Topical - Repentance
Introduction:
I. The Appeals To A Sinner
Introduction: Last week we looked at the:
Reasons For Betrayal ( Mark 14:10-11)
1. Jealousy. Judas Seems To Have Been Jealous Of The Other Apostles.
2. Ambition. Judas Was Definitely Ambitious.
a) Ambition is Good If it is being used for seeking:
b) Ambition is Evil If it leads to:
3. Greed. Judas Was A Thief, Consumed With Greed And The Love Of Money.
a) Desire is never satisfied apart from God.
b) Man’s spiritual desires and cravings cannot be satisfied with physical and material things.
4. Men Have Two Thirsts (John 4:13-14)
a) The Physical thirst (v.13)
b) The Spiritual Thirst (4:14)
5. Judas Sought Sin, To Deceive And Betray Jesus (Mark 14:11).
6. Judas Sought Sin, To Deceive And Betray Jesus (Mark 14:11).
A. The Appeals To A Sinner (Mark 14:12-21)
Jesus’ Last Chance to Judas: The Appeal to a Sinner.
Introduction: The point of the present passage is to show that Jesus knew about Judas’ betrayal and to show how Jesus went about giving Judas a last chance to repent.
1. The Passover was approaching (v.12).
2. Jesus knew about Judas’ denial and betrayal (v.13-17).
3. Jesus gave Judas every chance to repent (v.18-20).
4. Jesus gave Judas a last warning (v.21).
1. The Passover Was Approaching (v.12).
Jerusalem was astir with excitement. The Jewish historian Josephus estimated that between two and three million people flooded into the city to observe the Passover. Pilgrims by the teeming thousands came from all over the world. The mass of people and the necessary housing, food, and many other arrangements had to be made.
a) The Disciples Had To Ask Jesus Where They Were To Celebrate The Passover.
(1) He had not told them, not even given them a hint. The day of unleavened bread was at hand, and so far as they knew, no arrangement had been made to secure a place for them to observe the Passover. Considering the housing shortage with the mass of pilgrims, such apparent oversight was most unusual. The disciples must have wondered and questioned why He had not shared His plans earlier.
(2) Since for the Jews the new day began with sundown, it would be Friday when Jesus and His disciples met in the Upper Room. This was His last Passover, and on that day, He would fulfill the Passover by dying on the cross as the spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Peter 2:21–24).
"The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29, NKJV)
"For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." (1 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV)
"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Peter 2:21-24, NKJV)
Thought 1. Jesus worshipped and kept the feasts of the Jews. He did not neglect the assembling together with others. The disciples knew this (Hebrew 10:25).
2. Jesus Knew About The Denial And The Betrayal Of Judas (v.13-17).
This seems to be the very point of what happened in these verses. Judas had just plotted with the chief priests against Jesus (Mark 14:10-11). Jesus knew this, so He had to keep His plans and movements secret. He could not let Judas know, lest Judas lead the authorities to arrest Him in the Upper Room before He had completed His mission with the disciples. Note the point of the passage.
a) Jesus Had Kept His Plans And Movements Secret.
The disciples did not know where He wished to celebrate the Passover. He could not reveal the plans to a disciple who was denying and betraying Him. That disciple (Judas) would only interrupt what Jesus was trying to do with the faithful disciples in the Upper Room. He would only create havoc, cause disturbance, and hinder and hamper the work of Jesus.
b) Jesus Could Only Share With His Faithful And Trusted Disciples.
"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15, NKJV)
"It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 13:11, NKJV)
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:12, NKJV)
(1) Jesus Did Have A Plan, And He Followed That Plan Even To The Minute Detail.
He had apparently pre-planned the arrangements. He sent two trusted disciples to carry out the arrangements. They followed His instructions exactly. Secret arrangements were necessary because Judas and the authorities were seeking to catch Jesus in a quiet place away from the people (Mathew 26:5). "But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”" (Matthew 26:5, NKJV). The Upper Room would have been an ideal place to arrest Him.
c) He Sent Out Two of His Disciples (v.13-16)
(1) Peter and John saw to it that the supper was prepared (Luke 22:8).
(2) There was a pre-planned sign: a man carrying a pitcher of water on his head. This was an unusual sight. Women were usually the ones who carried pitchers on their heads. It was apparently a sign for the disciples to quietly follow.
(3) Jesus did not name the homeowner or tell where the house was. He simply said to follow the man with the pitcher on his head and to tell the homeowner, “The Master” requests the room.
(4) Jesus kept His plans despite the betrayer and those who would stop Him. Note the courage and power of Jesus to control the circumstances and events.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
B. The Upper Room (Mark 14:17-21)
Between Mark 14:17 and 18 are details of the washing of the disciples’ feet (John 13:1–20).
1. Jesus Knew His Enemy Was About To Strike And Betray Him (John 13:1).
a) Knowing The Hour Has Come, The Time Is Short.
"And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:11-12, NKJV)
"redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:16, NKJV)
b) Loving “His Own,” Those For Whom The Believer Is Responsible.
"“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love." (John 15:9, NKJV)
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13, NKJV)
"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (1 John 3:16, NKJV)
c) Knowing The Enemy Is Going To Strike With All The Force He Can.
"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside." (Matthew 13:19, NKJV)
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10-11, NKJV)
"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, NKJV)
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9, NKJV)
2. The Devil Put In Judas’ Heart To Betray Jesus (John 13:2).
Under Satan’s influence, Judas sold out Christ. Satan himself makes Judas his tool by filling his mind with traitorous thoughts and moving his will to act on them. This is mental possession, giving Satan control of the mind, heart, and will. This is why we are to “take every thought captive” (2Cor.10:5), “not letting the sun go down on your wrath… giving place to the devil” (Eph.4:26-27).
(1) How did the Devil do this? Judas already had it in his heart (James 1:13-15)
(2) God also puts into the hearts of (Believers Neh.2:12; Unbelievers Ez.7:27)
(a) Prepare your heart to seek Him (Ez.7:10; Ps.37:4; Phil.2:13)
(3) Some people try to defend Judas by arguing that he betrayed Jesus in order to force Him into revealing His power and setting up the Jewish kingdom (a hero).
(4) Others say that he was nothing but a servant who obediently fulfilled God’s Word (Robot). Judas was neither a martyr nor a robot.
(5) He was a responsible human being who made his own decisions but, in so doing, fulfilled the Word of God.
(6) Judas was lost for the same reason millions are lost today: he did not repent of his sins and believe on Jesus Christ (John 6:64–71; 13:10–11). If you have never been born again, one day you will wish you had not been born at all.
b) Satan’s Target—Your Will (1 Chronicles 21:1,2, 7,8, 14-19) .
(1) “What was David’s great sin? Committing adultery with Bathsheba and then having her husband killed in battle? Because of this sin, 4 people died.
(2) But because of David’s other sin, 70,000 people died! When David confessed his sins of adultery and murder, he said, “I have sinned.” But when he confessed this other sin, he said, “I have sinned greatly.” What was David’s other sin? And what part did Satan play in it?
c) Satan’s Goal Is Always To Get To The Will And Control It.
(1) The Christian life is basically a matter of the will. We are to love the Lord with all our heart (the emotions) and our mind (the intellect) and our strength (the will). The Holy Spirit wants to instruct the mind through the Word, inspire the heart with true holy emotions, and then strengthen the will to do the will of God.
(2) A dedicated Christian prays whether he feels like it or not. He obeys the Word of God regardless of his own feelings. The believer who lives on his emotions is repeatedly up and down; he lives on a religious roller coaster. But the believer who lives on the basis of “spiritual willpower” has a consistent Christian life and a steady ministry that is not threatened by changing circumstances or feelings.
(3) Satan’s original sin was a sin of the will. Five times in Isaiah 14:12-14 Satan says “I will!” He seeks to duplicate this sin in our lives, and he will if we are not careful.
(4) Satan is “the ruler of this world,” and you and I are rebellious aliens living in his territory. Because we are citizens of heaven, we obey heaven’s laws and submit to heaven’s Lord. Satan wants us to worship and serve him; he wants our will submitted to his will. What weapon does he use to tempt us?
3. Satan’s Weapon—Pride
a) The Sin Of The Spirit (2Cor.7:1)
(1) David was feeling important when Satan approached him with the suggestion that he number the people. First Chronicles 20 records a number of great victories, including the capture of a valuable crown that was placed upon David’s head. David won many victories, but he lost the war, because Satan used these victories to inflate David’s ego and entice him to rebel against God.
(2) What was so wrong about David numbering the people? After all, in Exodus 30:11-16 didn’t Moses command an annual census? Yes, he did, as a reminder to the nation that it had been purchased by God. Each male twenty years of age or older had to give half a shekel for “ransom money.” It was his way of acknowledging God’s great redemption from Egypt. Note in verse 12 that Moses added a warning:“ …that there may be no plague among them when you number them.”
(3) When David numbered the people, he did it for his own glory and not for the glory of God. There is no record that the “redemption money” was collected. It was “the king’s word” and not the Word of God that directed the census; and even Joab (who was hardly a spiritual man) resisted the king’s commandment. It was pride that motivated David’s actions. Satan got hold of David’s will, inflated David’s ego, and led him into sin. Satan knew that David was feeling victorious and important, and he took advantage of the situation.
4. Jesus Gave Judas Every Chance To Repent (Mark 14:18-20).
a) The First: Was An Attempt To Stir Conviction Within Judas (v.18).
Scripture is silent about the betrayer’s thoughts, but one thing is known: Judas was not convicted enough of his in to repent. But note what happened to the faithful and trusted disciples.
(1) They were exceedingly sorrowful (grieved) in their hearts (v.19).
(2) They were stirred to examine their own hearts (v.19). They did not look for the fault or weakness in others, but they looked at themselves.
(3) The disciples had often debated over which of them was the greatest, but now they were discussing which of them was the vilest.
(4) To make matters worse, Jesus said that His betrayer had even eaten bread with Him at the table! In the East, to break bread with someone means to enter into a pact of friendship and mutual trust. It would be an act of the basest treachery to break bread and then betray your host. However, even this was the fulfillment of the Word of God (Ps. 41:9).
b) The Second: Judas Was Left Without Excuse If He Refused To Repent (v.20).
(1) Judas was told that his sin was known. Yet, even after he was told, he still felt he could get away with it. He refused to repent. He lived on in his deception, rejecting chance after chance.
“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”" (Luke 13:3,5, NASB95)
“Repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;" (Acts 3:19, NASB95)
"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent," (Acts 17:30, NKJV)
5. Jesus Gave Judas A Last Warning (Mark 14:21).
a) The Grace Of God Is Warning The Sinner of Judgment.
(1) The Sinner Is Told In Advance, Before Judgment Ever Comes Or Is Ever Pronounced. Judas was told. The sinner can still repent when he first hears about judgment. He can still be saved as long as he is living. It is God’s grace that warns him of the consequences of his sin, of coming judgment.
(2) The sinner is never compelled to repent of his denial or betrayal of Christ. Judas was not forced to turn from his evil; neither is any other sinner. It is God’s grace that respects our will and desires. God loves and cares, warns and speaks frankly, but He never forces obedience.
"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." (Colossians 1:28, NKJV)
"To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, And they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the Lord is a reproach to them; They have no delight in it." (Jeremiah 6:10, NKJV)
"“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.” (Ezekiel 3:17-22)
"Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men." (Acts 20:26, NKJV)
"For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God." (Acts 20:27, NKJV)
"For three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:31, NKJV)
More references (Matthew 18:7-9; Rom.6:23; Heb.2:3; 9:27; Ezek.18:20)