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This podcast is brought to you by Coteau Holmes Fellowship church with sermons from 1990s to 2000s
We look at Judas and the most infamous crime ever committed, betrayed the one who loved him, betrayed his best friend with a kiss. Judas realized what he did. He betrayed his best friend. He betrayed the one who came to give his life for him. And which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?
Mike Robicheaux:And they have slain them which showed before the coming of the just one, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers. Because you're gonna have opportunity to trade someone. Because every one of us been given a holy trust. Jesus gave us a part. What he Calvary, he wrote for us a point of almighty god.
Mike Robicheaux:He took our place. The penalty had to be paid. Christ paid it for us. The 15th chapter and we're not taking up what we left from last week, but we're taking a different vein. Last Thursday as we're studying in second Samuel, we looked at the attitude of David on the persecution.
Mike Robicheaux:There's nothing wrong with having the wrong attitude when you realize that you deserve far more than what you ever got in life. We know having been, you know, been born as sinners, raised as sinners, and believe me, people, we would have made you know, we had college degrees on on being sinners. Amen? Hallelujah. Amen.
Mike Robicheaux:We were good at it. Yep. Yes, sir. And we deserved hell. We deserved to die.
Mike Robicheaux:It's not physical death the bible warns us about so much. It's that spiritual death that separates from God in a place called hell for an eternity. I just want to go there, but that's what that's the payment for, for for breaking the law. That's right. But Jesus gave us a part.
Mike Robicheaux:What he wrought from Calvary, he wrought for us a pardon from almighty God. He took our place. The penalty had to be paid. Christ paid it for us. And we realize people some things we go through life.
Mike Robicheaux:We have to understand like the attitude David had. When he was under affliction, under persecution, he just committed himself from the God who judge it righteously and God brought him through. It's an attitude you have to have in a life which we deal with and people I don't know why the Lord has turned this that way lately. He's dealing more than anything with us I think in our character. Yeah.
Mike Robicheaux:Amen. All of us have to learn. Listen, we're not there yet. The Bible says, if any man think if he know it's anything, he know it nothing yet as he ought to. We're learning.
Mike Robicheaux:God is gonna change us our characters. How is he trying to make us to be like? I mean, there has to be a, how can we call it, an example? There has to be a, you know, a a perfect, how can we say, the first one or there's another word for it, but I can't come up with it right now. But there's a certain person who's trying to make us like.
Mike Robicheaux:Right. Anybody wanna guess who that is? Jesus does. Did Jesus have that attitude? Yes.
Mike Robicheaux:Jesus had the same attitude what David had. He committed it to him who judge it right righteously. We have to commit ourselves to such a faithful creator. Amen? Amen.
Mike Robicheaux:Listen, he hadn't gotten lost control of everything. He's gotten he's control of everything that's going on. He hadn't lost control of your life and he hadn't forgotten about you. No. Come on, brother.
Mike Robicheaux:We're gonna look at another attitude this morning as we're gonna entitle it it betrayed. It's a lesson we're gonna have to learn because I guarantee by the time you finish this life, if you haven't been already, you are going to be betrayed by people. Hello? You're going to be betrayed by people and Jesus is gonna teach you something. Next thing is you're gonna have to learn not to become a betrayer.
Mike Robicheaux:Hello? The 15th chapter, first verse, came to pass that after this that Absalom prepared him 50 chariots of horses and 50 men to run before him. A little further down in the 6th verse, and on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the King for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. Father, in Jesus name, we thank you for this morning as we gather ourselves together in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us.
Mike Robicheaux:Poured out upon us the Holy Ghost that we Lord God in turn have the ability both to proclaim and to receive and to understand your truth that we may profit thereby. Open our hearts and understanding we pray in Jesus's mighty name. And all God's saints said, amen. Amen. A man could steal a lot of things and it's pretty bad, but the Bible speaks of a particular sin called called called a what's we call that again?
Mike Robicheaux:Betrayal. Betrayal. I mean, went around and stole the hearts of the men of Israel. Now how in the world does somebody do that? Well, you just read I'm not trying to rehash everything again, but you read what Absalom did.
Mike Robicheaux:He realized that, he had his eyes on something. He wanted to be king now. David, because of his sin, suffered a lot. His oldest son, Amon should have been the next king in line, but then he raped his sister Tamar, that who happened to be Absalom's brother. 2 years later, Absalom took revenge on Amon and killed him.
Mike Robicheaux:Absalom was in exile for what 2 or 3 years and when he came back he had his plan. I'm gonna work and manipulate it to where I'll get everybody on my side besides I got the looks, the intelligence. I mean, I'm better than my father and I think I could make a better king. So he began to work his way around and, you know, he conspired he conspired against his own father, meaning betrayed him until now we find what we've read, you know, the the troubles that David had to face being on the run, because of his son. David wouldn't fight him.
Mike Robicheaux:Hello. But that's the first betrayal you have to understand. What does the word betray mean? I'm gonna quickly pull up a few notes but it's taken from a root word that we generally know as a traitor. All of us know pretty much what a traitor is.
Mike Robicheaux:You're supposed to have your allegiance with 1 faction or person, and then next thing you know that they've changed it. But these are the main the main words we're going to look at. It means to lead astray, to seduce, to deliver to an enemy by treachery, and to fail to exert especially in time of need or to disclose in violation of confidence. So, remember all those definitions. We're gonna learn a few things this morning as we learn that we don't wanna get in that place.
Mike Robicheaux:Amen. Again, I'm gonna remind you, you're never gonna stop that you're gonna be betrayed one day. Okay. Remember that that's towards the end. I'm trying to keep some things for you to keep it focused in mind.
Mike Robicheaux:You have to understand the sin betrayal is one of them that God hates probably more than any of them, you know. It's like a brother, it's sword discord, that's the 7th thing that God hates and the worst thing. But betrayal of someone who you can really trust and depend on all of a sudden that they're, they're doing everything they can to destroy you. David was no stranger to betrayals. You can read in in first Samuel the 23rd chapter, there was a little bitty town.
Mike Robicheaux:What was that that name in the 23rd chapter, 1st Samuel? Kurt Kurtzites? Let me quickly look that up. Anyhow, I got something better than that. I'm a go through a few notes.
Mike Robicheaux:The Kurtites. Well, I read that about David. Yeah. Yeah. I don't remember where it's at.
Mike Robicheaux:Yes. Kilach. Kilach. And David said, oh, Lord God of Israel, thy servant has certainly heard that Saul seeketh to to come to kill to destroy for my sake. Will the men of kill to live me up to this hand?
Mike Robicheaux:And Saul came will Saul come down as thy servant has heard? And the Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell me tell thy servant. The Lord said he will come down. And David said, will the men of Kia delivered me up and my man to his hand? They will deliver me up.
Mike Robicheaux:Now remember David was on the run from King Saul, and, they heard that the Philistines were were attacking this certain city called Kila, and they were taking their crops. I mean, they harvest all year long they work. So David said, you want me to go rescue them? And he inquired of the Lord. And the Lord said, go and rescue them.
Mike Robicheaux:And he went, he risked 600 men against an army of the Philistines. They overcame them, and their gratitude was that that when they heard Saul find out where he was at, would they protect him or betray him? So he went like we should do. He asked God and God said they're gonna betray you. They're gonna give you up.
Mike Robicheaux:Boy, that's a slap in the face. Yeah. Reach your arm and neck in life and they're gonna be trimmed. And then right after that, you read in the 23rd chapter. Again, there's a little, town little group people called the Zipites.
Mike Robicheaux:The zips. Zip it. The same thing. It was like you read in first Samuel about Nabal who David protected the herdsmen right there in the field so it was with them. These are herdsmen.
Mike Robicheaux:David protected them and watched over them. David made sure that they were safe. You know what they did in turn? They ran to Saul twice and said we know where David's at. He said you just get yourself ready.
Mike Robicheaux:We're gonna tell you where he's at and we're gonna bring him out to you. Now, I mean, what betrayal after betrayal. David knew what betrayal was. It it it never is fun, never looks good, but, betrayal is something that is hard to to overcome in life. Would you believe that?
Mike Robicheaux:Yes. Okay. I wanna read you a note I found about the Zephites and the Keliites. We're like any godless man, always seeking favors at the expense of betraying others. The Kehalites have been saved by David and his men from the Philistine betrayed him to Saul.
Mike Robicheaux:The Ziphites were protected by David's men and nevertheless, they told Saul what he wanted to know. You know, people I guess I'm not telling you nothing that you don't know already. If you've been involved in what this race called life, you understand sometimes the character of people, right? We read in a lot of great men have been brought down by betrayal. You can read in Samson's great man like he was.
Mike Robicheaux:He just had a bad character trait of of, falling in love with strange women. Hello? Yes. I mean, for some reason, Sam Samson put all his trust in the women that he loved. He'd find out that they never truly loved him, but yet he put all his confidence in them.
Mike Robicheaux:But the last and most dangerous one was the one we called Delilah. Man, here he he trusted us so much, loved us so much, Though he knew what she was after, wanted to find the source of his strength, deceived him time after time till finally he could take it no more, told her all of her heart, and she in turn turned him over to the Philistine. They put his eyes out, called him to to grind in a mill like an animal, and eventually, he it cost him his life. Now, all this was what we call betrayal. I'm just trying to give you a picture of what it is is that when people wanna get back at you or they wanna please somebody else, they're going to betray you.
Mike Robicheaux:Okay. Getting back to David. David is is our main answers, essence that we need to learn a lesson from. David learned now something else. He learned that his son now was against him.
Mike Robicheaux:And, what hurt him probably more than anything, even David, greater than he was, had close friend, close advisors. He went to them when he had problems, so he he was he probably is confident. These men knew his heart. There was one man in particular called a Hithopel, you ever heard of him? A Hithopel, now the news came to David in 2nd Samuel 1531, and one told David said, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.
Mike Robicheaux:And David said, oh, Lord, I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Ahithophel was his closest friend. Ahithophel was his closest adviser. So much so it says this about Ahithophel. In 2nd Samuel 1623, and the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days was as if a man had inquired of the oracles of God.
Mike Robicheaux:Can you imagine going to a man that when you spoke to him, it was like God himself speaking to you. So close a friend. You said, listen, I got this problem. That man would say, well, listen, this is what I feel god wants you to do and when he talked, he built confidence in you. You know that man, you can put your full confidence and trust in him.
Mike Robicheaux:But this man, Ahithophel, turned his back on David and became his enemy and came over to his inner side his own son who had betrayed him. Why did he do this? Well, if you read real carefully, Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather. His son is her father. And Hythephael was close to David, he knew what was going on.
Mike Robicheaux:He saw how he seduced his daughter, Bathsheba, then to cover it up, had his son-in-law murdered. And I'll think that that it was some repercussions there. Yeah. Because some saw somehow within his heart, he wanted to get even with David, though he was a trusted friend. Though he loved David at one time, now he saw his opportunity to revenge himself of what David had did.
Mike Robicheaux:Now this is the strange part about him and I want to read it to you. David had a strange knack of when he went through situations in life, He wrote it down in what we call Psalms. Somehow his feelings, his his trials, he put them down what we call these sacred Psalms and it revealed a lot. I mean, like, when he was a young lad, he wrote, like, Psalm 23. The lord is my shepherd.
Mike Robicheaux:I should not want. Well, how did he learn that? Well, we looked at that time before. Sitting out there in the fields, you know, watching his father's flock. He understood, hey, god is just my shepherd just like I am to these sheep.
Mike Robicheaux:Well, he wrote this in Psalms 41:9. He said, yea, mine own familiar friend whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread has lifted up his heel against me. Psalm 55 in verse 12 to 16 says, for it was not an enemy that reproach me for then I could have borne it. Neither was he that hated me that it magnify himself against me. Then would I have hid myself from him, but it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, mine acquaintance.
Mike Robicheaux:We took sweet counsel together and walked into the house of God in company. David was talking about his friend Ahithophel, his best friend, close adviser, the one who knew his heart, the one who David went to with everything to get counsel. He said, now he's lifted up his heel against me. And we noticed this. There's something about that sin of betrayal that almost always seems to bring immediate judgment.
Mike Robicheaux:Because David, the next word says let death seize upon them. Let them go down quick to hell for wickedness is in their dwelling. And among them for, as for me, I will call upon God and the Lord shall say, what do we mean by that? You just read in second Samuel. You read about Ahithophel.
Mike Robicheaux:He gave counsel to Absalom, what they ought to do. Now that David was fled to the wilderness, Absalom gave the right advice. He said, get the armies together. Go after David and get him now. Kill him and all the men that are following him.
Mike Robicheaux:But David had another friend. You know what? What was his name that I'll remember. I'll get it after a while, but anyhow, he gave advice to Absa. I asked him his.
Mike Robicheaux:I know he was a little a little fella, it sounds like. But it says this, That he they chose the advice of the other and there's something about Ohithophel. He knew enough about God to realize that God had turned against him now. He knew the advice he gave was right. He knew the advice the other was given was not necessarily wrong, but it wasn't right for that time.
Mike Robicheaux:And because they rejected his advice, he saddled up his donkey, went back to his hometown, got his affairs in honor, took a rope and hung himself. Now, I may be going at it the wrong way but it's something, How betraying a best friend always has a a repercussion. Just as David said, let death seize upon them. It wasn't long. That seized upon them.
Mike Robicheaux:Okay. I need to move on. I got so much I want to cover and I'm a cover what I can, but we know that in parallel it spoke of another purpose. It was a double fulfillment. It spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mike Robicheaux:We know the Lord Jesus Christ was perfect. Never did one sin. Always did good. Acts 10:19, how Jesus went about doing good, healing all that were pressed for the devil for God was with him. There was never another man like Jesus, but yet Jesus taught people how to love.
Mike Robicheaux:When Jesus chose out his disciples, he chose out the best there was. They weren't necessarily men of rank, men of power, men of education as the Bible says about every one of our calling. Not many mighty, not many wise, not many noble are called, but God has shown the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. That when, you know, these apostles, these disciples who are gonna take his place after Christ went back to heaven, there was nothing in looking like them that you'd say, well, these are great men of, great wisdom. Because when the 4th chapter, they stood before the Sanhedrin, they said about the apostles, you know, they looked at these men.
Mike Robicheaux:They were unlearned and ignorant men, but they took note that they had been with Jesus. Jesus had transformed these fishermen, tax collectors, you name into mighty men of God to where, when they proclaimed the gospel, miracles would happen. They would turn the world upside down. But he had one particular disciple, started off good. His name was Judas.
Mike Robicheaux:Now Mia was was teaching right now. I didn't know that she's teaching on teaching the kids, you know, the 12 apostles, they would forget it and then Janice said I didn't realize there was 2 Judas before and there was, so we got to distinguish there was 2 Judases. And, how do we how do we distinguish which Judas was which? I got an easy way. Matthew 10:14 when he lists it, it gets down to Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him.
Mike Robicheaux:How'd you like to have, be known by something throughout eternity as something that you did. I mean, it's the only time he ever did it, but now he is known as the betrayer. Amen. How'd you like to have a name? You know, here's Felix.
Mike Robicheaux:He's the one who betrayed me. Yeah. Come on. That ain't a good title, if you like. But Jesus picked out 12 handpicked men.
Mike Robicheaux:Yes. It does say that Jesus knew from the beginning who it was that would betray him, but when he picked him out, he was not such a man. He was just like the rest. He was handpicked. He got filled with the Holy Ghost.
Mike Robicheaux:He preached the gospel to the poor. He healed the sick. He did miracles in Jesus' name. He did everything the rest of them did, and, it just came to a certain point. I mean Jesus loved him tremendously like he did all the rest of him, but something happened.
Mike Robicheaux:I believe personally, and the Bible kinda bears it out. The reason being that he realized what Jesus was saying now. Yes. He was the Messiah, but all along, somewhere in there, Judas had a love of riches and money. And one time when this woman came in, she was weeping and she cried on Jesus' feet and wiped it with the you know, she that's when she anointed with all.
Mike Robicheaux:That's the with that anointment. Amen. And it was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus and then wiped his, you know, with the hairs of her head. And and Judas is the one who said, why would they make such a waste? Yes.
Mike Robicheaux:Why didn't they take that ointment and sell it and give it to the poor? Not that he carried to the poor, the Bible said, but that he carried the bag and that he was a thief, and Jesus reproved him. Remember that? Yeah. It seemed like from that point on it says, Matthew 2616, and from that time he sought the opportunity to betray him.
Mike Robicheaux:It's something about a heart that turns against someone who loved him so much, and no one can ever say Jesus didn't love him, didn't do everything for him. Jesus gave him opportunity after opportunity to repent when they sat down for the last supper, Matthew 26/21 and as they did eat Jesus said, verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me. It floored all of them. Every last one of them didn't know who he was talking about. Not a one of them suspected Judas.
Mike Robicheaux:Hello? Yeah. They saw everything in him what they saw in the other. A man who was kind, who was loving, who was following Christ, but inside his heart, a seed was planted because it says that. Now I don't wanna read the one where it says in John, Satan haven't put into the heart of Judas to betray him.
Mike Robicheaux:All the disciples as they were sitting there said, who who is this? Is it I? Is it I? Jesus gave an answer. Matthew 2623, and He answered and said, he that dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
Mike Robicheaux:The son of man goeth as it's written of him, but woe to him whom the son of man is betrayed. It had been good for him that that man had not been born, that Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, master, is it I? And he said unto him, thou hast said yeah. I don't know if Judas himself couldn't believe it, but I do know when it's finished. Jesus told Judas what you do, do quickly.
Mike Robicheaux:And he got up and he went. Yeah. Yeah. It was in his heart. Jesus went out that same night to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Mike Robicheaux:There he bought his disciples with him, picked out 3 of them, g, Peter, James, and John. He said, you sit right here and watch with me, pray with me. And as he prayed, they fell asleep. The third time he came back find him asleep it says Matthew 2645, and he comes to the disciples and said sleep on now and take your rest behold the hour is at hand. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hand of sinners.
Mike Robicheaux:Rise, let us be going. Behold, he that is at hand that doest betray me. Matthew 2648. Now he that betrayed him gave him a sign saying, whomsoever I shall kiss, the same is he, hold him fast. Matthew 27:4, saying I have sinned and I have betrayed the innocent blood.
Mike Robicheaux:Judas realized what he did. He betrayed his best friend. He betrayed the one who came to give his life for him, But yet because he he he wanted that money, he wanted some kind of, didn't want the plan that Jesus had for his life. That he went to his very enemies, the Sanhedrin, and sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and gathered and told him, I'll find a convenient time and I'll tell you when to come get him. Now I don't know what he thought his thoughts were.
Mike Robicheaux:Maybe he thought like before Jesus many times was tried, you know, to be arrested. They tried to kill him, but Jesus all always walked away. I don't know if Judas thought, well, I'd get the 30 piece of silver. Jesus is gonna walk away and they won't touch him and everything will be alright. But he when he saw Jesus on trial, this was the real thing.
Mike Robicheaux:He wasn't gonna escape this time. It was determined. Jesus was to die. He had to die. But he Bible says he repented of what he did.
Mike Robicheaux:Well, isn't that good enough? After all, I just read you. It says he went back to these Pharisees and said, I have sinned and that I betrayed the innocent blood. But they said, what is that to us? See, thou do it.
Mike Robicheaux:See he couldn't find himself forgiveness. He was probably sorry for what he did, but he didn't wasn't repented of what he did. And again like a Hippopel he went out and hung himself. Something about that sin of betrayal that it so ruins the human life. So it almost seems like there's no reason to live, or is it that God's judgment falls immediately?
Mike Robicheaux:It's something that I think we need to look at. If we compare Ahithophel and Judas there's 10 similarities, they're both friends of their masters. I read to you in Psalm 5512, but it was not an enemy that reproach me, well then I could abort. If it had been someone I didn't like, someone that that was already against me, but he was my best friend. Turn this back on me.
Mike Robicheaux:They were both betrayed and reproach by their former friends. Not only did they leave them, they said things about them they should have never said. Both of them were lovers of their master. At one time they both loved Ahithophel and Judas loved their masters. Both magnified themselves against their best friends.
Mike Robicheaux:Both betrayed the trust placed in them. Both were equals in trust, both were guides and counselors, both were acquaintances known by their masters, both had sweet fellowship with their masters, and both worship their masters, but yet they betrayed him. That's a hard thing to do people, but we have to understand it happened. God did not predestine Judas to betray his master. Whenever we see prophecy, however the Bible speaks about, about predestination, it's not God planning it that way, he's only foretelling the future what's gonna happen.
Mike Robicheaux:So we have to take heed about what God knows. We read that that there's some things we have to learn. There was a story in the book of Judges about a certain Levite. He was just wandering around when he should have been at the tent the the tabernacle ministering to God. And it was in such a time the Bible says when every man did what was right in his own sight, there was no king.
Mike Robicheaux:And he ran across a certain man called Micah. Now Micah was quite a unscrupulous person. Remember he took some money from his mother and finally he confessed to his mama and said, I took it and said, well, after all, I was gonna take that silver and make some tear off him or some idols for you. And so he went ahead and did and they put it in their little room where they had all kind of idols. Remember again, it was in a time where every man just did what was right in his own sight.
Mike Robicheaux:And we read about them is is that when he ran across this Levi, he said, who? Well, I'm a Levi of the tribe of of Levi and, you know, I'm of the priesthood. He said, well, I'll tell you what we will do. If you come and live with me, I'll give you 10 shekels of silver and a garment or a shirt to wear. And because of that it says it says that, so the Levite went in and the Levite was content to dwell with the man and the young man was at unto him as one of his sons.
Mike Robicheaux:How do you like that? Sold his calling for 10 shekels in a shirt. A power back, been a couple of years ago, I heard a sermon by that by an old or it's old. I mean, it's it's a classic. You ought to read it because it's basically what we got Christianity down to today.
Mike Robicheaux:Almost in what we call the popular church today, it's a business, it's a profession, it's a career for a lot of men. Give them 10 shekels in a shirt, and they'll tell you whatever you wanna hear. No longer do it seem like we have very many, they have some men of God who's gonna tell you the truth. 10 shekels in the search, they'll sell anything because next time we read about the tribe of Dan, they were looking for new ground to go. They came across this man, Micah's house and they ran across this Levi.
Mike Robicheaux:I said, what you doing here? He said, well, I'm hard. I'm the man's priest. He treats me like a son. I get 10 shekels in the shirt every year.
Mike Robicheaux:He said, well, that's so he said, listen. We're going to move on to a bigger ground. So why don't you come be with us? Why don't you come be our priesthood? Read reads like this in Judges chapter 18 in verse verse 19.
Mike Robicheaux:It is better for you to be a priest into the house of 1 man or that thou tribe and the family in Israel. God was glad as he took Depo, tear up him, graven image, and went in the midst of the people. He said, you're right. He sold out, betrayed Micah, and went on with this whole tribe. You see, there's just something about a man of a character like this.
Mike Robicheaux:It's at any anybody's expense, if he can better himself, He'll do it. No matter who he hurts. Amen? Amen. Betrayals.
Mike Robicheaux:Betrayals. Jesus tells us something people. As being Christians and this is why I'm getting to a point, I'm not gonna keep you a whole lot longer. Do you know being a Christian you're called to stand for things that's not popular? I do know we have to bear goodwill, teach the goodness and the mercies of God to a lost and dying world, but not all the world wants to hear God's truth.
Mike Robicheaux:Hello? Amen. Especially if they're religious. I mean, in Jesus when he walked the earth in his days, it it wasn't the outright sinner that gave Jesus problem. When they heard Jesus preach, they flocked to him.
Mike Robicheaux:Amen. Because religion gave him no hope. If they were sinners, if they were sick, or if they had a a deformity, they couldn't even come to church. Pharisees looked down on them and said, hey, you're not as good as us, but something different about Jesus. It says he went in amongst them.
Mike Robicheaux:In fact, he got criticized by the Pharisee. Don't you know he told the disciples your master eateth and drink it with the publicans and sinners? Well Jesus said that's what he's called for. Son of man came to seek and to save them that were lost. Well anyhow, Jesus is telling us as his followers as he did to the early church, as he talks to the church all the way down through the church age, there are certain things you're going to have to watch as a Christian, hello?
Mike Robicheaux:Matthew 24:10 Jesus said this, now in the 24 chapters when Jesus was answering the question that when would be this, you know, what's going to be the signs of the end of the world and and and his coming back. And one of them he says, and many can be offended and shall betray one another and hate one another. Now that don't sound good. I was looking at in the end, Dave, you know, in in Kingdom Now Teaching, which believe it or not a lot of your seeker sensitive churches are beginning to adhere to this teaching. They no longer believe in the sudden coming of or imminent coming of Christ where Christ is coming back in the rapture of the church to catch away his church before the last days.
Mike Robicheaux:They have a new doctrines that they teach now that the Church is going to rise up with such revival it's going to overtake the world and almost all the world is going to be saved and then they're going to present the world to Christ on his return. I mean that would be an issue for him to believe. That's what I would like to believe, but probably the Bible doesn't say that. Right. The Bible states plainly it's gonna get worse.
Mike Robicheaux:There'll be days of apostrophe apostasy. And Jesus said this Jesus said that there's coming such a time of tribulation such as was never before in the face of the earth neither shall be afterwards. And his warnings went out mainly to the nation of Israel, but also, you know, it's gonna influence his body. The brother shall betray the brother to death, the father to the son. The children shall rise up against their parents and shall cause them be put to death.
Mike Robicheaux:Luke 21 16, you shall betray both my parents and brethren and kinfolks and friends and some of you they shall cause to be put to death. Now please understand this people because you see if we don't teach you these things you won't know how to handle it when the time come. Jesus you know, that's you know I learned it from? Jesus. 13th chapter, 16th chapter of John.
Mike Robicheaux:Jesus said, I'm telling you these things beforehand so when they come to pass, you may know Amen. That you don't be offended, that you don't backslide, you don't give up, and say, well, lord, we didn't expect this. Jesus tells ahead of time. That's what we're trying to tell you. There could be a point of time.
Mike Robicheaux:Now we're okay. If the rapture happens today, don't worry about what I said. Just, you know, throw that in the trash bin and what I said won't have nothing ever have to do with you again. Because once you get to be in heaven, you'll never have to worry about a person up there betraying you. Okay?
Mike Robicheaux:Alright? You understand that? Yeah. But in the meantime, we don't know how far we're going. I didn't say that.
Mike Robicheaux:Please notice I've never told a one of you your life will never be without trouble or tribulation or persecution. You've never heard me say that. You can we can well go into great great persecution. We could end up in prison. We could be put to death before the tribulation ever I do know the rapture will happen before the tribulation start, but we know the world that we live in is changing.
Mike Robicheaux:We know the the attitude of popular religion and of government that it's against true Christianity. It'll accept anything but the truth, but we should expect it. That's the way Jesus said it would be. And we can expect that even within this body of Christ, you're gonna have some people who are not committed to Christ or maybe they're gonna go through some things that people we don't understand. They're gonna go through some things that we would probably done the same thing and we're gonna get betrayed if we come to that point.
Mike Robicheaux:Don't hold it against them people. You'd probably done the same thing if you would probably get tortured or something. Well, I'm really making a painting a bad picture for yard eye. I'm just trying to teach you a lesson. Attitude again and character, what is gonna build you.
Mike Robicheaux:You're gonna have to learn in the life which you live in. People who do not love Jesus Christ are not trustworthy. They need to be converted. That's why they need Jesus. They need to learn what true love is.
Mike Robicheaux:You see in the world, love is as long as you do me good, I'll do you good. You treat me right, I'll do you right. But in the world, no matter what you do for them, if they find something better, a better opportunity, they'll betray you. Why do you think there's so many broken marriages in this country where we find almost 50% of the the of, you know, married folks ending in divorce. Some places 3 quarters of them.
Mike Robicheaux:And now I know they said statistics are dropping. I know they're dropping. They just don't get married no more. Right. It's like they've been saying the FBI saying, man, murder rates are dropping.
Mike Robicheaux:They are. We got 45,000,000 unborn children murdered, over 12,000,000 a year. And they're gonna say the murder rate is dropping? Yeah. Come on now.
Mike Robicheaux:Amen. Amen, brother. But please understand, in marriage, you know, they're sworn before God, You know, through through better, for worse, and riches, and and poverty, to to help. No matter what, I swear I'm gonna be faithful to this person. Yeah.
Mike Robicheaux:Words are cheap. Please understand human nature. Don't get bent out of shape if it happens to you. It hurts like it did for David, like it did for Jesus. Alright.
Mike Robicheaux:You're still here? I want to read a note because I don't know how to frame it in my own speech, you know, but it talks about what Jesus talked about in all the Gospels that we were betrayed by parents, by brethren. It's almost inconceivable when it pictures the power of demon religions in the control of their victims. Religion calls the first betrayal and death. They were talking about Genesis 4 about Abel and Cain.
Mike Robicheaux:But I'd go back further than that. Adam and Eve betrayed the one who loved them more than anything. And it will cause the last ones and it goes through many many many references in the book of Revelation which I don't have time to get into. How many are going to be killed by popular religion? Babylon the great which is a religious system.
Mike Robicheaux:False religion has caused men to commit every known crime and the lowest of deeds while at the same time making them think they're doing God service and their inhuman deeds were righteous. Remember what they did to Jesus? They thought they were doing God a favor by killing. He was blaspheming, saying he was the son of God. And then when that didn't work, they threatened Paz and said, if you don't have him crucified, we're gonna we're gonna turn you into Caesar saying you favor another king but him.
Mike Robicheaux:What kind of heart does religion have? They have to betray an expense to get their way. Yeah. Alright. We have to learn in the last days, people, some things.
Mike Robicheaux:Paul knew that he was going on to Jerusalem and there he'd never see a lot of the people that he in his years of of missionary work and establishing churches. But one church in mind he had while he was going towards Jerusalem, he would be arrested, he would be brought to Rome, eventually be executed. He called together the elders of the pastors and the churches in the area of Ephesus and his closing words were this in acts 20 verse 28. He said, take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which God over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers to feed the church of God which he has purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my deporting shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Mike Robicheaux:Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves. Therefore watch and remember that by the space of 3 years I cease not to warn every one of you day and night. And so it's been from a church age, God has always destined and his will was for the church to have perfect unity. Day of acting in one place and one accord and look what they did. Look at the works they accomplished because the church constantly worked in one heart.
Mike Robicheaux:The devil knew how to begin to undo it. The devil knew that beginning to make schisms and splits and boy, let me tell you. What we call Christianity today, look at the visions. The world says Christianity is Catholicism. I mean, you read any article.
Mike Robicheaux:When they talk about when they whenever the news or somebody talks about Christianity, they're not talking about evangelical Christianity, they're not talking about protestant Christianity, They're talking about Catholic Christianity, which most of us come out of. Right. That is their goal. That's what they want. That's what they would say.
Mike Robicheaux:That is the ideal religion. You live like you want. No real changes. You look like the world, act like the world, taste like the world. I mean and and yet they say, well, this is Christianity in that you have a priest that goes to god for you and you know, everything is done.
Mike Robicheaux:As you're a boy, baptized a baby, man, you can't miss it. All you had to do is do that step and you're going to heaven. And then it breaks off into this one to Lutheranism, Calvinism. I mean, you name it. They got so many so many so many denominations and and subheadings of of Christianity that where is where the devil wanted it?
Mike Robicheaux:Who has the truth? And then you get amongst people. I was raised, like I said, when I got saved at 30 2 years ago, since then, I ain't never seen such church splits. I mean, hell, as I started going, like I said, we had the little church here when we've been through our share. Believe me.
Mike Robicheaux:And brother Willis is where I first started going over there. All I know is he came in from overseas, and next thing you know is the, you know, in other word, the pastor assistant pastor, then took half the church to start another church. I mean, and that ain't just that church. Everywhere you look, it's always somebody rising up and making another split to where the church now is almost laughed at. There's always people from within with ambition, wanting to say I could do better like Absalom and they began to woo people to themselves and next thing you know you're betrayed.
Mike Robicheaux:But nevertheless people, we understand that's what he's saying. Problem is you're more than likely in your lifetime you'll be betrayed by someone you've loved very much. Can you overcome it? Bible says of David, he had one good thing. He encouraged himself in the Lord.
Mike Robicheaux:Yeah. Jesus went before the Lord and committed himself unto him saying, not my will, father, but yours be done. Yeah. And he was able to withstand. He did.
Mike Robicheaux:He set his face like a flit, and he would did what the father told him to do. Next thing is people is that you're gonna have the opportunity to betray someone because every one of us been given a holy trust. We look at Judas and the most infamous crime ever committed. Betrayed the one who loved him, betrayed his best friend with a kiss. But in acts 752 it speaks of a Stephen was preached before the Sanhedrin.
Mike Robicheaux:They had arrested Stephen and they had a mock trial where they brought in false witnesses because they wanted him dead. He was one of the first original deacons of the church, he was confounding their scholars, Miracles were being done, souls were being won. So they brought him in as a criminal and they could try him for blasphemy, for saying that there's another king coming and there was. But towards the end of his sermon, he said in acts 752, in which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before the coming of the just one, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers.
Mike Robicheaux:Can you imagine? Not only was Judas guilty of betraying their master, but the whole nation of Israel when Jesus presented Himself before them did such mighty signs and wonders and miracles that they could not doubt that he was who he said he was. He was their Messiah, the Son of God. But they rejected him. And in rejected him, he said, they have now become the be his betrayers.
Mike Robicheaux:That's powerful. Yes, lord. But you know, we live in a world very much the same. The gospel is being proclaimed to all men everywhere. People are gonna have an opportunity to hear the gospel of the lord Jesus Christ.
Mike Robicheaux:But needless to say, they're gonna he's gonna be rejected. That's one thing. Last verse we're going to use in 1st Corinthians 11/23, the Apostle Paul saying how he received by revelation the what we call the ordinance of the last supper. And he explained it so accurately but in 1st Corinthians 11 23 he said, for I have received the Lord that which I also delivered unto you. How that the Lord, in the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.
Mike Robicheaux:You understand the ramifications that Paul now? His writings are gonna be read in every Christian church in all the world until the time Christ comes back. Because we're commanded to observe the lord's supper as often as you do it. Do it in remembrance of him till he comes back. And once he comes back, it's not gonna be held no more.
Mike Robicheaux:But one major facet the night that he was betrayed. The night that he was betrayed. Again, I told you in the beginning, the word betrayed comes the word traitor. And over the years, all through the church age, we've had people who came to Christ and they backslid. Yep.
Mike Robicheaux:They went away. If I'm correct in what I read in the bible, they're considered traitors. They betrayed the very one who loved them. People, something about the heart of man, I don't know who it is, but it's just that they they they a heart that's not anchored in Christ Jesus can be driven in a lot of ways. David David as I said could have been very discouraged and could have took revenge himself, but he committed unto him who was gonna judge faith into God and God brought him out of all his troubles.
Mike Robicheaux:Though he was betrayed, he knew what was gonna happen. Never seen a betrayal who didn't meet the judgment of God. The people at the same time, just remember this, that you're gonna have the opportunity. Read the New Testament. I always thought when I first got saved, I would read the New Testament and would read the people who had such unity, got along, loved each other, but constantly in the epistles, Paul had to admonish them.
Mike Robicheaux:You know, forgiving one another. Maybe that's Christ forgiving us. He said why don't you rather take take wrong? And, you know, he and he constantly had to deal with Christians about how to how to live like a Christian life. Mhmm.
Mike Robicheaux:Put that all together, we can understand. People can betray one another. I don't want to. I'm not going to. But people, just be careful that we understand this.
Mike Robicheaux:Betrayal is never, it's one of the crimes God doesn't put up with. We're called to love people. When someone puts confidence in you, hey, it's worth dying for. Christ gave his all for you. Let me close right now.
Mike Robicheaux:Every head bow, I need to ask a question. If there's somebody here who's not born again, Maybe you're here and you've never heard the gospel or maybe you don't stand the gospel would try to make it plain. How God sent his only son into the world to save sinners. Who's that sinner? Any and all qualify for that.
Mike Robicheaux:The Bible says all have sinned to come short of the glory of God. The Bible tells if we die in this condition we will perish in a place called hell. You may say, well, I don't believe in a hell. I don't believe in a life after death. Well, I go all over across the south and there's gambling casinos all over the place that people are willing to gamble everything they had against odds that they will not win, yet they still go.
Mike Robicheaux:The Bible tells us life as it is. It just gives us the fact that we choose to believe it or not, but the problem is that you know once you die there won't be a second chance. If you're wrong and position you're taking on life, man, you got everything to lose. But if the bible is right and it is, there is a hell to escape and a heaven to gain. And there's only one way the Bible gives us.
Mike Robicheaux:It's not through religion. It's not through good works. Not through keeping of the law. Restricted by the grace of God. And the only way that grace is given by you accepting Jesus Christ as your savior for he is the only one that can save you.
Mike Robicheaux:Jesus said except the man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. How does a man be born again? Jesus simplified in the book of Matthew and said except you repent and be converted. Become as this little child you shall know why Enter the kingdom of God. You must humble yourself before a holy God.
Mike Robicheaux:Turn away from your sins. Ask Jesus to save you. And the bible says in Romans 10/14, whosoever would call upon the name of the lord shall be saved. For the Bible says if we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess it with our mouth, we shall be saved. It's not hard.
Mike Robicheaux:You just just gotta realize what the option is. Option is you reject it, and you think you never have to face the holy God, you will. You may say, well, you know, I'll have another chance later on. You may not. Is anyone here not born again?
Mike Robicheaux:But don't let me stop there. There's someone here that are not right with God. You've accepted Christ as your savior. You get in your heart, you're on the verge of traitor being a traitor to the one who loves you. In your heart, you're getting ready to turn back to where you come from.
Mike Robicheaux:Please, don't let the title that Judas had be your title.
Lanny Hayes:I'm pastor pastor Lainie Hayes from the Coto Holmes Fellowship Church. I would like to lead you in a prayer of salvation. If you don't know Jesus, pray with me that your soul could be made right, that you can find Jesus in your life and come and change you. Dear God in heaven, I ask you to forgive me for all my sins, to come into my life, to turn my heart towards you. I renounce this world and all its earthly goods.
Lanny Hayes:I come to you believing that you died and rose again, Lord Jesus, and that you're coming back to get your church. I believe that you're the redeemer of all mankind. I ask you right now to forgive me for all of my sins, to come into my heart and to save me, to change me, that I may be more like you. Take away every sin, every reproach I ever made against you, lord. In Jesus' name, thank you, lord Jesus.
Lanny Hayes:Hallelujah. If you have you have said this prayer with me, give God the glory for now you're saved and now you're redeemed. If you really meant it in your heart, Christ has come into your life. God bless