John 12:1-9 – Final Answer – Bible study

John 12:1-9 Final Answer A few years ago, a popular game show titled, "Who wants to be a millionaire?" was born. The show offered contestants the opportunity to make as much as 1 million dollars by answering a series of questions. To make the show more interesting, contestants could ask the audience or call on someone obey knew for help. They were also encouraged to think aloud as they reasoned to their chosen answer. To be certain they had finished the reasoning process and because their answer could be worth so much money, before accepting the final answer the host would ask, "Is that your final answer?" Often the question was shortened to just two words, "Final answer?" We are getting very close to the week of our Lords death, burial, and resurrection. Although the event happened over 2,000 years, we remember the event every week. It would have been around this time that some of the main characters in Jesus crucifixion were making up their minds what they would do with Jesus. Their final answer was being given. Two of those characters are found in our text. First is Judas and the second is a woman named Mary. Lets consider the lives of these two as they approached their final answer. I. Lets Meet Judas A. We know very little about Judas origin. His calling is not given to us in the Bible. He merely appeared as one of the twelve men called by Jesus when Jesus sought an elite group of men to accompany him. \#Matt 10:4, Mark 3:19, Lk 6:16\ 1. It is interesting that through the gospels, he is spoken about, most often as the one who will betray Jesus, but we dont actually get to meet the man until this account which is just days ahead of his betrayal and Jesus crucifixion. 2. Even so, Judas was often included and referred to by the term "the twelve." B. Judas, although never saved, was given the same power to perform miracles that the other disciples were given. Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. 1. This is another reason why you should understand that the ability to perform miracles is no proof of being right with God. a. The devil and his crowd can do miracles too. b. Remember Pharaohs magicians? c. Jesus warned us. Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 2. The life of Jesus was an unusual time when even the disciples of Jesus had to be convinced that Jesus was the Messiah and trust Him. a. Judas seemed to have been a man who struggled with finalizing his decision. He stayed a part of the disciples but struggled with assurance until he made his final decision. b. Many of you have likewise straddled the fence on Jesus. You believe one day to want to follow Him, but you wonder the next day whether there is really anything to the Bible or not. Do you understand that everyone must make a final decision? C. Notice that Judas had to be a very trusted disciple. 1. Our text tells us that Judas was the disciples treasurer \#John 12:6, 13:29\. Unfortunately, it must have been discovered after his death, that he was also a thief for John tells us plainly that he was. 2. Jesus wrote what he thought of Judas in the Old Testament through prophecy. Psalm 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. 3. Even the night of his betrayal, when Jesus told the disciples that one of the men sitting at the very table they sat was going to be betray Him, no one ever considered it to be Judas. Matt 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 4. The eleven doubted their own selves before they doubted Judas. D. Yet, Jesus always knew. Joh 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. II. What happened to Judas? A. John makes it clear that Judas had a moral problem all along. 1. Judas was a thief. 2. Some of the major decisions that we make in life are not made as result of our mental reasoning, but as a result of our moral life. We make some decisions based on our morals. Robbie Zacharias, a Christian apologist who has a week radio broadcast on called "Let My People Think," mentioned on 3/12/2016s broadcast that atheists are not atheists because for intellectual reason. Atheists are atheists for moral reasons. 3. It is very likely that the reason Judas final answer came up the way it did was because Judas could not get over himself. 4. He suffered from greed and lust for worldly things. B. That came out of Judas in this account. 1. Although Matthew and Mark give the impression that several in the group objected to what Mary did, John made it clear that this complaint originated with Judas. 2. \#Mark 14:4-5\ gives the impression that Judas must have first talked among the disciples to stir them up and then he and the disciples when to talk to Mary! Jesus rebuked them and defended Mary \#John 12:7\. 3. John even tells us the reason for Judas objection. a. It was not because he really cared for the poor. b. It was because he intended on stealing the money for himself! c. \#John 12:5\ tells us the Alabaster box has about 300 pence or denari worth of ointment in it. That was about one years wages. d. Apparently, Judas was starting to lend toward his final answer. e. He had given up three years of his life to follow Jesus. If Jesus was the Messiah, he would rule with Him, but if Jesus was not the Messiah, Judas was have lost out all togethermaybe even costing him his life. Judas had decided that he needed to be paid for his time. That ointment would have been a goodly some toward that endbut it was poured out on Jesus feet! 4. I believe it is at this very moment that Judas began to consider "selling" Jesus. No doubt, Judas had had it with this life of traveling and risking his life. Jesus had been welcomed by Jerusalem at the Triumphant Entry and just walked away. Now, it was time for Judas to get his. a. It is interesting to note that the 30 pieces of silver that Judas sold Jesus for was only worth about 120 denari. The Murder of Jesus, John Macarthur, p. 20. b. Judas probably rationalized that he was still coming out short in this deal but he was going to take what he could get! C. What was Judas real problem? 1. He was a thief and that was part of the problem but it was not the real problem. 2. His wicked morals were the results of being a self- controlled individual. 3. He was his own boss but he was a lousy boss. a. Self was his master, but self was also his enemy. b. In the end, self damned him. c. And so it is for every person who attempts to keep control of their own life. d. They are their own worst enemy and they will damn their souls. 4. What Judas needed to do what to surrender Himself to Jesus, to finalize his answer by believing on Jesus and surrendering to Him. Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. a. Jesus may have been speaking these words to Judas! b. He may be speaking these words to YOU! D. Let me say one more thing about Judas. 1. Judas was not a bad man. He did a bad thing and he most certainly allowed himself to be filled with a bad power, the devil, but Judas was not a bad person. 2. He was trust of the disciples because he done a lot of good things. 3. He after betraying Jesus, Judas took the money back! 4. He was so ashamed of what he did, he hanged himself. 5. However, he never got over his biggest problem. Judas never surrendered Himself to Jesus! E. Judas, final answer? To reject Jesus Christ. III. Let talk for a few minutes about the other character in this account, Mary. A. Mary appears three times in the Bible. 1. Lazarus resurrection \#John 11:19\ 2. Dinner for Jesus \#Luke 10:38\ 3. Breaking the alabaster box B. Mary lived in Bethany, a small village on top of the Mount of Olives. C. As far as the Bible tells us, 1. Mary never traveled with Jesus. 2. And only saw one miracles of Jesus, the raising of Lazarus. D. We do not know how Jesus met Mary or her family. When they are first presented to us at Lazarus resurrection, Mary and Martha have sent word to Jesus that Lazarus "whom thou lovest is sick." I would suppose that to mean that Jesus had similar devotion to the sisters as well. E. Once Lazarus was raised from the dead, the Jews set about to kill him. John 12:10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; 11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. 1. Seeing that Mary and Martha witnessed that resurrection, it is possible that their lives were in danger too. 2. So Judas sold Jesus for money but it is possible that Marys life might be at steak. G. Mary, what will you do with Jesus? What is your final answer? 1. \#John 12:3\ I think her actions said it all. 2. She probably gave all the worldly possessions she had. 3. Even more than that, she gave her tears to wash feet and her hair to wipe them.