Thirty Pieces Of Silver Part Two | Remorse, But No Repentance

[0:00] Matthew 26 verse 14 and the word of the Lord says this, then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priest and said, what are you willing to give me?

[0:17] If I can pause right there, unfortunately, that's a lot of the heart postures that we see in the body of Christ. What's in it for me? What are you willing to give me? What do I get out of this Jesus thing? What do I get out of this church thing? What what will God give me if I tithe?

[0:37] It's always about what's in it for me. And that is not the correct heart posture or motive that we are called to have because we don't give to get. We give to bless somebody say, man.

[0:51] What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you? And they counted out to him 30 pieces of silver. So from that time, he sought opportunity to betray him.

[1:09] Go down to verse 47. Verse 47. Before I read that, I want to recap just for a second. What I did not know until a few days before I preached this a couple of weeks ago is that 30 pieces of silver was the price in those days of a slave.

[1:29] And the significance there is that it begs the question. Was Judas willing to betray his master so that he could become his own master?

[1:42] I used to think it was a money issue that Judas had. He was a lover of money, but I'm beginning to think that it was a power issue that he didn't know how to submit to his master.

[1:53] Let's go to verse 47. Matthew 26, 47. I'm going to read through verse 50. It picks up the story here. And while Jesus was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

[2:17] Now his betrayer had given them a sign saying, whomever I kiss, he is the one sees him.

[2:28] Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, greetings, rabbi, and kissed him. But Jesus said to him, friend, why have you come?

[2:40] Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him. Go over to the next chapter. Matthew 27. I'm going to finish with verses 3 through 5.

[2:52] Matthew 27, verses 3 through 5. It says this. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that he had been condemned, was remorseful.

[3:06] Somebody say remorseful. The King James Version says he repented himself. He was remorseful or he repented himself. And brought back the 30 pieces of silver.

[3:19] Have you ever tried to undo something you did wrong? But you knew the damage had already been done? You just don't want it on your hands anymore? We've all been there, haven't we? He brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.

[3:33] Saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. And they said, what is that to us? You see to it. Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself.

[3:50] Let's pray. Father, in Jesus' name. God, I thank you for your presence. I thank you for your glory that rests and abides on this body of believers.

[4:05] That rests and abides on this house. I thank you that this is a house of your glory. This is a house of worship.

[4:15] This is a house of your presence, God. This is a house of prayer. And because it's a house of prayer, it can then become a house of miracles. It can then become a house of signs and wonders.

[4:28] And God, I thank you as the last song that we sang said, That you're not just able, you're more than able. There is nothing that is impossible for you. There is nothing that our God cannot do.

[4:42] I thank you, Lord, that if there's cancer in this room, it can be healed in a moment. I thank you, Lord, that you can give us joy where we had depression. And peace where we had anxiety.

[4:54] And health where we had sickness, God. And life where there was dead. I thank you, God, that you specialize in bringing dead things back to life. You know how to resurrect dead things.

[5:08] And God, we thank you for that this morning. Father, I pray that every heart would be open to receive your word. I pray that as the seed of your word is planted in the hearts of your people, that our hearts would be good ground.

[5:25] Springing up 30, 60, and 100 fold return. All for your glory. It's in Jesus' name we pray. And the church said, Amen, Amen, and Amen.

[5:38] 30 pieces of silver. The word that I want to focus on this morning in this story is where it says in verse 3 of chapter 27 of the book of Matthew.

[5:54] It says, Judas, his betrayer, seeing that he had been condemned, was remorseful. That's what I want to focus on. That word remorseful. Again, the King James Version says that he repented himself.

[6:08] He was remorseful. The Greek word here in this story for remorseful is metamelami. Metamelami.

[6:20] The first, more simple definition is to regret. It means that he regretted what he had done. The second definition that I really want you to get in your heart this morning is this.

[6:35] It says, To have deep remorse at the consequence of sin rather than a deep regret at the cause of it.

[6:49] He was remorseful, which means that he had a deep remorse at the consequence of sin rather than a deep regret at the cause of it.

[7:03] Judas, in this story, probably was thinking to himself that he was okay with taking the 30 pieces of silver because he thought that Jesus would probably deliver himself.

[7:17] He thought that it wouldn't cause too much of an issue because he had seen Jesus deliver himself over and over and over. And he knew the power that Jesus had within himself.

[7:30] And he knew that in a moment that Jesus could call legions of angels to come and save him at any moment. And Judas thought that his sin wouldn't have too many consequences.

[7:41] But now that he saw the one he betrayed being led to be crucified, he became remorseful. And he went and hung himself.

[7:53] He had a deep remorse at the consequence of his sin and not at the cause of it. And had Jesus delivered himself from the chief priests and from the elders, Judas would have gladly and greedily kept the 30 pieces of silver.

[8:16] Had there been no consequences to his actions, he would have kept what he had been given to betray his master. So what I want you to get this morning is that Judas wasn't sorry.

[8:30] He was not sorry because he hurt God's heart. He was just sorry because he got caught. He was just sorry because he got found out.

[8:41] Because his sin had a bigger consequence than he thought that it would have. And unfortunately, oftentimes we find ourselves as believers, as disciples.

[8:53] And remind you that he was one of the 12 disciples. So I'm talking to Christians. I'm not talking to unbelievers who don't follow the Lord. I'm talking to believers. And oftentimes we find ourselves in a place where we're only sorry about what our sin caused and not what caused the sin.

[9:13] We're sorry about what the sin caused, not what caused the sin. And I want to tell you this morning, I'm really teaching to you on true and genuine repentance.

[9:30] But I want to tell you that if you will repent over the cause of the sin, you won't have to deal with the consequence of the sin. If you can get to the root of the issue, you won't deal with the fruit of the issue.

[9:48] And the issue and why we see cycles of sin in our lives as believers is because we pluck the fruit of the sin, thinking that that'll take care of it.

[10:00] But before too long, if you don't get to the root of the issue, the fruit will grow back. And you'll have the same issue and the same cycle over and over and over.

[10:10] And I'm just believing that before we get out of here, you're going to receive some keys to walk in a freedom that you've never walked in before. To walk in victory over the cycles of sin.

[10:21] I came to remind somebody this morning and encourage you that you don't have to stay bound all of your life. You don't have to be in shackles of sin all of your life. You don't have to be addicted all of your life.

[10:34] It is possible to be free. It is possible because the Bible says that where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. And whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

[10:48] You don't have to stay bound. You don't have to be addicted. You don't have to be bound to it. Our God is a chain-breaking God. But I will tell you that if you come to this altar and respond, there are some keys you have to apply when you get back up to make sure that what happens at the altar sticks.

[11:07] Brother Jermaine said it best. He said, we believe in deliverance. But what happens after you get deliverance has to be discipleship. You need discipleship after you get delivered.

[11:18] Because there are some keys you have to put in place to walk in freedom. The cycle will stop if you will get to the cause of the sin.

[11:32] Why? Because the cycle, write this down, the cycle is always a result of the cause. The cycle is always a result of the cause.

[11:45] Do you know why you keep committing that same sin even though you know that it hurts the ones you love?

[11:57] It's because you're only repenting over what the sin causes and not what causes the sin. See, you want to stop.

[12:08] You don't like that you're doing it, but you keep doing it because you're only dealing with what the sin causes and not what causes the sin.

[12:20] You're not dealing with the hidden places of your heart that are causing the sin. So the cycle continues. So what I want to tell you is that repentance over the consequence of your sin only produces surface level change.

[12:40] But repentance over the cause of your sin produces deep, genuine, and lasting change.

[12:51] We've got to get to a place in our walk with the Lord where we're not just upset about what the sin caused. We've got to get to a place where we don't want to hurt the heart of God.

[13:03] Where we don't want to hurt our Heavenly Father because we keep choosing fleshly pleasures over eternal pleasures. It says in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.

[13:19] And it hurts the heart of God when we choose temporary pleasures over eternal pleasures. And what I want to help you understand this morning is that repentance is not a dirty word.

[13:36] I will tell you that there are some in the body of Christ, unfortunately, who abuse the word repentance. And they bash it over people's heads.

[13:47] And they use it. They misappropriately use it. And they use it because somebody didn't dress like they wanted them to dress. And they say, you need to repent. And they use it to bash people.

[14:00] But repentance is not rebuke. Repentance is an invitation. I don't know if you heard what I said. I said repentance is not a rebuke. Repentance is an invitation into a better lifestyle.

[14:14] Repentance is an invitation into the goodness of God. Repentance is an invitation to walk in the blessings and in the kingdom of God.

[14:24] The Bible says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. And that is what repentance invites you into.

[14:36] Repentance is not a dirty word. The Bible says this in 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2 verses 25 and 26.

[14:49] It says, In humility correcting those who are in opposition. If God perhaps will grant them repentance.

[15:03] If God perhaps will grant them repentance. Repentance is a blessing. So that they may know the truth.

[15:14] And that they may come to their senses. And escape the snare of the devil. Having been taken captive by him to do his will.

[15:28] I want you to go with me now to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews 12. I'm going to start at verse 3.

[15:43] Hebrews 12 verse 3. I'm going to read all the way through verse 17. It says, For consider him, talking about Jesus, consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

[16:03] You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation or the encouragement which speaks to you as to sons.

[16:19] My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord or the discipline of the Lord. Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him.

[16:29] For whom the Lord loves, he chastens. Whom the Lord loves, he disciplines. If you ever find yourself disciplined by God, it's not because he's mad at you.

[16:41] It's because he loves you too much to allow you to stay like you are. And we have a mindset in the body of Christ, if I can say this, that just says, God accepts you and loves you as you are.

[16:54] Which is true. But we forget the other half that says that he loves you too much to allow you to stay like you are. Yes, he loves you and accepts you as you are, but he loves you too much to allow you to stay like you are.

[17:10] Whom the Lord loves, he chastens. And scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons.

[17:21] For what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

[17:34] If you never ever get convicted by the Holy Spirit, you might be illegitimate and not a son. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us and we paid them respect.

[17:49] Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but he for our profit.

[18:06] When God disciplines you, it's for your good and for your profit that we may be partakers of his holiness. Now, no chastening seems to be joyful in the present, but painful.

[18:21] Nevertheless, afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

[18:42] Pursue peace with all people. Pursue peace with all people. And even those you don't agree with, pursue peace with all people.

[18:56] Even those who vote differently than you, pursue peace with all people. Even those who get up under your skin, pursue peace with all people.

[19:09] And holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Looking carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of God.

[19:20] Lest any root of bitterness, my goodness, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble. And by this, many become defiled.

[19:32] Have you ever seen somebody get bitter and then everything around becomes defiled? The root of bitterness. Lest there be any fornicator, verse 16, lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

[19:55] For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. For he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

[20:12] He found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. See, I want to pull something out of this story.

[20:23] Then we'll go back to the story of Judas. But Esau dealt with a permanent consequence because he acted on a temporary feeling.

[20:39] He was hungry. And because he needed something and wanted something to eat, he was hungry. He sold his birthright.

[20:49] See, I know that sometimes your flesh gets hungry, but don't make a temporary decision that brings a permanent result because your flesh got hungry.

[21:04] Don't do something in one moment's time that will cause a lifetime of regret because you got hungry.

[21:15] He dealt with a permanent consequence. Permanent consequence because he acted on a temporary feeling.

[21:26] He gave up his birthright, the Bible says, for one morsel of food. What is a birthright? Let me give you the definition really quick. A birthright.

[21:36] It's a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth. A right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth.

[21:56] I just want to encourage you this morning to not give up your rights as a child of God because you gave into your flesh in a weak moment.

[22:09] There are things laid up for you, eternal spiritual riches that you can forfeit if you give into your flesh in a weak moment.

[22:24] Don't give up your rights as a child of God. Don't give up your privileges as a child of God. Don't give up your possessions as a child of God because you need something to eat with your flesh.

[22:37] Your flesh gets hungry. And I want to tell you this morning if you're struggling with anything that if you will starve your sin to death, it will die. If you will starve your flesh to death, it will die.

[22:55] Whatever you feed lives and whatever you starve dies. This is why we have people who can sit in church on a Sunday morning but they're still led by their emotions and led by their flesh and led by their feelings because Monday through Saturday they're feeding their flesh and not feeding their spirit.

[23:17] And the hour and a half that they are in church, God can't get to them because they're so full of flesh and self and ego and pride because of what they've done throughout the week.

[23:28] I know this doesn't get a lot of amens but it will make you live right. Matthew chapter 26 verse 41. Matthew 26 verse 41.

[23:43] Jesus said these words. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.

[24:01] The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.

[24:12] I don't even have anything deep to say right now but if I can say this watch and pray. If you want to overcome temptation watch and pray.

[24:24] Pray without ceasing. Pray without ceasing. That doesn't mean that you're literally 24-7 praying. It means that you always have a prayer in your spirit. You've always got a prayer in your heart.

[24:37] You've always got something that you're believing God for. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. Be sober. Be vigilant.

[24:48] Because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. And if you let your guard down for one moment it can cost you everything.

[25:02] If you crack the door to sin. If you give the enemy a foothold. if you let the enemy get his foot in the door he's got the whole room already.

[25:21] If you let him get his foot in the door he's already got the whole room. And we get deceived by the enemy in thinking that it's just a little thing.

[25:37] It's just I know I shouldn't be texting them but it's just one little text. And it won't hurt anything. I know I shouldn't look at this but it's just one time and it won't hurt anything too bad.

[25:51] And it's just one little drink but just one little drink won't hurt anybody. And the issue with just one time is that just one time always leads to just two times.

[26:04] And before you know it you are bound. The enemy's got you. I told you last time that sin is like a seed.

[26:16] It starts off small and below the surface where nobody can see it but you and God and the enemy.

[26:27] And because it's so small and you can't see it with your natural eye you don't take it seriously. But what I need you to understand this morning is that if you choose to keep watering it and giving it what it needs to grow what used to be under the surface and invisible will become public and known because you chose to water it.

[26:54] Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. Let's go back to Matthew 27. Matthew 27 verses 3 through 5 through 5 let me read that one more time.

[27:08] Matthew 27 3 through 5 it says then Judas his betrayer seeing that he had been condemned was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying I have sinned by betraying innocent blood and they said what is that to us you see to it.

[27:32] Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself. He threw down the pieces of silver.

[27:43] What he was willing to betray his master in order to get he's now disgusted by. He threw down the 30 pieces of silver.

[27:57] The 30 pieces of silver don't look so shiny anymore. They don't look so appealing anymore. Judas isn't having fun anymore.

[28:08] His flesh was being pleased but now he's not enjoying it so much anymore. After he has seen the consequences of his sins he's not having fun anymore.

[28:23] And I want to warn you this morning do not lose your fulfillment because you wanted to have fun. Do not lose your fulfillment because you wanted to have fun.

[28:43] Now that the pornography has separated you from your wife and destroyed your marriage it's not so fun anymore is it?

[28:55] It's not so fun. We're not having fun anymore are we? See now that the drugs have caused you to be distanced from those that love and care for you we're not having fun anymore.

[29:12] See it started with just a hit and we were having fun but now we're not having fun anymore are we? see the alcohol that you would use to escape from reality and escape from your issues and escape from the things that would weigh on you and it would be fun at first because it was just a casual drink and a casual drink never hurt anybody but now that all of your loved ones can't even stand to be around you we're not having fun anymore are we?

[29:51] The same sex attraction that you played around with because you kind of liked the attention that it gave you and you kind of liked that people would talk about you and it gave you a little bit of attention it was unhealthy attention but it gave you some attention and you kind of fed on that and it was fun at first but now that you're so confused about your identity and you don't even know who you are in the Lord anymore we're not having fun anymore are we?

[30:27] The business that you worked so hard for and there's nothing wrong with having a successful business if you use it to honor the Lord but now that it's successful and you look back and realize that you forsook a lot of time with your children and you forsook a lot of time with your wife and they hate that you have to leave all the time because you never get to spend any time with them because you wanted to make some money and it was fun and it gave you a thrill at first but now that you don't have a relationship with your wife and your children we're not having fun anymore are we?

[31:03] we're not having fun anymore even in ministry there is a temptation from the enemy to forsake family and forsake time with family to build a big church there are pastors who deal with this to build just a huge church and a thriving ministry that everybody loves but after the ministry has been built and the money is coming in and everybody knows the name of the church and you look back and your kids don't want anything to do with God because all they know is church took daddy from me we're not having fun anymore are we?

[31:49] those ungodly friends that people told you to stay away from that ungodly relationship that people told you and warned you don't do it not saying to hate them but don't become friends with them now that they've abandoned you and used you and abused you and they got away with it but you got in trouble because they threw you under the bus what was fun at first we're not having fun anymore are we?

[32:23] and this is the deception of the enemy that sin is shiny on the outside the 30 pieces of silver is shiny on the outside but deadly on the inside this is the deception of the enemy sin is shining on the outside but it's deadly on the inside don't give up your birthright don't give up your right as a child of God because your flesh got hungry because you found yourself in a weak moment the calling on your life is too great the anointing on your life is too big the gift that God has put on the inside of you is too excellent for you to throw it all away because you got lonely and you wanted to feed your flesh don't do it don't forsake it all and throw it all away in a moment's time because your flesh got weak the Bible says that those who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its lusts its passions and desires

[33:49] God that you would bring us to a place of repentance where we're not just sorry about what the sin caused but we're sorry about what causes the sin that we would come to this altar and ask the Lord to uproot anything that takes his place in our hearts that we would ask him to get the hidden sins that we don't even know about out of our hearts create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me do not cast me away from your presence do not take your Holy Spirit from me I'm going to finish with this verse of scripture and then I'm going to give you a chance to respond at this altar call Mark chapter 2 and then I'm done Mark chapter 2 go to verse 13 Mark chapter 2 verses 13 through 17 if you got it say amen then he talking about

[35:00] Jesus went out again by the seat and all the multitude came to him and he taught them as he passed by he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office and he said to him follow me I believe the Lord is saying that to some of us in here this morning follow me follow me so he arose and followed him now it happened as Jesus was dining in Levi's house that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and his disciples for there were many and they followed him and when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with the tax collectors and sinners they said to his disciples how is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners when Jesus heard it he said to them those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick

[36:10] I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance every head bowed every eye closed if you're in this place this morning and you've heard this word I pray that the Lord has spoken through it to your heart and if you're in here and something that I said something that you heard from the word gripped your heart I'm giving you a chance God is giving you a chance this morning to surrender to repent not to repent over over just what the sin has caused but to repent over the heart posture that causes the sin some of you in here you might be one decision away from losing it all and you have no idea but there's an enemy behind it you you think it's fun and you think it's innocent and and everybody else does it so it's not that big of a deal and and honestly we live in such a world where if you don't do it you're almost left out and you almost seem weird but but but you're thinking to yourself that everybody else is doing it and this sin is normalized so

[37:40] I can entertain it but what you don't know is there is an enemy behind it trying to get you bound and if he can get you to do it just a couple more times he'll have you where he wants you but it is not God's will for you to stay bound it is not God's will for you to walk in bondage to sin all of your life the Bible says that he wants to set you free because whom the son sets free is free indeed you don't have to be bound to sin all of your life you don't have to walk in shame because you're living a life of hidden sin behind the closed doors and you're watering that seed of sin and before you know it the roots have grown so deep that it's got you bound and it's got you addicted and it's got you hooked you don't have to stay that way God by his spirit can set you free by his

[38:44] Holy Spirit can set you free he can uproot the sin he can break the chains of bondage off of your life you can walk in a freedom that you've never experienced before you can walk in holiness that you've never walked in before you can truly walk in the spirit and by so doing crucify the flesh I pray that if you're in here and you need to respond that you'll do just that that you won't worry about what the person besides you thinks that you won't worry about well I went to the altar last week and I went to the altar the week before that what better place could you be at than at the altar asking God to change you from the inside out asking God to give you a clean heart to create in you a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within you so if you're in here and

[39:46] I'm going to ask everybody to go ahead and stand to your feet if you're in here and you need to respond and get some things right with the Lord I ask that you would come to this altar right now in this moment I know that there is at least somebody and if not multiple people that can come to this altar and get right with the Lord