Dark Night Of The Soul

Dark Night of the Soul

Matt. 26:47ff & 69ff & John 19:25-27

I know that you have heard the expression “Dark night of the soul.” But have you ever experienced a dark night of your soul. Some one may say it is the feeling you have when you are, “down in the dumps”. David was feeling more than “down in the dumps” when he wrote Psalm 42:5-6 listen to his plead…

Have you ever been so far down that you can’t remember up?

Read the book of Job and you will see a man going through a dark night of the soul.

Let us look at three men, three decisions, and three results.

There are three men in the N.T. that went through some of the deepest anguish of the soul that man can pass.

JUDAS

When choosing life’s road it is good to know where that road is, but it is more important to know where it ends

In a scene in Alice in Wonderland, Alice is lost and asks the cat in the tree, “Which way should I go?” the cat replied, “Where are you going?” Alice responded, “I’m not sure.” The cat replied, “then I guess it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

When we make a choice we need to know the consequences of that choice.

A. Judas is a man who will always be remembered for the choices he made.

1. His name was an honor to the Lord. His name means, “Praise of the Lord.” His surname was Iscariot which means “A man of murder” or a “Hireling.” One who works solely for compensation, especially a person willing to perform for a fee tasks considered menial or offensive.

He did not start out with the name Iscariot but it was given to him later in life.

Have you ever heard of a mother naming her son Judas?

2. You would think that with a name like Jude, Praise of the Lord, he could not fail. A while back I had a man working for me named “Jesus” But that did not mean his work was perfect. In fact he wanted to be called Jessie.

3. He was a smart young man, good with numbers

4. A likeable person

5. A trustworthy look

6. But you had to watch him, he would try to get paid twice for the same job.

B. Jesus chose Judas as one of the 12.

1. He was given the same powers that the 11 had: heal the sick, cast out demons etc.

2. He had great potential but made the wrong decision.

C. Near the end of Jesus’ ministry we see the dark night of the soul of Judas.

1. Judas allowed Satan to enter into his life. Luke 22:3 Thus begins his dark night.

2. Satan did not force his way into Judas. He allowed him to come in.

D. Whenever we choose to be revengeful or choose to live in disobedience to God’s word we extend an invitation to Satan to come into our lives.

1. I am sure that Judas did not intend for his life to end as it did.

2. I have never seen a drunk that had his goal in life to be a drunk

3. I have never seen an addict that started out to be an addict.

4. It is the choices that are made day by day.

5. Judas was greedy and needed more money than he could steal from the treasury bag of the disciples

4. I am sure he bargained with the Jews for the price 10, 20, 30 pieces of silver?

5. During the last supper Satan entered again into Judas. He gave him a fresh determination to betray Jesus.

6. Then Judas went out to find the Jews. The die was cast no turning back. However Judas did not need to stay on his chosen road. He could have left town. Repented, changed his ways.

E. The road led to destruction.

1. After the deed was done Judas tried to correct his sin. Matt. 27:3-10

2. He felt sorry for what he did. Took the money back and asked them not to kill Jesus. I can imagine the anguish of Judas when what he had done became a reality to him. Oh what a dark night.

There is a difference in feeling sorry for your actions and real repentance toward God.

3. His repentance was not calling out to God for forgiveness.

4. Real repentance is turning around. One preacher said “Now I don’t want you to just half way repent I want you to repent 360 degrees.

5. That was Judas’ problem he turned 360, 90, or 45 degrees when 180 is what is required.

Now Judas, which means praise of the Lord, is always remembered as traitor of the Lord.