The Part I Played - Part I

We want to take four weeks to go through the individuals that interacted with Jesus on Easter weekend, that first Easter weekend. And I believe that along the way we're going to learn some things from these particular individuals. Now I'm sure like you, many of you have seen a lot of people who started following God well at first. Maybe they came to church a lot, maybe they loved the sermons, they post the series, they opened their bibles every week, they got in a small group, they attended youth services, whatever it was. But then over time, you begin to see them dissipate and not be the person they were at one time. It's like they drifted away from God. Maybe even today, you yourself, you feel that way. That in one season, in your faith, you were stronger than you are right now. And then you were to look at your life and you were to be honest that in one season, you were closer to God. You were more faithful to his word, you were more consistent to church. You took the things of God more serious. But over time, it's like you've drifted away. And I want to introduce to you today the ultimate drifter. His name is Judas Ascariot. Now we don't know a lot about Judas. We know that he is the son of a man named Simon. His name meant God be praised, clearly meaning that his parents had good intentions for this boy. His last name was, or he didn't have a last name, he was called Ascariot, referring to the place that he lived. And when I say that Judas was the ultimate drifter, I want you to think for a moment that he followed Jesus for over three years. And even in John 6th, when the crowds and multitudes just Jesus and walked away, Judas stayed. In fact, what's interesting is that we have no reason to believe that he wasn't genuine, a genuine disciple at first. We have no writings to indicate that at the very beginning. Judas wasn't following Jesus, at least with some pure intentions. And I want to take you to the weekend, to when we're getting right around the time where Jesus begins that stress that we're going to be celebrating in about a month, the resurrection, the ascension, all of that. Before we get to that, we need to talk about what's leading up to it, and Judas was the person that began the ball rolling to that moment. Let me take you to John chapter number 12. Six days before the Passover. Jesus, therefore, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table. Mary, therefore, took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure gnarred and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. This is an amazing act of worship, what we're seeing. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas, but Judas is scary at one of the disciples in parentheses written after hand. He said, why has this ointment not sold for 300 denari and given to the poor? He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. And having charged over the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put in it. Here's what we understand about Judas. We understand that his job on the team was to tend to the finances. We know that in the Bible, there were many people that actually says that were leading women that contributed financially to the ministry of Jesus as I tenderate ministry. A lot of people don't see that, don't know that, but that's the truth. The Bible says that people were giving financially to the ministry of Jesus. And when there is money coming in, someone has to steward it. That was Judas job. And Judas wasn't thinking of others at some point. He began to think of himself. And he began to steal from the ministry finances. And what's interesting, this is the first time, I want you to listen, this is the first time Judas speaks in Scripture. This is the first time. The very first time in three and a half years, we are now right to the end. This is the week of the Passover. This is the week they're going to crucify him. This is the week. And this is the first time we have anything uttered from Judas. Right here. And you see a couple of things I need you to notice. The first thing we notice is that Judas saw expressive worship as worthless. Judas saw expressive worship as worthless. You see Mary comes in, breaks the alabaster box. One of the, one of the gospel say that she's weeping, drying her tears with his hair, washing his feet with the tears. She is worshiping God. Because here's the thing, Mary had been through a whole lot. Mary had been freed from seven different spirits. Mary had been through some hard things in life. And you can't judge somebody by their worship if you don't know what they've been through. When Judas saw the worship that was happening, it bothered him. His attitude, it just bothered Judas to see true worship because somewhere along the way Judas stopped worshiping. Somewhere along the way Judas became a little more cynical and didn't think it was all necessary. And what's she got a worship like that? Why they got a clap like that? Why they got a raise their hands like that. You know, in the Bible, in Old Testament, there's a story of King David. And the Bible says that he went and captured the arc of the covenant. It's a long story, but this was something that the presence of God dwelt in. It was a big thing to the children of Israel. And King David had captured it and was bringing it back to Jerusalem. While he's coming back, the Bible says the King David, he didn't care what people thought. He didn't care what people thought of him, what people were going to post about him, how his polls were going to go. It didn't matter. The Bible says that King David began to praise God so much that his outer garment came off. You know the story. And the Bible says his wife, MacKale, was looking out the window and had disdain for him. He came home. She said his supper in front of him and says, how are you going to go out there? Actin like that. Praise God like that. All in decent, all in formal. You're the King. And David looked at her and pretty much just said, well, God has his hand on my life. And if you knew what God's done for me, let me tell you something. MacKale grew old and could never have a child. Did you know that? The Bible says that she was barren in her old age. And I can't help but wonder why would the Holy Spirit want us to know that in Scripture? Could it be that her barrenness in life was connected to her attitude about worship? That she thought so poorly about it. You don't need to act like that. You don't need to say that. You don't need to dance like that. You don't need to cheer like that. Can I just tell you here of vibrant church, we have a good attitude about praise and worship. It ain't just something we're trying to get through. It ain't something to try to loosen up the crowd. It ain't something where when we come together, we're going to exalt the name of Jesus. We're going to clap our hands. We're going to stomp our feet. We're going to do our dance. You know why? Because you don't know what he's done for me. You don't know what he saved me from. You don't know what hell he brought me out of. And when you see somebody wiping the feet of Jesus with their hair, you better shut your mouth. I feel like preaching this morning. Is there anybody in this room that thankful that God saved you and healed you and restored you and redeemed you? Somebody shout amen. Now listen, I got, we got, there's good churches everywhere, but I went to one church one time and the choir got up to sing and they were singing like this. I ain't making this up. I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. I'm like if it's in your heart, take it out, rub it on your face. Because if you really knew, if you really had worship, your face is going to show it, your hands are going to show it, your body is going to show it. Listen, it don't matter. It's a slow song or a fast song, a big church, or a little church, a big room, or a little room, a white church, or a black church. When we come together, it's time to worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The Bible says, let everything that a half breath, I'm talking to somebody who doesn't want to drift. I'll come to tell you you won't drift if you keep on worshiping. If you keep on praising it. Keep on giving God glory. Well, why don't we just do it right now? Let's chase out every Judas spirit and put our hands together and give God some glory. [cheers and applause] Hallelujah. Glory to God. Somebody say, "Woo!" [cheers and applause] You can be seated, taking up my time, acting like a bunch of pentecostals in here. You better relax. Call my dad back and he'll show you how to do it. [cheers and applause] Judas saw expressive worship as worthless. The next thing we see about Judas is that Judas saw extravagant giving as wasteful. John chapter 12 verse 5. Why was this ointment not sold for 300 denari and given to the poor? And he said this not because he cared about the poor, but he was a thief. And having charged with the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put in it. Mary being expressive in her worship and her giving irritated Judas. Selfishness is most easily deserved around generosity. The moment I preach all money, I can always feel it. Because it's not always comfortable. Because money's challenging. Jesus said it like this, Matthew 6.21. And it don't matter how many times you think about this, it's true every time. This is so true. Jesus said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. In other words, I can follow your online bank statement and know where your heart is. People will get what they want. People can say I can't afford it all day, but if they want to fish, they're going to buy some fishing poles. They're going to get some bait. People can say I can't afford to tithe, but if people want to hunt, "Oh, Lord Jesus, I do that to get through the moment." But people do, they want it. If they want to do it, they're going to do it. The thing is about money, and I've said this before, is that money promises to us what only God promises to us, promises us security and identity, happiness and freedom. Only this thing on earth called money does that. And Judas struggled with money. Clearly, he was stealing it from the ministry of Jesus. In fact, Mark 14, this exact story in Mark's Gospel, after what happens when Mark tells the story, Judas hears about all this, he sees all this worship and this giving and he's bothered. And the Bible says that Jesus, right after that, if you remember, Jesus corrects them. The Bible says in Mark that a bunch of apostles jumped in on it. Judas, or excuse me, John says that Judas starts the conversation. And what happens is Jesus rebukes them. Jesus said, "You just leave her alone." You leave her worship alone. You leave her giving alone. Watch what happens in Mark chapter 14, verse 16. Then, then, Judas is scary it, who was one of the twelve went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money and he sought an opportunity to betray him. The moment, Jesus corrected Judas, then. You got to watch people who are always good to you until you tell them no. Judas was told no. Judas was corrected. Judas didn't like it. And the Bible says, "As a result, that moment, then." Matthew chapter 6, verse 24, Jesus said no one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Judas is showing us this example of what loving money and hating God could look like. This is drifting away because money, that's a good thing. Did you hear what I just said? Money is a good thing. Money becomes a bad thing when it becomes the ultimate thing. In 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 10, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." Now listen to this part. We all know that part. Let me show you this. It is through this craving that some have wandered away, talking about drifting today, wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. In this Judas example, Jesus is like warning us, I suppose, that the love of money can be so deceptive that we can wander to the point where we are willing to sell eternal treasure for a handful of coins. The Bible says that money, whatever we serve, is our master. So the Bible says, "Clearly Judas served money." Somewhere along the way when he began to follow Jesus, Jesus was the priority. But somewhere in the next three and a half years, money, greed, became the ultimate thing. He walked about a mile and a half to a two Jerusalem. Think about this. After that night, walked a mile and a half to Jerusalem to meet with chief priests and sold Jesus to his enemies. Matthew says that when he came, that's when they paid him. They didn't pay him. If you read through the Scriptures, they didn't pay him after he betrayed him. They paid him up front for the betrayal. So that night, after Jesus was worshiped and that woman was so sacrificially giving, Judas gets offended at the correction. Judas, who wants, I'm sure, love Jesus. I'm sure was interested in following. I'm sure, cared at one point, but at some point, moved away from God. He went out that night and got paid. His 30 pieces of silver in advance to betray Christ. The Bible says he then goes looking for an opportunity to betray him. How does this even happen? How do you get so irritated by worship, Judas? How do you get so irritated by giving? You started so strong. You loved so deeply. You saw, you were there. But then it became about this for you. It became about trying to get the big house, living in that neighborhood, getting your kids in private school, trying to be somebody, trying to get the house on the boat, and trying to take weekends off. Trying to get all you can, trying to get ahead. Watch this. I began to think about this, and I said, why would Judas drift? What would make Judas drift? And this is what I really believe. Judas was close enough to Jesus to know him, but far enough way to prevent being changed by him. His experience with Jesus was ultimately superficial. Let me prove it to you. Matthew 26. When Jesus is in the upper room, and they're having the last supper together, and they're having their Passover meal. Jesus is there. Now the story I just read has passed. Judas has the coins. Judas has the blood money. In Jesus says, in verse 20, "When it was evening, he reclined at the table with the 12." And as they were eating, he said, "Truly I say to you one of you will betray me." Little did he know that it's possible to make the case that Judas had the money on him right then. And they were very sorrowful and begin to say to him one after the other, "Is it I, Lord?" Verse 25, Judas, who would betray him answered, "Is it I, Rabbi?" Did you catch that? The rest of them called him Lord. The rest of them saw him as the king of the universe. Peter had that experience when Jesus said to him, "Who do men say that I am?" And Peter says, "Now I the Christ, son of the living God." And Jesus said, "Fush and blood have not revealed this to you, but my father, which is in heaven." But Judas, just a Rabbi, you're just a good teacher. You're just Jesus. "Is it me, Rabbi?" You can see right then that the rest of them were committed, but Judas kept a safe distance. I don't know what did it. I believe he, at some point he stopped worshiping. At some point he stopped listening. At some point he stopped giving. At some point he started seeing the money bag as something that he deserved. He worked hard and he travels and he carries Jesus' bibles. I deserve this. Think about being Judas. You have seen miracle after miracle. You have seen the dead raised. In fact, at the dinner with Mary is Lazarus. Who was raised from the day you've seen this? You've seen the miracles. You saw the the feeling of the 5,000. You experienced the woman being healed with the issue of blood. You saw a gyrosist daughter healed. You saw the lepers made. "Holy you saw it, yet you were unchanged by it." Because it's like Judas just kept a safe distance. So close. Yet so far away. When we were in Israel, they took us to a place called Chiloh. Fascinating location. It was the location where the tabernacle for almost 400 years sat in the Old Testament. The tabernacle was the place where the presence of God dwelt. It was where the priest sacrificed to God. It was how humanity interacted with God for hundreds of years in a town called Chiloh. The Bible lets us know that Judas is called a scarry. It referring to the town that he's from. The town of scarry doesn't exist. It was actually a word for a carry-off. It was right next to this land called Chiloh. Now here's what's interesting about the 12 disciples. 11 of them were all from the Galilee and area, which is a water area. They were all mostly fishermen. They all worked in that area. Judas was the only one who was not from that area. He was from further south. He was from this carry-off region. And when we were in Jerusalem that day, we traveled to Chiloh. And when we were in Chiloh, they pointed up. And I got a picture for you. See that little tiny town right there on top of that mountain. I took this picture when we were there. That's this is scarry. This is Judas where he was from. This is his hometown. And you can see from his hometown that place in Shiloh were the presence of God dwell. Now what you think about this? Judas grew up knowing that that place was holy ground. Judas grew up as a little boy looking and seeing that's where the presence of God dwell. Growing up as a Jewish little boy reverencing and fearing God, I'm sure you heard the story of King David. I'm sure you heard the story of Samuel the prophet. I'm sure you heard the story of Hannah praying in that tabernacle in Chiloh. I'm sure he heard it all. He was within eyesight. You would have never believed a parent naming him to God be the praise. They had a good plan for Judas. But he was always close. But he was never changed. That picture shows as a symbol to me of his life story. He was always so close. But yet so far away. I really just want to close with this thought. Judas who at some point loved Jesus, followed Jesus was anointed by Jesus to cast out demons. We know this through scripture. At some point he stopped worshipping, became irritated by worship. At some point he became irritated by generosity, began to steal from the finances of the ministry. Judas did this. And the Bible says that that night when he showed up at dinner at the Passover, the Bible says he sits down. Some make the case that he had the 30 pieces of silver on him. And while he was sitting there, the Bible says that Jesus washed their feet. And Judas with blood money in his pocket. He had the king of kings, washes feet, and he was still not changed. How can you still sit there Judas and not be changed? Let me ask you a question. How long are you going to sit there? Till you change. How long are you going to keep convincing everybody that you don't have a problem with drinking? How long are you going to sit there and convince yourself that every time I preach on diving? It's my fault. I'm greedy. Preachers greedy. Be from Ohio. At some point, when you're going to let God change you. At some point, when you're going to let God challenge you, or are you going to continue to follow Jesus from a distance and make him compliant so that you can just keep serving your own interests? Because that's what Judas was doing. Now I wouldn't call you a Judas today. I don't think that would go well. But I will tell you this, if we're not careful we can drift and serve our own interests, and serve our own ideas and care about our own needs and care about, we love Jesus as long as Jesus doesn't disrupt too much of us. Watch what happens. He slips out after dinner. He gets the army. They come to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and they take him away. Judas said, "Hey listen, who I kiss, that's the one." Pretty much like who I give a handshake to is kind of how they greet at each other differently. It's a sign of respect. And Judas kissed Jesus and watched this as soon as they took him away. The Bible says that Judas went to the high priest that he just betrayed Jesus to and said, "I don't want this." He immediately knew this is not what I want. I shouldn't have done this. And watch what happens. The Bible is so powerful. The Bible says he takes it and he throws it right there on the temple floor. He throws it right there. Listen to that sound. It's one of the last things Judas heard on this earth because your master leads you somewhere. Watch this. He threw that on the ground. Anything you attain in exchange for your relationship with Jesus you'll eventually lose. [Applause] You know what's crazy? When Judas showed up in the garden and kissed Jesus, Jesus called him friend. Can I tell you today, I don't know if I could do that. You betrayed me. You bought me for 30 pieces of silver. Judas. And Jesus called him friend. Can I tell you, it doesn't matter how far you drift. He's never forgotten about you. It doesn't matter how much you fail. He would still call you for it. It doesn't matter how much you struggle. Jesus is still there waiting with open arms. And there are some of you in this room today. You find yourself in the chair and you need to know that today you guys start making changes. That today you just can't keep sitting in church and acting like it's okay. There are some things in your life that God is trying to get your attention. He's trying to get you back to worship again. He's trying to get you back to serving again. He's trying to get you back to generosity again. He's trying to get you back to a place of attitude and trusting his word again. And for some of you, you feel like you've gotten so far from God. That you feel like you got coins all over your life. That it fallen all over your marriage. That I feel the Holy Spirit right now. That it fallen over your children. And you know if you just prioritized God years ago, you wouldn't be here. But now look what your master did. And you wish you could change. Can I tell you, he still calls your friend. Only God can love somebody who's walked out on him as much as we have. The Bible says that when we are faithless, he is faithful. In other words, he's more consistent to us than we've ever been to him. And I'm fairly certain of this. There are many of you in this room that you feel like you failed God because you let go of him. And can I tell you something? You feel like you've lost your grip on God. Can I tell you the older I'm getting and the more I learn about God and the more I see in this word, it isn't as tight. It isn't about how tight you hold onto him. There are going to be seasons where you got to hold on. But when you get older and you just think about it and you're looking the word, I believe when you stand before God, you're going to know it's because he held on tight to you. You shouldn't be here. Come on, he calls your friend. Even if you failed, he calls your friend. The guy's closed all over the room. I don't know where you're at. I don't know where your story is. I don't know what your struggle is. But Judas, hear me today. I want to talk to the person that you've drifted in today's time to come home. What greater gift? What greater gift today than to say, God, I'm coming home. I failed. I messed up. I've got my bag of coins. I've done things I wanted to do. I've done things my way. I've ended up in divorce court. I've ended up in this. I've ended up this way. My kids hate me. My wife don't talk to me. My business is failing. I've done things serving my interests long enough. But today in Jesus' name, I've come to tell you, you could turn everything around putting Jesus back in the center of your life. If that's you and you say, I'm going to put Jesus back to the center. I'm not asking if you're lost. I'm asking if you drifted. If you're lost, I want you to be a part of this. You don't know Christ. You're a part of this. But I'm talking to people you come every week and you are honest today. You know what? I'm off a few degrees. I've gotten away from Him. I've been serving my own interests and I need to focus on Him once and for all. I've got to come back home. I've got to give Him my eyes right. I've got to look unto Jesus who's the author and the finisher of my faith. Come on. If that's you today, I want you to be honest and say, I've been drifting and I need some help. God, if that's you raise your hand to heaven. Come on, come on, come on, come on. Hands up all over the room. That's beautiful church. Just being honest before God, I'm drifting. I need a little focus right now. It's been busy. It's been difficult trying to raise these kids and do this situation at the house and come on. He calls you for Him. Which among us in this remain Judas? Which among us in this room haven't failed Him? Which among us in this room have taken our coins? But every one of us can cast Him down and know He calls you, friend. Will you do me a favor and stand all over this room? We gotta gather those coins. I don't trust church people. Once you'd be like, can I pray to the author after service? Your story doesn't have to end like Judas' story. If you keep worshiping and you keep being selfless and you keep serving Him and you keep following Him and you resist the temptation to make things about yourself. I bet I know you're gonna hear well done. I could have faithless servant. Father, I pray over every person in this room today that at times I felt like they've gripped that bag and they said, you know what, this is mine and I want to hold onto this. I just pray a spirit of Mary in this room that will release it all and worship you and give it to you and praise you and honor you and that today we're not gonna drift no more. We're looking unto you Jesus. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 2 that we're to be people who remind ourselves of your word and what you said so that we do not drift away from the truth. And so Father, I pray that we don't drift that we will be anchored in you and that we will be who you called us to be in Jesus' name. In this church said, hey man, come on, let's raise our hands all over the room. Come on, let's just end it in worship one more time. Come on, let's get the atmosphere in here until the king of kings you're holding. Oh yeah, that's a good song. Come on, let's worship the king. It's all about you. It's all about you Jesus. I'm sorry Lord for the things that made it. It's all about you. I'm coming back to the heart of worship. It's all about you. I feel impressed in my heart. There's a guy in here. I just feel it's a dude. You have, this has been your story and you've been strong and then you've been down and you've been up. But I feel like you're getting dangerously calloused. You've been up and down a lot. You're strong in your faith and you're down but you're getting into a place where you are dangerously calloused. I just feel like telling you today you're going to have to turn this over to God. You're going to, I don't, it could just be one of you but I feel in my heart it's a gentleman in this church that your heart has gotten hard and it's time once and for all to get back to worship. Come on, stop making it about who hurt you, who said what, what you, I've seen too much. I know what church is all about. You don't know nothing. You know bitterness is what you know. I'm going to tell you today that if you could open your heart and say you know what, I'm coming back to the heart of worship because it's all about you. It's all about you. Come on, let's give it to Jesus all over this world. ♪ Things I'm made of ♪ ♪ It's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you ♪ ♪ She closes ♪ ♪ I'm coming back to the heart of worship ♪ ♪ When it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm sorry for the things I've made ♪ ♪ When it's all about you ♪ ♪ It's all about you ♪ ♪ She makes Jesus ♪ Thank you, Jesus. How many of you think we're the presence of God today? It's all about Him. At this time, I'm going to ask the prayer team to come down and join me. They're going to be crossed the front. I'm going to dismiss you in just a moment. But if you need prayer for anything at all and you need God to just intervene and get into a situation, whatever it is, I'm going to ask you to come and they'd love to pray with you. Help you along this journey. If you're one of the people that raised your hand, say, "Listen, I'm not where I need to be with God. I need to know Christ. If that's you today, I want you to make your way down front. We have material for you. We want to pray with you. We want to believe God with you. That the rest of your life is going to be the best of your life." Amen, everybody. Father, we thank You so much for this church. Father, we pray a blessing of God, this church, we're going to be extravagant. Extravagant givers, we're going to be expressive worshipers. We're going to keep in mind who you really are. We're not going to keep a safe distance from you. We're going to not drift away from you, but we're going to honor you and follow you all the days of our life in Jesus' name in this church said. God bless you, Father Church, you can give on your way out and we'll see you next Sunday. I see you first, Winston.