08-14-2021 – Jesus Calls the Twelve: Part Three
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August 14, 2022
“Jesus Calls the Twelve: Part Three”
Luke 6:12-16
Today we come to the final name in the list of the Disciples, Judas Iscariot, who is always recorded last among the Twelve: (Luke 6:16b) “Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor," (Matthew 10:4) “Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed [Jesus],” (Mark 3:19), “Judas Iscariot, who betrayed [Jesus].”
Judas’ surname Iscariot, “is most likely the Greek translation of a Hebrew phrase meaning, “man of Kerioth,” telling us that Judas came from Kerioth, a group of villages about 20 miles south of Jerusalem [John MacArthur Commentary (Luke 6-10), pg. 75].
Judas was not a Galilean like the rest of the disciples, but instead a Judaean, and so, he probably never really fit in with the other eleven, and was seen as an outsider.
Judas’s call by Jesus is not recorded in the Scriptures; but Jesus clearly knew Judas would betray Him, and that is why he was chosen (John 6:70-71), speaking to the twelve Jesus says, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil."
The OT predicted this betrayal (Psalm 41:9), “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared My bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” God chose Judas to help fulfill God’s plan, that the Son of God would die for our sins; but He wouldn’t stay dead, because, as God, He has power over sin and death.
1Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Notice that Paul says, “of first importance” is the simple yet sovereign truth that Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, was buried, and on the third day He came out of the grave alive [demonstrating eternal life], and all of this was according to the Scriptures (2Timothy 3:16-17), “All Scripture is inspired by God [God-breathed, originating from God] and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Repeatedly in the OT (Micah 5:2; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 52:13-53:12) the birth, ministry, death, burial and resurrection of God’s Son, the Messiah is foretold. No orthodox Jew should be unaware that the Messiah was Immanuel [God in the flesh], named Yeshua [Hebrew], Jesus [Greek], meaning God’s Salvation, or Savior, just as the OT declares.
In the NT, Jesus, Paul, and Peter, quote from the OT passages foretelling the birth, ministry, betrayal, death, burial and resurrection of God’s Son; but the specific event of Jesus’ betrayal is recorded in Matthew 26:23-24; Mark 14:1-2, 10-11, 17-21; Luke 22:20-22; and John 13:12-30.
Let’s take a look at the narrative in John’s Gospel account.
See John 13:12-20… Jesus provides an example of humble service for the Twelve. Jesus the Lord and Savior, washed the feet of His disciples [foot washing was the menial work of a slave]. Jesus even washed the feet of His betrayer, Judas Iscariot; if God in the flesh was willing to do this humble service to His disciples, one of whom was a traitor, should they not also be willing to serve others in this way, with the same attitude?
What attitude is he talking about?
Philippians 2:5-8, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Jesus is telling His disciples that Judas is going to betray Him, and He is going to be taken from them; He tells them now so that when it happens they will know that Jesus is God, for He divinely knows what will happen in the future.
Jesus is reassuring the apostles that He is going to send them out as His messengers in this world, and neither Judas’ betrayal or even His own death will alter that.
See John 13:21-25… Jesus becomes troubled in His spirit, thinking about Judas’ treachery, the cross on which He will bear our sin, being separated from the Father.
The disciples look around at one another, trying to figure out who Jesus is talking about, who would dare betray the Lord? Which one of them could do such a thing?
They all want to know who the betrayer is, but it is Peter who finally acts, he gets John’s attention, since John is sitting up against Jesus at the table; and Peter asks John to find out who the betrayer is, and so, John asks Him, “Lord, who is it?”
See John 13:26-27… From the context, it seems that Jesus quietly told John, “the one whom I give the morsel [the dipped bread], is the betrayer.” The unleavened bread would have been dipped into a mixture of bitter herbs, vinegar, salt, water, along with crushed dates, figs, and raisins. Note: For the host [Jesus] to single out anyone at the table by offering them drink or food from His own hand, was a special honor.
Even here, near the end of Passion Week, Jesus is showing loving kindness toward Judas, His betrayer, by washing his feet, then honoring him at the table.
It would seem that John didn’t have time to tell Peter who the betrayer was, for Jesus immediately dipped the bread and gave it to Judas. As soon as Judas took the bread (verse 27), “Satan then entered into him.”
It would seem Judas’ heart was now hardened and there was no turning back; He had crossed the line and was willfully going to serve the Devil; so Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
See John 13:28-30… John wrote this account of the Last Supper, some 50 years after Christ’s death and resurrection; in verses 28-29, John is looking back, giving an account of what the disciples thought at the time. They didn’t know what was meant by Jesus saying, “What you do, do quickly.” Perhaps Judas, as the money keeper, was going out to get something else for the dinner, or to give money to the poor (which would traditionally happen at Passover; like we often do at Thanksgiving and Christmas).
John 13:30 tells us that after receiving the dipped bread, Judas “went out immediately, and it was night,” darkness had definitely come into Judas’ heart.
Acts 1:18, “Now this man [Judas Iscariot] acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.
See Matthew 27:1-10… Judas betrayed Jesus, knowing He was innocent, and so, Judas’ felt guilty for handing over an innocent man to be executed; but his remorse (verse 3) was not repentance; the word used here means to regret something you have done, but this is far from being repentant for sins against God..
Judas never sought Christ’s forgiveness, nor did he come to Jesus’s defense, but instead, Judas served his master, Satan himself; and in the end Judas killed himself and was buried in a field bought with the 30 pieces of silver he was paid for betraying Jesus.
The chief priests knew the money paid to Judas was “blood” money (money used to wrongly convict an innocent man); it was unlawful to put this in the Temple treasury, so they used it to purchase a plot of land that was to be used for burying the indigent, i.e., those without family, friends, or the resources necessary for a proper burial.
Could Judas have repented of his sins, believed in Christ like the other disciples, and been saved, yes! But he didn’t! Like many orthodox Jews, he believed the Messiah was going to set Israel free from Roman oppression and set His Kingdom up on earth; but when that didn’t happen, Judas chose to get out of it what he could.
Matthew 26:16; Mark 14:11; Luke 22:6, tell us Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver ($10-20).
Judas lived for three years with Jesus, the Son of God; traveling with Him, listening, watching, being trained to be a witness of Christ to the rest of the world; but instead, Judas sold out His own master, the Savior of the world, for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave; and for that reason he is the most notorious traitor in all of history.
Judas is also an example of God’s gracious and unending love; for Christ knew all along that Judas would betray Him, yet He loved him; at the very end, Christ washed Judas’ feet along with the feet of those who would believe in Him. And at the Last Supper Jesus offered him the honor of the dipped bread; and the next morning even called him “friend,” in the garden when Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.
Judas’ hardened his heart toward God’s Son and he died apart from the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, who loved Him deeply and was heavily burdened in His heart that Judas chose to serve God’s enemy, the devil.
It is said, the same sun that melts the wax, hardens the clay; and while the other disciples were being softened toward the Lord, Judas was clearly being hardened.
No wonder Hebrews 4:7 declares, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden
your hearts.” The truth is, Christ only reveals Himself to those who will believe in and follow Him, for He knows who they are. It is by God’s plan, purpose, and power that we are eternally saved.
Romans 8:28-30, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” 35, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” No! 37-39, “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
If you love the Lord, you will seek to obey His commands (John 14:15), “If you love me, you will obey what I command,” 21, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” 23-24, "If anyone loves me, he will obey My teaching. He who does not love Me will not obey my teaching.”
Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
In the church we celebrate the Lord’s victory over sin and death, not just on Good Friday or Easter Sunday, but every time someone receives salvation through Jesus Christ; every time a believer is baptized, every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper; every time we come together to pray, study God’s Word, and to worship and praise the Lord.
We are saved by faith and we live out our faith, by obeying God’s Word.
James 2:14-18, “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’” 26, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”
Our faith is based in our belief that Jesus not only died as full payment to God for all our sins, but He also rose from the grave to demonstrate eternal life (Romans 3:10-12, 23-24; 6:23; 5:8; 8:1; 10:9-10, 13; John 14:6).
God turns no one away, He accepts everyone who repents of their sins and believes that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is both Lord and Savior: Crucified, Resurrected, and Coming again, to take all those who belong to Him to live with Him in heaven, forever.
It just doesn’t get any better than the Good News of the Gospel of Christ. Amen?
Pastor Mike
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