As we understand the setting. Now we know that Jesus concluded
his time with the 11 in the upper room.
From verses 13 through 17. We know that he spent time
promising. Those disciples wonderful
blessings in the new age to come and praying to the father that
the father would care for them. And the time that Jesus would go
to the cross. And not only then, But
continuing at that point and now the hour is come to move toward
Calvary. And so Jesus leaves that upper
room with that little group of 11.
He goes out of the gate down the little slope of Kidron crossing
the Winterthur and up the other side into the Mount of Olives to
a place called The Garden of Gethsemane.
And in this Garden, Jesus spends time in prayer, agonizing over
the anticipation of sin, bearing and separation from God.
And as we studied a few weeks ago, Jesus went there because he
knew that Judas knew that he would go there, he realized that
his hour had come and it was time for him to die and it makes
it very easy for Judas to lead that angry mob on that.
Day on that night to find him, certainly proving that Jesus was
no man's victim but Jesus was the ultimate Victor.
You remember that? We also studied and saw the
great and tremendous power. That is magnified in Jesus.
You remember when Judas came and gave the Betrayal kiss saying,
hail Master? But Jesus turned their well
planned maneuver into a Triumph of his own power when he said,
who are you looking for? For and they said, we're looking
for Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus responded like this.
He says, I am he or that word? He is in italics, if we take
that out from the original Jesus simply said, I am.
And the Bible says, when he spoke these words, they all fell
back. They all fell flat later on.
Jesus would ask them again. He said, who you looking for?
And they would respond. We're looking for Jesus of
Nazareth and Jesus proving that he was in complete control.
Said If you're looking for me, he said here I am and let these
men go. You see Jesus was building a
little shelter over his disciples getting them to admit
from their own mouths that they were only looking for Jesus
proving again always in control and never a victim.
But you remember this and it was the last scene before we ended
our sermon last time, the Peter jumps out of this little shelter
of protection. And he tiny takes matters into
his own hands and he remember as they're standing there and Judas
is standing there. And all of a sudden, the Bible
says that Peter grabs, his sword and he cuts off the ear of
malchus. Now, I'm going to share
something with you. I thought about this this week.
Actually remembering how I used to think or are used to think
this was talking about and when I was a kid, I used to hit men.
Peter must have really been a skilled swordsman.
He took his sword, he took careful aim and he took that
sword went right down the side of Malcolm X's head and sliced
off his ear. Sending him a message.
Don't mess with us. I think that when I was a kid
You know, there's nothing in all the Bible that says, that he was
a skilled swordsman and I don't believe that he cut his ear off
because he took careful aim and hit his Mark.
I think he cut his ear off because he missed.
I think he swung to cut his head off, and Malcolm has turned his
head like this, maybe something like that.
And he sliced off his ear. What was wrong with Peters
reaction? Jesus had built a shelter of
protection over those disciples getting them to admit, not once,
but twice, we are only looking For Jesus.
And Jesus says, well, if that's the case, you let these men go
Peter took matters into his own hands, didn't he?
Jesus grabs that ear? Whatever it was is mangled, as
it was, the language seems to indicate that he mended the ear
creating almost a new one and he put it back on the side of the
head of this man called malcolmus.
The problem with Peter is he tried to jump out of the
shelter, the Lord provided. And that's exactly what happens
today. When man stops listening to the
Lord and starts thinking for himself.
How many times religiously speaking has a man got himself
in trouble because he stopped listening to the Lord and
started thinking for himself every time man gets in trouble.
And so, did Peter in the long ago.
We can almost hear the tone, in the, in the words of Jesus, as
he puts the ear back on malka, sand-based.
Basically, as I paraphrase, turning to Peter and saying,
Peter, put that thing away. For he who will live by the
sword shall die by the sword. Now then verses 12 through 27,
we find that there are two dramas that are taking place,
not one, but two, these are separate dramas, they are
separate scenes and they are in separate locations and it will
only be at the end of our sermon this morning when we will see in
Luke's account in Luke chapter, 22 that these two scenes are
going to come together and they're going to meet.
But what we have is we've got one drama going on over here and
we got another draw. AMA going on over there.
You got jesus' trial right here and you got Peters denial over
here. And as I mentioned, just a
moment ago, these scenes are interwoven in our passage.
It is almost like it's saying this talk about Jesus trial for
a little while and then all of a sudden it's as if it's saying
and meanwhile over here in Peters denial and a few more
things are said about Peters denial and then meanwhile back
over here at the try. It seems as though it's it's
written. And kind of like that.
But I'm going to tell you something folks.
There are two basic foundational truths.
That is found in these passages, and that is this.
We see the absolute Glory of Jesus Christ.
And at the very same time, we see the sinfulness of man.
And we see as sinful as man, was, we see the willingness that
Jesus had to pay the great price for sinful man.
That not only didn't deserve it, but was actually literally
denying him. At that moment.
Okay, here we go. Jesus Is trial.
I guess we'll call this act. 1 verses 12 through 14, and verse
12. The Bible says, then the
Detachment of troops and the captain of the officers of the
Jews arrested, Jesus and bound him.
You know, there's a very interesting thought here and
description in this multitude because in this, we find a very
good illustration of the kind of people the world picture of
those that deny Jesus today. In this multitude, you have
every kind of person, every kind of Walk of Life in this great
mob. And we've already proven that
there were hundreds of them, In this angry mob, there was
Gentiles and Jews. There was heathens and religious
people. There were soldiers and
servants. There were priests and
Pharisees. There's every different kind of
fella that you can imagine was with this mob.
And, you know, they didn't have all things in common, but there
was one thing that every single one of these had in common and
that was this they were totally and completely stone-cold blind.
To the incomparable qualities of the Son of God, they were
absolutely unaffected by the magnificence of Jesus Christ.
They were untouched. They were unmoved.
And I'll tell you this, that is a great picture of the grip, and
ugliness of sin, the blindness and ugliness and grip of sin.
You know, when we look at this scene, somebody tells me say why
people are interested more today than ever before.
We sit there with the word of God was showing me exactly what
they need to do to be saved. Just as simple as that and then
it but they don't accept it, they reject.
When we look at what happened on this occasion, it's easy for us
to understand what happened. What happens today?
Based on what's already happened?
Get this. They rejected Jesus, and he was
standing right in front of them. He speaks to words.
And they all fall down, unfazed and unaffected.
That's nothing new. Though the Apostle Paul said
this, the God of this world has blinded the minds of them that
believe. Not lest the light of the
Glorious gospel of Christ. Should shine unto them.
The God of this world is the same kind of idea.
When the Bible talks about Satan, being the prince of the
power of Darkness, Prince of the power of the air.
Now, they come in verse 12, in the Bible says that they bound.
Jesus, you know, there's probably several reasons why
they bound him. Jesus didn't fight back.
Jesus, didn't try to resist. If in fact, you remember
remember a couple times ago when they came into the Garden of
Gethsemane and they were aware that torches and lanterns and so
forth and so on, you remember that, I said that Scholars
indicate that there's probably a full moon at that time and
Jerusalem would have been little lid.
They didn't need that to fit to travel from Jerusalem to the
Garden of Gethsemane. They needed those lanterns
because they thought Jesus would hide, they'd have to go to every
nook and cranny In The Garden of Gethsemane and see where Jesus
was and they found him. Not only did they find him right
off? He walked toward them.
Why they binding? Well first of all, is common
practice to secure a captive. If you go to a rest, somebody,
if you go to arrest, somebody even today.
What do they do? They put handcuffs on you, you
may not be resisting but it's a sign of your captivity or of
being arrested. Secondly, in Matthew chapter 26
and 48, do you remember when Judas is having making his deal
with these haters of Jesus? He's making his deal.
And he says this, when I as I paraphrase, when I lead you to
Jesus, when you see him when you get him, what did you say?
He said hold him fast. I don't know why I said that,
but that's what Judas said and I would imagine that that's part
of it. But beyond that there's
something else. There's certainly a very
beautiful fulfillment of typical prophecy.
You remember, last time we talked about the fact that there
are two kinds of Prophecy there is verbal predictive prophecy,
which is a statement that is made, that is fulfilled or will
be fulfilled. Then there's a typical prophecy
in which certain acts a certain person or certain thing typifies
a fulfillment. Here's an example of verbal
predictive prophecy. It's when a statement like this,
Has made about Jesus unto us. A child is born unto us a son is
given verbal predictive prophecy.
Now, on the other hand, there is sacrifices of the Old Law, and
every time that a sacrifice was laid on an altar, it was a
picture of Jesus Christ. It was a type that is typical
prediction. Now, both are accurate equally
Lee and both are important equally.
So Jesus is bound and in so doing fulfilled, typical
prophecy because in the Old Testament, according to Psalm
118 and 27, the Bible says, bind the sacrifice with cords under
the horns of the altar. In other words, when the
sacrifice was given it was to be bound.
Another example, very familiar, passage Genesis 22 and 9
regarding Isaac. Isaac was a perfect prophetic
type of Jesus Christ, a picture of Jesus.
And the Bible says, when he was laid on that altar to be
sacrificed, he was bound to the altar, Something else to, this
is just a side note here. But you remember when they were
going they spent that three days and they were traveling
together. And Abraham was with Isaac.
Who was carrying the wood? Bible says it was Isaac.
And you know, never in time prior to that time, had that
which is to be sacrificed carry, the wood that it would be
sacrificed on never happened before.
And it never happened again until Calvary when jesus carried
his cross. Perfect.
Fulfillment of typical prophecy.
Being bound, was a fulfillment of typical prophecy.
Certainly Bound To the Cross was the ultimate fulfillment.
It of that prophecy in preparation for sin in verse 13.
We find we. Now get down to the nitty-gritty
of the trial, and the Bible says, they led him away to Anise
first for. He was the father-in-law of
Caiaphas. Who was the high priest that
year? Let me just say this.
Anna's and Caiaphas. These guys were real crumbs, I
don't know how else to put that these with the Despicable the
lowest of the low. These guys are crumbs but they
are extremely important to our narrative.
When Jesus was taken to Anise, this is the first phase of
jesus' trial because Jesus had not one, but he had two trials
that day. He had a religious trial and he
had a Civil Trial, his religious trial had to do with Israel, his
Civil Trial had to do with Rome. Now, nothing could be done in
terms of Jesus has a Execution without Rome, Israel could
decide that he should die, but it was Rome that had to carry it
out. It was Rome that had to execute
in. And so, first of all, we have a
religious trial and that trial had three phases.
Number one, right after he was bound in the Garden of
Gethsemane, there was the arraignment and the indictment
and that was before this man named anise.
The second phase of this religious trial was an illegal
Gathering when Caiaphas got together with the Sanhedrin, not
the next day, not a proper trial.
He got together with the Sanhedrin that very night, Phase
2, phase 3, the next morning again, Caiaphas and the
Sanhedrin, only this time, it was false Witnesses gathered
together in a mock trial. Three phases of his religious
trial. On the other hand, there were
three phases of the Civil Trial when Jesus was taken before
Pilate and pilate didn't know what to do with him.
In fact, pilot would never know what to do with, in fact, pilot
after examination later on says this he says I wash my hands of
the blood of this just man. I walked my hands of the whole
thing. I'm not going to be guilty of
the blood of this honest and true.
And just man. There's the pilot first, then he
said sent to Herod the tetrarch of Galilee who happened to be
down in Jerusalem at the time and hair didn't know what to do
either. So what's he do?
He sends him back to pilate. That's phase. 3 of the Civil
Trial. Let's talk about who anise was
for, just a little while, and this was a very powerful and
immensely rich, man. This was a man that really ran
the show. He was a man that was in charge
of concession booths. Now, I'm not talking about when
I say concession booths, I'm not talking about hot dogs and
popcorn, not talking about, a concession stand, talking about
a couple of things. First of all, I'm talking about
the sale of livestock and secondly, I'm talking about when
they would come to pay taxes. They would come and they were,
they bring foreign currency and they would need to exchange the
foreign currency in order that they might pay taxes.
In fact, that's why. Jesus was infuriated, we'll get
to that in just a moment. The problem is and this was a
man that was full of extorting the people.
In fact, some Scholars say that as much as five times, he
extorted them as much as five times what the actual rate would
have been. An awful, man.
In fact, the Jews themself selves hated anise.
The talmud says this, which was a commentary of history.
And so forth, said this about anise and I quote, woe to the
house of anise. Whoa, to their serpents hiss.
They are high priests, their sons are keepers of the
treasury. There's sons-in-laws Guardians
of the temple and their servants, beat the people with
staves. Now, anise literally hated
Jesus. Let's go back.
Just a few days now. Jesus, making his triumphal
entry into Jerusalem about a week prior to the time that he
would be taken to the Cross. You remember, when Jesus came
into Jerusalem, when Jesus overturned the tables of the
moneychangers member that he said, as I paraphrase in essence
this, you have taken the house of prayer and you have made it a
den of Thieves. You don't think that was eaten
anise. It sure was He messed up his
whole plan. Jesus made messed up his entire
plan. Not only was he the brains
behind the Machinery? This man and us but he was
messing up his business. There was a great reason to
bring Jesus before Anna's because if anybody had the power
and had the enticement to indict, Jesus, it certainly
would have been anise. So Jesus is brought before
Anna's first and then we meet a man named Caiaphas Caiaphas had
to be introduced because Caiaphas was technically the
high priest. At this time, according to verse
13. And in verse 14, it says now it
was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient, that
one man should die for the people.
Now Caiaphas have been plotting, the death of Jesus all along.
Jesus began to be very very popular.
You know, I think there's a lot of reasons as we mentioned
before, why they we Jesus had them come and take him in
private. Jesus was very popular.
They didn't do it in the downtown streets of Jerusalem.
There might have been a big Riot.
Jesus was giving himself up, so he did it in private and he knew
Judas would come there with that.
Angry mob. Absolutely.
Jesus was very popular. In fact, when Jesus came in and
his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
The Bible says that he came on the back of a Colt of a donkey,
and they were crying out Hosanna.
They were magnifying Jesus. He was coming on the back of a
Colt of a donkey, but they were elevating him those that loved
him and those that he was popular among Caiaphas was
worried sick about Jesus. And so Caiaphas had been
planning his death all along. Let's go back before the
triumphal entry into Jerusalem and John chapter 11 and John
chapter 11 verse, 49 Caiaphas had gotten together with his
people, his cronies his whoever and they got together and they
were discussing the matter of Jesus.
Very important, we've got to discuss about Jesus.
Do you remember what they said? They'd send a kind Fisk when
Caiaphas began to extend to them his concerns.
They said back to Caiaphas, don't worry about that.
It's To go away. It's no big deal.
It will all just come to pass. It will all just be.
All right, you know what kind of just said he said, you know, not
what you say another word, you don't know what you're talking
about. He goes even further.
This is amazing, Caiaphas says now, this is long before know,
we're the reason they were talking about.
We got to do something about Jesus because Jesus raised
Lazarus from the dead and they were worried about their worried
about the people that would follow Jesus.
And so Caiaphas says this, not only do you not know what you're
talking about but you can't understand and you can't even
see that it is expedient, get this.
Now it's expedient. That one man should die.
That a nation be spared. You don't even understand that.
It's expedient. That a one man die for the
nation. Now.
Interesting Caiaphas is saying this.
Because he wants literally Jesus taken out of the way because
Jesus is going to mess up the nation.
There's going to be a revolution, the Romans are going
to come in. They're going to take over and
they're going to wipe us all out.
We've got to do everything that we can possibly fathom to kill
Jesus to take him out of the way.
But I like what the Bible says, in verse 51, because he was
speaking prophecy, and he didn't even know it in verse 51 of John
chapter 11. It says, now this he did not say
on his own authority, but being high priest that year he
prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.
Now, how do you like that? He opens up his ugly, hateful
mouth with political end in mind saying, we have to remove Jesus
from the equation and let's just kill one of them.
Let's kill the head and let the entire nation be spared.
He was prophesying that one man would die.
That a nation figuratively there or world with people may live?
And what's amazing, there is the Bible says Caiaphas didn't even
know what he was saying. And God still in control was
through his lips, speaking prophecy to those that would
hear him. Now, I said all that to say this
Caiaphas hated Jesus and Caiaphas was plotting to get rid
of him. You know, sometimes people do
that, they get an idea in their mind.
For example, they may have a position on a certain Bible
passage or position about something regarding our life.
And the things that we do and don't do what's right and what's
wrong. And it seems though, people what
they want to do is they want to get the idea first.
I have this idea first, I think it ought to be this or I think
it is this then try to figure out a way to justify the belief.
And sometimes people make decisions in advance.
And then over time, try to justify the reason for making
that choice of the choice was already made.
Regarded. God's word.
We have to read God's work study, God's word know, God's
word and then obey and follow God's word, not the other way
around. Caiaphas wanted to kill him a
long time ago. It was a done deal, he was going
to make it happen. He just needed a reason.
Just needed a reason. To justify it.
Now, back over at Peters denial, verse 15 and Simon Peter
followed Jesus. And so did another disciple.
Now that disciple was known to the high priest and went with
Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.
Now, in Mark chapter 14 and 54, it says that that Peter followed
Jesus of far off. Now, I don't know how far back
he was following him but he obviously was following him afar
off. Jesus had been taken captive.
He was out. In front somewhere, and all of a
sudden, Peter is with some other disciple.
Now, number one, it was a far-off.
He was sneaking around as it were, maybe just through the
bushes. I don't know behind the rocks,
trees. Of far off with another
disciple. Who is this other disciple?
I'll just say right now. I have no idea.
I don't have a clue. Because it doesn't say it's kind
of like to Luke 24, replayed. This is walking along with
another psycho. Who's the other disciples some
say was Luke. Who knows?
It doesn't matter because it
wasn't given, but I'll just say this in passing.
It's just a little free tip, if some commentators say that it
was John. And the reason for that is that
they believe that John actually sold.
It says that whoever this disciple was, it was known to
the high priest. Some say was, John because,
John's father probably sold fish to the high priest.
We don't know. Oh that either that's the
problem. We don't know that he ever did
that some say it was Nicodemus and Nicodemus is going to come
on the scene to prepare the body of Jesus in a little while after
he was crucified some say it could have been him some say it
was Joseph of Arimathea and the reason for that is the Bible
actually calls him a secret disciple and this guy, he would
have been able to walk freely anywhere.
He wanted to go why he was a member of the Sanhedrin.
He was a secret disciple. And it wasn't, until after Jesus
was crucified that this secret disciple, mustered up the
courage. To go and ask the body of Jesus.
I kind of think it might have been him.
Preference. Doesn't matter at all.
Bottom line is Peter, is walking along with this unnamed
disciple. Now, picture this No, sooner
that Jesus puts a shelter of protection over his disciples.
And you know, really if you remember there's a good reason
why he did that, not because the disciples were scared, Jesus
needed these disciples after he had died on the cross.
And after Jesus was taken away, he needed these ambassadors.
That's number one. Number two, he needed him safe.
Number two, he spoke to them about their faith.
In time past, the only said, oh, ye of little faith.
He knew that they couldn't stand a trial like this.
He creates a shelter of protection over them.
And fact Matthews account says, all forsook him and all fled,
everybody except Peter, what's Peter doing?
He's doing the same thing that he did regarding malcolmus.
He stopped listening to the Lord and started thinking for himself
and he's going along and he's walking along and he sneaking
along with this. Other disciple.
Now, let me just make this point for me, just really beat up
Peter here in all fairness. Peter truly loved Jesus.
Peter loved Jesus. Peters motives were good.
His intentions were good. Here's the problem.
The problem was his overwhelming self-confidence, made him
believe that he could hack through any problem without the
security of Jesus Christ. He thought I can do it, I can
go, I can go and I can handle any problem that comes my way
and I can just hack right through the whole thing and I
can do so without the security that Jesus Christ.
Provided I can do that. You know, I'm gonna tell you
something, you need to have confidence to live your life.
That's true. We need confidence.
We all need confidence. There's a difference between
confidence though. And overwhelming
self-confidence. Now, we need to be confident in
our life because of our faith and trust in God.
When our faith is planted in our faith is on what it ought to be
that our confidence and our trust will be what it it ought
to be. But when we start thinking too
highly of our self that we can handle anything in the world,
that comes our way and we don't need the security that Jesus
provides that's when we get in trouble.
Now, before we get too hot about Peter, let's look at our lives
all of our Lives, shall we? I know.
That's not very fun. But the Lord says this, I'm
going to give you a secure place.
I'm going to give you a place where you can be secure.
The Lord said, don't get out in the world system ever that world
Cosmic the word Cosmos. It is the invisible evil.
Influence that combats. The church.
He says, don't get out into the world system, don't entertain
yourself with the world's entertainment, don't gobble up
the world's Customs. Don't be a part of that scene.
I have built for you a place where you can grow and you can
be safe and friends. That is the church.
We have Security in the body of Christ.
We encourage one another. We not only have the Lord, we
have each other, There are security and you know, we go to
a gospel meeting. Don't you feel strengthened?
I do why you just spent time on the same page worshiping god
with people. That works him.
Just like you and believe just like you do and have the same
faith. Hope and trust in the same Lord.
What happens what happens is when Christians do this?
When they say, you know, your kid me, I can handle it.
I can go out in the world and remain strong.
I can go and do what the world does and I'll be all right.
I'm going to tell you something, folks.
Any time we do that, we fall. We really do.
You know, I'm at a some when I was younger I'm just going to
throw myself out there. Here we go.
When I was younger. Okay, a lot lot, lot, lot
younger. Okay, I made poor choices
because I thought I was strong enough to handle it on my own.
You know what I sinned? I made mistakes and I send and I
fell Now, I never stop coming. But I guarantee I wouldn't ride.
I was a boy and I wouldn't, right?
And I had to make those things, right?
I'm going to tell you any time that you think that you can take
yourself and remove yourself from the security of the Lord
has provided and go out in the world that participated things
in the world and be strong. You are kidding yourself. as was
I, Verse 16, Peter stood outside the door.
Then the other disciple who was known to the high priest went
out and spoke to her who kept the door and brought Peter in,
you know, I don't know exactly how the scene was, but it seems
to me that this other disciple goes in first and says something
to this girl. And then kind of turns back to
Peter. Come on, Peter.
Let's go coast is clear. Jesus has already.
He's already taken their far off.
Girl at the door. Come on Peter.
Let's go through. And notice what happens.
Now, the servants Verse 18 and the officers who made a fight
actually, Went too far. Okay.
Here we go verse 17, then the servant girl who kept the door
said to Peter. You are not one of this man's
disciples, are you? And he said, I am not now
picture this Peter was not afraid to stand there.
In the Garden of Gethsemane side by side and fight for his Lord.
He was not afraid for that. Guess what else he was afraid?
He wasn't afraid. He was ready for what he was
ready to follow Jesus, and be there at this big trial.
Bye. He was ready for the big stuff.
He had planned for the big trial.
He had said to the Lord, if they take you and they take your
life, I'm going to be there with me.
If I lose my life, I will never leave your side.
And remember what Jesus said to him?
We'll get to that in a minute. He was ready for the big trial.
He was ready for the big stuff. Sometimes we're like that too.
We're ready for the big stuff. You're ready for that will stand
for that. He was ready for the big stuff,
and he was not afraid of the big stuff.
The guess, what? He was scared to death to tell
the truth. He was afraid and didn't have
the courage to tell the truth. You know why telling the truth
takes real courage? It is harder to tell the truth.
When you have to accept the consequences of your answer,
whatever that is, it's harder to do that than it is to fight.
Peter was ready for the big trial but he wasn't ready for
the little girl at the door, interesting folks, That's what
Satan does and that's how Satan works.
You get self overconfidence that you think in your mind, you can
handle anything. And just about that time you
fall And you know what? Peter now is stuck with his lie.
Everybody stuck with Evan been stuck on the LIE, you tell a lie
because you don't have the courage to say what's right?
You tell a lie and then you're stuck with the lie.
So you have to lie again and then you're stuck with a lie.
So you got to lie again. Then you can't remember, by the
way, it's always better to tell the truth.
It is. You know, why you don't have to
remember anything. You just say it.
Like it was. You don't have to remember what
you said. Last time.
All you got to remember what the facts were.
But a liar somebody that tells lies you have to remember what
you said, the last time and then keep lying and lying and lying
and that's being stuck with the lie and that's exactly what
happened to Peter. And you know, with those words,
those three words amazing, he's ready to go.
And she says, you are not one of the disciples, are you, you
know, it's written in a way that she knew the answer and he said,
I am not. With those three words gone.
We're all of his heroic promises that he made the Jesus with
those three words. Gone were all his all of his
courage that he had. In his heart.
Gone was all of his fleshly confidence, which became an.
And while he became an arrogant coward unable to confess his
Lord, cringing and lying denial. And you know something The
entire thing happened so fast. He didn't even know what hit
him. Look at Verse 18, look at the
progression. What's happening now to Peter.
Now, the servants and the officers who made a fire coals
stood there for, it was cold and they warm themself Peter stood
with them and warmed himself. Now I got a question for Peter,
don't you? What in the world are you doing
there? What are you doing there, Peter?
Why are you there you stood next to the Lord in the garden?
But now you are standing among. You are denying the Lord now and
you are standing among the enemies of the Lord.
How does the guy get messed up so badly?
How does that happen? First three ways first, his
overconfidence convinced him, he could make it on his own and
that happens today. Folks, I can go out and do what
the world does. I can do those things.
I can buy a little bit of the world's morality.
I can flirt a little bit with the world's kind of thinking,
and it's going to be fine, and I'll be fine because I'm strong,
that's number one. Here's number two.
Peter was unprepared. I'm going to tell you, I've said
this so many times because my dad.
Screamed in my head, my whole life, you have to decide the
kind of person that you want to be in advance before you are
faced with the Temptation, you have to understand, you have to
prepare yourself on how you're going to act in any time.
Are you going to stand up for the Lord?
Are you going to deny the Lord when you're at work?
What people are using foul language at work, but we going
to laugh at their jokes a little ride along with those things.
Are we going to make the determined resolve?
The we're not going to participate in those things.
Are we going to be of, we ready for the big stuff?
But scared of a girl with the door?
You have to decide what you're going to be.
So do I we all do before you're faced with the Temptation or you
will fall Somebody asks you a reason of the hope that is in
you with meekness and fear. Somebody asks, you that are you
real? Are you able to respond in like
manner? With meekness and fear, thirdly,
because of his unpreparedness. He's now standing with the
enemies of Jesus and that was Peter and that's exactly the
pattern for falling. Starting off with getting
involved in worldly things and then all of a sudden.
Now here's Peter with warm hands and a cold heart.
Back at the trial verse 19. the high priest and asked Jesus
about his disciples and his Doctrine, you know what's
interesting to me about this is this this line of questioning
was illegal They're now asking questions about his disciples
and his Doctrine, the law stated that when anybody was brought on
trial, he could not testify to bring guilt upon himself.
The evidence had to be presented from Witnesses, testifying
against him. Another words, a man was
innocent until proven guilty. There was really a fifth
amendment thing going on, where no man could condemn himself by
his own word. But this trial wasn't legal,
there's trial was a mockery. They already determined that
Jesus would die, they were just trying to justify their actions.
So they asked Jesus, why don't you tell us about your disciples
tell us about your Doctrine. He wanted Jesus to talk about a
planned Insurrection or to talk about his heresy, so they could
say there it is. Aha, gotcha.
You're planning a revolution. You're a heretic.
If they can do that, they already planned to kill him, but
if they can do that now they've got justification.
Look how Jesus responds. So beautifully and verse 20.
Jesus answered him. I spoke openly in the world.
I always taught in the synagogues and in the temple
where the Jews always meet and in secret I said nothing verse
21. Why do you ask me?
Ask those who heard me what I said to them.
Indeed, they know what I said. Verse 22 and when he had said
these things, one of the officers who stood by struck
Jesus, with the palm of his hand.
Saying, do you not answer the high priest like that?
You know what's interesting is this word struck?
It could also mean it comes from a word rep yzma.
And it could also mean to be struck with a stick.
I don't know if it's going to be symbolic or not but in Micah
chapter 5 and verse 1. We have these words, they shall
Smite the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.
Now, whether this was figurative or literal, there's certainly a
perfect fulfillment of prophetic language, Micah calls.
Jesus, the judge of Israel. Now, anise was the acting judge.
He was playing judge, but little did he know that?
This was the real judge. Jesus responds to this and verse
23 by saying if I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil.
But if well, why do you strike me?
Jesus is saying where are your Witnesses and?
Why are they hitting me? Why is that verse 24 that Anna
sent him? Bound to Caiaphas the high
priest and it's messed up. He blew it.
He had been indicted. There were no charges against
Jesus so he sends him to Caiaphas.
And the trial was Caiaphas was certainly a mockery in the
middle of the night. During the time, he was with
anise there, they had gathered together, the Sanhedrin and
Caiaphas to carry out this mock trial.
And all that was was a gathering of false Witnesses.
Was a part of the plot all along they found no evidence against.
Jesus, finally, to agreed that they were going to he was going
to destroy the temple. But that wasn't enough.
So finally, he's simply asked, are you then the Messiah, And
Jesus says, I am in the Bible says that the high priest
grabbed his clothes and ripped his clothes and yelled
blasphemy. Bible says, they they push him
along now. Shoving him along.
There were those that were part of the angry mob that were
slapping him in the face and says, and says, to him prophesy
unto us, Now, King prophesy, who is he?
That smote thee? But, you know, just in case we
think that Jesus was being humbled here or in a real mess,
I want you to notice Peter's Denial in verses 25 to 27 and
will close with this. Now, Simon Peter stood and
warmed himself. Therefore, they said to him you
are not also one of the, his disciples are you.
He denied it and said, I am not one of the Servants of the high
priest are relative of him whose ear Peter cut off said, did I
not see you in the garden with him Peter then denied again and
immediately the rooster crowed. You know, Luke's account in,
Luke 22, and verse 60 talks about these two, seems now that
have been inner woven throughout our text and and The Gospel
according to John, Luke brings them together.
And right after Peter says, I know not what thou sayest.
Another account says, With cursing and swearing, he said, I
know not the man. Right after.
He says, I know not what thou sayest Luke's account.
The Bible says that Jesus turned and he looked, Upon Peter.
When Peter heard the cock Crow, he remembered that the Lord said
before the cock crows Peter, you will deny me three times.
Peter goes out and he weeps bitterly.
I'ma tell you something, folks, any of us at any time, if we're
not living as we should, there is only one way out.
And that's to look back to the face of Jesus and come back.
That's it. And every time we sin, that's
the only thing we can do, and have the blood of Jesus, wash
our sins away when we confess those wrongs and ask God to
forgive us once we are baptized into Christ.
But there's a message here that we can all learn.
You know when the Bible talks about be careful when you go to
restore somebody that has fallen be careful and don't ever have
the attitude. It can never happen to me.
That's the truth. We can't ever have the attitude
that it would never happen to us because I'm going to tell you
something. Here's a perfect example of how
a strong believer in Jesus. An apostle of Jesus Christ can
be tempted, can be weak and can fall.
I could happen to anybody any of us.
At any time. We learned from this narrative,
the danger of self overconfidence, we learn the
danger of prayerlessness. You know, Peter should have been
praying in the garden and not sleeping.
We learn the danger of evil company in our life.
We learn the power that fear can have in our life to, we learn
all that But I'm going to tell you this.
If you go with me and I'm almost finished, Stay With Me.
I'm going to tell you this. It has a happier ending.
Because Peter did fall and Peter was sorry.
But the Lord restores him before Jesus ascended to his father
where he is now, He restored him.
Please notice chapter 21 of John and beginning in verse 25 and I
will be finished first 15. I'll be finished.
And when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon,
Simon, son of Jonah. Do you love me more than these?
He said to him? Yes.
Lord you know that I love you. He said feed my Lambs He said to
him again a second time, Simon son of Jonah.
Do you love me? He said, yes.
Lord, you know that I love you, he said unto him.
Tend my sheep. He said to him a third time,
Simon son of Jonah? Do you love me?
Peter was grieved? Because he said to him a third
time. Do you love me?
And he said to him, Lord, you know, all things.
You know that I love you. Jesus said feed my sheep.
I think it's interesting, just in passing here.
Jesus has this man confessed, his Lord, and confess his love
for his Lord three times. One for every time you denied.
Notice though. What Jesus says most assuredly I
say to you. When you were younger, you
girded yourself and walked where you wished.
But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and
another will gird you and carry you, where you do not wish,
notice what this means. The next verse this, he spoke
signifying by what death he would glorify God and when he
had spoken this, he said to him, follow me.
You know, what? That tells me, that tells me
Peter was restored. And it tells me that Peter was
going to pay the ultimate price. It always cost something to
follow Jesus. It costs us everything to follow
Jesus. Here's the thing.
And this is what we hope for this.
What we hang our hat on in our life, right here.
What Paul said, I have fought the good fight.
I have finished. My course, I have kept the faith
henceforth. There is laid up for me a crown
of righteousness that the Lord. The righteous judge, shall give
me on that day and not to me only, but to all those that love
his appearing. There's a price but I take this
the reward far outshines the price.
It's worth infinitely, more than the cost of being a Christian.
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