Judas sat at the place of honor. He was trusted by the disciples. He was in charge of the treasury. People looked at him and thought, "He's wise. He's prudent." But Jesus knew the truth.
Scripture Focus: John 13:18, 26-27; 1 Timothy 6:9-10
"He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me."
"Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil."
How did this happen? How did Judas—trusted, honored, seated at Jesus's right hand—become the most despicable and tragic man to ever live?
Number one: He loved money.
Is money wrong? No.
Is having a lot of money wrong? No. Job was rich. Abraham was wealthy.
Is loving money wrong? Very. Actually, the Bible says the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:24, "You cannot serve God and money." Isn't that interesting that the Lord Jesus Christ in the most famous sermon ever given says, "You can pick one master: God or money."
And Judas had chosen his master. He loved money.
Because Judas loved money and craved money, he began to break other commandments in God's Word. The tenth commandment is "You shall not covet." And because Judas did not have what he coveted, he began to break the eighth commandment, which is "You shall not steal."
Over and over again throughout the three-year ministry of Jesus, Judas was pilfering and stealing, pickpocketing the treasury.
I'm sure the first time he began to steal, he took a single shekel. I don't think in the back of his mind was "one day in three years I'll be selling out the Lord of all creation for thirty of these."
But that's what sin does. Sin starts slow, then it gets slippery, and before you know it, you're all wrapped up in it.
The whole time Judas is the master of appearances. Remember when the woman breaks the alabaster vial and pours out the precious nard over the feet of Jesus? Judas is mad. He says, "This could have been sold. It's a year's wages. It could have been given to the poor."
And then we just get this note: "Judas loved to steal from the money box."
So what does he do? He takes the moral high ground. "This seems awfully generous, Lord. This could have been given to the poor."
And all of the disciples say, "Who should we entrust with all our money?"
Answer: Judas.
Such a tragedy.
Jesus says you can pick one master. You will either hate the one and love the other, or serve one and despise the other. Who's your master this morning?
1. If you're honest with yourself, have you chosen money as your master instead of God?
2. What "small" sins have you been tolerating that are slowly wrapping you up?
3. Are you like Judas—taking the moral high ground publicly while stealing privately?
Stay dialed in