Grace Bible Church
Pastor Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
122119
When we began to study the Dispensation of the Hypostatic-union, I said that we would not be studying the life of Christ, that is an entirely different subject.
What I did say, however, is that we were going to study some of the high points of our Lord’s life on this earth with emphasis upon the mystery doctrines that had been hidden for many years but have now been made known to His disciples.
We have all seen different passages through-out the New Testament that reveal the fact that a brand-new spiritual life has been given to a brand-new spiritual species revealed which we call “mystery Doctrine.”
Speaking about the wisdom if winning souls to our Lord, we read DAN 12:3 “And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Because there is no equality in Heaven.
It was not the apostle Paul who said “I Have A Dream or a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
In a way, there is an equality in Heaven that began in time with the mystery doctrine of the Church-age where every single believer is given equality to glorify our Lord with equal privilege and equal opportunity.
You either took what God gave you and made positive decisions toward the plan of God for your life or you rejected to use the talent or the spiritual gift that the Lord gave you.
This is so pitiful on behalf of the Loser believer that some believers who could have helped the local assembly with the talent God gave them as well as the exercising of the spiritual gift God gave to you for me.
It simply is an amazing principle of doctrine that the more the Lord does for His people, the less they respond to His love and respect toward Him.
PRIN: Notice that there will be differences after the Resurrection or after the Rapture because winner believers will have a resurrection body that is bright and shiny as a reward for being faithful to the Word of God.
Look at what the apostle Paul said; 2CO 12:15 And I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less?
PRO 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.
Without a doubt, winning souls for Christ is one of the greatest manifestations of the grace and mercy of God to both the soul that is saved as well as the soul-winner.
In fact, DAN 12:4 goes on to say; “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”
We know that because we have been given some of the greatest spiritual blessings that mankind has ever had; 1Co 2:9; Eph 3:20.
However, despite all the disciples that were there, there is one disciple at the Last Supper who has rejected the authority of Jesus Christ and allowed himself to be possessed literally by Satan.
We know him as a schemer, betrayer, conspirator, plotter, and we could give more nouns to describe him, but I think we all get the picture.
Judas Iscariot was known as the traitor by his last name because there are at least seven other men in the Bible who went by the first name Judas, but they were not known as the betrayer or traitor.
I just want you to be aware of the fact that every time the name Judas is mentioned, it does not always mean Judas Iscariot.
For example, let’s meet Judas our Lord’s half-brother; MAT 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? (Not Iscariot)
LUK 6:16 Judas {the son} of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
1) Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus and one of the twelve apostles; Mat 10:4.
Even the apostle Paul had to make a distinction between Judas Iscariot ACT 9:11 And the Lord {said} to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas [definitely not Judas Iscariot – he’s dead] for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
2) Judas the son of James, and one of the twelve apostles; LUK 6:16.
3) A brother of Jesus; MAT 13:55.
4) Paul’s host in Damascus; (ACT 9:11).
5) Judas, called Barsabbas, a leading Christian in Jerusalem and a companion of Paul; Act 15:22.
6) Judas, a revolutionary leader; Act 5:37.
Now, one of the misconceptions of being a missionary is the fact that a missionary should go to a place where he has a love and burden or a heart for the people, and that is totally false, just ask who? Jonah!
Jonah was contemplating suicide because the people in Nineveh repented….and Jonah was angry that they did repent and that he could not call for fire and brimstone to wipe these people out.
“traitor” = to be the “son of perdition” denotes that Judas is a man identified with eternal destruction, or whose destiny is the Lake of Fire.
Furthermore, in ACT 1:25, it says that Judas went “to his own place,” the thought being the place of his own choosing; to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.
Now, our Lord is telling them that there is a traitor in their midst and that he is about to betray Him.
First Principle: Judas was not a traitor according to the Word of God, Judas became a traitor because the verb that is mentioned is known as the Aorist-middle-indicative of the Greek verb ginomai which means to become something that one was not before.
We also know that because when our Lord was around adult believers, or Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes, and all of them were astonished by His knowledge and spiritual strength; Luk 2:40-52.
And by the way, this is not to say our Lord was not strong physically, because it took a lot of human strength to endure the beatings, the punches whip, the forced crown upon His head.
Now, all these principles apply to betrayers and traitors who make a living by manipulation, lies, broken vows; broken promises; etc.
However, in spite of all the dishonesty that goes on and on today in all realms of Life, it doesn’t really matter if you love our Lord, because if you love the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, there is divine blessing waiting just for you.
Perhaps Judas just wanted to shake things up a little and force our Lord to change His views by coming against Him with the vigilante mob.
Perhaps Judas thought that TLJC would just be stopped and jailed for a time, or publicly humiliated somehow – until He (Lord) could get His act together.
Perhaps Judas simply didn’t think it through.
A lot of people never think of things through, until it’s too late!
What we “DO” know is that something snapped inside of Judas.
“We don’t care, that’s your problem!” comes their reply to Judas, the Traitor.
In ACT 1:15-20, The physical body of Judas would end up dangling from a hangman’s noose off a tree and then it falls in a potter’s field.
ACT 1, describes some of the details of the messy end to the tragic life of Judas Iscariot.
What went so wrong, Judas?
Why did it have to end like this, Judas?
When you saw how badly you had screwed up, Judas, couldn’t you repent properly?
”Judas, you were there when the Lord said MAT 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy‑laden, and I will give you rest.”
You were there Satan when the woman caught in adultery in JOH 8:11, our Lord forgave her; “Neither do I condemn you; go your way.
Don’t you remember, when TLJC said in MAR 2:5…”My son, your sins are forgiven.”
I hope that you are learning something this morning such as the principle that “You can sit in Bible class for years and end up like a Judas, not necessarily an unbeliever in the eternal lake of fire, but a loser believer in time and in the eternal state; 1CO 3:11-15.
Were you there when instead of singing songs of peace and joy, Judas experienced regret and sorrow.
We sang, clapping our hands while Judas was wringing his; and tied a knot, when he hung himself in his suicide.
Here are some verses in a chronicle order:
2PE 3:18; JOH 8:32; GAL 4:16; PSA 31:5; ROM 4:7-8; .
ROM 4:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.
So, there will be Two Trees outside of Jerusalem, a Tree of life and a Tree of death.
On one tree, we call the Tree of Life is the Lord Jesus Christ hanging completely on a wooden cross or wooden beam as He hung upon the tree for you and for me; 1PE 2:24.
Wood used as an instrument for crucifixion is found in Deu 21:21-23.
Punishment is passed off.
Forgiveness is found.
Real, new hope, is given.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
There will be Two Trees outside of Jerusalem, a Tree of life and a Tree of death.
On one tree, we call the Tree of Life is the Lord Jesus Christ hanging completely on a wooden cross or wooden beam as He hung upon the tree for you and for me; 1PE 2:24.
1PE 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
On the other tree, however, dangles the body of a man who carried his heavy load himself, and found no rest = Judas Iscariot.
And so, he found himself in a spiritual desert or spiritual wilderness with no forgiveness.
After Judas sold Christ out, he tried to repent by throwing the silver 30 pieces on the floor of the Temple, only to hear the words of the religious leaders who said; “We don’t care.
We don’t want your money, it’s filthy and that is your problem says the religious self-righteous prigs known as Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees.
Judas could see no way out of the swamp and pit he dug for himself created by his own shallow, foolish pride.
In his sin, he realized his wrong.
He also admitted it openly.
He tried to put it behind him.
But the ONE item he missed was deadly.
He tried to sort it all out himself.
He figured that if he screwed up, like his religious leaders had told him, he’d have to make it right.
And, if he couldn’t make it right…… there was no right to be had.
So, Judas accepted the condemnation which the religious leaders offered him and rejected the grace which the Lord offered him.
The chains of guilt dragged him to his grave.
If only Judas saw that it didn’t have to end that way.
That is a tragedy far worse than betraying your master, for that betrayal was sin.
And for sin there is forgiveness at the tree of life, the tree where another man dangled and died on the WOODEN cross.