What a Friend We Have in Jesus - 5/24/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

And I that's really the only thing that

matters. Amen. And I'm thankful thankful

for you singing that this morning,

brother. And uh I appreciate Brother

Chubby. Ain't a man in this room got a

bigger heart than he does. Amen. And I

appreciate him singing from the Lord

this morning. And the Lord used him. And

I'll tell you this, church, you don't

never know when the last time we going

to get to hear some of these folks sing

it.

>> You ought to cherish it.

>> That's right.

>> And uh I've thought about that. Had a

lot of chance to think this week. Amen.

And uh I thought about a lot of things

and I tell you I just enjoy the presence

of God this morning and I appreciate the

good spirit of the Lord and him allowing

us to be in the house of God. Matthew's

Gospel, if you have a Bible, if you have

a Bible, Matthew's Gospel, chapter

number 26. And uh I do appreciate all

the labor that's went in this morning uh

to everything that's going on. Some men

been here since 7 o'clock this morning

getting everything ready and so we can

enjoy some fellowship this morning.

They're even working right now. And uh I

want to tell you uh from the bottom of

my heart, I appreciate you. And you see

brother Kyle running around here

somewhere today. Tell him thank you.

Amen. And he's been working putting this

together. And tell him thank you for all

this hard work as well as the others

that have labored. And I appreciate it

very very much. And uh we're going to

pray and we'll eat when this thing's

over. All right. And so I'll get done

quick. I don't never like to stand

between people and food. Amen. But I'm

the last thing in line and so we're

going to get through it together. Amen.

Uh, but I got a word God put on my

heart. And I'm going to do my best to

preach this morning. Matthew chapter 26.

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

When you find your place, if you would

stand, uh, if you can and are able. If

you're not, don't worry about that.

Amen. Uh, if you can and able, you just

stand this morning and we'll look here

in this text and give you the thought

and then we'll get out of the way this

morning. Matthew 26. Let's look at verse

number 46 or verse 45. Verse number 45

this morning. The Bible says in Matthew

26 and verse 45, then cometh he, it's

Jesus, to his disciples and saith unto

them, sleep on now and take your rest.

Behold, the hour is at hand, and the son

of man is betrayed into the hands of

sinners. Rise, let us be going. Behold,

he is at hand that doth betray me. While

he yet spake, lo Judas, one of the twel

came, and with him a great multitude

with swords and staves from the chief

priests and elders of the people. Now he

that betrayed him gave them a sign,

saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that

same is he, hold him fast." And forth

with he came to Jesus and said, "Hail,

Master," and kissed him. I want you to

notice verse number 50. I I've I've read

this my entire life and I've preached

from it a whole bunch, but I've never

seen it on this slide. As the Bible says

in verse 50, and Jesus said unto him,

what's that next word?

>> Friend. He said, Jesus said unto him,

friend, wherefore art thou come? Then

came they and laid hands on Jesus, and

took him. Now, Father, I ask you humbly

this morning, God, that you would help

me. Lord, I realize that I'm nothing

without you. And God, I pray, Father,

Lord, that you for just a little while

would hide me behind the cross and

clothe me in my call. And Lord, I pray

the ignorance of my youth would not show

this morning. But God, I pray you would

allow me to speak with a tongue of the

learned. Lord, I pray you'd anoint me

with a spirit of God. And God, I ask

you, Lord, for every heart, Father, this

morning that's present, Lord, that you

would move and work. Lord, I pray, God,

the Holy Ghost of God would have free

course and reign in every life this

morning. And God, I pray, Father, we'd

leave here today, Lord, with a greater

appreciation, Lord, for who you are and

for what you've done for us. Lord,

you've been so good. And Lord, I don't

know where each heart's at this morning.

I don't know the struggles. I don't know

the sorrows, but Lord, I do know this,

Father. God, that you're able to help,

Lord, you're able to soothe and you're

able to comfort this morning, Lord,

whatever's needed. And for that soul

that's lost today, God, I pray right now

in their heart, Holy Ghost conviction

would settle in. Lord, they've never

been saved and they know that. God, I

pray you'd deal with them today. And

Lord, I know, God, that you'll deal with

them in love. And Father, you told us in

your word, it's the goodness of God that

leadth thee to repentance. And so, for a

little while, Lord, I pray you'd put it

on display for all to see. God, we love

you. Thank you for loving us and for

what you do. We'll give you thanks for

it because we ask it in Jesus' name. And

God's people said,

>> you can be seated. Thank you for

standing this morning. this text. I was

praying this week about the sermon for

today, thinking about friends and family

day. And I jokingly made the statement

there a little while ago that you may be

family and not friends or you may be

friends and not family. But either way,

you're here.

>> And I thought about this this morning

when I was praying about this sermon.

You know, I really believe I, you know,

I I can't say that every individual

has an encounter with Jesus in their

life. But I I can say what the Bible

says this. It said in Titus chapter

number three, he says, "Not by works of

righteousness which we have done, but

according to his mercy saved us by the

washing of regeneration and the renewing

of the Holy Ghost." And he says after

that, he said, "And he said, the the the

grace of God that bringeth salvation

hath appeared to what?" All men.

>> And so I I can't say this morning that

every person has a encounter with

Christ, but I believe personally by what

the Bible says that God appears to each

of us. And I'll say this this morning,

you've come to this church service and

you may know nothing about Jesus. You

may know nothing about the gospel. You

may not even know what John 3:16 is. But

John 3:16

I can tell you this this morning. You

have come to this place for such a time

as this. And Jesus has brought you to

this place today. And I I want to look

at this character in our text this

morning. This man Judas here in the

text. And you've probably heard of

Judas. If you haven't, Judas is the one

who betrays our Lord. He's mentioned all

throughout prophecy in the Old

Testament. He has literally described as

the son of predition. Jesus says uh in

this chapter that it' been good for this

man if he hadn't even have been born.

And when I think about Judas, I think

about an individual who is despised. I

think about an individual who was looked

down upon. And really all throughout

history, every preacher that's ever

preached a sermon, when they preach

about Judas, really there's nothing good

that you can find to say about Judas.

But you know what? I realize this

morning that every one of us before we

got saved were just exactly like this

man.

>> We were haters of God. We were haters of

everything that God had to offer. His

people, his place, his precepts, his

presence. WE HATED IT ALL. AMEN. But

aren't you thankful that God saves old

sinners? Amen.

>> And I notice in this text, the Bible

tells us that Judas here in this chapter

is planning the betrayal of our Lord.

You notice in verse number 14, the Bible

says of Matthew 26, then one of the 12

called Judas the Scariot went unto the

12 priests. And so he is a disciple, but

he is a, for a lack of a better way to

put it, he is a demon-possessed

disciple. And you say, preacher, how is

that possible? Well, the Bible literally

says in John's account, from that time

forth, Satan entered into Judas. And so

just because he was a follower of Christ

did not denote his salvation. Let me say

this to you this morning. Church

membership or church attendance, singing

in a choir, teaching a Sunday school

class, being a deacon, none of that

equates salvation this morning, but

salvation is by grace alone through

faith alone in Christ alone. And if you

are saved this morning, it's not because

of any works that you have done. When we

think about Judas, Judas, I there's a

lot I could say about him. this morning.

He was endued with power just like the

other 11 were according to Matthew's

gospel in chapter number 10. He casted

out demons. He had power over the enemy.

And he went about preaching the gospel

of the kingdom. And you say, "Preacher,

why would why would God allow Judas to

do that?" Well, you remember what Jesus

said? He said, "There'll be many that

say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have

we not prophesied in thy name and and in

thy name done many wonderful works and

cast out devils?" And Jesus looks at him

and said, "I'll look at him and say,

Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,

for I never knew you." And so it is not

by works this morning. You understand

that even I could stand here and preach

a sermon to you with no spirit of God,

with no scripture on the inside. It

would be tough. Amen. But I tell you

this for a fact. It is not any works

that we do. It ain't nothing that we

save. It's nowhere that we've been and

nobody that we could ever be. Friend,

salvation is by the grace of God alone

and receiving his gift. Paul said it

this way in Ephesians. For by grace are

you saved through faith and that not of

yourselves. That means nothing. Amen.

That not of yourselves. IT'S THE GIFT OF

GOD, NOT OF WORKS, LEST any man should

boast. And so salvation is derived

totally from God. And when I notice this

text, I WANT TO POINT out a few things

about Judas this morning. And I notice

the Bible says it mentions a sign in the

text. The Bible says here uh the

disciples they are numb because of what

Christ has told them how they are about

to die. There's the numbness of them.

There's the awareness of the Lord. And I

think about in this text we see the

wickedness of Judas's mention. It's seen

in this sign in verse 48. Now he that

betrayed him gave them a saying a sign

saying whomsoever I shall kiss that same

as he hold him fast. And so Judas tells

these Pharisees that he has went and

seen earlier in the chapter. According

to verse number 15, he has betrayed the

Lord for 30 pieces of silver. And he

says, "The man is the man that I'll go

up to and kiss in the text." I notice

not only the sign in the text by Judas,

but I notice the saying by Judas. Look

what the Bible said in verse number 49.

And forth with he came to Jesus. Notice

this. And said, "What church? Hail

master.

>> You say, "Preacher, how is it that this

wicked individual could say that?" Well,

it's just like Jesus said. There'll be

many that day that say to me, "Lord,

>> Lord."

>> You're right.

>> It ain't about what you call him.

>> Go ahead.

>> It's about what he calls you.

>> See, there's a sign. There's a saying.

And then I noticed the salutation. And

I'll give you the thought in the message

this morning. And the Bible says Judas

said he he betrayed that betrayed and

gave them a sign. Whosoever I shall kiss

that same as he hold him fast. And forth

with he came to Jesus and said, "Hail

master means rabbi or teacher." And the

Bible says, "And he kissed him." Now,

you never find in any of the word of

God, as far as I've been able to see,

that any of the other disciples kissed

Jesus.

Matter of fact, the closest I believe

any of the other disciples got was when

John was in that upper room. Yeah. And

>> they were all seated there together. And

the Bible says that John was there

leaning on the Lord's bosom. He was

laying on his chest hearing the

heartbeat of very God himself. But you

understand not a single one of those

disciples ever came as close to the face

of Jesus as Judas did in this text. And

you say, "Preacher, what's the emphasis

of that?" Well, it really pictures to us

the image that Judas had of Jesus. You

say, "What is that?" Well, I notice in

this text, it's mentioned here. The

Bible says in verse 48, "Now he that

betrayed him gave them a sign, saying,

whomsoever I shall kiss, the same is

he." And when I think about that phrase,

Judas never viewed Jesus as Messiah.

>> Judas calls him master in this text, but

he never viewed him as the one sent from

God. He simply viewed Jesus as a man.

You're

>> right.

>> And you say, "How is that seen?" Well,

you may think this kiss is something

that's out of the ordinary, but really

in Bible days, this was a normal

repetitive salutation.

>> This was something that occurred often

in Bible days. That's why Paul literally

said this, the only verse in the Bible

that I'm not going to obey. Amen. He

said, "Greet thy holy brethren with a

kiss. I'm not going to do that." All

right. Amen. Customs is a little

different now. Somebody say amen right

there.

>> But when I think about Bible days, it

was customary. It was a salutation that

was used. And when Jesus here in the

text, Judas comes to him, Jesus, Judas

kisses Jesus. He is greeting the Lord.

He labels him as master. And then he

greets him in this text. And I notice

this statement. The Bible says in verse

50, "And Jesus said unto him, friend,

wherefore art thou come?" And I want to

preach on this thought for just a little

while this morning. What a friend we

have in Jesus. You're right.

>> What a friend

>> we have in Jesus.

>> You say, "Preacher, what is the

significance of this?" Well, I don't

want to leave the text, but I do want to

tell you Judas

kiss was a salutation. There's a lot I

can say about that. But you see in the

text, Jesus response was a salutation.

>> The Bible says Jesus called him friend.

He called him friend. What? Now, what

did that mean? That word friend means a

companion,

>> a comrade,

somebody who walked alongside

of Jesus. This word is used about four

times in the New Testament. And when

Jesus looked at Judas, he called him

friend and said, "I know you."

And you say, "Preacher, but you just

told us that Jesus said there will be

many that say to me in that day, Lord,

Lord, and they'll say all these things

that they did and said and preached, and

Jesus will say unto them, Depart from

me, ye that work iniquity, for I never

knew you."

Here's the difference with Judas. Judas

spent his life with the person of Jesus

Christ.

>> And you think about this with me for

just a minute this morning. Who else in

the Bible has spent their life with

Jesus Christ and yet got plunged into

sin?

Adam and Eve in the garden were in a

perfect environment. You're

>> right.

>> The presence of God abiding with them

each day. But you know what they chose

to do where they once had fellowship.

>> Go ahead.

>> Because of their choice to eat of that

forbidden fruit, you know what happened?

That fellowship was broken.

>> You're right. And what I submit to you

this morning is these five words are the

last five words Judas will ever hear

from Jesus.

And you say, "Preacher, how does that

relate to us this morning?" Well, the

reason why this interests me is because

every time a sinner comes to the altar

to be saved, these are the same words

that I asked them. Jesus says in the

text, "Friend, wherefore art thou come?"

Now, the friend mentions the

relationship. He is saying, "You're a

comrade." He's a companion. And then

that word wherefore speaks of the

reason. He's asking Judas, "Why have YOU

COME?"

>> YEAH.

>> WHY are you here? Jesus is in the garden

of Gethsemane. He has been praying. His

sweat has became as it were great drops

of blood. The Bible says, "And in agony,

he prayed more earnestly." Why? Dreading

the separation that he would experience

from his father. And Judas, this man WHO

HAD SPENT HIS LIFE WITH CHRIST, WHO HAD

SPENT HIS LIFE EVEN FULFILLING THE

MINISTRY OF CHRIST ON THIS EARTH, HAD

THE AUDACITY TO BETRAY him in his place

of prayer.

You say, "Preacher, how does that

relate?" Well, you know what the Bible

calls his house? It's a house of prayer.

>> And you know what the sad thing is? Down

through the generations,

even before I was born, there's been

sinners that's came in and out of this

building.

>> You're right. And in his house of

prayer, you know what they've done?

They've spit in his face.

>> You're right.

>> And turned around and walked away.

>> But I'll tell you this this morning, and

I don't want to be I don't want to focus

on Judas this morning, but I got to give

you this truth. All right? Judas lies in

this text about who he thinks Jesus is.

He says, "Master." But you know what?

Jesus was never Judas master.

>> Right?

>> His master was the devil himself. And

because of Judas lies in this text, we

see Judas's loss in chapter number 27.

Just to quickly give you an outline,

Judas loses his money.

J Matthew 27. Just turn there and look

at it with me. I'm not going to preach

on this. We're going to get to the happy

part and be done. But listen to this.

All right. because of the lie of Judas,

his deception and his desire to uh

forsake his loyalty, his deception, his

delusion. The Bible says he loses his

money when he saw that he was condemned.

Matthew 27:3 repented himself and

Matthew 27:3

brought again the 30 pieces of silver to

the chief priests and elders. Notice

this in verse four, saying, "I have

sinned and that I betrayed the innocent

blood." You see, Judas here in the text,

he becomes remorseful over the decision

that he had made. He did not truly

repent of his sin, but he was sorry for

what he did. And what this means is is

that his sin became so grievious to him.

He didn't only lose his money or leave

his money, he lost his mind.

>> You're right.

>> Notice what your Bible says. The Bible

says, "And he cast down the pieces of

silver in the temple and departed and

went and hanged himself." In verse six,

the chief priest took the silver silver

silver pieces and said, "It is not

lawful for them to be put into the

treasury because it is the price of

blood." And so they take it and buy a

burial ground outside of Jerusalem where

they would bury strangers. And Judas

would be placed there. And what I'm

saying is Judas because of his lie, he

lost his his money. He lost his mind.

But I'll say this, he lost his master.

>> He spent his life with Jesus.

>> You're right.

>> And this is what I'm afraid of.

I'm afraid there's somebody who's in

this church this morning who spent their

life in the house of God, who spent

their life under the preaching of the

word of God. And you may just be

visiting this morning, but you've had a

gospel background. You've heard the

message. You've been to Bible school and

you've heard the gospel preached time

and time and time again. But the truth

is, you don't really know Jesus. And

what you're going to find is at the end

of your days, you're going to lose that

master. You'll lose all of that money.

You'll lose your mind. is what you'll

do. That rich man in hell, the Bible

says he was weeping and nashing his

teeth. That's what it's going to be. An

eternal state of a mind that's gone.

Amen. And one of these days, you'll

realize that you lost your master

forever and eternity. Cuz here's the

truth about it this morning. Jesus is

Lord whether you make him Lord or not.

>> He is Lord whether you allow HIM TO

CONTROL YOUR LIFE OR NOT. HE WILL STILL

BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD WHETHER YOU

ALLOW HIS SALVATION TO REACH YOU OR NOT.

AMEN. IT DOES NOT CHANGE WHO HE IS. AND

YOU SAY, "PREACHER, what's the good news

of this story this morning?" Well,

amidst the lie of Judas and before the

loss of Judas, JESUS GIVES ONE LAST

EXPRESSION TO THIS MAN IN THE TEXT. HE

SAYS, "FRIEND, WHEREFORE ART THOU COME?"

And we see right between the lie and the

lost, there is the love of Jesus that is

on display. And you SAY, "PREACHER, HOW

IS IT SEEN?" WELL, YOU SEE JUDE Jesus

speaks of his relation to Judas here in

the text. He is he says, "Friend," and

there's SO MUCH I COULD SAY ABOUT THAT,

BUT THAT'S not what I'm concerned with.

He asked the reason. He said, "Friend,

wherefore art thou come?" Now, let me

ask you this question. Stay with me this

morning. All right? You with me? Say,

"Amen."

>> Amen.

>> There's a few of you. Praise God. All

right.

>> Jesus asked him this question. Let me

ask you something. Do you think Jesus

didn't know why Judas had come? Do you

think Jesus was completely unaware of

why Judas had come in this text? You

know what this this phrase to Judas was?

This was an opportunity for Judas to

repent.

>> You're right.

>> This was Jesus, oh friend,

>> STICKING OUT HIS HAND ONE MORE TIME AND

SAYING, "JUDAS, FRIEND, WHY DID YOU COME

HERE?

>> WHY DID YOU COME HERE? WHAT WAS THAT?"

THAT WAS GOD RINGING HIS HEART. JUDAS

KNEW WHY HE'D COME THERE. And Jesus knew

why he'd COME THERE. JESUS IS SAYING,

JUDAS, THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY.

THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE. FRIEND, why did

you come? AND JUDAS COULD HAVE THAT

MOMENT, THE WRENCHING OF HIS HEART. HE

COULD HAVE REPENTED RIGHT THERE BEFORE

THE LORD. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID? HE

got up and walked away. You're

>> right.

>> You say, "Preacher, how is the love of

God seen?" Well, see, the love of God is

seen in this man Judas is that Jesus

never stopped him.

You're right.

>> You know what? Jesus won't stop you from

going to hell either if you don't listen

to him.

>> You're right.

>> He's not going to come and twist your

arm.

>> He's not going to come and grab you by

the hair of the head or the seat of the

pants. Amen. And drag you to an altar to

get you saved. He's going to offer his

salvation to you. And it's going to

convict you. Amen. YOU'RE GOING TO

REALIZE THAT YOU'RE LOST WITHOUT GOD.

YOU SAY, "PREACHER, I'M NOT LIKE JUDAS.

I DIDN'T TURN MY BACK ON JESUS." WELL,

LET ME SAY THIS. JUDAS SIN WAS WHY JESUS

DIED. But it wasn't just Judah's sin. It

was my sin and YOUR SIN THAT PUT JESUS

on the cross. YOU SEE, JUDAS TURNED HIM

OVER. BUT THE TRUTH IS THIS MORNING,

EVERY ONE OF US TURNED HIM OVER BECAUSE

WE CHOSE TO GO AGAINST GOD. AMEN.

>> RIGHT?

>> And I notice here in this text, you say,

"Preacher, how do you know that Jesus

loved Judas?" Well, he left him alone.

You see, Jesus loved Judas in spite of

his decision.

What was his decision? Well, he went to

those upper priests and said, "I'll turn

him over to you for 30 pieces of

silver." And let's just be real honest

with you this morning. Most of us have

turned him over for a lot cheaper than

that.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> 30 pieces of silver. Jesus Judas turns

him over to the Pharisees. He is loving

Judas in spite of his decision. And you

know what, sinner? If you walk out of

here lost today, Jesus still loves you.

>> You're right.

>> Yes, he does.

>> Amen.

>> He loves you in spite of your decisions.

You say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,

the Bible says in Romans 5'8, "But God

commendeth his love toward us in that

while we were what? Yet sinners. Christ

died for us. Jesus died for you when you

was yet in your sin. And if you're LOST

THIS MORNING, YOU ARE STILL yet in your

sin. BUT JESUS LOVES you today." Amen.

>> And he's saying, "Friend, why did you

come?

Why did you come? You say, "Well,

somebody invited me here." Well, let me

just say this. Jesus brought you here.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> JESUS BROUGHT YOU TO THIS PLACE TODAY.

And he loves you in spite of whatever

you decide. Sinner, you've got the right

this morning to walk out of those doors.

HEY, WE'RE NOT CALVINIST AT METAS

Baptist Church. We don't believe in

irresistible grace. Amen. We don't

believe that God's going to force your

will and make you BE SAVED. I'M SAYING,

FRIEND, IF YOU CHOOSE TO WALK OUT OF

HERE LOST, YOU'LL DO SO. AND GOD WILL

RESPECT YOUR CHOICE. AMEN.

>> But he'll love you in spite of that.

>> That's right.

>> You realize there ain't never been a

sinner that went to hell that Jesus

didn't love.

>> Amen.

>> There ain't a soul, HEY FRIEND, THERE'S

NOT A SOUL ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH THAT'S

EVER BEEN BORN OR EVER WILL BE BORN THAT

JESUS DOES NOT LOVE. AND LET ME SAY

THIS, I'LL JUST PUT IT IN THERE. THERE'S

NOT A SOUL THAT HAS NOT BEEN BORN THAT

SOMEWHERE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY SOMEBODY'S

ABORTED THAT BABY. I'M SAYING THERE'S

NEVER BEEN A SOUL IN EXISTENCE THAT

JESUS DID NOT LOVE AND THAT JESUS DID

NOT die for. This morning

>> he loved him in spite of his decision.

He loved him in spite of his deception.

>> You say, "How is that?" Well, notice

again in verse number 22 verse 21 of

Matthew 26 verse 21. And as they did

Matthew 26:21

eat, he said, "Verily I say unto you

that one of you shall betray me." And

they were exceeding sorrowful began

every one of them to say unto him, Lord,

is it I?

And he answered and said, he that dipth

his hand with me in the dish, the same

shall betray me. The son of man goeth as

it is written of him, but woe unto that

man by whom the son of man is betrayed.

It had been good for that man if he had

not been born. Verse 25. Then Judas

which betrayed him, notice this?

Answered and said, "Master, is it I?"

And he said unto him, "Thou said,"You

see, Jesus loved Judas even in spite of

the fact that Judas had deceived all

those other disciples."

>> You're right.

>> You know what? This morning, Jesus loves

you even in spite of the fact that

you're deceiving all the people around

you.

>> Oh, hey.

>> Amen.

>> You tell them you're saved. You tell

them you know God. But here's the truth

about it. Jesus knows and you know that

you've never been saved. That's

>> right.

>> And you know what? Jesus loves you in

spite of the fact that you're trying to

deceive those that are around you.

>> You see, Judas put on a good front. He

had a good image before everybody else.

Judas in this text, this reveals to us

really that those disciples would have

never guessed it would have been Judas,

>> right?

>> Because you know what? Every one of them

said, "Is it I?

>> Is it I?" You know what Judas had to do?

He had to say he's die so he could hold

his cover.

>> You're right.

>> Hey, friend. You can speak up in a

testimony service, but you ain't got no

spirit of God on you if you're lost.

>> Go ahead.

>> Amen.

>> And you know what? Here's the truth this

morning. You're in order. If you're

lost, you're in order to thank God

because you know what? It's it's his

grace that allows you to have breath.

>> That's right.

>> But here's the truth about it. You don't

know nothing about the real blessing.

That's

>> right.

>> Amen. I'm saying, friend, I just ain't

got physical breath. I got spiritual

breath. I got life on the inside. And

hey, long after that physical breast

gone. Hallelujah, friend. I'M GOING TO

HAVE SPIRITUAL LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I SHOUT ABOUT. I'M NOT

GOING TO SHOUT ABOUT HEALING OR HELP ON

THIS SIDE. I'M GOING TO SHOUT ABOUT THE

HEALING OR HELP THAT HE'S GOING TO GIVE

ME TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE. AMEN.

>> YES. AMEN.

>> Jesus loved him in spite of his

deception.

I'll say this.

Jesus loved him in spite of his

defilement.

You see, he took that money.

And this is what I believe. You don't

have to believe it, but I believe when

Jesus Judas walked up to Jesus in that

garden, I believe Judas had the bag on

his hip

>> and them 30 coins was jangling in his

pocket.

>> Yeah.

>> When he kissed the Lord and the Lord

looked at Judas and said, "Friend," all

the while he heard those silver.

>> That's right.

>> You say, "Preacher, how is that?" Well,

you see, you're carrying the same sin.

Amen.

>> Every time you go up and kiss the face

of God, you know what? Jesus took our

sin. And it was our sin that defiled

him. That's

>> right.

>> But you think about this. Judas, the son

of predition himself, kissed the Lord.

>> But you know what? Jesus didn't get

upset about that.

>> Yeah.

>> Jesus could have killed him on the spot.

You're

>> right.

>> Jesus could have took any of us, any one

of us out on the spot.

>> It's the grace of God that you're still

here. Cuz you know what? It's your sin

that defiled the Savior. That's

>> right. It's my sin that defiled the

Savior. But you know what? Jesus loves

you

>> in spite of that.

>> That's right.

>> You say, "PREACHER, THERE'S TOO MUCH

SIN. I'VE DONE TOO MUCH WRONG." FRIEND,

JESUS TOOK THE SIN OF EVERY PERSON

THAT'S EVER BEEN BORN. THE HITLERS, THE

HUSAINS, THE WICKED PEOPLE OF ALL

HISTORY. JESUS TOOK EVERY SIN OF EVERY

INDIVIDUAL AND NAILED IT TO HIS CROSS

AND SAID, "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM."

>> YEAH.

>> You're right. Amen.

>> Your sin ain't too big.

>> That's right.

>> He loves you in spite of your

defilement.

>> Right.

>> But I'll say this this morning,

and I've already alluded to this a

little bit, but I believe it fits the

text. He loves you in spite of your

decision whether or not you choose to

walk away. He loves you in spite of your

deception. He loves you in spite of your

defilement.

But I use this word for sake of

literation for this reason. He loves you

in spite of your duplicity. And and I

say that for this reason.

Here's the thing about it. Where we live

at now. You can go into the jungles of

Africa and there's people that's never

heard the gospel. And you know what?

Those people are not living a

double-sided life.

>> You're right.

>> There's people that'll stand in this

church today under the sound of my voice

and they'll say, "Thank God." And they

love God and and they want they need to,

you know, this is what we hear. Well, I

need to get in church, preacher. I know

that. I need to be faithful to church. I

need to I need And you'll say every bit

of that. But you know what? In your

heart, the the thing that you want more

than anything else is to be out of here.

>> You're right.

>> Come on.

>> Go ahead.

>> And James said it this way. He said, "A

double-minded man is unstable."

>> You're right.

>> In all his ways. And you can be two

tongue, two timing talker, but you what

you're going to find is that's going to

run out.

>> You're right.

>> Because you know what? You're not going

to speak out of one side of your mouth

to God when you get to the judgment

seat.

>> Right?

>> He's going to have a display for you to

look at.

>> You're right.

>> That's going to say, "All right, what

did you do with my son?"

>> Amen.

>> And you know what? You ain't going to be

able to lie about it.

>> You're not going to be able to come up

with a double-sided story. You're not

going to be able to say he was unfair. I

want to say this. There's never been

anything more perfectly fair to us.

>> You're right.

>> Than Jesus. There's never been anything

more unfair

>> than what Jesus had to go through so

that we could be saved.

>> Right.

>> Amen.

>> He has given you an opportunity

greater than anything this world has to

offer.

>> You're right.

>> You realize if you had to step out of

your salvation to be king or president

of the known world, you would be

stepping down. You're

>> right.

>> Because we're joint hes

>> with Jesus Christ.

>> Amen.

>> Our kingdom is not of this world.

>> Right.

>> And here's the truth this morning. Jesus

loved Judas even in spite of how

double-sided he was.

>> You're right.

>> You say, "Preacher,

how do I know that God loves me?" Well,

I'll say this three things. I think that

defines the love of God. I would say the

love of God is defined by his

forgiveness.

>> John said it this way. He said, "If we

confess our sins, he's faithful

>> and just to forgive us our sins." And

that leads into the next point. Not only

his forgiveness, you see, there's never

been a sin that Jesus could that Jesus

did not pay for. You're

>> right.

>> And Rudy Smith said it this way. He

said, " God has never forgiven a sin,

but he's often forgiven sinners."

>> Right?

>> You know what? Today, none of my sins

been forgiven. All of my sin was placed

on Jesus.

>> Right.

>> And Jesus paid the condemnation

>> for my sin and for yours.

>> Amen.

>> And he's forgiven me. Amen.

>> The sinner. That's right.

But I'll say this, the forgiveness of

the Lord expresses to us the love of

God. But the faithfulness of the Lord,

John said, he's faithful and just to

forgive us our sins and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.

Jesus is the only one that can do that.

>> You're right.

>> Because you know what? You say,

"Preacher, how can he cleanse me from

all my sin? I don't even know what all

my sin are." And you're exactly right.

>> Yes. You're right.

>> I don't know what all my sins are, but

he does.

>> Right.

>> And so when I pray, Lord, forgive me.

>> Yes. Cleanse me of every sin, Lord. I I

want you to redirect my focus.

>> Go ahead.

>> Toward you. You know what repentance is?

It's a change of heart that leads to a

change of mind.

>> You're right.

>> That leads to a change of action. You

know what that comes from? That comes

from the faithful forgiveness of Jesus.

>> Amen.

>> And I think about this. You say,

"Preacher, how do I know that he's

faithful? How do I know that he'll

forgive?" Well, you just take that book

right there and see everything that he's

fulfilled.

>> You're right.

>> He's done everything that needs to be

done.

>> You're right.

>> Jesus said, "I didn't come to destroy

the law,

>> but I came to what?

>> Fulfill it.

>> He finished what was going to destroy

you."

>> You're right.

>> The law was going to take you out.

>> You're right.

>> The law was going to take me out. And

you know what Jesus did? He came and

fulfilled it.

>> He finished it. So, you know what? If we

go into law under him, it's just like if

you get in an automobile and go through

a car wash, you know what? If that thing

sealed off good, you're not going to

have a bit of that water hit you.

>> You're right.

>> But you know what? That seal that we

have in Jesus Christ, we are sealed and

not a bit of the judgment waters of God.

>> Amen.

>> Will ever touch us.

>> You're right. Go ahead.

>> I'm saying what a friend.

>> Right.

>> You say, "Preacher, I I CAN'T IMAGINE

THAT KIND OF LOVE." WELL, just join the

club. We can't either. AMEN. WE CAN'T

FATHOM THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS TOWARD US.

THE SONGWRITER SAID IT THIS WAY. THE

LOVE OF GOD IS GREATER FAR THAN TONGUE

OR PEN COULD EVER TELL. IT GOES BEYOND

THE HIGHEST STAR AND REACHES TO THE

LOWEST HELL. HEY FRIEND, THERE'S NO

PLACE THAT YOU CAN GO. THERE'S NO PERSON

THAT YOU CAN BE. YOU ARE NOT TOO FAR

GONE THIS MORNING IF YOU HAVE BREATH IN

YOUR LUNGS AND A DESIRE TO BE SAVED BY

THE GRACE OF GOD. I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH

LIKE JUDAS YOU ARE. HE LOVES YOU AND

WILL SAVE YOU TODAY.

>> HE WANTS to save you. HE'S WILLING TO

SAVE YOU. AND IF YOU'LL COME TO HIM,

JESUS SAID, "HE THAT COMETH TO ME, I

WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT AND BLESS HIS

NAME." YOU SAY, "PREACHER, BUT JUDAS

DIDN'T COME TO THE LORD." OH, BUT THAT

DIDN'T MEAN HE COULDN'T. AMEN. AND YOU

MAY WALK OUT OF HERE TODAY NOT COMING TO

JESUS, BUT FRIEND, IT AIN'T BECAUSE YOU

couldn't come,

>> right?

>> He said, "WHOSOEVER WILL,"

>> RIGHT? OH, BLESS HIS NAME. WHOSOEVER

WILL, LET HIM COME AND TAKE OF THE WATER

OF LIFE FREELY. WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL

UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SHALL

BE SHALL BE SAVED. AMEN.

>> AMEN.

>> You can be saved today. That's

>> right.

>> And as we stand, heads bowed and eyes

closed this morning,

going to do something a little different

this morning.

Brother Gayen's going to come and lead

us in a song.

This is what I want you to do this

morning.

You see, Judas,

he had an opportunity, but he lost it.

>> You're right.

>> You say, "Preacher, I just don't see I I

do not see

how God could forgive Judas." Let me

just say this. It's not the amount of

sin that condemned you to hell.

>> You're right. It ain't about how much

you did. It's just the fact that you are

a sinner.

>> You're right.

>> Right.

>> Jesus died for sinners. You're

>> right.

>> And he wants to save you today. We're

going to sing. What a friend we have in

Jesus.

>> What page is that, brother?

>> Page 345.

>> Page 345. Some are coming and pray this

morning. This is what I want to ask you.

If you're lost, you slip out of your

seat and come. We'll pray with you today

as we sing.

What a friend we have in Jesus.

>> Sing it, church.

>> Think about it.

>> All our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit.

Oh, what need this pain we bear?

>> Think about it, church.

>> All because we do not care.

>> Sinner, if you're lost, I wouldn't wait

another moment.

Think to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged.

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful?

>> Not a one.

>> Who will all our sorrows share?

>> Jesus

flows our every weakness.

Take it to the Lord in prayer. As she

plays, we'll sing that last verse in

just a minute.

>> I want to ask you this. He's going to

sing. I want everybody to bow their

heads this morning. Bow your heads.

>> He's singing to us. I want to ask you

>> the Lord of

>> you died right now.

>> Do you know that Jesus still

>> lives on the inside?

>> Say, "Preacher, I'm here today and I

don't know that."

>> Preacher, I'm here today. I don't know

that I'm saved. I don't know that I've

ever trusted Christ.

>> Say, "Preacher, would you pray for me?

There's nobody looking around but me."

Just slip your hand up and we'll pray

for you this morning.

>> Say, "Preacher, I've never been saved.

Never been saved." Preacher, would you

pray for me? Just slip your hand up and

I'll pray for you.

>> I will find a soul less there. You can

look up this way this this morning.

You done sung the last verse, brother.

>> Let's sing that last verse again.

>> Hey, sinner, if you're lost, won't you

come?

>> Won't you come? Hey, child of God, maybe

you strayed from him. Sometimes that

Judas spirit will get into us, too.

>> Amen.

>> You better get it out.

>> He'll use you to destroy Christ's word

just like he did Judas.

>> That's right. Amen. Better get it out as

these pray and we sing.

>> Amen.

>> Are we weak and heavy laden?

Come with a load of care.

>> Listen.

>> Preious

Savior still.

>> He still is.

>> Still is. Hallelujah. Get to the Lord in

prayer.

>> Do thy friends despise forsake

thee.

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In his arms he'll take and shield

thee.

Thou will find a soulless

>> as she plays for just a moment. We're in

no hurry.

Solomon said this in Proverbs 17. He

said, "A friend loveth at all times. And

a brother is born for adversity."

I can tell you this for a fact. You'll

never have a friend like Jesus.

>> You're right. You say, "Preacher, but my

wife, my husband, they're an amazing

person. When you go far enough, they're

going to let you down."

>> You're right.

>> Preacher, I love my children. They're

perfect. You're going to find after a

while. They're going to let you down.

You got parents. You say, "Preacher, I

love my parents. They've never done me

wrong."

Just give it time.

>> But I'll tell you this.

Solomon said in Proverbs chapter 18

Proverbs 18:24

verse 24,

he said, "There is a friend that

stickketh closer

>> than a brother."

And that friend's Jesus.

>> Amen.

>> A friend loveth at all times. And Jesus

said this himself. He said, "Greater

love hath no man than this, that a man

lay down his life for his friends." I'll

tell you this today. You may have

friends that brought you here today, but

you can leave with a friend like you've

never had.

>> Amen.

>> You can leave with a friend like you've

never known.

>> Father, thank you so much.

Lord, truly we say what a friend.

What a friend we have in Jesus.

>> You've been so good.

>> And I thank you for the sweet presence

of God. Thank you for the liberty to

preach this morning. And God, I know

that I'm nothing without you. But God, I

thank you for allowing me to be used for

a little while to share the old story

again. And Lord, I thank you, God, that

you love me.

>> Yeah.

>> Even in spite of those days, Lord, that

I decided to go wrong.

>> When I deceived others, Lord, when I

myself was defiled, you loved me anyway.

And God, I pray that every heart here

today would realize, Lord, that you

forgive sin and that you are faithful in

spite of everything else. And I pray

today, Lord, for that soul that is not

saved. Lord, don't let them leave here

today.

>> And God, for those that are a distance

from you, God, I pray, Lord, that they

would be drawn near to you.

>> Thank you for loving us, Lord. We love

you and we ask it all in Jesus name. And

God's people said,

>> "Amen."

>> Amen. Well, praise God. cooperation.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more

information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.