Transcription
We take our test this morning from Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26, verse 14 to 16. Matthew 26:14-16. I read from the Contemporary English version. He says, "Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 disciples. He went to the chief priests, 'How much will you give me if I help you to arrest Jesus?' They paid Judas 30 silver coins, and from then on, he started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus."
One of those major challenges you could have in life is to be a victim of the actions of folk that are treacherous, and they are everywhere. Foreign families, they exist in every large gathering of people, and sometimes they could exist even amongst your close friends and associates. And sadly too, they exist even in the church, and even among disciples, ministers of God. And so, the Bible tells us here that Judas, the man that you are about to read about, was one of the 12 disciples. Jesus had a large followership at the time, he fed five thousand of them, minus the women and children, five thousand men. We had a large fellowship, and then from among his followers, he had 70 closer disciples that he gave assignments in ministry from time to time. Then he had 12 that were chosen to be with him on a very close level and to walk with him on a very close level. So, this man, Judas Iscariot, was one of these privileged 12 to be selected to work closely with our Lord Jesus Christ.
And then the Bible tells us that he, of his own volition, went to the chief priests, the enemies of Jesus. He went to them, and what was his motivation? You see it in verse 15. He said and asked, "How much will you give me? How much will you give me if I help you to arrest Jesus?" Then they paid him 30 silver coins, and after he had been mobilized, after he had been paid, said from then on, verse 16, "From then on, he started looking for a good chance." Some of the versions will say, "is that they're looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus."
Be a victim of wicked betrayers. In Matthew chapter 10, verse 36, Matthew 10:36, King James Version, the Holy Bible says, "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." A man's foes shall be they of his own household. Living Bible, same Matthew 10:36, he says, "A man's worst enemies, worst enemies." So that means there are classifications of enemies. A man's worst enemies will be right in his own home. Sometimes it's a husband, sometimes it's a wife, sometimes it's one of the children, sometimes it could be a close relative that is living with the family in the house. Sometimes it could be one of the aids walking with a family in the house. And one of the reasons why members of one's household, very close associates, are so effective in causing damage to people that hold them in trust is because the enemies attack and conspiracy against you are best facilitated through your own close. I prefer to use the word associates instead of relatives. The agents of household wickedness succeed where enemies outside cannot. And knowing this principle, Satan had to use someone very close to Jesus to get at him. Those who know your movement in and out are better positioned to carry out evil plots against you. Those who don't have information and access to you or your assets and possessions are highly limited from carrying out evil attacks or even fraud against you. The first accusation or slander of someone close to you is always the most devastating, and this is because whatever they say against you is visually assumed to be true, primarily because of their close relationship with you. It is easier for you to be deceived by those you have known for long because you may easily believe whatever they tell you. For instance, inflated cost of goods are we either sold or purchased on your behalf by dishonest close associates. So whatever they tell you, you easily believe it. It is easier for the enemy to betray or afflict you by using those who are very close or frequently accessible to you. Take note of that. Some people may not be close to you, but they are frequently accessible to you. They are frequently accessible to you. Judas against Jesus, and Joseph's brothers against. And over and over, every day across the globe, we hear of new stories of these very treacherous and wicked acts, and see many numerous kidnap cases and a year later of the role of an inside informant in each of such cases. We have many numerous cases of poisoning or attempted poisoning that we are caused by either by trusted close associates, sometimes even a spouse or close friends. And then several assassination cases which were aided by vital information about the victim from an inside informant. I pray that everyone to cause such dimension of damage to you or your loved ones, I pray that the Lord will expose them on time and deliver you from them in the name of Jesus. We have also seen and heard, and it goes on every day, several assassination cases which were sponsored by close or trusted associates of the victims.
Now, the word treachery comes from an old French word which means to cheat. And it is an action in which someone betrays a person that holds them in trust. Treachery is a disloyal action against someone who trusts you. When you intentionally do something very mean, unfair, or damaging to someone who trusts you, treachery talks about things that are done to deceive someone that holds the treacherous person in confidence and in trust. Treachery is about willful betrayal of fidelity, confidence, or trust. It is the act of violating the confidence of another, usually for personal gain, just like the case of Judas, who is a traitor. A traitor is someone who consciously walks against the interest of someone else whose interest he is supposed to be protecting. Someone who deliberately and willfully takes certain steps against the interest of those he's supposed to be protecting their interest. A traitor is someone who betrays his close associate, and the negative actions of a traitor are qualified as betrayal. And it's very expedient that we make reference to as common illustrations possible so everybody can have a good understanding of what this is all about. And it helps because people, some people have done things in this light unknowingly. Poet understanding, they make a change. So, there are some common examples of acts of betrayal.
One, when you appear as a friend in the open, in public, but you act as an enemy in the secret. It's a traitor in the circuit.
Two, when you deliberately, not by error, now, you deliberately, you intentionally indulge in wickedness against someone you are close to or someone you pretend to like. You pretend to like the man, you pretend to like the woman, but known to the person, you deliberately indulge in wickedness against that person.
Number three, you pretend and praise the person in public, but you criticize and condemn the person secretly.
Number four, when you walk close with someone in the open as his or her reliable associate. Reliable, because we all need reliable associates, even Jesus, even Jesus needed reliable associates. We all need them for so many reasons, so many reasons. Number four. So, when you walk closely with someone in the open as his or a reliable associate, but secretly you are plotting against him or her. You are plotting against him or her. You are planning to cause damage. You are planning to sabotage the person. You are planning to spoil something good about that person.
Number five, when you walk closely with someone in the open as his or her reliable associate, but secretly you are always slandering and speaking ill against him or her. You're always speaking ill against him or her. We have seen children ask their parents some questions when they, you know, they notice the double-faced attitude of some parents towards supposed close friends of that parent. You are, you, you'll see some very, very young children say, "Daddy, why do you always talk like this about your friend? I thought he's your friend." Because they see the way their daddy or their mummy relates so warmly with the person, but behind that same person, they see certain things, they hear certain things from that same parent against that person that they pretend to like or love.
Number six, when you walk closely with someone in the open as his or a reliable associate, but secretly you are walking against or sabotaging him or her. You are walking against him, you are sabotaging him. And this happens a lot as people are providing information to the other side, and they are privileged to have that information because you are confiding in them, and are known to you, they are releasing privileged information to people that sometimes are your sworn enemies.
And number seven, when you sell into the hands of the enemy someone who has so much trust in you. That was exactly what Judas Iscariot did in the scripture we just read at the beginning.
And number eight, is breach of confidentiality. Closing to other parties a very secret or pre that you were meant to have kept to yourself and have kept to your s is betrayal. Still on that breach of confidentiality, acts like extracting information from someone in confidence only to diverge it to someone else afterwards. Helping a third party to have access to copy or even steal certain documents or information of someone you are privileged to have access to. For instance, a secretary could be, a doctor could be, a nurse could be, a lawyer could be, a real custodian could be, an account officer to be, a house help could be, a driver could be, a personal assistant could be, a security assistant.
Number nine, setting up a compromising or indicting discussion with someone and then recording it on audio or video without the knowledge of the person you set up the conversation, are you intention into that conversation, and unknown to the person, you are recording everything that he's going to say, she's going to say. Sometimes there's even a video recorded without the knowledge of that is betrayal.
And number 10, putting your phone on speaker mode to the hearing of a third party while in a confidential discussion without the knowledge or consent of the person you are speaking. And you observe this happens, it happens a lot. And please, as Christians, it is very, very wrong, very, very wrong, very, very wrong. At any time you're going to put your your phone on on speaker mode, please inform that person you are talking to immediately. Please, you are, I'm on speaker here on my phone, and there is someone with me. So the person will know that there is someone with you and not begin to discuss with you as if you are the only one hearing what he or she is saying. Now, there are five types of people that easily betray others. Five types of people.