Don’t Be A Judas
John 13:1-30
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 endeavour 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 labours 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 Saviour.
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."
Judas is not a very popular name now. But such has not always been the case. When Judas’ parents gave him that name it was a very popular Jewish name, and carried much great history. The parents of Judas had high hopes for their child just as all good parents do. They hoped that he would live up to his name which means "praise to the Lord". They hoped that he would live a life that would bring praise to the Lord. Such was not to be case however. Now his name lives in infamy. You look up the word traitor in a thesaurus, and you will find among the words which are synomous....the name Judas !
Oh how he fell ! How could it have happened ? How could one with so much promise, and potential fall to such depths ?
When the Lord announced that one of them would betray him, the disciples begin to ask.......Lord, it is I ? This morning we must be careful that the same thing that happened to Judas doen’t happen to us.
Don’t be a Judas !
How could Judas have fallen so low ? How could one of the chosen twelve end up betraying the Lord for 30 pieces of silver ?
I. Notice What Judas Witnessed !
a. He witnessed the Master.
Oh what a privilege he had ! Oh what possibilities ! He had the opportunity to walk in the footprints of Jesus. Everyday Judas observed the Master at work.
b. He witnessed the Multitudes.
Judas was witness to the throngs of people who came out to meet the Lord, and follow him whereever he went. Judas had the opportunity to be more than just one in a mulititude or one in a thousand. He was in that inner circles of followers, and friends that we call the 12 disciples.
c. He witnessed the Miracles.
Judas witnessed the Lord healing those that were sick. He saw the Lord cause the blinded eyes to sea, and the lame to walk. He witnessed the dead returned to life, and those filled with demons set free ! He saw the miraculous provision of the Lord when he fed the thousands.
d. He witnessed the Messages.
Judas heard the greatest sermons ever delivered. He heard the Sermon On The Mount ! He heard the words of condemnation delivered to the Pharisees. He heard the words of comfort, and hope spoken by the Lord........Come unto me all ye that labor. He heard the warnings of the Lord concerning Hell !
II. Notice What Judas Wasted !
a. The opportunity to be converted.
John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
b. The opportunity to be clean.
John 13:10-11 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him, therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
c. The opportunity to be changed.
When the Lord called Judas, it was the opportunity for a changed life.
When the Lord confronted him about his unbelief, it was the opportunity to turn around.
When the Lord cleaned his feet, it was a opportunity to have it heart cleansed, and experience a changed life, but Judas held on to his own ways, and self destructed was the result.
III. Notice What Judas Wanted.
a. Judas wanted power.
I believe that one of Judas’ biggest problem was that he was power hungry. Perhaps he hoped that Jesus would start a revolution, and overthrow Roman rule. He hoped to be a part of that, and occupy some place of importance.
b. Judas wanted possessions.
Judas was the treasurer among the disciples, and was a thief. It was he that showed indignation that Mary would pour out the precious ointment upon the Lord Jesus. He acted as though he would have preferred that the ointment been sold, and money given to the poor, but he actually had no concern for the poor, but was only after what he could get for himself !
c. Judas wanted a price.
It was after the annointing of the Lord by Mary with the precious ointment that Judas went to the religious leaders to bargain. He would betray the Lord for the right price. The price turned out to be 30 pieces of silver !
IV. Notice Where Judas Went !
a. He went into darkness. John 13:30
He went out and it was night ! Darker than he thought ! It was not only night as Judas left that room, but it was lights out for Judas !
b. He went to his death. Matt 27:5
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
c. He went to his determined place.
Acts 1:25 ........Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
By rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, he went to his chosen destination. He went to his own place. He went to hell !
