1 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:08,280 Indeed, we have come to hear from the Word of the living God, 2 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,360 and we will hear from Him in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of 3 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,600 Mark, beginning in verse 53. Please meet me there. 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:22,760 As we consider a glorious passage of Scripture this Lord's 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:34,520 Day, there are about a dozen verses that we will look at. 6 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,400 Let's read it in its entirety so that we can capture the scene in 7 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,440 our minds before we unpack it verse by verse. 8 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:47,920 Mark 14, beginning in verse 53. And they led Jesus to the high 9 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,880 priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the 10 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,760 scribes came together, and Peter had followed him at a distance 11 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,960 right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he was sitting 12 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,840 with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 13 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,440 Now the chief priest and the whole council were seeking 14 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,080 testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found 15 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,880 none. For many bore false witness 16 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,800 against them, but their testimony did not agree. 17 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,720 And some stood up and bore false witness against them, saying, We 18 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:26,400 heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with 19 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:31,200 hands, and in three days I will build another not made with 20 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,280 hands. Yet even about this their 21 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,160 testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in 22 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,320 the midst and asked, Jesus, have you no answer to make? 23 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,000 What is it that these men testify against you? 24 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,040 But he remains silent, and made no answer. 25 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:57,240 Again the high priest asked him, Are you the Christ, the Son of 26 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:03,160 the blessed? And Jesus said, I am, and you 27 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:07,160 will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and 28 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,360 coming with the clouds of heaven. 29 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,840 And the high priest tore his garments and said, What further 30 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:18,840 witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy, 31 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:23,360 what is your decision? And they all condemned him as 32 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:29,720 deserving death, and some began to spit on him and to cover his 33 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,560 face and to strike him, saying to him, prophecy. 34 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,200 And the guards received him with blows. 35 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:44,240 Lord, we need your help to understand this passage by your 36 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,480 Spirit. Guide us step by step where we 37 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,560 might be weak. Lord, you promised power. 38 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,840 Give us that power in our minds, in our hearts, even in the 39 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:01,760 delivery of this message. May your wisdom, Your love, Your 40 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:06,640 glory be the thing that captivates us today. 41 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,680 We trust that you will do that, and we give you thanks for it in 42 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:19,360 Jesus name, Amen. What an unsettling scene this 43 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,840 is, and you too might be overcome by an unpleasant 44 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:29,040 feeling when contemplating it. Because what we have before us 45 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,160 is not only the trial of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 46 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,800 We have the hearing of the eternal sinless Son of God. 47 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,200 This is not just a court case against a local miracle working 48 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,800 rabbi. You have here a lawsuit against 49 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,760 the righteous King of the universe, the one appointed by 50 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,400 God to judge both the living and the dead. 51 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,160 How is it possible then? How is it possible that the 52 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,080 ruler of all things is subjected to investigation and cross 53 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,840 examination? How is it that you have the very 54 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:15,640 one who held Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh in Egypt, Assyria and 55 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:21,160 Babylon to account, now standing here before corrupt men and is 56 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:26,800 interrogated? It's, it's so strange when you 57 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:34,880 actually think about it, but at the same time so sublime because 58 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:39,040 what we are beholding here together is the Lord Jesus 59 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:43,920 Christ now fulfilling His mandate as the Lamb of God who 60 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,920 takes away the sins of the world. 61 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:51,520 Even the language that Mark uses here is meant to allude to the 62 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,960 ancient prophecies that predicted the dawning of 63 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,960 redemption as we see it here. Let me give you an example. 64 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:02,520 Look again here at verse 53. And they led Jesus to the high 65 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,480 priest. Let me remind you something that 66 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,240 there are hundreds of references to the Old Testament in the New 67 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,920 Testament, and there are thousands of allusions to the 68 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,080 Old Testament. There are phrases and sentences 69 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,320 and collection of words that are meant to bring you to certain 70 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,680 places in the Old Testament that are not directly quoted. 71 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,680 And so the more you familiarize yourself with the Old Testament, 72 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,840 the more you're going to see the connection and the harmony of 73 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:31,720 the Bible as you read throughout the New. 74 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,160 And I see something even here. They led Jesus to the high 75 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,520 priest. Doesn't that echo what Isaiah 76 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:40,280 prophesied concerning the Messiah? 77 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,200 And Isaiah 53, seven, we're told there about the Christ, that he 78 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:49,840 was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth like a 79 00:05:49,840 --> 00:05:54,240 land that is led to the slaughter. 80 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,800 Indeed, it is a connection. Here's Christ being led to the 81 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,480 high priest. And this is just one thread 82 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:06,760 among many that weaves into a profound tapestry. 83 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,160 And there are many other threads that I want to consider with you 84 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,400 today. So what are we going to do? 85 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:18,080 Let's meditate on a few things. Join me in thinking about in 86 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,640 this passage, the sinking faith of Peter. 87 00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:28,400 And after that, let's consider the suffering of slander. 88 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,000 Beyond that, let's look into the silence of the Lamb of God. 89 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,760 And fascinatingly, let us conclude with this glorious 90 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,400 thought, the shift of a priesthood. 91 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,520 So now we come to verse 53 and 54. 92 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,720 They led Jesus of the high priests and all the chief 93 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:53,160 priests and the elders and the scribes came together and Peter 94 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:57,040 had followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the 95 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,080 high priest. Mark is being very detailed and 96 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,560 mentioning how Peter followed Jesus. 97 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,000 So remember, we learned that they all scattered from Christ 98 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:11,400 upon his arrest. But seems like Peter was able to 99 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,520 muster up a little bit of courage to be able to follow 100 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:16,520 Jesus. But we're told specifically that 101 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,240 he followed the Lord at a distance. 102 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:22,720 The Holy Spirit doesn't waste any words. 103 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,160 In fact, this seems to be an emphasis that he wants to make 104 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:31,760 because we find the same detail in Matthew and in Luke that 105 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:36,320 Peter followed the Lord at a distance. 106 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,880 Why? Well, remember how we learned 107 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,440 about the young man, the anonymous young man who followed 108 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,400 the Lord in verse 51? Look at it with me again. 109 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,320 And a young man followed him with nothing but a linen cloth 110 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,920 about his body, and they seized him. 111 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:54,760 So this young man who pursued the Lord after his arrest 112 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,080 evidently was close enough for these guards to turn around and 113 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:02,880 grab him and snatch his clothing off him for a runaway naked. 114 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:04,760 And we talked about the significance of that, if you 115 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,000 remember. So we know that if you follow 116 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,360 too close to the Lord at this point, it was dangerous for you. 117 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,160 And Peter understood that. So in order to be safe, you 118 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,400 follow at a distance. It was safer for Peter. 119 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:22,360 Can I tell you today that there are people who are following 120 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,960 Jesus like Peter did here as I speak? 121 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,800 They're convinced that they're following the Lord, but they're 122 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,440 following him in a way in which onlookers might wonder about 123 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:40,120 their association with them. They're following the Lord in a 124 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:45,160 way that is less risky, less inviting of trouble. 125 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:51,040 They're following the Lord in a way that incurs no cost and that 126 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:57,400 really satisfies the flesh. It's possible to follow the 127 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:02,440 Lord, but at a distance. You know, the psalmist in Psalm 128 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,920 7328 says something profound, he said. 129 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:08,080 But for me, it is good to be near God. 130 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,800 It's good to be near God. Peter could not make that 131 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,880 statement. He could not Amen that psalmist. 132 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,560 At this point in his life, he was not near God. 133 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,600 He was following at a distance. But that wasn't always the case 134 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,840 for Peter. For many years Peter was by 135 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:33,920 Christ's side, not just in times of roaring success, but even in 136 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:37,920 moments of great danger. And yet at this point, we see 137 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:42,280 him distancing himself from Christ, showing you and I that 138 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:46,720 it's even possible for the most devout to succumb to this kind 139 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,560 of level of devotion that is not praiseworthy or the will of God. 140 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,920 And I want to remind you today that following Jesus at a 141 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,800 distance is not something that happens overnight. 142 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,640 It happens gradually. So you went from reading your 143 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,600 Bible every day to reading it only some days. 144 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,960 You went from bringing your petitions, your problems, your 145 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:18,800 thanksgivings to God regularly in prayer, to only in 146 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,320 emergencies. You went from the House of God 147 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:26,160 being a priority for you in your week to your attendance to the 148 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:31,800 House of God being spontaneous. And you don't even realize that 149 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,760 you're following Jesus at a distance. 150 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,360 Yes, he's before you. You can still see him out there 151 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,800 in the horizon, but you're not near him where you should be. 152 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,840 Why was Peter following Jesus at a distance a problem? 153 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:49,480 It was a problem because he promised Jesus I will be devoted 154 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,120 to you, even if it means my death. 155 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:54,440 And he's not fulfilling that promise. 156 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,320 But as I mentioned earlier, the devotion of the believer 157 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:03,160 crystallizing in this way, becoming colder and colder, is 158 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,560 not something that just visits you suddenly. 159 00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:08,040 You don't just wake up one day thinking to yourself, I think 160 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:09,400 I'm going to pull back a little bit. 161 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:15,080 It is a progression, one that we often do not even recognize as 162 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:19,800 it is happening. But there isn't. 163 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,440 There is a clue in this passage that shows us at least one way 164 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,840 you know that you're following Jesus at a distance. 165 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,720 Look again at verse 54. And Peter followed him at a 166 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,680 distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, 167 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:38,000 and he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at 168 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:43,720 the fire. Why was he sitting with the 169 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:47,840 guards? Because he wanted to know what 170 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,440 would happen to Christ. We're told in another gospel 171 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,720 that he didn't want to see the end of the matter, but he also 172 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:55,560 didn't want to be identified with Christ. 173 00:11:55,560 --> 00:11:58,000 And so he sought to blend in. That's exactly what he's doing. 174 00:11:58,000 --> 00:11:59,800 He's trying to camouflage himself. 175 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:04,560 And if you want to know one evidence, piece of evidence that 176 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:07,040 you are following the Lord at a distance, it is this. 177 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,440 You find yourself comfortably fellowshipping with those who 178 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:15,320 oppose Christ. I'm sure you've seen it. 179 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,240 I've seen it. Those who have once held their 180 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,400 Bible so tightly and had great delight being in the House of 181 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:24,600 God with the people of God gradually disappearing. 182 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:29,040 And then you go on social media and you find them holding what? 183 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:38,840 Sitting with who? Unashamedly posting that they're 184 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:44,920 there. And there are many reasons why 185 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,320 this heartbreaking change happens, but it usually occurs 186 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:55,080 at the same pace, little by little. 187 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,440 Do you want to see how amazingly accurate the Bible is? 188 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,960 How specific it is? Do you want to be encouraged 189 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,360 further of why we need to read our Bible slowly and 190 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:13,360 comparatively? Go to John 1818 and here's 191 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:18,840 John's account of Peter at the exact same time of what we are 192 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:25,720 studying in Mark. How often do Christians find 193 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,480 themselves in places they shouldn't be, relating to people 194 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,520 they shouldn't collaborate with and engage in things unbefitting 195 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,160 of followers of Jesus? But it doesn't happen right 196 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,120 away. John 1818 tells us now the 197 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,080 servants and officers had made a charcoal fire. 198 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,560 Can I remind you what kind of fire did Jesus create in John 21 199 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:49,640 when He restored Peter? When you go to it in your own 200 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:53,360 reading, you realize that he he made a charcoal fire and the 201 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,920 only other connection to a charcoal fire in John is this 202 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,080 one. So you know what that means. 203 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,080 When Jesus restored Peter, ultimately he brought him to a 204 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,600 charcoal fire because He wanted Peter to address this and not 205 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,960 sweep it underneath the rug. Let's talk about where things 206 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:11,160 went wrong. And he did so, so gently and so 207 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,160 compassionately. But besides the point, the 208 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:16,240 servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was 209 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,200 cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. 210 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,080 Peter also with them, standing and warming himself. 211 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,200 John tells us that when Peter was with the guards, trying to 212 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,720 blend in, being with a crowd that he was not supposed to be 213 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:33,040 with, he was doing what? Standing, Standing. 214 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,120 The people were standing and warming themselves. 215 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,840 So Peter joined them and was standing and warming himself. 216 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,840 Go back to Mark 1454. What do we read Peter doing? 217 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,240 And Peter had followed him at a distance right into the 218 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,760 courtyard of the high priest, and he was doing, what was he 219 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,520 standing? He was sitting. 220 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,280 Contradiction. No, no, no, no, no progression. 221 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:02,080 He went from following Jesus at a distance to standing with the 222 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,560 people that he should not stand with, getting comfortable enough 223 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:10,400 then to sit with them. Is sitting more stationary than 224 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:10,960 standing? Yeah. 225 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,360 If you're on your feet, you can pick yourself up and walk off. 226 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:15,960 But when you're sitting, you got cozy. 227 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:20,720 You got cozy. And that's exactly what happened 228 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,560 to Peter. And that's what happens to some 229 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,280 Christians. They follow Jesus at a distance, 230 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:31,040 and they curiously explore other things, and so they're still 231 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:33,680 standing. But it doesn't take much time 232 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,520 for that conviction, that sensitive conscience, to be 233 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:42,080 tranquilized. And they go from standing to 234 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:43,960 sitting. Do you know what happens after 235 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,680 you sit? What happened to Peter? 236 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:53,360 He went from standing to sitting with the wrong crowd to behaving 237 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:57,120 like them. This is the exact location where 238 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:59,160 Peter would deny the Lord Jesus Christ. 239 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,240 And that's what happens to Christians who follow Jesus at a 240 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,640 distance. They not only join themselves to 241 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,840 people that they shouldn't join themselves with, but over time 242 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:17,120 they imitate them and even whether verbally or behaviorally 243 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:21,320 deny their Lord. Do you remember what Psalm 11 244 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:22,880 says? Blessed is the man who walks not 245 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,400 in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of 246 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:30,040 sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. 247 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:35,960 There's a progression to backsliding. 248 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,200 Are you following Jesus at a distance this day? 249 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:48,520 Close enough for you to feel good in your in your conscience, 250 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,640 but far enough so that if anybody looks at you, they can't 251 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:58,040 really make out if you're following the Lord or not. close 252 00:16:58,040 --> 00:16:59,640 enough where you can say I'm religious. 253 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:03,480 Far enough that it doesn't cost you anything because you don't 254 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,160 really stand for anything being associated with Christ. 255 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,839 Don't fool yourself. You're not really following the 256 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:11,520 Lord. And give it a little bit more 257 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,040 time. You'll be standing with the 258 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,119 wrong people, then sitting with them, and then you're going to 259 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:16,680 start imitating them. And that's where things get 260 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:22,280 really messy. I beckon you with the authority 261 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,200 of this book, turn to the Lord, run to him. 262 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,280 The will of God is for you to be near him. 263 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:37,560 So I encourage you with all my heart, run a little faster and 264 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:43,120 grab the hem of his garment. And like this the song says, 265 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:46,800 bind my wandering heart to thee, and he'll do it. 266 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,920 He'll keep you, He won't just keep you till you get to heaven. 267 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,040 He'll keep you in fellowship with Him if you desire it. 268 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,560 But don't be settled or satisfied with following the 269 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,000 Lord at a distance. This is the sinking faith of 270 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,040 Peter. But now we come to the suffering 271 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,160 of slander in verse 55. Now the chief priest and the 272 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,120 whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put 273 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:09,000 Him to death, but they found none. 274 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,240 When we consider the sufferings of Christ, rarely are the 275 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:20,840 malicious lashes of the tongue against his sinless reputation 276 00:18:22,120 --> 00:18:25,880 is brought up. Which is strange because some of 277 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:29,320 us in here can testify of the pain of being lied about or 278 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:35,400 deliberately misrepresented. This is indeed a part of his 279 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,280 suffering. Now, if you've ever been lied 280 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:42,720 about, if anybody's ever slanted your name, the pain is real, 281 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:46,280 even though you are aware that you're fully capable of doing 282 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:47,840 wrong and making mistakes, right? 283 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:54,360 Then how much more, how much more ugly is it for defamation 284 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:56,920 to be brought against the one who is perfect? 285 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:03,480 That is what we have before us. And yet we read here verse 56. 286 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:09,040 Many, many, many bore false witness against them, but their 287 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,920 testimony did not agree. I love that they're fumbling and 288 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:17,960 they're stumbling, trying to come up with some good evidence 289 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,600 that crisis in error and some point and they couldn't. 290 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,200 And after stumbling in each other's attempts, finally, 291 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:29,440 finally a group came up with something and it's recorded for 292 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,000 us. Out of all the false accusations 293 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,000 and allegations, this one is recorded for us because it's 294 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,840 probably the most convincing. It was probably the best lie 295 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,040 that they can conjure up. And what was it? 296 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,720 Look here again in verse 58, we heard him say I will destroy 297 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,320 this temple that is made with hands and in three days I will 298 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,720 build another not made with hands. 299 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,800 Jesus said something about destroying a temple. 300 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,160 Mark doesn't record that incident. 301 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,360 John does. And when you look at where John 302 00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:01,920 records Jesus saying this, it's early in his ministry. 303 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,600 So this is a statement that they are referring to from three 304 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,200 years ago. Talk about desperate reach. 305 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,240 Three years ago. But then when you look at John 306 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,600 chapter 2 and actually see what Jesus said, you're going to 307 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,800 realize even more just how twisted these people are and 308 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,520 trying to condemn the Lord Jesus Christ. 309 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:24,120 Compare this with what Christ actually said in John 2 verse 310 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:28,640 19. Jesus answered them, destroy 311 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:33,640 this temple and in three days I will raise it up. 312 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:39,920 The Jews then said it has taken 46 years to build this temple 313 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:41,920 and will you raise it up in three days? 314 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,480 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 315 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:49,320 What did these false accusers say? 316 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:53,400 They added a lot, didn't they? Not saying about how he's going 317 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,720 to destroy this temple that is built or made with hands and 318 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,800 he's going to raise up another one not made with hands. 319 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,080 So they're adding to him. And the problem is, though, the 320 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,960 worst kind of lies are the ones that contain a degree of truth. 321 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,160 Again, Jesus did speak about destroying a temple, but he was 322 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:10,800 speaking about the temple of his body. 323 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,480 And instead they they sought to take his words and make it about 324 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:16,640 the physical temple, the temple of Herod. 325 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,800 And that was an unthinkable act that would have been like an act 326 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,520 of terrorism. And they're accusing the Lord of 327 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:25,280 entertaining and planning such a thing. 328 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:29,800 And it's possible that they chose this allegation because 329 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,800 the Lord already on two occasions went into the temple. 330 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:37,560 And what did he do? He cleaned up the place, flipped 331 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:39,720 a few tables. So maybe this lie was more 332 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,400 convincing because of those events. 333 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:45,560 But here's the thing that we have to understand. 334 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:50,640 The tongue is a powerful weapon, and it has not only been used 335 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,360 against the Savior, but His servants throughout history. 336 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,880 So if you're going to serve the Lord and you want to glorify 337 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,520 Him, don't be surprised if you become the targets of scorn and 338 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:05,920 slander while serving Him. You know, earlier this week I, 339 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:11,640 I've been reading the book of Jeremiah and I stumbled upon 340 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,760 something just in my reading. And this is the beauty of never 341 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,000 substituting your personal reading with sermon prep. 342 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,160 I know some people who do that. And I mean, if that's their 343 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,080 conviction, that's fine. But to me, reading the Bible 344 00:22:23,120 --> 00:22:27,440 yourself, besides preparing for a sermon, not only blesses your 345 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:30,200 soul, feeds your soul, but it supplements your sermons in 346 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,600 surprising ways. I found Jeremiah saying 347 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,800 something in lament and brokenness as I'm studying for 348 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:41,240 this separately, and I want to read it to you from John 1818. 349 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:48,720 Excuse me, Jeremiah 1818. Jeremiah says, come about the 350 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,120 people who are persecuting. Then they said, Come, let us 351 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:54,040 make plots against Jeremiah. For the law shall not perish 352 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:57,280 from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from 353 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,000 the prophet. Come, let us strike him with the 354 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,120 tongue. Let us strike him with the 355 00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:05,640 tongue. Not with a sword, not with a 356 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,080 club, not with an arrow. The tongue, Yeah, that thing 357 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:14,440 tucked between your lips. There's some people who've never 358 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,320 committed murder, but in reality they have. 359 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:20,320 They have slandered people and destroyed reputations throughout 360 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:24,480 their lives. One preacher said this. 361 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:26,760 Nobody has tried to take my life, but they're doing 362 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,160 everything they can to on the Internet to take away my 363 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:34,120 reputation, to silence me, because they're convinced that I 364 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:36,920 am, like so many others, just another spiritual fraud. 365 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:43,400 It's one of Satan's favorite weapons to possess the tongues 366 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,920 of people and to target those who serve him. 367 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,080 And Jeremiah is saying it happened to Jeremiah. 368 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:54,200 If it happened to Jesus, my friend, do you know what you 369 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,400 signed up for? Be prepared. 370 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:00,800 Serve the Lord faithfully, long enough, effectively. 371 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:08,640 It's coming your way. So crucify your need and your 372 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,920 urge to defend your reputation. Give it to the Lord. 373 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,520 Let him defend you. Let him defend you. 374 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,440 But that's not the only thing that moved me about Jeremiah. 375 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,440 You read on about how he responds to the onslaughts of 376 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,200 the tongue. Look at what he says in verse 19 377 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,120 down. It's lengthy, but it's worth it. 378 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,680 He says, Hear me O Lord, and listen to the voice of my 379 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:32,720 adversaries, should good be repaid with evil, yet they have 380 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,400 dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you 381 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,720 to speak. Good for them to turn away your 382 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,000 wrath from them. So far this is wonderful saying, 383 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,160 Lord, remember I did good for these very people that are 384 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,120 hurting me with their words. Remember what I did for them. 385 00:24:46,120 --> 00:24:47,680 Remember what I did on their behalf. 386 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,680 But it doesn't end there. Look at this very important 387 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:52,360 word. Therefore, how do you think 388 00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:54,320 Jeremiah is going to continue in his prayer? 389 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,360 Put a seat belt on. Therefore deliver up their 390 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:02,000 children to famine. Give them over to the power of 391 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,280 the sword. Let their wives become childless 392 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,160 and widowed. May their men meet death by 393 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:10,320 pestilence. Their youths be struck down by 394 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,720 the sword in battle. May a cry be heard from their 395 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,760 houses when you bring the plunderers suddenly upon them, 396 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:19,600 For they have dug a pit to take me and laid snares for my feet. 397 00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:22,560 Talk about a reading for your devotion time in the morning. 398 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:31,000 It's not where it ends though. Verse 23 Yet you, O Lord, know 399 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:36,800 all they're plotting to kill me. Forgive not their iniquity, nor 400 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,560 blot out their sin from your sight. 401 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,920 Let them be overthrown before you deal with them in time and 402 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:50,200 the time of your anger. It hurts. 403 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:55,120 It hurts when people malign and damage your name. 404 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,040 It hurts, especially when you serve people. 405 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:02,800 But here's the thought that I had there. 406 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:08,400 I am looking at these words and knowing what I'm studying for 407 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,680 this Sunday sermon, and I could not help but compare Jeremiah's 408 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:18,040 response to the slander to the Lord Jesus, who in the apex of 409 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:22,000 his suffering, as he hung there on the cross, he did not say 410 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:24,000 forgive. Not their iniquity, but what? 411 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:30,120 Forgive them. Forgive them. 412 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:37,320 We have an amazing savior. Amazing. 413 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:44,480 Can I tell you something? You you might be a serial killer 414 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,520 in terms of slander. You, you might. 415 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:55,640 I know some who have even damage and destroy the reputation of 416 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,040 ministers and even churches altogether. 417 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:01,920 You might have that kind of a resume, but can I tell you 418 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:07,120 something? As mind blowing as it is, Jesus 419 00:27:07,120 --> 00:27:12,960 is willing to forgive you. You might be the notorious 420 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,680 gossiper of the town of the nation. 421 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:23,480 Slander, a false witness, even. I want to tell you something. 422 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:29,600 The grace of God is so immense, so strong, that he's willing to 423 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:35,000 even forgive you, restore you, receive you. 424 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:40,160 And more than that, He'll take that troublesome tongue of yours 425 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:43,560 and replace it with a tongue of grace and love. 426 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,920 And the power that you use that tongue for to destroy cannot be 427 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:54,080 used to heal, to forgive and to reflect the character of Jesus 428 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,400 Christ. What a savior we have. 429 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,120 He endured even this kind of suffering. 430 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:06,040 And though Christ would eventually respond to the pain 431 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:10,960 by those that he came to save with inconceivable grace. 432 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:15,120 His immediate reaction was something quite different when 433 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:18,680 the high priest look here, verse 60, the high priest stood up in 434 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:20,920 the midst and asked, Jesus, have you no answer to make? 435 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,720 What is it that these men testify against you? 436 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,560 So he's now pressing the Lord. He's not taking advantage of 437 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:31,440 this accusation being brought up and is now confronting the Lord 438 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:37,160 with a direct question and notice how he reacts verse 61, 439 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:41,840 but he remains silent and made no answer. 440 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:51,000 This is this is majestic. The stillness, it's so elegant. 441 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:58,000 The calmness is convicting. Can you imagine standing there 442 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:01,120 surrounded by people who at their word, if they are 443 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:06,080 believed, you're dead? OK, how many of us would squirm? 444 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:10,160 How many of us would speak up? Defending our cause, defending 445 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:12,320 our reputation, defending our character? 446 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:19,920 And yet the Lord stays quiet. He doesn't offer a peep. 447 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:22,200 Do you know why? Because He's fulfilling 448 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,080 prophecy. And I alluded to in the 449 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,000 beginning of this message, but let me read it to you in its 450 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,280 entirety from Isaiah 53 verse seven. 451 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,600 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his 452 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:37,520 mouth like a land that has led to the slaughter and like a 453 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:39,360 sheep that is before its sheer is silent. 454 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:43,520 So He opened not his mouth. So the prophet is again 455 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,760 portraying this Messiah who would come and die, and before 456 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:57,320 his death we see him gloriously quiet, tranquil still. 457 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,880 Do you know why it's important to see Jesus Christ still and 458 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,200 silent in this way? Do you know why that's such an 459 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,920 important feature of who the Messiah is as the sin bearer of 460 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:09,160 the world? I'll tell you why. 461 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:14,800 His stillness speaks volumes and it communicates that he was not 462 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:21,360 resisting the fate that he was going to experience even with 463 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,200 his words. He did not protest. 464 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:27,040 He did not seek to delay. He didn't seek to. 465 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,880 He didn't seek to do anything even with his words, out of the 466 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,560 abundance of his heart. What He is showing here as he 467 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:37,000 stands there majestically mute, it's the showcase of the world 468 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:41,600 that He did not shrink from wanting to go to the cross so 469 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:46,280 that he can purchase your soul from hell and from sin. 470 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:51,360 So this snippet of the Savior is supposed to move you, my friend. 471 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:56,120 It's supposed to stir your heart that He willingly accepted 472 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:00,880 without defending a moment himself from it. 473 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:05,040 He accepted it. He received it and it's seen 474 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:08,120 throughout the trial. Come down at verse 65 just to 475 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:11,280 get an idea. And some began to spit on him 476 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:15,800 and to cover his face and strike him, saying to him, prophecy. 477 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:18,400 And the guards received them with blows. 478 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,920 I don't know how much of this was intentional in terms of it 479 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,240 being mocking of prophecy, because there's a prophecy in 480 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:29,120 Isaiah 11, verse three that the Messiah would not judge with his 481 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:33,040 eyes, that he would not need to look for evidence. 482 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:35,000 He would not need to see anything. 483 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,240 But in this perfect omniscience, he'd be able to dictate 484 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:43,320 innocence and guilt. So again, I'm not sure how much 485 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:46,640 of this is connected to that, but imagine if it was. 486 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,960 Imagine if these religious leaders knew that much of 487 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:54,040 prophecy where they had Jesus eyes blindfolded and one by one 488 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:56,920 they would strike him on the face and say which one did it? 489 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:59,320 You're the Messiah judge without your eyes. 490 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:04,880 This is this is horrific. And it's meant to be horrific 491 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:13,040 because he stood in our place. We marvel at this and you should 492 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:15,560 marvel at this, But there was somebody who was not impressed 493 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,280 by it and it was the high priest. 494 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:22,160 So there stands the the silent Lamb of God. 495 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:26,240 And we read here in verse 61 again, the high priest asked 496 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:28,680 them, are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed? 497 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,240 And surprisingly, at this specific juncture, Jesus speaks 498 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:34,640 up. Why? 499 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:39,520 At this point you could say because he's pressing him and 500 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:46,800 he's pressured. Matthew adds a detail that helps 501 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:49,440 us make sense of why Jesus chose to speak at this point. 502 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:51,120 You don't have to turn there, but listen. 503 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,240 There's an added phrase in Matthew 2663. 504 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,480 But Jesus remains silent. And the high priest said to him, 505 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:05,240 I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, 506 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:07,800 the Son of God. So do you know what the high 507 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,120 priest is doing? He's placing Jesus underoath. 508 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:17,800 He's placing Jesus underoath. And there is a law in the Old 509 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:21,680 Testament that shows us how Jesus, though fulfilling his 510 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:27,880 role as the silent lamb led to the slaughter, also perfectly 511 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,640 obeyed the law. This is why you can't skip books 512 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:35,680 like Leviticus. You can't listen to what the law 513 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:44,480 says in Leviticus 51. If anyone sins in that he hears 514 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:50,160 a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, 515 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,280 whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not 516 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:56,280 speak, he shall bear his iniquity. 517 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,280 You see what the law says, if you are a witness to something, 518 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:04,240 an event or truth on occasion, and you refuse to speak up to 519 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:08,159 either confirm or deny it, you're guilty of sin. 520 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:12,880 That says a lot about us, even in terms of principle, that if 521 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:15,239 we know something and refuse to share for whatever selfish 522 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:17,080 reason, that's wrong in the eyes of God. 523 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:21,000 You understand. But here's a legal code. 524 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:25,800 If you know something and you do not speak up and confirm it, 525 00:34:26,199 --> 00:34:31,000 this is iniquity. So the high priest places Jesus 526 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:35,040 Underoath, he invokes the name of God and he asks them, are 527 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,159 you? Are you the Christ, the Son of 528 00:34:38,159 --> 00:34:41,120 the blessed? And Christ understanding his 529 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,159 duty at this time again fulfilling our righteousness, 530 00:34:44,159 --> 00:34:50,080 not one law that he overlooked. He chooses to bear witness to 531 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:53,840 this and confirm it. And how does he confirm it? 532 00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:59,160 By quoting both Psalm 110 verse one and Daniel 713. 533 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:03,320 I am and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of 534 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,080 power and coming with the clouds of heaven. 535 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:12,720 Wow. So this is about Jesus dying. 536 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:14,440 And you know what he's saying? He's saying many things. 537 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:18,920 One of the things that he's saying is when I'm God, I'm 538 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:21,880 seated at the right hand of God and I share the prerogatives 539 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:25,560 that God alone carries. I'm God to to be seated at the 540 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:27,760 right hand of God means listen, no matter what you do to me, I'm 541 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:33,440 going to be ascended. And not only that, he's letting 542 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:37,240 them know these earthly judges that yes, I will sit at the 543 00:35:37,240 --> 00:35:40,120 right hand, but I'm also coming with the clouds of heaven. 544 00:35:40,240 --> 00:35:43,280 In other words, you're going to judge me now, but understand 545 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:51,480 that there's one day where I'm going to judge you so boldly. 546 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:55,320 He references these truths and does not deny his deity. 547 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:57,360 He does not deny that he is the anointed 1. 548 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:02,800 He does not deny that He is the Christ coming to rule and reign, 549 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:10,240 but first save and redeem. How do you think the high priest 550 00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:13,480 took it? Look at verse 63. 551 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:16,480 And the high priest tore his garments and said, what further 552 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:19,080 witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. 553 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,320 What is your decision? And they all condemned them as 554 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:28,560 deserving death. He tore his garments, right as a 555 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:33,160 demonstration of grief, of sorrow, of he just recoils. 556 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:35,880 He's disgusted by this. And he wants to show the 557 00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:38,000 Sanhedrin. Did you hear it? 558 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:42,920 And again, we look at that and we say, yeah, he seems pretty 559 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:45,800 outraged by it. No, no, no, no, no, no. 560 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,440 Again, this. This is where we miss out on 561 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:53,080 things when we don't know the Old Testament, as we should. 562 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:56,280 So again, guess where I'm going to ask you to go? 563 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:01,640 Leviticus. Go to Leviticus 21 verse 10. 564 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:06,400 I was sharing with some people in California who were asking 565 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:09,240 how to read their Bibles and I said don't you dare skip the Old 566 00:37:09,240 --> 00:37:11,520 Testament. You will never know the glories 567 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:14,880 of the new if you don't build the foundation on the old. 568 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:20,480 Leviticus 2110. Look at another law concerning 569 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:23,960 the priest who is chief among his brothers. 570 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:30,000 Leviticus 2110 The priest who is chief among his brothers, on 571 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,360 whose head the anointing oil is poured and who has been 572 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:35,720 consecrated to wear the garments, Pause. 573 00:37:35,720 --> 00:37:38,440 He's talking about the high priest here who wore special, 574 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,760 unique garments. We're told here the one who wear 575 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:45,480 the garments shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor 576 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,880 do what? Tear his clothes. 577 00:37:50,120 --> 00:37:53,440 That was sin, that was illegitimate, that was wrong 578 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:54,320 saying. Why? 579 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:59,040 Because those garments, every detail of those articles were 580 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:01,960 instructed and designed by God himself. 581 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:05,880 It was incredibly consecrated, incredibly holy, incredibly 582 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:09,360 significant and symbolic. Ultimately, those garments 583 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,000 points to the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 584 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:17,760 And what the law says is that an under no circumstance can those 585 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:21,840 garments be torn. And if you want further proof of 586 00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:24,520 that, go to Leviticus 10, verse 6. 587 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:30,320 After two priests, native and Abayu, we're slain for giving 588 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:33,960 strange fire to God. And we're told here in Leviticus 589 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:37,360 10, verse 6. And Moses said to Aaron and to 590 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:41,000 Eliezer, And if them are his sons, do not let the hair of 591 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:44,480 your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes. 592 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:47,560 Do not tear your clothes, lest you die. 593 00:38:47,560 --> 00:38:50,360 And wrath come upon all the congregation, but let your 594 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,120 brothers, the whole House of Israel be wailed. 595 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:54,200 The burning of the Lord has kindled again. 596 00:38:55,240 --> 00:38:59,080 You have no right under any circumstance, even if you're a 597 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:02,720 broken hearted, even if you're appalled, even if your grief to 598 00:39:02,720 --> 00:39:10,080 tear those garments. Despite these laws, the high 599 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:14,040 priest desire to dramatically demonstrate his displeasure 600 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:18,480 before the court and he rent his garments. 601 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:23,440 A sign of outrage, sure, but more importantly, he was 602 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:26,920 invalidating himself from being High Priest. 603 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:33,200 You understand this. And unknowingly, this is so 604 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:38,120 glorious. Caiaphas symbolically marked the 605 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:44,120 end of the Levitical priesthood as he stood before the one who 606 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:49,000 would soon take the role of the great High Priest, The High 607 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:55,000 Priest of a better covenant. And Speaking of robes, the 608 00:39:55,000 --> 00:40:00,560 symbolism of Caiaphas defiled robe becomes even more profound 609 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:04,600 when you compare it to another robe, the robe of the Lord Jesus 610 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:08,760 Christ, who is being prepared to leave this world at this time so 611 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:12,240 that he can assume his function as high priest through the 612 00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:14,400 offering of his own blood. That's what the whole book of 613 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:18,040 Hebrews is about, how Christ is the better priest, the better 614 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:21,400 mediator, the better one with the better sacrifice. 615 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,440 And here's Caiaphas who wrenched his garment. 616 00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:27,120 And you think that's profound. It gets even more profound when 617 00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:30,680 you consider John 19 and verse 23. 618 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,840 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments 619 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:38,800 and divide them into four parts, one part for each soldier. 620 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:43,240 Also his tunic, a tunic was was a long garb that went to the 621 00:40:43,240 --> 00:40:47,360 knees, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece 622 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:50,440 from top to bottom. So they said to one another, let 623 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:59,720 us not tear it, let us not tear it, but cast slots for it, to 624 00:40:59,720 --> 00:41:02,160 see who it shall be. This was the fulfilled 625 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:05,000 scripture, the scripture which says they divided my garments 626 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,120 among them, and for my clothing they cast slots. 627 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:09,520 So the soldiers did these things. 628 00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:15,240 If Caiaphas robe signifies the end of the old priesthood, may I 629 00:41:15,240 --> 00:41:18,480 suggest to you that the unblemished robe of the Lord 630 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:23,520 Jesus Christ represents a permanent and accepted 631 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:27,840 priesthood that will last forever. 632 00:41:29,720 --> 00:41:33,440 And that is why Hebrews tells us in Chapter 7, verse 24. 633 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:39,760 But he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues 634 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:42,680 forever. Indeed he does. 635 00:41:43,400 --> 00:42:04,880 Let's pray. Thank you, Lord, for the wonders 636 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:10,360 of Your word. And we ask, Oh God, as we come 637 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:13,400 in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our great High priest, 638 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:18,280 that you would stir our hearts again to realize that we are 639 00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:24,920 indeed in a better covenant and that of Moses. 640 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:30,360 That we are under a priesthood far greater than that of Aaron. 641 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:36,160 In that we have a priest who lives forever and who does not 642 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:38,240 have to offer repeated sacrifice. 643 00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:45,360 But the priest who bears our names on his heart also presents 644 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:48,560 himself as a sacrifice. What a thought. 645 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:53,360 What wisdom is this that whenever we do stumble and fall, 646 00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:56,560 we can petition that sacrifice. We do not have to find a fresh 647 00:42:56,560 --> 00:43:00,120 lamb or a healthy bowl. We go to what happened on 648 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:04,360 Calvary 2000 years ago. And that blood still has power 649 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:08,680 to forgive. Lord, we're overwhelmed and 650 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:13,480 we're not ashamed of the blood, and we rejoice for that blood. 651 00:43:14,120 --> 00:43:16,720 And we pray that even now as we sing your praises, that those 652 00:43:16,720 --> 00:43:21,240 who have not been washed in that blood would seek for that 653 00:43:21,240 --> 00:43:25,920 cleansing and realize that it is applied by faith and that they 654 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:28,240 can know real transformation through it. 655 00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:33,400 Lord, we give you thanks that because you stood on trial, we 656 00:43:33,400 --> 00:43:37,120 stand innocent forever, that we do not have to fear judgement, 657 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:39,280 we don't have to fear hell. We don't have to fear You 658 00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:42,520 changing your mind. So great was that sacrifice that 659 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:46,560 it pleases You forever. Therefore, we enjoy your 660 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:49,480 pleasure forever. And for this, O Lord, despite 661 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:52,560 all the things that we are losing in this life, we have the 662 00:43:52,560 --> 00:43:55,760 greatest treasure in the universe, and we will give you 663 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:57,560 appropriate praise because of it. 664 00:43:58,600 --> 00:44:02,840 In these things and for these things do we say thanks in Jesus 665 00:44:02,840 --> 00:44:07,480 name, Amen, Amen and Amen. Let's stand and worship the 666 00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:11,360 great High Priest. He lives and he hears us today.