Day 15 Judas: A Disciple Marked By Greed

Day 15

Judas: A Disciple Marked By Greed

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

Matthew 26:14-16 (NKJV)

Bible Versions

Matthew 26:14-16 (MSG) ^14-16 That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests and said, “What will you give me if I hand him over to you?” They settled on thirty silver pieces. He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.

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

Matthew 26:14-16 (NLT) ¹⁴ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests ¹⁵ and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.¹⁶ From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Thoughts of Devotion:

One of the saddest and most painful stories that teach us how greed can completely ruin a person is the story of one of Jesus’s disciples, Judas. The example we see this morning of Judas should drive us to self examine our hearts so that we may avoid if possible the same path that took one of the men that where closest to Jesus to eternal destruction. As the scripture says “Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.”(Acts 1:17)

Imagine for a moment having the privilege to be chosen by Jesus himself to be part of his earthly ministry. Having a unique and incomparable opportunity to be named one of the twelve apostles of the Master. What a privilege! But we see everything go to waste due to the greed and covetousness that was in his heart. Even until today, every time his name is mentioned there’s a negative “ring” to it. Even when he is mentioned in the Bible, he’s always last on the list and he is named “traitor”. (Luke 6:16)

Judas sin was betrayal, but if we take a closer look at his betrayal it was due to the covetousness that was deeply rooted in his heart. The enemy was crafty in using the covetousness that possessed Judas to bring about the betrayal against Jesus. Let us think, until what point does covetousness have power in being used by the enemy as a deadly weapon? Take a look how even the Bible expresses that it was the devil who sowed this in his heart “the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him,” (John 13:2). This morning we must be careful to not allow covetousness take us to a place where the enemy can take control of it and use it to completely destroy our lives.

Judas during his time at Jesus side always showed marks of covetousness in his life and ministry. When he saw other give generously to God he was bothered and filled with anger. On one occasion the Bible tells about a women who pours an expensive perfume on Jesus, Judas was the first to be offended and be bothered exclaiming “⁵ “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii^[a] and given to the poor?” ⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it (John 12:5-6).

What about us this morning? What place does greed and covetousness have in our hearts? What attitude do we have in our giving or the giving of others to the work of the Lord? Let us pray that the Lord keeps us from reaching a point in our lives where our own greed will destroy us and completely ruin Gods destiny for our lives. Judas traded it all for so little! His greed was so great that he was blinded by thirty pieces of silver. His condition was so sad. His life ended sadly, scripture tells us that “³ Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴ saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”⁵ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5)

May the Lord help us this morning to fulfill our purpose and destiny in him. That we may never be blinded by greed! That we may never allow the loss of everything that God has for our lives for the greed of thirty pieces of silver. Lets give complete liberty to the work of the Holy Spirit. Cry out with all sincerity in prayer. Lord Do your work in me!

Foundational Scriptures:

Acts 1:16 (NKJV) “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;

John 13:27 (NKJV) Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

Matthew 26:25 (NKJV) Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.”

Acts 1:25 (NKJV) To take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”

1Timothy 6:9-10 (NKJV)  ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Reading Plan for Psalms & Proverbs in 60 days

Psalms chapters 52-56