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Part 9 of 16
CROSS TO COMMISSION | Matthew 27:2-10
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We often think of villains in movies and real life with hatred and disgust. They hurt the main character, and we can't shake that image. Some actors play villains so well that audiences struggle to accept them in other roles—their portrayal is unforgettable and damaging to their careers.
But here's what we don't always consider: in somebody's story, you might be the villain. Not the person sitting next to you—I'm talking about you. You may have played that role in someone else's life. We can forget the main character, but we remember the villain.
Judas is perhaps the most famous villain in history. His name has become synonymous with betrayal and snakish behavior. What makes his betrayal especially cruel is not that he stole from Jesus openly, but that he came with a kiss—the ultimate gesture of intimacy turned into deception. "At least let me know you're coming," we might say. "Be straightforward about it."
Like a movie prequel that reveals a villain's origin story, Scripture gives us insight into how Judas became who he was. Understanding his backstory doesn't excuse his actions, but it does show us how sin operates in our lives.
Turning to John 12:3-6, we see Mary breaking her alabaster box of expensive perfume and anointing Jesus's feet—a beautiful act of worship. But listen to what Judas says:
"Why was this ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?"
The Gospel writer is blunt about Judas's real motivation:
"He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief and having charge of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it."
Judas was stealing from the church's money. He acted like he cared about the poor, but he had no real plan to help them—he just wanted the money for himself. And because people were watching, he became a sneaky thief, stealing in small increments where no one would notice.
This is where the villain's story begins: with small compromises, small thefts, small lies that we think won't matter.
Moving to John 13:1-2, we see the next stage:
"During supper, when the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him."
Notice it doesn't say "a demon." Satan himself put the thought in Judas's heart. Judas was now dealing with spiritual warfare he was not equipped to handle.
This is critical for us to understand: not every thought that comes through your mind originates with you. You need discernment. That temptation, that accusation, that temptation to compromise—it may be the enemy. It may be your flesh. But Judas didn't have that theological understanding. He was vulnerable.
Then in John 13:27, during the Last Supper, after Jesus dipped bread and gave it to Judas:
"Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him."
Judas went from being a sneaky thief to being possessed by the devil himself. The devil didn't just oppress him or suggest thoughts—Satan entered into him.
I believe this made it easier for Satan to do because the seed of sin was already there. When Judas regarded iniquity in his heart—stealing a coin here, a coin there—he was opening a door. What if, when Mary broke her alabaster box in worship, Judas had instead come forward and confessed his sin? What if he had given his life to the Lord right there? But instead, his idolatry was highlighted in the midst of worship.
Listen: what sin are you coddling in your heart, thinking it will never get that far?
Do you think Judas imagined his small thefts would lead to betraying the Son of God? One of the most arrogant things we do as believers is try to predict how sin will affect us. We justify it:
We don't realize we may end up with a straight, cold heart.
Especially those coming to faith or rededicated to Christ, we have a habit of coddling sin like a pet viper. We sleep with it in our sleeping bag every night, thinking it's fine. "It's not that serious," we tell ourselves. "Just a little envy. Just a little jealousy. Just a little gossip."
But a viper is a viper. It will bite. You can feed it, dress it up, give it a name—but it wants to bite. It's not going to calm down. It's only a matter of time.
I've had a pet viper before, and it bit me. The viper isn't going to change its nature. You have to change yours by the power of the Holy Spirit, His grace, Scripture, truth, and community as you're conformed to the image of Christ.
As you mature spiritually, you start to sharpen your discernment. You see the viper coming from a mile away. It may appeal to your flesh, but you recognize it: "Nah, that's a viper. I'm good on that."
In Matthew 26:14-16, Judas goes to the chief priests and asks:
"What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?"
And they paid him 30 pieces of silver. Then he sought an opportunity to betray him.
The betrayal was already in seed form in his life. He was a thief. He was being courted by Satan. He was possessed. And then he made the deal. The final act of betrayal was inevitable—it was the logical conclusion to seeds he'd been planting all along.
Now we come to Matthew 27. The chief priests and elders have condemned Jesus and delivered him to Pilate. Then in verse 3:
"Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders."
Judas saw what he had done. He came to himself. And here's what amazes me: Judas actually did a better job of repenting than some of us. He was broken in heart. He brought the money back. Some of us would have just been sorry but kept the money or already spent it. But he returned it.
I believe when he saw Christ being transported to his death, something in him broke. He came to himself, like the prodigal son. "I don't want this to happen to him. He's innocent."
In verse 4, he confesses:
"I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
In word and in deed, he's trying to undo it. He's remorseful. He's trying to run it back.
But listen to the chief priests' response in verse 4:
"What is that to us? See to it yourself."
I really don't like these guys. These are the chief priests—the ones whose primary job is to be mediators between people and God, to deal with sins. What do you mean "see to it yourself"? He has no way of dealing with it himself! That's not how your own system works!
In their own religious system, people weren't allowed to deal with their own sins. They had to bring a sacrifice to the chief priests and elders. But now, when Judas comes broken and remorseful, they tell him to figure it out.
In verse 5, Judas throws the money into the temple and hangs himself.
Here's what breaks my heart: Jesus was left out to dry. He was used and abused. That's exactly what idolatry does. You think you're having a good time. You think you're winning. Then it goes a little further, and you see how it has destroyed your soul. And sometimes we come back and jump right back in line to get used and abused again by another idol. God comes and restores us, and then we do it all over again.
But you know what our Savior does? He has compassion upon us. He embraces us because He knows our frame. He knows we will stumble. Should we purposefully sin? No. But He is compassionate.
Judas didn't have access to the compassionate one at that moment. But look at how Jesus treated others:
We should be known as compassionate people. There are too many mean Christians running around. You know what that means? They haven't been leaning into the presence of God. A byproduct of leaning into God's presence is a softened heart.
In verses 6-7, the chief priests say:
"It is not lawful to put them into the treasury since it is blood money."
They won't even touch the money now. So they take counsel and buy a potter's field as a burial place for strangers, and that field has been called the field of blood to this day.
Do you see how wicked this is? The chief priests supplied the blood money. They gave it to Judas to betray Jesus. Now when the money comes back to their feet in the temple, they say, "We can't put that with the real money. It's blood money." They won't even touch what they created.
You see how crazy we look when we bow to anything other than Jesus?
In verses 9-10, Matthew quotes the prophet Jeremiah:
"Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 'And they took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.'"
This is an Old Testament prophecy fulfilled. God knows the end from the beginning. One of the things that absolutely will lead to despair is if you only lean on your own understanding. A recent revelation from the Lord for me is this: He is the one who sees around all corners. He knows your end. So instead of trying to know all, just focus on knowing Him.
As I was preparing this sermon, the Lord gave me a glimpse of despair. And if He did that, no doubt some of you are walking in despair right now. Your soul is dark. You're walking around in a thick gray, dark, black cloud because you believe what you're currently in is your end.
You see no way of escape, or you think the way of escape isn't for you.
I believe Judas was remorseful. He went to the high priests trying to undo it. What drove him into deep despair is that the one person he knew would hear him—Jesus—was no longer within his grasp. Not only that, he played a pivotal part in ushering Jesus into imprisonment.
If Judas came back saying, "I don't want to do it," the possession is over. He's come to himself. He's looked at what he's done. He's tried to repent. That didn't work. And Christ, the compassionate one, is no longer within reach.
Some of you feel that way. "I've gone too far. My sin is too bad. I've done too much evil. I've outrun the grace of God."
But that is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Listen to what Scripture says:
"Where sin abounds, grace super abounds."
You know what you're saying when you believe you're beyond grace? You're saying God didn't do good math. When He did all the calculations for all the sin of all the world and all mankind, and He nailed them to the cross in Christ Jesus, and put the iniquity of the whole world on Him—you're saying He left yours out. "God, you did bad math. You forgot something."
None of us would say that out loud, but how many of us have felt that way?
Here's the truth: If we sin, we have an advocate with the Father. His name is Jesus. You are not in the same situation as Judas. You have access to the real High Priest.
I'm not saying you won't have hard times. You absolutely have to walk out the human experience. But you are never without the power of the Holy Spirit to sustain you. You are never without Christ who redeems, our heavenly Father who restores, the one who heals the brokenhearted, the one who provides, the one who conforms us into the image of Christ, the one who sets the captives free.
Our primary problem? We put God on a time limit. You've got a self-imposed deadline. You're saying, "If God doesn't show up here, it ain't going to happen." And that leads us to despair.
But that's not our God. Martha, sister of Lazarus, said:
"Jesus, if you would have been here, he would not have died."
But she didn't know she was talking to the Resurrection. He's never too late. You can die when He shows up—the Resurrection is there. You can be in the middle of depression, and He shows up. He's already there.
You think God needs to come somewhere to help you? He's already there. In the middle of your closet. In the middle of your car. In the middle of your pain.
Like John, one of the disciples whom Jesus loves, you can just lean in. Lean into His presence, beloved, and you can get freedom. But you've got to lean in. Some of you are leaning in, and it's not yet—but you're being sustained while you're leaning. That's still Holy Ghost power.
Some of you have extended yourselves financially, emotionally, in relationships, professionally, or parentally—and it's dripping you into despair. You're trying to plan for things you didn't plan for. You're stressing because it's not adding up. You went crazy for Christmas, and rent is due on the first. It's still due, I promise you.
Instead of tying your identity to saving face and giving gifts, why don't we just chill out on all that? The real gift is Jesus.
Know Him. Lean into Him. Trust Him with the corners He can see and you cannot. That's where mercy for the villain—and mercy for you—is found.
