Judas: The Pathway of a Chameleon

Judas: The Pathway of a Chameleon

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / March 29, 2026

Text: Matthew 26

I. THE SCHEME OF THE CONSPIRATOR (Matthew 26:14-16)

• One of the twelve
  • Judas had made a profession of faith
  • Judas experienced all of Jesus
    1. He heard the message of Christ (Sermon on the Mount, The Parables, The Olivet Discourse)
    2. He saw the miracles of Christ (Calmed the sea, walked on water, fed 5,000, healed the blind, raised the dead)
    3. He saw men come to Christ (Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, woman at the well)
    4. He performed ministry (He preached, served as treasurer)
• A Warning to Every Church Member
  • “You can be connected with Jesus BUT not be connected to Jesus.”
  • “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us…” (I John 2:19)
• The Descent into Betrayal
  • It started with a satanic suggestion (John 13:2)
  • It led to satanic possession (John 13:27)
• The Price of Greed
  • 30 pieces of silver: The price of a slave
  • “Judas was—The epitome of Waste. Judas wasted his opportunities, his life, & his soul.”

II. THE SIGN OF THE CRIMINAL (Matthew 26:20-25)

• The Exposure of the Traitor
  • “One of you shall betray me.”
  • The Disciples’ Question: “Lord, Is It I?”
• The Nature of Betrayal
  • We betray Jesus when we are ashamed to speak up for Him
  • We betray Jesus when we refuse to accept his offer of salvation
  • We betray Jesus when we put more money into material things instead of eternal
  • We betray Jesus when we deliberately disobey Him
• The Last Appeal
  • Place of honor: “Judas come sit by me tonight”
  • Jesus washed his feet that night
  • The “sop”: A special act of affection and a token of love
• The Final Decision
  • “Judas receives the sop & seals his destiny for eternity.”
  • “Up to this point Judas had been possessed by an—Evil intention. Now he was possessed by The Evil One.”

III. THE SCENE OF THE CRIME (Matthew 26:46-50)

• The Garden of Gethsemane
  • The sign: “The one I kiss—Hes Jesus—Take Him.”
  • The Kiss: “Judas kissed the Door to Heaven and then he went to Hell.”
• Jesus’ Last Words to Judas
  • “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” (Matthew 26:50)
  • “If you don’t stand for Him—in essence—you will betray Him.”

IV. THE SENTENCING OF THE CONDEMNED (Matthew 27:1-5)

• Remorse vs. Repentance
  • “Judas remorse was not repentance of Sin but rather Emotional remorse due to guilt.”
  • “Remorse without repentance leads only to despair.”
• The End of the Pathway
  • “He steps from the hell within him to the hell beyond him.”
  • “It had been good for that man that he had never been born.” (Matthew 26:24)

If you’re born twice
You’ll die once.
If you’re born once
You’ll die twice.
If you die twice
You’ll wish you’d never been born at all.