Lesson 14 - Judas Iscariot - When You Fail the Lord
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INTRODUCTION
1. Left Judas Iscariot till the last
a. His name is ALWAYS listed LAST in the list of disciples
b. Sadly his name has become synonymous with BETRAYAL
2. The NAME ‘Judas’ was a COMMON name in Jesus’ day
a. As mentioned last week, JUDAS is the Greek form of the Hebrew name ‘Judah’
i. The name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel
b. The tribe of Judah spent thousands of years building up a GOOD name
i. CALEB was of the tribe of Judah – Num 13:6
ii. DAVID was of the tribe of Judah
iii. JUDAH was the kingly tribe
iv. MOST of the Jews who returned to rebuild Jerusalem during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah were from the tribe of JUDAH
v. JESUS was born of the tribe of Judah
vi. JUDAH – a most respectable name
3. YET 1600 years later when the Bible was assembled
a. Translators would NOT use the writers name for the second to last book
Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
b. Instead they used JUDE
c. Judas – the ULTIMATE example on one who FAILED the Lord
d. Yet who among US has NOT at one time or another FAILED the Lord
e. What are WE to do?
WHEN YOU FAIL GOD ADMIT YOU WERE WRONG
1. Judas is called ISCARIOT
a. Means ‘man of Kerioth’
b. This identified WHERE he lived before following Jesus
c. Kerioth was a small town in southern Judea near Hebron
2. Judas Iscariot was the ONLY Judean Jew of the twelve
a. The rest were GALILEAN Jews
b. Judean Jews typically felt SUPERIOR to Galilean Jews because Judea included Jerusalem
i. The MECCA
1. Of Education
2. Of wealth
3. Of religion
c. Judean Jews considered RURAL Galilean Jews as UNEDUCATED
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
3. No doubt Judas Iscariot felt the same way
a. What were all the COUNTRY idiots doing around Jesus
b. For 3 years Judas must have struggled with his PREJUDICE
c. For 3 years Judas must have struggled with his UNBELIEF
d. His PRIDE got in his WAY of salvation
Psalms 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
e. His PRIDE let GREED become his god
f. Because of his PRIDE he could not admit he was WRONG
g. But you MUST
WHEN YOU FAIL GOD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY
1. We looked at many calls of the apostles
a. But the first time we hear of Judas is when his name is mentioned in the list of the disciples
Matthew 10:4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
b. We do know that when Jesus called His disciples, He knew ONE would betray Him
c. ONE would fulfill the OT prophecy
Psalms 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
2. Jesus speaks of this BETRAYAL
John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
a. Jesus is now at the Passover - what is NOW called the LORD’S SUPPER
b. There He used part of Psalm 41:9 to EXPLAIN Judas’ betrayal
c. But notice a PHRASE not quoted
i. ‘Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted’
d. Jesus KNEW from the beginning that Judas would be His BETRAYER
e. Jesus ALSO knew the exact amount of MONEY Judah would get for BETRAYING Jesus - 30 pieces of silver
Zechariah 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
3. Judas certainly FOOLED the other disciples
a. He LOOKED good, TALKED good, ACTED good
b. He was RESPECTED and TRUSTED by the OTHER disciples
c. BUT Jesus KNEW his heart
4. Back up 6 days we find Jesus in Bethany
a. A dinner was given in Jesus’ honor at the home of Simon the leper
Matthew 26:6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
b. At this dinner Mary takes EXPENSIVE ointment (perfumed oil) and pours it on Jesus’ HEAD and FEET
c. THEN she WIPES His feet with her hair
d. This was EXPENSIVE perfume
e. It was meant to be used just a LITTLE amounts
f. Mary POURS it out on Jesus’ feet
5. GREEDY Judas is beside himself
a. ‘What a WASTE of money’
John 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
b. Believed this perfume was worth around $20,000
c. Whatever was EXPENSIVE
d. He sure ‘TALKED the talk’
e. Judas sure sounds like he has a CARING heart
f. Look at verse 6
John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
g. Interesting that Matthew was NOT elected treasurer
i. Being an experienced TAX collector he was used to handling MONEY
h. Judas MUST have displayed financial ability and TRUSTWORTHINESS in order to be elected as keeper of the till’
6. Speculating here, but imagine Judas was a young PATRIOTIC Jew
a. Kind of like Simon Zelotes
i. BOTH hated Roman rule
ii. BOTH wanted Christ to overthrow them and RESTORE Israel to her former glory
b. Judas WANTED the Jewish power back
7. Jesus KNEW Judas would BETRAY Him
a. Yet Judas did NOT have to BETRAY Jesus
b. He acted of his OWN free will
c. He gave IN to his selfish desires
d. God does not PROGRAM anyone
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
e. Why did Judas BETRAY Jesus?
f. Why do we SIN?
James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
g. Judas did what he did because the of LUST that was in HIS heart
8. Judas had many OPPORTUNITIES to turn from his sin
a. He had heard the WARNINGS from Jesus
b. No doubt Judas heard Jesus say:
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
c. Judas followed Jesus for SELFISH gain
d. Judas LOVED money
e. Judas FAILED the Lord
f. Unlike Judas - when you and I fail the Lord - ADMIT your sin and take RESPONSIBILITY for it
WHEN WE FAIL THE LORD DON’T BE A HYPOCRITE
Matthew 26:14-15 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
9. When at this DINNER before the Passover Judas did NOT get his way
a. Wanting the VALUE - the money - that the perfume would bring
b. RATHER than wasting it on Jesus
c. He IMMEDIATELY goes to the chief priests
d. TIME to get RID of Jesus
e. TIME to COLLECT his reward
i. 30 pieces of silver
ii. Silver = Jewish shekel
iii. 30 shekels had the same value as 120 days of labor
iv. Or 1/3 ones annual wages
v. A lot of money
f. Judas TOOK the money
g. Judas PLOTTED to betray Jesus
10. The next EVENT we find is the disciples preparing for the PASSOVER
a. Which Jesus transforms into the Lord’s Supper
b. As they were eating – JUDAS included
c. Sitting right there among the OTHER disciples
d. All holy and poises
e. Jesus tells them ONE of them will BETRAY Him
Matthew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
f. EACH ask “Is it I”
g. Then Jesus speaks to Judas’ question
Matthew 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
h. Interesting too that the OTHER disciples preface their question with LORD
i. Judas prefaces his with MASTER, i.e. teacher
ii. Judas NEVER accepted Jesus as his Lord
i. JUDAS leaves
11. Judas KNOWS where Jesus will go and pray
a. Judas also knows the SECRET place where Jesus goes to pray
b. TIME to get rid of Jesus
c. Judas goes and gets the temple GUARDS
d. We know REST of the story
e. Not only was Judas GREEDY, he was HYPOCRITICAL
f. When you fail the Lord don’t be HYPOCRITICAL
SAVED THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR LAST, WHEN YOU FAIL THE LORD, ASK FOR FORGIVENESS
12. When Judas realized WHAT he had done he was overtaken with GUILT
a. He TRIED to return the 30 pieces of silver
b. Trying to clear his GUILT
c. The chief priests REFUSED the return of that BLOOD money
d. Judas throws DOWN the money
e. Runs out and ENDS his life in a field
f. Book of Acts tells us that chief priests BOUGHT that field with the 30 pieces of silver
13. Judas DID feel SORRY for his sin
a. He did NOT turn to Jesus for forgiveness
b. He did NOT pray like David
Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.