Let us study about a pretentious man. This man pretended to be something that he wasn’t. This man was one of the twelve chosen apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. This man pretended to be a true disciple, but he was not a true disciple. This man pretended to love Jesus Christ, but in reality, this man did not really love the Lord Jesus. This man fooled many people in spite that he was a phony. This man name was Judas Iscariot and we can read and learn about him on the four gospels books (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).

Jesus chosen a Devil's man:

We usually think of 12 men when we think about the disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus had many more than 12 disciples at the beginning. Read Luke 6:12-13 and complete the verses to learn that there are more than just 12 men that are disciples.

Luke 6:12-13 “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³And when it was day, he called unto him his _____________: and of _______ he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”

According to these verses, Jesus prayed all night and then Jesus called together His disciples that is more than just 12 men. Notice the word “and of them” means out of these many disciples Jesus then chose 12 men who were also called apostles, because He wants them in a very special way be with Him. So, we learned that out of many disciples that Jesus had, He chosen 12 men out of them.

The names of these 12 men are mentioned in Luke 6:14-16. Judas the name mentioned last and he is also called “the ____________ .”

Luke 6:14-16 “Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, ¹⁵Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, ¹⁶And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.”

Answer some of the questions:

1. Why Jesus choose Judas Iscariot to be one of the 12?

2. Why Jesus have chosen this traitor?

3. Did Jesus made a mistake in choosing Judas Iscariot?

4. Did Jesus choose the wrong man?

5. Jesus could have chosen out of all men, but why Judas Iscariot chosen?

Fill up the missing words that Jesus said in John 6:70 "Have not I ______ you twelve, and _____ of you is a _______?"

John 6:70 "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

Please identify who is the person Jesus is talking about when spoke these words? _________

John 6:71 “He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” It seems that Jesus is saying "I have chosen 12 disciples and one of them is on the devil’s side! One of My disciples is a child of the devil. The devil is going to use this disciple to carry out his purpose.”

This disciple will be the devil’s man, thus will commit one of the greatest crimes the world has ever known.

John 13:2 “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;”

Today, if you are looking for a devil’s man, where can you find him?

Would you suspect some murderer? Drug pusher? Criminals who is in jail? Or would you look for this devil’s man in the midst Christian gathering? Or someone who is singing from a hymnbook in a Bible believing church? Remember in John 6:70, Jesus said “one of you is a devil” as He look those men who claimed to love Him.

There are some critical questions that we need to deal with. If Jesus said, “one of you is a devil”, why did Jesus choose a devil man to be one of the twelve disciples? Why did the Lord choose Judas? Did Jesus make a mistake in choosing Judas to be one of 12 apostles? Did Jesus choose the wrong man in choosing Judas?

Read John 6:64 then complete the verse to know that Jesus did not make any mistake.

John 6:64 “But ____ ____ ____ ___ _____ that believe not. For Jesus _____ from the __________ _____ ______ _____ that believed not, and _____ _______ ________ him.”

John 6:64 “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

It is clear Jesus did not and would never make any mistake. Jesus knew exactly what He should and what He was doing. When the first choice was first made, Jesus knew already all about Judas Iscariot, He even knew that Judas would betray Him. Jesus knew perfectly and exactly everything about Judas.

God wants us to learn something about the tragic life of Judas and learn the very important purpose why Jesus chosen Judas.

As you read John 6:64 and answer the missing words then think of yourself and all the church members in your church. John 6:64. Jesus said, "But there are some of you that believe _____. For Jesus ______ from the _____________ who they were that believed _____, and who should betray Him."

John 6:64 “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

Does the Lord Jesus know exactly who the church members are who truly believe and which church members who just pretend and do not really believe

Does the Lord Jesus know exactly right now which church members are saved and will go to heaven and which church members are not saved and will not go to heaven?

Some people are great pretender, they might be fooling us, that might make us think that they are true Christian. Even the pretending person fooling us, on the other hand they can never fool the Lord because the Lord knows the real Judas. Judas fooled others; he fooled his fellow disciples, but Judas never fooled the Lord Jesus.

Judas was chosen by God with a divine purpose. There are at least valuable lessons that God wants us to learn from the sad life of Judas Iscariot.

Three valuable lessons from the life of Judas:

I – OUTWARD INDICATION OF THE UNSAVED

Pretender can possibly show outward indications about salvation and yet that person is not saved.

In the books of the gospel, Judas is described seven times as “one of the twelve” (John 6:71).

If you are one among the twelve disciples of Jesus, what have you thought of Judas? Would you say that Judas was very different compared to other disciples? Or would Judas successfully fooled you into thinking that he was not different with the rest of the twelve?

In Matthew 10:4-7 that Jesus commanded the twelve disciples to go forth and preach the good news about the kingdom, did you know that Judas went out and preached the Word of God? Not all who preaches the gospel are genuinely saved. Many join the soul-winning program of the church but they themselves are unsaved.

Matthew 10:4-7 “Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. ⁵These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

According to verse 7, Judas obey the command of Jesus, Judas went forth and preaches the message “Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Judas not only preaches the Word of God, with the salvation message but Judas probably performed miracles that is more amazing, and anybody would think Judas is saved and instrument of God.

Not only Judas preaches the Word of God with a message “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand,” not only performing miracles but also Judas was one of twelve disciples of Jesus that were given power against unclean spirits and given power to heal all manner of sickness (Matthew 10:1,8).

Matthew 10:1, 8 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. ⁸Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

Probably, in the land of Palestine, there were people living there who could testify, “I was healed by Judas” or some of them could say, “I had a demon cast out of me by Judas”. Actually, the disciples did not returned from their mission field saying, “Lord, in Your Name we were able to heal people and cast out demons. But Judas is not able to heal sick people and the demons would not obey Judas, Judas is powerless.” No, Judas could perform miracles just like other disciples, every indication of a true believer is in Judas.

Think, Judas was an unbeliever, not saved, not a Christian in spite that Judas preached the Word of God and performed miracles. It would be helpful for us if we consider many people who cried to the Lord in Matthew 7:22 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” That is the very words that someday Judas will say “Lord, Lord, have I not preached in your Name? and in your Name have I not cast our demons? And in your Name have I not healed sick people? and in your Name have I not done many wonderful works?” Know and put the missing words on what Jesus will answer them in Matthew 7:23 “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: ___________ from me, ye that ________ __________.”

Matthew 7:23 “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

What is true with Judas, the same is true today to other lost church members. Many people pretending or assuming they are saved and just go through the outward motions but still not be saved.

It is possible for a person who are not saved preach?

It is possible for a person who are not saved sing hymns?

It is possible for a person who are not saved to pray?

It is possible for a person who are not saved to witness and tell others about Christ?

It is possible for a person who are not saved to read the Bible?

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