April 18, 2016
LESSONS LEARNED: NOW DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES
Matthew 27:1–10
Kimberly Sullivan
Central Truth
Some choices we make can’t be reversed. Even if you have the right motive and heart to make things right afterward, there can be consequences for poor choices.
Key Verse | Matthew 27:3–4
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." (Matthew 27:3-4)
Matthew 27:1–10
Jesus Delivered to Pilate
1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus 1 27:3 Greek he was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.”
Dive Deeper | Matthew 27:1–10
Judas, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, was a member of His core group of friends. He was even the treasurer for the group. As the chief priests were trying to find a way to get rid of Jesus, Judas offered to come up with a plan to help the priests falsely accuse Jesus of a crime worthy of death in exchange for a hefty sum. The chief priests accepted, and Judas betrayed Jesus, leading to charges of blasphemy against Him.
Afterward, Judas felt remorse and guilt, so he returned the payment he received from the priests and said, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." (Matthew 27:4a) The chief priests and elders replied, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." (Matthew 27:4b) The chief priests hypocritically refused to have anything to do with Judas in his remorse, and, even more tragically, rejected Jesus, the One sent as Messiah to provide forgiveness for sins through His work on the cross. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Judas returned the payment he received from the chief priests and, shortly after, committed suicide. Judas was overwhelmed by the consequences of his guilt and the priests' rejection.
There have been many times in my life when I have had to deal with the consequences of my poor choices. I can remember giving up a perfectly stable job to seek a higher paying, more glamorous career. It was a poor choice on my part because I did not pray for what God wanted in this area of my life. Now, I use this prayer to God: "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psalm 143:10)
I had to deal with the consequences of my decision, including a stressful work environment and a strain on my marriage. Fortunately, the Lord loved me and helped me deal with the consequences of my decision.
Discussion Questions
1. Should the chief priests have helped Judas when he confessed he had sinned? Why or why not?
2. Can you think of a decision in your life that resulted in unfavorable consequences? What did you learn afterward from the decision you made?
3. How can you use your bad decisions to mentor/disciple others to not make the same mistakes? How can God be glorified through the poor decisions you’ve made?
4. How do you go about processing a decision? Are there specific questions and verses you refer to? Check out this guide to help in the process:
http://www.watermark.org/blog/decision-making-principles/