To start the month of April, we are in a short 2 week series entitled Trees. We are looking at two very important events in the Bible and each of them associated with trees.

Last week we looked at Palm Sunday. This is known as the day of triumphal entry as Jesus rides into the city of Jerusalem. He came to present Himself as the long awaited Messiah of the Jewish people and the Savior of the world.
This was at the height of His popularity and included an incredible celebration. The crowd chanted His name and waved branches of Palm Trees. But by the end of the week, the celebration had turned into a time of conflict.
Jesus then withdrew from the glory of the Palms to the shadows of the Olive Trees in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The time in the Garden with His Father and friends was short. A disgruntled and disillusioned follower of Jesus named Judas Iscariot led a troop of temple guards to arrest the Lord.
Judas was someone who had been on the inner circle of the Apostles. Others saw his religious conduct but Jesus knew his character had never changed.
John 6:70
Matthew 6:24
We see the real Judas in John 12:4-6.

Today we focus on another set of Trees: The Tree of Jesus (Sacrifice) and The Tree of Judas (Suicide).

1. Scripture teaches that both men died upon a tree.
Acts 5:30 [ESV]
The word for tree here is different from the normal word for a living tree. It means anything made of wood (a piece of wood, a club, a staff, the trunk of a tree, something used to support the cross-bar of a cross in crucifixion, and even wooden stocks for prison).
Jesus' death was a sacrifice for us.

Romans 3:25a [NLT]

Judas committed suicide by hanging himself, out of remorse.
Matthew 27:5
Luke tells us more about this in Acts 1:15-19.

Two thoughts:
1. Jesus sacrificed Himself so that we might be made right with God. The biblical idea of belief is about your heart, not just your head. It means you repent and commit your life to follow Jesus (and Jesus alone) with your lifestyle.
2. Judas was religious, but not saved. He met the same fate as those who ignore Jesus, are skeptical of Jesus, and those who hate Jesus, including the Devil. Why? Because he chose to face eternity without Jesus!

2. Scripture teaches that both men died because of sin.

One of the sad realities of our culture is that the true meaning of Easter has been lost or conveniently forgotten. Regarding Jesus, Easter reminds us that Jesus gave His life as payment for our sin.
1 Peter 2:24
He didn't do this so we could keep living the way we want...there was purpose in His death. He died to prepare us for an eternity in a Holy Heaven!
On the cross, Jesus took the punishment we deserved for our sin. He did not deserve to die, but He willingly took our place and experienced death for us. Jesus' death was a substitution.
1 Peter 3:18

In regards to Judas, he committed suicide. Physical death is evidence of the presence and effects of sin. The Apostle Paul often wrote about this truth in the book of Romans.
Romans 5:12
Romans 6:23

Single Thought:
Are you prepared to enter eternity, having rejected Jesus, and stand in front of Him and give account for your every thought, motive, action, and ambition?
Hebrews 9:27

3. Scripture teaches that both men died under the curse of God.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23a [NLT]

Note: Judas was not executed. It was suicide and a matter of his choice to dishonor God.
Both men died upon a tree. Jesus figuratively and Judas actually. And from this passage we see that both men were cursed in the sight of God - because of the burden of sin.
Jesus, even though innocent by virtue of sinlessness, became the very essence of sin, and the totality of all the sin of mankind - past, present, and future. Because of this, He received all the wrath that each and every sin was deserving.
In regards to Judas, he paid for all of his own sins because he was unwilling to repent and place his faith in the Savior.

At judgment day, what do you think the meeting of Jesus and Judas will be like? I wonder if Jesus will remind Judas of something He had said earlier in Matthew 16:26.

Birthdays and Anniversaries We're Celebrating This Week!

Sunday, April 9th - Naomi Yenger, David Smith
Monday, April 10th - Deseray DePyper, Tony & Linsey Wright
Wednesday, April 12th - Tracy Nelson
Friday, April 14th - Ruth Hickey