Decisions (2)

Judas Iscariot

Last week we talked about Jonah and his decision not to do what God had asked him. We see that this decision could have cost the ships crewmembers their lives because of the storm that God had let happened.

Finally, Jonah repents and goes and evangelizes the city of Nineveh. The city of Nineveh repents and turns to the Living God of Israel.

But, this makes Jonah angry because these Gentile people was spared from God’s wrath. Jonah is the first recorded account of a Jewish prophet preaching repentance to the Gentiles, whom most Israelites did not like anyone. I think that they thought since God had chosen them, then the rest of us was just left out.

Lets take a look and someone else making a decision. Let us look at Judas Iscariot.

Let’s pick up in Mark 3:14-19

Mark 3:14–19 ASV

14 And he appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons: 16 and Simon he surnamed Peter; 17 and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and them he surnamed Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder: 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. And he cometh into a house.

Here we see mention of Judas, but look at what Mark said after his name, “who also betrayed Him.”

Now let’s fat forward time towards the last of Jesus's ministry.

American Standard Version Chapter 12

John 12:1-8

Notice what John says in his writing about Judas once again. “The one who should betray him.” But also notice that John says that he is a thief in this passage of scripture.

Using some of the commentaries I came up with this explanation offered about Judas. In his criticism of Mary using the ointment to anoint the feet of Jesus, we see that Judas did not see the deed that Mary had done for Jesus. He saw a chance to get more money in the bag so that he could steal it away. This action was cloaked with the ideal that Judas cared for the poor, but yet he had no intention of helping the poor. So now we have deceit to go along with our knowledge of who Judas was.

It was after this incident with the ointment that Judas goes and seeks the chief priests and asks them what would that pay him to deliver Jesus to them. For they had been looking for a time to get him and to set in motion their desires of a crucifixion of Jesus. Lets look at two scripture passages detailing this event.

American Standard Version Chapter 26

Matthew 26:6-16

American Standard Version Chapter 22

Luke 22:1-6

Luke doesn’t record the event of Mary anointing of Jesus, but the timeline suggests that it was right after this anointing by Mary that Judas went unto the chief priests. Luke records that Satan entered into Judas at this point. John however records that Satan entered into Judas at the Passover Meal. Lets look at John’s record of this.

American Standard Version Chapter 13

John 13:21-30

Matthew records the same Passover Meal, but his account is a little more detailed than John’s.

American Standard Version Chapter 26

Matthew 26:20-25

Now comes the time for the plan to come to fulfilment, Judas knowing the habits of Jesus, knows that He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus is alone with the disciples and here comes Judas with an band of soldiers to betray the Son of Man. The irony of this, is that the signal is whom Judas kisses. How ironic? Lets read Luke’s account of this event.

American Standard Version Chapter 22

Luke 22:39-53

In the last days of Judas’s life, is left to Matthew’s account found in chapter 27

American Standard Version Chapter 27

Matthew 27:3-10

Let’s put this together with Acts 1:17-19

American Standard Version Chapter 1

17 For he was numbered among us, and received his portion in this ministry.

18 (Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

19 And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.)

This is part of Peter’s message to the disciples concerning the apostleship of Judas and the election of Matthias to take Judas’s place with the Apostles.

American Standard Version Chapter 1

American Standard Version Chapter 1

Acts 1:15-22

American Standard Version Chapter 1

Psalm 69:25

American Standard Version Psalm 109

Psalm 109:8

Now the final straw written by Luke in the Book of Acts 1:25

American Standard Version Chapter 1

Acts 1:25

I personally think and believe that Judas had multiple chances to change the course of his life. If you take some of the Scripture out of context then you may think that Judas was preordained to betray our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that he had his chances to come clean and accept the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!. Some will disagree with me on this, but in order to have free will, to choose or to reject Christ at the end of the day, it is our decision. As much of some of us will not like this comment, but the choice of free will demands this, that all have a choice, to accept Jesus or to reject Him. Even the worst mass murders, child molesters, we all have that choice to make. It is the free will given to us, God’s created beings, the humans that he breathed life into, we all have that decision to make. It is either acceptance or rejection, what is your choice today?

The Reverend Billy Graham answers a question posed to him about “Why God was unable to forgive Judas for betraying Jesus?”

DEAR DR. GRAHAM: Do you think God forgave Judas for betraying Jesus? I got to thinking about this over Easter. Judas seems to have been sorry for what he did (from what I've read), and I know God is merciful, but I wonder just how far His forgiveness goes. -- F.B.

DEAR F.B.: No, Judas was not forgiven for his betrayal of Jesus -- and one reason is because he could not bring himself to repent of the sin he had committed.

You see, there's a difference between feeling sorry over something we have done, and actually repenting of it. Judas knew he had done wrong, and when the full force of his terrible act hit him, the Bible says "he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins" to those who had paid him (Matthew 27:3). Although he admitted he had sinned, it was too late, and the Bible says he went out and killed himself.

What a tragedy! Judas had been with Jesus most of His ministry, hearing Him teach and seeing His miracles. And yet Judas never committed his life to Jesus, and lived only for himself. His story stands as a sober warning for all time, reminding us of the dangers of a superficial belief in Jesus. Jesus said of His disciples, "None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction" (John 17:12).

Don't let anything keep you from an honest, wholehearted commitment to Christ. Even if you have been in church all your life, make sure your commitment is sincere. Yes, God's grace and mercy can save even the worst sinner -- but only when we truly repent of our sins and trust Christ alone as our Lord and Savior.

May 23, 2003

Remember this, the decision that we make today, may decide eternity for us.

I played that game for 20-23 years and I would not recommend it for anyone to chance. One never knows when that last breath will be taken and we stand before God. Remember, we cannot blame anyone but ourselves. It is I or you that will be standing before a Holy, Righteous, Living God and he will say well done or I do not know you.