“HIS OWN PLACE”
Winfred Clark, deceased
To those who read the Bible this phrase will be familiar. They will remember that it is found in the book of Acts. It is there that Peter was describing the betrayal act of Judas and the consequences of such as act. Notice, “That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place” (Acts 1:25). One could well say that he went to the place of his own choosing. He went where such characters will go.
We would do well to ask what leads one to this point? How is it that he comes to this place? Can we discover something in the background facts that will help us to understand how this could occur? I believe we can.
- The Opportunities He Ignored.
Just think of the opportunities Judas had to grow and develop into a great saint for the Lord. He was chosen to be one of the twelve. Just think of the fact that this man could have been one of those just like the rest of the apostles. He was one of the men sent on the limited commission (Matt. 10:4). He went out with the rest of the group with the power to cast out demons and to heal the diseased (Matt 10:1). He would be among the group to preach saying, “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Didn’t Judas have the opportunity to listen to the greatest preaching of all time. Never man spake like the Son of God (John 7:46). Here is a man that had the opportunity to look into the face of Jesus and to listen to His lessons. He would have been able to hear the “Sermon on the Mount.” He would have heard all the warnings against covetousness and the like. He would have seen the miracles performed by Jesus. What tremendous opportunities would belong to him!
Didn’t Judas have the chance to sit with Jesus while he would observe the Passover and institute the Lord’s Supper? Didn’t he have his hand on the table with the Lord (Luke 22:21)? It was from that occasion that he would arise and go his way. From that time he would make final plans to betray the Son of God. This he would do in spite of the opportunities that were his.
II Think of the Companions He Sought.
We have noted already that this man was one of the company of the twelve. These are some of the grand men of the Bible. You would not find greater men. But take a moment to look at some of the companions he sought. Note, “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests and said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver his unto you?” (Matt. 26:14-15).
According to Mark, “when they heard it they were glad” (Mark 14:11). But this is the crowd that would kill the Son of God. They want to get rid of him. But Judas has now cast his lot with them. He is interested in what they can do for him.
Take a moment to think of what he later does. Here is the way Luke will describe the matter. “David spake concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus” (Acts 1:16) Notice also, “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves,” (Matt 26:47). What a crowd to be with. What a shame! Here is a man that walked with the Lord. Here is a man who heard the Son of God preach. Here is one who had been warned about the very thing that he is now doing. At one time he had been with the men who would carry the Gospel to the lost world. Now he is with the crowd that would seek to destroy all that was right and good. He sought the wrong kind of companions. But we can see why he would seek these folks. They would be those who spoke his language. They would be the ones to give him what he wanted out of life. They would care no more for the Lord than he would care.
One has in Judas an example of the fact that “evil companionship will indeed corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). Judas would perhaps, have been a different man and could have taken a different course, if he had gone to one like Mary who broke the alabaster box and poured it on the head of Jesus. Wouldn’t it have made a difference if he had gone to Lazarus? But he sought the wrong kind of companions and that will have something to do with his going to “his own place”.
How many times have you heard of men and women who find themselves in the wrong kind of a crowd? How many times do we find that such people will influence us to do thing we might not do otherwise? It could have been different with Judas. If he sought better companions, he could have been a better man.
III. Look at the Choices He Made.
Judas was not predestined to do what he did. He did what he did by choice. He choose to betray Jesus. He did not do this against his will. In fact you will find that he will accept responsibility for such (Matt 27:4). He said, “I have sinned in that I betrayed the innocent blood.” That was his verdict. He knew he did not have to do so against his will.
He chose Satan over the Savior. Look at what John has to say, “And the supper being ended, the devil having now put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him” (John 13:2). That means he has prepared his heart so that satan could influence him. He would do what satan would desire rather than that which the Savior would desire. He chose satan rather than the Savior.
He chose the material rather than the spiritual. Just think of the fact that he could sell out for thirty pieces of silver. He wanted to get his hands on money. He was thinking only in terms of the material. That is the reason he would make such a choice.
Now it is easy for us to see why Judas would go to “his own place.” It was the place of his own choosing. He did not have to go to that kind of place but when he turned down the opportunities that were his, when he sought the wrong kind of companions and when he made the wrong choices that is where he would go and so would we.
