The Dead Stick: Why Proximity to Jesus Isn’t Enough

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:07:55] Amen.
[00:07:58] Let us pray.
[00:08:19] Let us pray.
[00:08:33] The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
[00:09:58] Let us pray.
[00:10:32] The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ

[00:11:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:11:46] Amen.
[00:11:47] Your name is the highest, your name is the highest.
[00:12:01] All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions, your name stands above them all.
[00:12:47] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

[00:13:07] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.
[00:13:30] Holy, holy forever Here people sing Holy, to the King of kings Holy, you will always be

[00:14:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Your name is the highest Your name is the greatest Your name stands above them all All thrones and dominions All powers and positions Your name stands above them all

[00:14:45] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Your name stands above them all All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions Your name stands above them all And the angels cry
[00:15:22] of the Holy

[00:16:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[00:17:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
The Great Holy See His power and His power Are shielded and defended The angel of grace The burden of His burden
[00:17:53] The world will become nearer to the Lord when God is with us.
[00:18:23] Well, good morning

[00:18:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
You can do better than that.
[00:18:54] Good morning!
[00:18:55] It is great to see you in the house of the Lord, and we are so thankful that you have joined with us to worship and praise Him in spirit and in truth.
[00:19:04] And we are so glad that you are gathered here together in the mighty name of Jesus.
[00:19:09] If you're visiting with us today, we want to bid you a warm welcome in the name of the Lord and on behalf of the Trinity Baptist family.
[00:19:16] In fact, our deacons have some gift bags that they would love to put in the hands of those of you
[00:19:20] There's some things you'll find in there that we hope you'll take home and remember your visit here with Trinity.
[00:19:28] But there's also a guest card as part of that bag.
[00:19:31] And we want you to take a moment and fill that out.
[00:19:33] Place it in the offering plate when it comes by just a little bit later in the service.
[00:19:37] So we'll have a record of your visit here with us today.
[00:19:40] So if you are our special guest this morning, just lift your hand about like this as they make their way down the aisle.
[00:19:46] Hold your hand up there high enough and long enough for them to spot you, and they'll put this in your hand today.
[00:19:51] And again, we would love to hear from you and know of your visit with us at Trinity.
[00:19:56] If you're joining us via live stream, we welcome you into the sanctuary here today.
[00:20:00] At Trinity Baptist Church this morning as we have joined to lift our voices in praise and honor to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
[00:20:07] And we want you to participate in every aspect of the service this morning along with us.
[00:20:13] When we pray, we invite you to pray with us.
[00:20:15] When we go to God's Word in just a few moments, we want you to turn in the Bible to follow along with us in the Gospel of John today as we continue in our series.
[00:20:24] And in a moment when we stand to sing again, we want you to sing along with us as well.
[00:20:29] So again, thank you for being a part of our service today and choosing to join with us in worship here at Trinity.
[00:20:36] Well, would you join with me as we go to the Lord this morning and just ask Him to guide every thought and every action in this place this morning.
[00:20:45] Would you pray with us, please?
[00:20:48] Father, it is into Your presence that we find ourselves this morning so grateful to be here, grateful to be able to worship You.
[00:20:59] Grateful for the opportunity and the freedom that we have to assemble.
[00:21:04] Lord, where we can join our hearts as one voice and lift that voice to heaven in praise and honor and glory to you, our King.
[00:21:16] Father, I thank you also for the privilege of just being able to meet together where we can open your Word and where we can study your truth.
[00:21:26] Father, where you, through the power of your Spirit, apply it to our lives, change our minds, transform us, Father, to be everything that you desire that we would be in our homes, with our families, in the workplace, in the community.
[00:21:44] Father, we come to offer ourselves this morning as a living sacrifice to you that you would indeed move in our hearts and that you would do a work that only you can do in this very hour.
[00:22:01] Father, we thank you for your presence that continues to guide our footsteps.
[00:22:05] And we just ask that this morning that indeed in our own Father way and in our spirit that we might just place ourselves on this altar and ask you, Lord Jesus, speak.
[00:22:21] Speak into our lives, speak into our hearts, and make us what you want us to be.
[00:22:29] Father we love you and we praise you and we want to worship you with everything that's within us for it's in Jesus name that we lift this prayer and all God's people said
[00:22:40] Amen.
[00:22:41] Well, listen, if you have preschoolers or children with you from preschool all the way through third grade, we want to invite you to make their way here to the front, to my right and your left.
[00:22:52] They're going to be greeted by Ms. Terry and welcomed into Children's Church this morning.
[00:22:55] So stand to your feet, if you will, right where you are and turn around and shake a few hands, hug a few necks, make each other welcome in the house of the Lord as we continue to worship Him this morning, in spirit and in truth.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let's pray.

[00:23:43] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:24:15] Let us pray.

[00:24:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
O the King is coming!
[00:24:44] The King is coming!
[00:24:48] I just heard the trumpet sounding, And now His face I see.
[00:24:53] O the King is coming!
[00:24:53] The King is coming!

[00:24:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Praise God, He's coming for me.
[00:25:16] Oh, the King is coming, the King is coming.
[00:25:17] I just heard the trumpet sounding, and now His face I see.
[00:25:19] Oh, the King is coming!

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
The King is coming!
[00:25:36] Praise God!
[00:25:36] He's coming for me!

[00:25:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Beyond description To marvelous forewords To wonderful for comprehension Are nothing ever seen or heard Who can grasp your infinite wisdom
[00:26:09] who can fathom the depths of your love.
[00:26:36] You are beautiful beyond description, majesty enthroned above.
[00:26:37] And I stand, I stand in awe of you.
[00:26:38] I stand, I stand.
[00:26:40] Holy God to whom all praise is due I stand in awe of you And I stand, I stand in awe of you I stand, I stand in awe of you
[00:27:06] All praise is due, I stand in awe of you.
[00:27:26] And I stand, I stand in awe of you.
[00:27:34] I stand in awe of you.
[00:27:35] I stand in awe of you, holy God to whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of you.

[00:28:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Good morning church.
[00:28:14] This is the time in our service that we can bring forth our tithes and our offerings.
[00:28:22] You can go online at Trinity.com to participate.
[00:28:26] Let us pray.
[00:28:29] Father in heaven, we bring our tithes and offerings to you today, asking you to further the mission of our church.
[00:28:39] May these gifts support the work of the ministry and bring glory to your name.
[00:28:45] We trust that you will bless our efforts and contributions.
[00:28:49] We ask that you will make us better Christians today than we were yesterday.
[00:28:54] We ask this prayer in the holy name of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
[00:28:59] Amen.

[00:29:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Hide me now under your wings Cover me
[00:29:50] Within your mighty hand When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with you above the storm

[00:30:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
You are King over the flood I will be still and know You are God Find rest, my soul, in Christ our King
[00:30:36] In quietness and trust When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with you above the storm Father, you are King of earth
[00:31:04] I will be still and know You are God When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with You above the storm Father, You are King over the flood I will be still and know You are God
[00:31:35] I will be still, know that You are God I will be still, know that You are God
[00:32:05] Find rest, my soul, in Christ alone.
[00:32:17] Know His power.
[00:32:23] In quietness and trust When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with you above the storm Father, You are King over the flood I will be still and know You
[00:32:49] When the oceans rise and thunders roar I will soar with You above the storm Father, You are King over the flood I will be still and know You are God
[00:33:19] I will be still and know you are God.

[00:33:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Well, amen and amen.
[00:33:39] Thank you so much, praise team, for blessing our hearts this morning.
[00:33:43] Turn in your Bibles, if you will, to the Gospel of John.
[00:33:45] The Gospel of John in the 13th chapter is where I want to invite you to join with me this morning as we study God's Word together.
[00:33:54] The 13th chapter, the Gospel of John.
[00:33:57] This has to be one of the darkest paragraphs in all the Word of God.
[00:34:05] As we're going to see this morning,
[00:34:07] It's the tragic account of the steps that lead up to the betrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ on the part of Judas Iscariot.
[00:34:19] I want to invite you to stand, if you will, in honor of the reading of the Word of God as we pick up in verse 18 where we left off last week in our journey together through this great, great book.
[00:34:32] Jesus says, I do not speak concerning all of you.
[00:34:36] I know whom I have chosen, but the Scripture may be fulfilled.
[00:34:41] That the Scripture may be fulfilled.
[00:34:43] He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.
[00:34:48] Now I tell you before it comes that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.
[00:34:57] Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me, and he who receives Me receives him who sent Me.
[00:35:06] And when Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit and testified and said, Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.
[00:35:19] Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke.
[00:35:24] Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
[00:35:30] Simon Peter, therefore, motioned to him to ask who it was of whom he spoke.
[00:35:37] Then leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to him, Lord, who is it?
[00:35:43] Jesus answered, It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.
[00:35:48] And having dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
[00:35:54] Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him.
[00:35:57] And then Jesus said to him, What you do, do quickly.
[00:36:03] no one at the table knew for what reason he said this to him for some thought because Judas had the money box that Jesus had said to him buy those things we need for the feast or that he should give something to the poor but having received the piece of bread he then went out immediately and it was night father
[00:36:35] I just pray that this morning as your spirit moves freely throughout this sanctuary that Lord in these very moments that there would be a keen awareness on the part of every man and every woman under the sound of my voice of the critical need to understand this passage.
[00:37:00] Father I pray that you would just prepare us
[00:37:04] Speak to us.
[00:37:06] Help us to understand what you are saying and doing in our own lives.
[00:37:14] Father, I just pray personally that you'd let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, Lord, let them be pleasing in your sight.
[00:37:22] In Jesus' name I pray.
[00:37:24] Amen.
[00:37:26] You may be seated.
[00:37:28] Judas Iscariot.
[00:37:30] A man just like you, a man just like me, who is responsible for the decisions and choices he made.
[00:37:42] In fact, he's eternally accountable to God for the deed that he did.
[00:37:52] It's interesting when you note that the name Judas literally means praise.
[00:37:57] In fact, it was an honored name among Jewish people.
[00:38:01] But Judas took a very noble name and brought it down.
[00:38:07] We think of Judas, that name, and we think of the traitor.
[00:38:13] We think of that name Judas, the one who goes down in history as the one who was so close to Jesus of Nazareth and yet betrayed him.
[00:38:27] I want you to really hear me carefully this morning because as we come to this passage I want you to understand that Judas Iscariot is probably the most incredible warning to church members that I could possibly give.
[00:38:46] In other words, the story of Judas Iscariot stands in the Bible as an examination message for every man and every woman under the sound of my voice.
[00:38:57] Stop and think about it.
[00:38:58] Judas was one of the twelve chosen by the Lord to follow him.
[00:39:03] Judas was so closely associated with Jesus and yet the Bible makes it clear that Judas was not a saved man.
[00:39:14] And friend, it really is a reminder to us that it's possible to be a member of a church and not truly be saved.
[00:39:25] Hello.
[00:39:27] It's possible to have your name on a church roll and not have your name written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.
[00:39:37] It's incredibly important when you think about it.
[00:39:40] Judas traveled with Jesus, saw miracles,
[00:39:45] But evidently it did nothing for him.
[00:39:49] Judas listened to the words that Jesus taught and yet those words never seemed to penetrate to the heart of Judas Iscariot.
[00:40:01] All of this is important to understand up front.
[00:40:05] Now I want to be real clear, I would in no way shape or form want this to be a moment
[00:40:13] that disturbs you in your salvation today.
[00:40:17] Look, I recognize there's enough discouragement, there's enough doubt in the world today that people need all the encouragement and all the assurance that they can get.
[00:40:26] And yet, I feel an overwhelming burden and an overwhelming responsibility to be faithful to the Scripture when we come to places like this and to warn you
[00:40:42] and to make it very clear in that warning that as we deal with this passage you need to be very sure of your salvation you need to be very sure that your salvation is a genuine experience in your life this is a message that should cause every one of us to examine ourselves and the bottom line question comes always down to this
[00:41:11] If you were to die today, do you know for sure that you'd go to heaven?
[00:41:18] Because if you don't know for sure today, my prayer is that somewhere in the midst of this service that God would grip your heart, would draw you to Himself, and that you would accept Him as your personal Savior this very morning.
[00:41:33] That's what needs to happen.
[00:41:35] If you're not certain that you would go to heaven if you were to die today,
[00:41:41] So what I want us to do in the next few minutes with your Bibles open to this passage, I want us to look at the steps that led to the betrayal of the Lord Jesus by Judas Iscariot.
[00:41:55] And I want you to notice first off, if you're taking notes today, I want you to jot this down, I want you to notice the prediction of the betrayal.
[00:42:04] Because there's really predictions that come from really two sources.
[00:42:09] The Savior himself, the Lord Jesus, predicts that Judas is going to betray him.
[00:42:15] Look at verse 21, if you will, in what we just read.
[00:42:18] It said, When Jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit and testified and said, underline this, Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.
[00:42:35] I mean we can even look back in verse 10 and 11 if you will in the same chapter and you see the words of Jesus make it clear that he knows exactly what's going on in fact Jesus said to him back there in verse 10 and 11 he's talking to Peter he said he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean and you are clean but not all of you
[00:43:02] For he knew who would betray him, therefore he said, You are not all clean.
[00:43:11] Now that simply reminds us, ladies and gentlemen, of one very important thing.
[00:43:16] Jesus is God.
[00:43:19] Amen?
[00:43:21] He knew the future.
[00:43:23] Before it came to pass.
[00:43:25] And it also reminds us that Jesus knows the heart of people.
[00:43:34] I mean, right there in that sacred upper room, right there in that place, as Jesus is washing their feet, He's unfolding His heart, He's expanding on the fullness of His love, right there in that very scene, my friend,
[00:43:53] Jesus knows there is one right there at the table that is already planning in his heart to betray him.
[00:44:03] You see, you and I need to make sure we get that this morning.
[00:44:08] Jesus knows all about us.
[00:44:11] Jesus knows every thought and motive in my heart this morning.
[00:44:16] Jesus knows every thought and every motive in your heart this morning.
[00:44:22] He knows what you're thinking.
[00:44:24] He knows what you did last night.
[00:44:27] He knows what you're going to do tomorrow.
[00:44:31] He knows your spiritual condition today.
[00:44:37] Jesus knows the Judas in every church.
[00:44:42] Jesus knows the pretender in every house of God.
[00:44:47] Jesus knows who it is
[00:44:52] that will betray Him eventually.
[00:44:57] So one of the clear things to see at the outset that it's predicted by the Savior Himself.
[00:45:07] But the betrayal is also predicted by the Scripture itself.
[00:45:12] You say, what do you mean?
[00:45:13] Well, we'll go back to verse 18 that we started with this morning.
[00:45:17] Look at what it says.
[00:45:22] He said, I do not speak concerning all of you.
[00:45:25] I know whom I have chosen.
[00:45:30] But, underline this, that the scripture may be fulfilled.
[00:45:38] And then he quotes Psalm 41.9.
[00:45:41] Look at it.
[00:45:43] He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.
[00:45:52] In other words, underline that please, in your Bible if you will, because the picture here in the text is of somebody sitting down at your table, eating the food that you provided for them, and then suddenly, unexpectedly, out of nowhere, smashes you in the face with their heel.
[00:46:11] I mean, it is the picture of ultimate rejection.
[00:46:16] It's the picture of the most contemptible form of betrayal you can imagine.
[00:46:22] In other words, the Scripture, Jesus says here, has already predicted or has Judas Iscariot nailed?
[00:46:36] You know, when I read that, you know what I thought about?
[00:46:41] You think Judas ever read his Bible?
[00:46:47] Do you think there was ever a time when Judas just sat down with the Old Testament Scripture and just read them?
[00:46:57] Do you think that he ever read the book of Psalms?
[00:47:03] Do you ever think Judas ever read Psalm 41?
[00:47:07] And do you think
[00:47:15] That Judas ever applied, if he did read it, the Scripture and those verses to himself.
[00:47:30] Let me ask you something.
[00:47:33] Did you know that there's a verse in the Bible somewhere that describes every one of us in this room?
[00:47:45] It really does.
[00:47:47] Somewhere in the Bible, there is a verse that tells your story.
[00:47:54] I'll give you a great example.
[00:47:55] Hold your finger here and look back at the book of Ecclesiastes.
[00:47:59] If you go back to Ecclesiastes chapter 1 and verse 2, look what it says.
[00:48:07] The vanity of vanities.
[00:48:11] All is vanities.
[00:48:14] Ecclesiastes chapter 1 and verse 2 became Solomon's life text or is Solomon's life text because Solomon was a believer and he wandered away from the Lord
[00:48:29] And when he came back to the Lord, he looked back on all of his wasted years of his life and he summarized his entire story with chapter 1 verse 2 of Ecclesiastes, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
[00:48:48] It's a verse that told his story.
[00:48:56] Let me ask you something.
[00:48:58] What verse in the Bible, I wonder, would tell your story?
[00:49:06] My story.
[00:49:08] I mean, there was a verse that told the story of Jesus' life.
[00:49:14] He went about doing good.
[00:49:18] There's a verse that tells the story of David's life.
[00:49:22] David served his generation by the will of God.
[00:49:27] and then he fell asleep.
[00:49:31] What verse in the Bible would tell your story and mine?
[00:49:39] Think about it.
[00:49:40] The prediction of the betrayal.
[00:49:45] I mean, all through Jesus' ministry he touched on this.
[00:49:49] All through his ministry he said, I'm going to be betrayed and crucified.
[00:49:55] Do you think that ever got to Judas?
[00:50:01] Do you think that Judas just sat there and listened to that and said, oh, that must apply to somebody else?
[00:50:10] You know, we have a tendency to do that, don't we?
[00:50:13] We really have a tendency to all too often apply the Scripture to somebody else rather than to our own lives.
[00:50:27] That's a human tendency that we better be very, very acutely aware of.
[00:50:36] Applying the Scripture to other people rather than really applying the Scripture
[00:50:43] To your life.
[00:50:45] To my life.
[00:50:47] The prediction of betrayal.
[00:50:50] But there's a second thing I want you to see real quickly.
[00:50:53] And it's the personality of betrayal that unfolds here.
[00:50:59] Because notice, go back to verse 21, we mentioned a moment ago.
[00:51:02] It's interesting to note that this is the third time in three chapters that we find that Jesus is troubled.
[00:51:13] It says in verse 21 that when Jesus had said these things he was, underline it, troubled in spirit.
[00:51:23] This is the third time in three chapters that it says Jesus is troubled.
[00:51:29] We find it over in chapter 11 verse 33, Jesus is troubled.
[00:51:34] We find it in chapter 12 in verse 27, Jesus is troubled.
[00:51:38] And now we find it a third time in verse 21 of chapter 13 and it says Jesus is troubled.
[00:51:47] Now by the way, that word troubled there literally means
[00:51:52] He was deeply moved to the deepest level of his existence.
[00:52:00] That's what the word literally means.
[00:52:02] In other words, I'm saying to you that the sorrow and the heartache and the pain overwhelmed Jesus as he muttered those words, one of you shall betray me.
[00:52:19] And Jesus is talking specifically about the personality of the betrayer, Judas Iscariot.
[00:52:28] Now, notice the reaction of the disciples here.
[00:52:32] Because Jesus' words come out of the blue, and son, listen, they are stunned.
[00:52:38] In fact, I believe these disciples are initially stunned in the silence.
[00:52:43] Because if you look at that moment
[00:52:47] They realized the possibility of betrayal was in every single one of them.
[00:52:57] There was this possibility that they could be the guilty one.
[00:53:05] In fact, look at verse 22.
[00:53:08] The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
[00:53:17] And that word perplexed, if you want to circle it, literally means confused.
[00:53:22] It means to be disoriented.
[00:53:25] Now John doesn't mention it here, but in the other gospels, when you look at the parallel passages, the disciples actually begin to say, is it I?
[00:53:34] Is it I?
[00:53:36] Now why in the world would they say that?
[00:53:40] I mean, why would they even ask, is it I?
[00:53:47] I'll tell you why because I believe that when Jesus said one of you will betray me and they all heard it it caused every one of them to examine their own hearts and upon examination at that deep level I think they became aware of
[00:54:14] that the possibility indeed did lie in their own heart.
[00:54:24] Let me remind you this morning.
[00:54:27] The Word of God declares the heart is deceitful above all things.
[00:54:35] Desperately wicked.
[00:54:38] Who can know it?
[00:54:40] I mean listen, if modern psychology has accomplished anything, I tell you it has proven the depths of the depravity of the human heart.
[00:54:51] I mean the deeper that modern psychology digs into the psyche of humanity, the more dirt and the more filth and the more grime of the human heart that tends to be found.
[00:55:03] And we've come to understand.
[00:55:06] The possibility of every imaginable sin lies in the human heart.
[00:55:16] If you just think about the unbelievable atrocities even in recent days that we've experienced.
[00:55:25] I mean you go back.
[00:55:27] This week as everything was unfolding on Monday and the hostages coming home there in Israel and I was reading through a book that was written by Jeff Meyer not too long ago after and he is the president of Summit Ministries and he had made a visit over
[00:55:46] To Israel right after October 7th of 2023, right after the atrocities of Hamas coming over and all of the acts of terrorism that took place and that are almost unspeakable.
[00:56:01] And in this book, there was a place over about page 27 where Dr. Meyer talks about meeting up with a soldier of the IDF.
[00:56:15] and how he had a chance to talk with him.
[00:56:20] And he said, and basically I'm paraphrasing, but the soldiers said to Dr. Meyer, he said, you know, he said, as people talk about the terrorists that came over and the atrocities they did, they said they're not even human.
[00:56:41] They were just beasts.
[00:56:44] He said the soldier basically said but that's not true because the reality is that they are human just like every one of us but they believed a lie and went to a very dark place.
[00:57:14] Let that sink in.
[00:57:18] They believed a lie and went to a very dark place.
[00:57:23] This was an IDF soldier, Israeli soldier, that recognized that reality.
[00:57:31] And I really do think that that's much of what you're seeing for the reason that the disciples would all start raising the question, is it I?
[00:57:40] Is it I?
[00:57:41] Ladies and gentlemen, don't ever think you're above doing most anything.
[00:57:46] You're not.
[00:57:50] I mean, if you don't think it's possible for you to do about anything, just look at Simon Peter.
[00:57:58] Right here in this passage.
[00:58:01] Look down at verse 24.
[00:58:03] Simon Peter therefore motioned to him, talking about motioning to the Apostle John, to ask, who is it that Jesus spoke of?
[00:58:15] Isn't that interesting?
[00:58:17] Out of all of them, Peter was so anxious to check out the sin of others and look for the sin in their heart, and yet, before you even get to the end of the chapter, in fact, just look at it, the last verse of chapter 13, Jesus answered Peter,
[00:58:36] He said, will you lay down your life for my sake?
[00:58:39] Most assuredly, I say to you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow until you have denied me three times.
[00:58:50] So here was Peter not even beginning to imagine that it could be him.
[00:58:55] So he's asking John, who is it he's talking about?
[00:59:02] So John looks back at Jesus and said, who are you talking about?
[00:59:09] And Jesus answered him in verse 26, it's he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I've dipped it.
[00:59:23] See, I don't care who you are.
[00:59:25] I don't care what you've done.
[00:59:27] I don't care all the accolades that people throw at you.
[00:59:32] Don't ever think you've arrived spiritually.
[00:59:39] Don't ever begin to think you're above the temptation of the devil.
[00:59:46] Don't ever think that you're above doing the very thing Judas Iscariot did, betraying the lovely Son of God.
[00:59:54] Ladies and gentlemen, the possibility of betrayal is in every single one of us.
[01:00:06] And you see, it became more than a possibility in one of them.
[01:00:14] Because in Judas, it was a planned activity.
[01:00:21] You say, what do you mean a planned activity?
[01:00:23] Well, think about what we know about Judas up to this point.
[01:00:27] We know that Judas was one of the 12 that was chosen.
[01:00:32] He was close to the Lord.
[01:00:35] But he was never one of the Lord's.
[01:00:39] In fact, listen, Judas was quite frankly like a dead stick.
[01:00:44] You say, what do you mean a dead stick?
[01:00:46] You can water and water and water and water a dead stick.
[01:00:52] And yet at the end, what do you have?
[01:00:55] A wet dead stick.
[01:00:59] But it's still just a dead stick.
[01:01:04] And Judas' heart was like a dead stick.
[01:01:08] We know that.
[01:01:09] We also happen to know for a fact that Judas was the treasurer for the disciples.
[01:01:15] And we know he was stealing money from the treasury.
[01:01:18] In John chapter 12, you remember when Mary did that awesome magnanimous deed to honor Jesus?
[01:01:25] It was Judas that got all bent out of shape.
[01:01:28] Why this waste?
[01:01:30] You remember?
[01:01:31] That's what he said.
[01:01:32] Why this waste?
[01:01:33] And his negativism affected the other disciples and they began to carry on about it.
[01:01:40] You see, don't miss this.
[01:01:45] In that very scene, Judas revealed that material things meant far more to him than lavishing love on Jesus.
[01:02:00] That's what he revealed.
[01:02:03] And from there, Judas went out and he began to make plans.
[01:02:09] You see, it was already in his heart.
[01:02:13] And you know, I have to wonder this morning, when I think about that, if somebody listening to me, whether by livestream, whether by television, or whether right here in this room today, I have to wonder if in your own heart, somebody listening to me is planning the betrayal of Jesus.
[01:02:36] No, no, don't get me wrong.
[01:02:37] I know you don't look at it that way.
[01:02:39] I'm sure you're not thinking of it in those terms, but I have to wonder if there's a young lady maybe this morning and you're considering yielding to the persistent proposals of a boyfriend who's asking you to sacrifice your purity.
[01:02:55] And if you do, you're selling out the one who shed his blood at Calvary so that you can remain pure.
[01:03:09] I have to wonder if there's a businessman that's listening to me this morning and hearing me and you're already toying in your mind with a business deal which you know in your heart is wrong you know in your heart is dishonest and if you go through with that deal you're selling out the one who shed his blood at Calvary so that you might be honest
[01:03:37] and you might live with integrity.
[01:03:42] I wonder if there's somebody here that's planning some kind of amusement, some kind of pleasure, some kind of activity that you've made a priority over the Lord Jesus.
[01:03:53] And if you do, you've sold out the one who shed His blood for a few minutes of pleasure, a few minutes of amusement.
[01:04:06] Again, I know we don't like to look at it that way.
[01:04:10] But ladies and gentlemen, I'm telling you this morning, there are many of those who call themselves the people of God who will sell out the Lord Jesus for a pitiful 30 pieces of silver or less.
[01:04:25] Many, many times.
[01:04:31] And look, I want to point out to you
[01:04:36] that Jesus made every effort to stop Judas and to prevent him on that path along the way.
[01:04:46] Now look, in John's passage here in chapter 13, he doesn't give us all of the details, but when you put all of the parallel passages together, you begin to get the picture of what actually is going on.
[01:04:59] And it's interesting, I started describing it to you last week,
[01:05:02] that that they were sitting at these tables and the tables were very low on the ground you remember when he was washing their feet their feet would have been extended out under the table jesus was on the other side of the table making his way down there washing the disciples feet well as they were seated on or under those tables their legs under those tables it was very tight quarters and so they were so close to each other that they would lean on on the other one
[01:05:31] The head of one would be close to the chest of another.
[01:05:35] And based on what John does tell us here, you'll see in verse 25, it says, Then leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to him, Lord, who is it?
[01:05:48] And again, that's John, the beloved.
[01:05:50] We see in the previous verses, in fact, he tells us in verse 23, that it was leaning on Jesus' bosom, one of his disciples whom Jesus loved.
[01:05:59] That's the way John always described himself.
[01:06:02] I mean really, I guess if I was writing my own gospel book I'd describe it that way too.
[01:06:06] But that's the way John described himself as the one Jesus loved.
[01:06:10] But so that's the picture.
[01:06:13] John's got his head on the chest of Jesus.
[01:06:19] And evidently it seems that when you study the other passages that Judas was just to the left of Jesus.
[01:06:31] You know what that means?
[01:06:34] Jesus' head was leaning on the chest of Judas.
[01:06:43] You see, because that was the seat of honor.
[01:06:47] If you were asked to sit to the left of the host, that was the seat of honor.
[01:06:54] And it's as if Jesus that evening said, Judas, Judas, come sit by me tonight.
[01:07:01] And Jesus leaned on the chest of Judas.
[01:07:10] I have to imagine, do you think it must have burned a hole in Judas' heart?
[01:07:24] I mean, as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, don't you know that water with which Jesus washed the feet of Judas, that water must have burned that night?
[01:07:37] And then to top it all off, we're told here in verse 26,
[01:07:42] that Jesus would dip his bread.
[01:07:45] The King James Version said that he would sop.
[01:07:48] And by the way, if you don't know what sopping gravy is, I'm sorry, you haven't lived yet.
[01:07:54] But that's the way it worked.
[01:07:57] And Jesus would take a piece of bread on that table, and there were wonderful sauces that were on that table.
[01:08:04] Jesus would take that bread, he would break off a piece, he would dip it in the sauce,
[01:08:12] And then he would take that bread, and after he had dipped it in the sauce, to extend that bread to someone was the highest act of friendship.
[01:08:26] It was the highest act of love that a person could do.
[01:08:33] In fact, just so you know, you couldn't do anything to honor an individual any greater
[01:08:41] then to extend the sop or extend the bread dipped in sauce and I'll tell you this if you took it you were expressing your utter loyalty to the person that was extending it to you so make sure you get the picture
[01:09:09] It's as if Jesus is saying, Judas, here is how much I love you.
[01:09:16] Take this bread.
[01:09:21] And when Judas took it, it was as if Judas was saying, Jesus, I am yours.
[01:09:34] I'm yours.
[01:09:37] See, my point is Jesus did everything to stop Judas along the way.
[01:09:45] When I see this scene described, I want to say, Judas, do you see the love of Jesus?
[01:09:52] Judas, why don't you just stop and acknowledge His love?
[01:09:56] Judas, why don't you just break down and repent?
[01:10:00] Judas, why don't you open your heart
[01:10:06] How can it be so cold?
[01:10:08] And what I find so troubling today about those who claim to know the Lord and love Him, and yet their hearts are so cold and unresponsive to the love of Jesus.
[01:10:35] Listen.
[01:10:38] Jesus extends the bread.
[01:10:46] You see, we've watched the prediction of betrayal.
[01:10:50] We've seen the personality of betrayal.
[01:10:54] But the last thing, and real quickly, it's not much, but you've got to see the product of the betrayal.
[01:11:01] You say the product of the betrayal.
[01:11:03] I want you to see here now the control of Satan because this is very, very important.
[01:11:10] Don't check out on me.
[01:11:11] We're almost done.
[01:11:14] Notice verse 27.
[01:11:16] It says, Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him.
[01:11:26] Underline that.
[01:11:29] Judas finds himself
[01:11:32] between Jesus and Satan and what's real interesting is if I go back and look at verse 2 in this same chapter don't don't miss what it says in verse 2 it says and supper being ended the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot underline that
[01:12:00] In verse 2, Satan has put the thought in his heart and then draw an arrow over to verse 27 because now in verse 27, Satan himself enters his heart.
[01:12:14] You know what that tells me?
[01:12:15] That tells me it's a very short step from Satan's suggestion to Satan's possession.
[01:12:23] Very short step.
[01:12:26] Very short evening.
[01:12:28] Very short period of time from Satan's suggestion to Satan's possession.
[01:12:37] You say, but Mark, how did the devil get into Judas' heart?
[01:12:41] I mean, how could the devil invade the heart of Judas?
[01:12:47] I'll tell you how he got there.
[01:12:49] Friend, Judas let him get there.
[01:12:54] That's how.
[01:12:56] Judas let him get there.
[01:12:59] That's the reason the book of Ephesians says to us, neither give place to the devil.
[01:13:06] That means, my friend, the devil can't force himself into your life.
[01:13:10] You open the door and let him into your life.
[01:13:16] But I'm also acutely aware that even though Satan controlled Judas, I hope you noticed that Jesus is still in command of the situation.
[01:13:25] Because when you look there in verse 27, Satan entered him but then Jesus said to him, what you do, do quickly.
[01:13:35] In other words, that tells me instead of Judas being in charge, Jesus is still in charge.
[01:13:42] And Jesus just simply looks at him and says, buddy, go do what you gotta do.
[01:13:46] And it's as if Jesus is saying, the process that will lead me to the cross of Calvary to die for the sins of the whole world is now underway.
[01:13:57] So let's get it on.
[01:14:00] I'm ready to die for the sins of the world.
[01:14:08] Then you see Judas in verse 30.
[01:14:14] He's made up his mind.
[01:14:17] Betrayals burning in his heart.
[01:14:22] And therefore it says, having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately.
[01:14:30] And don't miss those last four words.
[01:14:34] And it was night.
[01:14:40] Can I tell you something very important?
[01:14:43] In that moment of verse 30, the Holy Spirit made a reservation for Judas.
[01:14:56] That very night, darkness engulfed Judas Iscariot.
[01:15:04] Black midnight engulfed the heart of Judas.
[01:15:13] And he went out and he betrayed the Lord.
[01:15:18] And that reservation was sealed for the eternal blackness of darkness forever.
[01:15:32] You know, I remember
[01:15:34] Many years ago now, decades ago now, when I was in seminary, and it was always an interesting theological conversation that's always been a question, always been a debate.
[01:15:50] Could Judas have repented along the way?
[01:15:58] I mean, you could fill up hours.
[01:16:01] You could fill up days.
[01:16:03] Theologians unfortunately waste a lot of time arguing about that point.
[01:16:19] But all that discussion is beside the point.
[01:16:23] In fact, it's really a moot point because we're not dealing with what might have been in the life of Judas Iscariot.
[01:16:32] We're dealing with what actually occurred in the life of Judas Iscariot.
[01:16:41] And so I'm going to say to you this morning, the question is not could Judas have repented?
[01:16:52] The question of this hour is what are you going to do with Jesus?
[01:16:59] Judas' fate is already sealed.
[01:17:04] The question is, what are you and what will I make in response to the story of Judas Iscariot and the steps that we followed through today?
[01:17:27] Because it comes back to where we started a few minutes ago.
[01:17:36] Have you asked Jesus into your heart?
[01:17:41] Have you repented of your sin along the way?
[01:17:49] Have you placed your faith in Jesus and Jesus alone?
[01:17:55] Have you surrendered to Him as the Lord of your life?
[01:18:01] Because when all is said and done,
[01:18:05] You can talk about what Judas might have done till the cows come home, and it doesn't change a thing.
[01:18:16] But if you or I respond to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, everything is changed in our own lives.
[01:18:30] Would you bow your heads right where you are, please?
[01:18:32] Heads are bowed and eyes are closed.
[01:18:37] Listen, if I didn't know for sure of my relationship with Jesus Christ, you couldn't keep me from coming down this aisle and truly surrendering my life to the Lord Jesus this morning.
[01:19:00] Just look at the facts, man.
[01:19:03] Look at the facts.
[01:19:05] How all of the Scripture
[01:19:09] points to this reality of this moment.
[01:19:16] I realize that, as I said at the beginning, that this passage itself is probably one of the darkest paragraphs in all of the Bible.
[01:19:29] The betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot.
[01:19:37] but I feel an overwhelming responsibility to lay it out before you for you to understand what the scripture says and how it's explained and that you yourself have an opportunity to repent of your sin to place your faith in Jesus and surrender to Him as Lord of your life
[01:20:07] Just a moment, we're going to have a hymn of invitation and I'm going to invite you to come.
[01:20:13] If you've never given your life to Jesus and you want to do so, I'm going to be right here at the front today.
[01:20:19] You can come, simply take me by the hand and say, Pastor, I want to give my life to Jesus Christ this morning.
[01:20:25] You can do it.
[01:20:26] You certainly can, maybe you're already a believer or follower of Christ and maybe He's speaking to your heart this morning.
[01:20:34] about your own spiritual journey.
[01:20:36] Maybe something you're pondering, something you're considering and God's speaking to your heart about it.
[01:20:41] This altar's open and from wherever you are this morning you can simply leave your seat and come and get on this old fashioned altar and just pour out your heart to the Lord.
[01:20:52] People do it week in and week out.
[01:20:55] This altar's open this morning.
[01:20:57] Some of you may feel led to join this church by letter, by baptism, by statement, whatever way we receive members.
[01:21:03] We invite you to come as God leads you.
[01:21:07] Lord, we've gathered in your house to worship you, to know you.
[01:21:16] And then, Father, to take what you pour into us here and then to make you known when we walk out of these doors in a few moments.
[01:21:26] So I just pray that right now, Father, that you would not let us miss this moment
[01:21:34] there were so many moments along the way for Judas as we've seen this morning even in that final night in that upper room opportunities that Jesus put in front of him for him to stop in his tracks and say yes yes the love of Jesus is real
[01:22:03] My trust and dependence in Him is what I need.
[01:22:14] Father, if there's somebody here this morning that You're working on their hearts right now, it's my prayer that they would not miss the moment, this moment, as You're working in ways that only You can do.
[01:22:31] Guide this invitation.
[01:22:33] For it's in Jesus' name that I pray.
[01:22:36] Amen.
[01:22:37] Would you stand to your feet right where you are, please?
[01:22:41] As Brother Grant comes to lead us, this altar's open.
[01:22:46] Whatever the Lord lays on your heart.

[01:22:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Sweet hour of prayer
[01:24:13] Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy,
[01:24:43] and Trust His Grace.
[01:24:48] O cast us
[01:25:20] to him whose truth and faithfulness engaged the waiting soul to bless and since he bids me seek his face

[01:25:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Would you just bow your heads for just a moment and I'm going to ask the instruments to softly play for a moment.
[01:26:14] And as they do, I just...
[01:26:17] I just feel compelled.
[01:26:22] I feel compelled to ask each one of us in this room right now, with your heads bowed and eyes closed, would you just say, Lord, just call Him Lord, Lord Jesus, burn this message into my heart right now.
[01:26:44] And Lord, show me, would you ask Him, show me the truth about me.
[01:26:53] Show me the truth about my relationship with you.
[01:27:00] Would you just ask Him?
[01:27:05] And as you listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, as you genuinely pray, I promise you He's going to answer you.
[01:27:15] He's going to make things clear.
[01:27:19] But you've got to be willing to listen.
[01:27:22] And you've got to be willing to ask.
[01:27:29] Would you?

[01:27:44] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let's pray.

[01:28:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Let's pray.

[01:28:22] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Would you be seated just one moment please?
[01:28:43] It's my pleasure to introduce to you today this family that is standing up here.
[01:28:47] They've been visiting our church faithfully and the Lord has been speaking into their hearts and blessing them week after week as they've been a part of you and they've come today to say that they believe God is leading them here to be a part of the Trinity Baptist family.
[01:29:00] And this is Mike and Sandy, their son Josh.
[01:29:04] Mike Kepley and Josh St. Clair actually who's standing here with them today.
[01:29:11] And they've come to say they want to be a part of what God is doing here at Trinity Baptist Church.
[01:29:17] In fact, Mike and Sandy are coming by letter from the First Baptist Church of Statesville.
[01:29:23] And Josh is coming as a candidate for baptism, having trusted Christ as his Savior and Lord.
[01:29:28] And he is going to be baptized into our fellowship.
[01:29:31] And what's your pleasure in affirming them as they come this morning to be a part of our church?
[01:29:37] I see a motion.
[01:29:38] Second.
[01:29:38] All in favor, lift your hands.
[01:29:40] There's your friends.
[01:29:41] God bless you so much.
[01:29:43] We welcome you here this morning.
[01:29:44] and we're certainly glad to have you with us Mike God bless you Josh God bless you my friend and I know that folks are going to want to speak to you on their way out this morning and as they we make our ways out here to the front if you'll just allow them to do so they want to offer you the right hand of fellowship
[01:30:00] and we're grateful to have you.
[01:30:02] I want you to stand to your feet if you will.
[01:30:05] Please tonight don't forget our life groups that are taking place and hopefully you'll be a part of that.
[01:30:11] This message no doubt will spur some great conversation tonight.
[01:30:16] and I believe that God will use that discipleship opportunity all over the city as you're a part of a life group this evening and we're looking forward to all that God is going to continue to do in each of our lives.
[01:30:29] Brother Trevor is going to come and have a closing word for us this morning and then Brother Grant is going to sing us out of here.
[01:30:34] So Brother Trevor, I'll turn it over to you.

[01:30:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Yes, Sarah, thank you, Pastor Mark.
[01:30:38] That was an awesome message that we heard this morning.
[01:30:42] Church family, here at Trinity, we really want you guys to belong.
[01:30:45] And one way to do that is getting involved, as Pastor Mark said, in a life group.
[01:30:49] So I encourage you this afternoon to join a life group.
[01:30:52] Come visit one.
[01:30:53] I'll be in the fellowship hall at 1.30 with Nick Allen and his life group this afternoon.
[01:30:56] So join a life group, belong, and be able to break down the service, a powerful sermon that we just heard this morning.
[01:31:05] Our benediction this morning comes from Jude, the end of that small chapter, or small book of the Bible.
[01:31:11] It says this, Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory
[01:31:30] Majesty, Dominion, and Authority before all time, now and forever.
[01:31:37] Amen.
[01:31:38] Lord Jesus, thank you once again for this beautiful message that we got to hear this morning.
[01:31:43] Lord, I pray that as we go out that we would be able to share the message of you coming and dying for your enemies, dying for us, Lord.
[01:31:50] I pray that we would just go out and be able to encourage one another to be fighting sin and drawing near to you.
[01:31:58] Lord, we pray and ask these things in your name.
[01:31:59] Amen.

[01:32:04] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
The Gospel of the Lord

[01:32:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
There's a sweet, sweet spirit in this place And I know that it's the Spirit of the Lord There are sweet expressions on each face And I know that it's the presence of the Lord
[01:32:38] Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly dove, stay right here with us, filling us with your love.
[01:32:58] For these mercies we lift our hearts in praise Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived

[01:33:51] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:34:14] Amen.

[01:35:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Who's this is?
[01:36:16] That's John.
[01:36:16] Alright, so you have everything?

[01:36:27] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
.
[01:36:36] .
[01:36:36] .
[01:37:14] .
[01:37:41] .
[01:37:41] .
[01:37:43] .
[01:38:05] .
[01:38:05] .
[01:38:26] of the Holy Spirit.
[01:39:12] Thank you.
[01:45:04] Thank you for watching!