Truth on Trial Part 1

Pastor Mike will be speaking on Truth on Trial Part 1. He will be in John 18:12-27.

The justice of God would be poured out upon Christ. My sin your sin had to be paid for. Even in the injustices that Jesus faced, he still remained the sinless Savior, never responded in a way that was sinful.

Welcome. This is the Hope Worth Having broadcast. This is Pastor Mike Sanders and I’m excited that we are together able to share the God’s truth with you today. We’re gonna be in the Gospel of John chapter 18.

We’re gonna cover verse 12 through 27. We’re continuing our study in the Gospel of John and we’re just kind of tracking through it as we learn the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And today I want us to focus on truth that is on trial and the truth being Christ Himself.

But here we find that John’s purpose is to present Jesus as the Messiah. But what you’re gonna witness is a world and a religion that rejects Christ. So join me now as we get into the Gospel of John chapter 18 verse 12 through 27.

You know Jesus told us that we’re to love God with all of our hearts, our souls, and our minds, and our strength. Then he continued to say that we are to love our neighbor as ourself. And what is interesting is that Jesus was not telling us to love ourselves.

He was not saying that in any way that you needed to fall in love with self. But he was saying that if you want to obey God you must love him and you must love your neighbor. And the question arises to Jesus, who is my neighbor?

And Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. And the bottom line is this, that we are to love our neighbor. And who is our neighbor? It is anyone who is in need. And how are we to love them? We are to love them as ourself.

meaning simply this, that as you care for yourself, as you take care of the needs that you have for yourself, the way that you show love to others is by taking care of their needs. And when you and I get a shoebox, when you and I fill that shoebox up with practical items that are very helpful to these children, then you and I are not only loving God, but we are loving our neighbor.

And I wanna challenge and encourage you to make sure that you walk out of here today with a box. And if you fill up to it, take a couple, take three or four, whatever the Lord leads you to do. How many of you have already gotten your shoebox?

Would you raise your hand? Great, a great looking group. Now, I want the rest of you to get your box today. You say, Pastor, I got my box at Chick -fil -A. I got my box, but no, no, no, no, I understand it.

I appreciate all that. But I want you to get your box at Open Door, amen. And so get your box at Open Door. We’re gonna be bringing those boxes in very shortly. We’re gonna be dedicating those boxes and they’re gonna be shipped out and they’re gonna show up in the hands of children that God is sovereignly calling to himself and that he is reaching out to us and he is reaching to those children to bring the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ.

And I’m so looking forward to that. Now this morning, that was not my sermon, okay? I just want you to know that. That was just a transitional and helping us to be motivated that motivation that’s rooted in the Bible and not motivated just by emotion.

Although I appreciate all the wonderful videos, they are great. But I hope you’ll do it because you love God and you love your neighbor this morning. But I want you to take your Bible this morning to the gospel of John chapter 18 and we’re gonna be covering verses 12 through 17.

John chapter 18 verses 12 through 17. And I want to just take this moment to kind of help realign our thoughts about the gospel of John. To remind us of why this letter was written. In short, John’s purpose was to present Jesus as the Messiah, as the Son of God.

That you and I seeing Christ, that we would believe on him, that we would trust him as our Lord and Savior. You and I have the privilege to read an account, an eyewitness account of John the Apostle.

As he shares with us unique details that are distinct from the other gospels. Details that help us to understand in a more comprehensive way of what Jesus Christ’s ministry was like as he walked on this earth.

And specifically today, we are coming to the point where our Savior is put on trial. I’ve entitled the message truth. on trial. Jesus is the truth, but He is put on trial. And there are two trials that Jesus would have to go through.

There was the Jewish trial, and then there would be the civic trial that He would face. In this text that we’re covering today, Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin court, and He would have to endure the injustices of this court as they treated Him so unfairly.

But what is amazing, and what stands out to me as I read this text this morning, is how Christ endured this injustice with grace in His life. Now as we approach this text that I’ll soon read to you, I want you to understand that John takes a unique approach here in contrasting the response of Christ and the response of Peter while they are both under pressure, while they are both facing injustices and accusations.

We see in this text this morning the contrast between Peter’s weakness and Jesus’ strength. John highlights for us the shortcomings of the Apostle Peter, and he highlights for us the character of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Would you note in our text in verse 12, “‘Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him, and led him away to Aeneas first. For he was father -in -law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.’ Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto the high priests, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priests. But Peter stood at the door without, then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priests, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, art not thou also one of this man’s disciple? He saith, I am not. And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves, and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.

The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.” Jesus answered, I spake openly to the world. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple whether the Jews always resort, and in secret have I said nothing.

Why, askest thou me, ask which heard me, what I have said unto them? Behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Antrest thou the high priest’s soul?

Jesus answered him, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why smitest thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.

They said therefore unto him, art not thou also one of his disciples. He denied it and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest being his kinsmen whose ear Peter cut off, saith, did not I see thee in the garden with him?

Peter then denied again and immediately the cock crew. This morning as we examine this text, I want you to note first of all that as we go from scene to scene, a scene where Peter is denying the Lord, a scene where our Savior is on trial, that first of all we see that Christ was bound and Peter was free.

In verse 12 and 13 the Bible tells us that they bound him in verse 12. They led him away to the high priest. Now John introduces us to two particular high priests and here John is trying to help us understand the real dynamics of what is going on because Anas, he was the father -in -law.

He was the original high priest and in the Jewish rules and guidelines and policies, once you became a high priest you remained a high priest until you were unable to fulfill the responsibilities. But the Jews were under the rule and the control of the Romans and the Romans, they didn’t like Anas and so they decided they wanted him moved out as high priest and they put in his son -in -law Caiaphas.

But Anas was still in the minds of the Jews, the high priest. He was kind of like, if you will, the godfather. He was the guy that was pulling the strings behind the scenes. He was the one that was influencing all the decisions and this is why Our Savior was bound and first brought to Annas, and then eventually to Caiaphas, who is the acting high priest at the time.

Now what is unique here is that Jesus, as he encountered this particular Jewish trial, that it was so unfair, it was so illegal, and for many reasons, and I submit unto you that first, they tried him at night, and it was in secret, which was contrary to the law.

The second reason is that they were trying to admit testimony that were contradicting, in the sense that they were not able to find two reputable, credible witnesses that could properly back up the accusations that were made about Jesus.

I want you to note in your text here that as Jesus stood, before the high priest, verse 19, that the high priest asked Jesus of his disciples, tell me about these people that follow you and about his doctrine.

The accusation against Christ was that he was a false teacher and that he was someone who claimed to be God and that he was teaching false doctrine and misleading people, particularly his disciples. But yet the scriptures teach us that no accusation should be verified without two or three witnesses.

And again, they were unable to accomplish this. And so they then sought out to try to get Jesus to testify against himself by asking the question, rather than trying to bring in other witnesses to find out if Jesus is guilty or innocent on this trial, they then approach Jesus.

But Jesus, according to the law, would have the right to not, very much like our American constitution, would have the right to not have to testify against himself and that he would be under the presumption of innocence.

But as Jesus is brought before this court, this Jewish court, he is presumed to be guilty. But our Lord and Savior being such a dynamic, a dynamic thinker and response to this accusation, notice what he says, I spoke openly.

What Jesus had to say was not in hiding. What Jesus had to say was not in secret. But Jesus went where the Jews gathered from synagogue to synagogue, and he spoke openly in the temple. He always shared the truth.

And he says, why? are you asking me? Why are you asking me what I said? Why don’t you ask those who heard me? Why don’t you bring in the disciples and ask them if there was anything that I said that violated the law or went against God?

Again in verse 23 Jesus said if I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil. Prove it. If I have spoken evil bring in your witnesses and let them say what evil I have done. And then again the other part of the Jesus being on trial illegally and unfairly is that we know the Bible says that he was smitten.

Jesus said why are you hitting me? Because in the law there was no violence or brutality allowed in the courtroom. So for five particular reasons here, we see a savior who is bound. And he is unfairly and unjustly brought before this court.

And Peter, he was free to go where he wanted to. Peter was free because the Jews were intent on doing whatever they could, whatever was necessary, even willing to violate the Bible, even willing to violate their own set of rules to get their agenda done.

But here’s what I want you to see. I want you to see how Jesus took the injustice from others. I want you to note that just like the Old Testament, that before they took the sacrifice to the priests to be offered up to God in the Holy of Holies, that this sacrifice was bound.

And this sacrifice was brought before a sacrifice without blemish, a sacrifice that was brought not because of their own sins, but for the sins of others. And this sacrifice was placed upon the altar and offered up to God on behalf of the sins of God’s people.

And so it is that Jesus Christ was bound. And he was innocent and sinless. And he was brought before this trial and accused falsely. And he would eventually be put on a cross for you and for me. And he was bound so that you and I could be free.

Each and every one of us should have paid for our own sins. But friends Jesus took injustice from others and he took injustice from others who had evil intent But I want you to note that he took justice from God So that you and I could receive grace and mercy For this trial would lead to the crucifixion of Jesus and the justice of God would be poured out Upon Christ because all sin had to be dealt with my sin your sin had to be paid for The punishment had to be applied.

It wasn’t that God was unjust but that he was just and that even in the Injustices that Jesus faced he still remained the sinless Savior and never Never responded in a way that was sinful selfish you but He was the sinless Lamb of God presented to a just and holy God for the sacrifice of our sins so that you and I might receive grace and mercy from God.

The second thing I want you to note is that Christ was truthful when Peter was deceitful. We again look at verse 20 and 21 and we see that Jesus reiterates His point of how He was open. He didn’t do anything in the dark of the night.

He didn’t do it in secret. He didn’t do it behind closed door. It was always in a public setting. He was very truthful for what He said. He was very truthful in how He lived. He was not only a man who said it, He lived it.

He was a man of integrity. He was a man that they could not find anyone who could bear witness to any sin in His life. We know as we study the Gospels that even Pilate said I find no fault in this man.

Jesus was truthful. He was a man of integrity and yet Peter was one who deceived and he denied and he was the one that misled others. When John talks about Peter and you know this other disciple getting into the courtroom and being able to watch and observe this trial taking place, John never in this Gospel refers to himself.

He always refers to the other disciple or he refers to the disciple whom Jesus loved and that is a reference to himself but John wanting to be a man of humility says it was me and and Peter we got in there and solve this and so there is peace.

Peter, there he is, and the moment of pressure is upon him. And what does he do? He denies even knowing Jesus Christ. No, this trial was not designed to discover truth. It was to push an agenda. For the Jews had desire in John 11 .53 that from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

They had already determined his guilt. The worst thing that Jesus did was he brought healing and forgiveness to the people. What Jesus could be accused of as being a man who spoke truth and cared for the hurting.

Jesus knew that the law would demand a witness And therefore, He challenged them to find that witness, and they could not. But John quickly leads us into Peter, and Peter ends up standing with the enemies of Christ, and there he denies Jesus.

What a contrast. What a contrast of lives, reminding each and every one of us what the Psalmist said, that blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the paths of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

We must be careful where we stand. We must be careful where we walk. We must be careful where we sit, because all of these potential hazards can lead us to make wrong decisions, wrong confessions, and end up in attitude, in actions, denying our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Now the third thing that I want you to note, that Christ faced violence, but Peter faced peer pressure. In verse 22, the Bible says that when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, answer us thou the high priest’s soul.

Meaning, how can you talk to him that way? You’re not allowed to talk to him, but Jesus was not disrespectful. Knowing the law, he articulately communicates how that they are violating the law as they are accusing him.

But what’s amazing, even having been hit and struck in the face, the great composure that Jesus did. displayed Peter would later tell the church in 1st Peter 2 23 who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatened not but committed himself to him that judges righteously my friends Jesus demonstrated great patience as he suffered insults lies and abuse Jesus said in John 13 verse 38 that he would lay down his life Jesus said he would lay down his life but he asked Peter this question will you lay down your life for my sake most assuredly I say to you the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times Peter was a man who made rash vows he was a man who said he would never betray the Savior.

He would never disown Him. He would never deny Him. But we know that He denied Jesus three times. Jesus felt the sting of betrayal, the sting of being denied, that as He was enduring on behalf of Peter, so that He might bring forgiveness and grace to Peter, Peter was denying Him as His Savior and Lord.

The Apostle Paul understood what it was like to be betrayed. He said to Timothy the young pastor, this you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among who are phagellus and homogenes.

Paul was devastated and he felt the sting of rejection by others. The prophet had prophesied that Jesus would one day be denied. Zechariah 13 6 says, and one will say to Him, what are these wounds between your arms?

And He will answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. The greater sting for Jesus was not the slap across the face. It was the denial of the one that He loved, Peter. The one that He had given His life for.

And Peter had buckled under the pressure. He had disowned His Savior Jesus during Jesus’s most difficult hour. When Jesus needed a disciple to stand up and speak up for Him, Peter denied Him. Peter’s experience is a warning to each and every one of us.

It’s easy for us to be upset with Peter and to be mad with him, but we are reminded that boasting in our abilities is always an invitation. It’s an invitation to failure in our life. We have to be careful about being proud and thinking that we’ll always be what we should be and that we should strive and desire God’s grace more than anything in our hearts.

As we read this passage and we see these stunning contrasts between Jesus’s response and Peter’s response, you might say this morning, Mike, thank you. That’s very interesting. But what does this have to do with my life?

And I think that is a good question. And I think it is a great question. And so I want to leave you with three takeaways this morning that will help you. What are three principles that emerge, certainly a lot more, but you don’t want to be here forever, do you?

I want you to be encouraged this morning at the clock I’m looking at. It says that right now it’s 7 .38. I don’t know if it’s AM, PM, what it is. I don’t have a watch. My phone is on the front row. So we’re in quite the quandary here, right?

But be encouraged in all of my notes that I’ve typed out for you, you are on the last page and we’re already halfway through the last page. So surely the pastor will get done in time. What are these three takeaways that I need to learn this morning?

Number one, we will not always receive justice in this world. John’s purpose is to present Christ as the true Son of God. John is really an eyewitness of the account of the life of Christ. And here we are seeing, as we look into these verses, a Jewish trial.

And we are understanding how Jesus endured the injustices of this world. In all of our lives, we find that there are going to be injustices. And that it’s unfortunate, but every wrong in this world is not going to be made right.

And we’re going to have to wait for the return of Christ. And we look forward to that, where every wrong is right through Jesus Christ. But until then, how do we endure? How do we persevere? when we find ourselves in a place where injustice is rampant.

You and I are living in some uncertain times where injustice is everywhere, but I encourage you to follow the path of our Lord and Savior. I want to encourage you to make sure you check out our Hope Worth Having Facebook page.

We’re there on social media. Just type in Hope Worth Having, go to our page, like it, and leave some comments, rate us, check out some of the material that’s available. We’re always posting, trying to put things out there to connect you with all of our resources that are available to help you to grow in your faith.

We’re thankful that we could be together today, and I want to remind you that in Christ there is hope. worth having.