Series — The Road to the Resurrection — Message 14 — The Tale of Two Men — Jesus & Judas — Selflessness Vs. Selfishness

Introduction

Good morning Church!

It’s good to see each and every person who could make it out today and to any visitors who may be with us this morning I’d like to say welcome and we hope you will make yourself at home here with us this morning.

For those who may just now be joining us on this journey, over the last three and a half months now we have been in a series entitled, “The Road to the Resurrection.”

Today is the 14th message in that series and we have come such a long way since Message # 1 which was over Palm Sunday and Christ’s Triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

It almost seems like eons ago when we talked about that most defining day in history or as I like to say…His story, Amen!

Do you realize this morning that each and every person sitting here in some form or fashion is instrumental to His story?

This life we are living is part of the plot of God!

Now, I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I know who holds tomorrow and I also know that not a single thing is going to happen that’s not part of His plan, Amen!

And the best part is, you and I are part of that plan somehow!

God created you and I at this specific time in His story to some how, some way accomplish His purpose!

Isn’t it magnificent to understand that your life is part of His plan in some way?

Now, some of you may be sitting here and you’ve never given it a thought in that sort of light but understand child, YOU are part of a plan that is bigger than you!

You are part of the Master’s plan!

Paul said in...

Galatians 2:20 KJV 1900

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Paul understood that his life was part of a much bigger plan and he lived every second of it, once he come to this knowledge, trying to be obedient to God’s calling upon his life and fulfill his part of God’s master plan!

And this morning, we’re going to look at a message about a man who decided to live his life his own way, instead of God’s way, and we’re going to see how it ultimately led to his own demise.

He had many opportunities to turn to God and seek His plan but instead he chose to pave his own path and it ended up in pain, agony and I believe an eternal separation from the one He was called to follow.

The title of today’s message…The Tale of Two Men: Jesus & Judas.

One who lived His life selflessly according to the plan of the Father and the other who lived his life selfishly according to his own plan.

One set down at the right hand of the Father and the other found himself separated from the Father for eternity!

And here’s what I want you to ponder as we work our way through this message this morning…how are you living your life?

Are you living it selflessly for God?

Or are you living it selfishly for yourself?

The choice as to how you live it is yours. Choose wisely!

If you have your Bible’s turned to Matthew 26:47 would you say, Amen.

The Arrest of Our Lord — (Vs. 47-57)

The first thing I want us to look at this morning as we begin to set the scene here is the Arrest of Our Lord and I want to break this down into four different sections…The Man Judas, The Mob He Brings With Him, The Mayhem of the Moment & finally, The Master’s Declaration.

Before we break it all down, let’s read really quickly here Verses 47-57.

The Man Judas — (Vs. 47-50a)

Now, the first thing I want us to look at in the arrest of our Lord is the man Judas.

There’s a lot here to unpack so let’s just start in Verses 47-48.

There’s something very specific here I don’t want you to miss.

I want you to see how Judas is referred to here in Verses 47-48.

In Verse 47 he is referred to as “one of the twelve” but one verse later he’s referred to as “he that betrayed him.”

These verses back to back like this I believe give us a glimpse into just how quickly Judas had fallen.

Don’t miss this, and I know it’s easy to do because we’ve spent a lot of time looking at these past few chapters here, but it’s been less than a week since Judas decided in his heart to betray his Lord!

If you will remember, the night before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem when Mary anointed Jesus, Judas got angry because he felt like it was a waste and that’s when he decided enough was enough and settled it in his heart to betray Jesus to the High Priests.

Oh how quickly Judas has fallen!

One verse he’s part of the twelve and next, he’s known as the one to betray his Lord!

Then the Bible tells us here that Judas had given the mob a sign that whoever he kissed that was the one they were after and that they needed to “hold him fast.”

Now, you have to keep in mind that it’s still night time, right?

So, it would have been hard for them to tell more than likely exactly which one was Jesus so Judas says, “I’m going to give you a sign. The one I kiss, that’s Him and when you go to get Him, you better hold Him tight! I’ve seen the miracles this man can do!”

Now, before I move on, I don’t want to miss an opportunity here to as some would call it, make a play on words but there’s a great truth in what I’m about to say.

Here, when Judas says to, “hold him fast” he meant to grab Jesus, to seize Him, to subdue Him but what I want to say this morning is this…we too need to hold fast to Jesus but in a different way!

We live in a world that is ever changing, constantly spinning and twirling and often times it can seem as if it’s even spinning out of control with the chaos that surrounds us but what I want you to know this morning is this…no matter how chaotic this world gets, there’s one thing that never changes and that’s the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and we learned Wednesday night in the Book of Hebrews Chapter 1 that Jesus is the heir of all things, He is the brightness of God’s glory, He is the express image of God’s person, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of his command!

In the beginning He laid the foundations of the earth and made the heaves with His hands and although they will perish He will remain forever for He is always the same!

So in a world that is constantly changing and fleeting before our very eyes we must hold fast to Jesus the only constant that remains!

He is the author and finisher of our faith, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, the way, the truth, and the door to life eternal! He is the light of the world and our rock, refuge, fortress and strength! He is a very present help in our time of trouble and no matter what situation you find yourself in this morning, whatever need you have going on in your life, I can assure you that Jesus is the answer to that need!

Hold fast to Jesus this morning and He’ll hold fast to you!

Judas gives the mob the sign and then the Bible tells us that He comes to Jesus and says, “Hail, master” and kisses him.

Now, we get a glimpse here into just how deranged Judas had become.

He comes to Jesus as one of His most trusted followers and when he says here “Hail, Master” the word “hail” literally means “to rejoice” or “to be happy”.

It was a greeting of salutation, Judas was happy about the deed he was about to do. He was in good spirits and upbeat about the whole ordeal and then, to take it a step further…when the Bible says here that Judas “kissed” him, the word for “kissed” used here is (kataphileō) and it means “to kiss fervently”.

It was an extended kiss of greeting, almost as if he were mocking Jesus by laying upon Him hypocritical kiss of death.

Jesus knew what Judas was up to and He says to him, “friend, wherefore art thou come?”

Now, I need to teach you something here because when you get to studying Jesus’ reply, you’ll find it’s not as it seems on the surface.

When Jesus calls Judas “friend” here it’s not a term of endearment.

The word Jesus uses here for “friend” is (hetairos) which speaks of a companion, friend or comrade. An association not necessarily involving affection or intimacy.

This word refers to a companion who is not necessarily particularly close. The word hetairos occurs only three times in the NT; in each case, the speaker uses it to address someone with whom there is some relational tension.

So Jesus didn’t refer to him as “philos” which speaks of a dear friend but rather a friend who knew He was about to be done wrong.

And then He says to Judas, “why have you come?”

The commentator Zodhiates says we can paraphrase the question as “what is the purpose of your coming?”

Jesus knew why Judas was there!

In...

John 6:64 KJV 1900

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

From the very beginning Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him but I believe the was His one last plea to Judas to repent, one last opportunity for him to set the record straight but we see no repentance, just betrayal.

The NLT actually translates this section to say...

Matthew 26:50 NLT

50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

Selflessly, Jesus gave Judas multiple opportunities to repent but selfishly, Judas cared only for himself.

Now, let’s look at the Mob Judas brought with him.

The Mob He Brings With Him — (Vs. 47)

The Bible tells us here that along with Judas came a great multitude with swords and staves.

I’ve read a few different commentaries on this and they range on the number of the multitude one saying that it could have been upwards of 500 people who came out to arrest Jesus.

Now, we don’t know exactly who all made up the mob but Luke’s gospel tells us that it was at least made up of chief priests, captains of the temple and elders. John’s gospel says it was a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees.

And you have to keep in mind here that this was at the time of the feast of the passover so there definitely would have been plenty of people to make up that large of a crowd.

When you look in John’s gospel it tells us that after Judas’ kiss...

John 18:4–9 KJV 1900

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Don’t you just love that?

This great mob comes after Jesus but even in their moment of force with just three little words…I AM HE…the power of almighty God let’s them know He is still in charge!

The Bible says they went backward, and fell to the ground!

He asks a second time and then tells them again He’s who they are looking for and says if you’re looking for me, you’ve found me; just let my disciples go.

We see the man Judas and we’ve seen the mob, now let us see the mayhem of the moment.

The Mayhem of the Moment — (Vs. 51)

Now, we covered this just a couple weeks ago so I’m not going to spend but just a second here but as they come and lay hands on Jesus, Peter grabs a sword and gives one of the high priests servants a whack and chops his ear off.

Just as Jesus had calmed everything down and turned Himself over to the mob, leave it to Peter to go for the gusto!

Surely Peter had just witnessed the power of Jesus with three little words, did he not think that with one more Jesus could have destroyed the mob?

Had he so quickly forgotten the miracles he ahd seen Christ perform?

Had he so quickly forgotten that Christ was the Master whom the wind and sea obeyed?

Had he so soon forgotten that Jesus had prophesied of this moment multiple times now and that it must be this way in order for scripture to be fulfilled?

Or was he so caught up in the moment that he just wanted to stand strong for his Lord?

Whatever the case, Peter takes a stand for his Lord.

But then we see the Master’s Declaration.

The Master’s Declaration — (Vs. 52-57)

Legion — Roman military presence comprising of 10 cohorts ranging form 4,200-6,000 men.

“All this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Isaiah 53:7–10 KJV 1900

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: And who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: For the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, And with the rich in his death; Because he had done no violence, Neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

After the Master’s Declaration, the disciples fled and Jesus was led away to be tried as the most prolific heretic of His day!

The Arraignment of Our Lord — (Vs. 58-68)

John Phillips — Jewish law required the agreeing testimony of at least two witnesses before judgment could be passed.

Finally two false witnesses, two liars, got their stories close enough together that they would try to charge Jesus with a crime.

The reality was, Jesus never even said what they claimed He said. What He actually said was...

John 2:19–22 KJV 1900

19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

But even after these accusations, Jesus remained silent and this drove Caiaphas mad!

He finally had enough and stood up and basically put Jesus under oath by saying...

Matthew 26:63 NLT

63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

I love this part too!

It reminds me of the movie “A few good men” with Tom Cruise an Jack Nicholson. Anyone ever seen that?

Jack Nicholson was this older colonel who had spent his entire career in the military and Tom cruise was this up and coming lieutenant lawyer and he gets Colonel Jessep on the stand and I can’t remember exactly what it was that he was trying to prove but he says to the Colonel, “I want the truth” to which the Colonel replies… “You can’t handle the truth!”

These verses remind me of this clip every time I read them.

Caiphas says, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God!”

To which Christ replies, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven!”

“You want the truth Caiaphas? Here’s some truth for you!”

“I am the Son of the living God and one day dear friend every eye shall see me coming in the clouds of glory, every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to confess that I am Lord and when I say every that means even you Caiaphas!”

Caiaphas can’t believe what he’s just heard!

Jesus has admitted to exactly what he wanted to hear…the claim of being the Messiah!

Sadly, the confession to Caiaphas was just a claim.

He believed none of it…but soon he would have no other choice!

Caiaphas charges Jesus with claims of blasphemy and asks the pleasure of the jury to which they reply…He is guilty of death!

Then the bleakest hours of our Lord’s life ensued.

For the next few hours Jesus would be treated as the most horrendous human to have ever lived.

They beat him, they spat in His face, they mocked Him saying… “if you are the Christ then prophesy oh Christ who it is that hit you that time?”

This was simply the first stage of Christ’s arraignment—The Hebrew Trial.

Next week, we will look further into Christ’s arraignment at the Heathen Trial.

We’ve seen the arrest, we’ve seen the arraignment, and lastly this morning as we wind to a close, I want to finish this message out by looking at the anguish of Judas.

The Anguish of Judas — (Matthew 27:1-10, Acts 1:15-20)

I can only imagine as they led our Lord away to Pilot that Judas got a glimpse of how Jesus had been treated.

His eyes swollen shut, his nose bleeding and broken, his face bruised beyond compare.

And then it hits Judas what he’s truly done.

He has shed innocent blood.

In the Old Testament the Bible says in...

Proverbs 6:16–19 KJV 1900

16 These six things doth the Lord hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.

Out of these 7, Judas in my opinion, was guilty of at least 6 possibly all 7 and I believe the weight of these verses upon seeing our Lord in His beaten condition came down in full force on the conscience of Judas.

Notice what the Bible says there in Verse 3-5.

“Repented himself” — (metamelomai) — it means to regret or to be sorry for one’s actions.

Judas was sorry for what he had done but the word used here for repented is not the same as the word that speaks of someone who has repented and turned back to God.

That is the Greek word...

(metanoeō) — to change one’s mind — In the NT, generally refers not simply to changing one’s mind but to turning back to God

John Phillips — It does not denote genuine repentance. It refers to the consequences of sin rather than the sin itself. There was no deep regret in the soul of Judas over what he had done; there was only regret that things had not happened the way he had hoped or expected they would. In his regret he did not go to the Savior. If he had, even at that late hour, he would have found forgiveness. Instead he went to the priests. The results were what we would expect from such godless men.

The problem with poor Judas is that he just couldn’t seem to get out of his own way. His selfishness blinded him from thinking about anything but himself.

Even in his conviction the only thing he could think about was himself and it cost him his life.

Now there’s something I don’t want you to miss here...

He brings the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders and don’t miss this…he says I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, “What do we care? That’s your problem.”

The problem is that Judas went to the wrong people for forgiveness. Man has never been able to nor will eve be able to forgive a man of his sins.

That duty is only reserved for God and the sadness of this situation is that if only Judas had of taken his confession to creator and sustainer of life, his sins would have been forgiven.

Dear friend, don’t ever get the idea this morning that anyone besides God almighty can forgive you of your sins.

No priest, no pastor, no person has the ability to forgive but one.

The Anguish of Judas for the consequences of his sin along with his mistake of taking his confession to the wrong person leads him to commit suicide.

In...

Acts 1:15–20 KJV 1900

15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

Once again, without even knowing what he was doing, scripture was fulfilled in the final actions of Judas.

Close

As we come to a close, I want you to think this morning about these two men we’ve looked at…Jesus and Judas.

And I want you to think about the lives that each of them lived.

Jesus lived selflessly.

Judas selfishly.

Jesus lived and died in order that He might prove He was the one and only Son of God, the prophesied Messiah foretold from the beginning of time.

Jesus gave His life so that anyone who would believe upon Him could inherit eternal life.

A life lived selflessly for the Father and for all who would follow Him.

Judas on the other hand, lived only for himself.

He focused solely on himself and the status of this life that he might achieve.

He focused on pride and prominence.

He worried and lived for no one but himself and in the end, he died alone in his sins.

He kissed the door of heaven only bust hell wide open.

So close yet so far and the only thing that separated him from life eternal was his own selfish ambition.