Jesus Loves Traitors - Part B

Judas despised the cross he was expecting the cross. He hated the cross he despised that when he knew that Jesus was really going to die when it dawned on him that since Satan entered him. The Bible says that he betrayed Jesus. Expect the cause either. But Peter came to realize that the best thing for him is to let the cross stand between his sin and his Savior Grimm once said, God proved his love on the cross.

When Christ hung and bled and died. It was God saying to the world. I love you connect with Skip like sick today as he examines with me to famous traders different from each other in the hope you can find from the one who turned back to Jesus. Then stay tuned after the message is Skip and his wife Linda share how you can find hope and freedom in Jesus. When you experience betrayal when it comes to betrayal and people who do you and or say bad things about you. Don't let them live rent free in your head. Don't give them that space forgive them, pray for them and then move on. And every time you think of the manic you come to my mind and pray for them every time they come to your mind. Thank skip.

Be sure to stay with us after today's message to the full discussion right now want to tell you about a resource that will help you reach others with a deep love of Jesus, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus loves the devout and the doubters priests and prostitutes. The disease and the depressed Jesus just loves people all people, no matter what their past or their present. Sadly, sometimes it's the people who need love the most. Feel the most rejected even by the church. But Jesus loves all people shouldn't leave. We want to help you grasp God's relentless love for people by sending you the complete booklet. Jesus loves people collection by skip. I think these booklets look to Scripture to demonstrate Jesus's love for people from every walk of life.

Yet all four Jesus loves people titles including Jesus loves the broken and Jesus loves addicts when you give the gift of $25 or more today to help expand this Bible teaching outreach to give call 800-922-1888, or give online securely connectwithskip.com/offer to join Skip today's teacher in Matthew chapter 26 okay so Matthew tells us that the disciples piped up and complained John's gospel tells us who started it. John tells us it was Judas among the disciples who said why this waste was Judas and then John actually after, and he said it wasn't because Judas cared for the poor because he was a thief. John said, and he was the treasurer he kept the money box and he used to take out what was in it. That's why listen to his words why this waste sounds so noble doesn't it is also spiritual try to save you guys morning around here are like water spreading Judas. Francis Bacon said a bad man is worse when he pretends to be a saint like Jesse James. You know him because he was a notorious murderer and a thief.

Do you know that Jesse James loved the church.

He loved going to church his own words is that he loved church one day he robbed a bank and killed a man the next day he was baptized in the Kearney County Baptist Church and Jesse James joined the choir if he was any good, but he was in the choir and uses so you know I love Sundays but I can always make the church force he was robbing banks you know you gotta do what you gotta do pure high hypocrisy.

Same with Judas and his high hypocrisy was made worse by his treachery. You go down a few verses to verse 14 it says then one of the 12 called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said what are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you and they counted out to him 30 pieces of silver. So from that time he saw an opportunity to betray him. Did you know that 30 pieces of silver. According to Exodus 21 is the price of a slave price of a slave who is been gored by an ox 30 pieces of what was Jesus worth to Judas slaves wage is very insightful to me shows me that Judas really wasn't wanting to serve Jesus.

He was wanting Jesus to serve him fulfill his needs, his wants his expectations.

The price of the slave. No, some people have conjectured that Judas was really trying to force Jesus into acting. That's why he betrayed him.

The theory goes like this.

Judas expected Jesus to be the political Messiah to overturn the Roman government and so he got Jesus arrested.

So Jesus would have to act.

I don't quite buy that theory. What I tend to see the reason he betrayed Jesus is because Judas hated this the cross.

He despised the cross and that night after he complained about the woman wasting God's money. Once Jesus said she did it for my burial. He had been predicting his death all along. When Jesus announced that its iPod is true, then all that is been saying all along he is again overturn Rome.

He isn't going to set up his kingdom. Immediately he's gonna die and he went out and he betrayed Jesus. Judas despised the cross, let's go down to the Passover meal. The Last Supper beginning in verse 19 look at the proximity of Judas to Jesus. So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the Passover. When evening had come. He sat down with the 12 and as they were eating, he said this just sort of comes out from nowhere, out of the blue. In the middle of the supper. Assuredly, I say to you one of you will betray me.

I don't know what the meal was like up till that point, the Passover meal was generally a very fond familial, endearing, relaxing, wonderful and intense kind of a meal. All of that ended now.

Jesus announced one of you is going to betray me. This sends shockwaves through all of the disciples, they become very introspective. It says they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to him, Lord, is that I answered and said he who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me. The Son of Man indeed does just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed, it would have been good for that man if he would've not been born. Then Judas was betraying him answered and said Rabbi is that I and he said to him you said it. If I were to stand up here and make an announcement that one of you will betray Jesus. I think I can make that announcement I think I'd be safe in with the crowd. Besides making a prediction that that will happen. I lived long enough to watch people who say they follow Christ. I think in Accra the size for me to save one of you before you die you turn away from GZA I be safe to say that involve you to go back. I can see that but in that room with these 12 men. These hand-picked disciple apostles of Jesus. They were all shock which goes to show you no one in that group suspected Judas's eye I is I Judas said it is I you said it.

At this point Judas gets up and leaves the room and goes out to do the deed to betray Jesus? Where in that meal at that table was Judas sitting well we don't exactly know that I want to make a suggestion to. I know that we love Leonardo da Vinci's picture of the Last Supper and he's been a wonderful inventor and artist but he has done us a great disservice by that picture because now in your mind you all picture that's how the Last Supper was that they were actually sitting in chairs and were on one side of the table facing the camera or the painter. I oppose, but that's not how meals were conducted 2000 years ago.

They didn't sit in chairs like you are sitting in chairs. Now they were on the ground they were reclining in the table was a low table you shape table known as a try cleanly him and at that table. People would lean on their left elbow and have the right arm free there be a pillow under their elbow so they were all leaning reclining. We know where John the apostle was. He was right next to Jesus. In fact he was a Jesus right side because it says in John that John was leaning on Jesus breast on his bosom, which means he was leaning left and Jesus was to his left.

John was to Jesus right to get that head toward the chest of Jesus question is more was Judas in John chapter 13 Jesus as the one that I give the bread once I have dipped it is the one who will betray me and says he dipped it and he gave it to Judas. Judas had to be close enough in this huge U-shaped try cleanly.

Him and I suggest it was right to Jesus the left side. He dipped it could give it a John David to Judas Judas would've taken it and pass it to the rest and here's what's interesting about that. The right hand of the left hand at a meal like that were only given by the invitation of the host which meant that before the meal Jesus probably walked up to John. John what she said right here and he walked up to Judas and said Judas friend I want you seated right next to me on my left knowing that he was being betrayed by this man. It's as if he takes this trader and reaches out to him one final time in love, sit here place of honor among this table identified, and done that.

I know Donald Trump wouldn't of done. Donald Trump is a Judas Iscariot your fired Jesus a Judas Iscariot sit here, sit here. So that was the trader who did live up to his name. Now go down with me to verse 30 and let's look at the trader whose name is still love and that is Peter. Peter was a pretty confident fellow we see in verse 30 when a son a hand they went out to the Mount of olives and Jesus said to them, all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered, but after I been raised. I will go before you into Galilee, Peter answered and said to him, even if all are made to stumble because of you I will never be made to stumble that we know peters pretty confident right we remember the night or the day when they were far up north and Jesus asked the question, who do men say that I am followed up by the question, who do you say that I am. Peter was the only one of the 12, but got the answer right.

He said you are the Christ. You are the son of the living God, and we remember what Jesus said back to Peter. He didn't say yeah that's right, he said, blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah flesh and blood didn't reveal as to my father in heaven reveal this to how would that make you feel better. Peter Oregon you hear that other 11 disciples is as you were blessed. He said I am blessed took a confident manner made her more confident a little too confident because of the conversation goes on.

Our Lord tells his disciples I'm going to Jerusalem I'm going to be arrested. They're going to kill me. And Peter says far from you, Lord. This will never happen to you that I'm sure Peter expected Jesus to say a second time. Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, you did it again, but he didn't say that ditties that get behind me Satan.

Now, here is Peter saying if everybody stumbles or is made to stumble or offend.

I will never be made to stumble in the Greek it's more emphatic than a reason English it's I myself will not. Not now, not ever betray you. Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you this night this night, before the rooster crows, that is before morning to deny me three times. Peter said to him, even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you and so said all of the disciples well that's keep reading us go down to verse 69 but to the great catastrophe for Peter that night. By this time Jesus has been arrested. He's at trial goes through six trials in 24 hours.

Verse 69 now Peter sat outside in the courtyard and a servant girl came to him, saying, you also were with Jesus of Galilee.

There's a fire outside is enough light cast by the illumination of the fire to see the features of Peter's face, and she recognizes him, but he denied it before them, saying, I do not know what you are saying that strike one. We had gone out to the gateway so Peter gets up at this point it's away from the light but somebody recognizes them still by the gateway. Another girl saw him and said to those who were there this fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.

But again, he denied with the know it's a solemn oath he's bringing God into it. It's like saying I swear to God with an oath. I do not know this man that strike to a little later those who stood by came up to him and said surely you are one of them for your speech betrays you, that's a nicer way of saying we can tell by your unsophisticated provincial hick accent that you are Galilean you are not from Jerusalem.

I can tell by how we are talking the true Galilean and then he began to curse and swear, this is Peter. This is St. Peter began to curse and swear, saying, I do not know the man immediately a rooster crowed and Peter remembered the word of Jesus. Good said to him before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. So he went out and he wept bitterly know what happened to these two traders Judas and Peter chapter 27 verse five tells us Judas was so beaten up so remorseful, so emotional that he hanged himself what happened. Peter Willett says that he was weeping bitterly, but he shows up later as a leader in the church. We know that Jesus restored Peter for Peter to allot me feed my sheep, and restored him back to being a follower as well as to being a leader. Both of them. Both of them were traders. Peter didn't do it for money like Judas did, but Peter through Jesus.

Under the bus three times and effectively saying this is not the Christ, the son of the living God. Let me tell you what I think is Peter's conversion of this will change it all without turning to me just give you the reference you can look it up later. Luke chapter 22, tells the same story. Luke chapter 22 verse 61 tells us after Peter denies Jesus three times.

It says, then the Lord turned and looked at Peter and then Peter remembered the word of the Lord that said to him before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times when their eyes met in the outlook of Jesus which I cannot believe was a sneer like you dirty rat you rascal you ratted me out. I think it was such a look of tender love that brought such crushing conviction to Peter that in his remorse he repented. Does that look is all it took. Now Judas and Jesus also looked at each other that night in the garden of Gethsemane when the Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Judas led them there and walked up to Jesus and gave them a greeting. Their eyes met and then Judas betrayed them without treacherous hypocritical kiss, though they made contact.

There was no remorse. There was no repentance and Judas as our like there was in Peter's heart and and let me let me submit you what I think is the difference it's this cross, Judas despised the cross, he wouldn't expecting the cross.

He hated the cross he despised that, and when he knew that Jesus was really going to die when it dawned on him.

It's a Satan entered him. The Bible says that any betray Jesus.

Peter didn't expect the cross either. But Peter came to realize that the best thing for him is to let the cross stand between his sin and his Savior and he did. Peter writes later on. First Peter chapter 2, he himself bore our sins on the tree for by his stripes we are healed. That's what Peter wrote one despised it when received one's remorse led him to take his life.

The others remorse led him to receive life from the life-giving Savior. Jesus reached out to Judas by saying sit here next to me. He reached out to Peter with that look of love that brought a conversion to his heart. Judas was a traitor.

Peter was a traitor. I'm a traitor I see as I read the narrative of both Judas and Peter. I see a lot of myself both as God. The big difference is I want that cross between my sin in my Savior. I want that to be the bridge see only bridge in the Revolutionary war.

There was a pretty famous preacher. Now you going way back.

His name is Peter Miller, Peter Miller had an enemy who hated him because of his Christian life.

In his Christian stance. This enemy eventually got arrested for treason tried and it was good to be hanged.

Peter Miller walked 60 miles walked 60 miles and said to George Washington, please release this man in Washington said I'm sorry looking at his record. I can't release your friend based on what is done in Peter Miller, the preacher set on a know he's my friend always, is my greatest living enemy Washington said you mean he walked 60 miles to see your enemy released news that I've been a release of with papers in hand release papers in hand, Peter Miller went to the place where his enemy was being executed on the scaffolding he was about to be hung. His enemy Psalm there is Peter Miller my old enemy come to take revenge and watch me hang.

Imagine his surprise as he stepped forward and handed the executioner the paper that set him free.

Your sin in my sin taken by our Savior, taking the punishment on the cross so that we could be free to Skip Heitzigs message from the series Jesus loves people who Skip as they share how you can find hope and freedom in Jesus you experience betrayal trade is the hardest thing to experience that it is possible to recover from Skip there might be a listener who is experienced, betray a leather right now are in their past. Can you share some encouraging words for someone who might be having difficulty moving past the betrayal you let me first say and principally say you are not alone. You are in good company. Did you know your Savior was betrayed by Judas, your Savior was denied by his best friend Peter, your Savior was forsaken by most of the other apostles who fled at the cross. David himself and Psalm 55 said he was betrayed by a close friend who used to take counsel together with him and go to the house of God together so when it comes to betrayal and people who do you and or say bad things about you. Don't let them live rent free in your head. Don't give them that space, forgive them, pray for them and then move on. And every time you think of the many key come to my mind and pray for them every time they come to your mind, and also people grow understand this. As you grow, you can make new friends and you're gonna lose some old friends so be thankful for the ones that God brings in your path that you are gaining rather than the ones you're losing so nice in the Lord's parent says forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors sit out forget I'm sure you've hurt people and disappointed people and you want forgiveness to always be ready to melt that rates and reconciliation. Given my Nana who enjoyed getting to nest up and running after this conversation help keep these teaching you may connect more listeners like the consular visit.com/donate to give now connect with.com/donate or you can call 892 1819 to 18.

Thank you tomorrow. Skip is on how you can share God's love those Skip presentation of connection communication through