(Mat. 26:14-25; Jn. 6:70-71) "Have not I chosen you, and one of you is a devil..."

"One of you is a Judas?"

> "One of you is a hypocrite?"

> "ONE OF YOU IS A DEVIL?"

They all said, "Lord is it I..."

> If I were to say this morning, "One of you is a lost hypocrite!"

> Would you look around to see who I might be speaking of?

> Or would you say, "Is it I?"

The truth is, Judas Iscariot was elected as their financial leader.

> Judas was respected and honored.

Would it surprise you to find out that the person you LEAST suspect of being LOST...

> Was a LOST HYPOCRITE???

1. Judas was chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ.

> He was called by Jesus to be a disciple.

2. He was liked of his peers.

> The Bible gives not one clue that the disciples were suspicious of Judas.

3. Several times the Bible says, "He was numbered among them..."

> That means he was an integral part of the group.

4. God prophesied of Judas' acceptance (Ps. 55:12-14)

<1> They treated him as an equal (v. 13).

<2> They viewed him as a leader ("my guide").

<3> They did not see Judas as an enemy, but as a friend ("mine acquaintance").

<4> They went to church, and worshiped together (v. 14).

5. If there is a Judas among us, let me say...

> He will be the least suspected.

> He will be one of us. One of our acquaintances.

> He may be a teacher, guide, or leader.

> He will worship with us, and assemble with us.

1. He forsook all.

> "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee..."

> Peter was talking about the disciples as a whole, having forsaken all.

> There is no reason to believe that he was not including Judas.

2. Judas probably forsook more than the rest.

> Judas was more than likely an educated man (He was their treasurer).

> They gave up fish nets, but Judas gave up a financial career.

> HE FORSOOK ALL!

1. "He held the bag, and kept what was put therein".

> The group's treasurer.

2. He had good references.

> He was a capable leader.

> He was dependable in their eyes.

3. He stayed with the Lord, when others departed (John 6:66-71).

> (v. 67) "Then said Jesus unto THE TWELVE, Will ye also go away?"

> (v. 70) "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen YOU TWELVE, and one of you is a devil?"

> (v. 71) "He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of THE TWELVE."

> MOST OF THE GROUP FORSOOK THE LORD, BUT JUDAS STAYED WITH HIM!

4. Trouble came, and there was a church split, but Judas stuck by Jesus.

> The multitude scattered, but not Judas.

> Had a testimony of Faithfulness.

1. He chose the company of Spiritual men.

> You can often tell a man's character by the company he keeps.

> Judas' company was God's people.

2. He chose to follow Jesus.

> Jesus said things like, "Except a man hate his father, mother, brothers & sisters.. cannot be my disciple..."

> Jesus did not make it easy to follow Him, BUT JUDAS DID.

> Jesus said, "Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head."

> Following Jesus was not a life of comfort, it was a life of sacrifice; But JUDAS followed Him anyway.

3. Judas chose the company of spiritual people.

> He enjoyed the company of God's men.

> He participated in the work.

> He was a leader in the church.

 

1. Satan entices men with lies.

> He tells them that sin is in their own best interest.

> But, he really just wants to extend his control over their lives.

2. "Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve."

> Some would say...

> "But Judas was LOST, this could never happen to me."

> (Acts 5:1-5; v. 3 "why has satan filled thine heart..."

3. satan led Judas to believe that his decision to betray the Lord was a wise one.

> The devil can may YOU think and do some of the STUPIDEST things...

> YOU, not some lost heathen, YOU!

> Ananias was part of the N.T. church!

4. Some think that Judas thought he would force the hand of God, by betraying the Lord (Mt. 27:1-4).

> It seems that Judas was surprised that Jesus was condemned.

> Perhaps he thought that putting Jesus in chains would lead to the ushering in of His kingdom.

5. I don't know why Judas decided to betray the Lord, but I do know the outcome (Mt. 27:5).

> Whatever his reasoning, it didn't work out like he thought it would

6. satan was able to convince Judas that betraying the Lord was a wise move.

> But, Judas found that sin never comes out like we thought it would.

1. The saddest truth about churches like ours...

> Many will grow up a in church that preaches the truth, and still go to hell.

2. Judas "was numbered among the twelve."

> Judas went out preaching with the disciples.

> He cast out demons and healed the sick in Jesus' name...

> He was every bit as accepted and used of God as any of them.

3. Judas was counted as a follower of Jesus Christ, but was lost.

> He was baptized and yet he was lost.

> He preached the Gospel and yet was lost.

> He was trusted by his peers, and yet he was lost!

> It is a terrible thing to go to Hell from anywhere...

> But what a terrible thing to go to Hell after sitting at the feet of Jesus for three years.

4. You can be the epitome of Christianity and be lost.

> Sitting in a church; Being a member of a church; Even leading a ministry in a church....

> IS NOT ASSURANCE OF BEING SAVED.

5. It is possible to be near Christ...

> To associate with his followers, to even be engaged in ministry and still not be truly saved...

6. Preacher's kids, Deacon's kids, Many that grew up in a good church... AND STILL THEY'RE LOST!

1. He put Judas in a place of honor at the last super.

> Judas reclined to at the left side of Jesus, one of the two places of honor at the table.

> The Apostle John was on the other side.

2. Jesus goes around the table washing each of the disciple's feet, he also washed Judas' (Jn.10:11-12)

> This was a loving arrow aimed at the conscience of Judas.

3. As Jesus dipped the bread in the bowl and offered it to Judas it is difficult not to see this as an offer that it is not too late.

> Judas took the bread but refused to turn back to the master.

4. At the last moment, Jesus still calls Judas, "His friend..." (Matt. 26:48-50).

> "I call you not servants... a servant knoweth not..."

> "I have called you friends..."

> "Greater love... lay down his life for his friends..."

1. (John 13:23-30) "That thou doest, do quickly..."

> Surely Judas must have realized what such a statement meant!

> I know you're the one who plans to betray me.

> Go quickly and do it!

2. The Lord wanted us to know that "It was night!"

> "NIGHT" in the Scripture has the connotation of a time to do evil.

> Judas went out to betray the sweet lamb of God, "AND IT WAS NIGHT!"

> The worst act ever done to a friend, "AND IT WAS NIGHT!"

> God wanted us to know that the worst betrayal in history to place when "IT WAS NIGHT!"

3. If you want to turn your back on God, ultimately He will let you!

> If you want to walk away from God, He will let you.

> Ultimately God will Give Us over to our Decisions.

> But, you will find it to be the darkest night of your life.

1. Remorse is not TRUE repentance.

> Remorse is simply regretting the outcome of sin.

> After a night of drunkenness you can regret that you drank, but that's not repentance.

2. You can feel sorry for yourself.

> You can feel sorry for the situation...

> You may even feel sorry about the person you wronged...

> But that's not necessarily repentance.

3. Remorse without repentance leads to depression.

> Remorse without repentance leads to guilt and anxiety.

> Remorse without repentance makes you feel bad about your sin, without giving you any reprieve from it.

> Its like going to the doctor with a terminal illness and he says there is nothing he can do for you!

> Knowing you have sinned doesn't relieve the guilt...

> Knowing that God will forgive you DOES!

4. Judas was in a hell of his own making.

> He was being pounded by his own mind for what he had done.

> Sin always brings unbearable misery.

> His remorse was boundless; But no amount of remorse can save you!