(Mat 10:4) "and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him..."

If you study the lives of the twelve apostles of Christ, you will find that other than Peter, James and John...

No other disciple gets more Scriptural pre-eminence than Judas Iscariot.

In other words, the Bible has more to say about Judas Iscariot than at least 8 of the other disciples.

If I were to ask you to name the original 12 disciples how many could you name?

> Peter, James, John, Thomas???

> And, Judas Iscariot!

More is said about him than the most of the other disciples.

> He is not an obscure member of the circle, but one of the most well known of them

But, what kind of man was Judas?

Was he a saved child of God, as some profess?

> Was he simply a misled disciple?

Was he a zealot trying to force the Lord to usher in the kingdom?

> A true believer of the Messiah and to make Him take control.

Was he the devil incarnate as others profess?

> Not just filled with the devil, but the devil himself.

> Just as Christ is the incarnation of God, so they say, Judas is the incarnation of satan.

Or was he, as I believe, an unsaved church member trying to live the Christian life in the flesh?

> He was zealous, active and pious in his religion, BUT HE WAS LOST!

> I believe that TRUE gospel preaching churches are full of men like Judas.

> I believe that the vast majority of those that call themselves Christians are LOST, RELIGIOUS, CHURCH MEMBERS.

A Preacher told one of his church members:

"Bro. Sammy is my best friend. He is a good friend...

> But, he's a lousy church member!

"Bro. Sammy comes to church whenever he wants...

> He doesn't tithe; Doesn't serve God; Doesn't do much for the church...

"He's my friend. He's a good friend..."

> But, he's a lousy church member!

But just the opposite could be said of Judas. Judas, was a LOUSY friend, but he was a GREAT CHURCH MEMBER!

I. You Can Be a Good Church Member and Not be Saved.

A. First we must determine if Judas was saved?

1. Jesus plainly states that Judas was lost (Jn 17:12).

> Jesus makes an explicit statement that all of His disciples are SAVED except ONE!

> (John 13:10-11; 18) Jesus plainly tells them that one of them is LOST!

2. (John 17:12) He is called "The son of perdition..."

> Literally means the son of destruction.

> STRONG'S - damnable or damnation, destruction, to die or to perish.

> satan is also called the son of perdition... (where some get the idea that Judas is satan).

[2 Th 2:3] "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition..."

> Lost people are said to have evidence of perdition...

[Phil 1:28] "And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God."

3. (Acts 1:15-20 quotes Psa. 109:4-8) Read verse 16, then read Psalms 109...

> "When he shall be judged, let him be condemned..."

4. Jesus Himself speaks very harshly of Judas and his deed (Mat. 26:23-24).

> "it had been good for that man if he had not been born..."

There can be no question about the matter.

The Scripture tells us plainly that Judas was LOST.

But, he was a great church member.

B. Many will die and go to hell from a good church pew (Matt. 7:21-23).

1. Not everyone that calls Jesus, Lord, is going to heaven (v. 21).

> Jesus said so!

> Churches are full of people that claim Jesus as their Lord...

> But, not everyone that calls Him Lord is going to heaven.

2. Not everyone that preaches the gospel is saved (v22).

> Many will say, "have we not prophesied."

> Being a preacher does not guarantee a place in heaven.

3. Not everyone that does miracles is saved!

> "and in thy name have cast out devils?"

> Benny Hinn; Oral Roberts; etc.

4. Not everyone that serves in the church is saved.

> "and in thy name done many wonderful works?"

> Many are going to hell after a life of sacrifice and service to the church.

5. NOTICE that the Lord said MANY!

> Many means not a few.

> Perhaps it means more than we think!

> Is it possible that a large percentage of our church is LOST?

6. But, now NOTICE that Judas did all these things (Matt. 10:1-8):

> He called Jesus Lord many times as they worshiped and walked with him three years.

> He preached the gospel. The Bible tells us plainly that he was among them (v. 7).

> He cast out devils; and healed the sick (v. 8).

> Peter said Judas took part in their ministry:

[Acts 1:17] "For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry."

Judas called Jesus Lord, and Prophesied in His name; & in His name cast out devils.

But he was LOST and he went to hell!

C. Judas sat under the best preaching in the world.

1. You may go to hell out of this church and say...

> Bro. Martin just never made it clear enough...

> But, Judas cannot say that!

2. You may enter eternal damnation and say...

> The preacher never reached my heart...

> But, Judas cannot say that!

3. Judas went to hell after sitting under the greatest preacher in the world.

> Judas has no excuse.

> Judas sat under the preaching of Jesus Himself.

4. But, may I say to you... If you don't believe this Book, you aren't going to believe no matter who is preaching!

> And, no matter how poor the messenger, you will still be judged for rejecting the Message!

You can sit in a good church, hear good preaching, even serve God in the church AND STILL BE LOST!

HE WAS LOST, but he was a Great Church Member!

He was a Great Church Member, but he was a LOUSY friend!

A. Having gifts to help the church (Matt. 10:1).

1. The Lord Himself chose Judas, and gave him power over devils...

> Hey, we need some people in the church with power from God.

2. We need some with the gift of carpet laying...

> Thank God for those in the church who have skills that God can use.

B. He was devoted to the Lord and to His work.

1. Jesus said, "If any man come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me..."

> Not an encouraging invitation.

2. Jesus said, "Any man that loves his father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me!"

> Jesus wasn't making following Him look like a picnic!

3. The disciples answered Him, "Lord we have forsaken all..."

> Not all of us except Judas have forsaken all...

> But we! ALL OF US INCLUDING JUDAS HAVE forsaken all!

4. The Lord didn't make it easy.

> But, Judas forsook all and followed Him anyway!

C. He was trustworthy and dependable.

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

> He was selected as their treasurer.

> A very esteemed position.

2. He wasn't put their because they didn't trust him, but because they did.

> Later, after the betrayal, they must have been showed by God the truth about Judas.

> Because they later wrote that he was "a thief"!

3. But, before the betrayal they had every confidence in Judas.

> Jesus said, "One of you shall betray me."

> They began everyone of them to say, "Lord is it I?"

> Not Judas! Is it I? It must be ME!

He was a good church member...

Having gifts and talents that could help the church.

He was a good church member...

He was DEVOTED to the Lord, and to His work.

He was a good church member...

He was trustworthy and dependable.

THE CHURCH NEEDS SOME DEPENDABLE PEOPLE!

D. He was faithful to the end (John 6:66-71).

1. Jesus had preached a hard message, and many of His followers fell away (v. 59-61).

> They were offended!

2. Two kinds of troublemakers in the church.

> Those who are BRASH and OFFENSIVE and those who're easily offended.

> They give their Pastor's a heartache!

3. But, when these followers of Christ were offended, and stopped following... Judas Stayed!

> Notice Jesus' response:

[John 6:70] "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

> You guys stayed because you are my chosen ones!

> And, one of you is a devil!

 

He was a good church member...

Had gifts that could help the church.

He was DEVOTED to the Lord.

He was trustworthy and dependable.

Some are not faithful at the beginning, more less to the end.

E. But, though he was a good church member, he was still LOST.

1. How do I know he was a LOST, RELIGIOUS CHURCH MEMBER?

> He did religious works.

> He was religiously pious.

2. He acted like he cared for the poor.

> He said, "That could have been sold and given to the poor."

> Not because he cared for the poor, but because that is what religious people say.

3. He majored in the financial and secular aspects of the work.

> He did religious works, but his true nature came out when he was handling money!

4. When he was convicted of his sin, he ran to the wrong place for forgiveness (Matt. 27:1-5).

> Have you ever wondered why he didn't go and say this to the Lord?

> Why not fall at the feet of Jesus and plead for mercy?

> But, he went to the chief priests and religious leaders.

> WHY? Because he was just a religious church member!

This is why some of you are in a gospel preaching church and are STILL LOST!

III. He was a good church member, but he was a lousy friend.

A. Jesus called him, Friend.

1. Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane...

> The Lord is agonizing in prayer as He sees the time of His suffering nearing.

2. As He rises from prayer He hears the company of soldiers coming...

> Judas approaches Jesus, as he does, the Lord looks at him and says:

[Mat 26:50] "And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?"

3. In the Bible references to the term "friend" are almost always positive.

> "Abraham believed God, and he was called the friend of God..."

[John 15:13-15] "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."

 

4. It is a significant title: Friend.

> Judas would betray the Lord; But, the Lord would not betray Judas.

> Judas was a LOUSY friend to Jesus; But Jesus was still a good friend to him.

B. Characteristics of a lousy friend.

1. He was in it for himself (Matt. 26:14-16).

> He went to them to betray the Lord.

> He said, "What will you give me?"

> He had a "What's in it for me?" attitude.

2. Some friends have "I" problems.

> I was offended!

> I was not given a position!

> I was ignored!

> I was rebuked!

> I was treated unfairly!

3. He didn't care who's feelings he hurt (John 13:21).

> "When Jesus had thus said, he was TROUBLED IN SPIRIT, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me."

> Some are so abrasive and self-centered that they don't care who gets hurt in their path.

> Like a bull in a china shop, they don't care how many delicate items they break.

> Jesus was broken hearted, and troubled in spirit...

[Psa 55:12] "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance...

"Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

C. Perhaps you are a good church member.

1. You do all the right things.

> Come to church regularly.

> Carry a Bible. Even make a pretense of reading it.

> You may even have a place of service.

> You may even be a preacher!

2. But your lost. Your not saved!

> Who are you trying to impress by remaining a hypocrite?

> What do you hope to profit by rejecting the Lord?

> How much pride would keep a person from coming to Christ?

> How much pride is worth going to hell for?

3. Perhaps you're a good church member.

> Maybe you have an office or place of leadership in the church.

> Maybe you are respected as a high leader in the church.

> Maybe you're a faithful church member not in the spotlight!

> You serve God faithfully in the background.

4. But, you're a lousy friend.

> People have to walk on eggshells around you. So easily offended!

> Or you're a drain on your friends because you don't carry your own weight.

> Or you're a mean spirited person who is constantly defaming and putting others down.

 

Maybe you're a great church member, but a lousy friend!