Chapter number two, really the whole chapter is applicable to what I'm preaching about tonight
But the part that I want to focus on and just read for you right now is just the first three verses where it reads
But there were false prophets also among the people
Even as there shall be false teachers among you who privately shall bring in
Damable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow their pernicious ways
By reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of and through covetousness
Shall they with fainted words make merchandise of you whose judgment now the long time linker if not and their damnation
slumber if not go to Acts chapter 1
And the person I want to preach about tonight is Judas Iscariot now
Judas Iscariot is one who was a false prophet who was among God's people
The first New Testament church was basically Jesus Christ with his disciples and
When he broke bread with them and when he took the cup he said this cup is the New Testament of my blood
Is due in remembrance of me Jesus Christ called their group there a church. He said in Matthew 16, Matthew 18
he called the church and
There was a guy in that church who was an imposter
There was a guy in that group of 12 disciples that was a phony and it was Judas Iscariot
He was not saved he's in hell today and he was the one of course betrayed Jesus under the Pharisees
And we're gonna learn all about him tonight. There's so much to talk about him
I had to cut a bunch of stuff out of this sermon because the Bible talks a lot about Judas
So I'm just gonna hit the most important point, but let's start an axe check number one in verse 16
It says men and brethren this scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David
Spake before concerning Judas which was guide to them that took Jesus
For he was numbered with us and then obtained part of this ministry
now this man purchased the field with the reward of iniquity and
falling headlong he burst asunder in the mist and all his bowels gushed out and
On and on we're gonna come back to this part, but we see this man ended in a very bad way
He was one of them. He's one of the disciples. He was numbered with disciples. Go back to John 6
Just go back a few pages
But he ended up committing suicide
He ended up hanging himself and then when he hung himself, I guess the rope broke or whatever
He fell down a cliff and you know
The graphic description is there in Acts chapter 1 of how his body ended up
But in John chapter 6 the first thing I want to deal with because we want to understand tonight this character Judas Iscariot
This is a lot of confusion about Judas
The first thing I want to point out is that Judas Iscariot did not lose his salvation
Some people will try to say oh you can lose your salvation. Remember Judas Iscariot
No
Judas did not lose his salvation because Judas was never saved in the first place
A lot of people will try to say that he lost it, but I'll prove it to you
Look at John chapter 6 the Bible says in John chapter number 6 and let's start reading in verse 63
It says it is the spirit that quickened the flesh
Christ profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you
They are spirit and they are life, but there are some of you that believe not
for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and
Who should betray it?
So he knew from the beginning who believed not and he should betray him keep reading
Then he said therefore said I knew that no man can come unto be accepted were given unto him of my father
From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with them
Then said Jesus unto the twelve will ye also go away now is Judas in that group of twelve
Absolutely. So Judas is not one of the ones who walked away Judas is staying with them
A lot of his other disciples have said, you know what we're out of here. We don't like what Jesus preached
The twelve disciples are all still there
He says to them. Hey, will you also go away?
He says hey the door slings both ways if you guys want to believe take off watch what Simon says in verse 68 here
It says in Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life
That's the good guy and we believe and are sure that there aren't that Christ the Son of the Living God watch what Jesus answers
In verse 70 Jesus answered them have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil
He
Spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon for he it was that should betray him being one of the twelve
this is really early in Jesus's ministry and
Jesus is already pointing out Judas Iscariot. He's not pointing about specifically but he's saying, you know one of you twelve
I've chosen you twelve as my disciples one of you is a devil
There are some of you which believe not he any that was when the bigger group was there
But when he's just down to the twelve, he's saying one of them is a devil
One of them doesn't believe one of them is going to betray
So it's not that Judas was a good guy and he was saved and they lost his son
You can't lose your salvation. Jesus said I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish
Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Jesus promised to us is I will never leave thee nor forsake me
He said this is the promise that he had promised us even eternal life
You can't lose yourself once you're saved the bible says verily verily I save you he that heareth my word
And believeth on him and send me
Half everlasting. I mean has right now everlasting life
And shall not come into condemnation, but it's passed into the life. Jesus said whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die
That's never
Well, unless you no, no, there's no exception
Once you're saved once you're in the family once you're born again
Once you're a child of god
You're his child just as my son will always be my son
God's children will always be he'll he'll spank them
But he's not going to throw them out of the family. We're his children. We're saved. We can't lose our salvation
Judas was a devil
And he was from the beginning. Jesus knew that he was a devil and he knew that he believed not
And he knew that he was going to betray so judas did not lose his salvation
Let's let's understand a little more about judas's character. Look at john chapter 12
john chapter number 12
So the first thing we see judas was not saved and what made him unsafe
He didn't believe saying they believed not that's the only thing that makes anybody unsafe so here's a guy he's following jesus
He's going through the motions
He's actually one of the ones that jesus sent out to preach. So he's a preacher
But yet he wasn't even saved and he knew he didn't believe
He was a devil. He was a bad person
So why was he doing it?
Well, let's keep let's just go through this and let's see if we can understand some of the reasons why
Because i'm going to show you a big reason why I think he's doing it
Look at john chapter 12 verse 1. It says then jesus six days before the passover came to bethany
Where lazarus was which had been dead. So this is right before jesus is going to be crucified. We're right at the end of his ministry here
There they made him a supper and martha served
But lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him
Then took mary a pound of ointment of spiken art very costly
And anointed the feet of jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment
Then sayeth one of his disciples judas is scary simon's son, which should betray him
Why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor?
So here's this woman she takes out this ointment
She anoints the feet of jesus and judas is scary. It gets mad and says why wasn't this sold and given to the poor?
I mean, why are you just dumping it out? Why are you wasting?
Then they say well how much is uh, 300 pence? Well in the bible a penny was a day's wages
Remember those day laborers that worked for the the husbandmen in matthew 22 or matthew 20, I believe
They were given a penny for a day's wages. So this is like 300 days wages for like a laborer
So we're talking about tens of thousands of dollars
This is some really expensive stuff
And she dumps it on his feet and judas begins to rebuke and say, you know, why are you doing that?
What a waste it could have been given to the poor but look at verse six
This he said not that he cared for the poor
But because he was a thief and had the bag and bear what was put there
Then said jesus let her alone
Against the day of my burying as she kept this for the poor always you have with you
But me you have not always and so we see here that judas was a thief
Part of the reason why he might have been following jesus was just because he was basically handling the money
And he was stealing from the money. He was basically stealing out of the offering plate
He was stealing the the church's money and he had the bag and he was put there now
Look, let's just take a break from judas and let's talk about
Another judas for a minute. Okay our government today
You know, okay basically claims to love and care about the poor
Oh, man, we gotta take care of the poor. Hey, they don't care about the poor anymore than judas did they have the back
They have what's put there in they take off the top
That's why they want to talk so much about the poor and that was for free tonight
So
But it's very true
And so they that's exactly what's going on. This is their life verse right here
But anyway go to mark 14 and see another another angle of this story
Because we're trying to understand judas's character. So so far we saw he's an unbeliever
Doesn't believe in jesus does not believe on him
Is not saved
Jesus called him a devil now. We see he's a thief. He's stealing money
So part of the reason why he's in this is for the money
Now that's exactly consistent with what we saw in second peter, too
When he talked about false prophets that would be among you. He said they're covetous. They'll make merchandise of you
He said they love the wages of unrighteousness
Have you ever heard the statement stolen sweets are sweeter who's ever heard that?
stolen sweets are sweeter
Stolen sweets are sweeter, you know, that's what people say because you know when you steal something it tastes better
That's not really a good saying is it?
But you know that somebody in the bible said almost that exact thing the wicked adulterous woman in the book of proverbs
Who's trying to seduce the young man?
She tells him stolen waters are sweet and she's trying to get him to commit adultery
He's trying to get him to commit sin with her the wicked woman in the bible
And so you see there are people who enjoy things more when they're stolen now a good person a righteous person
Would rather pay their own way
Buy things and they like the joy of paying for something and earning something but those who are wicked they enjoy stealing
They'd rather steal
That even if they could work for it the same effort they'd rather steal because stolen sweets are sweeter to them
Okay, and so we see here that those in second peter chapter two it said they love the wages of unrighteous
They're like balaam. They love getting paid to be a false preacher
That's what it said in second peter two
They love getting paid and getting the money that comes with preaching a false doctrine and preaching lies
They're not in it for jesus christ. They serve not our lord. Jesus christ
They serve their own belly and there are many false prophets and false preachers out there
And they are not saved they preach another gospel, but they're in it for the money
But then he said that even among you
There will be people like that
So we're not just talking about some other rule. We're not just talking about the catholic priest
You know some phony religion
We're not talking about, you know, some kind of a united methodist or somebody
This is really far out from the gospel and the word of god
We're talking about it could even be among a church you say well
That's not going to be among a church if it's really a straight down the line
Well, look, you can't get any more straight down the line than where jesus is the pastor
You can't get any more fundamental than that
When jesus is the pastor and simon peter is sitting on one side of you and the apostle john
Is sitting on the other side of you you're in a pretty good church
and yet
Yet judas is there
So when he said they'll be among you
He means you
You're not going to be better than that church
They'll be in your crowd. They'll be in your church. They'll be at your feast feasting with you
There will always be people who creep in unawares and they're bad people
The bible teaches this why am I preaching about judas is scary
It's a warning to you to be aware of judas because judas is still around today in many forms. There are many judices
Look, if you would in mark 14 verse 3
It says me and bethany in the house of simon the leper as he sat at me jesus is saying now
No deal there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious and she braked the box
And poured it on his head and there were some that had indignation within themselves now, is that plural or singular?
plural, right
Why was this waste of the ointment made?
For it might have been sold for more than 300 pence and have been given to the poor
And they murmured against her and jesus said let her alone you see how this becomes infectious
Judas was the thief and the liar. He starts saying this stuff and guess what it rubs off on the people around him
So why is judas there when he's there for the money? Why is judas there to corrupt those around him?
to corrupt others
Into following his wicked ways. That's what we see there. Now. It's interesting go to matthew 26 because we see the same story
I got so many notes tonight. I gotta shuffle them around here
matthew 26
You know what I don't have it in my notes and I don't want to spend time on it go to uh, go to john
chapter number
Let's see here wrong place. Yeah, let's go to matthew 26. Sorry about that matt 26
Okay, put your finger in matthew 26
Oh, yeah, okay. I'm sorry. I just I have in my head that
Things were a certain way and I think I just have my notes wrong. We'll come back to another time
but one of the ones that I saw judas got rebuffed for
The ointment thing and that's when he went out to betray jesus at that point and I I don't have it in my notes
I'm, sorry, that's the point that I want to make but let's look at matthew 26 in verse 21
It says and as they did eat he said verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me
And they were exceeding sorrowful, you know because they think we're all friends now think about this
We're you know as our church here. We kind of know everybody here. We know most people obviously
There are visitors and new people but what if we were at a church service, right?
Let's say it was like a wednesday night service and it was just really there weren't really any visitors
It was just kind of the core people of our church
Or maybe it was even on a soul-winning night or something just when really the die-hards are there
And what if I just said, you know what there's somebody here tonight
This uh, that said judas is scary
There's somebody in this building right now
That is crept in that's a false
Devil, you know
That would make you sorrowful because you look around and you think well he's my friend and he you know
They're thinking, you know, I like this guy. I mean we've been together for three and a half years
So they're really sad to hear that because here they are 12 disciples and they're all friends
They've all been serving god and they've all been out knocking doors, you know going two by two like jesus sent them
And this is shocking to them
They're really sorrowful when they find out and watch this and began every one of them to say unto him lord. Is it judas?
Is that what they said?
No, they said what is it up?
Did they suspect judas at all?
No, is it I mean they would have been gone like
No
I think I know who it is
No
They didn't suspect anybody
Because the other 11 disciples were all legit
And judas they didn't suspect him at all because he fit in
Perfectly they've been with them every day for three and a half years and yet they would even suspect themselves
More than him. Isn't that amazing? I mean, they're like, isn't I?
Why?
Nobody said is it judas?
Now watch this it said
in verse number
23 and he answered and said he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish
The same shall betray you the son of man goeth as it is written of him
But woe unto that man by whom the son of man is betrayed
It had been good for that man if he had not been born so he's facing a really bad punishment
For uh betraying and forthwith he came or i'm sorry wrong verse, uh, it says
In verse 25 then judas because remember they're all asking like is it I is it I?
Then judas went to betray him answered and said master. Is it I he said unto him that was said
Now go to john
chapter
Let's see here. I don't know why my notes are all goofed up this printer. I tell you I think it printed my whole nose like backwards
It's going four three two one
Go to uh, go to john chapter number 13 here
John 13, okay. There we go
On page one. Okay. John 13 21. Look at this said when jesus had thus said he was troubled in spirit
And testified and said verily verily i've seen to you that one of you shall betray me
Then the disciples looked one on another doubting of whom he spake so, you know, they started looking around each other like
Who is it?
Yeah, it's a really tense moment. They're all kind of you know, why are you looking at me love so long?
Look over there, you know, they're all looking at each other
And they're doubting of whom he's fake. They're just like we can't figure this out. Who is it?
Now there was
Leaning on jesus bosom one of his disciples whom jesus loved we know that's the apostle john later at the end of the book
He says i'm that apostle, okay
So they're all seated around the table
Well, there's one decider that's right next to jesus
John and john was so close to jesus that he was actually leaning on him. He was actually leaned up against him physically
And jesus leaned up against john so he can basically talk to him quietly, you know, you just whisper right to jesus
So he's leaned right up against him
Simon peter verse 24 therefore beckoned to him that he should ask who it should be above his face
So peter's like ask him
Ask him to tell me, you know, so he makes a signal
So basically john
Leans over onto jesus breast, you know, that's just work for his chest. He leans up against him
And said unto him lord, who is it?
Jesus answered
He it is
To whom I shall give a sob when i've dipped it. So he says, okay, john, you know
Whoever I hand the top to when i've dipped it, that's who it is. So he dips the sock hands it to judas, okay
And it says, uh, he dipped the sock he gave it to judas scary at the sun of simon in verse 27 after the soft
satan entered into him
So after the soft entered into him satan entered into him
Okay, that's just the food is what that soft is then sent jesus unto him that thou doest do quickly
So john asked him who is it?
Okay, it's the guy that i'm about to hand this off to dips it hands it to judas
Judas eats it. He says that thou doest do quickly referring to betray again
Now no
Man, look at this first way. This will blow you away
No, man at the table knew for what intent he spake this on him. John
Still didn't put it together
Even when jesus said it's the guy i'm about to hit put this off to dips it hands it to judas
Judas says is it I?
Thou has said
You've said it
And nobody at the table
even gets it
Because they just can't believe that it's judas
You know, they're just in denial about it. Like he basically two different ways tells him it's judas
And then he tells judas
Do what you have to, you know, basically i'll put it into modern english he's basically saying, you know
Whatever you're about to do just go do it quickly
And he's talking about betraying him judas gets up from the table and walks out and none of the other 11 understand
They just think oh he's out just buying something
It says in verse 29 for some of them thought because judas had the bag that jesus had sent him to him
Buy those things that we have need of against the feast so they should give something for him
He said oh jesus is sending him on an errand, that's all no big deal
Now look let this sink down into your ears
Do you really think that you're able to identify the judas?
They couldn't I mean are you getting what i'm saying here
They could not and these are smart guys. These are great men of god
These are spiritual guys who've been in the same church with this guy for three and a half years. They could not identify the judas
And even it was probably who they least suspected because even when he pointed him out they still just couldn't believe it
Now you need to let that sink in and not think to yourself well, but I know I can trust so and so
I know so and so would never you know be a bad person. I really know this
Yeah, you can't and you say well, you sound really cynical and pessimistic. Look i'm telling you something
I'm preaching this because there's been a lot of people who've been harmed
Because of trusting the wrong people
And i'll tell you right now i've got six little children. I don't let my children out of my sight
We're living in perilous times. I mean we're living in days when judices abound
And when perverts abound and when false teachers abound and when and when predators abound and i'm going to take
Story after story after story you hear about children being defiled
In churches
In schools places that are considered safe places
The school classroom the sunday school class the church house the babysitter and i'm gonna tell you it's it's horrible
It's sad that lives are destroyed and defiled because people just trust everyone
You know and i'll tell you right now
I would not leave a suitcase with a if I had a suitcase of a million dollars cash
I wouldn't just I wouldn't leave that with somebody just because they were from church
And you know what my children are worth more than that
You know and so we got to be careful
I remember when I went to a church before where they literally I mean we've been going to this church for a very short time
They wanted us to go on an overnight
Couples retreat and they wanted us. How old were our children at that time?
Four and two or something or how old were they?
Okay, so they're like two years old and six months
I mean we had like these little kids like maybe they were three and one or two and whatever
And we had these little kids and they wanted us to drop our kids off at this babysitter that we had never even known of
The church wanted us to go on this couple's read and just leave our kids these people and they said oh, don't worry
They're from church
Oh, okay
But you know people think that we're nuts about this I mean we've got you know
Now that I pastor a church, you know, you know, we basically we all feel the same way here
We we just have a policy. We don't drop our kids off
We don't demand people to drop their kids. Oh your kids are going into this room over here and your kids are going to this room
You know, but in other churches, this was something we had to fight
Like literally somebody would take your kid and try to drag him into some class and i'm like no
My kids are staying with me right here
And then they get mad at you
You know because you won't just relinquish your time. Well your child needs to go to the six-year-olds, you know, it's like no
And you're pulling on
But anyway the bottom line is we gotta be careful today the bible says be vigilant be sober your adversary the devil
Walking about is a roaring lion seeking whom he made about go back to second peter chapter two if you would
Now second peter chapter two
This is where uh god's warning us further about these false prophets that are going to be among you
that are going to creep in and
You don't have to turn there turn to second peter two
But in jude, it's a parallel passage with second peter two and sometimes you want to do a really interesting bible study
Put second peter two and the book of jude side by side and study him and man a lot
It's really interesting. It pretty much deals with the same thing. He sheds a lot of light compare second peter two with jude
But in jude, he says there are certain men cracked in unawares
And he talks about the same people he talks about in second peter two
And look what it says that part of what they do
It says it talks about
Sodom and gomorrah and in jude, he talks about the the people of sodom giving themselves over to fornication
And going after strange flesh and he said likewise these also defiled flesh
So he says these people that creep in
Are also perverted like unto sodom and gomorrah and he also mentions that they commit adultery in this in this portion
And it also mentions it says they have eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin
Let me find the place here that I was looking for
It says in verse number 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin
beguiling unstable souls you see that beguiling
Unstable souls on heart they have exercised with covetous practices. Sounds like judas, huh?
Covetous wanting to steal money
cursed
Children, okay. And so we see here that these these people, uh
They're perverted in many cases. And so this is why we need to be very careful and guard our children
From predators today because it's a dangerous thing and the thing is, you know
I think that predators love to come into churches and that's why you hear about it so much because there's such a trusting atmosphere
Yeah, we just trust well you're from church we just trust you not at this church buddy
Perverts are going to have a hard time in this church because we just we we literally like we have that door
We have like rooms with doors on some we just rip the door off the hinges and just we did
I love how this building is just open
Just exposed, you know, there's no place to hide got that big window put in there and everything because
You know
We don't want people to be able to creep in and defile young people and it happens all the time
It's really sad. It's it's it's horrible. And you say well this person, you know, I know this person
I know these people I can trust them
You know, it's like somebody just recently in this area was exposed as a Judas Iscariot
And this exact person wanted to babysit our children when we first moved here
Offered to babysit them several times
Thank god, I didn't say oh this person's a pastor
Oh, okay. Yeah, that'll be perfect that this is a really good family
Because it's this it's a you know, independent of apathy. Hey turned out to be a Judas
Can you imagine if you if you drop your kids off and then you find that out?
And so i'm warning you tonight and you say well pastor Harrison, wait a minute
Should we go on a witch hunt and expose Judas and unmask the Judas Iscariot?
No, that's not what i'm saying because look is that what Jesus did?
No, I think that the reason why Jesus let Judas be among them for three and a half years
Three and a half years
Is to teach us and show us. Hey, there's always going to be Judas
He's always going to be there
even in my church
And so he's just showing us
That he's there
And to warn us because Jesus knew from the beginning. He couldn't just say hey get out of here. You're a phony get out of here
He let Judas be there in order to teach us and also obviously that the scripture might be fulfilled
That Judas might betray him and that fulfilled a lot of bible prophecy from the book of psalms
But he's just teaching us too that Judas is always going to be there. Let me give you my motto
And this isn't from the bible
Although I do believe that it's biblically based my my motto is this
Suspect no one trust no one. That's my motto, you know, i'm not going to go around suspecting everybody like, you know
Oh
You know are you judas, you know, I don't want to go through, you know, I I want to get people the benefit of doubt
You know, I mean i'm not just out trying to expose judas and i'm going to figure out who the judas is in this church
And you know you i'm watching you and whatever, you know, but at the same time I don't want to trust anybody
You say well shouldn't we trust people?
You know what the bible never teaches us to trust man. The bible says trust in the lord
And it says it's better to trust in the lord
Psalm 118 8 says it is better to trust in the lord than to put confidence in man
Nowhere in the bible will it teach you trust man. Trust people trust your brother trust. No, he says trust no one
Trust the lord only
Trust him alone
Because you can't trust man because you don't know who is the judas, you know, and you shouldn't go around suspecting everybody
That's not what jesus was teaching
And I also find it interesting that jesus put judas in charge of the money
Now was jesus ministry a money-oriented ministry. No because if jesus really cared about the money
It was a really money motivated
Like it was all about the offerings and we're raising money for this and we're raising the fundraiser
And we got the missions plan and the building plan and i'm not against raising money for those things
But some churches become really money-oriented where that's the focus
You know, and we've never we've never to this day raised money for anything in five and a half years we're thank you know
We're thankful for that. We've never had a thermometer up and never raised the money
And we just we have this philosophy just whatever comes in the offering we use it and if it doesn't come in we don't need it
You know, it's free to preach the gospel. It's free to sing. It's free to win souls
So basically the bottom line is jesus ministry was so not money oriented
That he took the guy that he knew was the phony and said here you handle the money
Because he didn't care
Because god's not short on money
Jesus didn't need the money. He said I don't care put judas in charge of it because that's the least important job
Because that's the thing that matters the least to god. He said judas you handle the money because it didn't matter
Think about this the streets are paved with gold
In heaven, so the god the thing that we value on this earth more than anything the most precious thing that we think when it comes
To money, you know gold a gold coin
Is the most valuable money you can have right?
Gold coins are worth thousands of dollars
And that gold to god is just like dirt. It's just like asphalt. It's just like it's what you tread upon
It just it's the bottom of the line
It's the bottom thing in heaven
And so that shows that we should never be money oriented as a church and you know
The love of money is the root of all evil, right?
It was the root of judas is scary. It's evil
Started with the love of money and got worse from there
And so jesus basically gave the job of handling the money to the guy that you know, basically
He knew was phony. He didn't care
And he's teaching us a lesson about that
But look if you would to uh, matthew 26 again back to matthew 26
I'll show you a little bit later in in the chapter. This is where judas so we've seen judas
Uh, you know get upset about the ointment
Because he was a thief he had the bag he almost put there then we saw judas at the last supper
Being pointed out by jesus as the betrayer
Nobody can believe it. Nobody understands it
Well now jesus and his disciples after they sing a hymn
After they've taken the last supper together they go out to the garden of gift 70
And that's where jesus had gone a lot to pray and so forth
And it says in verse number 46 rise. Let us be going behold. He is a hand that does betray
And while he gets fake lo judas one of the twelve came and with him a great multitude with swords and staves
From the chief priests and elders of the people so he went to them a covenant with them for 30 pieces of silver
That he's going to betray jesus into their hands and they're really happy about it. They're like, oh great. This will be perfect
We fear the people let's do it in the middle of the night
So they come to get jesus in the middle of the night
And it said in verse 48 now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying
The guy with the long hair, that's him. No, that's not what he said because jesus did not have long hair
Bible says it's a shame for men to have long hair and the men of course have short
But a lot of people paint paintings of jesus with long hair
You know and the guy who painted it was a queer that's why
Okay, you know these guys in the renaissance these girly men and they paint a guy that looks like them, you know
You ever seen like if you go to like a chinese church, jesus is chinese you ever seen those?
Or like in a black church. Jesus is black and in germany. Jesus has long hair and blue eyes, you know people envision him
To look like that, you know, here's the thing. We don't know what he looked like. It doesn't matter what he looked like
He's the savior of all men. It doesn't matter what color you are red and yellow black and white they're pressed inside
So some long-haired effeminate guy guess what he's gonna paint
A long-haired effeminate. Jesus, you know, I mean these jesus paintings a lot of them are just really effeminate and queer looking in the long hair
And he's just a girly man, you know, and so here's the thing if jesus really had long hair
Wouldn't he have just said hey, he's the guy who has long hair
Apparently jesus looked like everybody else. He didn't look anything special
The bible says in isaiah 53 when we shall see him. There is no beauty that we should desire
You know, I don't think that there was anything that just stood out like a sore thumb about jesus
He just looked like an ordinary guy because he's with 11 other guys
and he can't even just point and say see he's this guy or
Some people have tried to say that jesus was like a foot taller than all his disciples
Josephus the historians that you know, that's not it's just made up stuff
He was just an ad he looked like an average person and so therefore
Judas had to give a sign because they don't even know they can't even recognize judas from his disciples at night
So he basically says to him
Whomsoever I shall kiss
That same is he hold him fast
So he's going to give him a kiss in order to expose him as jesus and forthwith he came to jesus and say hail master
and kissed him
And jesus said unto him friend
Wherefore art thou come
Then came they and laid hands on jesus and took him you say wait a minute pastor anderson. Why did he call him friend?
You know, are you sure that he wasn't saved that he lost his salvation, right?
Hey, you know why he called him friend because it was his friend
I mean think about it. He'd been with him for three and a half years. He'd done everything for him
He'd spent all that time with him
And it's funny because the word friend jesus calling people friends I could and I don't know if this has anything to do with anything but
I just thought this was interesting
the only other time that I could find where you know
Jesus calling people friend. It's always people that he doesn't like
I don't know what that is, but you know, he calls judas friend and I don't know if there's any significance
Maybe you say but remember the parable
Where the people are complaining and moaning because they didn't get the right amount of money that they thought was fair
You know where he gives everybody a talent even the people who worked one hour versus 12 hours
He gives them all in town. He says to the guy who moaned about it. Hey friend, I do think no wrong
And then the other time he uses friend is when there was a guy who's at the wedding feast
And he doesn't have a wedding garment in matthew 20. Remember that girl and he says friend
How cameest thou and hither without a wedding garment and then he gets cast into hell
so
Not exactly a term of endearment, I guess I don't know what he meant by friend
But I I personally believe he's just calling him friend because it's just it's one of his friends
I mean, it's just somebody that he's associated with and
And he's been with him for three and a half years. So he says friend wherefore art.com he's saying hey, why are you here?
Then came they and laid hands on jesus and took him go to chapter 27 of matthew
matthew 27 verse 1
It says when the morning was come all the chief priests and elders of the people
Took counsel against jesus to put him to death
So he's been arrested in the garden judeus pointed him out betrayed him with a kiss
And by the way, what does that teach us just because somebody's nice to you?
Doesn't mean that they're a good person
I mean, here's a guy who comes up and gives him a kiss
But the bible says in the book of proverbs it says faithful are the wounds of a friend
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful
You know, so beware just because somebody's nice doesn't mean that they're a good person
So he's been arrested and he's been put on trial, you know, they have a trial in the middle of the night
And jesus said to them he said, you know, why are you in the middle of the night?
He said I spake openly the word. He said i've been ever taught in the synagogue in the temple
He said, you know why you didn't take me then he said this is your hour and the power of darkness
That's what jesus told him when they arrested, you know, you love this middle of the night stuff
Arresting me in the middle of the night putting me on trial in the middle of the night because you're doing wicked deeds
Because wicked deeds are done in the middle of the night good deeds are done out in the daylight
And so they decided that they're going to put him to death. They put him on trial and condemned him to die
And when they had bound him verse two, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. That's the roman governor
Then judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned. So judas is watching this happen
He watches jesus get condemned to death in this trial and when he saw that he was condemned
He repented himself
And brought again the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying i've sinned in that i've betrayed the innocent blood
So he basically changes his mind
When he sees jesus condemned to death, he's like, what have I done?
And he takes all the money that he earned the 30 pieces of silver
And he brings it to him and he says
I've sinned I I did wrong. I don't want this money anymore. You know, I betrayed the innocent blood
He basically realizes now that it's too late that jesus christ really is who he said he was
Now you say wait a minute he didn't realize that for three and a half years
Now all of a sudden he realizes that
Well, let me get to that in a little bit
But it says in verse four i've i've betrayed the innocent blood i've said and they said what is that to us?
See now that they're like we don't care. So what that's your problem
We're putting them to death
We gave you your money get out of here
So he's really upset so he cast down the piece of silver in the temple
So he's trying to give them back the money and they won't take it. They're like no get out of here. We don't care. So he just
Just throws it on the ground
Just runs out of the temple
And he departed
And went and hanged himself. So how did judas end with suicide? He killed himself
And then it says that uh, the chief priest took the silver pieces and said it's not lawful for to put them into the
Treasury because it was the price of blood, you know all of a sudden they care about what's lawful
They're putting they're putting jesus the lord jesus christ to death but these hypocritical phonies
They have their own little rules that they go by
Well, you know, we can't put this into the treasury because it's the price of blood
Even though we're the ones who paid this guy that you know, give us an innocent person that we're going to kill
It's like well, I hired this hit man to kill somebody but you know, I don't want to put this money in the offering place
Total hypocrites total ponies
You know no understanding of spiritual things
and they took counsel
And bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in so they said let's just take this money and buy a piece of ground
Use it for a cemetery and bury strangers in it. Wherefore that field was called the field of blood unto this day now
You say did did judas go to heaven or hell well judas went to hell the bible's clear
It'd be better for him if he'd never been born
and
Jesus said this and john said first of all, we already know that he didn't believe back in john 6
But jesus said in john 17 12 you don't have to turn there
But it says while I was with them in the world. I kept them in my name
Those that gave us me I have kept and none of them is lost
But the son of perdition
That the scripture might be fulfilled
There's only two people in the bible that are called the son of perdition perdition basically means damnation
So he's called the son of damnation. It's better for him that he was never born
It says in acts chapter one that he killed himself and it says that he might go to his own place
You know, he didn't go to heaven. He went to hell. He was a child of perdition
It would have been better for him if he'd never been born
But you see in uh, where did I turn i'm sorry or john I was reading from john 17 the only
Two people in the bible that are called the son of perdition are judas and scarred and somebody tell me who else?
The antichrist and second thessalonians chapter two is referred to as the sunrise also
What's interesting the only two people in the bible who were actually possessed by satan?
Judas iscariot and the and the antichrist one day will be possessed by satan
Isn't that interesting because you know, there are all kinds of devils that possess people throughout the bible, but only
Those two people does the bible mention personally satan
Entered into them and took over their body and used it for that purpose
So basically satan entered into him and uh, basically he betrayed jesus christ because that reason now you say
So he went to hell did he go to hell because he committed suicide. No
Committing suicide isn't what sent him to hell
It's not believing on jesus christ to send now. Now you say wait a minute would a believer ever commit suicide
You say are you only unbelievers commit suicide or is it possible for a believer to commit suicide?
Let me tell you it's definitely possible
For a believer to commit suicide and go to heaven turn back to first samuel chapter 30 because there were two men in the bible
Who committed suicide who for sure went to heaven?
And those two men are number one
Saul king saul and number two samson. So let's look first at king saul
This is where uh
31
31.4. Thank you
All right. I'm, i'm mixed up tonight. Yeah, there we go 31.4
That's how i'm looking for first samuel 31.4 says this then sent saul unto his armor bearer draw my sword and thrust me through there
With lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me. So this is king saul. He's fighting a battle
He's losing the battle
And he's wounded and he doesn't see any path of escape. So he basically says to his armor bearer just kill me
Thrust me through stabbed because he said I don't want these philistines to come and abuse me
He didn't want to suffer a fate worse than death. And so he just said just kill me
And his armor bearer was afraid to do it. So he basically took a sword
Well, let's read it. It says but his armor bearer would not free was so afraid therefore saul took a sword and fell upon
So who killed saul himself?
And then look at verse five and when his armor bearer saw that saul was dead
He fell likewise upon his sword and died with him now you say and then says so
Died so saul died and his three sons and his armor bearer and all his men that same day together
So how do you know, uh king saul's in heaven? Well, because earlier when he went to the witch at indore
He goes to the witch and she's dealing with familiar spirits and devils
Well all of a sudden samuel, he says conjure me up samuel. Don't call up samuel
And she's doing her little crystal well all of a sudden samuel really shows up according to the bible and people will try to say
Well, that wasn't really samuel. Well, the bible says it was samuel
The bible says samuel said unto him who was saying and samuel's samuel rebukes him and says you're not right with god
God has departed from you and he says tomorrow you're gonna lose that battle and he said tomorrow
Shall thou and thy sons be with me?
Now where was samuel?
He's in heaven, you know, he was saying we know he was in heaven and he told saul tomorrow you're going to be with me
Saul was saved. I mean earlier in saul's life when he first heard the word got preached by samuel
The bible says he heard preaching and it says he became another man
He said god gave him a new heart and he was turned into another man. That was when saul got saved
And the spirit of the lord was upon him greatly but later in life. He got into all kinds of sin
He did a bunch of bad things and he ended up killing himself
But he still went to heaven because samuel said you're coming to be with me you say well, how else do you know to say well?
luke 13 28
Says that all the prophets
Will be in the kingdom of heaven
The bible says that the scriptures came in old time as holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy ghost
And he said that the jews would weep
In luke 13 28 when they saw abraham isaac and jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of heaven
But they themselves cast out all of god's prophets of the old testament
That were real true prophets of the lord
Went to heaven according to the bible and of course saul was one of those prophets because many times
Saul prophesied the spirit of the lord came upon people were really surprised and said is saul also among the prophets
He said well, it was their father, you know, and they basically he was a problem
But the bible is clear that he went to be with samuel. Samuel is with the lord. He went to be with the lord
Here's another man that for sure went to heaven. They committed suicide samson
The bible talks about samson in hebrews chapter 11 in the great hall of faith as being great men of faith
And we know that he was saved. He had faith. He was saved by faith
And
Samson when he had his eyes burned out of his sockets because he had committed sin
He had lusted after too many women
So god basically brought that punishment upon him where he had his eyes burned out by the ballistines
Remember they chained him up to the pillars and so they could make sport and they made fun of him and laughed at him
Well samson prayed that god would give him the strength to tear down the building by knocking over the two pillars
And his last words were let me die with the ballistines
And he pushed in the pillars
Brought down the building killing himself and everyone else
He's a suicide bomber
Because he killed himself and everybody in the building
Okay
And so he he committed suicide and you can try to say well that's not suicide. Well, it's suicide
He said let me die with the ballistines and kill himself. Saul definitely killed himself. He fell on the sword
Nowhere does the bible say if you commit suicide you're going to heaven
And nowhere does the bible say that a believer will never commit suicide
I've known people in my personal life. Like I knew a guy
And I believe that this guy was saved. I don't know for sure that he was saved
I know for sure. Saul was saved. I know for sure samson was saved, but I knew a guy
I'm, not sure 100 if he was saved, but i've ever reason to believe that he was saved
He found out that his wife had been committing adultery
You know, that's a horrible thing to find out
That's a shock, I don't know how I would deal with that you you don't know how you would deal with that
That could be a real shocking thing to find out and he took his own life
You know
Not the right thing to do. He shouldn't have done that. It's a tragedy. It's a terrible thing to do
But you know what? You can see how that happened
The shock the depression and it might not have been premeditated
Just he just couldn't handle it. Just couldn't take it took his own life
That doesn't mean he went to hell folks if he believed on the lord jesus christ
Which I believe that that man is years and years back
I believe that that man did believe on jesus christ. I believe he's in heaven
If he believed he's saved and saul's answer the same now who else committed suicide follow a hit the bell david's counselor a hit the bell
I don't have concrete proof, but I believe that a hit the bell was probably saved
Saul's armor bearer was probably saved, you know
So there were people in the bible who committed suicide and went to heaven
And there were people in the bible who committed suicide and went to hell, uh, this is one of them another one was
Omri
Brother garrett, am I right about that the guy who burned down his own house on himself was putting that off simra
Not I knew it wasn't all right simra. Remember simra the king of israel right before arm, right?
Simra tried to take over the kingdom. He rained for like seven days
Because then the general arm ride that the general of the host
He decided to do a military coup d'etat
And so when simra is in the palace and arm rise coming to basically take over
He basically, you know burned himself into a house and so, you know, probably a suicide there
And so the bottom line is there's wicked people in the bible who were unsaved like simra was definitely not saved. Okay?
Judas was definitely not saved so it's not the point
People commit suicide. It's a horrible thing to do. No one should ever commit suicide. It's a sin. It's wrong. It's wicked
It's it's it's hurtful to the people around you
Obviously when people commit suicide, they do horrible pain and injustice to people around them, but it has nothing to do with salvation
Judas went to hell because he did not believe on christ now
Let me just deal with the last thing here before I close
And there's a lot of talk about judas, but I want to just focus on this one point
Why did judas
Go to them and say i've betrayed the innocent blood
He knew that what he'd done
Was wrong at that point. Why did he not know that before?
Okay. Well go to john 12
I'll tell you why I think so is because
Is
I believe that judas was a reprobate as well. Okay
And and here's the thing, you know, i'm not going to repreach a whole other sermon right now because we're we're winding this sermon down
on judas is scary, but
There's it's a whole other sermon another self. I preached a sermon you can get the audio
You can download it online the sermon I preached a few weeks back called becoming a reprobate
Where I really just for over an hour
Go into the subject of what biblically is a reprobate, you know, if you download that sermon
It's real clear
In the bible that people can people can come to a point where it's too late for them to get saved real difficult
I mean like for example, the bible says if you add to or take away from god's word
Remember revelation 22 18 19. He says your part will be blotted out of the book of life and out of the holy city
And obviously he's talking about unsaved people
Committing that sin and now they've lost all opportunity to ever get saved again
Remember the blasphemy against the holy ghost
The bible said that because the pharisees blasphemed the holy ghost and said that jesus christ had an unclean spirit
And then he casted out devils by beelzebub the prince of the devils when they said that jesus told them
He said all men are of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven of the men
But the blasphemy against the holy ghost shall not be free neither in this world neither in the world to come
He said you're in danger of eternal damnation. You have no forgiveness
So it's very clear that it's possible for people to get to a point where they pass salvation when they commit certain things
And the bible calls that person a reprobate because reprobate just means rejected
People come to a point where they get rejected where god hardens their heart now remember pharaoh god hardened pharaoh's heart
But at first pharaoh hardened his own heart
When he kept rejecting god rejecting the truth
Eventually god hardened his heart
Because of the fact that it's possible for a person to lose their chance to get saved
That's why if you're not saved you should get saved today
And not say well, I need to think about it, you know, well, okay, you might just keep thinking about it
And eventually you're going to get a hardened heart
Hardened heart that's why the bible says now is the accept time now is the day of salvation
People get to a point where they hear the gospel. They hear the gospel. They hear the gospel. They reject it. They reject it
They reject it later later. I'm not interested don't care not worried about it
God finally gets sick of it and says, okay
Well your chances are over now for sure when a person dies without price, it's too late for them
But even while somebody's on this earth, they can become too late, you know when they get a heart
They just keep getting hardened and they actually
Just become reprobate. God just says okay. Well, you're done
Look at john 12 and this is very clearly laid out in john chapter 12
It says in verse 37 about the pharisees, but though he had done so many miracles before them
Yet they believed not on him now wouldn't that apply to judas too?
Judas saw a lot of miracles, didn't he?
But yet he did not believe on christ
That the saying of his eyes the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake lord
Who had believed our report unto whom at the arm of the lord been revealed therefore what?
They could
Not believe why could they not believe?
Why were they unable to believe because that his eyes said again, he had blinded their eyes who's blinded their eyes
god
He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart
That they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted that I should heal them
It's not that god chooses certain people to go to heaven and certain people go to hell. He offers it to everybody who still don't believe
But people can come to a point where they can't believe because their eyes have been blinded their heart has been hardened
Judas, I believe was at that point
Because he'd seen so much
You could not walk and talk with jesus every day for three and a half years while he's on this earth
Hear his word preach you're either going to get saved
Or you're going to get out
You're not going to keep following him and not be a reprobate because if you just can keep hearing it keep seeing the miracles
And you're still not saying
You've hardened your heart. You're a reprobate and that's what was judas's story. He's a reprobate but here's the scary thing about it
Judas knew that he was on his way to hell
I believe
I believe judas knew that he was going to hell
Because when he said i betrayed the innocent blood, I believe I mean he said the innocent blood
I think he's referring to the fact that jesus christ
Was who he said he was he really was the son of god because after he's being accused of impersonating
the the son of god
And he knew it was the truth
But it was just too late for him
He was reprobating it was just too late and you know
It's like esau it got too late for esau he found no place of repentance though. He saw it carefully with tears
It became too late for him. And so there's a verse in the bible that I was talking about the dave about this
Where paul is really talking really sternly to the corinthians. He's really been laying into the corinthians about a lot of
Wickedness in their church a lot of problems in their church
And when he gets into second christians 13 he warns him he says i'm going to come down there
I don't want to have to clean house on you guys. He said I want to come in love
I don't want to come with a rock. I don't want to come in anger
He said I want to come and enjoy your fellowship. He teaches throughout second corinthians, but he says he gives a warning
He says examine yourselves
Whether you be in the faith, he's even questioning that some of them aren't safe
He says examine yourselves whether you be in the faith
Prove your own self and he says know you not your own selves how that
Jesus christ is in you except you be reprobates now look
There are a lot of people who don't have jesus in them that are not reprobates
But to those people specifically who've been in that fundamental chart
I mean that church in corinth there was a bible believing bible preaching soul-winning church. He said look I know you guys
I've known you guys for years. I mean either you're saved or you're a reprobate, you know what I mean?
Because then that's the thing when people can go in a church
for 20 years
That preaches the right salvation and the right word of god
They're either saved or they're a reprobate
Because they're either going to get saved or they've rejected it a thousand times
You understand what i'm saying? And that's what he's explaining here. And so
We need to be warned. There's a lot more we can say about judith
We can bring up the fact that judith's number one anybody price
Because if good an evil tree can't bring forth good for him actually good tree can't bring forth evil fruit
So he did not he went out stolen. He went through the motions
He preached to people but he's not really responsible for getting anybody saved
We can examine the fruit of people to see whether that that tells us right away whether they're really saved or not saved
But it's a warning tonight. Why preach on judas?
Well, because it's a biblical subject a lot about the bible why preach about judas just to warn you not so you can be paranoid
And you know worried about everybody in church judas who's the judas at paperwork
Don't go around suspecting that's not what jesus taught that's not what he encourages disciples to do
But just know in the back of your mind always that judas is there
And be sober and be vigilant
Don't leave your kids unattended. We don't just drop your kids off people just because they're from church
Don't just trust people just because they're don't just assume that everybody's always right
Don't try to expose don't try to figure it out, but just always beware and god warned us. He said they're going to be among you
No matter how hard we try to make sure he's not going to be here. He'll be here
But you know what? Let him be here
Let him count the money
You know what? I mean, and I joke around when people count the money. I say thanks to you
Just you know, this is a joke and I mean that as a joke
My wife gets really bad when I say that
I always say that's so mean to say that to people when they count the offer and call them judas
All right. I'm, sorry. I learned it from a friend that gave me that bad
Let him count the money let him be among us
We're saved we're going to heaven and you here today know that your heart is right with god
You know that you believe on christ, you know that you're that you're you know legit, you know, just don't worry about the right
You know, that's their problem
Judas is going to hell, you know, and just be faithful serve god
Don't let covetous enter in covetous and center in and just be aware of judas is the message tonight
Let's put our eyes on that word of prayer father. Thank you so much for these warnings in the bible
Dear god, they can really save us a lot of heartache and a lot of trouble
If we would just be aware of the fact that there's judas out there
And god, we don't we don't know who is saved we don't know who is is judas
We know that you know, probably 11 out of 12 are good to go
I mean there was only one judas out of 12 in your church. And so maybe
you know, hopefully hopefully there's even less than that in ours and so we
We love you dear god, and we thank you for warning us about judas and we thank you for your word
We thank you for saving us and giving us eternal life as a free gift
And thank you for this holiday that we celebrate the resurrection of christ in jesus name. We pray