“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

John 12:3-6 NIV

Judas was a thief – he was stealing from the treasury bag that belonged to Jesus and the other disciples. He saw how Jesus looked into people’s hearts and knew their thoughts. How he think that he was getting away with it? Obviously sin makes you blind and stupid! When you steal from someone – your boss, your parents, or any other person – you demonstrate that you have no respect for others – not because there is something wrong with them, but because there is something wrong with you! You are supposed to be respectful of authority – spiritual and natural authority. Your disrespect for authority is a tell-tale sign that something is wrong in your life.

Then one of the Twelve-the one called Judas Iscariot-went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.  Matthew 26:14-16 NIV

Because Judas had stolen from Jesus; because he did not respect Him; he was offended when the woman anointed Jesus with the very expensive perfume. Forgetting who Jesus was (the Son of God), forgetting all the wonderful things and mighty miracles He had done, forgetting all the wise things He had said, forgetting how Jesus had loved all of them and served them, and demonstrating an utter lack of respect for the Spirit of God, Judas went straight out of the house to the betray Jesus to the chief priests. You can try to hide your disrespect, but sooner or later it will be manifested for all to see.

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.  John 13:2 NIV

If you make a mistake, if you give in to the devil’s temptation and you commit sin, you heart will convict you. Listen to your heart, immediately repent and shut the door on the devil. If you refuse to repent and you justify your sin, your heart will become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). This unwise choice signals the beginning of your end. It’s all downhill from there. Everything you have worked for and built in your life will be lost. Judas opened the door to the devil through his unrepentant sin. Now the devil was the one pulling the strings and controlling Judas. Judas was no longer in charge. Judas was merely a pawn of the evil one.

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. 28 “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him.  John 13:27-28 NIV

At the Passover meal, Jesus told them all that one of them would betray Him. Judas knew that Jesus knew that it was him and he could have and should have changed his mind at that point, but he still went out and did it. His sin and his terrible attitude of disrespect brought Judas to such a place of self-deception that he never came around out of his “trance” until after he had betrayed his Lord with a kiss, for a mere 30 pieces of silver. When the devil was finished with Judas, he left him. The scales of self-deception fell off his eyes and he regretted everything he had done.

When he saw the result of his actions – the arrest and brutal treatment of Jesus, an innocent man – he was completely distraught. He tried to give the money back, to tell them that Jesus was innocent, and to beg them to let Jesus go, but it could not be reversed. The only thing he could think of to do was to end his own life. Judas did not have to die and go to hell. He could have been filled with the Spirit and preached with Peter on the day of Pentecost! What a sad end – and it all began in such a “small” way – stealing out of the bag. Sin makes you blind and stupid and will be the cause of the ruin and the premature end of your life.

Guard your heart. Watch over the small things. Don’t allow the devil to tempt you with sin. Don’t give him any place in your life. Always do the right thing. It may be harder to work than to steal. It may take longer to earn it than to take it, but in the end you will be blessed and you will have heaven and not hell in your future.