Is There A Judas Among Us?

Yet, Mark 14:10,11 shows Judas as bailing out and scheming with the Jews. The New Testament shows Judas negotiating a price and the most opportune time to betray Christ. This was no impulsive act. Judas had been thinking about it for awhile. But, why did he do it? Why did he turn informer? Why would he hurt Jesus? There are a number of explanations people have given:

1. Covetousness. Jesus was an outlaw with a price on his head. The allure of money got to Judas – especially as he saw that Christ’s kingdom was not happening on earth right then. He wanted the reward money so he would at least get something.

2. Some people say Judas did it out of jealousy. Even if the gospels don’t show him as an outsider, he talked funny. He was the only one of the disciples that wasn’t from Galilee. He was from Kerioth in Judea. Maybe it was jealousy or wanted to be noticed.

3. Possibly it was ambition. He wanted a kingdom, but Christ kept talking about this kingdom leading to a cross. Judas felt betrayed and misled and his pride was hurt. How could he go back home and tell them that for three years he had been following someone who ended up dying?

4. Some people say Judas had no choice. Some say that all along Christ knew Judas would betray him. That Christ chose him for that purpose…that he was just a pawn in God’s plan. Someone had to betray Christ and God chose Judas to do the dastardly deed. People who support this idea point out that after he betrayed Christ, Judas hanged himself. If he was convinced he was right, why did he hang himself?

But Judas acted on his own free will. The devil didn’t make him do it. God didn’t force him to do it. Judas acted as he did for the same reason that many people are lost today—they choose to do it. They choose to reject Jesus. Judas lived for himself and acted for himself as a responsible human being, which is the same thing we can say today for the millions of people who reject Jesus Christ.

I want you to look at two passages in John to get a little insight into the life of Judas.

1. John 13:10,11 He had never been cleansed. He had never come to grips with his sinful condition and his inability to remove his own sin from his own life. All those years and sermons about sin and forgiveness and about God’s holiness had done him no good. He remained uncleansed.

2. John 6:64-71 He was not a believer. He listened to Christ, he heard about Christ and heaven and salvation and Calvary—but he never placed his total trust in Christ.

It is entirely possible that there are some Judas’ among us this morning. It is entirely possible that someone who has been a part of this church for months or years may still be in the same condition that Judas was in.

1. Some may have walked and talked and fellowshipped like other believers…

2. Some may have heard the gospel and even told others about Christ…

3. No one would have known, no one would have suspected, no one would have accused them of being unchristian because of the way they lived and looked and sounded like all the rest of us…