Is There A Judas Among Us?
Mark 14:10,11
Would you name your son Judas? One pastor began his sermon with that question and then followed with this illustration! Does being called a particular name really make any difference? Ask the daughter of Texas Governor James Hogg, who was the first native born governor of Texas, serving just before the turn of the 20th century. He and wife Sarah didn’t really think much about the name they chose for their daughter. They were simply trying to honor Jim’s brother Thomas, by naming her after the heroine of the Civil War poem he had written. So when their second born discovered America on July 10, 1882, they named their bouncing baby girl, “Ima”.
Miss Hogg later recounted: "My grandfather Stinson lived 15 miles from Mineola and news traveled slowly. When he learned of his granddaughter’s name he came trotting to town as fast as he could to protest but it was too late. The christening had taken place, and Ima I was to remain." Ima Hogg. What a name! Can you imagine introducing yourself? “What is your name?” “Ima Hogg.”
Fortunately, Ima Hogg made something of her life in spite of her name. She founded a symphony orchestra, served on the Board of Education and championed music in the schools of Texas and served in Washington D.C. in the Department of Education. She made something of her life in spite of her name. Be careful what you name your children! But I don’t know of very many people throughout history that were named Judas.
Leonardo Da Vinci, the noted Italian artist, painted the Last Supper. It took seven years for him to complete it. The figures representing the twelve Apostles and Christ himself were painted from living persons. The life-model for the painting of the figure of Jesus was chosen first.
When it was decided that Da Vinci would paint this great picture, hundreds and hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavor to find a face and personality exhibiting innocence and beauty, free from the scars and signs of dissipation caused by sin.
Finally, after weeks of laborious search, a young man nineteen years of age was selected as a model for the portrayal of Christ. For six months Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of his famous painting. During the next six years Da Vinci continued his labors on this sublime work of art. One by one fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven Apostles - with space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece.
This was the Apostle, you remember, who betrayed his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. For weeks Da Vinci searched for a man with a hard, callous face, with a countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, hypocrisy, and crime. A face that would delineate a character who would betray his best friend.
After many discouraging experiences in searching for the type of person required to represent Judas, word came to Da Vinci that a man whose appearance fully met his requirements had been found in a dungeon in Rome, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder. Da Vinci made the trip to Rome at once, and this man was brought out from his imprisonment in the dungeon and led out into the light of the sun. There Da Vinci saw before him a dark, swarthy man his long shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face, which betrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin. At last the famous painter had found the person he wanted to represent the character of Judas in his painting. By special permission from the king, this prisoner was carried to Milan where the picture was being painted. For months he sat before Da Vinci at appointed hours each day as the gifted artist diligently continued his task of transmitting, to his painting, this base character representing the traitor and betrayer of our Savior.
As he finished his last stroke, he turned to the guards and said, I have finished. You may take the prisoner away. As the guards were leading their prisoner away, he suddenly broke loose from their control and rushed up to Da Vinci, crying as he did so, "Da Vinci, look at me. Do you not know who I am?" Da Vinci, with the trained eyes of a great character student, carefully scrutinized the man upon whose face he had constantly gazed for six months and replied, "No, I have never seen you in my life until you were brought before me out of the dungeon in Rome."
Then, lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, "Oh God, have I fallen so low?" Then turning his face to the painter he cried, "Leonardo Da Vinci, look at me again for I am the same man you painted just seven years ago as the figure of Christ.
I disagree with the common image we have of Judas – the cloak and dagger, the sinister menacing eyebrows, maybe sunken eyes…looking like he just stepped off the bulletin board at the post office. Da Vinci put him at the end of the table, squirming in discomfort, off in the shadows, scheming to betray Christ. I don’t buy that. In reality, Judas was just another disciple…
You would barely be able to pick him out of a crowd. You wouldn’t even notice him if he didn’t say something—and his accent would tell you he was different from the rest of the disciples. Judas may have done business with you every day. He may even be sitting next to you in church! How do I come to this conclusion?
1. He had been elected by the other disciples as their treasurer. There must have been some leadership qualities or some talents at handling money. He must have exhibited some outward signs of compassion for the poor so that the other disciples would give him that position.
2. Although he was the only disciple that wasn’t from Galilee, we never see him ostracized or excluded from the other apostles. Even when he remarked about Mary wasting the perfume, so were the other disciples.
3. He was sent out along with the rest of them to preach in Matthew 10. He was given the same power over demons and the same power to heal the sick. He came back with a similar report of God’s power at work. He had been able to preach and we assume he had had just as successful a ministry as the rest of them.
4. Luke 6:12-16 points out that Judas was chosen by Christ after a night of prayer with His heavenly Father. He was chosen just like the rest of them.
5. Notice that in John 13, as they sat down for their Passover meal, John was reclining on the left. Judas must have been on Christ’s immediate right because according to John 13:26,27, Christ as able to pass the bread immediately to Judas and say something to him…and then when he left, the disciples thought Christ has sent Judas out to give money to the poor. None of the disciples thought it was unusual for Judas to be given this place at the right hand of Christ at the table. No one was arguing that night about who got to sit where.
6. When Christ said someone would betray Him, everyone asked, “Is it I?” No one asked, “Is it Judas?” It wasn’t until years passed and the New Testament writers looked back on all this and they began to put two and two together and see some of the inconsistencies in Judas’ life as a disciple. But while Judas was with them, no one thought there was anything unusual about him. They walked and talked and lived together. They listened and learned from Christ. For three years they had been close to Jesus. Judas was a follower of Christ and one of the twelve apostles.
People today want to whitewash the person of Judas. Many people have tried. Over 100 years ago, Thomas Dequincy tried to make him into a hero who felt called to turn Jesus over to the authorities so Christ would declare himself to be the Messiah…the crucifixion was not Judas’ intention…the Jews did that. Judas was just trying to force Jesus to take the Kingdom. Most recently, the Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis (Ka – ZAN-Ka-zis) who authored the book that inspired the movie The Last Temptation of Christ…Jesus is talking to Judas and begging him to betray Christ. When Judas refused, Jesus says, “You must. Don’t abandon me now.” The movie depicts Judas as not wanting to betray Christ.
Yet, Mark 14:10,11 shows Judas as bailing out and scheming with the Jews. The New Testament shows Judas negotiating a price and the most opportune time to betray Christ. This was no impulsive act. Judas had been thinking about it for awhile. But, why did he do it? Why did he turn informer? Why would he hurt Jesus? There are a number of explanations people have given:
1. Covetousness. Jesus was an outlaw with a price on his head. The allure of money got to Judas – especially as he saw that Christ’s kingdom was not happening on earth right then. He wanted the reward money so he would at least get something.
2. Some people say Judas did it out of jealousy. Even if the gospels don’t show him as an outsider, he talked funny. He was the only one of the disciples that wasn’t from Galilee. He was from Kerioth in Judea. Maybe it was jealousy or wanted to be noticed.
3. Possibly it was ambition. He wanted a kingdom, but Christ kept talking about this kingdom leading to a cross. Judas felt betrayed and misled and his pride was hurt. How could he go back home and tell them that for three years he had been following someone who ended up dying?
4. Some people say Judas had no choice. Some say that all along Christ knew Judas would betray him. That Christ chose him for that purpose…that he was just a pawn in God’s plan. Someone had to betray Christ and God chose Judas to do the dastardly deed. People who support this idea point out that after he betrayed Christ, Judas hanged himself. If he was convinced he was right, why did he hang himself?
But Judas acted on his own free will. The devil didn’t make him do it. God didn’t force him to do it. Judas acted as he did for the same reason that many people are lost today—they choose to do it. They choose to reject Jesus. Judas lived for himself and acted for himself as a responsible human being, which is the same thing we can say today for the millions of people who reject Jesus Christ.
I want you to look at two passages in John to get a little insight into the life of Judas.
1. John 13:10,11 He had never been cleansed. He had never come to grips with his sinful condition and his inability to remove his own sin from his own life. All those years and sermons about sin and forgiveness and about God’s holiness had done him no good. He remained uncleansed.
2. John 6:64-71 He was not a believer. He listened to Christ, he heard about Christ and heaven and salvation and Calvary—but he never placed his total trust in Christ.
It is entirely possible that there are some Judas’ among us this morning. It is entirely possible that someone who has been a part of this church for months or years may still be in the same condition that Judas was in.
1. Some may have walked and talked and fellowshipped like other believers…
2. Some may have heard the gospel and even told others about Christ…
3. No one would have known, no one would have suspected, no one would have accused them of being unchristian because of the way they lived and looked and sounded like all the rest of us…
4. They have heard the plan of salvation and the message of God’s forgiveness many times. Yet, they are in the same situation as Judas. Hebrews 6 talks about those who have tasted the good word of God and the power of the age to come, yet they aren’t saved. Sure, you know all about Jesus Christ…
You know all about God
You know all about sin and salvation and heaven and hell.
But like Judas, you’ve never been cleansed and you’ve never believed. You’ve never asked God to forgive your sins…you’ve never asked Jesus to be only reason you expect to get into heaven…not your good works, not your baptism, not your good living, not that you believe in God…but that you’ve been washed by the Blood of Christ and you’ve been born again.
Vance Havner said, “Some people have been starched and ironed, but have never been washed.”
Are you a Judas among us? I’m not talking about someone who would betray his friends. I’m not talking about someone who would sell out Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. I’m talking about someone who for years has been living “real close” to God and religion and Christianity—but has never been cleansed from your sins. You’ve never placed your total trust in Jesus Christ to be the only way you get into heaven. You’re just close enough to the light to feel its glow, but you are still outside looking in.
As they say, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades – and that is especially true when it comes to being close to salvation. Judas was close, but he was not a believer. What about you?
