the price of a slave, but it was still a profit for him -
Judas planned, watched and waited for the right “opportunity”
to “privately” hand over Jesus.
Matt
26:14-16 –
What will you give me – 30 pieces of
silver
14 Then one of the
Twelve-the one called Judas Iscariot-went to the chief priests
15 and asked, "What
are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted
out for him thirty silver coins.
16 From then on Judas watched
for an opportunity to hand him over.
1 Tim 6:10 – The LOVE of money is the root of all evil.
10 For the love of
money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have
wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. NIV
Ex 21:32 – 30 pieces of silver – Price for the DEATH of a slave
32 If the bull gores a male
or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the
master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned. NIV
The
Last Meal
·
Judas, The Son of Perdition, was never saved, he was a MAKE BELIEVER. - Jesus called him
“friend” right up to the end, and even washed his feet knowing that he would
betray Him. – Judas was reclining right beside Jesus when He dipped the bread
into the broth and handed it to Judas indicating he was the one that would
betray him. – As He spoke, this would be Christ’s Final Appeal to Judas
and Judas’ Final Refusal.
·
Frustration and Disillusionment of expectations filled Judas’ heart because Jesus was talking
about His death and not about fighting against Rome.
·
Judas believed in his Plan, not the Man.
·
What you are going to do; do quickly,
and Judas got up and left the room to finalize his arrangements to betray Jesus.
·
The Lords Supper was instituted by Jesus after
Judas was asked to leave the room, taking with him his unconfessed sins.
·
Scripture admonishes us that BEFORE
we come to The Lord’s Table for communion that we should examine ourselves and confess our sins so as to not
partake unworthily.
John
13:10-11 –
Jesus knew Judas would betray Him
10 Jesus answered, "A
person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is
clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."
11 For he knew who was
going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.
NIV
John 13:12 – Jesus washed
the feet of Judas
12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, (NASB)
12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, (NASB)
John 13:2 – Satan tricks Judas
2The evening meal was
being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of
Simon, to betray Jesus. NIV
John 13:27 - What you are going to do, do quickly
27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (ESV)
27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (ESV)
1 Cor
11:27-29 –
Examine yourself before taking
communion.
27 Therefore, whoever eats
the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty
of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 A man ought to examine
himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and
drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on
himself. NIV
The
Sovereignty of God
- This
brings us
up to how could Jesus select someone to be a disciple who would betray
Him? This is known as the Sovereignty of God. Nothing can thwart the plans of God.
- Jesus
said
that one of the twelve is a devil meaning a demon or DEMON POSSESSED.
- As part of God’s
plan, before Judas was ever chosen, Jesus knew that he would betray him
and at the last supper even told him so. – All along the way, Jesus
gave Judas opportunities to make a decision for Him. – When he did not
repent; Satan entered into him.
- He is the only one that “was given” to Jesus by the Father that would be lost from Him, and that was so that the scriptures might be fulfilled.
John 13:18 – Jesus quotes the prophets
18 "I am not
referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the
scripture: `He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.' NIV
Ps 41:9 – Old Testament Prophecy – Jesus’ heart hurt
9 Even my close friend,
whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel
against me. NIV
Ps 55:12-14
– Lamenting about a close companion and FRIEND
12 If an enemy were
insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I
could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man
like myself, my COMPANION, my CLOSE FRIEND,
14 with whom I once
enjoyed sweet FELLOWSHIP as we walked with the
throng at the house of God. NIV
John 6:70 –
One of you is A Devil; A Demon – Demon Possessed
70 Jesus answered them,
Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? KJV
John
13:25-27 –
Lord, who is it that will betray you?
25 Leaning back against
Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
26 Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped
it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas
Iscariot, son of Simon.
27 As soon as Judas took
the bread, Satan entered into him.
NIV
Matt
26:23-25 –
It is you Judas that will betray Me.
23 Jesus replied,
"The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
25 Then Judas, the one
who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "YES, it is
YOU." NIV
John 17:12 – Judas fulfilled the scriptures
12 While I was with them
in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that you gave me I have kept, and
none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be
fulfilled.
KJV
John 6:64 - Jesus
knew Judas would betray Him
64 Yet there are some of
you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning
which of them did not believe and who would betray him. NIV
Eph 1:11 – Condition of his heart was known – Thus predestined
11 In him we were also
chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who
works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, NIV
You will know Make
Believers by their fruits.
Grapes are not
gathered from thorn bushes
nor figs from
thistles, are they?
Matthew 7:16 (NASB)
Predestination
·
God as the Potter can make a man into any
kind of vessel that He chooses. – So then you might say God has made SOME destined to go to Hell;
however that’s just not true… ALL
are destined to go to Hell, but the Holy Spirit has enabled the man that is DEAD
in Christ to be able reach out and claim the promise of LIFE and redemption
from Hell.
·
A man’s SOUL is a Lightbulb;
the Holy Spirit has REPAIRED his dead filament; the Word of God has
screwed the bulb firmly into the Socket; God has provided the Electricity;
it’s now up to man with his FREE WILL to make the choice “to turn on” the Switch.
·
There was a man in scripture that was
sick, which the Disciples asked in so many words; why was he sick? Jesus
replied that he was “predestined to be sick” so that the Son of man
could be glorified.
·
If we used just this one
example of sickness, we would be forced to say that the reason people get sick is
because they were predestined to be sick. – We really know that this was
a single situation that was pre-ordained by the plan of the Sovereign God to
glorify His Son.
·
It is God’s Will that none should perish,
but all come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
·
WHY ARE WE NOT ALL SAVED if it’s God’s will for us
to be saved? – Because He gave us FREE WILL to choose and He will not break His
promises; God does not Change.
·
The Fore-knowledge of Jesus Christ does not
imply Fore-ordination.
·
Judas’ actions were
voluntary,
being led by his own heart. - God,
seeing the end from the beginning, used him in his plan. Judas was predestined by his own
heart. – He was doomed and damned because he chose so. – Life is Choice Driven.
Romans 9:21 – God can predestine us into anything
that He wants
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? (NKJV)
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? (NKJV)
John 9:1-25 –
Specifically; this healing was predestined.
1 And as Jesus passed by,
he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked
him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born
blind?
7 "Go," he told
him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man
went and washed, and came home seeing.
25 He answered and said, whether
he is a sinner or not, I don’t know: one thing I know, that, whereas I was
blind, now I see. NIV
Matthew 18:14 – It is not God’s will that any
should perish
14 In the same way, it is NOT my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. (NLT)
14 In the same way, it is NOT my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. (NLT)
Rom 8:9 – Judas did not belong to Christ
9 …And if anyone does not have the Spirit of
Christ, he does not belong to Christ. NIV
Matthew 7:22-23 – I never knew you.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (ESV)
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (ESV)
The
Betrayal
- A KISS was adopted as a
formal greeting among “Believers” and was usually given on the forehead,
cheek or on the beard.
- Judas
planned and waited for a favorable private opportunity for
the “Kiss of Death”.
- When the solders
asked for Jesus, He stepped forward and said twice, “I am He”. Already identified, there was no reason
for Judas to identify him with a kiss, but he did anyway securing his
reward of the 30 pieces of silver.
John 18:4-9
– I am He who you seek.
4 Jesus, knowing all that
was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?"
…. "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I AM HE,"
Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them … Again he
asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus of
Nazareth."
8 "I TOLD YOU THAT
I AM HE," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let
these men go."
9 This happened so that
the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of
those you gave me." NIV
Remorse
- Judas
betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver, the “going price” of recompense
for the accidental killing of a slave.
- When
Judas figured it all out, he wanted to reverse things and give
the money back and when he could not; in remorse he threw the money back
into the Temple and went out and killed himself.
- His
remorse
was not that he had betrayed the “Son of God”, but that Rome would NOT be
overthrown and now everybody would hate him for what he had done to Jesus
and would extract revenge on him. - Judas had witnessed the power
of Jesus Christ through miracles, healings and the feedings of thousands,
YET he remained only a MAKE BELIEVER.
- The
money
was used by the Priest to purchase a much needed cemetary to bury; the
poor, criminals, foreigners and the unknown. - The Priest purchased the land by
proxy for Judas from a Potter who had it for sale and it became known
as “The Potter’s Field”.
- Later it became known as “The
Field of Blood” because of the betrayal of the innocent shed blood
of Jesus Christ, as well as the spilled blood of Judas as a
result of his fall and consequent death. – This fulfilled the PROPHECY of
Zechariah.
- Interestingly, the Priest had money
to pay Judas, but none to buy the needed cemetary.
- Forgiveness – Judas turned to the religious rulers confessing
that he had sinned, but never turned to God. Nowhere in scripture can we
find that Judas ever asked God for forgiveness, mercy or deliverance from
his sin, but sought SUICIDE to SILENCE his tormented mind.
Matt 27:3-4
– Judas figures it out – it’s all over
3 When Judas, who had
betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse
and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4 "I have sinned,"
he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." NIV
Zech
11:12-13
– PROPHECY - The price of treachery foretold
12 I told them, "If
you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me
thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to
me, "Throw it to the potter"-the handsome price at which they
priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into
the house of the LORD to the potter NIV
Matt 27:6-8
– Bought the Potters Field – The Field of
Blood
6 The chief priests
picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the
treasury, since it is blood money."
7 So they decided to use
the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners.
8 That is why it has been
called the Field of Blood to this day. NIV
Matt 27:9-10
– PROPHECY - Purchased the Potter’s field
9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet
was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set by
the people of Israel,
10 and they used them to
buy the potter's field NIV
Death
of Judas
·
Reading the different
accounts
of his death, I believe Judas hanged himself from a tree limb which hung over a
cliff and the tree limb broke off and his body fell head long down into the
ravine and his body burst open. - I have
personal emotions that say he most probably “had a little help” coming
off that tree limb. - That just what I think, no
scripture implied -
- The
Tree
- Legend has it that the Redbud
tree is the type tree that Judas hanged himself on; Its leaves are
shaped like a heart and it has reddish flowers that appear before the
foliage like drops of blood on the young branches as well as on the
trunk itself - It is said to weep blood each spring and therefore it is also
called “The Judas Tree”.
- Scriptures
indicate
that Judas went to the “Place Reserved For Him”, it did not say Hell or
the Lake of Fire. - Is there a WORSE
place? – God says WOE to
the man that betrays His Son, it would have been better for him, if he had
not ever been born. - Ponder that
Matt 27:3-5
– Judas realizes he has been duped and kills
himself
3 he was seized with
remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the
elders.
4 "I have
sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."
5 So Judas threw the money
into the temple and left. Then he went away and HANGED HIMSELF. NIV
Acts 1:18-19 – Tree Limb broke… Maybe – Just saying
18 With the reward he got for his wickedness,
Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his BODY
BURST OPEN
& his intestines spilled out.
Acts 1:25- Judas went to his own place
25 That he may take part
of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell,
that he might go to HIS OWN PLACE.
Luke 22:22 – WOE to the man that betrays Him
22 The Son of Man will go
as it has been decreed, but WOE to that man who betrays him." NIV
Mark 14:21 – WOE; It would be better if
he had not been born.
21 WOE to that man
who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been
born." NIV
Last
Word
You can witness the power of the Holy
Spirit through miracles, healings and the
feedings of thousands, YET remain only a MAKE
BELIEVER.
The Holy Spirit has enabled you to open the
Door, but it’s up to YOU to walk through it.
Life is Choice Driven
In the multitude of
counselors,
there is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:14
I
am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical
information, and scripture verses.
Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I
otherwise ever could have.
Apparitions
of Mary – The Second Window
Bible
Almanac; The – Packer- Tenney - White
English
Standard Version Bible - ESV
Fraud at
Fatima – Website Submission
Great Marian Catholic Apostasy; The – David Hughes
Harper’s
Bible Dictionary – Harper & Row
Hoax of our
Lady of Fatima; The – David J. Stewart
Illustrated
Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s
Illustrated
Bible Dictionary; The - Tyndale
Lies of
Fatima; The – Philip Coppens
Message
Bible; The – MES
Mysteries of
the Bible – Readers Digest
New Catholic
Edition Bible – Catholic Book Publishing
Co.
New
International Dictionary of the Bible; The
– Douglas - Tenney
New
International Version Bible - NIV
Three Secrets
of Fatima – Wikipedia
Thru the
Bible – J. Vernon McGee
Victor
Journey through the Bible; The – V.
Gilbert Beers
Zondervan
Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible: The
- Tenney
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