DOESN’T PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS
Matt 26: 20-25
Judas Iscariot
One of the CHOSEN disciples of Christ.
o A very important man
o Given a privileged position of Treasurer
o In Jn. 13, his proximity to Jesus at the Lord’s Supper indicated a position of importance.
God has so positioned some of us, in IMPORTANT positions
o Because of our gifts and talents
Also because of God’s plan to use us as a testimony of great Grace or wicked disobedience
Judas shows us that;
o Not everybody who gets a promotion --- Not everyone who holds an office or official position – is WORTHY
It is totally mind-boggling that God sometimes chooses us so that He can use our BAD example to teach others
Jesus HAD to see this coming…
Judas – Loner – had his own job and wanted no one else in his business
Judas acting Self-Important – as if no one else could do his job
Jesus had to have looked back at his background and upraising and seen in glaring red letters “DOES NOT PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS”
DIDN’T JESUS SAY: THESE ARE THE COMMANDMENTS
Love the Lord your God…
Love your neighbor…
I submit to you today that Judas was not chosen for what he had, but for what he didn’t have
Judas was a chosen disciple because there were 3 things missing in his life. Judas was:
1. Void of maturity
2. Void of motivation
3. Void of repentance
You can either be “sold out” to God or a “sell out” to God.
Judas chose to sell him out for the price of a slave. 30 small pieces of silver is all it took . What’s Your Price?
Judas lacked maturity:
In John 12. 1-6, Jesus was anointed by a woman who broke a jar of perfume and put it on Jesus feet. Judas objected to this because the perfume was worth a years wages.
His level of maturity is revealed in verse 6 when it says that he was a thief and helped himself to the offering bag for a little change.
This text paints the picture of Judas’ maturity.
He has heard the teachings, just like us.
He has experienced the miracles and power of God, like many of us. Yet he did not believe.
Judas was void of maturity because he was void of faith.
He did not, I believe, receive Christ as the son of God. He was looking out for his own.
Judas Lacked proper motivation:
This story of the woman anointing Jesus feet not only indicts Judas of being immature, but it also convicts of him of his motivation.
Judas motivation is the reason for his immaturity. He was selfish.
A 300 # man told his minister, "I’m so depressed and I can’t get any dates." "I’ve tried everything to lose weight."
The minister said, "I think I can help," "Be dressed and ready to go tomorrow at 8 a.m."
Next morning, a beautiful woman in a skintight exercise suit knocked on the man’s door. "If you can catch me, you can have me," she said, as she took off. He huffed and puffed after her.
This routine went on every day for the next five months. The man lost 115 pounds.
1. You have got to find the proper motivation for serving God.
2. You serve him because you love him. If you do not love him, it is because you do not know him.
3. What is your motivation for serving God?
4. If God is nothing more than fire insurance from hell, then you are missing the point.
5. Jesus has called you to abundant life.
6. He has come so that when the overcoming power of the world and peer pressure is at your door, you can say no to that and keep serving God in the most difficult situations.
7. In his betrayal, Judas asked the chief priests this question, “what are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”
8. I hear the same question today from young people, what can I get if I don’t serve God.
Judas’ life lacked repentance:
Once Judas did his deed and his conscience was seared he had a choice to make.
His act of betrayal finally got the best of him.
Let me stop here for a moment and say you can only play the game of being a bad boy/girl for so long.
o God will chase you down and speak to you about the decisions you are making.
At some point God will give you the chance to ask God to forgive.
o The Holy Spirit will show you the cross that Jesus died on.
o The time for repentance will come.
That time came for Judas in Matthew 27. It says that Judas returned the money and was remorseful.
Judas felt nothing more than guilty for what he had done but he did not have a heart change.
To prove that he was nothing more than guilty and couldn’t live with it he committed suicide.
The ultimate end of a life of deception. Suicide.
The type of repentance that God is looking for is heart change…
1. When God calls us to repent – He often has brought us to the end of ourselves – “Let Me Change Your Heart.”
2. When God begins to change the heart he begins to change our motivation for living.
3. When our motivation for living changes then a new level of maturity grows within.
Just like Judas in Matt. 26,
a) We are the ones who don’t play well with others
a. The ones who would rather take our ball and go home
b. If I can’t get it my way, everybody else is gonna have to suffer
b) I know what the Bible says about it…
c) Love my neighbor…
a. But I don’t love them enough to look beyond the fact that I don’t like them
b. I don’t love them enough to look to God to help mend over the differences between us
c. I don’t love them enough to put their importance ahead of mine
If that’s you today I want you to know that you are on a downward spiral to a death that is unbecoming of you.
LISTEN __
o You don’t want to be known in the halls of Heaven as disobedient…
o You don’t want to be remembered as a betrayer of God…
o You don’t want to get into the presence of the throne of God only to hear… ”Depart From Me, I Never Knew You” – BESIDES
“You Don’t Play Well With Others”
But if any is wiling…
If you repent of your sin…
If you love your neighbor…
He’ll pick you up…And turn you around
He’ll forgive you of your sin and wickedness…
He’ll dress you in His righteousness
So that your shining glory will not be people laughing at your death
But they will celebrate your living
God’s love in you will be what locks your name in their hearts
And God Himself will praise you saying:
Matthew 25:21 ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
You’ve grown into maturity
You’ve gotten your motivation right
You’ve repented and turned away from your sin and wickedness
And you’ve learned how to play well with others.
