“Look I’m the Great Pretender”

IntroductionA man was looking for a job and he noticed that there was an opening at the local zoo. He inquired about the job and discovered that the zoo had a very unusual position that they wanted to fill. Apparently their gorilla had died, and until they could get a new one, they needed someone to dress up in a gorilla suit and act like a gorilla for a few days. He was to just sit, eat and sleep. His identity would be kept a secret, of course. Thanks to a very fine gorilla suit, no one would be the wiser.The zoo offered good pay for this job, so the man decided to do it. He tried on the suit and sure enough, he looked just like a gorilla. They led him to the cage; he took a position at the back of the cage and pretended to sleep. But after a while, he got tired of sitting, so he walked around a little bit, jumped up and down and tried a few gorilla noises. The people who were watching him seemed to really like that. When he would move or jump around, they would clap and cheer and throw him peanuts. And the man loved peanuts. So he jumped around some more and tried climbing a tree. That seemed to really get the crowd excited. They threw more peanuts. Playing to the crowd, he grabbed a vine and swung from one side of the cage to the other. The people loved it and threw more peanuts. Wow, this is great, he thought. He swung higher and the crowd grew bigger. He continued to swing on the vine, getting higher and higher—and then all of a sudden, the vine broke! He swung up and out of the cage, landing in the lion’s cage that was next door.He panicked. There was a huge lion not twenty feet away, and it looked very hungry. So the man in the gorilla suit started jumping up and down, screaming and yelling, “Help, help! Get me out of here! I’m not really a gorilla! I’m a man in a gorilla suit! Heeelllp!” The lion quickly pounced on the man, held him down and said, “Will you SHUT UP! You’re going to get both of us fired!”

“LOOK I’M THE GREAT PRETENDER” , is a song sung by “The Platters” and also by “Queen”, the lyrics goes like this;Oh yes I'm the great pretenderPretending I'm doing wellMy need is such I pretend too muchI'm lonely but no one can tell…..This song is about a man who has been deserted by his girlfriend and now he pretends not to miss her, and that everything is o.k

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the word “pretend” means: 1) to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing; (2) a : to make believe : feign,

b : to claim, represent, or assert falsely.

“LOOK I’M THE GREAT PRETENDER” , - “The Platters”

Oh yes I'm the great pretenderPretending I'm doing wellMy need is such I pretend too muchI'm lonely but no one can tellChorus;Oh yes I'm the great pretender, Adrift in a world of my ownI play the game but to my real shameYou've left me to dream all aloneToo real is this feeling of make believeToo real when I feel what my heart can't conceal

Oh yes I'm the great pretenderJust laughing and gay like a clownI seem to be what I'm not you seeI'm wearing my heart like a crownPretending that you're still aroundYeah oh too real when I feelWhat my heart can't conceal

Oh yes I'm the great pretenderJust laughing and gay like a clownI seem to be what I'm not you seeI'm wearing my heart like a crownPretending that you'rePretending that you're still around

Luk 12:8-9 "Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God's angels. 9 But if you pretend you don't know me, do you think I'll defend you before God's angels?

Jer 17:9-10 "The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. 10 But I, GOD, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be."

Series: The Man in the Mirror

THE MASQUERADEAS children we used to play PRETEND - taking on the character of someone we wish we could be. We are in our own little world, and we think no one knows who we are or how we are really doing. How many Christians today are pretending to be what they are not? PRETENSE borders on, Hypocrisy .

THE NATURE OF HYPOCRISY Hypocrisy is the most common reason for unbelievers to reject the

Christian faith. This charge is usually leveled most frequently against Christians, who FAIL TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH.

But it is more complex than the common definition of “failing to practice what one preaches”.

The word “hypocrisy” is derived from the Greek word “hypokrisia” which means “to play a part on stage.”

It is an internal lie told by external deeds.

EXAMPLES OF HYPOCRISY;NOT REVEALING MY TRUE CONVICTIONSGal 2:13 And the rest of the Jews along with him also concealed their true convictions and acted insincerely, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy (their example of insincerity and pretense).

NOT REVEALING MY TRUE INTENSIONSMat 23:14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you swallow up widows' houses and for a pretense to cover it up make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation and the heavier sentence.

NOT REVEALING MY TRUE SELFMat 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and everything impure. Mat 23:28 Just so, you also outwardly seem to people to be just and upright but inside you are full of pretense and lawlessness and iniquity. [Ps. 5:9.]

SOME BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

1.King Saul stands out. On one hand, he banned spiritualists from the land. On the other hand, he disguised himself and by night sought the counsel of a spiritualist (1 Sam. 28:5-10). 2.What about King David, who after seducing Bathsheba, plotted the death of her husband, Uriah the Hittite? And who could forget Nathan’s pronouncement to David in 2 Sam 12:1-7 when he said to David, “You are the man!” David fits the classic profile of a hypocrite. 3.Judas Iscariot is perhaps your classic example. Pretending to be one of Jesus’ disciples, he was taking money from the twelve and ended up betraying Jesus with a kiss (Luke 22:1-6, 47-48). 4.Ananias and Sapphira made a promise to the Church that they didn’t completely keep. Perhaps they thought no one would find out the truth. Peter said that they did not lie to men but to God. As a result they paid the ultimate price (Acts 5:1-10).

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Series: The Man in the Mirror

EXAMPLE OF JUDAS:

This can even happen to Christians. (FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST) Sometimes we can pretend to be something other than what we really are. But like Judas, we can only hide behind our false pretenses for so long. We can fool some of the people SOME of the time, but we cannot fool ALL the people , ALL the time.. and we can NEVER fool God. Sooner or later, the REAL US is revealed and we have to deal with whatever it is that we have been hiding for so long. While Judas was a failure as a disciple, he was THE MOST SUCCESSFUL HYPOCRITE of all time. He PLAYED HIS PART SO WELL that no one but Jesus Himself knew that Judas was a fraud and a pretender. He was as common and as ordinary as the rest of the disciples. He was so ordinary that he never stood out from the rest. He hid behind the camouflage of hypocrisy and no one but Jesus ever realized it.Mar 14:20 He replied to them, It is one of the Twelve [apostles], one who is dipping [bread] into the [same deep] dish with Me.

Judas was a GREAT PRETENDER. He was a follower of Jesus, but all the while, he was only wearing a mask of religion. He was hiding behind a veil of ulterior motivation and no one really knew any different except for Jesus … You know, Christians can hide behind anything. Some people can hide behind small talk or laughter or education or even church attendance and can quote Scripture and use the right Christian lingo, and look real like a stained glass window on the outside, but on the inside, their spiritual life is a mess. Yes, even Christians can be pretenders. They don’t want you to know who they really are so they pretend to be someone else, just like Judas. Judas was able to hide his real identity for awhile, but it eventually came out when the guilt and pain became unbearable. If only he could have discovered the freedom of God’s mercy and grace, maybe his life would have turned out differently. And that is what I want to talk about in the next few minutes – How our lives can be different and better as we discover God’s mercy and grace.

1. GREAT PRETENDERS HAVE A GREAT CALLING (Mark 3:13-19)

Mar 3:19 And Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed Him. (in hindsight)

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Series: The Man in the Mirror

There must have been some quality in Judas that attracted Jesus to him because we know that Jesus chose him to follow Him. Perhaps it was his zeal or his abilities as a business man or it just may have been his charm, but Jesus hand-picked Judas to be His disciple. And Judas did that for awhile. You know, this tells us something that we all need to understand. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, in His great grace and mercy, He’s not looking for perfect people. He knows our faults and our weaknesses, yet He still calls us to follow Him. Also, keep in mind that this is a calling – not a contract. Jesus loved Judas and He called him to be a follower, to be a part of His ministry and Judas accepted that call. As Christians, Jesus has placed His great call on our lives as well.

2. GREAT PRETENDERS leads to Great Betrayal (Mt. 26: 47-49)

In spite of his good qualities WHY Jesus to initially called him to be His disciple, ALL WE REMEMBER ABOUT JUDAS is his betrayal of Jesus. And for that, history has labeled him as a dirty, rotten scoundrel for what he did. Even the name Judas, a name that literally means “Praise” is now a loathsome name – a name that is associated with dishonesty and meanness. We don’t even name our dogs “Judas” unless they are mean and vicious. Luk 22:47 And while He was still speaking, behold, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve [apostles], was going before [leading] them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss Him, Luk 22:48 But Jesus said to him, Judas! Would you betray and deliver up the Son of Man with a kiss?

WE CANNOT POINT FINGERS - WE HAVE TO LOOK IN THE MIROR. Romans 3:23 (NIV) which says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We might not intentionally sell out Jesus the way Judas did, but in a sense, we sell out Jesus all the time. :

Whenever we choose our own way over His way, we sell Him out. Whenever we refuse to obey His Word and will, we sell Him out. Whenever we compromise our godly values for the cheap imitation the

world has to offer, we sell Him out.

3. THE GREAT PRETENDER’s GREATEST Mistake (Mt. 27:1-5)

Mat 27:5 En hy het die silwerstukke in die tempel neergegooi en weggeloop en homself gaan ophang.Mat 27:3 When Judas, His betrayer, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, [Judas was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly; and] with remorse [with little more than a selfish dread of the consequences] he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, [Exod. 21:32.] Mat 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, What is that to us? See to that yourself. Mat 27:5 And casting the pieces of silver [forward] into the [Holy Place of the sanctuary of the] temple, he departed; and he went off and hanged himself.

1 John 1:9 (NIV) says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

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Series: The Man in the Mirror

Psalm 103:11-12 (NIV) which says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Kevin Knudson wrote, “The biggest mistake you can make is not the sin…No, the biggest mistake you can make is your failure to ask for God’s forgiveness.”

Judas went to the wrong place with his confession.Matthew 27:3 (NIV) says, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse, and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.” ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’”

DON’T’ go to people WHO DON’T CAREThat’s the reason Jesus gave His life; so that sinners could receive grace and mercy and be reconciled to God. So don’t make the greatest mistake of all and fail to ask for God’s forgiveness.

Conclusion: In Judas, we’ve seen what a great pretender looks like. We’ve seen a man who hid behind a mask of religion. He knew what was right in his heart but wasn’t willing to pay the price of following Jesus. If there is anything you’re hiding behind, and you’re pretending to be someone other than who you really are, you need to know that freedom comes from taking off the mask and letting God love you just the way you are. God’s mercy and grace is found only at the foot of the cross.

1Pet 2:1 SO BE done with every trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind. …1Pe 2:2 Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation,

Discovering a cure for hypocrisy

How does one know if something is a cure for anything? If the cures for hypocrisy are effective they will 1) address and deal with the causes as well as 2) remove the negative consequences.

1. Receive a new nature through regeneration by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 5:17). 2. Regular repentance is essential in order to think clearly about God and sin (Lk. 15:17). 3. Trusting in God with all our heart so we don’t rely on our own insight (Prov. 3:5- 6). 4. Submitting to the control of the Spirit in order to develop more self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). 5. Humbling ourselves before God resulting in honesty with God, ourselves and others (Jas. 4:6). 6. Developing a godly sincerity in order to be vulnerable and transparent before others. 7. Developing a graced-based rather than a works-based self-concept (Rom. 12:3). 8. Learning the fear of God, seeing things from His point of view, developing a hatred of sin. 9. Concentrating on the internal attitudes rather than the external actions (Phil. 2:5). 10. Being accountable—confessing sins to one another and praying for one another (Jas. 5:16).

Hypocrisy involves MORE THAN the inconsistency between character and conduct or between belief and behavior, there must be self-deception and the intent to deceive others in order to make us appear to be something we are not and to make us look better than we are.

Hypocrisy isn’t to be confused with moral weakness (spiritual immaturity) or poor moral insight (lack of moral discernment). It involves not only weakness but the intent to deceive and/or mislead in order to make us look good.

What are some of the causes of hypocrisy?Consider the following factors:

1. An Adamic nature referred to as “original sin” (SONDE)

Series: The Man in the Mirror

2. Moral weakness - lack of self-control. ( MORELE SWAKHEID)3. Foolish pride expressed as a self-righteous attitude. (HOOGMOED)4. Insecurity in God’s love -lack of transparency or vulnerability. 5. A desire or motivation to seek human rather than divine approval. (GOEDKEURING6. A focus on external superficial actions rather than internal heart attitudes. 7. Dishonesty in the form of deception 8. Denial in the form of self-deception. 9. No fear of God 10. No hatred of sin.

The dangers of self-deception: Aldous Huxley said, “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” We have already discovered that one of the key ingredients of hypocrisy is self-deception. People who are self-deceived seem to deny or disbelieve what they know to be true. For example, a mother says that her son, who is a career criminal, is a “good boy.” Sometimes we can act against our better judgment due to the influence of fleshly desires. Rom 7:19 For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am [ever] doing.

According to the following Scriptures, what are we deceived about?

1. James 1:22—“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” 2. 1 John 1:8—“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 3. Galatians 6:7-8—“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The

one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Self-deception involves both how we think, feel and behave. Jer 17:9a says, “The heart is deceitful above all things.” Sometimes our actions are based on these false biases or beliefs. If we lie enough to others and/or to ourselves, we can begin to believe our own lies. This self-deception causes us to lose touch with reality. God is the supreme realist; we are realistic insofar as we see things from His point of view. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

4. Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” It takes humility to acknowledge our shortcomings and the limitations of our finite ability to think and reason.

What are some of the negative consequences of the sin of hypocrisy?

1. A poor self-concept and self-esteem due to a lack of self-respect. 2. Stunted personal spiritual development due to grieving or lying to the Holy Spirit. 3. A lack of humility resulting in a failure to experience God’s grace (Jas. 4:6). 4. The desire for human approval turns into disapproval and disrespect by others. 5. This sin causes serious disruption in our fellowship with God. 6. This sin undermines people’s trust and results in a lack of credibility. 7. A poor role model may discourage especially new, weak and immature Christians. 8. Serious damage to the church of Christ (i.e. Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart). 9. Serious damage to the name of Christ whose reputation is at stake in our lives. 10. Serious damage to the cause of Christ (a lack of persuasiveness in evangelism).

Series: The Man in the Mirror

Oscar Wilde once said, “Every saint has a past and every sinner a future.” Seneca said, “Part of the cure is to want to be cured.” In considering a cure for hypocrisy we want to examine sin and self-control in relation to sanctification. An essential tenet of biblical Christianity is that all human beings are fundamentally morally flawed. Two key verses that speak to this issue are:

1. Isaiah 53:6—“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

2. Romans 3:23—“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

The reason we fail to live up to our moral standards, let alone God’s, in due to our sin nature. While all human beings have a sinful nature, we are all morally responsible and therefore ultimately accountable to God for all our thoughts, words, attitudes and actions. Paul expressed it this way in Romans 14:12, “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” As if our sinful nature were not enough of an obstacle for fallen human beings to contend with, we also have in addition the world and the devil with which to contend.

One of the important lessons that we need to learn is the one that David learned after his sin with Bathsheba when he said in Psalm 51:6a that God desired truth in the inward parts. We can avoid the sin of hypocrisy as long as we are honest with God, ourselves and others concerning our shortcomings. David went on in Psalm 51:6b to ask God for wisdom in the innermost place.

Unless or until we overcome our moral weaknesses, we at least need to be honest about them:

1 John 1:8-10—“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”

One thing for sure, we can’t pull the wool over God’s eyes. We are not a hypocrite because we are morally weak, but only if we are deceptive about our moral weaknesses.

One provision that God has given us to bring out the best in others is an accountability partner. James 5:16 says that we are to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another that we may be healed.

Over time we can cultivate certain moral virtues by developing Christ-like character through the process of sanctification and through the cultivation of the classic spiritual disciplines. For example, prayer is critical in cultivating self-control. It taps us into the power of God, provides the proper moral and spiritual focus and reminds us of the need to deny ourselves. Talking with God in prayer helps us to be honest concerning our sin. We need to pray with the Psalmist,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psa. 139:23-24).

If we are going to overcome our moral weakness we will have to develop more self-control. In order to develop greater self-control, we will have to learn to submit to the Holy Spirit.

1. Galatians 5:22-23—“the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

2. 2 Timothy 1:7—“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

Series: The Man in the Mirror

The development of self-control also requires mental discipline:

1. Romans 12:2—“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

2. 2 Corinthians 10:5—“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

3. Philippians 4:8—“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Behavioral disciplines, developing godly habits are also important in developing self-control. Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:7b-8, “train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” Discipline involves structured training in right living. This is something that all of us need.

The development of the virtue or the spiritual fruit of self-control is essential in the process of sanctification. As we have seen, there are a number of strategies that can be employed in developing self-control. We learn to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. As we grow in our self-control, we increase in our ability to follow God’s moral standards. While we are not sinless, over time we can learn to sin less, with God’s enablement, through His Word and Spirit.

Analyzing hypocrisy

Sometimes we hear people say, “I may have this shortcoming or that, but at least I’m not a hypocrite.” As we have seen, hypocrisy involves: dishonesty, deception, and self-deception. It is insincere and disrespectful of others.

Consider the following variables in responding to the criticism of hypocrisy!

1. As long as there are sinners, there will be hypocrites. 2. We all know more than we do, none of us live up to our own moral standards. 3. Christians don’t claim to be perfect (unrealistic expectation), only forgiven. 4. The church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners. 5. The standard for Christianity is Christ, not individual Christians. 6. We should never compare ourselves to others but to Christ himself. 7. Not everyone who professes to be a Christian has a regenerate nature.

Mat 23:13 Maar wee julle, skrifgeleerdes en Fariseërs, geveinsdes, want julle sluit die koninkryk van die hemele toe voor die mense; want julle gaan self nie in nie, en die wat sou ingaan, laat julle nie toe om in te gaan nie.

Mat 23:13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are about to go in to do so.

Jesus says to one and He says to all in Luke 6: 46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

Adrift in a world of my own I play the game but to my real shameYou've left me to dream all alone

Series: The Man in the Mirror

The difference between the love story from the lyrics and the love story that Jesus wrote on the Cross is significant. In the love song that Jesus wrote He will never leave you to dream or face life all alone. Remember the big final project Jesus assigned before He left?“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” Pretty daunting little assignment. But I tend to forget the next words.“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”Jesus aches to come along side me and you and help me deal with the junk in my life. His agenda is for me to stop pretending and be real with Him and with one another. And Jesus has promised to be with me each stumbling step of the way. When a Dad is teaching his toddler to walk he is patient and encouraging. When the tyke wobbles and falls a loving father doesn’t start screaming at his child.“There you go again! You can’t walk three bleepin’ steps before you tumble over again. You are hopeless. You will never get this walking thing down. Why am I wasting my time?”Hardly. The Dad encourages and applauds the effort. He lifts the child back up and exhorts him to try again. He is beaming with each step and not at all angry when the child falls. That is how I view Jesus with my spiritual walk when I understand His grace. He is thrilled with each spiritual step and is encouraging and lifting me up without condemnation when I stumble. When I am pretending that grace is not apparent.Too real is this feeling of make believeToo real when I feel what my heart can't concealHow many times I have felt like that? I am a fake. If my walk right now was exposed I would be excommunicated from the faith. I am so dry that any spark sets my anger and emotions aflame. But do I confess that? Dare I confess that? Satan would have us believe that we would be rejected if we dared to let other see the truth behind the person. Perhaps some would reject me because they are pretending so much that they can’t see the need to be authentic in this journey. But I want to be willing to take a chance to be real. I want to simply be honest and see where that takes me. I can’t find that authenticity with a painted grin and phony reply.Can we trust Jesus enough to stop pretending? Can we trust him enough to be authentic? Not needy and demanding. Just honest and real. There is so much more available to us in the body of Christ if we can let down the charades. Want some more homework?Look up the “one another” verses in the Bible. Here is an example from Hebrews (10:24–35).And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIVImplementing these “one anothers” into daily practice would go a long way toward losing the great pretender title.

Mark 14:10-11

THE GREAT PRETENDER

Intro: Our text today deals with a man named Judas Iscariot. He is, without a doubt, the most notorious and most vilified of all the disciples. His name appears last in every list of the disciples, except in Acts 1, where his name does not appear at all. Every time he is mentioned in the Bible, the Word of God reminds us that he is a traitor who betrayed Jesus to His death.

Judas was a failure as a disciple. He was exposed to the same teaching the others heard. He saw the same miracles and was involved in the same ministries. Yet, Judas never came to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Judas spent three years with the Lord Jesus Christ and he died lost. The others were converted during their time with the Lord; Judas only became spiritually hard, calloused and hateful.

Series: The Man in the Mirror

The other eleven disciples were used of God in amazing ways. Their lives demonstrate the truth that common, ordinary people can be used of the Lord in extraordinary ways. Judas, on the other hand, stands as a stark warning about the dangers of wasted opportunities, hardness of heart, wicked lusts, and spiritual carelessness.

This passage reveals Judas as he hatches his plot to betray the Son of God into the hands of his enemies, Ill. The Context. We are going to take the opportunity this text offers us to get to know Judas Iscariot a little better. We need to hear and heed the lessons that come from the life of this tragic character.

Dr. John MacArthur reminds us that Judas and his life teach us two basic truths.

1. It is possible to be near Jesus and to associate with Him closely and still be hardened in sin.

2. Judas is a clear reminder that the purposes of God stand sure. No matter what anyone may do, they will never thwart the plan of Almighty God. God always accomplishes what He determines to do, Isa. 46:10-11; Eph. 1:11.

With those thoughts in mind, I want to preach about Judas Iscariot today. I want to reveal some of what the Bible teaches about this man we will call The Great Pretender. I want you to see Judas And His Personality; Judas And His Privileges; Judas And His Problem; Judas And His Plan; and Judas and His Punishment.

It is my prayer that the Lord will use the lessons from this man’s life to cause us to look deep within our own souls; lest we also be found to be pretenders. Let’s consider The Great Pretender together today.

I. v. 10 JUDAS AND HIS PERSONALITY

(Ill. We really do not know a lot about Judas Iscariot from the biblical record. He is mentioned 20 times in the Gospels and twice in the book of Acts. He speaks on just two occasions. He is an enigma and he is a mystery. Yet, from what the Bible does say about him, we can learn a few important truths about this man and his life.)

A. Consider His Designation – His name is “Judas”. It is the Greek rendering of the Old Testament name “Judah”. Judah was the son of Jacob and the father of the largest and most dominant of all the tribes of Israel.

The name has two possible meanings, “Jehovah Leads” or “He Whom Jehovah Praises”. This name suggests that his parents had hope for his future. They were probably a deeply religious family, who hoped that he would be led by God and that his life would bring praise to the name of the Lord. Little did they know that their son would only be led by, and bring praise to, the devil.

Judas stands as living proof that having a godly heritage is not enough to save the soul. Having Christian parents cannot guarantee the salvation of the soul. There must be a conscious turning from sin to embrace the Gospel message by faith. There must be a life-changing, soul-saving encounter with Jesus Christ.

Series: The Man in the Mirror

B. Consider His Dwelling – His surname was “Iscariot”. This name tells us something about where Judas came from. The word “Iscariot” is derived from the Hebrew. “Ish” means “man”. “cariot” refers to the town of “Karioth”. Thus, Judas is called “man of Karioth”. Karioth was a humble farming town located 23 miles south of Jerusalem.

We are told that his father’s name was “Simon”, John 6:71; 13:2, 26. Simon was a very common name in that time period. Nothing more is known of his family. Judas was a common man from a common family in a common town in Judea.

C. Consider His Detachment – Since he was from Judea, Judas was the only one of the twelve not from Galilee. The rest of the disciples were from the northern part of the nation. Many of them knew one another. Some were brothers. Others were coworkers and friends before they came to know Jesus.

Being the only real stranger in the group meant that Judas would have been somewhat isolated from the other disciples. They would not have known about his family or his background. It is also true the people from the southern regions of Israel often felt superior to people from the north.

These facts enabled Judas to keep a low profile and helped him camouflage his hypocrisy. While there is no evidence that the other men excluded Judas, he may have felt like an outsider. Thoughts of that nature may have helped him justify his treason against Jesus and his thievery from the rest of the disciples.

We do know that Judas worked his way into a place of trust. The other disciples chose him to be the treasurer for the group, but Judas used that position to steal from the bag, John 12:6. That verse tells us that Judas “...bare what was put therein”. The word “bare” means “to take away; to pilfer”. Judas was a thief. This is made crystal clear in the Word of God.

(Note: It is interesting to note that in every list that names the disciples, Judas Iscariot is always named last. This illustrates the wide gulf that separated Judas from the Lord Jesus Christ. He was isolated from the rest of the disciples because of his background. He was also separated from them spiritually. He was the only unbeliever in the crowd!)

(Note: This is a clear reminder that you never know the true condition of the hearts of those around you. The other disciples never did figure out that Judas was a traitor until after he had betrayed the Lord Jesus. They always assumed that he was one of them. Perhaps even Judas believed that all was well. Either way, it reminds us that the heart is very deceptive, Jer. 17:9. It also challenges us to be sure that we are in a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1:10; 2 Cor. 13:5.)

I. Judas And His Personality

II. JUDAS AND HIS PRIVILEGES

Series: The Man in the Mirror

(Ill. A study of the life of Judas reveals that he enjoyed many of the same privileges of the Lord’s genuine disciples. A few of them are mentioned in Mark’s record of the choosing of the twelve disciples by the Lord Jesus Christ, Mark 3:13-19.)

A. Mark 3:13 How He Was Called – There is no question that Judas was “chosen” by Christ. He was chosen by Him to fulfill a divine plan.

Three Old Testament prophecies need to be considered right here.

Psalm 41:9 – “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” In John 13:18, Jesus said that this prophecy would be fulfilled in His betrayal.

Psalm 55:12-14 – “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. ” This passage also speaks of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas.

Zechariah 11:12-13 – “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.” This passage was also fulfilled when Jesus was betrayed, Matt. 27:9-10.

Jesus makes it crystal clear that when He chose Judas, He knew who he was and what he would do, John 6:70. Everything Judas did, was part of the eternal plan of redemption ordained by God before the foundation of the world, Acts 2:23.

It is clear from the Gospel record that Judas was chosen to damnation and not to salvation! There is tension here between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. There is no debating the fact that Jesus Christ was foreordained to suffer for sin, Rev. 13:8. There is also no doubt that Judas Iscariot was help responsible for betraying the Lord, Mark 14:21.

While Judas was born to fulfill the ancient prophecies related to the betrayal of Christ, he was not forced to do anything against his will. He was chosen by God to be the one to betray Christ; but Judas betrayed Jesus because he wanted to. So, while Judas was chosen by God for the role he fulfilled in betraying Christ he fulfilled that role willingly.

Some would say, “Is it fair for God to condemn Judas for doing the Lord’s will?” This is the same argument Paul both anticipated and answered in Romans 9:19-24, “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the

Series: The Man in the Mirror

Gentiles?” Judas was not condemned because he betrayed Jesus. Judas was condemned long before that because he was a lost sinner, John 3:18, 36.

This begs the question, “Could Judas have been saved?” Yes! Had he turned to Christ by faith, he would have been saved. He had every opportunity. The parables of the unjust servant, the man without a wedding garment, and the ten virgins were all designed to speak to Judas and turn him from his evil plans.

However, the Lord knew before he chose Judas that Judas would betray Him into the hands of His enemies. So, while Judas could have been saved, it was never a real possibility for him.

B. Mark 3:13 How He Came – When Jesus called Judas, he willingly followed the Lord. He was following Jesus because he believed Jesus would defeat Rome and liberate Israel. He was not following a Savior; he was following a Man he saw as a revolutionary.

C. Mark 3:14 How He Was Consecrated – Judas was “ordained” by Jesus. This word has the idea of training. Jesus took the twelve and made them ready for the mission he was about to send them to accomplish. He was set apart for a special purpose.

D. Mark 3:14 How He Was Connected – Like the other disciples, Judas was chosen to “be with Him”. Imagine that! Every day Judas and the other disciples witnessed the character and compassion of Christ. They heard His words and they saw His works. Every single day was a display of the grace of God for Judas and for the rest of the twelve.

Every miracle, every parable, every sermons, every single act of compassion, was designed by Jesus to reveal His identity to His men. Eleven of them got the message; Judas never did. Jesus tried to touch the heart of Judas in many ways, and on many occasions, but Judas hardened his heart against every attempt of the Lord to reach him.

Some people have a hard time with the idea that Judas could live with Jesus for over three years and still not believe in Christ. Yet, we see the same thing happening around us all the time. People sit in church for a lifetime, under the Word of God, the preaching of the Gospel, the prayers of God’s people, and the clear evidence of His saving power in the lives of those around them, and still some of those people die in their sins and go to Hell. It is a real tragedy! Don’t let it happen to you!

E. Mark 3:14 How He Was Commissioned – Judas was sent out to serve alongside the rest of the disciples. He had the same credentials and the same appointment they all had. He was working for Jesus just like the others.

F. Mark 3:15 How He Was Confirmed – Judas, and the rest of the disciples, were empowered to preach the Gospel, to heal the sick and to cast out demons. As they went about the country, their preaching was attended by the manifest power of God.

The lame walked, the blind saw, the deaf heard and so on. People who were bound in their sins were brought to faith in Christ by the preaching of the twelve. Even Judas preached with power, worked the miracles, delivered the demon possessed and saw many people saved. In other words, Judas could not be distinguished from the others in his work for the Lord.

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That is a sobering thought! Judas was a tare among the wheat and no one but Jesus knew it. I am not even sure that Judas knew. For all we know, he was so caught up in the work of serving Christ, and seeing the fruit of that work, that he may have convinced himself that everything was right between him and the Lord. Jesus tells us that many will face God in that condition on judgment day, Matt. 7:21-23. Be sure that you are not one of them!

I. Judas And His Personality

II. Judas And His Privileges

III. JUDAS AND HIS PROBLEM

A. His Confusion – We are told that Judas went to the religious leaders because he wanted to “betray” Jesus. Why would Judas want to betray Jesus after he had spent such intimate time with the Lord?

Like everyone else who followed Jesus, Judas thought that Jesus had come to do the work of the Messiah. They saw His miracles, His power over demons, Satan and nature. They heard the way He taught and saw the way He lived, and they believed that he was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.

Like the rest, Judas was expecting Jesus Christ to overthrow Rome and break the yoke of Roman oppression. He thought Jesus would deliver Israel, establish a restored kingdom in Israel, and richly reward His followers.

When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to do those things, Judas became disillusioned with the Lord. The other disciples slowly began to understand that Jesus was the Messiah, but they also understood that He would accomplish His mission in a way that they could not as yet grasp. Judas never came to that understanding.

Judas followed Jesus because he wanted power and money. He never embraced the spiritual kingdom of Christ. Why did he stay with Jesus? I think he was looking for a way to use Jesus to make himself rich. We must also remember that Judas kept the money that the little band collected as they traveled from place to place, and he was stealing from it.

So, part of the problem with Judas began with confusion as to the identity and ministry to Jesus. As time went on, he became disillusioned and what fondness he may have had for Jesus turned to pure hatred.

(Note: Some would try to salvage the character of Judas right here. They want us to believe that Judas betrayed the Lord in an effort to force the hand of Christ. They believe that Judas betrayed the Lord so that Jesus would be forced to go to war with His enemies.

That flies in the face of the Word of God. Judas was not hoping for a good outcome. He wanted Jesus dead. The Bible makes it clear that what Judas did, he did at the command and whim of Satan, John 13:27.)

Series: The Man in the Mirror

B. His Covetousness – We have already learned that Judas was a thief. He was pilfering from the money bag. His covetousness takes center stage in John 12:4-6. This is the first time Judas speaks in the Gospels. When he does, he complains about the way money was spent.

He was enjoying a feast that was held to honor the Lord Jesus in Bethany. As the feast progressed, a woman named Mary entered the room. She brought with her an alabaster flask filled with pure nard, which is an expensive perfume used by the wealthy. She broke open the flask and poured its contents on the head and feet of Jesus and began to wipe His feet with her hair.

When Judas saw this, the calculator in his brain began to work overtime. He estimated that her ointment was worth about “300 pence”, or a year’s wages for the average worker. In our money, about $20,000.00.

Judas was livid! He did not believe that Jesus was worth that kind of extravagant love. By what he called a “waste”, Judas had been prevented from stealing a portion of the money for which the ointment could have been sold.

When Judas said this, he is mildly rebuked by Jesus. Still, Judas does not repent and he does not examine his own heart. He is confirmed in his hatred of Jesus and immediately seeks how he might betray Him to the Jews.

This is a bittersweet scene. On the one hand, Jesus is anointed with extravagant love by Mary. On the other, He is anointed with overwhelming hatred by Judas.

It is interesting to note that when the other disciples heard the objection raised by Judas, they echoed his opinion, Matt. 26:8. His hypocrisy is so complete that even the other disciples were taken in by Judas.

This serves as a warning to our hearts today! Be very careful who you follow. There are some people who love material things more than they love the Master. There are some people who live to get their own way more than they desire His ways. Those people will lead you into trouble. You would be far better off to follow no one but Jesus Himself!

C. His Condemnation – People look at Judas and wonder how a man could do all that he did, see all that he saw, and be so close to Jesus and yet be lost. Some people claim that Judas was saved, but that he lost his salvation. That is foolish! Salvation is eternal in nature and can never be taken away. Judas was never saved!

He was lost when he preached. He was lost when he cast out devils. He was lost when he healed the sick. He was lost as he listened to the Sermon on the Mount. He was lost as he saw the great miracles of Jesus. He was lost when he watched Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. He was lost when he betrayed Jesus. He was lost when he committed suicide. He was lost when he opened his eyes in Hell!

Here is what Jesus said about Judas: John 6:70-71. Jesus looked at Judas and called him “a devil”. He looked like a saint, but the Lord said he was “a devil”. He acted like the rest of the disciples, but the Lord said he was “a devil”. He was a preacher, but he was “a devil”. He was trusted by

Series: The Man in the Mirror

everyone, but he was “a devil”. Judas was nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He was “a devil”!

This is a sobering thought! The lost man can do anything the saved man can do, and he may even do it better. Just because a man preaches, prays, witnesses, gives, works in the church, attends church, etc., does not prove that he is saved. A lost man can do all of that, and he can do it with success. You can’t base your relationship with Christ on what you do.

Salvation is by faith, Eph. 2:8-9. There must be a moment of commitment when you come to Jesus Christ by faith, repenting of sin and calling on Him for salvation. If that moment is missing from your life, then you are lost!

Judas Iscariot was no different than any other lost person. Jesus told the Jews that they were the offspring of the devil, and as such they act just like their father, John 8:44. There is a family resemblance that cannot be denied. Those who are of the devil will eventually prove it by acting like the devil, Eph. 2:1-3.

I do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings today, but you need to hear this. I say these things because I love you. I say them because I am a preacher of the Gospel. I say them because I care about your soul.

If you have never been saved, you are just like Judas. There is a part of you that is controlled by Satan. You wonder why you do the things you do. You wonder why you can’t break the cycle of sin in your life. The reason is simple, you need a new Father. You need to be born again. When you are, everything in your life will change, 2 Cor. 5:17. When you are, you will be delivered from the oppression of the devil.

I. Judas And His Personality

II. Judas And His Privileges

III. Judas And His Problem

IV. JUDAS AND HIS PLAN

A. It Involved Betrayal – After being rebuked by Jesus at the feast, Judas approaches the Jewish leaders and negotiates a deal to betray Jesus into their hands. Matt. 26:14-16 tells us that the price they came to was “thirty pieces of silver”. According to Ex. 21:32, it was the price of a slave. It wasn’t a lot of money, but it was all Jesus Christ was worth to Judas! He hated Jesus so much that he betrayed Him for what amounted to nothing.

By the way, Judas betrayed Jesus for about $25.00 in today’s money. It doesn’t seem like a lot does it? It isn’t, but people sell Him out for less. Young people betray Jesus for a few moments of pleasure with a boyfriend or girlfriend. People betray Him by choosing their way of living over His way of living. Others betray Him because their feelings get hurt over this or that. Some betray Him for

Series: The Man in the Mirror

alcohol, some for drugs, some for sex or some other worldly pleasure. No matter what you betray Him for, it is worth nothing compared to the value of your soul, Mark 8:36-37.

B. It Involved Blaspheme – The deal was struck and Judas set the wheels of betrayal into motion. Judas took his money and blended back into the group as though nothing had happened. He waited for his chance to destroy Jesus.

His opportunity came just a few days later at the celebration of the Passover. During that meal, Judas crossed the line. He reached the point of no return. We do not have the time to go into all the details of that events, but a few of them shed incredible light on the character of Judas.

John reports that during the meal, Jesus taught His men a much needed lesson about humility. Jesus arose from the table, wrapped a towel around Himself and assumed the place of a slave, washing the feet of the twelve disciples. He even washed the feet of Judas! Judas, knowing what he was going to do, just sat their totally unmoved by the Lord’s act of love. Even Peter protested when the Lord tried to wash his feet, John 13:1-11. During His exchange with Peter, Jesus made it clear that He knew one of His men was lost and would betray Him.

Later in the meal, Jesus became even more direct. In verses 19-30, Jesus clearly exposes the treachery in the heart of Judas. All of this is an attempt to awaken the conscience and to give Judas an opportunity to repent, but he doesn’t.

Jesus even hands Judas the “sop”, John 13:25-27. The “sop” was a piece of bread which was dipped into a fruit mixture that was much like jam. To be handed the “sop” by one’s host at a meal was the ultimate form of respect and love. Jesus honored Judas and attempted to break through the hatred that gripped the man’s heart. Judas does not turn from his pan, he simply leaves to go and do his father’s business.

John 13:27 is an interesting verse. While Judas had always been a child of the devil, he is now completely taken over by Satan. Every thought, every deed, every action will be carefully choreographed by Satan himself. This does not mean that Judas was doing these things against his will. Judas was a willing participant in the devil’s plan. Judas could have yielded himself to the Lord and things would have turned out far differently, but he yielded himself to Satan and Satan willingly used Judas as his vessel to accomplish his evil purposes.

After Judas leaves, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper. I find it amazing that while Jesus instructs His true disciples about the greatest act of worship given to the church; Judas is out conducting the single greatest act of treachery the world has ever seen.

They finish the meal and they go to the Garden of Gethsemane. While they are there, Jesus prays His high priestly prayer. Of course, Judas knew where they would be, Luke 22:39; John 18:2. So, he, along with a great multitude of soldiers, came to arrest Jesus, Matt. 26:47. The soldiers came ready for a fight, John 18:3. When they arrived in Gethsemane, Jesus met them and identified Himself to them openly, John 18:4-5.

Judas had given the soldiers a signal by which they could identify which man was Jesus. Judas said that the man he kissed would be Jesus, Matt. 26:48. When the mob came to get Jesus, the Lord identified Himself to them, so there was no need for Judas to kiss Him. Judas is so filled with hatred for Jesus that he kisses Him anyway, Mark 14:45.

Series: The Man in the Mirror

A kiss speaks of love, affection, tenderness, respect and intimacy. When Judas walked up to Jesus, he did not give Him just one kiss. The tense of the verb suggests that he kept on kissing Him. This display of false love and affection for Jesus only makes his deed darker. Sadly, for Judas, he kissed the vey gates of Heaven and died and went to Hell!

That night, Judas blasphemed the Passover. He blasphemed the Son of God, He blasphemed the Lamb of God. He was guilty of the greatest act of blaspheme the world has ever witnessed!

I. Judas And His Personality

II. Judas And His Privileges

III. Judas And His Problem

IV. Judas And His Plan

V. JUDAS AND HIS PUNISHMENT

A. His Despair – After Jesus was arrested, Judas began to have pangs of remorse for what he had done. He never came to a place of repentance, but the powerful influence Satan held over him subsided and he realized what he had done. He tried to return the money, but it was too late, Matt. 27:3-4. The deed was done and Jesus was on His way to the cross. Satan used Judas for his purposes and then discarded him like he was a piece of trash.

Even now, Judas is not interested in salvation. He is not interested in believing in Jesus. He is not interested in getting right with God. Judas has crossed the line. The door of salvation has closed in his life forever. He is the perfect example of “a reprobate mind”.

The word “reprobate” means “worthless”. In Rom. 1:28, the word is used of people who thought God was worthless so God gave them over to a worthless mind. The result was that they gave themselves to every kind of defilement imaginable.

Judas looked at Jesus, His works, His teaching, His claims and said, “He is worthless!” Therefore, the Lord gave up on Judas. He abandoned him to his own choice. Judas would forever remain lost and separated from God.

B. His Death – When Judas saw that he could not fix what he had done, he threw the money down in the Temple and he went out and committed suicide by hanging himself, Matt. 27:5.

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Apparently, he couldn’t even do that right, because the limb or the rope broke and his body fell from a cliff and burst open on the rocks beneath, Acts 1:18. The money Judas left at the Temple was used to purchase a field where strangers could be buried, Matt. 27:6-10. Judas was the first person to be buried there. It was a tragic end to a tragic life!

It is interesting to consider the deeds of the chief priests. They gave Judas the money to betray Jesus and when Judas gives them back the money, they refuse to put it back in the treasury because it is “blood money” and it would have been unlawful to do so.

Where was their concern over the Law when they were conspiring to have Jesus arrested? Where were their scruples when they condemned Him to death using false witnesses and lies? Where was their concern for right and wrong when they murdered their Messiah?

That is the way of hypocrisy! It cares for nothing but achieving its own ends. They got what they wanted and that’s all they cared about!

C. His Damnation – Acts 1:25 says that when Judas died, he went “to his own place”. That simply means that he went to a place prepared for him and people like him: he went to hell!

Just as surely as there is a place called Heaven prepared by Jesus for the saints of God, John 14:1-3, there is a place called Hell prepared for the devil and for those who follow him, Matt. 25:41.

Every lost sinner, every religious hypocrite, every false disciple will go to Hell when they die. This is made crystal clear by a multitude of Scripture passages. Consider the following verses and hear their message clearly.

Matt. 25:46, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Matt. 3:12, “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Matt. 13:40, “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.”

Matt. 13:42, “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Matt. 13:50, “And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Mark 9:43-48, “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

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2 Thes. 1:9, “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”

Rev. 14:10-11, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

Rev. 20:10-15, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

If you miss Jesus Hell is where you will spend eternity. In the end, it will not matter how good of a neighbor you were. It will not matter that you were a church member. It will not matter about the money you gave or the good deeds you did. All that will matter is your relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are saved, you will go to Heaven. If you are lost, you will go to Hell! Don’t let that happen to you! Come to Jesus and be saved or get it sure today!

Conc: Judas was the great pretender, but his hypocrisy never went unchallenged. The Lord Jesus placed many roadblocks in his way. Judas went to Hell because of his unbelief, but he had to work hard to get there.

Every sermon, every act of kindness, every miracle was a call from Jesus to repent of sin and believe on Him. When Jesus told His disciples that one of their number was “a devil”, that was a call to repent. When Jesus washed the feet of Judas and revealed that one of their number was not clean, that was a challenge to his hypocrisy. When Jesus handed Judas the “sop” at dinner, it was a call for him to turn from the path he was following. Judas climbed over every obstacle a loving Lord placed in his path and continued on his way to Hell.

What about you? Are you genuinely, truly saved by the grace of God today? Are you in a personal, faith relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you looked to Him by faith for your soul’s salvation? Are you trusting Him, His shed blood and His resurrection as your path to Heaven?

Or, are you counting on your good works to get you in? are you expecting to get to Heaven because you are a church member? It did not work for Judas and it will not work for you. If you want to go to Heave,

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you must be born again, John 3:3,7. If you want to miss Hell, you must not miss Jesus, John 14:6; Acts 4:12.

If you are not saved, come to Him today. If you are saved, you need to thank Him for His grace in calling you, converting you and keeping you.

Questions Concerning Hypocrisy

In this article we will consider the following questions:

1. What is one of the most common complaints against Christians by skeptics? 2. What was one of Jesus’ biggest criticisms about “religious people”? (Matt. 23:13a) 3. Why is it that so little is said or written about the sin of hypocrisy? 4. What precisely is the anatomy of this sin? 5. What are its causes, consequences and cures? 6. What is its relationship to self-deception and the weakness of the human will? 7. What is your earliest and most vivid memory of hypocrisy? 8. What are some biblical examples of this sin? 9. Since we all know more than we do, does that mean that we are all hypocrites? 10. Doesn’t “knowing Christ” involve changing morally for the better? 11. Do hypocritical Christians render the Gospel of Christ null and void? 12. Is there anything that we, as Christians, can do about it? 13. How can we best answer this frequent complaint from the secular cynic?