Matt 27:3-5
A Timeline to Disaster:
But it is important for you to have a
firm understanding of the timeline and
the chronology of one Judas Iscariot,
for it is a timeline to disaster.
How does one become a "Judas"? What
must occur in the spirit realm for a
clean-cut, bright-eyed, enthusiastic
follower of Christ to so quickly desc
end into the greedy, embittered traitor
that Judas became.
How did he regress from a loyal
disciple into the cynical, critical, cold
and calloused out-sider that face the
redeemer of the world and offer him a
kiss of betrayal?
Judas would kiss the door to heaven
and then turn around and walk through
the gates of hell, not because of
something that occurred overnight, but
because of a slippery slope of greed
and love for the world that superceded
his love for Jesus.
Did Judas have to become the
betrayer? No. If you believe that then
you accept the Calvinistic theory of
predestination, and you turn your back
on the words of Christ that declare
, "It's not God's will that any should
perish, but that all should come to
eternal life."
Instead, I believe that the sub-
terreanean, underlying spirit of
betrayal stalked the elite group of
twelve close disciples, and as a wolf
that picks of the smallest and the
weakest, found the most willing victim
in Judas Iscariot.
We are all capable of betrayal:
Eleven of the twelve must have
believed that they were capable of
horrible betrayal.
Matt 26:21-22
21 And as they did eat, he said,
Verily I say unto you, that one of
you shall betray me.
22 And they were exceeding
sorrowful, and began every one of
them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
According to his own gospel, authored
by his own hand and the Holy Spirit
, was their one disciple who was sure
that it would not be him. For John 13
declares that their was a disciple who
leaned on the bosom of Jesus and
asked, without reference to himself,
"Lord, who is it?"
Why even talk about Judas?
Why do we need to more than casually
observe the life and demise of one
Judas Iscariot?
Because, though lying dormant, there
is resident in all of us the same
distinct possibility that we also would
denounce, betray, abandon, and
forsake the Christ of the Cross.
"The Judas Syndrome!" Just look at all that Judas beheld: He saw the miracles. He heard the powerful teachings of Christ. If Judas needed proof and production, he had it. Everyday was Sunday, choir , anointed preaching, signs and wonders. ( Perhaps you are saying if I had a better preacher, a better church, if we had a bigger choir, or a more proficient youth ministry, I wouldn't have backslid. I DOUBT IT.)
Judas backslid with Jesus behind the
pulpit, and angels in the choir, with
miracles happening everyday, that only
today's so-called faith healers can only
dream about.
Was Judas in the beginning surly, un-
cooperative? I sincerely doubt it.
No doubt he was faithful, supportive,
and heavily involved, or else he
wouldn't have been given the position
of the treasurer.
No doubt in the beginning, as long as
the crowds were large and the bank
bag was full Judas was a loyal and
cheerful follower.
As long as the miracles were
astounding and frequent, as long as the
church was in revival and excitement
was high, Judas was a happy camper.
(I know folks just like that. Announce
revival, promote excitement, have an
attendance drive, give away prizes
, miracles are happening, and the
church is popping, and Judas is still in
the pew.)
The Word Separates the Wheat From
the Chaff.
Jesus taught some unpopular doctrines.
John 6:54
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and
drinketh my blood, hath eternal life;
and I will raise him up at the last
day.
In fact it was so unpopular that the
Bible says-
John 6:66
66 From that time many of his
disciples went back, and walked no
more with him.
(I don't believe that Judas left Jesus
and the group at this particular time,
but don't you know that he really
wanted to?)
I can see Judas with glee watch as a
rich young lawyer approached Jesus,
announcing "Jesus, I'll follow you."
Judas saw dollar signs, greater
prestige, and an opportunity for this
rag tag group of followers to step up
into a higher eschelon.
But don't you know that Judas cringed
in horror when Jesus said the rich man,
"You want to follow me? Go and sell
all that you have and give it to the
poor. He that would me my disciple
must first deny himself, pick up his
cross and follow me."
Judas saw the treasury bag getting
lighter and the crowds getting smaller,
and his disenchantment with Christ
reached it's zenith when a poor woman
took an alabaster box, broke it open
and poured out the costly contents
over the head of Jesus.
Enraged, Judas stood to his feet and
shouted, "What a waste! This could
have been sold and given to the poor."
What Mary called worship, Judas called
a waste.
Have you been affected by the Judas
Syndrome?
There is a deadly virus that has
affected a lot of casual apostolics in
these last days. I call it the Judas
Syndrome.
As long as the crowds are large,
they're on board.
As long as signs and wonders are
evident, they're around.
As long as the church treasury is
substantial, and there's enough
money for gargantuan feasts you'll
see them.
As long as there's the electricity of
excitement in the air, they're in the
pew.
As long as the church is producing,
people affected with the Judas
syndrome are with you.
But let the church encounter a
storm, and like the rats that reside in
the ship, when she appears to be
sinking, they're the first ones to
abandon ship.
Let a couple of Sunday's go by, and
nobody has received the Holy Ghost,
those with the Judas syndrome
become scarce as hen's teeth.
Let the pastor shift gears, Bible study,
and Judas looks for another
congregation.
Let the church face a financial
challenge, and those with the Judas
syndrome loose their vision.
When heaven demands cross-bearing
and self-denial, the Judas Syndrome
like a pin-point sniper takes a few
out of the church.
I have only one message to those with
the Judas Syndrome… "It's time to
sell out completely to Jesus."
John 6:67-69
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve,
Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him,
Lord, to whom shall we go? thou
hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that
thou art that Christ, the Son of the
living God.
Of the twelve originally chosen, only
one never made it to Pentecost.
Those with the Judas Syndrome, get
the buzz
of the miraculous, and the slight
tingle of the
sensational, but they cheat
themselves of the ultimate.
Pentecost.
The church is going to go through
struggles, sometimes it will appear
that revival is absent, and the cup of
the miraculous is dry, but just hold on
Revival is coming.
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