Church Order: Worship, Sacraments, and the Lord's Supper

So, You Got What You Wanted

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Church Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name: JW00678 🔗

Date: 2011-12-11

Synopsis: John Weaver examines Matthew 27:1-10, showing how Judas and the religious leaders conspired to kill Jesus. Judas wanted money and got it, but his conscience later condemned him, leading to suicide. The priests wanted Jesus dead and achieved their will, but later faced the risen, exalted Christ. Weaver warns that getting what we want at Christ's expense leads to eternal ruin, and that sinners are miserable comforters. The ultimate application is that sin is always at the expense of Christ, who suffered for His people.

[John Weaver] Matthew 27. Matthew 27, the first 10 verses. Matthew 27, beginning with verse one. When the morning was coming, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.

[John Weaver] And they said, What is that to us? Seat out to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, It is not lawful for us to put them into the treasury. because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel and brought with them the potter's field to bury strangers in. Wherefore, that field was called the field of blood unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel took value, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me."

[John Weaver] The title of the message today is this. So you got what you wanted. Is that all that matters? So you got what you wanted. Is that all that matters? I've actually heard people make that statement. I've actually heard individuals say, I have gotten that which I wanted and that is all that matters. There could not be a clearer attitude expressed saying, I am number one, I am all that counts, and nothing else matters. Such a statement not only evidences an attitude of absolute selfishness, but it also demonstrates a lack of concern for others and a lack of concern for principles of righteousness.

[John Weaver] You have to stop and ask yourself, are your desires, are your wishes really all that count? Does the universe really revolve around you? And do you expect everything to revolve around you? Of course, the message today involves the betrayal of our Lord by Judas and the connivance and the conspiracy of the religious leaders to falsely accuse, condemn, and murder the Lord Jesus Christ. And yes, it was a murder on the part of the religious leaders.

[John Weaver] In fact, if you look in your Bibles holding Matthew 27, but go to the book of Acts chapter 2 and look at verse 23. Acts 2 and verse 23, because here. Peter condemns. What the religious leaders did, and he says this him referring to Christ, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." So it was wicked hands that was placed upon our Lord. If you would turn right over to Acts chapter 4, beginning there, verse 26, notice if you would what the Scripture says. Acts 4, verse 26. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." If you would turn right over in your Bibles to Acts chapter 13.

[John Weaver] I'm just trying to show you how that yes, it was indeed a murder because in Acts chapter 13 and verse 28. We read this Acts 13 and verse 28 and though they found no cause of death in him. Yet they desired that Pilate they pilot that he should be slain. They found no cause of death in him. There was no reason for Christ to be put to death. So it's evident then that there was indeed a conspiracy to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. You have to remember that they had repeatedly tried to murder Christ over and over as you read through the Bible. For instance, without turning there, but in Luke 4, verses 28 through 30, we read this.

[John Weaver] And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath." Now listen,"...and rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill whereon the city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way." So they took him out of the synagogue, trying to push him over a cliff. And John 8 in verse 59, we read this,"...then took they up stones to cast at him, But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, so passed by.

[John Weaver] So here they tried to stone him to death. In John 7, in verse 30, the Bible said, But they sought to take him, but no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come. So there was another incident when they tried to kill the Lord Jesus. In John 8, in verse 20, you have another incident. These words speak Jesus in the treasury as he told of the temple. And no man laid hands on him they wanted to for his hour is not yet come.

[John Weaver] I want to show you from the scripture how the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees were so frustrated with Christ that they actually conspired to destroy him. If you would look in your Bibles to Luke 11, let's go to Mark 11 first, Mark 11 and verse 18, Mark 11. Then we'll go to John 11. Look in Mark 11, verse 18. Mark 11, verse 18. And the scribes and the chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him.

[John Weaver] For they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. Note, if you would, here it is. All the scribes and the chief priests heard it, and they sought. how they might destroy him. If you would turn in your Bibles to John chapter 12. John 12. I'm sorry, it's John 11. I'll tell you what, my sinus is acting up and my mind is befuddled today. So look in John 11.

[John Weaver] And if you would, beginning there in verse 47. John 11, verse 47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees of counsel and said, what do we? What are we going to do? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him. And the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation. And one of them named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, You know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should perish not.

[John Weaver] So here he is advocating basically that they kill the Lord Jesus Christ. It's better for one to die than the whole nation die, is his argument. But I want you to note what he said, and I think this is very, very revealing. Look back in verse 8, 48. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation.

[John Weaver] So we'll lose our power. We'll lose our authority if we let him alone. So we need to kill him.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will turn to Matthew 27, where we began and look at verse one. Here is indisputable proof of the conspiracy. I want you to watch carefully, I want you to tie these scriptures together. Look at Matthew 27, verse one, when the morning was come, All the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death. Now note they took counsel to put Him to death. Why would they need to take counsel to put Christ to death?

[John Weaver] Let me show you what they initially charged Him with. Look in Matthew 26, beginning there with verse 63. Jesus is standing before them. But Jesus held his peace, and the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tellest whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto them, Thou hast said, by the way, that is equivalent to our expression, you said it, buddy, you said it right. So he says, Thou hast said, in other words, what you said is right. I am the Son of the living God. Nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy.

[John Weaver] What further need have we of witnesses? Behold now, you have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death."

[John Weaver] Now, note if you would please, in Matthew 26, they charge Christ with blasphemy. They say He is guilty of death. Why then, in Matthew 27 verse 1, when the morning was come, all the chief priests and the councils and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death? Why take counsel? They've already charged Him with blasphemy. They've already said He's worthy of death. Why are they sitting now with a counsel conspiring to put Him to death? Here's why. Because a charge of blasphemy would not induce Pilate to put Christ to death. Blasphemy was not against Roman law. It was not against Roman rule. And therefore, they wanted the Romans to put Christ to death. Why did they not put Christ to death? Now, watch this. Some people say, well, technically speaking, since they were under Roman rule, they did not have the power of the death penalty. In other words, they could no longer execute the death penalty. Well, that may have been technically true, but it certainly did not stop them from stoning Stephen to death for blasphemy.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 6. Acts 6. Here it is, Acts 6, beginning there with verse 11. And by the way, they set Stephen up. Stephen was innocent as well. Acts 6, verse 11. Then they suborned men. They suborned men who said, we've heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against his place. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and called him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said, This man seeth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place of the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us."

[John Weaver] And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." Now skip down to chapter 7, beginning there of verse 56. Chapter 7, verse 56. And said, Stephen is speaking, he says, Behold, I see the heavens open, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him.

[John Weaver] And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this into their charge. And when he said this, he fell asleep." Well, if they did not have the power to execute anyone, how do they execute Stephen? And they executed Stephen on a charge of blasphemy. the same charge that they lodged against the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, let's ask them, why did they not stone Christ? Well, there are many answers to that. And one of them, of course, is that it was prophesied that Christ should be hanged on a tree. But there is an immediate human answer as to why they did not stone Christ.

[John Weaver] And we read it in Mark 11, verse 18, when the Scripture says, And the scribes and the Pharisees heard it, and sought how they might destroy him, for they feared him, and because all the people were astonished at his doctrine." They not only were afraid of Christ, they were afraid of the people. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Mark chapter 14, Mark 14, and look at verses 1 and 2, Mark 14 verses 1 and 2. After two days was the feast of the Passover and of the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft and put him to death. But they said, not on a feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

[John Weaver] In other words, we want to do this. But we don't want the people upset with us. So they feared Christ, and they feared the people. They did not want a backlash from the people, and they thought if they could get the Romans to put him to death, it would make them look guiltless. So the chief priests then took counsel. They agreed that Christ deserved to die, and that he deserved to die on a charge of blasphemy. Yet they did not dare stone him the way they stoned Stephen in Acts chapter 7, for they feared the people. So they consulted together, they took counsel together on how they might place a charge upon Christ that the Roman Empire would thus put him to death. So, if you'll go back to Matthew 26 and look at verse 66. Notice if you would.

[John Weaver] What thinking they answered and said he is guilty. Of death. They said he's guilty. He deserves to die, but when they brought him to pilot. Do you know what charges they laid upon him? They said he was guilty of perverting the nation. and guilty of forbidding to give tribute to Caesar. That interesting, no blasphemies mentioned here now, so they had to get these false charges to induce Pilate to put him to death because Pilate would have no jurisdiction over the charge of blasphemy. But you remember, I want you to turn to John 19 and look at this because Pilate was going to release Christ. You remember three times Pilate declared that Jesus Christ was innocent. Three times Pilate says, I find no fault in Him. But if you look in John chapter 19 at verses 6 and 7, they finally reveal why they really want Him dead. Here it is.

[John Weaver] When the chief priest there for an officer saw him, they cried out saying, crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said to them, take him and crucify him for I find no fault in him. He's innocent. The Jews answered, we have a law and by our law, he ought to die because he made himself the son of God. Wow. There it is. There is the charge of blasphemy finally coming to light according to their interpretation. He made himself the Son of God and by our law he ought to die. Three times Pilate found Christ innocent. And the reason he found him innocent was because in Mark 15 and verse 10 we read this, for he knew that the chief priest had delivered him for envy. They were fearful of Christ. They were envious of Christ. They were envious of the fact that people were responding to him.

[John Weaver] Now, throughout this entire episode that I've just laid out before you, I want to make one simple point. It's going to involve two parts and then make the application. In all of this, here's the first part, initially, Judas got what he wanted, and that was all that mattered. I'll show you. I want you to go back to Matthew 26. You see, we think that we know what we want, and we're willing to move heaven and earth to get what we want. In fact, we oftentimes take the attitude, I want what I want and that's all that matters. And sometimes, in fact many times, when we get what we wanted, we're horrified. Because it really didn't turn out to be what we wanted. I've known men and women who thought they wanted another person's spouse. And they worked it out and got them.

[John Weaver] And it was pure horror and a total nightmare. And absolute confusion. Initially, Judas got what he wanted. What did Judas want? He wanted money. He was a thief. And he betrayed his master for 30 pieces of silver. So look at Matthew 26, beginning there with verse 14. Then one of the 12 called Judas Iscariot went under the chief priests and said to them, what would you give me and I will deliver him under you. And they coveted with him for 30 pieces of silver.

[John Weaver] And from that time He sought opportunity to betray him. I want you to note Judas initiated the betrayal. He sought out the chief priest. He asked for the best price, the best offer they could give him. And he would betray unto them the Son of God. So they offered him 30 pieces of silver. So Judas then made a covenant with the chief priest. And the scripture tells us from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. Now, I'm sure that Judas probably had many opportunities to betray Christ, yet he wanted one so that he would not reveal himself as a betrayer.

[John Weaver] Hence, do you not remember that he betrayed our Lord with a kiss, which is a token of love and friendship in Matthew 26 and verse 48. The scripture says this, now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying, Whom Zerah shall kiss the same as he hold him fast. Have you ever wondered about the 30 pieces of silver? Of course, the 30 pieces of silver is part of prophecy for in Zechariah 11. And verse 13, we read this. And the Lord said to me, cast it into the potter, a goodly price that I was prized out of them, and I took the 30 pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. So Judas then betrayed Christ for 30 pieces of silver. Let's just suppose that those 30 pieces were 30 ounces of silver. Okay?

[John Weaver] In our day and time, the 30 ounces would probably be worth 900, 1,000, 1,100 bucks, something like that. That doesn't sound too much to us. But according to the Professional Coin Grading Service, here's what they said, the value of the 30 coins was significant at the time. Such a sum would likely have purchased a small farm, quite a bribe at the time. On average, a small farm goes today around $240,000 in our country, which would include a farmhouse, a barn, equipment, along with approximately 120 acres on which to plant and harvest crops. So the 30 pieces of silver at that particular time could have purchased a great deal.

[John Weaver] Judas wanted the money and he got it. Why did he want the money? Well, the answer the scripture gives us is because he was a thief. He was covetous. Look in your Bibles to John chapter 12. Now, I can't tell you that Judas wanted to buy a farm. I don't know that. I can't tell you that Judas wanted to buy a new chariot. I can't tell you that the Scripture doesn't tell me. But I will tell you what the Scripture says. In John 12, beginning there with verse 4, after Mary has poured this pound of spikenard on our Lord, which is a very costly ointment, Verse 4, then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him. Why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and bear what was put therein. So Judas was a thief. He was a covetous individual. Unhappily, he thought that he wanted the money and that nothing else mattered.

[John Weaver] He got the money and he thought that was it. Now, there are some individuals that tend to think that Judas somehow thought that Christ would work a miracle and deliver himself as perhaps he had done on other occasions where we read he went through the midst of them and so passed by. And then Judas would have his money and Christ would be free and not be condemned.

[John Weaver] In fact, if you look in Mark 14, there's an interesting word in this verse. Look in Mark 14 and verse 44. So he betrays him with a kiss, but watch what else he says. Mark 14, verse 44. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss the same as he, take him and lead him away. safely. Safety was not exactly what the high priest had in mind.

[John Weaver] When Judas saw that Jesus Christ was condemned in Matthew 27, either by the Sanhedrin or by Pilate or by both, his conscience was smitten. Somewhere in the midst of all the treachery, Judas repented himself He changed his mind. He did not repent toward God. He did not exercise faith toward Jesus Christ. He did not ask Christ for forgiveness. He was merely conscience stricken that he had betrayed an innocent man. Judas knew that Christ was innocent.

[John Weaver] This undoubtedly threw a wrench, temporarily, in the plans of the priest. They could no longer imply that Christ was an imposter and that Christ had been betrayed by one of his own. The traitor had recanted and had confirmed that they were murdering an innocent man. Judas knew Christ. Judas was competent to testify. Had he known of any wickedness in Christ, he could have stated it. He would have endeavored to vindicate himself had he known of any wickedness. You need to consider these facts concerning Judas. First of all, he was chosen to be an apostle by Christ.

[John Weaver] Secondly, he did forsake all to follow the Lord. Thirdly, he spent three and a half years traveling the length and the breadth of the land with Christ. Fourthly, he saw all the miracles of Christ. Fifthly, he heard Christ give all of his sermons and discourses. Sixthly, he watched as Christ healed the sick and raised the dead and cast out demons. Seventhly, he, along with the other apostles, was sent out to preach the gospel.

[John Weaver] Eighthly, he was one of the leaders of the apostolic band, for he was the treasurer. And ninthly, no one ever suspected that he was the traitor. I want you to look at something that's very interesting. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew 26. And let's begin reading their verse 20 to show you. How Judas was never suspected. Matthew 26, look at verse 20.

[John Weaver] Now, when the even was come, he sat down with it with the 12 and as they did eat, he said, Verily, I say to you that one of you shall betray me. Watch verse 22. And they, that is all of them, they were exceedingly sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? So no one suspected Judas. But everyone suspected themselves. If you will turn to John 18 and look at verse 5, you'll find that Judas finally reveals himself for actually what he was. John 18 in verse 5. Look at this. Let's read verse 4. They've come to take Jesus. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. Judas finally has taken his place with those who hated Christ, with those who wanted to destroy him.

[John Weaver] He may have covered his design and his thievery. However, his cover never made it to his conscience. Not at all. We read how Judas returned the blood money. in verse 5 of Matthew 27, and he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself. Isn't that amazing? I want you to stop and think with me. All Judas wanted initially was money. He got what he wanted. That was all that mattered until his conscience smote him and he went and threw the money down in the temple. All of a sudden, he no longer wants the money. All of a sudden, he realizes what he's done and he goes out and hangs himself. I want to cover this point next, but I want you to note what the religious leader said. Verse 4, when Judas returned to them, he said, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.

[John Weaver] And they said, what is that to us? See thou to it. You got what you wanted. You asked for what you wanted. We gave it to you. You got it. We don't care. And he cast it down and went out and hanged himself. All he wanted was money. And when he got it. He didn't want it. Secondly, I want you to know something. The priests. Got what they wanted.

[John Weaver] And that was all that mattered. We need to understand something. Judas has come. And said, I've betrayed the innocent blood and he's cast the money down into the temple. The wicked. Have no use for truth. And for those who speak the truth. And when Judas came along, as wicked as he was, and said, I have sinned and I have betrayed thee, innocent blood, I know he is innocent. I know that for a fact. What is that thus? See thou to it. The wicked will use us.

[John Weaver] If we will compromise and fit into their plan. But if we will not compromise and fit into their plan, we are expendable and we are worthless. And I want you to know how easy, and I want you to notice how simple it is for the wicked to cast off the worth and the value of a soul or a person. For when Judas said, I have sinned in that I betrayed the innocent blood, what is that to us? See thou to it. We don't care about you, Judas. We don't care about what you said. We don't care about what you know. Just go take care of it. Do whatever you want to do. Judas made the priests his confessors, and instead of giving him absolution, they threw him under the truck. They did not care for truth. They did not care for Judas. They did not care for Christ. They wanted Christ dead. And they wanted Christ out of the way.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. These priests. These priests that made this covenant with Judas. They were supposed to know the Scriptures. The question is this. Why would they not even examine the claims of Christ in light of the Scriptures. These were religious leaders. In John 5 and verse 39, our Lord challenged them. He said, search the Scriptures, for in them you think that you have eternal life.

[John Weaver] They are they which testify of thee. You search the Scriptures. They should have at least searched. But here's the problem. They did not want verification of the truth. They wanted the condemnation of Christ. And thus they carelessly and wickedly condemned Christ. He was not worth anything to them. His claims, His works, His ministry, His good deeds, His benevolence meant absolutely nothing to them. When these priests said to Judas, What is that to us? See thou to it. They were also saying concerning Christ, If He is innocent, see thou to it. We could care less. We want Him condemned. We want Him out of the way. We have gotten that which we wanted, and that's all that matters. We've got Him right where we want Him. True, they did have Christ, and they did to Him exactly that which they wanted. I want you to look in your Bibles to Luke 24 and verse 7. Luke 24 and verse 7.

[John Weaver] You ladies should have had that duet before service. I could have joined you and we could have been a trio. Look in Luke chapter 24 and verse 7. Luke 24 and verse 7. Watch this carefully. It is true they did indeed have Christ. But look what Christ said, saying the Son of Man must be delivered in the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again. He was delivered into their hands. Now, I want you to look back to Luke 23. Look at Luke 23. Watch this carefully. Luke 23. Watch carefully. Let's begin with verse 24.

[John Weaver] And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition, that is Barabbas, and murder was cast into the prison whom they had desired. Watch carefully. But he delivered Jesus to their will. But he delivered Jesus to their will. What does that mean? They got that which they wanted. And to them, that was all that mattered. They wanted their will. They wanted Christ crucified. They wanted Christ out of the way.

[John Weaver] And to the high priests, the chief priests, the Pharisees, the scribes. They wanted Christ dead. And to them, that was all that mattered.

[John Weaver] Now, would you listen to me? You can get that which you want. You can. And if it's contrary to God and God's will, once you get it, you'll wish a million times you never had it. I want you to listen as I make the applications to this message. Judas got what he wanted, and to him that was all that mattered. The priests got what they wanted, and to them that was all that mattered. Judas covenanted for 30 pieces of silver. Judas is long gone. And so is the silver. However, our Lord said this in Matthew 26, verse 24, just listen.

[John Weaver] The Son of Man goeth as it is written of Him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It had been good for that man had he never been born."

[John Weaver] And when the apostles were choosing the successor of Judas in Acts 1, they said this, that he, the successor, might take part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas, by transgression, fell, that he might go to his own place." Where is his own place? It was a place of death, judgment, torment, and fire. Have you stopped to think about this? Judas got that which he wanted. And I will guarantee you, if Judas could go back and change the direction of his life now, he would. But it's too late. He got that which he wanted. What is it worth? to have your own way and lose your own soul. What is it worth to get what you want and die unconverted?

[John Weaver] Secondly, let me point this out. The scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the chief priests, they got what they wanted. They wanted Christ condemned and crucified. He was delivered into their hands and to their will. I do want you to turn to Acts chapter 2 and let me show you something. I want you to watch this because Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost. And he's preaching to all these people who have been gathered there in Jerusalem for the feast. But I want you to notice what he says. Look in Acts chapter 2, beginning there, verse 32. Peter's preaching and he says, this Jesus have God raised up where we're all witnesses.

[John Weaver] Therefore, being by the right hand of God, exalted and having received the father, the promise of the Holy Ghost is shed for this, which you now see in here for David is not ascended into the heavens, but he said himself, the Lord said to my Lord, sit down my right hand until I make done enemies. I footstool now watch verse 36. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

[John Weaver] Now, when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Now, I want you to look at that question. Once they heard that this Jesus, whom they crucified, has been raised from the dead, he's ascended into heaven, he's seated at the right hand of God, he has all power and authority, and now they ask, men and brethren, what shall we do? Now I want you to listen.

[John Weaver] The scripture says, Pilate, delivered Christ to their will. They did whatever they wanted to do to Jesus Christ. They mocked Him. They railed upon Him. They spat upon Him. They smote Him. They crucified Him. He was scourged with a cat o' nine tails. He was delivered into their hands. And they did to Christ exactly that which they wanted to do. And I want you to listen to this.

[John Weaver] Here's what Peter is preaching. Peter is saying that same one that you did, that which you wanted to do, he is now the resurrected, glorified, sovereign God of heaven and earth. And all of a sudden, They realize what they did to him when he was in their hands, and now they realize that they are in his hands and he may do to them what he wants to do.

[John Weaver] Men and brethren, what shall we do? They had crucified Christ. And now Peter's preaching a sovereign, exalted, omnipotent, glorified Christ.

[John Weaver] Now they realize He is in control. Here's my question. Is it worth facing the judge of all the earth and the sovereign God of heaven and earth to get what you want and to have your will. Is it worth facing Him? Those who play footloose and fancy-free with Christ will one day wish that they had listened, that they had obeyed, that they had submitted to the Lord of glory. You may get what you want now, but I can assure you it will cost you in eternity. Getting what you want is not all that matters. Here's a third application. Sinners. Are miserable comforters.

[John Weaver] They only know how to sin and they only know how to act selfishly. And even when they try to do well, they only do it for their own sakes and their own glory and for their own conscience and for their own reputation. It's not for Christ. It's not for glory. for His glory. And all of those who love treason hate the traitor. It is impossible to please and to satisfy the ungodly. Likewise, it is impossible to be spiritually comforted by the ungodly. For when Judas, in the depth of the torment of his conscience, stated, I betrayed the innocent blood and threw down the blood money.

[John Weaver] They said, oh, how does that seem out to it? Sinners are miserable comforters. Now, listen to this. I preached this message just to make this application. Are you listening? Judas got what he wanted. at the expense of Christ. The scribes, the Pharisees and the priests got what they wanted at the expense of Christ. Do you realize that Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of His people? And when we want to sin, But we want to go contrary to the Word of God and we can do that. We will get what we want. But only at the expense of Christ. For Christ suffered for our sins.

[John Weaver] I do not want and you should not want anything at the expense of the person and work and honor and glory and worship of Jesus Christ. Whenever we sin, it's at Christ's expense. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask for your grace and your mercy. We ask, Father, for your help that we might be holy and godly. That we might live for thee and glorify the sovereign, sinless Son of God. Make us more holy, more godly, more obedient. and help us not to do anything at the expense of Christ, but for His honor and glory. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

[John Weaver] You may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R, C-O-R-N, Street, Suite 705, P-M-B, 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912-925-7000.

[John Weaver] You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com