As a general rule we would turn to Christ, His apostles, the prophets, or perhaps some
other men of God for our precepts and examples, but for the purpose of this lesson I 
would like for us to take a slightly different approach. Rather than drawing from the 
teachings of such great men of faith, such as Peter, James, John or Paul; --- I would like
for just  a while for us to find ourselves setting at the feet of the greatest TRAITOR in 
all history.
   For there are indeed a number of valuable lessons we might glean from the life and 
times of JUDAS ISCARIOT!!

   For instance, as one considers the life of this man who placed that hypocritical kiss on
Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane; --- The question arises; --- What was it that prompted
Judas do perform such a treacherous act?

   Was Judas a victim of PROPHESY? --- Was it a matter of compulsion? --- That is to 
say, was Judas FORCED into doing what he did in order to fulfill prophesy? --- 
Did Judas in fact have any choice in the matter? --- Old Testament prophecies such as 
(Ps. 41:9 and Zech. 11:10-13) point to the fact that one would betray Jesus for a measly
thirty pieces of silver; --- But you know what? --- O.T. prophesy never does identify any
certain individual, --- let alone Judas Iscariot as being the villain.

   You think about that for a moment; --- If Judas had been prophesied or "programmed"
into this wicked act, --- Then God must have compelled him. --- And if that is true, then
Judas was in no way to be blamed; --- Judas was simply a victim of God's dealings with
man; --- And God, the Father would be guilty of betraying His own Son!! --- Who can 
believe such foolishness? (In the sense Judas HAD to do what he did)!

   Furthermore, the Scriptures clearly point out that what Judas did was in fact a 
VOLUNTARY transaction! --- (Lk. 22:1-6); --- "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. So he went his way and conferred with 
the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, 
and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to 
them in the absence of the multitude." --- (Also, Mt. 26:14-16)

   Some one might say; --- "Well, Satan entered Judas!" --- Satan enters you and I also 
my friend, every time he places temptation before us. But James tells us in (Js. 4:7), ---;
"Submit to God. --- Resist the devil and he will flee from you." The best way to keep the
devil from entering your life is to, --- Draw closer to God!

   Oh, yes; --- Satan dangled the bait before Judas and he went for it like a hungry fish
after a big juicy worm! --- Hook, line and sinker!!

   Before the chief priest, Judas voluntarily asked, what would they offer him to deliver
Jesus unto them? --- And the Bible says; --- "They were delighted, and agreed to give 
him money!" --- And (Mt. 26:15) says they offered Judas thirty pieces/shekels of silver!!
   (Less than a pound of silver; --- the price of a common slave) --- And Judas willfully
and voluntarily accepted their "blood money"!! --- So he consented and began to seek
opportunity to betray the Son of God apart from the multitude!!

   Was Judas guilty of sin? --- After the betrayal, Judas confessed his own sin. --- 
(Mt. 27:4), Judas cried; --- "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." --- So what 
lessons can we learn from Judas??

                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. SIN: --- Worse than men think.

   My friend, no matter how much you would like to place sin in your hip pocket, like 
an old dirty handkerchief; --- Sin is always much bigger than we would like to think!!

   I think we might rightfully speculate that most likely, Judas was totally surprised and 
even shocked to find that Jesus was actually condemned to die on the cross. --- Seeing
all the miracles and power Jesus had so many times demonstrated; --- Judas might well
have thought that when Jesus was delivered to the chief priest and elders that; --- surely,
not much would come of it. --- To Judas, it was merely an opportunity to pick up a little 
extra cash; --- "Easy money"!; --- "After all, no one would be worse off for it, would 
they?" 

   Many sinners of our day and time started off by being simple "opportunists". --- Over
and over again, history has revealed that sin has always been much worse than men
expected; --- 
   Take Adam for example; --- Even though he knew that God said ---"You
shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die." (Gen. 3:3); --- Adam may have thought, 
what possible harm could come from just one little ole bite? --- How could Adam (or 
Eve, for that matter) began to see the magnitude of this one "little sin"? --- Much later, 
Paul is to say, (Rom. 5:12); --- "Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered 
the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

   And remember Adam's first son, Cain? --- How that Cain offered up the fruit of the 
ground in disregard of what God had ordained in worship; --- Then his brother, Able
offered up the firstlings of his flock and their fat portions in his worship to God? ---
And how God rejected Cain's worship, but accepted Abel's? --- Of course this caused
Cain to grow bitter and angry; --- So God warns Cain in (Gen. 4:7); --- "If you do well, 
will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire 
is for you, but you should rule over it." (You MUST MASTER IT!) --- So what did Cain
do? --- Would he listen to the very mouth of God and take the heavenly Father's 
admonition to heart? --- NO! --- (Vs. 8) tells us that Cain rose up against his own 
brother, Able and murdered him!

   Cain started out with what seemed a "small sin"; --- But one sin led to another, and 
another; --- And in (Gen. 4:11f) we see the consequence; --- God tells Cain; --- "So now 
you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's 
blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to 
you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth." --- And Cain said to the 
LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!"

   Who can foresee the end of even the LEAST sin? --- An idle word? --- A foolish deed?
The sin of neglect? ---Neglecting to spend a few moments listening to and understanding
a brother, sister, wife/husband, or some troubled child? --- Beloved, let us never under-
estimate the terrible consequence of a single sin.

   Jokes are often made about sin; --- Remember the old "The devil made me do it!"? ---
But let me say; --- Sin is NO joking matter! --- Only Satan and his angels laughed and
snickered as they drove those spikes into our Lord's hands and feet. --- 
   (Mt.27:39- 44);  "And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and 
saying, --- "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! --- 
If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." ---Likewise the chief priests 
also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, --- "He saved others; Himself He cannot 
save. --- If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will 
believe Him. --- "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for 
He said, 'I am the Son of God.' " --- Even the robbers who were crucified with Him 
reviled Him with the same thing." 
Note: Only in Luke's account (Lk. 23:39-43), is it indicated that one of the male-factors
          who had been crucified with Jesus had repented of this ridicule and asked the 
          Lord to remember him when He came into His kingdom.

   But there's another lesson we can learn from Judas, and that is; ---

                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. SIN'S CONSEQUENCE: --- From which we cannot escape.

   In angry defiance (Mt. 27:5 tells us); --- "Judas threw down the thirty pieces of silver 
into the sanctuary; --- Then he went away and HANGED HIMSELF."

   Who had accursed Judas? --- Why was he eaten alive with remorse? --- What was
this terrible power that finally drove an apostle of Jesus Christ to SUICIDE??
                             The only answer? --- Sin and it's consequence!

   It has been said, that there are four courts which have a possible bearing upon all
our lives: --- 
1. Court of the land --- Civil law.
2. Court of public opinion --- Social law, or what the public thinks.
3. Court of the Conscience --- Moral law.
4. Court of God --- Divine law.

   The truth be known; --- Man may escape one or more of the first three laws (courts);
But it's for certain friends, you can not escape them all! --- You may fool me (that's easy
enough); --- You may deceive your friends, family and brethren; --- You might very well
be deceiving your own self; --- But oh, dear sinner you will not escape the consequence
of your sin.

   And what is intrinsically more important is the fact; --- Someday you and I will stand
at the Bar on high and answer before the Righteous Judge for that un-repented of and
un-forgiven sin!! --- What will your answer be??

                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. BEAR OUR OWN BURDEN: 

   You know, in sin you may have encouragement; --- Eve encouraged Adam. --- But my
friend when it comes to facing the consequence, --- To facing the guilt; --- We each must
BEAR OUR OWN BURDEN!!

   Back again in (Mt. 27:) --- We notice that the morning after Judas had betrayed the 
Lord; --- And the morning after Peter had denied even knowing Him; ---We begin reading 
in (Vs. 1); --- "When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted 
against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and 
delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor. (Now here comes the shock and surprise I
 had alluded to earlier) --- Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, 
was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 
saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."

   Now notice the change of attitude of those who had earlier encouraged Judas; --- 
Before, they were ever so friendly, but now; ---  "They said, 'What is that to us? You see
 to it yourself!' " --- "We used you, Judas! ---We conned you into giving us the one thing 
we wanted! --- "You served our wicked purpose; --- So now, you just run along and 
pedal your papers elsewhere!!" --- "Flake off, nobody likes a filthy TRAITOR!!" --- 
"That's your problem now, so you just live with it! --- "See to that yourself!"

   So now we read in (Vs. 5); --- "Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple 
and departed, and went and hanged himself!!"

   Young people; --- Your friends may encourage you; --- May offer you material gain of 
this world; --- As long as you go along with them and play by their rules; --- They'll buddy
up with you; --- They'll use you and abuse you!! --- But mark my word; --- 9 times out of
10, you get into some trouble, some jam; --- They will ring out those despairing words; ---
"What is that to us? --- See to that yourself!!"

   In sin you may surely have encouragement and enticement; --- But young friends, when
it comes to face the consequences, that burden is to be born all alone! --- We ALL must 
bear our own burden!!

   A lustful young man speaks all manner of "love" to a girl; --- "Oh, baby, I love you, 
just give in , just this once to prove you really care!" --- BANG! The girl turns up 
pregnant; --- And who bears the consequences?? --- Both him and her are guilty of the 
sin of fornication; --- But who bears the consequence of that guilt? --- I'll tell you who!!
   For the time being the burden is usually evaded by the boy!! --- "What's that to me,
Sweetie; --- See to that yourself!!"

   But dear ones, sin ALWAYS has it's consequences!! --- (1 Cor. 6:9-10), God's word
says; --- "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 
Do not be deceived. --- (Don't kid yourself) --- Neither FORNICATORS nor idolaters, 
nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor 
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."

   You may escape the laws and courts of the land; --- You might well hide from society;
You may even harden your heart to the point that nothing pricks your once tender and
innocent conscience; --- But you are never big enough, old enough, fast enough or smart
enough to deny or escape GOD'S LAW! --- And it's for sure, you will not escape God's
GREAT COURT!!

One final lesson from Judas:

                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. SIN CAN NOT BE UNDONE:
 

   Sin may be forgiven; --- Sin may even be forgotten; --- Sin may be covered up; ---
But beloved, if we're to learn anything from Judas, sin can never be UNDONE!!

   Judas tried to "undo" his crime! --- "Take back your filthy blood money!" --- But it
was impossible for him to undo the sin which tore him apart!! (Literally)

   But you know what? --- God doesn't require the impossible; --- Never has and never 
will! --- Not one shred of evidence in the whole of God's word does He require anyone
to UNDO SIN!!

   Once you've sinned, you've sinned; --- Can you undo the taking of a human life? ---
How may one undo the act of fornication or adultery? --- Drunkenness? --- Harmful 
gossip? --- One "little" curse word? --- IMPOSSIBLE!! --- What's done is done!!

   But let me tell you with as much love as I know how; --- God does JEALOUSY expect
you and I to conform to His will!! --- And you will conform to His will every moment of
every day, IF you want an eternal home with God and His Son, Jesus in heaven!!

   Although sin may not be undone, it can be repented of. --- And where ever possible, 
restitution can be made; --- In other words; --- What ever is within your power to do to 
make right whatever wrongs (sin) you have committed; --- God expects you to 
accomplish this to the best of your ability. --- This is what the Bible calls; --- Doing 
works befitting repentance.

   In (Acts 26:18f), --- Jesus had sent Paul to the Gentiles to; --- 1. Open their eyes; ---
2. That they might turn from darkness to light; --- 3. From the power of Satan to God; ---
4. In order that they might receive forgiveness of sins and receive an inheritance among 
those sanctified by faith in Christ.

   So Paul explains these things to King Agrippa and in (Vs. 19); --- "Therefore, King 
Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in 
Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the 
Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, ---" --- What else did you tell them Paul? 
 "And do works befitting repentance." 

   There's a great deal of difference between "undoing sin" and repentance, brought 
on by a broken and contrite heart. ---One is IMPOSSIBLE; ---The other is REQUIRED
by the loving God in heaven!!

   A great man of wisdom once said in (Prov. 28:13); --- "He who conceals his 
transgressions will not prosper; --- But he who confesses and forsakes them, that man
will find compassion."

   "Someday you'll stand at the bar on high, --- Someday you're record you'll see; ---
     Someday you'll answer the question of life, --- What will your answer be??"

                                                                             In God's humble service,
                                                                                       Earl Wilburn

Questions and comments welcomed: ewilburn@austin.rr.com