Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / What a Friend We Have in Jesus - 5/24/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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What a Friend We Have in Jesus - 5/24/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

• 0:02
  Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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  Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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  Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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  today. If you enjoy today's message, be
• 0:12
  sure to subscribe, follow, and share
• 0:15
  with your friends. Now, let's join
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  Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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  God.
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  And I that's really the only thing that
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  matters. Amen. And I'm thankful thankful
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  for you singing that this morning,
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  brother. And uh I appreciate Brother
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  Chubby. Ain't a man in this room got a
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  bigger heart than he does. Amen. And I
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  appreciate him singing from the Lord
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  this morning. And the Lord used him. And
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  I'll tell you this, church, you don't
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  never know when the last time we going
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  to get to hear some of these folks sing
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  it.
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  >> You ought to cherish it.
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  >> That's right.
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  >> And uh I've thought about that. Had a
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  lot of chance to think this week. Amen.
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  And uh I thought about a lot of things
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  and I tell you I just enjoy the presence
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  of God this morning and I appreciate the
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  good spirit of the Lord and him allowing
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  us to be in the house of God. Matthew's
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  Gospel, if you have a Bible, if you have
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  a Bible, Matthew's Gospel, chapter
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  number 26. And uh I do appreciate all
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  the labor that's went in this morning uh
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  to everything that's going on. Some men
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  been here since 7 o'clock this morning
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  getting everything ready and so we can
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  enjoy some fellowship this morning.
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  They're even working right now. And uh I
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  want to tell you uh from the bottom of
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  my heart, I appreciate you. And you see
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  brother Kyle running around here
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  somewhere today. Tell him thank you.
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  Amen. And he's been working putting this
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  together. And tell him thank you for all
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  this hard work as well as the others
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  that have labored. And I appreciate it
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  very very much. And uh we're going to
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  pray and we'll eat when this thing's
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  over. All right. And so I'll get done
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  quick. I don't never like to stand
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  between people and food. Amen. But I'm
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  the last thing in line and so we're
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  going to get through it together. Amen.
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  Uh, but I got a word God put on my
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  heart. And I'm going to do my best to
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  preach this morning. Matthew chapter 26.
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  When you find your place, if you would
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  stand, uh, if you can and are able. If
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  you're not, don't worry about that.
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  Amen. Uh, if you can and able, you just
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  stand this morning and we'll look here
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  in this text and give you the thought
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  and then we'll get out of the way this
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  morning. Matthew 26. Let's look at verse
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  number 46 or verse 45. Verse number 45
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  this morning. The Bible says in Matthew
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  26 and verse 45, then cometh he, it's
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  Jesus, to his disciples and saith unto
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  them, sleep on now and take your rest.
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  Behold, the hour is at hand, and the son
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  of man is betrayed into the hands of
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  sinners. Rise, let us be going. Behold,
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  he is at hand that doth betray me. While
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  he yet spake, lo Judas, one of the twel
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  came, and with him a great multitude
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  with swords and staves from the chief
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  priests and elders of the people. Now he
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  that betrayed him gave them a sign,
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  saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that
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  same is he, hold him fast." And forth
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  with he came to Jesus and said, "Hail,
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  Master," and kissed him. I want you to
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  notice verse number 50. I I've I've read
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  this my entire life and I've preached
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  from it a whole bunch, but I've never
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  seen it on this slide. As the Bible says
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  in verse 50, and Jesus said unto him,
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  what's that next word?
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  >> Friend. He said, Jesus said unto him,
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  friend, wherefore art thou come? Then
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  came they and laid hands on Jesus, and
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  took him. Now, Father, I ask you humbly
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  this morning, God, that you would help
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  me. Lord, I realize that I'm nothing
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  without you. And God, I pray, Father,
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  Lord, that you for just a little while
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  would hide me behind the cross and
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  clothe me in my call. And Lord, I pray
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  the ignorance of my youth would not show
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  this morning. But God, I pray you would
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  allow me to speak with a tongue of the
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  learned. Lord, I pray you'd anoint me
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  with a spirit of God. And God, I ask
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  you, Lord, for every heart, Father, this
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  morning that's present, Lord, that you
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  would move and work. Lord, I pray, God,
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  the Holy Ghost of God would have free
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  course and reign in every life this
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  morning. And God, I pray, Father, we'd
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  leave here today, Lord, with a greater
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  appreciation, Lord, for who you are and
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  for what you've done for us. Lord,
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  you've been so good. And Lord, I don't
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  know where each heart's at this morning.
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  I don't know the struggles. I don't know
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  the sorrows, but Lord, I do know this,
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  Father. God, that you're able to help,
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  Lord, you're able to soothe and you're
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  able to comfort this morning, Lord,
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  whatever's needed. And for that soul
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  that's lost today, God, I pray right now
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  in their heart, Holy Ghost conviction
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  would settle in. Lord, they've never
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  been saved and they know that. God, I
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  pray you'd deal with them today. And
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  Lord, I know, God, that you'll deal with
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  them in love. And Father, you told us in
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  your word, it's the goodness of God that
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  leadth thee to repentance. And so, for a
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  little while, Lord, I pray you'd put it
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  on display for all to see. God, we love
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  you. Thank you for loving us and for
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  what you do. We'll give you thanks for
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  it because we ask it in Jesus' name. And
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  God's people said,
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  >> you can be seated. Thank you for
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  standing this morning. this text. I was
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  praying this week about the sermon for
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  today, thinking about friends and family
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  day. And I jokingly made the statement
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  there a little while ago that you may be
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  family and not friends or you may be
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  friends and not family. But either way,
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  you're here.
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  >> And I thought about this this morning
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  when I was praying about this sermon.
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  You know, I really believe I, you know,
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  I I can't say that every individual
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  has an encounter with Jesus in their
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  life. But I I can say what the Bible
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  says this. It said in Titus chapter
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  number three, he says, "Not by works of
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  righteousness which we have done, but
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  according to his mercy saved us by the
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  washing of regeneration and the renewing
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  of the Holy Ghost." And he says after
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  that, he said, "And he said, the the the
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  grace of God that bringeth salvation
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  hath appeared to what?" All men.
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  >> And so I I can't say this morning that
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  every person has a encounter with
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  Christ, but I believe personally by what
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  the Bible says that God appears to each
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  of us. And I'll say this this morning,
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  you've come to this church service and
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  you may know nothing about Jesus. You
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  may know nothing about the gospel. You
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  may not even know what John 3:16 is. But
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  I can tell you this this morning. You
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  have come to this place for such a time
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  as this. And Jesus has brought you to
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  this place today. And I I want to look
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  at this character in our text this
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  morning. This man Judas here in the
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  text. And you've probably heard of
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  Judas. If you haven't, Judas is the one
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  who betrays our Lord. He's mentioned all
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  throughout prophecy in the Old
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  Testament. He has literally described as
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  the son of predition. Jesus says uh in
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  this chapter that it' been good for this
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  man if he hadn't even have been born.
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  And when I think about Judas, I think
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  about an individual who is despised. I
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  think about an individual who was looked
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  down upon. And really all throughout
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  history, every preacher that's ever
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  preached a sermon, when they preach
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  about Judas, really there's nothing good
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  that you can find to say about Judas.
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  But you know what? I realize this
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  morning that every one of us before we
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  got saved were just exactly like this
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  man.
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  >> We were haters of God. We were haters of
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  everything that God had to offer. His
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  people, his place, his precepts, his
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  presence. WE HATED IT ALL. AMEN. But
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  aren't you thankful that God saves old
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  sinners? Amen.
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  >> And I notice in this text, the Bible
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  tells us that Judas here in this chapter
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  is planning the betrayal of our Lord.
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  You notice in verse number 14, the Bible
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  says of Matthew 26, then one of the 12
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  called Judas the Scariot went unto the
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  12 priests. And so he is a disciple, but
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  he is a, for a lack of a better way to
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  put it, he is a demon-possessed
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  disciple. And you say, preacher, how is
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  that possible? Well, the Bible literally
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  says in John's account, from that time
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  forth, Satan entered into Judas. And so
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  just because he was a follower of Christ
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  did not denote his salvation. Let me say
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  this to you this morning. Church
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  membership or church attendance, singing
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  in a choir, teaching a Sunday school
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  class, being a deacon, none of that
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  equates salvation this morning, but
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  salvation is by grace alone through
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  faith alone in Christ alone. And if you
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  are saved this morning, it's not because
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  of any works that you have done. When we
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  think about Judas, Judas, I there's a
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  lot I could say about him. this morning.
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  He was endued with power just like the
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  other 11 were according to Matthew's
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  gospel in chapter number 10. He casted
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  out demons. He had power over the enemy.
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  And he went about preaching the gospel
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  of the kingdom. And you say, "Preacher,
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  why would why would God allow Judas to
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  do that?" Well, you remember what Jesus
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  said? He said, "There'll be many that
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  say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
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  we not prophesied in thy name and and in
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  thy name done many wonderful works and
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  cast out devils?" And Jesus looks at him
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  and said, "I'll look at him and say,
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  Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,
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  for I never knew you." And so it is not
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  by works this morning. You understand
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  that even I could stand here and preach
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  a sermon to you with no spirit of God,
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  with no scripture on the inside. It
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  would be tough. Amen. But I tell you
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  this for a fact. It is not any works
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  that we do. It ain't nothing that we
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  save. It's nowhere that we've been and
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  nobody that we could ever be. Friend,
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  salvation is by the grace of God alone
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  and receiving his gift. Paul said it
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  this way in Ephesians. For by grace are
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  you saved through faith and that not of
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  yourselves. That means nothing. Amen.
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  That not of yourselves. IT'S THE GIFT OF
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  GOD, NOT OF WORKS, LEST any man should
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  boast. And so salvation is derived
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  totally from God. And when I notice this
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  text, I WANT TO POINT out a few things
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  about Judas this morning. And I notice
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  the Bible says it mentions a sign in the
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  text. The Bible says here uh the
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  disciples they are numb because of what
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  Christ has told them how they are about
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  to die. There's the numbness of them.
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  There's the awareness of the Lord. And I
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  think about in this text we see the
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  wickedness of Judas's mention. It's seen
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  in this sign in verse 48. Now he that
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  betrayed him gave them a saying a sign
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  saying whomsoever I shall kiss that same
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  as he hold him fast. And so Judas tells
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  these Pharisees that he has went and
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  seen earlier in the chapter. According
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  to verse number 15, he has betrayed the
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  Lord for 30 pieces of silver. And he
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  says, "The man is the man that I'll go
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  up to and kiss in the text." I notice
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  not only the sign in the text by Judas,
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  but I notice the saying by Judas. Look
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  what the Bible said in verse number 49.
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  And forth with he came to Jesus. Notice
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  this. And said, "What church? Hail
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  master.
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  >> You say, "Preacher, how is it that this
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  wicked individual could say that?" Well,
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  it's just like Jesus said. There'll be
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  many that day that say to me, "Lord,
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  >> Lord."
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  >> You're right.
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  >> It ain't about what you call him.
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  >> Go ahead.
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  >> It's about what he calls you.
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  >> See, there's a sign. There's a saying.
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  And then I noticed the salutation. And
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  I'll give you the thought in the message
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  this morning. And the Bible says Judas
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  said he he betrayed that betrayed and
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  gave them a sign. Whosoever I shall kiss
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  that same as he hold him fast. And forth
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  with he came to Jesus and said, "Hail
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  master means rabbi or teacher." And the
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  Bible says, "And he kissed him." Now,
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  you never find in any of the word of
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  God, as far as I've been able to see,
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  that any of the other disciples kissed
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  Jesus.
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  Matter of fact, the closest I believe
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  any of the other disciples got was when
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  John was in that upper room. Yeah. And
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  >> they were all seated there together. And
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  the Bible says that John was there
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  leaning on the Lord's bosom. He was
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  laying on his chest hearing the
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  heartbeat of very God himself. But you
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  understand not a single one of those
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  disciples ever came as close to the face
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  of Jesus as Judas did in this text. And
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  you say, "Preacher, what's the emphasis
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  of that?" Well, it really pictures to us
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  the image that Judas had of Jesus. You
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  say, "What is that?" Well, I notice in
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  this text, it's mentioned here. The
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  Bible says in verse 48, "Now he that
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  betrayed him gave them a sign, saying,
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  whomsoever I shall kiss, the same is
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  he." And when I think about that phrase,
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  Judas never viewed Jesus as Messiah.
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  >> Judas calls him master in this text, but
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  he never viewed him as the one sent from
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  God. He simply viewed Jesus as a man.
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  You're
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  >> right.
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  >> And you say, "How is that seen?" Well,
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  you may think this kiss is something
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  that's out of the ordinary, but really
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  in Bible days, this was a normal
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  repetitive salutation.
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  >> This was something that occurred often
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  in Bible days. That's why Paul literally
• 13:04
  said this, the only verse in the Bible
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  that I'm not going to obey. Amen. He
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  said, "Greet thy holy brethren with a
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  kiss. I'm not going to do that." All
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  right. Amen. Customs is a little
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  different now. Somebody say amen right
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  there.
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  >> But when I think about Bible days, it
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  was customary. It was a salutation that
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  was used. And when Jesus here in the
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  text, Judas comes to him, Jesus, Judas
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  kisses Jesus. He is greeting the Lord.
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  He labels him as master. And then he
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  greets him in this text. And I notice
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  this statement. The Bible says in verse
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  50, "And Jesus said unto him, friend,
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  wherefore art thou come?" And I want to
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  preach on this thought for just a little
• 13:45
  while this morning. What a friend we
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  have in Jesus. You're right.
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  >> What a friend
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  >> we have in Jesus.
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  >> You say, "Preacher, what is the
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  significance of this?" Well, I don't
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  want to leave the text, but I do want to
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  tell you Judas
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  kiss was a salutation. There's a lot I
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  can say about that. But you see in the
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  text, Jesus response was a salutation.
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  >> The Bible says Jesus called him friend.
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  He called him friend. What? Now, what
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  did that mean? That word friend means a
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  companion,
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  >> a comrade,
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  somebody who walked alongside
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  of Jesus. This word is used about four
• 14:29
  times in the New Testament. And when
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  Jesus looked at Judas, he called him
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  friend and said, "I know you."
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  And you say, "Preacher, but you just
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  told us that Jesus said there will be
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  many that say to me in that day, Lord,
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  Lord, and they'll say all these things
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  that they did and said and preached, and
• 14:48
  Jesus will say unto them, Depart from
• 14:50
  me, ye that work iniquity, for I never
• 14:52
  knew you."
• 14:54
  Here's the difference with Judas. Judas
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  spent his life with the person of Jesus
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  Christ.
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  >> And you think about this with me for
• 15:02
  just a minute this morning. Who else in
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  the Bible has spent their life with
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  Jesus Christ and yet got plunged into
• 15:09
  sin?
• 15:11
  Adam and Eve in the garden were in a
• 15:12
  perfect environment. You're
• 15:14
  >> right.
• 15:14
  >> The presence of God abiding with them
• 15:16
  each day. But you know what they chose
• 15:19
  to do where they once had fellowship.
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  >> Go ahead.
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  >> Because of their choice to eat of that
• 15:24
  forbidden fruit, you know what happened?
• 15:26
  That fellowship was broken.
• 15:27
  >> You're right. And what I submit to you
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  this morning is these five words are the
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  last five words Judas will ever hear
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  from Jesus.
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  And you say, "Preacher, how does that
• 15:39
  relate to us this morning?" Well, the
• 15:42
  reason why this interests me is because
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  every time a sinner comes to the altar
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  to be saved, these are the same words
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  that I asked them. Jesus says in the
• 15:50
  text, "Friend, wherefore art thou come?"
• 15:53
  Now, the friend mentions the
• 15:55
  relationship. He is saying, "You're a
• 15:57
  comrade." He's a companion. And then
• 15:59
  that word wherefore speaks of the
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  reason. He's asking Judas, "Why have YOU
• 16:03
  COME?"
• 16:04
  >> YEAH.
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  >> WHY are you here? Jesus is in the garden
• 16:07
  of Gethsemane. He has been praying. His
• 16:10
  sweat has became as it were great drops
• 16:12
  of blood. The Bible says, "And in agony,
• 16:14
  he prayed more earnestly." Why? Dreading
• 16:17
  the separation that he would experience
• 16:19
  from his father. And Judas, this man WHO
• 16:22
  HAD SPENT HIS LIFE WITH CHRIST, WHO HAD
• 16:24
  SPENT HIS LIFE EVEN FULFILLING THE
• 16:26
  MINISTRY OF CHRIST ON THIS EARTH, HAD
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  THE AUDACITY TO BETRAY him in his place
• 16:32
  of prayer.
• 16:34
  You say, "Preacher, how does that
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  relate?" Well, you know what the Bible
• 16:37
  calls his house? It's a house of prayer.
• 16:41
  >> And you know what the sad thing is? Down
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  through the generations,
• 16:45
  even before I was born, there's been
• 16:47
  sinners that's came in and out of this
• 16:48
  building.
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  >> You're right. And in his house of
• 16:51
  prayer, you know what they've done?
• 16:52
  They've spit in his face.
• 16:53
  >> You're right.
• 16:54
  >> And turned around and walked away.
• 16:57
  >> But I'll tell you this this morning, and
• 16:58
  I don't want to be I don't want to focus
• 17:00
  on Judas this morning, but I got to give
• 17:02
  you this truth. All right? Judas lies in
• 17:05
  this text about who he thinks Jesus is.
• 17:08
  He says, "Master." But you know what?
• 17:10
  Jesus was never Judas master.
• 17:12
  >> Right?
• 17:13
  >> His master was the devil himself. And
• 17:15
  because of Judas lies in this text, we
• 17:18
  see Judas's loss in chapter number 27.
• 17:22
  Just to quickly give you an outline,
• 17:23
  Judas loses his money.
• 17:26
  J Matthew 27. Just turn there and look
• 17:28
  at it with me. I'm not going to preach
• 17:30
  on this. We're going to get to the happy
• 17:32
  part and be done. But listen to this.
• 17:33
  All right. because of the lie of Judas,
• 17:36
  his deception and his desire to uh
• 17:40
  forsake his loyalty, his deception, his
• 17:42
  delusion. The Bible says he loses his
• 17:45
  money when he saw that he was condemned.
• 17:47
  Matthew 27:3 repented himself and
• 17:49
  brought again the 30 pieces of silver to
• 17:52
  the chief priests and elders. Notice
• 17:54
  this in verse four, saying, "I have
• 17:55
  sinned and that I betrayed the innocent
• 17:57
  blood." You see, Judas here in the text,
• 18:00
  he becomes remorseful over the decision
• 18:02
  that he had made. He did not truly
• 18:04
  repent of his sin, but he was sorry for
• 18:06
  what he did. And what this means is is
• 18:08
  that his sin became so grievious to him.
• 18:11
  He didn't only lose his money or leave
• 18:13
  his money, he lost his mind.
• 18:15
  >> You're right.
• 18:16
  >> Notice what your Bible says. The Bible
• 18:19
  says, "And he cast down the pieces of
• 18:21
  silver in the temple and departed and
• 18:23
  went and hanged himself." In verse six,
• 18:25
  the chief priest took the silver silver
• 18:27
  silver pieces and said, "It is not
• 18:29
  lawful for them to be put into the
• 18:30
  treasury because it is the price of
• 18:32
  blood." And so they take it and buy a
• 18:34
  burial ground outside of Jerusalem where
• 18:36
  they would bury strangers. And Judas
• 18:38
  would be placed there. And what I'm
• 18:40
  saying is Judas because of his lie, he
• 18:43
  lost his his money. He lost his mind.
• 18:45
  But I'll say this, he lost his master.
• 18:49
  >> He spent his life with Jesus.
• 18:51
  >> You're right.
• 18:52
  >> And this is what I'm afraid of.
• 18:54
  I'm afraid there's somebody who's in
• 18:56
  this church this morning who spent their
• 18:58
  life in the house of God, who spent
• 19:01
  their life under the preaching of the
• 19:03
  word of God. And you may just be
• 19:04
  visiting this morning, but you've had a
• 19:06
  gospel background. You've heard the
• 19:08
  message. You've been to Bible school and
• 19:10
  you've heard the gospel preached time
• 19:12
  and time and time again. But the truth
• 19:14
  is, you don't really know Jesus. And
• 19:16
  what you're going to find is at the end
• 19:18
  of your days, you're going to lose that
• 19:20
  master. You'll lose all of that money.
• 19:22
  You'll lose your mind. is what you'll
• 19:23
  do. That rich man in hell, the Bible
• 19:25
  says he was weeping and nashing his
• 19:28
  teeth. That's what it's going to be. An
• 19:29
  eternal state of a mind that's gone.
• 19:31
  Amen. And one of these days, you'll
• 19:34
  realize that you lost your master
• 19:36
  forever and eternity. Cuz here's the
• 19:38
  truth about it this morning. Jesus is
• 19:40
  Lord whether you make him Lord or not.
• 19:44
  >> He is Lord whether you allow HIM TO
• 19:46
  CONTROL YOUR LIFE OR NOT. HE WILL STILL
• 19:48
  BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD WHETHER YOU
• 19:50
  ALLOW HIS SALVATION TO REACH YOU OR NOT.
• 19:53
  AMEN. IT DOES NOT CHANGE WHO HE IS. AND
• 19:55
  YOU SAY, "PREACHER, what's the good news
• 19:57
  of this story this morning?" Well,
• 19:59
  amidst the lie of Judas and before the
• 20:02
  loss of Judas, JESUS GIVES ONE LAST
• 20:05
  EXPRESSION TO THIS MAN IN THE TEXT. HE
• 20:07
  SAYS, "FRIEND, WHEREFORE ART THOU COME?"
• 20:10
  And we see right between the lie and the
• 20:12
  lost, there is the love of Jesus that is
• 20:15
  on display. And you SAY, "PREACHER, HOW
• 20:17
  IS IT SEEN?" WELL, YOU SEE JUDE Jesus
• 20:20
  speaks of his relation to Judas here in
• 20:22
  the text. He is he says, "Friend," and
• 20:24
  there's SO MUCH I COULD SAY ABOUT THAT,
• 20:26
  BUT THAT'S not what I'm concerned with.
• 20:28
  He asked the reason. He said, "Friend,
• 20:30
  wherefore art thou come?" Now, let me
• 20:32
  ask you this question. Stay with me this
• 20:34
  morning. All right? You with me? Say,
• 20:35
  "Amen."
• 20:36
  >> Amen.
• 20:36
  >> There's a few of you. Praise God. All
• 20:38
  right.
• 20:39
  >> Jesus asked him this question. Let me
• 20:41
  ask you something. Do you think Jesus
• 20:43
  didn't know why Judas had come? Do you
• 20:47
  think Jesus was completely unaware of
• 20:49
  why Judas had come in this text? You
• 20:51
  know what this this phrase to Judas was?
• 20:55
  This was an opportunity for Judas to
• 20:57
  repent.
• 20:57
  >> You're right.
• 20:58
  >> This was Jesus, oh friend,
• 21:01
  >> STICKING OUT HIS HAND ONE MORE TIME AND
• 21:03
  SAYING, "JUDAS, FRIEND, WHY DID YOU COME
• 21:05
  HERE?
• 21:07
  >> WHY DID YOU COME HERE? WHAT WAS THAT?"
• 21:09
  THAT WAS GOD RINGING HIS HEART. JUDAS
• 21:11
  KNEW WHY HE'D COME THERE. And Jesus knew
• 21:14
  why he'd COME THERE. JESUS IS SAYING,
• 21:16
  JUDAS, THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY.
• 21:19
  THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE. FRIEND, why did
• 21:21
  you come? AND JUDAS COULD HAVE THAT
• 21:23
  MOMENT, THE WRENCHING OF HIS HEART. HE
• 21:26
  COULD HAVE REPENTED RIGHT THERE BEFORE
• 21:27
  THE LORD. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID? HE
• 21:29
  got up and walked away. You're
• 21:31
  >> right.
• 21:32
  >> You say, "Preacher, how is the love of
• 21:34
  God seen?" Well, see, the love of God is
• 21:36
  seen in this man Judas is that Jesus
• 21:39
  never stopped him.
• 21:41
  You're right.
• 21:42
  >> You know what? Jesus won't stop you from
• 21:43
  going to hell either if you don't listen
• 21:45
  to him.
• 21:45
  >> You're right.
• 21:47
  >> He's not going to come and twist your
• 21:49
  arm.
• 21:50
  >> He's not going to come and grab you by
• 21:51
  the hair of the head or the seat of the
• 21:53
  pants. Amen. And drag you to an altar to
• 21:55
  get you saved. He's going to offer his
• 21:58
  salvation to you. And it's going to
• 21:59
  convict you. Amen. YOU'RE GOING TO
• 22:01
  REALIZE THAT YOU'RE LOST WITHOUT GOD.
• 22:03
  YOU SAY, "PREACHER, I'M NOT LIKE JUDAS.
• 22:05
  I DIDN'T TURN MY BACK ON JESUS." WELL,
• 22:08
  LET ME SAY THIS. JUDAS SIN WAS WHY JESUS
• 22:11
  DIED. But it wasn't just Judah's sin. It
• 22:13
  was my sin and YOUR SIN THAT PUT JESUS
• 22:16
  on the cross. YOU SEE, JUDAS TURNED HIM
• 22:19
  OVER. BUT THE TRUTH IS THIS MORNING,
• 22:21
  EVERY ONE OF US TURNED HIM OVER BECAUSE
• 22:24
  WE CHOSE TO GO AGAINST GOD. AMEN.
• 22:27
  >> RIGHT?
• 22:28
  >> And I notice here in this text, you say,
• 22:31
  "Preacher, how do you know that Jesus
• 22:33
  loved Judas?" Well, he left him alone.
• 22:36
  You see, Jesus loved Judas in spite of
• 22:39
  his decision.
• 22:41
  What was his decision? Well, he went to
• 22:44
  those upper priests and said, "I'll turn
• 22:46
  him over to you for 30 pieces of
• 22:47
  silver." And let's just be real honest
• 22:50
  with you this morning. Most of us have
• 22:52
  turned him over for a lot cheaper than
• 22:54
  that.
• 22:54
  >> You're right.
• 22:55
  >> Amen.
• 22:56
  >> 30 pieces of silver. Jesus Judas turns
• 22:59
  him over to the Pharisees. He is loving
• 23:02
  Judas in spite of his decision. And you
• 23:05
  know what, sinner? If you walk out of
• 23:06
  here lost today, Jesus still loves you.
• 23:08
  >> You're right.
• 23:09
  >> Yes, he does.
• 23:10
  >> Amen.
• 23:10
  >> He loves you in spite of your decisions.
• 23:13
  You say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,
• 23:14
  the Bible says in Romans 5'8, "But God
• 23:16
  commendeth his love toward us in that
• 23:18
  while we were what? Yet sinners. Christ
• 23:21
  died for us. Jesus died for you when you
• 23:24
  was yet in your sin. And if you're LOST
• 23:26
  THIS MORNING, YOU ARE STILL yet in your
• 23:29
  sin. BUT JESUS LOVES you today." Amen.
• 23:32
  >> And he's saying, "Friend, why did you
• 23:34
  come?
• 23:36
  Why did you come? You say, "Well,
• 23:38
  somebody invited me here." Well, let me
• 23:40
  just say this. Jesus brought you here.
• 23:42
  >> You're right.
• 23:43
  >> Amen.
• 23:44
  >> JESUS BROUGHT YOU TO THIS PLACE TODAY.
• 23:46
  And he loves you in spite of whatever
• 23:48
  you decide. Sinner, you've got the right
• 23:51
  this morning to walk out of those doors.
• 23:53
  HEY, WE'RE NOT CALVINIST AT METAS
• 23:55
  Baptist Church. We don't believe in
• 23:57
  irresistible grace. Amen. We don't
• 23:59
  believe that God's going to force your
• 24:01
  will and make you BE SAVED. I'M SAYING,
• 24:04
  FRIEND, IF YOU CHOOSE TO WALK OUT OF
• 24:06
  HERE LOST, YOU'LL DO SO. AND GOD WILL
• 24:08
  RESPECT YOUR CHOICE. AMEN.
• 24:11
  >> But he'll love you in spite of that.
• 24:13
  >> That's right.
• 24:14
  >> You realize there ain't never been a
• 24:15
  sinner that went to hell that Jesus
• 24:16
  didn't love.
• 24:17
  >> Amen.
• 24:20
  >> There ain't a soul, HEY FRIEND, THERE'S
• 24:22
  NOT A SOUL ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH THAT'S
• 24:24
  EVER BEEN BORN OR EVER WILL BE BORN THAT
• 24:27
  JESUS DOES NOT LOVE. AND LET ME SAY
• 24:29
  THIS, I'LL JUST PUT IT IN THERE. THERE'S
• 24:31
  NOT A SOUL THAT HAS NOT BEEN BORN THAT
• 24:34
  SOMEWHERE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY SOMEBODY'S
• 24:36
  ABORTED THAT BABY. I'M SAYING THERE'S
• 24:38
  NEVER BEEN A SOUL IN EXISTENCE THAT
• 24:41
  JESUS DID NOT LOVE AND THAT JESUS DID
• 24:44
  NOT die for. This morning
• 24:48
  >> he loved him in spite of his decision.
• 24:50
  He loved him in spite of his deception.
• 24:54
  >> You say, "How is that?" Well, notice
• 24:55
  again in verse number 22 verse 21 of
• 24:59
  Matthew 26 verse 21. And as they did
• 25:02
  eat, he said, "Verily I say unto you
• 25:04
  that one of you shall betray me." And
• 25:07
  they were exceeding sorrowful began
• 25:08
  every one of them to say unto him, Lord,
• 25:10
  is it I?
• 25:12
  And he answered and said, he that dipth
• 25:14
  his hand with me in the dish, the same
• 25:16
  shall betray me. The son of man goeth as
• 25:19
  it is written of him, but woe unto that
• 25:20
  man by whom the son of man is betrayed.
• 25:23
  It had been good for that man if he had
• 25:25
  not been born. Verse 25. Then Judas
• 25:28
  which betrayed him, notice this?
• 25:30
  Answered and said, "Master, is it I?"
• 25:34
  And he said unto him, "Thou said,"You
• 25:37
  see, Jesus loved Judas even in spite of
• 25:39
  the fact that Judas had deceived all
• 25:41
  those other disciples."
• 25:42
  >> You're right.
• 25:43
  >> You know what? This morning, Jesus loves
• 25:45
  you even in spite of the fact that
• 25:47
  you're deceiving all the people around
• 25:48
  you.
• 25:48
  >> Oh, hey.
• 25:49
  >> Amen.
• 25:50
  >> You tell them you're saved. You tell
• 25:52
  them you know God. But here's the truth
• 25:55
  about it. Jesus knows and you know that
• 25:57
  you've never been saved. That's
• 25:58
  >> right.
• 25:59
  >> And you know what? Jesus loves you in
• 26:01
  spite of the fact that you're trying to
• 26:02
  deceive those that are around you.
• 26:04
  >> You see, Judas put on a good front. He
• 26:07
  had a good image before everybody else.
• 26:09
  Judas in this text, this reveals to us
• 26:11
  really that those disciples would have
• 26:13
  never guessed it would have been Judas,
• 26:15
  >> right?
• 26:16
  >> Because you know what? Every one of them
• 26:18
  said, "Is it I?
• 26:20
  >> Is it I?" You know what Judas had to do?
• 26:22
  He had to say he's die so he could hold
• 26:24
  his cover.
• 26:24
  >> You're right.
• 26:26
  >> Hey, friend. You can speak up in a
• 26:28
  testimony service, but you ain't got no
• 26:30
  spirit of God on you if you're lost.
• 26:32
  >> Go ahead.
• 26:32
  >> Amen.
• 26:32
  >> And you know what? Here's the truth this
• 26:34
  morning. You're in order. If you're
• 26:35
  lost, you're in order to thank God
• 26:37
  because you know what? It's it's his
• 26:38
  grace that allows you to have breath.
• 26:40
  >> That's right.
• 26:41
  >> But here's the truth about it. You don't
• 26:42
  know nothing about the real blessing.
• 26:44
  That's
• 26:44
  >> right.
• 26:45
  >> Amen. I'm saying, friend, I just ain't
• 26:47
  got physical breath. I got spiritual
• 26:49
  breath. I got life on the inside. And
• 26:51
  hey, long after that physical breast
• 26:53
  gone. Hallelujah, friend. I'M GOING TO
• 26:55
  HAVE SPIRITUAL LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
• 26:58
  AND THAT'S WHAT I SHOUT ABOUT. I'M NOT
• 27:00
  GOING TO SHOUT ABOUT HEALING OR HELP ON
• 27:02
  THIS SIDE. I'M GOING TO SHOUT ABOUT THE
• 27:04
  HEALING OR HELP THAT HE'S GOING TO GIVE
• 27:05
  ME TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE. AMEN.
• 27:07
  >> YES. AMEN.
• 27:09
  >> Jesus loved him in spite of his
• 27:11
  deception.
• 27:13
  I'll say this.
• 27:15
  Jesus loved him in spite of his
• 27:17
  defilement.
• 27:19
  You see, he took that money.
• 27:21
  And this is what I believe. You don't
• 27:23
  have to believe it, but I believe when
• 27:25
  Jesus Judas walked up to Jesus in that
• 27:27
  garden, I believe Judas had the bag on
• 27:30
  his hip
• 27:32
  >> and them 30 coins was jangling in his
• 27:34
  pocket.
• 27:34
  >> Yeah.
• 27:36
  >> When he kissed the Lord and the Lord
• 27:38
  looked at Judas and said, "Friend," all
• 27:40
  the while he heard those silver.
• 27:42
  >> That's right.
• 27:43
  >> You say, "Preacher, how is that?" Well,
• 27:45
  you see, you're carrying the same sin.
• 27:47
  Amen.
• 27:48
  >> Every time you go up and kiss the face
• 27:50
  of God, you know what? Jesus took our
• 27:52
  sin. And it was our sin that defiled
• 27:54
  him. That's
• 27:55
  >> right.
• 27:55
  >> But you think about this. Judas, the son
• 27:58
  of predition himself, kissed the Lord.
• 28:01
  >> But you know what? Jesus didn't get
• 28:02
  upset about that.
• 28:03
  >> Yeah.
• 28:04
  >> Jesus could have killed him on the spot.
• 28:06
  You're
• 28:06
  >> right.
• 28:07
  >> Jesus could have took any of us, any one
• 28:09
  of us out on the spot.
• 28:10
  >> It's the grace of God that you're still
• 28:12
  here. Cuz you know what? It's your sin
• 28:14
  that defiled the Savior. That's
• 28:15
  >> right. It's my sin that defiled the
• 28:17
  Savior. But you know what? Jesus loves
• 28:19
  you
• 28:20
  >> in spite of that.
• 28:21
  >> That's right.
• 28:22
  >> You say, "PREACHER, THERE'S TOO MUCH
• 28:24
  SIN. I'VE DONE TOO MUCH WRONG." FRIEND,
• 28:26
  JESUS TOOK THE SIN OF EVERY PERSON
• 28:29
  THAT'S EVER BEEN BORN. THE HITLERS, THE
• 28:31
  HUSAINS, THE WICKED PEOPLE OF ALL
• 28:34
  HISTORY. JESUS TOOK EVERY SIN OF EVERY
• 28:38
  INDIVIDUAL AND NAILED IT TO HIS CROSS
• 28:40
  AND SAID, "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM."
• 28:43
  >> YEAH.
• 28:44
  >> You're right. Amen.
• 28:46
  >> Your sin ain't too big.
• 28:47
  >> That's right.
• 28:48
  >> He loves you in spite of your
• 28:50
  defilement.
• 28:51
  >> Right.
• 28:56
  >> But I'll say this this morning,
• 28:59
  and I've already alluded to this a
• 29:00
  little bit, but I believe it fits the
• 29:02
  text. He loves you in spite of your
• 29:04
  decision whether or not you choose to
• 29:06
  walk away. He loves you in spite of your
• 29:09
  deception. He loves you in spite of your
• 29:11
  defilement.
• 29:12
  But I use this word for sake of
• 29:14
  literation for this reason. He loves you
• 29:17
  in spite of your duplicity. And and I
• 29:19
  say that for this reason.
• 29:22
  Here's the thing about it. Where we live
• 29:24
  at now. You can go into the jungles of
• 29:26
  Africa and there's people that's never
• 29:28
  heard the gospel. And you know what?
• 29:29
  Those people are not living a
• 29:30
  double-sided life.
• 29:31
  >> You're right.
• 29:32
  >> There's people that'll stand in this
• 29:34
  church today under the sound of my voice
• 29:36
  and they'll say, "Thank God." And they
• 29:37
  love God and and they want they need to,
• 29:39
  you know, this is what we hear. Well, I
• 29:40
  need to get in church, preacher. I know
• 29:42
  that. I need to be faithful to church. I
• 29:45
  need to I need And you'll say every bit
• 29:47
  of that. But you know what? In your
• 29:49
  heart, the the thing that you want more
• 29:51
  than anything else is to be out of here.
• 29:52
  >> You're right.
• 29:53
  >> Come on.
• 29:54
  >> Go ahead.
• 29:55
  >> And James said it this way. He said, "A
• 29:57
  double-minded man is unstable."
• 29:59
  >> You're right.
• 29:59
  >> In all his ways. And you can be two
• 30:02
  tongue, two timing talker, but you what
• 30:04
  you're going to find is that's going to
• 30:06
  run out.
• 30:07
  >> You're right.
• 30:08
  >> Because you know what? You're not going
• 30:09
  to speak out of one side of your mouth
• 30:11
  to God when you get to the judgment
• 30:12
  seat.
• 30:13
  >> Right?
• 30:13
  >> He's going to have a display for you to
• 30:16
  look at.
• 30:17
  >> You're right.
• 30:17
  >> That's going to say, "All right, what
• 30:19
  did you do with my son?"
• 30:21
  >> Amen.
• 30:22
  >> And you know what? You ain't going to be
• 30:23
  able to lie about it.
• 30:24
  >> You're not going to be able to come up
• 30:26
  with a double-sided story. You're not
• 30:28
  going to be able to say he was unfair. I
• 30:29
  want to say this. There's never been
• 30:31
  anything more perfectly fair to us.
• 30:34
  >> You're right.
• 30:34
  >> Than Jesus. There's never been anything
• 30:36
  more unfair
• 30:38
  >> than what Jesus had to go through so
• 30:40
  that we could be saved.
• 30:41
  >> Right.
• 30:42
  >> Amen.
• 30:43
  >> He has given you an opportunity
• 30:46
  greater than anything this world has to
• 30:48
  offer.
• 30:48
  >> You're right.
• 30:49
  >> You realize if you had to step out of
• 30:51
  your salvation to be king or president
• 30:53
  of the known world, you would be
• 30:54
  stepping down. You're
• 30:56
  >> right.
• 30:57
  >> Because we're joint hes
• 30:59
  >> with Jesus Christ.
• 31:00
  >> Amen.
• 31:01
  >> Our kingdom is not of this world.
• 31:03
  >> Right.
• 31:03
  >> And here's the truth this morning. Jesus
• 31:05
  loved Judas even in spite of how
• 31:07
  double-sided he was.
• 31:08
  >> You're right.
• 31:11
  >> You say, "Preacher,
• 31:13
  how do I know that God loves me?" Well,
• 31:16
  I'll say this three things. I think that
• 31:18
  defines the love of God. I would say the
• 31:20
  love of God is defined by his
• 31:21
  forgiveness.
• 31:24
  >> John said it this way. He said, "If we
• 31:27
  confess our sins, he's faithful
• 31:29
  >> and just to forgive us our sins." And
• 31:31
  that leads into the next point. Not only
• 31:34
  his forgiveness, you see, there's never
• 31:35
  been a sin that Jesus could that Jesus
• 31:38
  did not pay for. You're
• 31:39
  >> right.
• 31:39
  >> And Rudy Smith said it this way. He
• 31:41
  said, " God has never forgiven a sin,
• 31:43
  but he's often forgiven sinners."
• 31:45
  >> Right?
• 31:47
  >> You know what? Today, none of my sins
• 31:48
  been forgiven. All of my sin was placed
• 31:50
  on Jesus.
• 31:51
  >> Right.
• 31:52
  >> And Jesus paid the condemnation
• 31:55
  >> for my sin and for yours.
• 31:57
  >> Amen.
• 31:58
  >> And he's forgiven me. Amen.
• 32:00
  >> The sinner. That's right.
• 32:03
  But I'll say this, the forgiveness of
• 32:05
  the Lord expresses to us the love of
• 32:06
  God. But the faithfulness of the Lord,
• 32:09
  John said, he's faithful and just to
• 32:11
  forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
• 32:13
  from all unrighteousness.
• 32:16
  Jesus is the only one that can do that.
• 32:18
  >> You're right.
• 32:19
  >> Because you know what? You say,
• 32:20
  "Preacher, how can he cleanse me from
• 32:21
  all my sin? I don't even know what all
• 32:23
  my sin are." And you're exactly right.
• 32:24
  >> Yes. You're right.
• 32:26
  >> I don't know what all my sins are, but
• 32:28
  he does.
• 32:29
  >> Right.
• 32:29
  >> And so when I pray, Lord, forgive me.
• 32:31
  >> Yes. Cleanse me of every sin, Lord. I I
• 32:35
  want you to redirect my focus.
• 32:37
  >> Go ahead.
• 32:38
  >> Toward you. You know what repentance is?
• 32:40
  It's a change of heart that leads to a
• 32:42
  change of mind.
• 32:43
  >> You're right.
• 32:44
  >> That leads to a change of action. You
• 32:47
  know what that comes from? That comes
• 32:48
  from the faithful forgiveness of Jesus.
• 32:51
  >> Amen.
• 32:52
  >> And I think about this. You say,
• 32:54
  "Preacher, how do I know that he's
• 32:56
  faithful? How do I know that he'll
• 32:58
  forgive?" Well, you just take that book
• 33:00
  right there and see everything that he's
• 33:01
  fulfilled.
• 33:02
  >> You're right.
• 33:03
  >> He's done everything that needs to be
• 33:05
  done.
• 33:06
  >> You're right.
• 33:07
  >> Jesus said, "I didn't come to destroy
• 33:09
  the law,
• 33:10
  >> but I came to what?
• 33:12
  >> Fulfill it.
• 33:14
  >> He finished what was going to destroy
• 33:15
  you."
• 33:16
  >> You're right.
• 33:18
  >> The law was going to take you out.
• 33:20
  >> You're right.
• 33:20
  >> The law was going to take me out. And
• 33:23
  you know what Jesus did? He came and
• 33:24
  fulfilled it.
• 33:26
  >> He finished it. So, you know what? If we
• 33:28
  go into law under him, it's just like if
• 33:31
  you get in an automobile and go through
• 33:32
  a car wash, you know what? If that thing
• 33:34
  sealed off good, you're not going to
• 33:36
  have a bit of that water hit you.
• 33:37
  >> You're right.
• 33:38
  >> But you know what? That seal that we
• 33:39
  have in Jesus Christ, we are sealed and
• 33:42
  not a bit of the judgment waters of God.
• 33:44
  >> Amen.
• 33:44
  >> Will ever touch us.
• 33:46
  >> You're right. Go ahead.
• 33:48
  >> I'm saying what a friend.
• 33:50
  >> Right.
• 33:51
  >> You say, "Preacher, I I CAN'T IMAGINE
• 33:53
  THAT KIND OF LOVE." WELL, just join the
• 33:55
  club. We can't either. AMEN. WE CAN'T
• 33:58
  FATHOM THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS TOWARD US.
• 34:00
  THE SONGWRITER SAID IT THIS WAY. THE
• 34:02
  LOVE OF GOD IS GREATER FAR THAN TONGUE
• 34:05
  OR PEN COULD EVER TELL. IT GOES BEYOND
• 34:07
  THE HIGHEST STAR AND REACHES TO THE
• 34:10
  LOWEST HELL. HEY FRIEND, THERE'S NO
• 34:12
  PLACE THAT YOU CAN GO. THERE'S NO PERSON
• 34:14
  THAT YOU CAN BE. YOU ARE NOT TOO FAR
• 34:17
  GONE THIS MORNING IF YOU HAVE BREATH IN
• 34:19
  YOUR LUNGS AND A DESIRE TO BE SAVED BY
• 34:22
  THE GRACE OF GOD. I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH
• 34:25
  LIKE JUDAS YOU ARE. HE LOVES YOU AND
• 34:28
  WILL SAVE YOU TODAY.
• 34:30
  >> HE WANTS to save you. HE'S WILLING TO
• 34:33
  SAVE YOU. AND IF YOU'LL COME TO HIM,
• 34:35
  JESUS SAID, "HE THAT COMETH TO ME, I
• 34:37
  WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT AND BLESS HIS
• 34:40
  NAME." YOU SAY, "PREACHER, BUT JUDAS
• 34:42
  DIDN'T COME TO THE LORD." OH, BUT THAT
• 34:44
  DIDN'T MEAN HE COULDN'T. AMEN. AND YOU
• 34:46
  MAY WALK OUT OF HERE TODAY NOT COMING TO
• 34:48
  JESUS, BUT FRIEND, IT AIN'T BECAUSE YOU
• 34:51
  couldn't come,
• 34:51
  >> right?
• 34:53
  >> He said, "WHOSOEVER WILL,"
• 34:55
  >> RIGHT? OH, BLESS HIS NAME. WHOSOEVER
• 34:58
  WILL, LET HIM COME AND TAKE OF THE WATER
• 35:00
  OF LIFE FREELY. WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL
• 35:03
  UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SHALL
• 35:06
  BE SHALL BE SAVED. AMEN.
• 35:09
  >> AMEN.
• 35:10
  >> You can be saved today. That's
• 35:13
  >> right.
• 35:14
  >> And as we stand, heads bowed and eyes
• 35:16
  closed this morning,
• 35:18
  going to do something a little different
• 35:20
  this morning.
• 35:22
  Brother Gayen's going to come and lead
• 35:24
  us in a song.
• 35:27
  This is what I want you to do this
• 35:29
  morning.
• 35:31
  You see, Judas,
• 35:34
  he had an opportunity, but he lost it.
• 35:36
  >> You're right.
• 35:39
  >> You say, "Preacher, I just don't see I I
• 35:41
  do not see
• 35:43
  how God could forgive Judas." Let me
• 35:46
  just say this. It's not the amount of
• 35:48
  sin that condemned you to hell.
• 35:50
  >> You're right. It ain't about how much
• 35:52
  you did. It's just the fact that you are
• 35:54
  a sinner.
• 35:54
  >> You're right.
• 35:55
  >> Right.
• 35:56
  >> Jesus died for sinners. You're
• 35:59
  >> right.
• 36:00
  >> And he wants to save you today. We're
• 36:02
  going to sing. What a friend we have in
• 36:04
  Jesus.
• 36:05
  >> What page is that, brother?
• 36:06
  >> Page 345.
• 36:07
  >> Page 345. Some are coming and pray this
• 36:10
  morning. This is what I want to ask you.
• 36:11
  If you're lost, you slip out of your
• 36:13
  seat and come. We'll pray with you today
• 36:16
  as we sing.
• 36:19
  What a friend we have in Jesus.
• 36:24
  >> Sing it, church.
• 36:25
  >> Think about it.
• 36:26
  >> All our sins and griefs to bear.
• 36:33
  What a privilege to carry
• 36:41
  everything to God in prayer.
• 36:47
  Oh, what peace we often forfeit.
• 36:54
  Oh, what need this pain we bear?
• 36:59
  >> Think about it, church.
• 37:01
  >> All because we do not care.
• 37:07
  >> Sinner, if you're lost, I wouldn't wait
• 37:08
  another moment.
• 37:10
  Think to God in prayer.
• 37:16
  Have we trials and temptations?
• 37:23
  Is there trouble anywhere?
• 37:30
  We should never be discouraged.
• 37:37
  Take it to the Lord in prayer.
• 37:44
  Can we find a friend so faithful?
• 37:50
  >> Not a one.
• 37:51
  >> Who will all our sorrows share?
• 37:58
  >> Jesus
• 38:00
  flows our every weakness.
• 38:06
  Take it to the Lord in prayer. As she
• 38:11
  plays, we'll sing that last verse in
• 38:13
  just a minute.
• 38:15
  >> I want to ask you this. He's going to
• 38:17
  sing. I want everybody to bow their
• 38:18
  heads this morning. Bow your heads.
• 38:21
  >> He's singing to us. I want to ask you
• 38:23
  >> the Lord of
• 38:26
  >> you died right now.
• 38:28
  >> Do you know that Jesus still
• 38:32
  >> lives on the inside?
• 38:35
  >> Say, "Preacher, I'm here today and I
• 38:36
  don't know that."
• 38:38
  >> Preacher, I'm here today. I don't know
• 38:40
  that I'm saved. I don't know that I've
• 38:41
  ever trusted Christ.
• 38:45
  >> Say, "Preacher, would you pray for me?
• 38:47
  There's nobody looking around but me."
• 38:50
  Just slip your hand up and we'll pray
• 38:51
  for you this morning.
• 38:53
  >> Say, "Preacher, I've never been saved.
• 38:55
  Never been saved." Preacher, would you
• 38:57
  pray for me? Just slip your hand up and
• 38:59
  I'll pray for you.
• 39:04
  >> I will find a soul less there. You can
• 39:09
  look up this way this this morning.
• 39:13
  You done sung the last verse, brother.
• 39:16
  >> Let's sing that last verse again.
• 39:19
  >> Hey, sinner, if you're lost, won't you
• 39:22
  come?
• 39:23
  >> Won't you come? Hey, child of God, maybe
• 39:26
  you strayed from him. Sometimes that
• 39:28
  Judas spirit will get into us, too.
• 39:30
  >> Amen.
• 39:32
  >> You better get it out.
• 39:34
  >> He'll use you to destroy Christ's word
• 39:35
  just like he did Judas.
• 39:37
  >> That's right. Amen. Better get it out as
• 39:39
  these pray and we sing.
• 39:40
  >> Amen.
• 39:42
  >> Are we weak and heavy laden?
• 39:50
  Come with a load of care.
• 39:55
  >> Listen.
• 39:57
  >> Preious
• 39:58
  Savior still.
• 40:01
  >> He still is.
• 40:03
  >> Still is. Hallelujah. Get to the Lord in
• 40:07
  prayer.
• 40:11
  >> Do thy friends despise forsake
• 40:16
  thee.
• 40:18
  Take it to the Lord in prayer.
• 40:25
  In his arms he'll take and shield
• 40:31
  thee.
• 40:33
  Thou will find a soulless
• 40:38
  >> as she plays for just a moment. We're in
• 40:40
  no hurry.
• 40:42
  Solomon said this in Proverbs 17. He
• 40:46
  said, "A friend loveth at all times. And
• 40:49
  a brother is born for adversity."
• 40:52
  I can tell you this for a fact. You'll
• 40:54
  never have a friend like Jesus.
• 40:58
  >> You're right. You say, "Preacher, but my
• 41:01
  wife, my husband, they're an amazing
• 41:03
  person. When you go far enough, they're
• 41:05
  going to let you down."
• 41:06
  >> You're right.
• 41:07
  >> Preacher, I love my children. They're
• 41:09
  perfect. You're going to find after a
• 41:11
  while. They're going to let you down.
• 41:14
  You got parents. You say, "Preacher, I
• 41:16
  love my parents. They've never done me
• 41:17
  wrong."
• 41:19
  Just give it time.
• 41:23
  >> But I'll tell you this.
• 41:25
  Solomon said in Proverbs chapter 18
• 41:28
  verse 24,
• 41:30
  he said, "There is a friend that
• 41:32
  stickketh closer
• 41:34
  >> than a brother."
• 41:36
  And that friend's Jesus.
• 41:38
  >> Amen.
• 41:40
  >> A friend loveth at all times. And Jesus
• 41:42
  said this himself. He said, "Greater
• 41:43
  love hath no man than this, that a man
• 41:46
  lay down his life for his friends." I'll
• 41:50
  tell you this today. You may have
• 41:52
  friends that brought you here today, but
• 41:54
  you can leave with a friend like you've
• 41:55
  never had.
• 41:57
  >> Amen.
• 41:58
  >> You can leave with a friend like you've
• 42:00
  never known.
• 42:03
  >> Father, thank you so much.
• 42:06
  Lord, truly we say what a friend.
• 42:09
  What a friend we have in Jesus.
• 42:12
  >> You've been so good.
• 42:14
  >> And I thank you for the sweet presence
• 42:16
  of God. Thank you for the liberty to
• 42:17
  preach this morning. And God, I know
• 42:20
  that I'm nothing without you. But God, I
• 42:23
  thank you for allowing me to be used for
• 42:24
  a little while to share the old story
• 42:26
  again. And Lord, I thank you, God, that
• 42:29
  you love me.
• 42:30
  >> Yeah.
• 42:31
  >> Even in spite of those days, Lord, that
• 42:33
  I decided to go wrong.
• 42:35
  >> When I deceived others, Lord, when I
• 42:37
  myself was defiled, you loved me anyway.
• 42:40
  And God, I pray that every heart here
• 42:42
  today would realize, Lord, that you
• 42:44
  forgive sin and that you are faithful in
• 42:48
  spite of everything else. And I pray
• 42:50
  today, Lord, for that soul that is not
• 42:52
  saved. Lord, don't let them leave here
• 42:53
  today.
• 42:54
  >> And God, for those that are a distance
• 42:56
  from you, God, I pray, Lord, that they
• 42:57
  would be drawn near to you.
• 42:59
  >> Thank you for loving us, Lord. We love
• 43:01
  you and we ask it all in Jesus name. And
• 43:04
  God's people said,
• 43:05
  >> "Amen."
• 43:06
  >> Amen. Well, praise God. cooperation.
• 43:09
  >> Thank you for joining our service today.
• 43:11
  We'd love it if you'd join us in person
• 43:13
  the next time you are able at Meadows
• 43:15
  Baptist Church. Our physical address is
• 43:18
  2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
• 43:22
  Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
• 43:25
  school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
• 43:27
  worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
• 43:30
  worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
• 43:32
  evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
• 43:36
  information, visit us at
• 43:37
  meadowsbaptisturch.com.
• 43:40
  Thanks again for tuning in.