Judas Iscariot

TEXT Act 1:25

INTRO: Can you really calculate the odds? Can you really know what is in your future? Can a person really implement their plans to the fullest when they don’t know the future? I submit to you that Judas was a man who thought he had life under control and he had his future going his way, but the unfortunate fact is that there is a devil loose and he also has a plan for our futures.

Judas found himself in a position where his plan was set in order.

Why would he risk such a venture? Why would he put himself in such a place where he could be found in such compromise, where he could be put into a place of opposite sides of Christ.

On this point I must agree with Jesse duplantis. Miscalculation: Judas knew that Jesus was the Christ. I will get back to this.

I. JUDAS BEFORE CHRIST- Very little is said about Judas before he met Christ. He was much like us not much to be said, but Jesus is the one that made the dramatic difference. His father was said to be simon of Canann, but its not conclusive. Before Christ there just wasn’t much to say.

II. JUDAS WHEN HE MET CHRIST

A.) John 13:18-30

Judas, as an apostle, was admitted to the highest privilege: he did eat bread with Christ. He was familiar with him, and favoured by him, was one of his family, one of those with whom he was intimately conversant. David saith of his treacherous friend, He did eat of my bread; but Christ, being poor, had no bread he could properly call his own. He saith, He did eat bread with me; such as he had by the kindness of his friends, that ministered to him, his disciples had their share of, Judas among the rest. Wherever he went, Judas was welcome with him, did not dine among servants, but sat at table with his Master, ate of the same dish, drank of the same cup, and in all respects fared as he fared. He ate miraculous bread with him, when the loaves were multiplied, ate the passover with him. Note, All that eat bread with Christ are not his disciples indeed. See 1 Cor 10:3-5.

(2.) Judas, as an apostate, was guilty of the basest treachery: he lifted up the heel against Christ.

(from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible

III. JUDAS AFTER HIS BETRAYAL

A. The Miscalculation:

1. Judas was the man who handled the treasury. He had tendency to think of money more than he should have. When Mary broke the alabaster box and poured out the ointment upon Jesus, she gave her best to the Lord but Judas gave a complaint stating that this could have been sold for three hundred pence.

2. I suspect that for his own purpose he began to take money out of the till. He needed to replace it. Why do I say that, because when people do major trangressions there is usually a motive behind it. It is an act of desperation to settle an issue.

a. Judas knew that Jesus Christ was the King of glory and that he could easily handle himself; he knew that he could stop the sun and the moon if necessary. He had seen him heal the blind, raise the dead, cast out legion; he knew Christ could take care of himself.

b. But Judas didn’t calculate the plan of God instead of his own plan so when he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, I submit that he felt he had the money he needed, and now the situation would be up to Jesus. He calculated that Jesus would deal with the confrontation or he would simply disappear, or perform some great miracle and dazzle them and he would go his way. Proverbs 16:25 states there is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the ends there of are the ways of death. Judas made a severe miscalculation and it cost him severly.

IV. JUDAS AND HIS FINAL FAULT

A. He went his own way, not God’s way, but his own way, by suicide he met his eternity. By a rope he killed himself when he could have died with great honor as did the rest of the disciples. My friends how many times are you going to miscalculate, feeling like you are in control, as if the world is in your hands, yet your future is slipping away quickly? How long will you go before you realize it’s the wrong direction? Judas was warned by Jesus, when Christ told him leave her alone, what she has done is for a memorial unto me. Judas don’t focus so hard on the dollar focus instead on the principle. The concept is to love Christ more than you love anything else, but Judas missed the warning. My heart is grieved when I realize today with in the sound of my voice could be individuals, families that have totally missed the concept and the warning, so the sleep walk their way to eternity without God.