Judas: Pierced of Many Griefs

BIBLE STDY #819- CHURCH IN THE HOUSES PASTOR EDITH CRUZ TUESDAY, JULY 1 – 7, 2014 Topic: “Judas: Pierced of Many Griefs” John 17:12 “While I was with them, I protected them, and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled” The sign that Judas was going to be LOST was the love he put in the money. He loved the money that would be given to him by the religious leaders for surrendering Jesus. He was an administrator of doing God’s will, be he chose to be lost for loving more the money than loving Jesus. “None of them were lost”. Jesus said, “But rather the son of perdition”, that is, Judas. This doesn’t mean that Judas was one of the men given to the Son by the Father or that he was never a true believer. The prayer clearly says and means this: “I have guarded those you gave me and none of them were lost, but the son of perdition was lost so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” The title “the son of perdition” means that Judas was consigned to ruin or to eternal condemnation. This is expressed in writing to leave legal and formal constancy that registers that Judas was not pushed to betray Christ so that the prophecies could be fulfilled but rather he decided for himself to betray the Savior. By acting this way the Scriptures were fulfilled. The characteristics of Judas were greed, hypocrisy, treason, dishonesty and remorse. 1) GREED, we see it in (Mathew 26:14-16 “Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”) Judas knew that the chief priests were Jesus’ enemies. He walked every day with Jesus and saw the great wars they had against Jesus. There was no innocence here on behalf of Judas; there was clearly LOVE TOWARDS MONEY. What did Judas see? What did Judas think? He had traveled with the Lord, he had seen His miracles, he had also heard His incomparable teachings and more than anything he had been a witness to a life without sin! Judas was one whom Jesus could call: “my intimate friend…the one who ate my bread.” (Psalms 41:9 “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”) That person so close was the one who rose against the Son of God! Right there the priests paid him 30 coins of silver, a despicable total equal to a month salary of a humble laborer (field worker). According to the price Judas received to betray the Master we can see how little he valued Jesus. For his greediness he came to a terrible agreement, someone who had received more than kindness on Jesus’ behalf. 2) HYPOCRISY (John 12: 4, 5, 6 “…Judas Iscariot…, who was later to betray him, Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.”) The one who was going to turn in His Lord could not bear to see that costly perfume used that way. Proverbs 3:9 says “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops.” And God warns in Exodus 22:29 to not delay to bring the first fruits of your crop, don’t bring it when you can or one month later, or when you think; don’t borrow it because there will be evil hidden. It also says in 1 Timothy 6:10 “…for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and PIERCED THEMSELVES WITH MANY GRIEFS.” Those who crave the first fruits, money and assets have great grief. Evilness conducts to great grief. Judas did not consider that Jesus would be worth three-hundred coins. He thought that should be given to those who did not have, it was pure hypocrisy. It seems impossible that someone could have followed Jesus as a disciple during three years, see all His miracles, listen to all His teachings, received kindness on his behalf repeatedly and be considered the apostle and then at the end result with a corrupted heart. Maybe we realize some things and we don’t realize the magnitude of man’s fall, John knew Judas well and he adds that Judas did not say this because he loved the poor but rather because he was a thief and he was greedy. Judas had the bag and would draw money from the bag. 3) TREASON (Mark 14:10) Judas was seeking the opportunity to turn in the Lord Jesus. He came to the priests with a delivery offer and he accepted the money they would give him. Judas passed days and years adjusting the details of the delivery. (Luke 22:47, 48) The traitor arrived with the chief priests, elders and the chief of the temple guards to arrest the Lord. Judas, the traitor would indicate who Jesus was by giving Him a kiss. A kiss to Jesus was Judas last action towards the Lord; such great infamy in that orchard. He betrayed the Master, not with a shout, or a knock, or a stab, but rather with a kiss; a very bad act, without honor or dignity. 4) DISHONESTY (John 12:6 “…as keeper of the bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” Judas was a thief; there was no honesty in him. He wasn’t authentic, he wasn’t genuine. He was dishonest and false. He didn’t respect himself as an apostle; he did not respect the Lord as God. 5) REMORSE, as man he was the worse. (Mathew 27:3, 4, 5) “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went and hanged himself.”) It was not repentance according to God that would lead to salvation. He had delivered innocent blood. He became sad for the consequences his crime had for himself, but he wasn’t willing to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Acts 1:18 “With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.” It says here the reason for selling the Lord: a field, a parcel. Judas knew the Master loved him

very much, that he was going to look bad with the people and he hanged himself. So that land was named “field of blood.” Those who do wrong as Judas did in a hidden and hypocrite manner, with greed, treason and dishonesty, with remorse will be pierced of many griefs. Let us care for our heart to be always sincere, unselfish and generous, honest, faithful and trustworthy of our duty before OUR BELOVED AND MAGFNIFICENT LORD AND SAVIOR. Amen.