The disciples had a unique benefit as the got to witness the miracles Jesus performed and literally walk in His footsteps. They watched as Jesus:
- Changing water to wine
- Witnessing to Nicodemus
- The Woman at the well
- Christ’s witness to the Samaritans
- Healing of the nobleman’s son
- Feeding of the 5000
- Christ walking on water
All through this he is teaching and preaching to His many disciples.
There is an event however that seemed to shake the faith of many of His followers:
John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Doth this offend you? Walked with Him no more. This is a hard saying.
These are men that have seen Jesus do all these miracles, yet when they are confronted with Bible truth, they fold up their tents and go home.
Judas was there in the beginning.
- Judas was taught and shown many great wonders by Christ.
- He was able to walk with Christ, ask questions, Fellowship.
- He was given the power needed to preach to the Jews by Christ.
Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Judas had a testimony of being with Christ.
How we desire to be associated with the name of Christ.
But even through all this:
He sought to harm Jesus.
The plot.
Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Why? What was it that made him do this?
- Was it discouragement when all his friends left Jesus?
- Was it the hard words that Jesus had spoken?
- Was it the money? Thirty pieces of silver in bible days is around $3800.00
What in our lives represents our 30 pieces of silver?
What in our lives would it take to betray the faith?
- a new car?
- a new job?
- a new home?
Or does it represent simple discouragement, Judas was rebuked by Jesus the night before after the woman had anointed Jesus with the ointment.
Judas was upset because those ointments were expensive, he thought that they could have been sold and used for the poor.
Sometimes we are discouraged with our pastor, we may not agree with him on some things. Like what color the wall border should be.
But we are placed in a Bible believing Church, under the leadership of the pastor. If we have a disagreement with something that happens we need to get it right with God. The problem that Judas faced, the problem that we face is that it is a problem of the heart. He wore his feelings and pride on his sleeve. He forgot that he was called and ordained by Jesus for His service. We are much the same. If the pastor has not done anything that is against the direct teaching of the King James Bible that we claim to believe, then the problem is within us. The problem is our heart. And that may cause us to become bitter and seek other forms of satisfaction, like running down the man of God, or worse Christ. It may get us out of Church or we may stick around like Judas did and smile big and lie through his teeth at the Lord’s supper.
The result of Judas rebellion.
John 18:2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
Although there is forgiveness, you cannot remove the scars of sin.
Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
What do you say to the man that has betrayed the savior.
I ask again. What in your life is your 30 pieces of silver?
Before we as faithful Bible believers puff up
Remember that Judas walked with Jesus,
We have Gods truth in words from our King James Bible, we have our pastor who is led and called by God to serve.