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Acts 1:15-20 THE TRAGIC DEATH OF JUDAS ISCARIOT

 

Introduction: 

 

    In our previous text the disciples of Jesus returned to Jerusalem after

the ascension of Jesus and began their vigilance in an upper room of one of the

Christian homes waiting to be endued with power from on high. 

 

I.  An exposition of our text

 

    In our text today the Apostle Peter calls to the attention of the church

that the office of apostle which had been vacated by the death of  Judas

Iscariot needed to be filled.  V. 15-16, ?And in those days Peter stood up in

the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about

an hundred and twenty,)  Men [and] brethren, this scripture must needs have been

fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning

Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.?  In Matthew 27:5 we are told

that Judas hung himself.  That is all any of the gospel writers said about it

except what the Apostle Peter says here in our text and Luke records what Peter

said. 

    It was a tragic event.  V. 17, ?For he was numbered with us, and had

obtained part of this ministry.?  It would have been tragic no matter who the

man was.  But the  Apostle Peter says, ?He was one of us.  He held an office

among us.  He was one of the twelve apostles.  But, of course, he was guilty of

a grievous sin.  He betrayed Jesus into the hands of the Jewish leaders.  He

was, in a large measure, responsible for the crucifixion and death of Jesus.  It

seems far worse for one of His own to be guilty of such a deed.  Then Judas,

himself, died leaving a vacancy in the church office which he held. 

    Now Simon Peter does not tell us that Judas committed suicide.   It was

Matthew who told us in Matthew 27:5 that Judas hanged himself.  That is all that

Matthew said about it.  He committed suicide.  He hung himself. 

    Neither do any of the other gospel writers tell us more about the tragic

death of Judas except what the Apostle Peter said here in our text and which

Luke recorded here in our text.  In verse 18 Simon Peter said,  ?Now this man

purchased a field with the reward of iniquity...?  That is, the money that Judas

had received from the Jewish leaders for betraying Jesus was used by those

leaders after the death of Judas to purchase a field which would be used as a

burying place for the poor. 

    Then Simon Peter goes into some of the details that are gruesome and gory. 

(V. 18), ?...and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his

bowels gushed out.?

Apparently the rope that Judas used to hang  himself was an old rope.  Either

that or the limb to which he tied the rope was a rotten limb because he fell

headfirst to the ground.  Then when he hit the ground, his abdomen burst and his

bowels spilled out on the ground.  It must have been an awful sight.  It was

gruesome.  It was ghastly.  It was repulsive.  It was a sight that could turn

your stomach. 

    V. 19-20, ?And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch

as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The

field of blood.

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let

no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.?  The dreadful deed

that Judas did in betraying Jesus became known to all of Jerusalem and the

tragic circumstances of his death likewise became known to all.  It was just the

kind of story that news media would love to get hold of today.  They make their

living by telling terrible tragic tales. 

    Simon Peter reminded the church that the Old Testament scriptures, as

recorded in the Psalms, instructed that the office which Judas occupied should

be filled.  He took this to be instructions to the church body to vote and fill

this vacancy with some qualified man. 

 

II.  Six  things that make the death of  Judas so very tragic

 

    In this message I will not deal with the filling with that vacancy. 

Rather I want to point out some things to you about the tragic death of Judas

Iscariot. 

    In this message I want to point out to you six things that make the death

of Judas a very tragic death.  Number one:  The death of Judas was tragic

because it was brought on by a sinful shameful deed of his own.  This was not a

tragedy that somebody else brought upon Him.  It was something that he brought

on himself.  Nobody was to blame but himself. 

    Furthermore, Judas was no hero.  He did not die in the line of duty as a

soldier on the battlefield.  He was guilty of heinous sin.  He was a traitor. 

He was worse than a traitor to his country.  He was a traitor to His very best

Friend.  He was a traitor to the Lord God of heaven.  He was a traitor to the

very Son of God.  He was a traitor to his fellow apostles and to all of his

fellow church members.  It was a cruel, horrible viscous evil deed which he did. 

He was well deserving to die in a horrible manner.  It was a tragic death, but

he deserved it.  He brought it on himself.

    Number two:  The death of Judas was tragic because it was self inflicted. 

Not only did he do a deed that made him deserving of a tragic death, but he

actually tied the rope around his own neck and then either jumped or kicked a

chair or something out from under his feet.  He took his own life.  This is

always a tragic situation.  It has been my unhappy task to preach the funerals

of some who committed suicide.  It was never a pretty scene.  It was always a

gruesome picture.  It was always a heart rending heart breaking situation.  It

was heart rending for the family and friends.  It was heart rending for me, the

preacher.  It was always a tragic affair. 

    The fact that Judas deserved to die and that he deserved to die a horrible

death and that he took his own life did not take one iota away from the tradegy

of it all.  It was a horrible event. 

    Number three:  The death of Judas was tragic because it was an ugly

gruesome affair.  I will not again relate to you the details of  the event.  It

is not the kind of details  that  one likes to dwell on.  Rather, it was  the

kind of event that you like to forget.  No matter what you may think of  Judas

for betraying Jesus, you surely cannot take pleasure in him the kind of tragic

death that he experienced.  It was horrible.  It was terrible.  It was an awful,

frightful, appalling,  ghastly, dreadful, grim, gruesome, tragic affair. 

    Number four:  The death of Judas was tragic because his deed and his death

brought disgrace to his name.  Our text said that it was known to all of

Jerusalem.  It probably was known throughout all the lands of Judah and Galilee. 

It was talked about and known about by everybody. 

    Prior to the betrayal of Jesus Judas had a good name and a good

reputation.  He was well thought of by his fellow apostles and fellow church

members.  When Jesus announced at the Passover supper that one of the twelve was

going to betray Him, nobody mentioned that they thought Judas might be the

culprit.  They had not the slightest suspicion that he was the one. 

    Also prior to the crucifixion Jesus, Himself was popular with most of the

general public and all twelve of His apostles, even Judas, was well thought of

by the public.  Everything in Scripture indicates that he had a good reputation. 

    But after the betrayal and the crucifixion of Jesus the name of Judas was

mud.  It has been mud ever since.  If anybody calls somebody else a Judas he is

very much insulted.    The name of Judas has been disgraced and will never

recover from that disgrace.  You hear about a lot of babies being named after

Bible characters, but you never hear of anyone naming their son ?Judas.? 

    Number five:  The only good thing that came from the death of Judas

Iscariot was that the money he received for his deed was used for a good cause. 

It was used to purchase a field which would serve as a burying place for the

poor. 

    Number six:  But the most tragic thing about the death of Judas was that

he died unsaved.  He went out of this world unprepared to meet God.  I read in

Revelation 21:8 these words:  ?But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the

abominable, and the sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their

part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second

death.?

    I think there is abundant Bible proof that Judas was unsaved, but I am not

going to take the time to review that evidence with you.  I think you are aware

that he was unsaved.  What I want to focus your attention on is that this is

such a terrible tragedy.  He had opportunity to be saved.  If anybody ever and

an opportunity to be saved, Judas did.  But he passed up his opportunity and his

opportunity is gone forever.  He will never have another opportunity to be

saved.  What a tragedy.  I would not wish such a thing upon any human being.  I

would not which that even upon Adolph Hitler or Fidel Castro.  I would not wish

that upon anyone, not even Judas Iscariot! 

    It is such a painful thing to burn even a small place on your body.  It

must indeed be a terrible experience to be cast bodily into a lake of fire and

brimstone.  It would be a most horrible thing to be sentenced forever to dwell

in such a horrible horrible place.  And yet that is the fate of Judas Iscariot. 

Again I read from the Book of  Revelation, Rev. 20:15, ?And whosoever was not

found written in the book of  life was cast into the lake of fire.? 

   

III.  The tragedy of anyone who dies unsaved

 

    As tragic as it is to know that Judas Iscariot will be there in that lake

of  fire suffering forever and forever, that is not the thing that weighs

heavily on my heart today.  The thing that disturbs me is that some of the

people in this very congregation today may wind up in that lake of fire.  I most

certainly do not want anyone here today to go there.  I can assure that it is

not the desire of God in heaven for anybody here today to wind up in the lake of

fire.  But just as surely as I stand before you if anyone in this congregation

neglects to trust in Jesus and get saved that is where he will wind up. 

    Let me say to you that if you are not absolutely certain that you have

trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you should come today and get right with

God.  It would be a great tragedy for you to keep putting it off and wait until

it is too late.   

 

Conclusion:

 

    The God of heaven is watching on.  Jesus Christ the Son of God is watching

on.  The angels of God are watching on.  I call upon each of you who are unsaved

to come and trust Jesus now.

      I also call upon each Christian not to waste your life by failing to

serve Jesus faithfully now that you are saved.  It is not as tragic for a saved

person to be unfaithful to Jesus as it was for Judas to betray Jesus to the Jews

nor as tragic as an unsaved person neglecting to trust Jesus and be saved, but

it is a tragedy for a Christian to be unfaithful and waste his life by

neglecting to live for Jesus.  I call for you who are saved come and give

yourself into the service of  Christ?