NOW FOR A SEASON,
OR LATER FOR ETERNITY

Judas Iscariot would be die in a disturbingly similar way to Jesus Christ.

• He would be hanged, by his own hand.
• Jesus Christ was crucified or HANGED ON A TREE.
• And what is even more disturbing is the ironic thought that those who trust in Jesus and are faithful to His Word, to be saved by the crucifixion and the work of the cross, also are said to be CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS.
• We are therefore hanged as well!
• But it is salvation to us, when it was damnation to Judas.

Judas even repented himself.

• He hanged himself.

But his repentance was not in faith that Christ's death would save Him.

• It was sorrowful well enough, but he lacked the faith required.

So many believers correctly get condemned over sinful actions and activities.

• And they repent!
• They change their minds.
• Repentance is a TURN AROUND in your heart.
• Judas repented himself.
• But his repentance did not cause God to save him because he only repented by CHANGING HIS MIND ABOUT SELLING JESUS AND BUYING A POTTER'S FIELD.

(18)  Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 

He bought a field with the money.

Mat 13:44 KJVR  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

The parable of the treasure in the field also rings an eerie bell when we think of Judas.

• He bought a field with the money he gained through SELLING JESUS.
• Judas sold all that he had, alright, since all he truly had was JESUS!
• He betrayed Jesus.
• He sold Jesus.

But we are supposed to sell all of OUR SELVES in order to buy the treasure in the field hidden, which is Jesus Christ.

• We do not sell Jesus Christ for pleasure for ourselves, but rather sell ourselves to PURCHASE JESUS CHRIST!

Judas always loved money.

• But I can only think of one major error he made before the very end when he betrayed Jesus.

Mar 14:3-10 KJVR  And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head.  (4)  And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?  (5)  For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.  (6)  And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.  (7)  For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.  (8)  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.  (9)  Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.  (10)  And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

John 12:3-6 KJVR  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.  (4)  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,  (5)  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?  (6)  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

He concerned himself more for the BAG OF MONEY and what COULD BE PUT IN IT.

• He did not want to see the alabaster box broken and the contents GUSH OUT.
• This is because he was selfcentred.
• He OUTWARDLY sounded so religious, and said the ointment in the box could be sold and money given to the poor.
• But he lied and we are distinctly told that while he said this outwardly, inwardly he coveted the money.
• He wanted to hold it in the bag in his hands.
• Love of money really became the root of all evil that day.
• All evil would culminate in Jesus being betrayed by Judas, and the greatest crime of history woudl occur as Christ would be crucified.

But strangely enough, in wanting to avoid the breaking and gain money from the contents, Judas was actually manifesting something far more deeper.

• That same self centredness keeps people from serving Jesus today.
• It was as though JESUS WAS SERVING HIM, because he was the treasurer...

John 13:29 KJVR  For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

He had the bag.

His reputation even fooled the disciples, that he would give to the poor.

• They must have recalled his words to Jesus when the alabaster box was broken.
• He fooled them so much that he still made them think that before the crucifixion.

And the reason he wanted the ointment  and the alabaster box not broken, is BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT LET GO OF HIS SELFISH DESIRES, AND ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE BROKEN AND LET THE CONTENTS OF HIMSELF -- HIS LIFE -- GUSH OUT AND LOSE HIS LIFE    .

Mat 16:24-26 KJVR  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (25)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  (26)  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

We must LOSE OUR LIVES.

• BE BROKEN.
• That means to humble yourself and stop seeking things for yourself.
• Change your thinking and deny yourself to do God's will first.
• Stop living for yourself, but live for God.
• The desires you have to feed your lusts MUST BE LOST!
• LOSE YOUR life.

If we do not stop ourselves from walking into the same sin-holes and pits of iniquity, and if we do not LOSE OUR LIVES and what OUR FLESH wants, to do what God wants instead, WE WILL WIND UP LOSING THE VERY THING WE WANTED TO SAVE, FOREVER.

It reminds me me a teenager.

• They want money so bad that they quit school and go out and get a meager job so they can have money when their friends are in school learning and getting a greater education.
• But the ones who are in school, they want money as well.
• But they understand that ANYTHING WORTH SOMETHING TAKES TIME TO GAIN.
• They sacrifice the small amount of money they can get now, and deny themselves, so they can get educated, and LATER ON BECOME DOCTORS AND LAWYERS AND HAVE MORE MONEY THAN THE DROP-OUT EVER DREAMED OF HOLDING.
• the VERY THING SINNERS WANT TO HOLD ONTO SO BADLY -- their pleasures -- are the very things they will lose FOREVER!

We all want pleasures.

• But faithful Christians have learned that TRUE PLEASURE is not just for a season!
• IT IS FOREVERMORE.
• And if they deny the pleasures of sin NOW, they will gain PLEASURES FOREVERMORE that make that which is from sin appear like peanuts!

Heb 11:25 KJVR  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Psalm 16:11 KJVR  Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.


LOSE YOUR LIFE NOW!

• Or the very thing you try too hold onto will be lost forever.

What is better?

• Lose it NOW, and gain it later FOREVER...
• Or Hold it now and lose it later forever.
• THE KILLER IS THE "NOW" part.
• Stop looking no further than the end of your noses, and LOOK OFF INTO ETERNITY!
• WHERE WILL YOU BE THEN?

And what a grave thought that while Judas did not want to BREAK HIMSELF in denying himself of this craving, represented by him opposing the breaking of the vessel,

• HE ENDED UP BEING BROKEN IN THE END AND POURING OUT ALL THE CONTENTS OF HIS VERY BOWELS!

 (18)  Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

Jer 18:1-10 KJVR  The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  (2)  Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.  (3)  Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.  (4)  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.  (5)  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  (6)  O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.  (7)  At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;  (8)  If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.  (9)  And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;  (10)  If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

What a lesson!

• Judas fell into the very field he sold Jesus to purchase, THE POTTER'S FIELD.
• Judas was LIKE A PIECE OF CLAY BEING SHAPED BY JESUS TO BECOME A VESSEL OF HONOUR.
  

God told Jeremiah that God sees people in certain conditions, and BASED UPON THEIR STATES, HE GOES TO WORK TO SHAPE THEM to wind up with a certain result.

• This story shows GOD DOES NOT DETERMINE THE END RESULT!

When Jeremiah saw the clay show forth a MAR in it, whatever the potter first designed to shape it into CHANGED.

• And he made of it ANOTHER VESSEL.

(4)  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 

It was intended for THIS result, but the mar ruined that plan and it was made into SOMETHING ELSE.

And God says the same rule applies to anybody.

• If one is wicked and God starts forming the clay for the soul to be destroyed one day, AND THAT SOUL REPENTS, there is a MAR in the clay BUT IT IS A GOOD MAR!
• It changes or REPENTS!
• And That makes GOD REPENT or change.
• WE CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE AND GOD CHANGES HIS PLANS for our eternity!
• God shapes it for GOOD.

But if the clay represents a GOOD SAINT OF GOD...

• God intended to shape that clay into a vessel for heaven one day.
• But IF THE SAINT SINS AND CHANGES THE WRONG WAY, and becomes wicked...
• GOD CHANGES in his case as well, and the new attitude is a MAR in the vessel that makes God CHANGE HIS PLANS FOR HEAVEN to plans for destruction instead.

Outwardly, saints can still praise God and worship and even do some sort of MINISTRY!

• BUT INWARDLY THEY SINNED AND THEY KNOW IT.
• INWARDLY THEY ARE HARD.
• THEY LOOK SOFT.
• As long as the clay is SOFT the clay can be changed.

Mat 18:15-17 KJVR  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  (16)  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  (17)  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.

Mat 18:21-22 KJVR  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  (22)  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.


One sin versus 7 sins, or 70x7 in ONE DAY!

• Who looks LESS HARD?
• the guy who does 7 sins in one day or the guy that does 1 sin?
• Outwardly the single-sin dude seems less hard by far than a guy who does 490 sins in one day.
• BUT INWARDLY, THAT GUY WAS TOO PROUD TO GO AND ASK FORGIVENESS.
• HE WAS TOO PROUD TO REPENT WHEN THEY HAD TO GO TO HIM.
• But although the other committed 490 sins in one day, HE DID NOT HAVE TO BE CONFRONTED.
• HE DID NOT NEED a second confrontation with another to convince him.
• Nor a third.
• While the outwardly more holy guy saw multiple  confrontations due to his stubbornness to admit sin, the 490-sin guy had MULTIPLE EFFORTS TO ASK FORGIVENESS!

Who is better INSIDE?

• The guy you must ask to repent many times, or the guy who comes to you asking you to forgive many times?

Judas was HARD!

• Many believers are too stubborn to confess their sins.
• If it is one single sin, and you make excuses for it, and cannot go to ask forgiveness, but even refuse repentance when confronted by others, YOU ARE HARD HEARTED.
• YOU ARE READY TO BE DESTROYED!
• Beware, Judas!
• The LIFE you wish to protect -- the pleasure you wish to hold onto -- is the very thing you are going to lose forever!

And odd as well was the fact that the very field Judas sold Jesus to gain, was the very field he wound up dying in!

• A lesson!
• Whatever you sell Jesus for, will be your destruction!

If brothers cannot deny themselves and sell Jesus to commit adultery with women, then women will be their destruction.

• They know they cannot live like that and Have Jesus, so they want that more than Jesus, and SELL JESUS and BETRAY JESUS FOR IT.
• They want pleasures of sin more than Jesus.

We are crucified with Jesus,since He died for our deaths, and HANG NOW, or like Judas, hang later on and die our own deaths.

• If we die our own deaths, we will perish.
• But if we lose our lives NOW and die with Jesus, we will be raised and live forevermore!

The same scripture where Judas was described at as having experienced his bowels gushing out, is where we read the 120 were FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST!

Judas was emptied but the 120 were FILLED!

Do not sell Jesus for something that will only become your destruction.

• People sell Jesus for a pleasure.
• But that pleasure will actually KILL THEM.

They feel Jesus kills their pleasures.

• So they throw Jesus away to enjoy their pleasures.
• But it is their pleasures that will KILL THEM!

Jesus saw a rich man give his tomb for his burial.

• Judas fell into a junk-yard potter's filed, worth so little that 30 pieces of silver in Jerusalem bought it for him.
• Imagine a piece of land in a city worth only $500.
• It would have to be a junk yard!
• It later became a burial place for the poor.

Mat 27:7-8 KJVR  And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.  (8)  Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.


FIELD OF BLOOD because they paid it to GET JESUS SLAIN.
But also ...

Act 1:18-20 KJVR  Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.  (19)  And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.  (20)  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take.

We see another REASON and another SCRIPTURE for the name of the field.

• It was called FIELD OF BLOOD because Judas fell into it and burst his bowels there.
• His HABITATION WAS DESOLATE!
• The field was his habitation.

This shows us a message.

• TWO REASONS FOR THE TITLE.

It was bought with blood money to kill Jesus.

• People kill Jesus and sell Him for a sin.

But it was also called field of Blood because it became the very thing that killed Judas

• What he sold Jesus for became his own slaying.

Rom 8:18 KJVR  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Act 2:37-38 KJVR  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  (38)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.


Jer 19:1-2 KJVR  Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;  (2)  And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee,

Jer 19:10-12 KJVR  Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,  (11)  And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.  (12)  Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:

Judas was that vessel marred beyond help, and hardened and dried to only be destroyed.

• Let us remain soft and workable in Christ's hands.
• Let us look ahead through timescapes, and see eternity, and realize it would be better to deny ourselves of some pleasures now, than to lose pleasure for eternity.