A man who kissed heavens door and went to hell.
Matthew 26: 47 -- 50. 06/06/04
I want to invite you to turn to the gospel of Matthew chapter 26. Today I want to preach a message about a man who kissed heavens door, but went to hell. Think how close to heaven he came, yet he went to hell.
Now some believe by one word found in this passage that Judas went to heaven and the word is repented. This word doesn’t mean he repented of his sin and although he had many chances, the word means there was remorse. His conscience was stared but his mind never changed. The Bible says that Judas went to his own place and Jesus said he was the son of perdition.
I call your attention to our first point THE CRIME OF JUDAS. There can be no doubt about his crime, for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave; he sold out the Son of God. He betrayed the only perfect Man who ever lived. He Betrayed His Master. He Betrayed His Friend. He Betrayed the One Who Had Done More for Him Than Anyone Else on Earth. Yet for the Price of a Slave, He Betrayed Our Lord.
A Few Years Ago I Was Amazed When Some of Our U.S. Marines Stationed at the Embassy in Moscow, for Sexual Favors Gave Away Valuable Secrets to the Soviets. What a Slam against Our Faithful Men Who Risked Their Lives to Keep Our Country free. But I Want to Tell You Compared to what Judas Did They Are pale in Significance.
The Bible Describes That Dark Night in History When Jesus Went into the Garden of Gethsemane. He Left Eight Disciples at the Age of the Garden and Took Peter, James, and John Further into the Garden and Ask Them to Stay Awake and Pray. He Went Further into the Garden with the Pressure of All Our Sins up on His Shoulders and Said Father If It Be Possible let This Cup Pass from the but Not My Will but Your Will Be Done. With Those Words We See How Much He Loved Us Even While We were yet sinners. In That Cup There Was All the murders, all the lust, All the Child Abuse, All the Heartache and Sickness of the World. He Knew When He Went to the Cross He Would bare All of That in His Body. Folks I Hope You Realize All of This and Never Get over It.
During That Night the Soldiers, Led by Judas, Came into That Garden. Judas Went to Jesus, Kissed Him and Said Hale Master. He Had Already Told the Soldiers the One He Kissed Would Be the One They Wanted.
Now Why Did He Betray Our Lord with a kiss? I Will Tell You Why. For 3 ½ Years He Had Pretended to Be a Companion, a Friend to Jesus. For 3 ½ Years He Had Pretended to Be a Supporter and a follower of Jesus. With a Kiss He Was Continuing to Act out His Hypocrisy.
Now How Does One Betray Jesus with a Kiss Today? By Pretending to Be a Disciple. By Pretending to Be a Follower. There May Be Some Here Tonight who Have Betrayed Jesus with the Kiss of Church Membership. Maybe Some with the Kiss of Baptism. The Kiss of Pretending to Be His Friend. But If the Truth Is Known You Are Pretending.
I Want You See Not Only the Crime of Judas but Also THE CHARACTER OF JUDAS. It may surprise you to know that outwardly Judas was impeccable in his character. He fooled the disciples so that they appointed him as the treasure. He took care of the money. If you cannot depend on a person you would not make him the treasure of the band. Even when Judas was told that one of them would betray him; no one thought it was Judas. And today you are here and no one suspects you have not truly been saved. From all outward appearance you seem to be a disciple. You sing the songs; you praise the Lord like a disciple. Still if the truth is known you have never been born again and you are lost.
I had a young man in our church down in South Carolina who wore the clothes like a believer. He told me the Lord called him to preach. He finished his college and stood in the pulpit to preach. He came to me one day and said I am a Judas. I have never been saved. He went down on his knees and prayed the sinner’s prayer and was saved. He had played the part of the hypocrite for a longtime just pretending. You may be the same way. You may be even 99 percent sure you are saved but if there is one percent of uncertainty you need to take care of that.
Finally we notice THE CONDEMNATION OF JUDAS. The Bible tells us what happened to Judas. He was filled with remorse but also full of pride. If only he would have laid pride aside and come to Jesus for salvation, Jesus would have saved him. No one realized that Judas was lost but Judas and Jesus. Jesus sees the heart and knows if you are His. He knows if you have been born again. I think by now you know to. Then Judas tried to cover that and when he really revealed his character he killed himself rather than repent. He kissed the door of heaven and then turned and went to hell. Do you know Jesus as your Savior?
