Scared of Death? Resurrection Sunday 2011

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 Scared of Death? - Audio

Easter Sunday 2011

Scared of Death?

1 Corinthians 15

In 2006 I went on a three week trip to Papua New Guinea, doing some leadership training in one of the major regional centres, doing a tour of remote villages along 2 river systems and visiting some Missionaries our church supported in another region.

It was a really significant trip for me; and I’ve spoken about it here before.

In preparing for that trip I made videos for each day that I would be away from home.  Tim was not yet 4, Alyssa was about 18 months old.  I read a Bible story for them from Tim’s children’s bible and I would update them on where I should be that day and what I should be doing.

I made another video, which I left in the care of one of the Elders of our church.  It was a message for Carolyn and the kids if anything should happen to me while I was away.  Preparing that video was a very confronting experience.

Today’s service has been very much a celebration of life.  It’s been a celebration of how the life of Jesus has overcome death for all of us.  That’s worth celebrating and it’s worth thinking about. 

But first we need to do what many of us avoid doing at all costs.  We need to think a little bit more about death.

Death is a reality we all face, yet most of us avoid thinking about it as much as possible.

I worry about what it would be like for my family to not have me around.

I worry about not having done the things that my life was meant to accomplish.

I worry about not leaving enough of a legacy in the lives of those I love and am called to make a difference to.

And as much as I know and hold on to what God has promised about life after death, I’m naturally nervous about the unknown. 

What about you?

You might have different concerns about death.

Is there anything after death?

How can we know?

How can I know that I’m ready for it?

Is there some kind of judgement?  If so, how will I go in that?

The topic of death brings up some big issues -  uncomfortable issues. 

In 2006 a study was published that had some very interesting findings to do with people’s fear of death[1].

It was seeking to compare people who are “religious” with people who are “spiritual”.

As Chris identified on Friday, many people think of religion in terms of rules and regulations.  It’s what we do in order to be right with God, or more likely – to keep the priest happy.  This idea of religion has lost touch with the heart of what religion actually is.

The real definition of religion is: “the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or any such system of belief and worship”[2]

Of course, there are many religions in the world, but this study was only concerned with where people stood in regard to the Christian religion – the belief in and worship of the God of the Bible – the One True God.

People were ranked from those having no real belief in God and therefore no worship activity; to those whose belief in God was central to their lives, meaning that they sought to live in a way that pleases Him.  Their morals, involvement in church and so on reflected their Christian convictions.

People identified as “spiritual” are those who are on their own journey of self-discovery.  They tend to take ideas from various religions or philosophies, and they make up their own mind about what works for them.  They emphasise their own spiritual enlightenment through practices like meditation, contemplative prayer and so on.

What difference does Christian belief and practice make to our fear of death?  What difference does “spirituality“ make to our fear of death?

There were a number of very interesting findings.  I will share three with you:

1. People with a strong faith in God and commitment to Christian living - but who don’t believe what the Bible says about life after death - register a high level of fear about death.  There are sadly many churches that teach that Christianity is something that makes a difference for this life only, that there is no life after death.  People who believe this are found to be very anxious about death.

2. On the other hand, people with a strong faith in God and commitment to Christian living who do believe what the Bible says about life after death are much less anxious about death.

3. People’s measurement of “spirituality” had no effect at all on their level of fear about death.  Whether people considered themselves to be unspiritual or whether they devoted themselves completely to their spiritual  journey made no difference to their anxiety about death.  Spirituality was seen to make a positive difference to how people live, but no difference to how they feel about death.

I wonder where you’re at today when it comes to what you think about death and what the reality of death makes you feel.

Today I want to share with you the biblical truth that we have already celebrated throughout our service – we don’t need to be afraid of death anymore.  The message of Easter Sunday is one of hope and comfort for everyone who will receive it, and that’s what the Apostle Paul reminds Christians in Corinth about when he writes to them in 1 Corinthians 15.

He starts off in verse 1 by saying:

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

Having written to the Christians in Corinth about a number of issues that they had asked him about, Paul is bringing the letter to a close.  Before he finishes though he is prompted by the Holy Spirit to get back to the central truth of Christianity.  It sounds like there may have been some false teachers around who were changing the message of Christianity to suit their own ideas.  Paul needs to remind them of the true gospel – the real good news about Jesus.

 ² By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

The truth about Jesus has the power to save us.  The watered down ideas of the false teachers have no power to save.  The Corinthians needed to hold firm to the truth that saved them.  What is that truth?

³ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, ⁸ and last of all he appeared to me also

So Paul is reminding them of what he first told them.  It was the key truth that he travelled around the Mediterranean world telling people about.  It was the truth that got him thrown in prison, ridiculed, beaten and more, yet he would not stop talking about it.  It is the most important thing he knows and the most important thing he teaches.

It starts with this: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures

Do you want to be free from the fear of death?  Do you want to be saved from the power of death? It starts with this: Christ died for your sins according to the Scriptures.

Isaiah 53:4-6

⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered him stricken by God,

smitten by him, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

A lot of people live in hope that if there is a judgement to come, then on balance their good deeds will outweigh their bad ones.

But if God truly is perfectly righteous – if He always does what is just – then He must punish every evil action.  What kind of Judge turns a blind eye to crime?  Certainly not a perfect one!

We might not be as bad as the worst person on Earth, but neither is any of us sinless.  We are all guilty of something.  The Old Testament Scriptures that Paul is referring to in this passage contained laws such as the 10 Commandments.  The whole point of those laws was to highlight the fact that we all break them!

We are all guilty and deserve punishment from God.  This message is meant to be good news but at the moment it’s sounding terrible!

But the Old Testament Scriptures also taught that God did not create us in order to punish us, but to be in loving relationship with us.  He knew before the world began that we would sin; and He knew what it was He would need to do in order to deal with it.  That’s why God gave Isaiah these words which talk about the fact that He would send someone to take our guilt from us, to take our punishment for us. 

That’s why we have Good Friday.  On the ugliest of all days when humanity showed it’s most despicable side, crucifying the One who gave us life – on this awful day God was doing something truly good.  He was taking away our sin and putting it upon Himself through Jesus.  He was breaking the relationship between Father and Son that had existed before the creation of the world in order that He might make possible the relationship between us and Him.

If you believe this truth about Jesus you can look back at Good Friday and say “God has taken away my guilt and shame.  God has forgiven me and cleansed me so that I can have a new life as His child.  I don’t need to be afraid of His judgment.  I can bask in the magnitude of His love and grace.  Jesus died for my sins according to the Scriptures.  The punishment that brought me peace was upon Him.

Having died for our sins Jesus was buried in a tomb.  It was sealed up and a Roman guard was placed in front of it to make sure no-one tried to steal His body.

But as we continue to read from verse 4…

he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures

That’s what we’ve been celebrating this morning – it’s what Easter Sunday is all about.

Again Paul reminds us that this is not some recently invented fairytale.  This is something God promised centuries ago – it happened according to the promise of the Scriptures.

The best example of this is found in Psalm 16, where King David wrote:

you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

David was not writing about himself but about his descendant Jesus, the ultimate King of his line that God had promised to send.

The resurrection of Jesus is proof that God has indeed granted eternal life to all who believe in Jesus.  It is proof that sin and death have been defeated.  It is proof that Jesus is who He said He was, because He promised that it would happen.

But apparently there were some people around Corinth teaching that you could be a Christian without believing in life after death.  They found that idea a little hard to believe.  After all, how can there be life once this body stops working?  How can there be consciousness once the brain ceases to function?

For them Christianity worked best as a way of living this life only.  A moral code.  A religious idea that helps us find meaning and purpose, and teaches a bit of self restraint so that we can maintain a reasonably civilized society.

That’s not what Jesus was all about, and Paul was not going to sit by and let people be misled by that sort of nonsense.

Listen to what he says a bit later on in 1 Corinthians 15:

¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. ^[3]

If you go to many churches today, you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s only for this life that we have hope in Christ.  Some people teach that Jesus wants to build your bank account or keep your body free from sickness.  That’s just plainly untrue to the Bible and to Jesus Himself.

Others will teach that Jesus wants to fix your relationships and fill your life with many other kinds of blessing.  That’s definitely true.  Following the teachings of Jesus is the best thing you can do in this life – both for yourself and for those around you.  But if that’s all our faith is about, we’re worse off than those who don’t even believe, according to Paul!

The study I referred to earlier identifies this, because people who approach Christianity that way are more scared of dying than people who aren’t religious at all!

Christianity only makes sense when you believe the whole truth about Jesus.  If Jesus was not telling the truth about rising again on the third day in fulfilment of the prophecy given to Hosea many hundreds of years earlier (Hosea 6:2), then He cannot be trusted when He says that He is the way to the Father.  None of His teachings can be trusted if He lied about His resurrection.

But He wasn’t lying and He wasn’t crazy.  He rose from the dead and was seen by all the people Paul mentions here and more.

He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

If you believe these things then you don’t need to be afraid of death any more.  You know that Jesus is the Saviour.  He’s the One who took your punishment so that you might be forgiven and receive from God what God created you for – eternal life with Him.

You also know that Jesus is Lord.  He is the true King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is the One who will rule an eternal Kingdom and He rules your life right now.  That’s how we know that you have been saved – your live as someone who wants to please your Saviour.  You don’t want to continue doing the things that caused His suffering.  You don’t want to continue in sin.  Instead you allow Him to shape your life according to His good purpose for you.

So how am I going with my own fears about death?

I know Jesus as my Saviour and Lord.  I am convinced of the truth of His death for my sins and His resurrection as my living Lord.

Do my anxieties about death immediately vanish?

Nope!

Sometimes they pop up again with surprising force, and I can find myself worrying about my life and what would happen if it were to end too soon.

Here’s how I cope with that as a Christian:

1. I remember the certainty of my eternal home with God.  Jesus has achieved it for me and I have received it by faith in Him.  As much as I know that I do not deserve God’s grace, yet I know that I have it because of who He is and what He has done for me.
   
   That deals with my anxieties over what will happen to me, but what about my legacy?  What about the people I will leave behind?
   
   
2. I remember the promise of Romans 8:28 which says: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
   
   Therefore regardless of when and how I leave this earth, God is at work for my good and the good of those I care about who are also called according to His good purpose.
   
   My family and this church family needs me right now because this is where God’s called me to serve Him.  He’s called me to be a husband and father and pastor and He wants to do good things through me.  So while I am here I will strive to live up to my calling with His help.
   
   But when in His sovereign goodness He calls me to my ultimate home to be with Him; I know that He will still be at work for the good of my family, this church and anyone else I may have been important to.  I probably won’t understand how at the time, but I know enough of God to be confident that it is true.
   
   Later on in Romans 8 Paul talks about the fact that even in death we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ.  As scary as it is to me in my natural self, through the eyes of faith I know that God in His power works good things even through death.  Even through my death.  Not that I in any way seek it out, but if it is God’s will for me it is something I can accept and trust Him in.
   
   

Do you have that assurance today?

Do you have that assurance for yourself, and for those who matter to you?  It’s what Easter Sunday is all about.  It’s a better gift than Easter Eggs or anything else that can steal the focus of the day.

Some of you may have felt that this message has been unnecessarily heavy and confronting.  Some of you may prefer to continue to avoid thinking about the reality of your own mortality, and what lies beyond.

My hope is that you will face these issues with courage and faith today, and be filled with joy as you realise that your reasons for fear have been dealt with by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for you.

---

[1] Wink, P. (2006). "Who is afraid of death? Religiousness, spirituality, and death anxiety in late adulthood". Journal of Religion, Spirituality, & Aging 18: 93–110.

[2] http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/religion

^[3]All Scriptures from The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Good Friday Message 2011

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Good Friday 2011 - Audio 

Associate Pastor Chris Carrie examines some of the characters in the story of Good Friday.

Discovering Jesus Pt 34 - John 18:1-19:6

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The Trials of Jesus - Audio

Have you ever felt like you were "on trial" - as though people were evaluating you?
In the story of Jesus' trials in the Gospel of John, we discover a life-changing principle about the way that Jesus approached His trials that can help us in the trials we face, no matter how big or small they may be.

Discovering Jesus in the Gospel of John pt 34

Jesus on Trial?

John 18:1 – 19:6

17/04/2011

Introduction

I’d just finished my entrance exams for university at the end of year 12, and my friends and I were ready to kick back and have some fun.

One of the guys heard about a party that had been organised at one of our classmates' property – a local winery – and suggested that we go along.  He assured us that it was an open invite deal.

I just wasn’t comfortable with that.  The idea of just crashing someone else’s party just didn’t sit well, so I decided to ring her and find out if it was OK for us to come.

The problem was, I’m an introvert.  I just don’t feel comfortable ringing up people I don’t know well and having a conversation.  Ringing up and saying “Can we come to your party?” was a pretty terrifying thing for me to do.

So I rehearsed.  I knew exactly what I wanted to say and how I would say it.  I even sounded pretty cool with my rehearsed lines!

Then with my heart thumping I rang her number.  She answered.  My loud beating of my heart caused my brain to short-circuit, but it was OK – I’d planned for this!  I blurted out my rehearsed line – not sounding as nonchalant as I did in practice but not too bad.  She responded quite positively and all was good… then she asked me a question that I hadn’t expected.  A question I had no rehearsed answer for.  My brain was still in neutral, but I managed to fumble out an answer that was almost made sense before bringing the conversation to an end and hanging up.

I thought to myself “She must think I’m a complete idiot”.  It was embarrassing.

Have you ever had a moment like that?

Let me come at it from a different angle…

Have you ever felt like there was something that you should say to someone but haven’t been able to find the courage to say it?

Have you ever felt like you should do something but were too worried about what people around you might think?

Have you said or done something and then tossed and turned at night worrying about what others thought of you because of what you said or did?

Have you ever felt like you’ve been on trial?  Like people are evaluating you to decide if they like you or not.  To decide if you are cool or not, competent or not, desirable or not, worthy of respect or not.

Have you ever chosen your clothing, hairstyle, speech, hobbies, interests and so on because of what you hope people will think about you?

Of course you have!

We’ve all felt like we’re on trial sometimes, and some of us, if we’re honest, feel like that all the time.

How much is that affecting you?  How much is it controlling you?  There’s a truth we need to hear from God’s word about that today.  We see that truth embodied in the person of Jesus as He was placed on trial before hostile authorities.

The story of Jesus’ trial has a lot of interesting facets.  At another time we might break it down to explore it in more detail, but today we are going to look at the story as a whole, to discover what it is that God is emphasising as He inspired John to write this memoir of the event.

We’re not going to go off on any tangents, as interesting or useful as they may be, we’re going to stick with the one essential truth that you need to understand about the trial of Jesus that led to His execution.

It’s not just an interesting fact, it’s a life-changing truth.  I wonder if you’ll spot it as we recount the story.  I’ll tell you what it is when we get to the end!

John 18:1 – 19:6

When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.

Update to the story: last week from John 13 we were in the upper room with Jesus and His disciples as they shared the Passover meal together.  Jesus had washed their feet prior to the meal beginning.  As the meal unfolded He’d predicted His betrayal and sent Judas off to do what he had planned to do.  He’d predicted that Peter would deny Him three times by morning.  He had instituted what we call “The Lord’s Supper”, asking His disciples to remember Him in sharing bread and wine.

He continued to teach His disciples, preparing them for all that was about to happened, and He’d prayed for Himself, His disciples and all those who would believe in Him. 

Jesus and His disciples also had kept the Passover tradition of singing together the Great Hallel – Psalms 113 to 118.  I would really encourage you to read through these Psalms sometime during Easter and think about what it must have been like for Jesus to sing them on the night of His betrayal and arrest.  I think you’ll be very moved as you do that.

We’ll explore some of these other events in more detail after Easter.  But we pick up the story as Jesus finishes praying and they move out together across the Kidron valley to the Garden of Gethsemane, which is the grove that John mentions here.

We know from the other gospels that Jesus spent some time here praying and preparing Himself for the trial He was about to endure; and His disciples found it hard to stay awake.  Then Judas arrived with the temple guards and officials.

^2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

^3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

^4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

^5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) ^6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

^7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

^8 “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” ^9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” ^a

Did the soldiers know who Jesus was?  Surely many of them had seen Jesus teaching in the temple courts.  Could they be certain in the gloom of night that this man really was the one they were after?  The other gospels tell us that Judas came up to Jesus, called him “Rabbi” and kissed Him, confirming that it was actually Jesus.

^10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

^11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Let’s summarise to story so far: Jesus knew who would betray Him and sent Judas off to do it.  Then Jesus prepared both His disciples and Himself for what was about to happen.  He takes them to the place that He knows Judas will lead the soldiers and officials to, and when they arrive Jesus goes out to them and hands Himself over.  When Peter tries to make an opportunity for escape, Jesus rebukes him because He wants to be obedient to His Father’s will.

Jesus Taken to Annas

^12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him ^13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. ^14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Now a quick reminder so you don’t get confused.  The High Priest’s name is Caiaphas – he is Annas’ son-in-law.  He holds the title and has been approved by the Roman government for the job.

However Annas was the high priest until the Romans sacked him.  He is still very influential, that’s why Jesus is taken to him first.  Many people still consider him to be the High Priest, since he still really runs the show and since by Jewish law a High Priest would hold on to the job until he died.  So up until verse 24, when John talks about the high priest he’s talking about Annas, then it switches over to Caiaphas after that.  It’s likely that Annas and Caiaphas lived in adjoining mansions that shared a secure courtyard.  It’s into that courtyard that two of Jesus’ disciples made their way.

Peter’s First Denial

^15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, ^16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

^17 “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”

^18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

Picture this scene, one of the disciples has got connections in high places and is known to the servants of the High Priest.  They probably know that he is a disciple of Jesus but because he’s connected they let him in.  This disciple checks things out – probably making sure that none of the people who saw Peter cut off the ear of Malchus were in the courtyard - and then comes back for Peter.  The girl at the gate asks Peter if he’s “one of them” and Peter says “I am not”.

Why did he do that?  Was it because he was desperate to see what was happening to Jesus and didn’t want this girl to stop him from coming in?  Was he worried about her causing a scene, and the chance that someone might recognise him as the attacker of Malchus?  Whatever the reason, Peter panics, and in that moment of weakness, lies.  He didn’t have time to calmly step back and evaluate the situation and choose the wisest response.  He’s in the middle of a crisis and just acted on instinct.  The instinct of self-protection.  The instinct that knows that it’s dangerous to stand out from the crowd.  The instinct that knows that it’s stupid to fly your true colours in the middle of enemy territory.

You’ll notice that it was cold – it’s the middle of the night!  Why are there people milling around in the courtyard in the middle of the night?  The households of Annas and Caiaphas have been stirred to action.  They are organising a hasty assembly of the Sanhedrin so they can try Jesus for blasphemy.  Some servants and officials will have completed their errands and will be waiting for further instructions, so in the meantime they are keeping warm by a charcoal fire.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

^19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

^20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. ^21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

^22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

^23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” ^24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

So Peter has been questioned in the courtyard and not done so well.  At the same time, Jesus is being questioned inside.  Jesus is not intimidated by the powerful figure of Annas, nor is He cowed by violence.  His brief comments expose the evil intentions of his questioners.  He taught in public, yet they arrest and question him in secret.  He speaks the truth and they respond with anger and violence.

We should ask the question here: Why don’t they just keep Jesus in a cell ‘till morning and then call the Sanhedrin together?  After all, it’s against their own laws to have a trial at night time, and these guys are usually very careful about sticking to their rules.  What’s the rush?

It’s simple – they wanted Jesus dead as soon as possible.  We’ve already spoken in previous weeks about the fact that they were worried about the possibility of a riot during the feast.  Also, Roman officials typically worked from dawn until about lunchtime, so the Jewish leaders needed to be ready first thing in the morning so Pilate had time to conduct his trial and sentence Jesus on the same day.  The following day was a Sabbath, so if Jesus wasn’t killed on the Friday His followers would have a few days to regroup and organise a demonstration.

Peter’s Second and Third Denials

^25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”

^26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” ^27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Jesus is sent to Caiaphas, who will preside over the trial before the hastily assembled Sanhedrin.  Matthew and Mark tell us the details of that trial, but John doesn’t bother.  John doesn’t want people to get sidetracked from the main point of the story.

The main point is all about Jesus’ response to these trials, but John does take the time to describe Peter’s response to his own trials.  Peter is asked again if he is a disciple.  He’s already denied it once, so it’s that much easier to deny it again.

A while later – about an hour according to Luke’s gospel – Peter is again challenged.  It’s likely that several people were asking him on the second occasion, but we know for sure that there was a significant group who confronted him the third time.  One of them was related to Malchus, whose ear Peter had cut off.  Others heard his accent and knew that he was a Galilean like Jesus and the other disciples.

They are insisting now that Peter is one of Jesus’ disciples.  This is a hostile crowd – they are not neutral.  Peter is really starting to panic.  Matthew and Mark’s gospels both tell us that he even calls down curses on himself and swears to his accusers: “I don’t know the man”.

Then the rooster crowed.  Peter broke down in tears, rushed out of the courtyard and wept bitterly.

Jesus Before Pilate

^28 Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.

But didn’t Jesus and the disciples eat the Passover already, before He was arrested?  Why hadn’t the Jewish leaders eaten the Passover at the same time?

The fact is that they most probably did.  We find in Luke 22:1 that it was common to call the whole Feast of Unleavened Bread - which lasted for 7 days and started with the Passover meal – the Passover.  So the Jewish leaders wanted to be able to continue participating in the feast without defiling themselves by close contact with Gentiles. 

How hypocritical of the Jewish leaders that they were prepared to break their rules to conduct a sham trial at night-time, perverting the course of justice; but they couldn’t bear to break other petty rules in the daytime when people could see them and they might be prevented from playing their leading roles during the feasts.

 ^29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

^30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

^31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. ^32 This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

Now if the Jews had just organised an angry mob to take Jesus and kill Him, it would have been by stoning.  However the Romans killed criminals by crucifixion.  Jesus knew this when He prophesied that He would be “lifted up from the earth” (John 12:32).

^33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

^34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

^35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

^36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

^37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

^38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. ^39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

^40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

So Pilate has Jesus inside the palace he used when he was in Jerusalem.  He can’t find anything in Jesus of a criminal nature.  Not only that but we read in Matthew that Pilate’s wife sends him a message to not have “anything to do with that innocent man” (Matt. 27:19).

Outside, Pilate has an angry mob of influential Jewish leaders and their cronies.  Pilate’s had some run-ins with these guys before.  In fact Pilate was pretty much facing his third strike with Caesar.  If there was one more nasty episode of unrest under his command he was facing demotion.  He’s supposedly the one in charge, but he’s under pressure.

Jesus Sentenced to be Crucified

19     Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ^2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ^3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face.

^4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” ^5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

^6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”^[1]

Pilate’s done what he can to try walk the middle ground.  He’s hoping that the shocking torture inflicted on Jesus will satisfy the bloodlust of the crowd, but it does not.

So faced with the choice between what is right and what is popular, he chooses popularity.

Faced with the choice between standing for the truth and saving his own skin, he looks after number one first.

Jesus is condemned to die.

The Big Idea

I wonder if you saw the key truth as we went through this story together?

In the trials of Jesus it was not Jesus on trial – it was this world that was on trial.

Can any human being judge God?  Of course not! 

Was Jesus under the power of these human courts, of those soldiers or the angry mob?  Of course not – He chose His path long before Caiaphas or Pilate pronounced sentence.

In every detail of this story John is demonstrating that Jesus was firmly in control.

Remember Jesus’ words from John 12:27-28

^ “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ^28 Father, glorify your name!”

In the midst of his trials the critical thing for Jesus was not what those people would think, say or do in response to Him.  The critical thing was that He would glorify His Father.

In the trials of Jesus we see the truth and love of God fully expressed in Jesus Christ.  He said nothing wrong.  He did nothing wrong.  He endured shameful treatment not because He had to but because He chose to in order to save us. 

Jesus was not on trial, He was on display! 

As we look at Jesus we praise God for who He is and what He’s done for us.

Humanity is on trial.

In the trials of Jesus we see demonstrated our hatred, our rejection of God, our violence, our cowardice, our deceitfulness, our ignorance, our hypocrisy and so much more.

Was it just Peter who told lies?  Was it just the Jewish leaders who are greedy for power?  Was it just Pilate who would not stand up for the truth?  Was it just the soldiers who were cruel and violent?  Nope, these things are in all of us. 

Jesus alone is pure.

Jesus alone is innocent.

Having established powerfully the guilt of humanity against the righteousness of God, we are about to read of what God did to impart His righteousness to us.  To forgive us for what should convict us.

That’s the subject of our service this Good Friday.  There’s no greater subject for us to think about, talk about and live out of than this.

How Does this Help Me?

But for today, I promised that this truth would be of life changing significance for us during those times that we feel like we’re on trial.

Surely what Jesus went through was completely unlike anything we’ll ever face?  

Surely Jesus’ divine ability to endure His trials is far beyond what we are capable of?

Yes, but the principle He demonstrated is going to change the way that you experience trials in your life, no matter how big or small they may be.

Step 1: Identify when you feel on trial

Peter was not on trial, but he felt like it when people around him made inquiries and then accusations.

Pilate was not on trial, but he felt pressure to give people what they wanted.

Learn to identify those times when you find yourself concerned about what others think of you and how they will treat you.  It may be something you feel when you are choosing what to wear, what to say or not say, where to go or not go.

You feel on trial when your heart is thumping because you are so nervous about how others will see you and respond to you.

It might be because someone is aggressively challenging your beliefs.  It might be because you are about to do some public ministry and you’re worried about making a fool of yourself.  It might be something so silly that you would be ashamed to admit it, but you still worry about it.

Instead of being like Peter and Pilate in this story and just reacting on instinct, learn to allow the Holy Spirit to show you what’s going on inside so He can guide you through it.

God can free you from the bondage that you feel – the fear that holds you back from true freedom in these sorts of situations.

Step 2: Remember who the real Judge is

It certainly looked to anyone present as though Jesus was on trial and Annas, Caiaphas or Pilate was the judge.

Learn to see things from God’s point of view.  See things as they really are and not as they seem to be.

Jesus was the true Judge – those people were the ones really on trial.

It’s the same for us today.  You might be in a situation and you’ve even forgotten that Jesus is present.  Remember that He is.  Remember that one day everyone will see Him and will give an account before Him.

Remember that He is not a judge like any of those people were.  He is not like any of your school teachers, bosses or even parents.

He is the Judge who knew of Peter’s betrayal before it had even happened, and was the One who lovingly restored Peter after he fell.

He is the Righteous Judge that the apostle Paul spoke of in his letters to Timothy.  The One Paul longed to see and receive his welcome as a faithful servant.

He is the Judge who is also the Saviour.

Whenever you feel on trial remember who it is that you really long to please.

It’s a very tough call at times. 

Your natural instincts are screaming out things like:

“You don’t want to offend these people”

“You don’t want to look stupid”

“You need these people to like you”

“It’s not safe to be honest with this person”

All of these thoughts place power and control into the hands of other people.  You are controlled by them, by your fear of them or by your fear of not being one of them.

No person or group should ever have that level of control over you.  Not your enemies.  Not your friends.  Not your boss or your teacher.  Not your spouse.  Not your pastor.

That level of authority belongs to One alone: the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.  You need to decide who is Lord to you.  Remember who the real Judge is.

Step 3: Choose to be on display instead

Jesus knew who He was and what He was about, so instead of being on trial He was on display to the glory of God the Father.

When we remember who we are in Christ; when we are about the business of obeying Him and not conforming to the world or following our sinful desires; we also on display for the glory of God.

Paul speaks of this in Philippians chapter 2 when he describes the Philippian Christians as shining “like stars in the universe” (Php 2:15).

How does this work?

Well, picture this:

You’re at the cinemas deciding what movie to see with your friends, and the popular choice is a movie that you know glorifies things that are evil – sexual immorality, violence and so on.  You don’t want to seem like a goody two-shoes and get teased, but you know that this movie does not fit with Christ.

Who do you please?  If you squash the conviction of the Holy Spirit and go along to the movie and even enjoy it, you are dimming the light of your witness to Jesus.  You are compromising with the world.

However if you explain your concern beforehand, your friends can choose to respect that choice or not.  You can figure out how to be true to Christ while still enjoying and loving your friends, or you may be faced with having to choose between the two.  People who don’t know Jesus will have the opportunity to see how much He means to you, and will also find out a bit of what Jesus is like.  Christian friends will be helped to maintain their own purity and witness.

The same principle applies in a group where the conversation is not pure.  Will you shine or will you hide?

What about when you hear a fellow believer tell a lie or see them sin in some other way – will you shine or hide?  Will you speak the truth in love so that they can be restored?  Do you love them enough to do that?  Do you love Jesus enough to do that?

Are you serious about wanting unbelievers to come to know Jesus?  Are you serious about wanting other Christians to grow?

If that is the case, you need to recognise that what they need from you is not for you to allow them to control your life.  They need you to live under the control of Jesus, shining brightly for Him so that they might see and hear and have the opportunity to believe, and having believed, to obey.

Don’t compromise in order to please them.  Burn brightly in order to save them.  Be on display.

Conclusion – You Are Safe Now

I am someone who tends to be a bit of a cheapskate – I’m stingy!  I had a pair of terrible safety glasses that were all smudged and scratched, so I wouldn’t bother wearing them.  I’d be out whipper-snipping and dirt, rocks and sticks would be flying up and hitting me in the face, and my response would be just to squint with my eyes so that I could still see but there wasn’t much of a crack in the eyelids for any of that junk to be able to get through and hurt me.

Well, I finally bought a new pair of safety glasses.  They’re great – in fact they’re so clear that I often forget I’m wearing them.

This week I was out whipper-snipping and the dirt and sticks are flying up into my face and I’m squinting my eyes pretty tight to keep safe – then I remember I don’t have to anymore, I’m wearing safety glasses.  So I open up my eyes and relax a bit only to find 3 minutes later going through a sandy patch I’m all tensed up and squinting the same as usual.

Old habits are hard to break.

If you are in Christ you are completely safe.  You are accepted.  You are valued.  You are loved.  You are gifted.  You don’t need to fear the opinions of others because you know who you are in Jesus.  You are not perfect in yourself, but you are perfect in Him.  Keep finding your life in Him.

Not only that, but no circumstance in this life can get in the way of the fellowship of God’s Spirit in you and the work He is doing in your life.  No hardship can take away your eternal hope.  You don’t have to fear anything that this world might do to you.  Even the deepest hurts will be healed by Jesus when He makes all things new.

Don’t go through life with your body tense and your eyes squeezed almost shut.  Don’t let fear control you.  You are not on trial.  You have been declared righteous by the blood of Christ.  You have been adopted as God’s child.

As Paul wrote about his own life and sufferings for Christ he said “^In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12).  But speaking of his own trials he said “Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.” (2 Tim 3:11)

Being on display for Jesus can be tough.  You will face tough choices this week where you will be tempted to compromise.  You will be tempted to give in to your fears.

Remember that you are safe now! 

When you feel fear and anxiety mount, remember who the real judge is, and instead of thinking you’re on trial choose to be on display instead.

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 ^a 2 John 6:39

^[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Jn 18:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.