| Imagine being this close to Jesus Christ, and yet | | | | We do not fall into wrong company. We choose it. |
| so far. It is possible, and this 'leader' proved its | | | | We decide. |
| possibility! | | | | Turn to the first Psalm and read of this basic |
| It also proves how you can be a good leader or a | | | | spiritual principle. So often I have been told that |
| bad leader. You make the choice. He did. | | | | so-and-so fell into bad company and that is what |
| Turn with me to Luke Chapter 22 in the New | | | | went wrong. No. We choose our company, and |
| Testament. It is the Passover, a most holy and | | | | we need to teach our people that. They need to |
| sacred time for every Jew, for every Israeli, and | | | | be made aware of this vital truth. |
| we read that Satan entered Judas Iscariot. He | | | | For Judas it was too late, and they were |
| was one of the twelve, one of Jesus men; yet, | | | | delighted. No wonder. Now they had somebody to |
| his heart is open to evil. The enemy of our souls | | | | do their dirty work for them, and it was someone |
| needs only a very narrow gap through which to | | | | on the inside. |
| squeeze, and once he gets in, havoc follows. | | | | Over these next hours Judas became a pathetic |
| Unsurrendered sin takes over. Judas was the man | | | | tool of hell, and soon he ends up hanging himself. |
| who would never call Jesus LORD. | | | | He was leading a double life and it was discovered. |
| He would call Him, Master and Teacher, but Lord, | | | | He was found out. He appeared to be the same |
| NO. You can question a man who is only a | | | | as the other disciples, but he wasn't, and soon it |
| master. You can disagree with a teacher, but you | | | | became obvious. |
| never argue with the Lord. When Jesus is LORD, | | | | Some things you cannot hide. |
| there has to be total surrender and obedience. | | | | Oh what some people will do for money, but they |
| Judas was playing with fire in more ways than | | | | do not keep their gains for very long. No, they |
| one. We cannot toy with sin and think we can | | | | cannot keep these kinds of riches for very long; |
| control it. The only one thing we can do with sin is | | | | just a few hours in this case; maybe a few years |
| acknowledge it, and confess it, and get it washed | | | | in some other cases. |
| away and forgiven, or it might powerfully spring | | | | Let this be a solemn warning to each of us. We |
| to life. | | | | dare not try to live a double life. We dare not try |
| Verse 4. Judas went to make plans as to how he | | | | to play with fire. We will get burned. Make no |
| could betray Jesus. He chose to be in company | | | | mistake about that. |
| he should never been in. He was with the wrong | | | | Unconfessed sin has a way of exploding, and it |
| crowd. It was not that he fell into wrong | | | | can damage us in all kinds of ways, and seldom is |
| company. He chose wrong company, and that is | | | | it superficial. It certainly was not superficial in the |
| the same today. | | | | case of Judas. |