This morning we will tackle verses Acts 1:15-20. I’ve entitled today’s sermon, “The Judas Situation”. Let’s read our main text together, I’ll pray and we will examine it.

Read Acts 1:15-20

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlonghe burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’

Pray

Examine

Verse

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,

Commentary

The Apostle Peter was Jesus’ closest student as well the chosen leader to the rest of the disciples. Prior to the ascension the Lord commissioned Peter to do something very important. In John 21:17 Jesus told Peter to “Feed my sheep”. This was a commission to train others in the gospel through the living word of God. Our passage shows us the very first instance where Peter exercised his role as leader/teacher after the ascension. It says that “Peter stood up”. In this culture it was customary for the teacher to stand up when addressing his students. You would see this in the synagogues.

Luke wrote that there were 120 people present. For centuries Jesus’ critics have ridiculed him for not making the impact that he should have or could have. They say that the size of the church here shows that Jesus was ineffective as a leader. They dare to say things like, “If Jesus was so great why was the church so small?”

Many of these criticisms are made by “so-called” Christian pastors. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, publically declared that he was a superior leader to Jesus because of the growth and unity of the Mormon church. He said, and I quote, “Not even Jesus could grow the church and keep it unified as I have”.

Shortly after he spewed these treacherous words he was thrown into jail for violating state laws. While in jail his brother informed him that an angry mob was coming for his head and he handed him a loaded pistol. When the mob showed up, the two Smith brothers opened fire killing several townsmen but they ran out of bullets and were shot to death. Mormons call Joseph Smith and his brother Alvin, martyrs. A few years back there were several Emergent leaders that were going off about Jesus in a similar way.

In light of all the criticism, I’d like to submit that the church was exactly the size that it was supposed to be at this moment. Jesus did not fail. And any man who thinks that Jesus failed or thinks that he is a better leader than Jesus is an anti-Christ. Back to the text.

Peter, the leader/teacher, is standing before the church of the upper room ready to feed the Lord’s sheep, and he said,

Look at verses 16 & 17

Verse

16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”

Commentary

It would appear that some of the disciples may have been discussing the Judas situation while in the upper room. Maybe some were confused or uncertain about it. We want to keep in mind that about 43 days had passed since Judas betrayed Jesus so it’s unlikely that there were any present who knew nothing about the matter. There may have been some there that were angry about what he did or remorseful and sad that he wasn’t present. In any case, Peter sought to bring clarity and closure to the matter by teaching the disciples that the whole thing was part of God’s plan and that God had prophetically spoken about it long before any of it had taken place. You might say that Peter wanted to give those present a glimpse of the bigger picture. He said,

“Brothers (adelphoi: brothers in Christ, brothers of the gospel), the Scripture had to be fulfilled.”

That was Peter’s way of steering his listeners away from the temporality of the moment towards the sovereignty of God. Isaiah did something very similar in Isaiah chapter 6. The beloved King Uzziah died and the Israelites became filled with uncertainty and fear.

Isaiah then shared a vision of God, the everlasting King, who was high and lifted up and sitting on his heavenly throne. That was Isaiah’s way of telling his people that even though King Uzziah died, the true King, the Everlasting King, God the King, was still in control and ruling and reigning from his throne in heaven. In a similar way Peter points the disciples towards God and his plan. He said, “The scriptures had to be fulfilled”. Peter’s hearers would have been thinking and maybe even mumbling, “So this whole Judas thing was part of God’s plan?” Yes, that’s exactly what Peter said and meant. Peter goes on to say that the Holy Spirit had spoken about Judas through King David. He quotes several Psalms further down in verse 20. He reminds his listeners that Judas was the one that lead the arresting party to Jesus while at the Garden of Gethsemane. He also reminds them of how Judas was one of the 12 and how he was allotted his share in the ministry.

“Allotted his share” means that Judas had been given similar opportunities, blessings and responsibilities to the other disciples.

Judas was personally discipled by the Jesus.Judas listened to the sermons that Jesus preached.Judas had a front row seat when Jesus performed miracles.Judas ate the food that Jesus provided.Judas bunked near Jesus and the others.Judas traveled throughout Palestine with them.Judas was given a temporary anointing of the Holy Spirit so that he could go out with the other disciples to preach the gospel and to work miracles in and around Capernaum.Judas served as the treasurer.Judas was allotted his share just as the others had been.

In no way whatsoever does Peter say or infer that Judas shared in the salvation that the other disciples enjoyed. Judas was not saved. Jesus expressed that fact in John 6:64.

John 6:64

64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)

Judas was placed among the apostles because it was essential for him to betray Jesus. God did not force Judas into that betrayal against the man’s will. Jesus even said of Judas that it would have been better for him if he had never been born because of the choice he made (Matt 26:24, Luke 22:22). Instead God used Judas’ evil intent to accomplish his own predetermined purposes (Acts 2:23). The whole Judas scenario proves that God uses all things to achieve his purposes in creation. That he even uses the evil intent and actions of his own enemies to bring his plans to fruition. Our God is mighty and sovereign isn’t he?!

I must say that in spite of these facts, Judas does represent the greatest example of wasted opportunity in all of history. John MacArthur gives great insight on this text.

MacArthur Commentary

“Judas had the rare privilege, given to only 12 men, of living and ministering with Jesus Christ, God incarnate, for more than 3 years. He had the same convincing, overwhelming opportunity to come to faith in him as the 11 did. Yet his motives for following Jesus were never anything but selfish. He no doubt shared the common Jewish hope that Messiah would deliver the nation from the yoke of the hated Romans. When it became obvious that that was not Jesus’ plan, and he would not get the wealth and power he wanted, Judas decided to cut his losses and get out with whatever he could salvage. Betraying the incarnate Son of God to the authorities for a paltry sum seemed a way to gain some compensation. The greed he evidenced by that act was another indicator of his wicked heart. There had been a preview of this avarice when, after Jesus’ anointing with costly perfume by Mary, Judas indignantly exclaimed, “Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii, and given to poor people?” His real concern was evident from John’s cutting editorial comment in verse 6, “Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.”

Driven by disappointment and greed, this most tragic of all men squandered a priceless privilege, betrayed the Lord for 30 pieces of silver, and damned his soul to hell.”

In verse 18, Luke added a parenthetical statement for Theophilus’ benefit. He describes what happened to Judas so that his reader will better understand the entirety of the situation. Luke paints a reasonably gruesome picture in the text.

Verse

18 (Now this man “Judas” acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlonghe burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

Commentary

Now this particular passage has been used by skeptics and rejecters to show that the Bible has contradictions in it. Without careful study the text may appear to be out of sync and harmony with other passages. The difficulties arise at the beginning of Luke’s statement, “Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness.” This is impossibility because Matthew 27:3 says that Judas “Returned the 30 pieces of silver to those who paid him to betray Jesus.” How could Judas buy a field with money that he returned? The answer is he couldn’t and didn’t in the literal sense.

Here’s how it went down.

Judas did betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. But after the arrest, trial, and beatings, he realized that he had betrayed an innocent man. Consumed with guilt, he devised a plan to return the money so that his conscience could be cleared. And so he went to the religious leaders and gave back the money bag and they took it.

After the crucifixion, the religious leaders wanted to get the rid of the money because they believed that it was cursed because it was blood money, they were very superstitious then. Instead of discarding it they bought a field. They called it the Potters Field. Judas, on the other hand, had not been relieved of his guilt. In fact it increased. At some point he went to the Potters Field and while there he hanged himself (Matt 27:5).

Luke’s account in our passage does not contradict Matthew’s account. It actually supplements it in two spectacular ways.

Judas did not physically buy the Potters Field but it was purchased with his “betrayal money” and therefore Luke considered it to be his field.

The tree that Judas chose to hang himself from overlooked a cliff. And while he was dangling, either the rope or branch broke, or his knot failed and he fell to the rocks below.

When we boil it all down:

Judas sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matt 26:15).Judas returned the money (Matt 27:3).The religious leaders bought the Potters Field with the money (Matt 27:7).The Apostle Luke claimed that the field belonged to Judas in principal because it was purchased with his ‘betrayal’ money (Acts 1:18).Judas went to the Potters Field and hanged himself on a tree that was positioned on the edge of a cliff. The branch, the rope, or the knot failed and he fell and splattered on the rocks below (Matt 27:5, Acts 1:18).

There is no contradiction. The scriptures are unified. As a rule of thumb, we must always examine Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in order to best understand things like this and the gospel. I’ll take this further by saying that we must examine the other 62 books in the Bible in order to best understand the gospel. Problems are likely to arise when we focus on one little area.

Verse 19 says that because the Potters Field was purchased with blood money and because the blood of the betrayer was spilled on it, the folks that lived in that region named it “Akeldama” which means field of blood in Aramaic.

Before we move to verse 20, I’d like to spend a moment on the subject of suicide. We’ve just seen a horrific example of it in our text. I believe there exists at least two forms of suicide.

Physical Suicide

We’re all familiar with the horrific act of one taking their own physical life because of guilt, shame, hopelessness, despair or whatever. Some religions, like Catholicism, teach that suicide is the un-pardonable sin.

But what about the second form which is:

Spiritual Suicide

The Bible is very clear about the condition of those that are outside of Christ, it says that they are spiritually dead. This is why Jesus said that he had come to give life, life abundant. If someone is already spiritually dead how can they commit spiritual suicide? They really can’t can they? And yet, even though God is completely sovereign over salvation, man still has the responsibility to respond to the gospel in repentance and faith. The Bible clearly teaches that no one gets saved apart from these things, not even the elect.

Since man has the responsibility to respond to the gospel when it is proclaimed, all willful rejection of it is a form of self damnation and spiritual suicide. We see this so clearly in the life and death of Judas. He heard the gospel over and over and yet he rejected it over and over. Why did he do this? He did it because he wanted things on his terms; he wanted his god to do things his way, and he wanted the treasures of this world rather than the treasures of heaven.

The willful rejection of Jesus Christ, of the gospel, is equivalent to holding a spiritual gun to your own head. If you pass away, that gun goes off and you will be eternally separated from the God of all life. And not only will you be separated but you will be forced to pay for your own sins through suffering and torment forever. There will be nothing that you can do about it.

In the last hundred years the church has done a spectacular job of cheapening the gospel by making it more palatable and by downplaying hell. Dietrich Bonheoffer wrote an incredible book about this called, “The Cost of Discipleship. But I’d like to steer you towards the scriptures for a moment. Listen to how serious the Bible is about these things.

Hebrews 10:26-31

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Jesus actually told a parable about a man who rejected the gospel, died, and went to hell and he emphasized the guy’s utter helplessness. This is a sobering passage to say the least.

Luke 16:19-28

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’

29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Passages like these make me tremble in fear. Not for myself because I know where I stand with Christ. I know that he took my sin upon himself and clothed me in his righteousness. I know that I belong to him because I have received him by faith. I tremble in fear for those who have yet to believe in Christ. I tremble in fear for those that I work with at my secular job and for those that I come across when I’m out and about. Someone once said, “The greatest decision a person will make in life is what they do with Jesus.” I believe this to be true. My question to you is what have you done with Jesus? Do you sit there now in your chair with a spiritual gun to your head? Are you a rejecter of Christ and his gospel?

If so, this very moment could be the most important moment of your life. I ask you the question, what will you do with Jesus? Will you acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of God’s grace? Will you turn from your sin and place your faith in the accomplished work of Jesus Christ, his life, death, burial, and resurrection? Or will you leave here in the same condition in which you came, lost in sin, blind and without a Savior and guide?

You don’t have to end up like Judas my friend. God has graciously spoken his gospel to you today. Put down your gun and receive Christ by faith and enter into the most glorious life ever. A life of abundant joy, peace, purpose, security, grace, mercy, forgiveness and companionship.

Drop your weapon and believe. Fear not for the Lord’s arm is never too short to save and his ear is ever tuned to those who cry out for mercy and grace. You don’t even have to clean yourself up. God will receive you just as you are. He will wash your garments in the blood of his son making them as white as snow. And he will put his Spirit in you to teach you, to guide you, and to change you. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Let us now move to verse 20.

Verse

20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’

Commentary

As already noted, Judas’ tortured life and death did fulfill OT prophecy. As Peter indicates, Judas’ treachery in betrayal, his death, and his replacement were foretold by King David in the Psalms. Psalm 55:12-15 clearly predicts the betrayal. Psalm 69:25 is the source of the prediction of his removal of office. And Psalm 109:8 promises his replacement. All of those quotes are in contexts that point to the time of Messiah’s death, and the Holy Spirit clearly affirms that they speak of Judas. Peter used the most compelling proof, scripture, to reassure his hearers that Judas’ defection, and their choice of his replacement, were all a part of God’s plan.