Key Players In The Crucifixion: Judas Series

KEY PLAYERS IN THE CRUCIFIXION:

JUDAS ISCARIOT

TEXT: MARK 3:13-19

INTRODUCTION: I am doing a series of sermons on the key players in the crucifixion. I would like to begin with the most notorious player of them all, Judas Iscariot.

In our text we read, “Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him.” The first thing we ever read of Judas is that he betrayed the Lord.

I. JUDAS HAD A NOTORIOUS NAME?

Some celebrities are so well known that all you have to say is their first name and people know who you are talking about right away.

Cher, Madonna, Oprah, and most recently, Regis.

Judas, his name has forever gone down in history as the name that means “traitor, betrayer, thief.” Webster’s Dictionary has this as its definition, “Judas: A treacherous person.”

When someone calls someone a “Judas” it’s not flattering. How would you like to have a name like that, when someone mentions your name, it is not thought of well at all, it only evokes bad thoughts?

After Judas betrayed the Lord those that had the name of Judas changed their names so they would not be identified with the one who had done this awful deed.

Jesus had a brother named Judas;

Mat 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Judas, the Lord’s half brother, wrote a book in the Bible but it is not called Judas, its called Jude. He didn’t want people who saw his name think that it was speaking of the one who betrayed the Lord, so he changed it.

Our name is important. What people think about us when they hear our name says a lot about who we are. A good name is very important to have. The Bible says;

Prov 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,

Having a good name is better than being rich. Our name is of course tied to our character. Many people will sacrifice their character in order to get rich. They will lie, steal, cheat, and even commit murder in order to obtain riches.

Judas’ name will forever be linked with evil. Prov 10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

I. JUDAS HAD A NOTORIOUS NAME

II. JUDAS WAS MOTIVATED BY MONEY

Look at; John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

John 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

John 12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

John 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

John 13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

As we saw in the first point Judas sacrificed his name for riches. He was a thief. He had the bag. He was the treasurer and he liked to skim money from off the top.

See Judas thought that Jesus was going to set up His kingdom at this time. He thought that Jesus would bring about an insurrection against the Romans who ruled the Jews at that time.

Now of course, kings are rich and Judas thought that if he would bide his time, then, when Jesus took the throne he would be the treasurer of much more than a bag of money. He would be the treasurer of the wealth of the country.

Money motivated Judas. Judas loved money. 1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

How much like Judas are we? Well consider this. Judas is called, “one of the Twelve.”

What’s interesting about this is that this phrase is used of one other person, one other time. It is used of Thomas once in;