Welcome to a firm foundation presented by Princeton ministries with Dr. Ken Smith. This is Carol Smith, Ken’s wife. Please enjoy.

About the same time that the baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem, while angels were singing great hallelujahs, while shepherds were gathering to be present at the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, about the same time in another family there was born a son. And joy undoubtedly filled that home as Simon of Chariot in the tribe of Judah, with thanksgiving to God, called the name of their newborn son, Judas. Judas, which means praise. And so, as they presented their child from the tribe of Judah in the town of Chariot, they presented him in praise to the living God. He would from that day forward be known as Judas Iscariot. Judas, from the town of Chariot, from the tribe of Judah. We know little, nothing of his early years. We can only imagine that as a child, Judas played with the children.

He ran, he grew into manhood. But there was something that he did not know about himself. For the scriptures, in the Old Testament would give clues about this child. For in the scripture, in psalm 41 nine, the words were written. Yes, my own familiar friend in whom I have trusted, who did eat of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. It was in the Old Testament that Judas was spoken of. But certainly as a young boy, he knew nothing of the words and certainly would not have attributed them to himself. For in scripture, according to the prophet Zechariah, the one who would betray his friend would have weighed for him 30 pieces of silver, the cost of the betrayal. But Judas, we suppose, knew little and certainly did not identify himself as the one for whom these prophecies were directed.

He grew up and apparently, he had no infamous past. Nothing like Matthew, who was a tax collector. There was nothing in Judas, apparently, that would show emotional outbursts like Peter, an emotion that seemed to be controlled. There were no vices in Judas that the scripture records prior to his meeting with Jesus. Unlike many of the emotional and psychological weaknesses that were present in virtually all of the disciples. As a matter of fact, when we look at the words about Judas before he meets Jesus, we find that the scriptures are silent. He must have been a man of some promise because there were literally hundreds of potential apostles to be chosen. That closer circle of disciples who Jesus would spend time with. And out of this endless number of potential disciples, Jesus selects only twelve.

And to those twelve he will direct his attention, his teaching, his life. And who is picked of those twelve? One, Judas Iscariot. And out of the twelve, there would be one chosen to watch over the finances of that small band, one who we assume would have to be trusted, who would show some degree of loyalty, and who is selected from the twelve as treasurer. Judas Iscariot. How many people do you know that you would trust your check book? To that you would simply say, take care, I trust you? Well, in that band of twelve, it was Judas who was entrusted with the funds. Judas was willing to give up all potentials for job to follow Christ. Judas was willing and did give up the comforts of a home. As he went to be a disciple of Christ and went without the comforts of a house.

He was willing to give up so many things to follow Christ. How many of us can say that we’re willing to give up our homes, our jobs to follow Christ? And yet Judas gave up all of these comforts to follow Jesus. But there was something that could not be seen by the natural eye in the life of Judas. It was small, unnoticed by most. But in its smallness, it was a root that would grow over time. And that root, like a vine with its tentacles, would begin to snuff out the very heart of life in Judas. After being elevated to this position as treasurer in a trusted position, Judas is found next, like the serpent in Eden.

As we read about Judas, even though he was so reliable, so loyal, so honest, there is one trait that scripture tells us about Judas, and it is this. He was a thief. The Bible tells us that flaw would have a consequence in the life of Judas. It’s a terrible thing to succeed in evil. And Judas succeeds in small ways. In his evil, he is a thief. He embezzles a little here, a little there. Probably unnoticed, no audit. So he goes on from week to week as that trusted friend. He certainly must have thought that he was unnoticed until there came a day in the home of Simon. Simon was a leper who had been cured of his leprosy by Jesus. And at the home of Simon there is also found Lazarus, the one who had been raised from the dead.

And there also is Mary and Martha. And it is Mary who takes out a flask of expensive oils. And she begins to anoint the feet of Jesus. And with great care she takes her hair and she begins to wipe the oil from the feet of Jesus. But there is one in the crowd who is anxious, distressed about this flagrant waste. It is Judas. He asks, why has not this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? The scripture goes on to say this. He said not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. And it surprises me. The number of times that people will observe the generosity of a Christian, and they will wonder, should you have been so generous in your times, in your gifts?

Just recently, someone asked me about putting up a church building, and they said, isn’t this a waste of money? Wouldn’t it better to give that money to the poor? And those words had a familiar ring, because I have noticed that so often that criticism comes from those who give the least to the poor, who give the least to the church. And I asked this man, how much money did you give last year to the poor? And sheepishly he said, well, that’s none of your business. You see, Christian generosity will always be criticized. Perhaps you read several years ago about the pastor of the largest Baptist church in the world, Criswell. He had been there for decades.

And finally, in his retirement, Reverend Criswell came before the congregation, and he said, because of the monies that I’ve made from books and writings and all manner of ministry, I have been able to give back to the church all of the money that you have given me as a salary in all of these years. An act of Christian generosity. Someone, in talking to Reverend Criswell after that, says that Criswell received the greatest criticism that he has ever received in his ministry by saying that he had given back those sums of money. There is something in the heart of man that looks with great suspicion at generosity. And Judas points out the generosity of Mary. And it is Judas who did not care for the poor, but raises that as an issue to prevent Christian generosity.

Notice in Mary’s defense, Jesus says to Judas, let her alone for the poor. You have with you always. But me, you will note, always have. Do you think at that moment it crossed the mind of Judas to repent? Do you think heard, in the words of Jesus, a criticism? Could Judas at that moment have asked forgiveness and started again? Did he have to continue in this plot to betray Christ? I think as we read the scripture, we’ll find that at every encounter that Jesus has with Jesus, there is the invitation by Jesus for Judas to stop his treachery, for Judas to confess his sin and to begin again for the next time that we meet Judas, it’s in the upper room. Jesus has assembled the disciples, and Judas is among them.

Jesus, not wanting that any should perish, sitting at the table with deep concern, says this to all of his disciples. Verily, verily, I say to you that one of you shall betray me. The hearts of the disciples tremble. The scripture tells us that they begin to ask one after another. Lord, is it I? Master, is it me? And even the beloved John, is it I who would betray you? But there is one of the twelve who doesn’t ask the question. It’s Judas. Rather than ask, would I betray my lord? Is it I? Is there some uncleanness in me that needs to be confessed? The others ask, but Judas is silent. John tells us that he leaned over and asked the Lord, is it I? Jesus then says, it is he to whom I shall give the piece of bread when I have dipped it.

And at this moment, tearing away the mask of hypocrisy. Jesus dips the sop and he gives it to Judas. Judas, even at that moment, could have repented, could have said, I am the man I have thought to betray my master. I have sin that has harbored in my heart for so long. I am about to burst with this sin. But what happens? Judas receives the Sop and then asks, is it I? The next words of Jesus must have seemed like red hot pokers to Judas. Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed. It would have been good that man, if he had never been born. Jesus had already said to his disciples, one of you is a devil. But it is only with the receiving of the Sop. That it becomes clear who it is.

We read that on that evening, as Jesus had entered the Passover room. To celebrate the last Passover with his disciples. That there was another who entered the room, who had come from to and fro as he crossed the world looking for someone to devour. For you see, in that room on that Passover night, Satan was also present, having waited for that moment. And the scriptures tell us that when Judas had received the Sop, at that moment, Satan entered him. It’s hours later, before Judas is seen again. This time he returns with a band of soldiers. He approaches Jesus. He approaches him in the mask of a friend. And he says to him, hail, master. And like a poisonous adder as it hisses from behind some bush, Judas, with the mask of a friend. Hail, master. And what does Jesus say?

It would have been appropriate for him to say, get behind me, Satan. But the first word that he directs to Judas, friend, why have you come? He does not take the treasury from him, but instead he reaches his hand. That even at this moment Judas might recognize that Jesus would still see him as a friend. At the very last moment. That Judas might again throw down the mask, acknowledge his sin, that he would confess this terrible treachery, this treason. But he continues to play the role to the end, Judas, the Lord asks, why have you come? And then, Judas, with an act of villainy that is not to be compared to anything in all of history, comes with the lips of Satan. As he would place upon the cheek Jesus. A kiss.

A kiss as a sign to those armed soldiers that this is the Christ. And Jesus would ask of Judas, friend, betrays the son of man with a kiss. If only the kiss of Judas had occurred once in history. But the kiss of Judas is repeated a thousand fold each day, spiritually, as we would betray Jesus. And how might that be done? The one who would say with his mouth, I would serve Christ, but never find an hour in the course of the week to practically serve him. The one who would say, I believe in prayer, but himself would never be found on his knee in the secret room to pray. The one who would say, I would be a witness for Christ. But in all of these years of following him, I have never had opportunity to tell one person about Christ.

Is not this the kiss of Judas? Who, with faint mocking, would say, I confess you, but with their life, would deny him. And Judas would continue in his treachery, realizing that he had sinned against the son of God. He would feel sorry, but he would not repent. He would return the 30 pieces of silver, but in his grief, he would go and hang himself. There was an evening when Jesus stood before the twelve, and he said, one of you will betray me. They asked, is it I? Is it me? Is there some uncleanness in me that needs to be confessed, to be forgiven, to be made right with another? But Judas would not ask that question, unwilling to look into his own heart until it had become, regrettably too late, as Satan had taken hold of his heart.

And then, in mock hypocrisy, would ask, is it I? Jesus comes today and stands before us, and he asks the question and makes the statement, one of you will betray me. Would it be a sign of weakness for a Christian to ask, is it I? John was willing to ask that question, the one who was most beloved of the savior. It is fitting that we would ask that question of ourselves. Lord, send me. Reveal to me the sin that would stand between me and you. And as a Christian, to know that I can come to the Lord and that he will forgive me of my sins. He’s faithful and just to do that. Lord, is it me? Let us pray. Our God and our father. We look at the life of Judas and we wonder, what can we learn?

We see over and over your compassionate hand reaching out that he might repent and change, but Judas would not. Father as we look into our own heart, help us to see anything that would keep us between ourselves, and you help us to confess those things, to make restitution, that we might know that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ, and that we might go from this place knowing that we are forgiven, and knowing that we need not follow through with sin, but through confession. We are made new, and we give you thanks in Jesus name. Amen.

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