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So please turn with me in your 
Bibles to Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26. Our focus 
tonight, or this morning rather, is on verses 14 to 16, the betrayal 
of Christ by Judas, certainly a dark portion of Scripture describing 
a dark portion of humanity. And I want to just read beginning 
in verse 1 to set it in its larger context. Now, it came to pass 
when Jesus had finished all these sayings that he said to his disciples, 
you know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son 
of Man will be delivered up to be crucified. Then the chief 
priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled 
at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and 
plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill him. But they said, 
not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people. 
And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 
a woman came to him having an alabaster flask of very costly 
fragrant oil, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the 
table. But when his disciples saw it, 
they were indignant, saying, Why this waste? For this fragrant 
oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor. But 
when Jesus was aware of it, he said to them, why do you trouble 
the woman? For she has done a good work 
for me. For you have the poor with you 
always, but me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant 
oil on my body, she did it for my burial. Assuredly, I say to 
you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, 
what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to 
her. Then one of the 12, called Judas 
Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, what are you willing 
to give me if I deliver him to you? And they counted out to 
him 30 pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity 
to betray him. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
gracious God and our Holy Father, we thank you for the scriptures. 
We thank you that they're given by inspiration of God, that they're 
profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in 
righteousness. And even now we pray that you 
would thoroughly furnish your people unto every good work. 
Help us to see in this passage the darkness of the human heart. 
Help us to see in this passage the willingness to give over 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and help us, God, to take heed in fear. 
We ask that you would be merciful and gracious to your people and 
cause us not to shrink back from owning and declaring His great 
name in this world. For those who are outside of 
Christ, those who are unbelievers, we pray that today would be the 
day of salvation, that they would see Christ the way the woman 
saw Christ, as altogether lovely and chief among 10,000, that 
we would all see Him in this light and that we would all praise 
and worship and glorify and adore Him. So fill us with your Holy 
Spirit and guide us as we study Scripture and forgive us for 
our sins and our transgressions. Cleanse us in the blood of the 
Lamb himself and wash us and purify us and fit us to serve 
and to honor and to glorify your most holy name. And we ask these 
things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, 
this is a very dark passage of Scripture, the betrayal of our 
Lord Jesus. Last week we saw the woman's 
response to Christ in terms of the anointing at Bethany. She 
engaged in an act of extravagance, spontaneously worshiping and 
adoring and glorifying the Son of God, and absolutely contrary 
to her response, we see the betrayal of this man, Judas. So I want 
to look at two things this morning. First, the identity of the betrayer, 
and secondly, the plan of the betrayer. Now, we know his identity 
is Judas Iscariot, but we ought to examine this and investigate 
a little more further. But in the first place, with 
reference to his identity, we ought to appreciate this contrast 
with the woman. Davies and Allison say, while 
she unselfishly gives what she has to Jesus, Judas seeks his 
own gain. And whereas her sacrifice is 
costly, Judas settles his bargain for a relatively paltry sum. She gave over, or about rather, 
300 denarii of costly oil in the service of the Son of God. 
That would have equated to about a year's worth of wages. Judas 
makes a bargain for 30 pieces of silver. Now most of the commentators 
would agree that it's about one month's salary, one month's worth 
of wages. So, a pretty small sum in terms 
of the betrayal of the Son of God. This particular woman shows, 
by her actions, that money doesn't matter to her. But this man, 
by his actions, shows that money is everything to him. And again, 
persons have often questioned, what was the motivation? Why 
did Judas do what he did in this particular instance? We'll hopefully 
try and uncover that as we move along, but we should see the 
specific contrast intended by the evangelist Matthew to demonstrate 
devotion to our Lord Jesus and then this betrayal by this disciple. Now note, in terms of his identity 
proper, his position, verse 14, then 1 of the 12. What does that 
mean, then, one of the twelve? He was one of the twelve disciples. 
He was one of the twelve apostles. He had been hand-chosen by our 
Lord Jesus for a specific purpose. You can turn back to chapter 
10 very specifically to see this in verse 4. He is one of the 
twelve apostles and that points to his appointment to this apostolic 
ministry in 10.4. After rehearsing what had happened 
in terms of the giving of authority, we see him identified in verse 
4, Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him. So Judas Iscariot is included 
among this particular 12. And I think we ought to learn 
a couple of lessons from this. In the first place, his appointment 
to office underscores his privilege in close association with Jesus. We need to appreciate what's 
happening in this particular instance. This isn't a stranger. 
This isn't some pagan. This isn't some heathen. This 
isn't some Baal worshipper or Molech worshipper. This is not 
some idolater, but it's one of his close associates that is 
betraying him up. to the murder and conspiracy 
that has been hatched in 26 verses 3 to 5. J.C. Ryle makes this 
observation. Judas Iscariot had the highest 
possible privileges. Now, this is going to come back 
in our application this morning. Highest possible privileges doesn't 
necessarily ensure grace in the heart. Highest possible privilege 
does not necessarily mean you are heaven bound. We can't ever 
forget the language of John 3. We must be born again. Our hearts 
must be changed. We must be effectually called 
by God. We must be regenerated. We must 
be granted the gifts of faith and repentance. We must look 
and live at the Lord Jesus Christ. And so this man had high privilege, 
but it didn't necessarily mean that he was going to go to heaven. 
Again, Ryle, Judas Iscariot had the highest possible privileges. 
He was a chosen apostle and companion of Christ. He was an eyewitness 
of our Lord's miracles and a hearer of his sermons. He saw what Abraham 
and Moses never saw and heard what David and Isaiah never heard. 
He lived in the society of the 11 apostles. He was a fellow 
laborer with Peter, James, and John. But for all this, his heart 
was never changed. He clung to one darling sin. And I simply point this out to 
say this, that your being here does not necessarily mean you're 
going to go to heaven. Your being in a Christian family 
does not necessarily mean you're going to go to heaven. Your living 
in at least what we would refer to as a Christian nation, again, 
boy, very loosely described, that does not ensure access to 
heaven. Judas had this privilege, close 
association, not only with the 11, but also with the Lord Jesus, 
but it didn't mean or doesn't mean that he was converted. He 
nevertheless betrayed the Son of God into the hands of wicked 
men that would ultimately send him to his death. As well, the 
appointment to office underscores his privilege in having received 
delegated authority for ministry. In other words, he had been a 
useful man. You go back to chapter 10 in 
Matthew's gospel, and specifically in verse 1, note why Jesus calls 
these men. Well, I think it's actually pointing 
back to chapter 9. Look at chapter 9, specifically 
at verse 36. But when he saw the multitudes, 
he was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary 
and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then he said to 
his disciples, the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers 
are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the 
harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." So you see 
the particular situation. There's all these persons. They're 
like sheep having no shepherd. There are multitudes of humanity 
that need to hear the gospel, and they need these particular 
kingdom powers exhibited in their presence. And so Christ says, 
the harvest is plentiful, laborers are few, pray the Lord, or the 
harvest would raise up men. And here in Matthew chapter 10, 
what does He do? He appoints these 12 men. Up 
to Matthew's gospel, or up to this point in Matthew's gospel, 
we have seen the display of Jesus' power in terms of teaching in 
the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 to 7, and then in His miracles, 
Matthew chapters 8 and 9. And so what Christ does is chooses 
these twelve and invests power and authority into them so that 
they will go out and take the message of the gospel and the 
power of the kingdom and tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, Christ specifically 
purposed that he would duplicate his efforts through his church, 
through the apostles first, and then through the church as the 
ages continue in order to get the gospel message out, to tell 
sinners to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. So notice 
in chapter 10 at verse one, it says, when he had called his 
12 disciples to him, he gave them power over unclean spirits 
to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and all 
kinds of disease. So Judas had that. See, Judas 
had the privilege of close association with Christ and with the 11. 
Judas also had the privilege of being used by God, of being 
helpful in ministry, of having delegated authority to go out 
and preach and teach and cast out demons and heal people. You 
see, proven usefulness does not necessarily translate into salvation. We need to understand this. We 
are not saved by our preaching. We're not saved by our healing. 
We're not saved by our miracle working. We're not saved by our 
close association with those who are saved. We are saved by 
grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone, and we 
need to embrace that reality. And if you are not saved this 
morning, look at this example. and realize that your privileges 
do not necessarily translate into salvation, but rather it's 
grace through faith in Christ. You get a glimpse of this in 
Luke chapter 10. You can turn there. Luke chapter 
10, beginning at verse 17. This is after the 70 were sent 
out to preach, to evangelize, to do the kingdom powers, or 
to do the powers of the kingdom with reference to persons that 
were in need. And notice in Luke 10, 17, then 
the 70 returned with joy saying, Lord, even the demons are subject 
to us in your name. That'd be pretty exciting, wouldn't 
it? Wouldn't that be thrilling that even the demons were subject 
to us in your name? I mean, in a particular time 
when there was increased demonic activity, I mean, you cannot 
read the New Testament Gospels and come away without thinking 
there was some increased demonic activity going on. When the kingdom 
of light comes, the kingdom of darkness responds. And this is 
precisely what they're referring to. Lord, even the demons are 
subject to us in your name. And Jesus said to them, I saw 
Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the 
authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the 
power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 
I think Jesus is incorporating that Genesis 3.15 promise with 
reference to his statement to these disciples. The seed of 
the woman is going to crush the head of the serpent. That's a 
reality. And Christ delegates this authority 
to his church, that in their preaching and their ministry 
and their helping and healing, they have the authority to trample 
on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, 
and nothing shall by any means hurt you. That's pretty good, 
isn't it? Wouldn't you feel special? Wouldn't 
you feel like you had been involved in something grand and great 
and glorious? There's a sense, brethren, where 
we ought to praise God, that we are participating in the kingdom 
of heaven in terms of the church expressed on earth through local 
churches. We are part of this when we come 
to worship, when we come to praise, when we evangelize, when we minister. 
We're part of something bigger, aren't we? You ought to see Christianity 
that way. I think it's typical in North 
America to be navel-gazers. My salvation is only for me. 
My salvation is all about me. No, your salvation is about the 
least of these little ones, my brethren. Your salvation is so 
that you'll do nice things for other people. Your salvation 
is so that you'll go about an image and represent the Lord 
Christ, who was a man who went about doing good. You see, brethren, 
we are saved in order to serve. But we ought not to get caught 
up in that. Notice what Christ says in 1020. 
Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are 
subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written 
in heaven. See, that's everything. Rather rejoice that your names 
are written in heaven. It's a great privilege in terms 
of close association of the Savior and the disciples. It doesn't 
necessarily make Judas saint. Great privilege in terms of having 
received authority from Christ himself to go out and do wondrous 
things and preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus does not necessarily 
translate into salvation. If you think this morning that 
you're going to heaven because of your associations or because 
of your ministry, you are absolutely wrong. The only way any of us 
ever go to heaven is through the Lord Jesus Christ. And Judas did not have that. 
Now notice, with reference to his character, let's turn to 
John 12. John 12, I suggested last week, is parallel to Matthew 
26. The anointing at Bethany there, while reported with some 
different details in John, is nevertheless the same particular 
situation. And what was voiced or expressed 
by the disciples collectively in Matthew 26 is here specifically 
identified with Judas. Excuse me. Notice in John 12 
at verse 4, but one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, 
who would betray him said, why was this fragrant oil not sold 
for 300 denarii and given to the poor? This he said, not that 
he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the money 
box and he used to take what was put in it. Now, I think that 
this really helps us to understand the why behind the betrayal, 
doesn't it? There's been several reasons 
given as to why Judas betrayed Jesus. One of them suggests that 
Judas, like Simon the zealot, was a zealot. Now, when we hear 
zealot, we think of somebody who's fanatical or somebody who's 
enthusiastic, somebody possessing a great deal of zeal. But zealot, 
in this context, was sort of a revolutionary. They were Jews 
that didn't like the Roman government. They didn't like the thought 
of being subject to the Roman government. I've often wondered 
how Simon the Zealot, or the Zealots, got along with reference 
to Matthew who had been employed by the Roman state. Let's just 
go back to Matthew 10 for just a moment. Matthew chapter 10. Notice, now the names of the 
twelve apostles are these. First, Simon who is called Peter, 
and Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee, and John 
his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, 
James the son of Alphaeus, and Labaius, whose surname was Thaddeus, 
Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 
This Simon the Canaanite is also Simon the Zealot. So here you 
have a man that's somewhat sympathetic to revolution against the Roman 
Empire. So Jesus brings him in as a close 
associate, one of the twelve, and also Matthew, who had been 
a tax collector for the Roman government. I don't know, I just 
always find that amusing. How did those guys hang out well 
together? It's by grace, right? How did they not punch each other 
whenever they had special apostolic meetings together? whenever the 
Lord taught them things or took them places or did wonderful 
things with them. I can imagine that apart from 
the grace of God, Simon and Matthew would not have been close friends. 
But some surmise that because Judas is identified with Simon 
the zealot in verse 4, that Judas as well was a zealot. And so 
some suggest that his motivation was thus. He agreed that Jesus 
was the Davidic Messiah, but he was appalled at the thought 
that this Davidic Messiah was willingly going to die under 
Rome. And that just incensed him, and 
that caused the wheels to flow, and he went and betrayed the 
Lord Jesus. others, or at least one sort of competing theory 
nowadays, is that Judas was really trying to broker a meeting between 
the religious leaders and between Jesus, you know, with altruistic 
tendencies. He just wanted to bring these 
two factions together Have them sit down and discuss, maybe have 
a coffee and work out their troubles and difficulties. The text does 
not give us any indication whatsoever that that is the case. The text, 
however, gives us very specific indication that his problem was 
he was a thief. He was a hypocrite, for in the 
time when the woman is anointing Jesus with this costly oil, he's 
saying, why isn't this money sold for 300 denarii and given 
to the poor? John tells us he didn't care 
about the poor. He held the money box and he 
used to take out what was in it. That's hypocrisy. So while her devotion is flooding 
the room, his hypocrisy is flooding the room as well. That's why 
he did it. We don't need to wonder whether 
he was a zealot. whether he was actually a noble 
character trying to do wondrous things in brokering a peace deal 
between two warring factions. No, John conspicuously tells 
us what his problem was. He was covetous, he was a wretch, 
and he was most likely offended by Jesus' rebuke. If you're still 
in John 12, look at what Jesus says. John 12, 7, so there the 
complaint comes through Judas. And in verse 7 of John 12, he 
says to Judas, let her alone. She has kept this for the day 
of my burial. For the poor you have with you always, but me 
you do not have always. He was basically rebuked in the 
presence of everyone, wasn't he? Maybe he got his nose bent 
out of shape. Maybe he was offended. Maybe 
this was a trigger for him. I mean, if he lived in the 21st 
century, we'd expect it, expect this response. Of course he should 
betray him because he was offended. But this is the problem with 
Judas. When Judas comes to join the 
conspiracy, what does he say to them? What are you willing 
to give me? That's all Christ was at that 
particular point for Judas. He was a bargaining chip. He 
was a means. He was a tool. He was just a 
piece of property to broker, not for peace, but for profit. This is what drove Judas Iscariot. Bruner makes this observation. 
It would have been one thing for Judas to despair of Jesus 
and so to abandon him. That might have fit with that 
zealot position wherein he sees Jesus as the Davidic Messiah 
and Jesus willingly going about to die. It would have appalled 
Judas, but it would have perhaps caused him despair and made him 
abandon. But he goes on to say, it took hatred to hand him over. It took hatred to hand Christ 
over at this particular point. So he's not a hero, he's not 
a champion, he's not brokering a peace deal. He is a betraying 
wretch that is unconverted. In spite of his close association 
with Christ, in spite of his close association with the 11th, 
in spite of having received delegated authority to preach the gospel 
of the kingdom and to do these mighty miracles, he was unconverted. And this was his pet sin. And 
what happened when that pet sin wasn't dealt with? flourishes 
and it thrives. I would suggest thirdly, as we 
sketch the identity of the betrayer, his influence. And I don't mean, 
you know, who did he read? You know, he read the zealot 
material, so he was full of zealotry for, you know, the vindication 
of the Jews against the Romans. No, his influence being the devil. 
His influence being the devil. Note the parallel in Luke's gospel. 
Luke chapter 22. Cannot neglect this aspect of 
this whole situation. I submit, the character of Judas 
was already bent. He was a hypocrite and a thief. The devil seizes upon this and 
capitalizes upon this in order to use him in this particular 
act of betraying or delivering up the Son of God. Notice in 
Luke 22.1, now the feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called 
Passover. and the chief priests and the 
scribes sought how they might kill him, for they feared the 
people. Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed 
Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve." Turn to John chapter 
6. John chapter 6. I don't think 
any proper treatment of Judas ought to neglect the impact or 
the import of the devil upon him. John chapter six, specifically 
at verse, well, the larger context, there's a whole bunch of people 
following Jesus. He had fed them. They liked that. Their bellies 
were filled. Christ then speaks very hard truths, at least as 
far as they were concerned. So a great number of them stopped 
following Him. And then Peter, or Jesus rather, 
says to Peter, do you also want to go away? Peter says in verse 
68, Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You 
have the words of eternal life. Isn't that a beautiful statement? 
Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, 
the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, did I not 
choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spoke of 
Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray 
Him, being one of the twelve." Notice in John 13, John 13, very 
specifically at verse 2. Well, just picking up at verse 
1, now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that 
His hour had come, that He should depart from this world to the 
Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved 
them to the end. It's another great statement, 
isn't it? You ever wonder, falter, curious 
about Jesus' love for you? You know, that old sort of thing 
you used to see, the guy sitting there with the daisy, picking 
off the petal here and saying, she loves me, she loves me not, 
she loves me, she loves me not, and then he ends up at the end 
and it's a she loves me, then everything's good. He ends up 
at the end and it's a she loves me not, then everything's not 
so good. I think sometimes Christians do that with their God. I think 
sometimes we pick the pedal off and say, well, He loves me today 
because everything's going right. My coffee was just right. My 
work has gone well. Everybody's been happy at home. 
It's just been a day where I have felt the love of God. And on 
Tuesday you get up and the coffee's terrible, everybody's bickering, 
everybody's mad at you at work, and we have this suspicion that 
God doesn't love me as much as He did yesterday. Banish the 
thought. The doctrine of divine impassibility 
teaches us that God is most loving. He doesn't increase because He 
can't, and He doesn't diminish because He can. He loves you, 
and having loved them, He loves them to the end. That's a beautiful, 
beautiful statement in 13.1. But notice the contrast here, 
verse 2, in supper being ended, the devil having already put 
it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. And then again in 13.26, Jesus 
answered, it is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I 
have dipped it. And having dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas 
Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, 
Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, What 
you do, do quickly. But no one at the table knew 
for what reason he said this to him. For some thought, because 
Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, Buy those 
things we need for the feast, or that he should give something 
to the poor. Back to chapter 26 in Matthew. Isn't it intriguing 
that when Jesus identifies that someone's going to betray him, 
none of them say it's that rat Judas, isn't it? No one knew it was Judas. No 
one could spot the betrayer in the midst. No one had an idea 
that he was the one that was a traitor. Perhaps they assumed 
his close association with Jesus in the 11 meant that he must 
have been converted. Perhaps they assumed that his 
privilege of having received delegated authority to preach 
the gospel and heal the sick and cast out demons was an indicator 
that he was, in fact, a converted man. None of them said, oh yeah, 
it's him. I mean, it's kind of like us. 
We hear that somebody, well, I knew that was coming. Boy, we're bad, 
aren't we? I could see that fall coming. 
I could see that in his future. I could see that in his trajectory. 
None of these disciples say it. In fact, when Jesus says, one 
of you will betray me, what do they say? Is it I? They knew 
what Robert Robinson would write many, many, many, many years 
later. My heart is prone to wander and prone to leave the God I 
love. I find that intriguing, too. One of you is going to betray 
me. They say, is it I? Let him who thinks he stands 
take heed lest he fall. Every single moment that we stand, 
it's by God's grace. When will we learn we are debtors 
to grace? When will we learn that we are 
dependent upon grace? That we need the power of the 
Holy Spirit that left to ourselves for but a moment, we would make 
a mess of everything. You know the greatest proof? 
If you could lose your salvation, you would. It's not a one of 
us who would keep ourselves in the state of grace, not a one 
of us who would persevere to the end. Boy, let's not, you 
know, delude ourselves with what we think is some intrinsic goodness. But this man was a betraying 
wretch. The devil, as I've suggested, 
capitalized on this with reference to Judas. Now listen to Calvin's 
explanation here with reference to Satan entering into Judas. 
Because I think it's a very important explanation, and I think he says 
it a whole lot better than I'm saying it, so listen. He says, 
with good reason, therefore, does Luke expressly say that 
Satan entered into him. Not that the Spirit of God formerly 
directed him, for he would not have been addicted to theft and 
robbery if he had not been the slave of Satan. So he's not suggesting 
this was a departure of the Spirit and now possession by the devil. It's not what's in view here. 
Judas was never a saved man. He had never been born again. 
His heart had never been converted. All of these privileges, all 
of this association, all of this ability does not make one a Christian. It's sovereign grace. Calvin 
goes on to say, but Luke means that he was at that time wholly 
given up to Satan, so that like a desperate man, he violently 
sought his destruction. For though Satan drives us every 
day to crimes and reigns in us when he hurries us into a course 
of extraordinary wickedness, yet he is said to enter into 
the reprobate when he takes possession of all their senses, overthrows 
the fear of God, extinguishes the light of reason, and destroys 
every feeling of shame. This extremity of vengeance God 
does not execute on any but those who are already devoted to destruction. Let us, therefore, learn to repent 
early, lest our long-continued harshness should confirm the 
reign of Satan within us. For as soon as we have been abandoned 
to this tyranny, his rage will have no bounds. Now, if I could 
just summarize that. Repent. You see, Judas's pet 
sin was thievery. Judas's pet sin was that he loved 
money. Judas's pet sin was a gross violation 
of Matthew 6, 24. You cannot love or you cannot 
serve God and mammon. And it was that pet sin that 
was capitalized on by the devil. When the devil enters him, he's 
entering into, and again, how does he do this? Does he have 
a pitchfork? Does he have horns? Does he have 
a cape? That's not the questions we're supposed to be asking. 
We're supposed to be recognizing that this man, by his own particular 
corruption, had opened himself up to being used by the devil 
to betray the Son of God. It's intriguing, isn't it? So 
Calvin's counsel to each and every one is that we should repent 
early, lest we grow more hardened, we grow more calloused, we grow 
more resistant to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we end up 
in this place where the devil himself enters us and capitalizes 
upon those sins that were already present. You see, what happens 
with men is they don't get softer as they get older. They don't 
get more open to religion the longer they live. We get harder. We get more resistant. That's 
why you can go to the Sunday school from 9.30 to 10.30 on 
a Sunday morning and hear these little ones beamingly reciting 
catechism. You're not going to get 55-year-old 
old goats in that room that are hardened in their sin and depravity 
saying, who made me? God made me. What else did God 
make? God made all things. They're 
not going to do that. It's this common idea, owing 
more to evolution than it does to scripture, that, you know, 
man is basically good, he's essentially good, and he'll get better as 
he gets more knowledge and more education. No, at times we get 
harder and more resistant to truth the longer we reject that 
truth. If you're not a believer here 
this morning, believe. If you're not a believer here 
this morning, repent. You may not be a lover of money. 
You may not be one who worships and devotes himself to money 
over Christ, but you're a lover of some sin. There is something 
in your heart of hearts that if you don't repent, if you don't 
forsake, the devil can seize upon that and that will be the 
means that takes you down to hell. So that's the identity 
of betrayer. Let's look quickly at the plan 
of the betrayer. Notice he joins this conspiracy. Verse 14, then 
one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 
and said, what are you willing to give me if I deliver him to 
you? Remember, these men were plotting to kill Jesus. Look 
back at verses 3 and 4. Matthew 26 at verse 3, then the 
chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled 
at the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas and plotted 
to take Jesus by trickery and kill him. But they said, not 
during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people. 
Now, this was a happy occasion for these religious leaders, 
wasn't it? What is their fear? Their fear 
is if we take him during the feast, there'll be an uproar, 
there'll be riot. But you see, Jesus has said it must happen 
in two days at the Passover. This whole 14 to 16 answers the 
questions for us, how it's gonna happen on the Passover, and it 
answers the question for those religious leaders, how they're 
going to deal with them. Because Judas comes along and 
basically says, what are you willing to give me? I have a 
particular skill set. I'm in with them, I know where 
they hang out, and I have the ability to separate them from 
the crowds. It was a great win-win situation 
for them. I suggest that as we look at 
this progression, while it was a handy answer for these religious 
leaders, while it was a profitable answer for this wretched Judas, 
we need to see the sovereignty of God behind it all. We need 
to appreciate that nothing was left to chance. There's no haphazardness 
here. Christ said it must take place 
in two days at the Passover. Christ specified very specifically 
through this prophecy that it must take place on Friday. We're 
left with those religious leaders wanting, folding their hands, 
desiring, plotting to murder the Son of God himself, but they 
can't do it because of the crowds. And then lo and behold, here 
comes Judas, one of his own, saying, How much will you give 
me if I deliver him up to you? God is in sovereign control. Intriguingly, in Mark's parallel 
passage, it says that the solicitation by Judas facilitated their wicked 
plot. It doesn't say it like that. 
And it says they were glad. If anybody ever wonders about 
human depravity, point them to Matthew 26 and 27. I mean, I don't know why we even 
debate it. Calvinist, you reform, you believe 
that man is totally depraved and totally unable. How do you 
not believe it? How do you explain men that plot 
to kill a perfect man? How do you explain men that are 
glad when that plot starts to take shape? How do you explain 
men that are going to sell out their master for chump change? If you have any trouble whatsoever 
with the doctrine of total depravity, just read Matthew 26 and 27. 
How do you explain a crowd who, when the Christ enters into Jerusalem, 
are praising and not a full week later cry out, away with him, 
away with him, crucify him. How do you explain a particular 
angry mob that wants Barabbas to be released? Now Barabbas 
was a notorious criminal. We have this idea of the thieves 
on the cross, and they were that, but they were much more, murderous 
wretches. There was going to be three crucifixions 
that day. It was going to be the thief 
on the one side, the thief on the other side, and their leader, 
Barabbas, right in the middle. But no. Give us Barabbas. What shall I do with this one? 
Away with him, away with him crucified. I really don't know 
why we would debate the doctrine of total depravity in light of 
Matthew 26 and 27. You say, well, that was those 
wretched Jews. It would have been us too. It would have been 
us in Adam all die. When life and light and blessed 
immortality comes into the presence of these men, they reject him, 
they despise him. Look at Adam and Eve in the garden. 
After they sin, what is their response? To run and to hide. 
That is man's default position in sin. We run and we hide. When 
we can't hide, we'll fight and we'll reject and we'll try and 
deliver up and crucify, do all those things to rid ourselves. That is absolutely ungodly behavior, 
and that is what we are witnessing in this particular passage. Notice 
as well, in terms of the plan, Judas goes to them. They didn't 
seek him out. They didn't say, well, try to 
penetrate the ranks of the 12 and see if there's a weak link 
there, and we'll apply them with alcohol and offer them money. No, Judas is a willing participant 
in this deed. He goes to the chief priest. 
The only thing he expresses is, what are you willing to give 
me if I deliver him to you? And then notice specifically 
the agreement. They count out to him 30 pieces 
of silver. They count out to him 30 pieces 
of silver. Now brethren, Zechariah 11, 11 and 12 are in the background. But that's going to be invoked 
or appealed to very specifically by Matthew later in the narrative. So we're not gonna go to Zechariah 
11 right now. But just suffice it to say, this 
30 pieces of silver wasn't just, wow, that's a great idea. There's 
prophetic reference involved. But there's also something very 
interesting in terms of God's law. 30 pieces of silver here 
was the price of a slave. It's the price of the slave. 
That doesn't mean you went to the slave market and said, give 
me that one back there and I'll give you 30 pieces. But no, Exodus 
21, 32 tells us, if the ox gores a male or female servant, he 
shall give to their master 30 shekels of silver and the ox 
shall be stoned. Now, just think about this for 
just a moment. Practically, what does it suggest 
to us in the context? As far as the disciples were 
concerned about the extravagant display of devotion by the woman, 
it was a waste of money. Don't they say that? When that 
woman takes that costly oil and pours it on the Savior, that 
is their response. Why this waste? So it tells us essentially, at 
least indirectly, that they didn't think Jesus was worth it. Now when Judas makes this bargain 
ordeal for 30 pieces of silver, he doesn't estimate him as being 
any more valuable than a slave. Do you get that? Everybody around 
Jesus devalues him. Everyone around Jesus tries to 
bring him down. Everyone around Jesus, except 
for the woman of course, doesn't see the altogether loveliness 
and the chief among 10,000-ness that is displayed in this one 
that is named Jesus Christ. So, practically, the disciples' 
response to the woman's extravagance, why this waste, implies that 
Jesus isn't worth it. The betrayer's agreement for 
30 shekels indicates that he didn't think that Jesus was worth 
much more. Notice he doesn't bargain, he 
doesn't barter, he doesn't say, that's on the low end, could 
you double it? No, he's more than happy to take 
the 30 pieces that they're willing to fork out. I said practically, 
it shows us that Christ was not valuable to these particular 
participants. But theologically, what should 
it underscore for us? What did God do in terms of sending 
His Son? What did Christ do in terms of 
coming on our behalf? In the form of a bondservant. 
So it really ought not to surprise us that 30 pieces of silver, 
the price for a servant, is what is reckoned upon by these wicked 
men and Judas. In fact, Matthew Poole makes 
this connection. He says, the price was set by 
the counsel of heaven, which had determined this degree of 
our Lord's humiliation, that as He took upon Him the form 
of a servant, so His life should be valued at the rate of an ordinary 
servant's life. Even right down to this, Christ 
is fulfilling the law of God. Poole goes on, Christ must be 
sold cheap that he might be the more dear to the souls of the 
redeemed ones. And Spurgeon reminds us concerning 
this 30 pieces of silver, as we remember with shame and sorrow, 
these 30 pieces of silver, let us never undervalue him or forget 
the priceless preciousness of him who was reckoned as worth 
no more than a slave. That's good counsel. They may 
have undervalued him. They may have said, why this 
waste? Judas may have engaged in this 
satanic barter, a bargain with these wretched men. But may we 
never do that. May we always see the value and 
the surpassing glory and the excellence and the majesty. May 
we side with this woman rather than with the betrayer. May we 
side with the woman rather than the 11, or the disciples as a 
whole, who said, why this waste? I'm not suggesting all of them 
were, you know, hell-bound sinners, but these things were written 
for our admonition. They were written for our instruction. 
They were written for our encouragement. Christians, who are you going 
to be of? Who are you going to side with? You know, looking 
at the church today, and I don't mean us particularly, but us 
generally, where's this woman? You know, I think there's a bit 
of Judas in all our hearts. Don't wanna psychoanalyze, don't 
wanna psychologize, but this idea of betrayal or being a traitor. I mean, how many times are we 
ashamed to own the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? How many times 
is it well up in us and that resistance mounts against us? We pray, we have good intentions, 
we have good desires, and we want to go share the gospel, 
and somehow we're paralyzed. I'm not suggesting, and I'm not 
saying you brethren, it's all of us, but I am suggesting that 
as more in line with what we find here is true of Judas than 
what we find of this woman. This woman didn't care what the 
disciples thought. This woman didn't care what Jesus 
thought. Perhaps he might have scolded her for this waste because 
it could have been spent on the poor. You see, true devotion 
and adoration obviously cares what Jesus thinks. I'm not suggesting 
otherwise. Your adoration and devotion to 
Jesus must be marked by obedience to his law. You see, that needs 
to be there. How many times do we pray, Lord 
God, increase my devotion? Increase my love, increase my 
adoration. May it be that on Sunday when 
I come to sing, I'm not just going through the motions. I'm 
not just reading off words from a page. I'm not longing for the 
sweet release of 1230. How is it that we can be zealous, 
devoted, and adore so many things? Man, I can't wait till 1230. 
Man, if I go 1231, I'm not saying anybody would throw tomatoes, 
but boy, oh boy. Who we gonna identify with? Who 
do you wanna be like? Certainly on this side of the 
ancient, of the sacred history, we all say, we wanna be like 
that woman. Then let's be like that woman. 
But I don't have costly spikenard. She did what she could. It's intriguing. She did what 
she could. Judas did exactly what he never 
should have done. She's commended. She's memorialized 
in the testimony of the gospel itself. He's memorialized also 
as the most notorious wretch in the history of the world. 
Isn't he? I mean, who is worse than Judas? Who is worse than 
Judas? I mean, come on! He betrays the 
sinless, the holy, the harmless, the undefiled one. He betrays 
the Messiah sent to redeem Israel. He betrays one that he had spent 
three years with and he had never seen sin. He betrays one that 
had taken him in. He betrays one that had conveyed 
authority upon him. He betrays one that called him 
friend. He betrays one who is altogether 
lovely and chief among 10,000. Brethren, we all say we want 
to be like this woman. Then be like this woman. You don't have to go to seminary. 
You don't have to go to Bible school. Just do what you're supposed 
to do and do it for the glory of God. Love the answers the 
Bible gives us to these perplexed questions. They're not so perplexed. How do I serve the Lord? By serving 
the Lord. Notice, the plan of Judas very 
specifically is outlined in verse 16. So, from that time, he sought 
opportunity to betray him. The parallel in Luke 22.6 makes 
clear what such an opportune time would look like in the absence 
of the multitude. You see, that's what these plotters, 
these conspirators were afraid of. They thought that if we take 
him during the feast, the crowd will uproar because the crowd, 
there was popular support for Jesus, at least up until that 
particular point. So that's in their head. So Judas 
comes along and says, I'll do it. I'll deliver him up. So he 
seeks an opportune time when there's no crowds around. You 
see how Matthew has woven together this narrative in such a beautiful 
way. There's no questions left unanswered. We leave three and 
five saying, well, how are they going to do it? And how are they 
going to do it consistent with this two days on the Passover 
with what the Lord Jesus says? We get to verse 14, and there's 
the betrayer making this deal for Trump change with these conspirators, 
joining their conspiracy. It says that he would indeed 
seek an opportunity that bridges the gap with Gethsemane. We get 
to Gethsemane, and who's there? It's not the multitudes of the 
Pilgrim Feast. It's not the multitudes there 
for Passover. It's Jesus and his disciples. 
The betrayer knows the place. The traitor knows the place. 
So he brings the soldiers there to arrest Jesus. Again, the wretchedness 
of man is obviously displayed throughout this section of Scripture, 
but so is the sovereignty of God. We get to the next section 
and Jesus knows who's betraying Him. Jesus doesn't lose His head, 
He doesn't lose His thoughts, He doesn't lose track of what's 
happening in this particular situation. The devil seizes upon, 
capitalizes upon this particular wretch, and under God's providence, 
carries out God's plan. Well, brethren, I think we learn 
three particular lessons before we leave. In the first place, 
and I think we'd be remiss in not pointing this out, the practical 
reminder concerning the love of money. Now, other than Judas's 
response here, what are you willing to give me if I deliver him to 
you? There's not a lot said in this particular passage about 
money, but it's certainly an overarching theme, isn't it? 
In light of John 12, he didn't care about the poor, he held 
the money box. And when he held the money box, 
he used to take out what was in there. He had a problem with 
covetousness, he had a problem with hypocrisy, he had a problem 
with a love of money. You see, that one pet sin was 
the undoing of this particular man. The particular sin of Judas 
is identified in 12.6, he was a thief. This particular sin 
underscores the reality of Matthew 6.24, where Jesus condemns this 
very specifically. You cannot love God and mammon, 
or serve, rather, God and mammon. You're either gonna love the 
one and hate the other, or love the other and hate the one. And 
what typically happens when men love money is they hate God. 
I mean, we like to delude ourselves, oh no, I can love it, but love 
God too. That's syncretism, that's still wrong. I'm not saying go 
out and sell everything and cut your hair and get an orange blanket 
and go live at the airport and bang a tambourine. But there's 
got to be a way that the people of God can properly navigate 
in an affluent society, in an affluent society, without becoming 
lovers of money. I think this particular study 
ought to remind us of Paul's words in 1 Timothy 6.10, the 
love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Now, again, we 
need to make sure we understand that because I think persons 
out there, you know, just put money somewhere else because 
it's the root of all evil. Well, Paul doesn't say that. 
Money can't be evil. If I put a $5 bill on the top 
of that piano, it will never go rob a bank. It will never 
go smoke crack. It will never visit a prostitute. 
It doesn't do evil. It is neutral. It sits there. It's the love of that money by 
an individual who takes it and goes and does all those things. That's the problem. It's the 
love of money. Later in 1 Timothy 6, Paul tells 
Timothy, command those who are rich in this present age. He 
doesn't say, get rid of all your money. In fact, look at that 
passage. 1 Timothy 6. I've always been intrigued by 
this as well. Timothy, as we get from our study 
in 1 and 2 Timothy, is a younger man. He is a younger man. He's ministering at a maturer 
church, Ephesus. And Paul tells Timothy something 
that every pastor wants to do. Verse 17, command those who are 
rich. Yeah, every pastor wants to command 
people who are rich on how to live. That's just what we live 
for. No, it's not. I don't want to 
do that. They under the Spirit will do 
the right thing with their money. They've got the spirit, they've 
got grace. I don't wanna tell people what they can and can't 
do with their money. I mean, maybe Timothy was gung-ho 
on this particular Bible study, but if he's like any pastor I 
know, that's not something, I mean, there's those weirdos that all 
they ever wanna talk about is money and now you spend it and 
give it to me and all that sort of thing. But for the most part, 
typical pastors don't like preaching on money in their churches. Typical 
pastors don't wanna say to the church, well, you need to step 
it up with your giving. And I'm not using this as a foil 
to tell you to step it up in your giving. I'm really not. 
It's not something we naturally gravitate toward. It's easier 
to preach to a man, don't commit murder, don't commit adultery, 
don't steal, don't lie, don't cheat, then use your money the 
way God says to. Nevertheless, we gotta use our 
money the way God says to. And notice, verse 17, command 
those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to 
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us 
richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be 
rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing 
up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come that they 
may lay hold on eternal life. I've always been just amazed 
that Paul doesn't say, tell them to get rid of their money. Tell 
them to get rid of their money. That evil, filthy lucre that 
I just said was the root of all kinds of evil. No, he doesn't 
say get rid of that evil, filthy lucre. He says change your heart 
and its attitude toward that. In other words, use that $5 for 
good. Don't use that $5 for ill. You 
see? This leads me to quote Ryle. 
He says, we are all liable to the infection from the least 
to the greatest in terms of the love of money. We may love money 
without having it. See, it's not the guy that's 
got billions of dollars that is necessarily the guilty one. 
The person who has zero dollars could still be in as much love 
with money as the guy who has it. You get that, right? That's why God in the Old Testament 
told them not to give special privilege to the poor. Does poverty 
translate into virtue? Does poverty translate into virtue? The answer is no, brethren. Poor 
people do some horrific things as well. Ronald says, we may 
love money without having it, just as we may have money without 
loving it. We may have it without loving 
it. Intriguing. Just read a biography about J.C. 
Ryle. He was brought up with money. 
His father was very well-to-do. They had a lot of money. Now 
his father ended up losing everything. So Ryle knew what it was, as 
Paul did, to abound and to be abased. But I think what he says 
here is accurate. It's true. We may love money 
without having it, just as we may have money without loving 
it. It is an evil that works very deceitfully. It carries 
us captive before we are aware of our chains. Once let it get 
the mastery, and it will harden, palsy, sear, freeze, blight, 
and wither our souls. It overthrew an apostle of Christ. 
Let us take heed that it does not overthrow us. One leak may 
sink a ship. One unmortified sin may ruin 
a soul." I think that's a good reminder. Again, not just for 
all the people out here that do well each year and make a 
pile of dough, but for all of us, because we may not have it 
and still love it. And this was his undoing. Again, I mean, you 
know, Judas, throw him on the couch and try to analyze his 
life. We only got what we got. He was a thief. He was a thief 
and the devil capitalized on that, seized upon him and moved 
him to that point where he said, what will you give me for the 
son of God? And then notice secondly, the 
possession of privilege is no sure indicator of grace in the 
heart. I beat this drum enough, but I think it bears a little 
bit of repetition. Judas had the privilege of close 
association with Christ and the 11, but he had no grace in his 
heart. Judas had the privilege of having benefit from Christ 
in terms of authority and power, and yet he had no grace in the 
heart. And consider as well, Judas had the best example, didn't 
he? It's kind of similar to what we studied a few weeks ago in 
terms of Solomon. Solomon's idolatry at the end. Solomon had religious experience. The Lord God had spoken to him 
twice. Solomon had a good example, David, his father. Solomon even 
had education because he was the wisest man on the face of 
the earth at that particular time. But none of those things 
delivered him from idolatry, and the same is true with Judas. 
Privilege, association, gift and power and authority, none 
of that delivered him from this graceless state of heart. But 
he had the example of Christ. You see, parents, it's not even 
the best of examples that is going to convert your children. 
What is going to convert your children is the power of God, 
through the gospel, by the Holy Spirit, under the preaching of 
the Word. Set a good example at home. and 
drag them to church on the Lord's Day, and pray that as the gospel 
is preached, the Spirit would attend, and they would be converted, 
they would be saved. Your good example will not make 
them Christians. Now, do not deduce that I'm going 
to go be a bad example. Be a good example, but remember, 
it's the grace of God that brings salvation. And with Judas, knowledge, 
understanding, all that he shared in terms of the experiences of 
the disciples, he had no grace in the heart. Again, Ryle. Judas 
Iscariot made a reputable profession of religion. There was nothing 
but what was right and proper and becoming in his outward conduct. Like the other apostles, he appeared 
to believe and give up all for Christ's sake. Like them, he 
was sent forth to preach and work miracles. No one of the 
11 appears to have suspected him of hypocrisy. When our Lord 
said, one of you shall betray me, no one said, is it Judas? 
Yet all this time his heart was never changed. Ryle goes on to 
make this perceptive observation and we close here. I don't actually 
fear that anybody here is gonna throw tomatoes at me. You're 
a very gracious, very kind, very warm people. I thank the Lord 
for this church. I thank the Lord for each and 
every one of you. As I have memory to pray for 
you, I do. I speak well of you at the throne 
of grace. I pray for God's blessings upon 
you. So my statement there, I actually 
don't fear going to 1231. 1241, that presses it and pushes 
it, and I do get a little scared there, but... But I want us to 
end on what Ryle says here and just tease it out maybe just 
a moment. He says, let us resolve by God's grace that we will never 
be content with anything short of sound, thorough heart conversion. Are you content to come every 
Sunday, go home every Sunday, listen at the family altar every 
night, listen to your spouse, listen to your wife, listen to 
your husband, listen to Christian people, and yet have no thorough, 
or rather, no contentedness with the reality of a sound, thorough 
heart conversion? Why do we take our status before 
God as something that's not that important? Why is it that typically 
when we end a sermon, it may end on a sober note, boom, doesn't 
take long, and this I can testify to, it's like mayhem, it's like 
banshees running through, and it's good, talk to brethren, 
see brethren, but if you're not converted, talk to brethren about 
what must I do to be saved? We've lost sight of the immediacy 
of this thing. We have lost sight of the reality 
that we're here for a time and then we vanish. We've lost sight 
of Proverbs 27. We've lost sight of this idea 
of don't boast for tomorrow because you don't know if it's going 
to come or not. We've lost sight of the reality that we could 
go today. And if we are unsaved, if we 
are not converted, if there has not been this work of God in 
our hearts, we're going to go to hell. You see, we saw that 
at the end of Matthew 25. There's only two places. There 
is heaven above and there is hell below. There's no purgatory, 
there's no limbo, there's no third thing, there's no place 
where you hang out and go to some sort of dreamless sleep 
for the rest of eternity. That is unscriptural, it is unbiblical, 
and as popular as it may be among the purveyors of heresy, it is 
directly contradicted by scripture. You're either in Christ and heaven 
bound or you're out of Christ and hell bound. That's it. So 
may I encourage you today, do not go home, do not pass go, 
do not think about anything else until you have settled this. 
Am I in Christ? And if the answer might be suggesting 
itself right now as to being a no, then flee to him. Fly to Him, believe on Him, listen 
to the preaching of the Word of God. He's holy, you're not, 
and the only hope is in Christ. And this is His commandment, 
John tells us, that we believe in the name of the Son of God. 
How is God going to be angry with us if we obey His commandments? Flee to Him, believe in Him, 
look to Him, and live. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for this, Your Word. And God, we see a dangerous example 
in this man, Judas, both to professing Christians and those who are 
not. And we pray that we take heed to this man, that we would 
take heed rather to this example of this man. and that we, by 
grace, would come to you for help, for protection. We would 
come to you for salvation if we have not closed with Christ. 
God, be merciful and save sinners by your grace and for your glory. 
And go with us and help us to honor and to praise and to worship 
and to serve you. And we pray these things through 
Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.