“What Are You Getting In Return?”
Matthew 26:14-16 & 69-75
This morning I want you to turn to the 26th chapter of Matthew. And before we ever read, I want you to prepare yourself to get very serious this morning. Very Serious about decisions that you are making in your life, the reasons why we make them, and the eventual outcome of these decisions. If you don’t want to be serious, no need to open your Bible or even listen. But if you are willing, I believe that the Holy Spirit is going to move in this sanctuary this morning, and some of you will give your heart to the Lord today.
Today we are going to look at two of the 12 men who were following Christ as His disciples. These men, as we will find out, had something in common with each other, and with many of you. Lets read....
Did you notice what these men had in common. They both turned their back on Christ. They both, for their own reasons decided to disown, to betray, to turn away from Jesus. And as I mentioned earlier, they have that in common with some of you today. Some of you have also turned your back on Christ.
The question I pose is this....what are you getting in return? Why is it you have decided to turn away from Christ, why is it He is not your personal Savior? What are you getting in return?
In our scripture today we find two men, Judas and Peter, who disowned Christ for two different reasons. Judas took 30 pieces of silver, Peter thought he was keeping himself from being slain alongside our Lord. That is what they thought they were getting in return. Silver and safety.
What about you; what are you getting?
• You get to keep your pride, no way you admit you’re a sinner like everyone else and go up front and pray at an altar
• You get to keep your habits....even the ones that no one should have anyways
• You get to keep a relationship that you shouldn’t be in
• You get to keep your horrible thought life
• You get to keep the magazines you keep in the closet or under the bed
• You get to keep raising your kids in an un-Christian home
• You get to keep treating your spouse like garbage
• You get to keep drinking, smoking and partying
• You get to keep your filthy language
• You get to keep holding that grudge
What is it your getting in return for turning your back on Christ? There is a reason....there is something that keeps you from turning your life over to Christ, and that is what should be in your mind right now.
It never ceases to amaze me, how throughout the ages people have pointed a finger at both Judas and Peter for their actions, and how they turned their backs on Christ, and we do it for much less!! Judas got 30 pieces of silver and Peter thought he was saving his skin...neither right, but compare that to;
• skipping church for ball-games and TV
• not coming to the altar because someone might look at us funny
• Not getting saved because we have some filthy habit that we will not let go of
• Not following Jesus because we know our lifestyle needs and overhaul
Honestly ask yourself, What are you getting in return for turning your back on Christ? Then let me answer that question for you through the lives of Judas and Peter.
Judas betrayed Jesus.....then we he found out what was truly taking place, and saw what Jesus was going through....he was so overcome with guilt and shame, the Bible says Judas gave the money back, went out and hung himself. Judas got shame, guilt.
Peter, as we find in our scripture today, as soon as he betrayed Christ for the third time, I says in verse 75 that he, “wept bitterly”. Do you know why, because what he got in return was shame and guilt.
That is what your getting too isn’t it. No matter what you have decided to put before Jesus, when you hear the message of Jesus Christ dying for your sins, and then look at the choices you have made, you feel what they felt.....guilt, shame, and a heavy burden.
And like these two men, there are two paths from that point.
1) Judas ran away and hung himself in shame.
2) Peter had a lakeside conversation with Jesus.
What will you choose today, to live and die in sin, or will you have that conversation with Jesus.
You don’t hear about a future for Judas because he threw it away. But Peter, you hear a lot about. Why, because he learned from his mistake.
Peter accepted Christ as His Savior, was filled by the Spirit, and went on to be one of the forefathers of the church. A man who had turned his back on Christ found out the difference between being for or against Jesus.
When he betrayed Christ, he was full of shame or what he had chosen and what he had done. He wept bitterly because of the burden he was carrying.
After Christ spoke with him, and brought him back into a right relationship with Him, you find a man with great love and compassion in his life. A man who was strengthened daily by God. A man who found the mercy of Jesus, and saw the proof of His grace in his life.
So what is it your getting in return? Is it the burden of guilt and shame that I’ve been talking about.
Guilt that your not living like you should. Shame that people know the life your living, a burden that your raising your children to be just like you, to turn their backs on Christ.
You don’t have to settle for that. You can meet Christ today. And what you receive in return is matchless. Forgiveness, peace, mercy, grace, strength, a wonderful new family, and an open prayer line to God at all times.
No more shame, guilt or burden, because Jesus can take it all away.
I said it when I started today....if some of you would get serious today and examine your heart and lives someone would give their heart to Christ today, and I believe more than just one.
If you take a look at your current choices they reflect the fact that you have turned your back on Christ. And you would also realize that what you are getting in return is not the contentment and happiness you thought you would get. It is shame, guilt and a heavy heart.
Today is the day to change that. Meet Jesus and return you will receive His love and forgiveness.
