Sermons

I Sat with Jesus and He said...

Wednesday, December 1, 2004 • Pastors Earl and Wanda • General
May the Body of Christ be released to love and serve God
Beloved, on 11/23/04, the Lord Jesus sat with me as I talked with him about Judas. I had several questions. I needed to understand how someone could walk physically with Him for 3 ½ years and reject Him. This encounter turned into the most important message on REPENTENCE that we could have imagined.
                               
TELL ME ABOUT JUDAS? HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT HIM AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE WITH HIM DAILY?

Psalm 41
9Even my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted (relied on and was confident), who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

I LOVED JUDAS AND POURED ALL THAT I AM INTO HIM (HIS HEARING) AS I DID ALL OF THE DISCIPLES. IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT PIECES AND PARTS OF WHAT I SAY OR WHO I AM ARE KEPT OR DISCARDED BASED ON CHARACTER, EMOTIONS OR FLESHLY LIKES AND DISLIKES. BUT, I LOVED HIM AND I HELD NOTHING BACK FROM HIM. MY HEART WAS BROKEN FOR HIM. I COULD NOT BRING HIM BACK.EVEN I COULD NOT BRING HIM BACK.JUDAS MADE A FATEFUL ETERNALLY IMPACTFUL DECISION. IT WAS A PROCESS WANDA AND NOT AN EVENT.

1. HE DID NOT REGARD ME, ESTEEM ME, VALUE ME, WORSHIP ME  

2. HE CHOSE TO REGARD, ESTEEM AND VALUE AND WORSHIP HIS FLESH

3. HE SINNED "SECRETLY" (STOLE MONEY FROM THE TREASURY). HE "IN SECRET" (TO HIMSELF) DRIFTED FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY FROM ETERNAL LIFE AND TOWARD ETERNAL DAMNATION (WE WATCHED A SMALL BOAT ONCE CLOSE TO SHORE GENTLY MOVE FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY)

4. HIS BEHAVIOR CHANGED. HE BEGAN TO SPEAK OUT HIS TRUE FEELINGS WHICH WERE OPPOSITE OF MY TEACHING.

5. HE WAS OFFENDED AT MY REBUKE

6. HE WAS PROUD, BUT HE BECAME HARDENED

7. RATHER THAN REPENT, WHICH WAS AVAILABLE, HE THOUGHT OF THE EMBARRASSMENT AND PERSONAL INSULT HE WOULD SUFFER BY THOSE WHO KNEW WHAT HE HAD DONE. HE DIED PHYSICALLY BY HIS OWN HAND AND MET HIS ETERNAL JUDGEMENT.

SO IT IS WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST. TELL MY PEOPLE THAT IT IS TIME TO PRESS IN AND STAY CLOSE. TELL MY PEOPLE TO BE DILIGENT AND FAITHFUL AND YES EVEN ACCOUNTABLE. YES, TELL THEM THAT I SAID TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. FOR I AM MOVING IN UNUSAL WAYS.EVEN SWIFTLY TO LAY WASTE THE HIDDEN WORKS OF DARKNESS. THERE WILL BE NO DOUBT THAT I HAVE MOVED AMONG MY PEOPLE. FOR, YES THERE IS DARK CLOUD LOOMING ABOVE BUT HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY THE COLDNESS, BY THE WRECKLESSNESS, BY THE IGNORANCE OF "MY PEOPLE". OH WANDA, CONTINUE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH IN PURITY AND NUTURING LOVE, WITHOUT COMPROMISE. TELL EARL TO CONTINUE TO BE MY EXAMPLE IN THE EARTH.MY GENTLE ROCK AND STRONG PILLAR.  

REPENTENCE FROM DEAD WORKS
Philippians 3
3For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances-

Hebrews 9
13For if [the mere] sprinkling of unholy and defiled persons with blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a burnt heifer is sufficient for the purification of the body,
14How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, Who by virtue of [His] eternal Spirit [His own preexistent divine personality] has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the [ever] living God?

Luke 6
16And Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor (a treacherous, basely faithless person).

John 17
12While I was with them, (JESUS) I kept and preserved them in Your Name [in the knowledge and worship of You]. Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has perished or is lost except the son of perdition [Judas Iscariot--the one who is now doomed to destruction, destined to be lost], that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
1. HE DID NOT REGARD ME, ESTEEM ME, VALUE ME, WORSHIP ME  

John 12
1SO SIX days before the Passover Feast, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had died and whom He had raised from the dead.
2So they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those at the table with Him.
3Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4But Judas Iscariot, the one of His disciples who was about to betray Him, said,
5Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii [a year's wages for an ordinary workman] and that [money] given to the poor (the destitute)?
6Now he did not say this because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief; and having the bag (the money box, the purse of the Twelve), he took for himself what was put into it [pilfering the collections].
3. HE SINNED "SECRETLY" (STOLE MONEY FROM THE TREASURY). HE "IN SECRET" (TO HIMSELF) DRIFTED FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY FROM ETERNAL LIFE AND TOWARD ETERNAL DAMNATION (WE WATCHED A SMALL BOAT ONCE CLOSE TO SHORE GENTLY MOVE FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY)

JUDAS SAW JESUS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GAIN. THE BIGGER THE CROWD, THE BIGGER THE POT TO STEAL FROM!

Matthew 26
10But Jesus, fully aware of this, said to them, Why do you bother the woman? She has done a noble (praiseworthy and beautiful) thing to Me.
11For you always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.
4. HIS BEHAVIOR CHANGED. HE BEGAN TO SPEAK OUT HIS TRUE FEELINGS WHICH WERE OPPOSITE OF MY TEACHING.
12In pouring this perfume on My body she has done something to prepare Me for My burial.
13Truly I tell you, wherever this good news (the Gospel) is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told also, in memory of her.
14Then one of the Twelve [apostles], who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15And said, What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you? And they weighed out for and paid to him thirty pieces of silver [about twenty-one dollars and sixty cents].
16And from that moment he sought a fitting opportunity to betray Him.
5. HE WAS OFFENDED AT MY REBUKE
20When it was evening, He was reclining at table with the twelve disciples.
21And as they were eating, He said, Solemnly I say to you, one of you will betray Me!
22They were exceedingly pained and distressed and deeply hurt and sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, Surely it cannot be I, Lord, can it?
23He replied, He who has [just] dipped his hand in the same dish with Me will betray Me!
24The Son of Man is going just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better (more profitable and wholesome) for that man if he had never been born!
25Judas, the betrayer, said, Surely it is not I, is it, Master? He said to him, You have stated [the fact].
6. HE WAS PROUD, BUT HE BECAME HARDENED
26Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and, praising God, gave thanks and asked Him to bless it to their use, and when He had broken it, He gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body.
JESUS CONTINUED WHAT HE WAS SENT TO DO IN SPITE OF JUDAS.
Acts 1
24And they prayed and said, You, Lord, Who know all hearts (their thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, purposes, and endeavors), indicate to us which one of these two You have chosen
25To take the place in this ministry and receive the position of an apostle, from which Judas fell away and went astray to go [where he belonged] to his own [proper] place.
2. HE CHOSE TO REGARD, ESTEEM AND VALUE AND WORSHIP HIS FLESH

Matthew 27
3When Judas, His betrayer, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, [Judas was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly; and] with remorse (NOT REPENTENCE) [with little more than a selfish dread of the consequences] he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,
4Saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, What is that to us? See to that yourself.
5And casting the pieces of silver [forward] into the [Holy Place of the sanctuary of the] temple, he departed; and he went off and hanged himself.
7. RATHER THAN REPENT, WHICH WAS AVAILABLE, HE THOUGHT OF THE EMBARRASSMENT AND PERSONAL INSULT HE WOULD SUFFER BY THOSE WHO KNEW WHAT HE HAD DONE. HE DIED PHYSICALLY BY HIS OWN HAND AND MET HIS ETERNAL JUDGEMENT.

1 Corinthians 10
9We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did--and were killed by poisonous serpents;
10Nor discontentedly complain as some of them did--and were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death).
11Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).
12Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin].
13For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

James 1
12Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
13Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one.
14But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).
15Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.
16Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.

Repentance vs Remorse
Luke 13
3I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally.




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