Luke 22:1-6
Satan Possessed
Have you ever know someone that you just couldn’t figure out? If you
have, you might have used the title of tonight’s message as an
explanation. Of all the riddles, the puzzles, the conundrums, and the
enigmas, Judas may be the most confusing. How could someone so close
to Jesus—His love, His wisdom, His Power—for so long do what he did?
Perhaps the answer is this text; but if not, I have no answer.
We will look into Judas’ life for a moment tonight and see if we can
find something that will help us.
I. For the sake of time, let me summarize what the Bible tells us of
the man.
A. His Background
1. His name is Judas Iscariot.
a. "Judas" comes from the word Judah and means "He shall
be praised."
http://www.sermonnotebook.org/mark/Mark%2069%20-%20Mark
%2014_10-11.htm
b. One source said it meant "He shall be praised of the
Lord." (If so, this is one man in the Bible who did
NOT live up to his name.)
2. His name is appropriate in that Judas was the only one of
the twelve disciples to be from Judah.
a. Judah is the southern tribe and the name of the
southern kingdom.
b. All of the rest of the disciples were from Galilee.
https://amazingbibletimeline.com/blog/q28_twelve_apostles_background/
c. A lesson--Godly heritage cannot save.
(1) This man gave from a godly tribe, wore a god-
honoring name, but he was lost.
(2) The only thing that can save is an individual
realization of our need and God's Supply through
Jesus Christ and our surrender to His will.
3. Iscariot - Means “man of Kerioth.” Kerioth was a small
village about 30 miles south of Jerusalem.
B. His Service - The Bible makes it very clear that Judas was
purposely selected to be a follower of Jesus.
1. \\#John 6:70-71\\ says Judas was personally chosen by
Jesus.
2. \\#Mk 3:13\\ called him a disciple, a learner.
3. \\#Matt 10:2\\ refers to him as an apostle.
4. \\#John 12:6\\ says he was the treasurer of the disciples,
a position that would imply trust and respect on the
part of the disciples.
5. \\#Luke 9:1-2\\ makes it clear that Judas both preached
and performed miracles in Jesus' name.
6. But Jesus Himself spoke of Judas as "a devil"
\\#John 6:70\\ and called him the "son of perdition"
\\#John 17:12\\!
7. The man was lost, never saved.
8. Lesson - Time spend doing right is not a proof that
someone is saved.
a. It is not how much right you do or how long you do it,
but that Jesus is inside of you.
b. If Jesus comes inside, He will stay inside and He
direct you in His paths forever.
II. What do we see about Judas?
A. We see Judas' weakness. He loved money.
Luke 22:5 And they were glad, and covenanted to
give him MONEY.
1. I am not trying to pick on people who have money.
a. We all would probably like to have a little more of
it.
b. But Judas sold Jesus life for 30 pieces of silver.
c. Friend, that's worse than any slave trader!
2. There was a hint that Judas a problem with greed earlier
in the week.
a. When Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were having a dinner
for Jesus six days before He was crucified, Mary took
a pound of spikenard and poured it on Jesus' feet.
b. Judas erupt, "Why didn't you sell it and give the
money to the poor?"
c. But John, who wrote the account, added a truth not
known at the time the incident happened.
John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for
the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the
bag, and bare what was put therein.
d. Apparently Judas did not just get the 30 pieces of
silver, he kept the disciples’ money as well!
3. The Bible makes it clear that a wrong heart is a tell-tale
sign of a spiritual problem.
Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for
out of it are the issues of life.
B. We see Judas' heart.
1. Judas' behavior tells us what he was feeling.
a. At the very least, Judas sold a Friend and a co-
Laborer.
b. We know he sold much more--the Son of God, the
Redeemer of men's souls, the God of all; but even he
knew he was betraying a Friend and a Comrade.
2. Why would a man do that? I can only thing of three
reasons but they all have the same emotion attached to
it.
a. Perhaps Judas wanted the Messiah to come and became
doubtful that Jesus was He.
b. Perhaps Judas only wanted Rome overthrown and became
doubtful that Jesus would do it.
c. Perhaps Judas wanted a position of power and wealth in
a kingdom and became doubtful that he would ever get
it.
3. Either way, two things are true:
a. Judas was disappointed in Jesus and discouraged with
his standing in life. He wanted more and he thought
money and position could give it to him.
b. Judas was not looking for a Savior for had, He would
have gotten Him instantly.
4. We may be waiting on an eternal home, a glorified body, a
reigning Lord, but I got a Savior 45 years ago and I have
never lost Him and He has never lost me.
C. We see Judas' occupant.
Luke 22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed
Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
1. The Bible makes it clear when the devil entered Judas.
2. It was during the last week, the Passion Week of Jesus.
3. The question I have is not WHEN the devil entered Jesus,
but what opened the door for the devil to enter him.
a. I have always wondered what opens that door.
b. Judas was always lost.
c. What changed during that last week?
(1) Did Judas deciding to betray Jesus open the door
or did opening the door cause him to decide to
betray Jesus?
(2) Can the devil kick down the door of a lost
person's heart of does he have to be invited
inside?
4. I don't have those answers but it is clear, there was more
to Judas than carnality and even more than demon
possession.
5. Judas was Satan-possessed.
a. He will go down in history as one of only two to be
so.
b. The other will be the anti-Christ which makes Judas
something of a type.
c. To us, Judas might not look much like the anti-Christ,
but to the average man he will.
(1) Both will appear to represent God, but neither
will.
(2) Both will appear to be a friend, even a good co-
laborer, but neither will be.
(3) Both will betray their friends and co-laborers
for money or position or both.
(4) Both will spend eternity in hell.
D. We see Judas' destiny.
1. Luke does not give us all the details, but he does make
one very weighty statement.
Luke 22:4 And he went his way....
a. Judas' way will be death.
b. He will hang himself over a cliff, the rope will break
and His body will be broken on the rocks below.
2. John likewise gave an ominous statement:
John 13:30 He then having received the sop went
immediately out: and it was night.
3. Within 24 to 48 hours, the Thirteen (Jesus and His twelve
disciples) would be reduced to just eleven disciples.
a. Both Jesus and Judas will be dead, Judas permanently
but Jesus temporarily.
b. And by the third day, both will have been in the place
of the dead.
(1) Judas to take up residence.
(2) Jesus just to visit and to take His own out of
paradise.
4. Judas is in hell today.
a. He can honestly sing the song "I Did It My Way," but
he doesn’t.
b. The only thing that comes out of his mouth are the
screams of torment.
I pray that will never be you.
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