Friendly Fire Sermon Series
(Inspired by Perry Stone’s book, “Judas Goat”)
“Why Do People Betray Others?” 1 of 3
1/5/2014 Chester’s FBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson
Introduction:
A
I Why Betrayal Happens
A The 1611 version of the KJV Bible mentions “betrayal” 17 times, 16 of those references are aimed at Judas Iscariot.
1 “Betray” (paradidomi) means “to yield up, surrender or transmit.”
a To betray a trust is to surrender information about a situation, a person, or another person.
aa To betray a friendship is to “give up a friend”, separate from someone who has built a relationship in your life.
bb To betray in a marriage is to break vows.
b Betrayal breaks the trust that acts as the glue that bonds a relationship in place.
2 Relationships are based/build upon trust.
a Psalm 7:1 (KJV) O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me . . .”
aa Trust here is “yasha’” means to be wide open, free.
bb David, “I’ll open my heart/spirit to you”
cc When you trust someone you open your heart to another person.
b Psalm 11.1 (KJV) “In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
aa “chacah” means to “flee for protection in the sense of confiding in.”
bb David, “When I’m hurting, wounded, discouraged I’m going to run to you for protection.”
cc When we have placed a confidence in friends we trust them to protect our reputation, integrity, and we confide in them public/private information.
B When you are betrayed, the betrayer has surrendered information that was given in trust when your heart was open/exposed to them.
1 An enemy doesn’t (nor can they) betray you ...betrayal requires friendship.
a “No love lost” means there was no relationship/friendship to begin with.
b Only someone you have opened your heart to can “betray.”
2 David experience betrayal many times in his life Psalm 55:12-14 (NASB)12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it; Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, Then I could hide myself from him. 13 But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my familiar friend; 14 We who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng.
a Jesus warned His disciples that prior to His return betrayal in the church will run wild
Matthew 24:10 (NASB) 10 "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
b If King David/King Jesus experienced/warned us about betrayal, we should pay some attention to it!
C The root cause of betrayal is OFFENSE.
1 “Offend” gk. (Skandalizo) means, “to set a trap, to ensnare something.”
a A scandal occurs when a person destroys the trust/confidence of others through actions/deeds.
aa Watergate, Clinton/Lewinski/Benghazi . . . scandals during 3 administrations.
bb The media stirs the news story, especially if there is a dislike for the administration that the scandal occurred under.
b When you become offended (broken trust), if you don’t check your attitude/forgive/move forward, you will begin the betrayal process. (Always starts when someone is offended.)
aa Best friend becomes worst enemy.
bb Good memories are erased from the hard drive of our minds.
cc Secrets entrusted with others are now openly discussed with others, using that information as a weapon to defend why you have a good reason to remain in your offense.
dd “Let me tell you why I’m so ticked off at so-& so . . .”
c Offense leads to betrayal.
II How to Overcome Betrayal
A John 20:23 (NASB) 23 "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."
1 This verse is not intended to mean we can tell people their sins are forgiven as Christ did in His earthly ministry (He’s our High Priest!)
a The text speaks to us forgiving people who have sinned against us personally/caused us offense/hurt.
b When a believer has asked us to forgive them, we need to forgive them at that moment/instant.
c Failure to forgive one who has asked for forgiveness is . . .
aa a sin. (We are to forgive in the way God has forgiven us.)
bb a sin that carries spiritual consequences.
2 In the days of Moses’ Tabernacle (Temple), once a year two goats were brought before the High Priest as a sin offering for the nation.
a One was slain/sacrificed, blood sprinkled on mercy seat, the other was a scapegoat.
aa Priest would lay his hands on the goats head, transferring the sins of the nation.
bb They would then lead the goat far out into desert, push it off a cliff so the sin infested goat wouldn’t wander into a village, town.
cc They wanted the sin away, removed so as not to come back.
b When a believer refuses to forgive the offenses of others, that person is symbolically taking the sinful/cursed scapegoat into their homes!
aa Isaiah 43:25 (NASB) "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.”
bb If God chooses to forgive/forget, what other choice do we have but to do the same?
cc The only way to get the goat gone is to remove the offense.
B As Christians, forgiving others is a command and a choice.
1 I don’t forgive because I’m excited to do it, but rather because I choose to.
a Like repenting. (Command & a choice!)
aa Acts 17.30 (NASB) "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,” COMMAND
bb Repenting is also a choice; Josh. 24.15, “...Chose this day whom you will serve...”
b There are many reasons people to let forgiveness flow (More on this in three weeks.)
aa We believe we’re right, their wrong, pray God will give them revelation, they’ll come back & admit their wrong. (You’ll go to the grave disappointed.”
bb We believe the offender is wrong & God will judge them so we leave them alone.
cc PRIDE (Our egos are stronger than common sense/spiritual motives.)
dd We don’t understand the importance of forgiveness.
c Unforgiveness stops spiritual blessings, forgiveness removes the clog that hinders your blessing from flowing.
2 When offense comes (& it will; Matt. 18.7 KJV, MSG) what is the difference between a person who is willing to betray & leave a friend and others who choose to stay & save the relationship?
Matthew 18:7 (KJV) 7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Matthew 18:7 (MSG) 7 Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don't have to make it worse—and it's doomsday to you if you do.
a The love & affection you have for the one who has offended you.
b True love towards another keeps offenses from becoming betrayals.
aa IL. Family (You’ll take junk from your own kids that you’d never take from anyone else’s kids: Spouses)
bb Why? Your love is bigger than their foolishness & failures because they’re FAMILY.
c As Brothers/Sisters in Christ we should extend the same patience/love to one another as we do our own flesh & blood.
d Love will soon erase emotional hurts as it stitches up the wounds & pours in the oil & wine.
III What about betrayal in the House of God?
A Not only are there brothers & sisters in the house; they is also goats & sheep.
1 Sheep & goats both have horns (Rams have curved horns, only certain breeds of sheep have horns) but people who own goats will often have the goats horns removed for safety. (The goat will use his horns as an offensive weapon.)
a In Scripture, horns represent authority (political/spiritual) of a kingdom (Rev. 13.1-2, 11.)
Revelation 13:1-2; 11 (NASB) 1 And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.
aa In churches, goats will seek to exercise their authority by causing conflict among the membership.
bb Campaign in secret to pull other friends into their sin, agree with their side of the argument.
cc By goats trying to flex their authority they cause discord, wounds, emotional pain with their words & deeds.
b A goat is not concerned if a church losses members, who gets hurt as long as his/her territorial control is not threatened.
2 “Matthew 25:31-33;41 (NASB) 31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
a In the parable, Christ separates the nations between the sheep (His people), goats (controlled by the enemy.)
aa IL. Many years ago on a Maundy Thursday service I used a baby goat in the place of a lamb because they are very hard to tell apart.
bb The goat looked like the lamb, behaved similarly . . . just a little off.
b In a church, the goats & lambs are to distinguish the two until it’s not.
aa When the time comes to choose between being loyal to a ministry/minister or a better thing for themselves, the goat always chooses what’s best for them.
bb Care less about the baby lambs/sheep they hurt in the process.
B Goats are NOT hypocrites!
1 Hypocrites have a double-life, two-faced actors.
a Christ “hypocrite” 15 times in Matthew to describe the Pharisees for not practicing their own teaching that they demanded others to follow.
b You don’t detect a goat until the day trouble strikes the church, the sheep get sheared and they are left saying, “What just happened?”
aa The goat supports the church as long as they get their way/in authority.
bb The moment their horns gets trimmed, they started butting heads with the sheep/shepherd, leaving the flock dazed & confused, shepherd wounded while they go to another pasture.
2 Sheep & goats look similar, but the hear/see differently.
a Sheep see security in the flock; goat may see an opportunity to take control: Sheep see the shepherd and see leadership; goats see the shepherd as a challenge to their authority.
b Sheep & goats also behave differently.
aa Enter a sheep pen to feed them, the sheep will tend to stay together with their young, content to get their food & water.
bb Goat pen, swarm you as though they are competing for your attention.
c You give a sheep a shot they’ll yelp & go on; give a goat a shot they’ll yelp like your killing them/demand attention, be held.
aa Goats are noisy if they don’t like something.
bb If you throw a stick into a pack of dogs, the one that yelps is the one who got hit.
cc When a spiritual goat begins making a lot of noise/negative comments, it may be that something being preached has hit that person & he/she is unable to take the truth.
Conclusion:
A When we arrived at Beth Shean in 2009, there was a shepherd herding both sheep & goats in a park near the ruins.
1 Although they were in the same flock, both animals had unique habits, behaviors, routines . . . but in the same flock, field, under the same shepherd.
a In church, goats & sheep can be found together & both want to graze in a perfect pasture (or find a perfect church.)
b If you or I find a perfect church, the moment we walk-in with our flaws, spiritual imperfections, opinions, traditions . . . that church is no longer “perfect.”
2 When I walked over the field the shepherd had been at I noticed something on the ground. (Had to watch where I stepped.)
a Wherever there are places where sheep/goats walk, there will be places to avoid walking . . . both makes messes.
b In churches, there will be those you should avoid due to the mess they (or their families) create with their words/deeds.
3 Romans 16:17 (NASB) 17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.
Romans 16:17 (KJV) 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
a People who cause divisions are to be “marked” by the church.
aa NASB, “Keep your eye on”, KJV “note”: Gk. Skopeo.
bb English word for “scope”, keep them in your sights/don’t turn your backs on them.
b If an individual becomes contentious to the point of dividing the church, it is the responsibility of the elders to warn the offender; if they don’t stop acting like a goat,
Ephesians 5:11 (NASB)11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;
Ephesians 5:11 (KJV) 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
aa In the local congregation it is the responsibility of the shepherd (Pastor) and those in spiritual authority to take the goat by the horns, take control of the situation stirred up/instigated by the negative attitude & controlling spirit of church goats.
bb Sheep are to loved, cared for: Goats are to be identified, noted, if need be put on a leash!
B Not everybody who disagrees with you is a goat.
1 We need unity in the flock . . . period.
a Natural sheep will not drink if the brook isn’t still, softly flowing, & clean.
b They don’t digest their food if they become uneasy/upset.
2 An aggressive goat is alike a tare in the wheat field.
a Matthew 13:24-30 (NASB) 24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 "But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26 "But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27 "The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 "And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' 29 "But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 ~'Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
aa Wheat are the children of God.
bb Tares are the children of the world.
b Christ said allow them to grow in the same field so as not to destroy the roots of the good wheat surrounding them.
aa Goats are to remain in the flock, and the Lord will separate them in His time.
bb God will ultimately take care of the goat problem in the church.
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
