The Insidious Nature of Sin

Pastor Malcolm
Matthew 27:1-10
October 13, 2019

Who is Judas Iscariot?

• Name is a form of Judah meaning praised, praised one
• Iscariot locates Judas from Southern Israel, not from the Galilee like the others
• Is the treasurer for Jesus and the disciples (John 12:6)
• Jesus is always aware of who Judas is (John 6:70-71)
• Much of what we know about Judas from the disciples comes after the fact

Judas’ Final Betrayal

• Seeing Jesus condemned, Judas has a change of heart (3a what was Judas expecting?)
• Judas returns the money trying to ease his guilt on his own (vs. 3b)
• His co-conspirators turn their backs (Judas was a pawn, easily sacrificed)
• Overcome with guilt, Judas hangs himself

Lessons From the Tragic Life of Judas

• It’s possible to associate with Christ yet become utterly hardened by sin (We can give Jesus our lives, but never give Jesus our hearts)
• Hardness of heart is a slow, often imperceptible process (Judas is a picture of a slow descent into a sinfully hardened heart) – guard your heart (Prov 4:23-27)
• Sin never satisfies (Judas wasn’t sorry for sinning against Christ but because his sin didn’t satisfy – Are we interested in the kingdom for Christ’s sake, or our own (John 12:4-6, Mt 26:6-13)
• Being hardened in sin is the way to spiritual death (Judas tried to atone for his own sin rather than receive the atonement of Christ)
• Nothing will ever thwart the purposes of God
• Jesus is always able to forgive and restore a repentant person (Peter, There is only one source of true forgiveness (Judas sought forgiveness from the wrong sources forgiveness of men rather than forgiveness from Christ)