What is Our Price?
Notes
Transcript
14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
From an article in PsychCentral, I found this statement: People with strong narcissistic tendencies and similar dark personality traits have low and unstable self-esteem, and because of this, they feel insecure and will constantly compare themselves with others. Highly narcissistic people perceive others as either inferior or superior. Since their sense of self-esteem is extremely low, there will always be something that they are envious about. People with strong narcissistic characteristics tend to idealize those who they see as useful or powerful. However, on a deeper level, a narcissistic person feels contempt for everyone.
As I have been studying for this weeks sermon, I studied more on the character of Judas and the Chief Priests. To me, this description of Narcissists was a striking similarity to what we see conspiring between them. Both parties thought too highly of themselves, while neither trusted the other. They simply looked at it as something they could get from each other. There was a mutual benefit, or so they thought, to this arrangement we see being made in these three verses.
But, what led up to these events? Why do we see this meeting taking place? Leading up to these events, Jesus has fed the 5,000. Afterwards, Jesus withdrew into the mountain by Himself and the disciples began to cross the sea to Capernaum. After rowing 3-3.5 miles, Jesus comes to the boat walking on the sea. When the crowd saw that Jesus and the disciples were gone, they went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
Jesus addresses them, bringing to their attention they were seeking signs, miracles, and food. He goes on to remind them that He is on earth for a purpose and, even though they had SEEN these things, they still did not believe He was the Son of God. He reminds them He was the bread of life that had been sent down from heaven. His next statement would change the way the crowd viewed Jesus.
53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
This was a controversial statement as the thought of eating flesh or drinking blood was completely taboo for a Jew. It was offensive as it sounded like cannibalism. It would have made them unclean, and was forbidden in law. As a result, many of His followers, disciples, left.
66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
What were these disciples willing to give up?
Jesus went on to teach in the temple, at the Feast of the Booths and continued to preach the gospel. As a result, the religious leadership grew more annoyed.
30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
As Jesus continued to preach, teach, and heal, the Jewish leaders continued to plot.
47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.
48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
What was the Chief Priests willing to give up?
After this time, Mary anoints Jesus with a costly perfume of nard. Judas questioned the act, saying it could have been sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor. But now we see a picture of the character of Judas.
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.
What was Judas willing to give up?
This is where we pick up in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22. Judas approaches the Chief Priests, looking to strike up a deal.
Judas will forever be known, not as one of the 12 that led the church after Christ’s crucifixion. Instead, he will be known for his tragic failure as the one who betrayed Christ. But, if it had not been Judas it would have been someone else. Up to this point, we have seen in scripture that it was not yet His time. But now, Jesus’ time was soon drawing near. Jesus would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. The price of a common slave, not a lot of money. But this cheap price came with a much heavier price. It would cost our Savior His life.
Today, I want us to think of this; What is our price? Do we, too sell ourselves short? Do we sell out Jesus for the cheap things of this world? Do we run the risk of paying a much heavier price that we bargained for?
What Causes Us to Falter?
What Causes Us to Falter?
2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.
4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.
5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.
What caused the unbelief among those who should have identified Jesus as the Messiah? From the place of His birth, to the family lineage, the virgin mother, the town of His birth, many OT prophecies that SHOULD have pointed to Jesus as the prophesied Messiah.
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
So, why were they so dead set on rejecting Him? He did not fit their idea of the prophesied Messiah. He did not come as a conquering King on a mighty steed and with an undefeated army. When He did not fit THEIR ideas, and they were threatened by His ministry, they plotted to get rid of Him.
47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.
48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
They were afraid of losing what they had - money, status, numbers, influence, the concerns could go on and on. So, instead of accepting Jesus as Messiah they plotted against him using deceptions and lies. They further feared losing the support of the people, and the reaction of the people if they found out they were plotting to kill Jesus.
Even though the Jewish leaders seem to have over-reacted they were afraid of losing everything they had placed their faith in. Their laws, the rules, the regulations. They felt challenged by Jesus teachings. Additionally, they were also dealing with further strains of being ruled over by Rome. Their freedoms were further being attacked. Maybe they felt there could be a loss of the nation God had promised the Jews. Their whole past was being challenged, and their future threatened. What was the root of these concerns? I think verse 3 shows the true root - Satan. He was using this as a way to bring doubt and fears. He was trying to destroy the relationship between God and men - and folks, he is still trying to do that today. He entered Judas, causing him to make this bargain to betray Jesus. Later, we see Satan urging him to finish.
27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
How has Satan’s tactics changed? He still manipulates circumstances, situations, an even people in an effort to separate us from God. Even to the point that we, too, may be willing to betray Jesus. Maybe not in the way Judas did, but in other ways. Lack of tithing, lack of attendance, assuring ourselves that corporate worship isn’t “really” needed, lack of bible reading, lack of prayer…where are we lacking in our relationship with Jesus today that causes us to falter?
What Causes Us to Fail?
What Causes Us to Fail?
When it comes to Judas, money was the source of his failure.
15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
Many times today, we approach worship, the church, and even God with the attitude “What will you give me?”
Judas was demanding payment for something that was not due him. If Jesus had been guilty of any crimes, it would have been easy to convict him. Judas would not had a reason to demand a payment. But they knew they had to have some way to bring false allegations against an innocent man.
Of all the people who could have made a false accusation, why one of the apostles? Judas had been chosen by Christ, he was gifted in finances - apparently more than the tax collector Matthew - and was placed in charge of the money, he had been taught and mentored by Christ for three years. But…doing all the “Christian” things are worthless if we (like Judas) refuse to repent and turn our lives over completely to God.
When we allow ourselves to be separated in our relationship with Jesus, it opens us up for this same attitude to come upon us. What to we look at God and say “what will you give me” for my worship, praise, faithfulness, and it goes on and on and on…until our heart hardens. Just like Judas.
The True Cost
The True Cost
16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
He SOUGHT an opportunity to betray him. When we look at sin, it betrays us and we in turn betray our Savior. The picture we see of Judas is like an animal stalking its prey, waiting for just the right time to strike. When we turn our focus from God and onto ourselves, our selfish wants and desires, our attitude and actions match those of Judas. And Judas’ attitude and actions matched those of Satan.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Satan seeks out an opportunity to bring destruction. You see, Judas was simply the human being used to carry out the will and desire of the adversary.
The true cost - the price we pay for sin - is death.
Romans 6:23a (ESV)
23 For the wages of sin is death,
We must guard ourselves against the temptation to turn away from what God has called us to be and do as Christians. We cannot afford the price! Our eternity is at stake!
Maybe that is why Jesus was very specific in the prayer He taught the disciples:
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Closing
Closing
Note something: even after Judas’ bargain to betray Christ, Christ gave him opportunity to repent.
We, too, have hope. We have an alternative.
We, too, have a way that will pay the price we cannot afford. We are given an opportunity to repent. We have a free gift given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus and His death on the cross.
Romans 6:23b (ESV) but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
How does the price of following Jesus compare to the alternative?