JUDAS ISCARIOT

LUKE 22:4

A. "AND WHILE HE YET SPAKE, BEHOLD A MULTITUDE AND HE THAT WAS CALLED JUDAS, ONE OF THE TWELVE WENT BEFORE THEM AND DREW NEAR UNTO JESUS TO KISS HIM. BUT JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, JUDAS BETRAYEST THOU THE SON OF MAN WITH A KISS?"
  1. Holy Scriptures reveal to us:
    1. The crime of the ages in the above two Bible verses
    2. Judas used the sacred symbol of love to betray the Saviour into the hands of His enemies
  2. Our Lord's question to Judas is a challenge to all professed followers of Christ:
    1. Am I possessed of the spirit of Judas Iscariot?
    2. Is there danger in my relationship to my Lord, that Satan is in control of my life even though I make an outward profession
B. THE BIBLE STORY OF THE LIFE OF JUDAS CAN BE SUMMED UP AS FOLLOWS
  1. He was one of the twelve disciples of the Lord - as far as we know by his own choice:
    1. This writer believes that it was Judas Iscariot who came to Jesus with these words, "Master, I will follow thee whither thou goest" - Matt. 8:19-20; Luke 9:57-58
    2. He was for a time the treasurer of the twelve - John 7:71; 12:6; 13:26-29
    3. He possessed considerable natural ability in financial maters; but he was a thief - John 12:6
  2. Judas committed the crime of the ages:
    1. The gospel represents the betrayal of Christ by Judas as a horrible, diabolical crime
    2. The word "betray" means to deliver, and that is what Judas did with the Master - "What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?" - Matt. 26:15
    3. What makes this crime so despicable is the means he used to commit it; he used the symbol of brotherly love - "betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" - Luke 22:48
  3. Judas's crime was foretold in Bible prophecy:
    1. See and compare Ps. 109:5-8 with Acts 1:16
    2. Even his cruel bargain was foretold - Zech. 11:12-13
  4. When Judas delivered himself to Satan:
    1. He became a devil incarnate
    2. Said Jesus to the disciples, "Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil?" - John 6:70
C. YET NOTE THESE TRUTHS
  1. Our Lord foresaw that Judas would betray Him:
    1. Yet He chose to be one of the twelve
    2. Reason, our Lord's hope that Judas would change, like Peter and the other disciples changed
    3. he was the recipient of Divine grace like all sinners are, "The Lord is long- suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" - 2 Peter 3:9
    4. Christ died for the sinner and the ungodly - Rom. 5:6
  2. But divine justice moved swiftly:
    1. When Judas saw the result of his evil deed, he hanged himself - Matt. 27:1-5
    2. For it is written, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" - Gal. 6:7-8; and what is the harvest of sin, "For the wages of sin is death" - Rom. 6:23
  3. The tragic ending of the betrayer of our Lord leads one to the following conclusions:
    1. The journey into sin gains momentum. We never know where a wrong path may end. Sin only needs opportunity to carry us to its utmost depths; Examples: We think of Cain - Gen. 4:39; of Achan - Joshua 7:20-22; of the man of God - I Kings 1:24; of King Saul - I Sam. 31:6
    2. It is sadly possible to be associated with Jesus, to hear his gracious words, witness His wonderful works, yet refuse Him, our hearts affections and allegiance - and be ultimately lost
    3. It is sadly possible to use Christianity as a cover-up for certain sins as the Pharisees used their profession - Matt. 23:27
    4. Judas is, without a doubt, the prototype of untold professed Christians, who daily betray their Master with a kiss.


Design © John Bryant 2011