Posted on 05/30/2016 6:46:49 PM PDT by metmom
The twelve apostles included "Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him" (Matt. 10:4).
God can use even an apostate like Judas to teach us some important lessons.
Judas is history's greatest human tragedy. He had opportunities and privileges known only to the other disciples, but he turned from them to pursue a course of destruction. Yet even from his foolishness we can learn some important lessons.
Judas, for example, is the world's greatest example of lost opportunity. He ministered for three years with Jesus Himself but was content merely to associate with Him, never submitting to Him in saving faith. Millions of others have followed his example by hearing the gospel and associating with Christians, yet rejecting Christ. Tragically, like Judas, once death comes they too are damned for all eternity.
Judas is also the world's greatest example of wasted privileges. He could have had the riches of an eternal inheritance but instead chose thirty pieces of silver. In that respect he is also the greatest illustration of the destructiveness and damnation greed can bring. He did an unthinkable thing, yet he has many contemporary counterparts in those who place wealth and pleasure above godliness.
On the positive side, Judas is the world's greatest illustration of the forbearing, patient love of God. Knowing what Judas would do, Jesus tolerated him for three years. Beyond that, He constantly reached out to him and even called him "friend" after his kiss of betrayal (Matt. 26:50).
If you've ever been betrayed by a friend, you know the pain it can bring. But the Lord's pain was compounded many times over because He knew He would be betrayed and because the consequences were so serious. Yet He endured the pain because He loved Judas and knew that His own betrayal was a necessary part of the redemptive plan.
The sins that destroyed Judas are common sins that you must avoid at all costs! Use every opportunity and privilege God gives you, and never take advantage of His patience.
Suggestions for Prayer
Thank Jesus for the pain he endured at the hands of Judas. Pray that you will never cause Him such pain.
For Further Study
Read 1 Timothy 6:6-19.
What perils await those who desire wealth? Rather than pursuing wealth, what should you pursue? What attitude should wealthy people have toward their money?
Studying God’s Word ping
“learning from Judas”
Well it would make a good article about Obama or the GOPe. Judas is a popular role model for our political class.
Learning never stops,and, sometimes from odd sources.
I have a problem with creating the person which God knew would betray Christ and then commit suicide and be condemned to Hell.....Why not do it another way and condemn no one to Hell.
I think if God cared about your opinion about how He does things, He would have asked you.
Did He?
It is an old debate whether or not Judas is in hell. For the most part, the Catholic belief is that while we can declare with certainty that certain people make it to heaven, we can not say with certainly that any individual is in hell. The Bible does not say that Judas went to hell.
Leading up to the betrayal, the Bible shows the apostles as resentful of Jesus’s waste. It almost portrays Jesus as a bit arrogant of his success, and this was what caused Judas to take an action that spiraled out of his control.
**Leading up to the betrayal, the Bible shows the apostles as resentful of Jesus’s waste. It almost portrays Jesus as a bit arrogant of his success, and this was what caused Judas to take an action that spiraled out of his control.**
Chapter and verse please. This doesn’t make sense to me.
John 12:1-8
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” Judas 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 take from what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She was intended to keep this perfume to prepare for the day of My burial. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.”
Also Mathew 26:7 ...a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste? 9 This perfume could have been sold at a high price, and the money given to the poor.”…
Also Mark 14:3 .. 3 While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head. 4 But some of those present expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.…
And Christ replied that she was preparing his body for burial. A righteous deed.
Even today, spikenard oil costs about $25.00 for a half-ounce bottle.
Remember when Peter said he wouldn't allow Jesus to be harmed when Jesus said he must die. Jesus said "Get behind me Satan". Jesus was warning Peter that his flesh was ruling his heart. Judas lived by his flesh and never understood what Jesus was saying. Judas illustrated that many that have gone to church all their lives may never understand what God requires to enter the Kingdom of God. Repentance and baptism is more than a symbolic exercise. You must renew your mind and kill your flesh and allow the Spirit to rule over you. Sons of men cannot see heaven, but we have been enabled to become Sons of God. God is Spirit.
If the Jews had all accepted Jesus, and followed Him, it might have been done a different way. The Romans probably would have caught and killed Jesus, without any help from Judas at all.
Even the Jews thought that if the whole world followed Him, the Romans would come and take everything away. Since possibly 90% of the Jews rejected Him, and continue to reject Him 2,000 years later, He chose to do it with Judas. My opinion is, even after the betrayal, the path to eternal life was still open to Judas. He still could have fled to the savior for forgiveness, but he didn't.
Don't forget, God created the entire earth's population, maybe a couple hundred million people, then killed all but 8 in the Flood. He also ordered the Children of Israel to kill every last man, woman and child of certain people groups.
He doesn't need or want our opinion on how He operates. Sometimes we question it. Sometimes I question it, but God does what He does, and that's just the way He is going to do it.
Thank you for posting this this morning.
God bless you!
It calls him the son of perdition. The beast is the only other one called by that name. Jesus said it would have been better if Judas had not been born, and he went to his "own place."
I guess we can decide for ourselves where we think Judas went, but I don't think any of us would want those things said about us. 😇
Who do you think created Lucifer?
Was Judas’ betrayal necessary?
Necessary? Are you asking whether God had a choice in how He would effect our salvation? Or are you asking whether Christ had to be betrayed in order to be crucified and take the blame for our sins?
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