The Man Who Kissed The Door Of Heaven, Yet Went To Hell.

Intro. The Sheepfold in Israel, the shepherd would lay in the opening, literally the door. The sheep would have to go over the Shepherd to get out. A predator would have to go over the Shepherd to get to the sheep. AMEN.

Jesus is the Door - Only way to heaven - Only one way in.

1. He is the Door into the Flock - Genuinely saved

2. He is the Door into Freedom - Saved vs. 9

Same word as whole in Mark 10:52, blind man healed

Same word as whole in Luke 8:48, woman with issue of Blood

Same word as whole in Luke 17:19, Samaritan leper that returned to him. Means - Delivered, rescued, saved from harm.

Jesus is the only way to heaven, the Door. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12)

I. His Potential - No man in human history had a greater opportunity for success and happiness than did Judas Iscariot. Just by His Name - Judas Iscariot

A. The Honor - Equivalent to the Hebrew Judah - the praise of God

B. The Home -

1. Success - Iscariot was the family name, signifying he was of Judea, while most disciples were from Galilee. Most Scholars believe he was the disciple of the most wealth.

2. Spiritual - Bible times it was very significant what you would name your child. In giving names to their children, the parents expressed their wishes and desires. Evidence he was probably from an orthodox family. He had the most potential, humanly speaking of all the disciples.

II. His Path (Dare not think that Judas appeared evil, it was the opposite)

A. His Position

He was a Disciple (does not mean he was saved, just that he was a church member) Acts 1:17 "For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry".

1. He was Trained by Christ

2. He was Trusted by the others - Treasurer

B. His Pretending - He looked as good as the others, but he was a Deceiver.

- Luke called him the Traitor - Lu 6:16

- John called him a Thief - John 12:6

Judas looked like those that believed, but he lived a lie, and died a lost man.

III. His Peril - Luke 22:44-46

A. The Daring of His Betrayal - he came in front of his peers.

1. He dared to stand in front of those with which he had served, he not only betrayed the Lord - he betrayed all that had served with them.

2. He dared to stand with the enemy- Jo 18:5 "They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them". He chose his side, the wrong one.

B. The Disregard of His Betrayal

1. The Disregard of the Proofs - He had seen the works of Christ for himself!

2. The Disregard of the Price - vs. 44 (this had just occurred)

The blood was on the cheek of Judas, yet he betrayed the Lamb of God.

C. The Despair of His Betrayal Mt. 27:3-5

1. His Hypocrisy led to His Ruin

- His Hidden Sin - Thief - He desired something more than the very Life before Him, for him it was greed, for others it is pleasure, or pride, or friends, but anything you would choose over the Savior send you

- His Heinous Sale - He sold Jesus for the price of a common slave

2. His Remorse not enough for Repentance - “repented himself” means that he was sorry for what he did, but he never repented and turned to Christ.

Here is the awful picture of what Satan brings about in a wretched human heart! Satan is not bothered by your regret as long as you don’t turn to Christ

Regret of a human heart without repentance will still mean no hope: 2Co 7:10 "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death". The sorrow of the world is a sorrow that dreads consequences, yet never admits true guilt before God. He was sorrowful enough to commit suicide, but not repentant enough to go to the cross and face the Savior.

3. He is Remembered for what He did

- His Betrayal - He did not have to betray the Lord. He was not forced to

do so. A sovereign God would lay down His life without depending on one man, yet God in His omniscience saw it coming. We all make choices of what we do! He who had every opportunity to praise God became the son of perdition and went to a suicide’s grave.

- His Name - Judas was a name of honor, meaning praise, yet today, a mother dare not name her child Judas.