The Darkest Night! - Part A

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That's connectwithskip.com. Now, let's get started with today's message from Pastor Skip Heitzig. It was the worst night of my life. That's what a soccer player said when he lost the game.

I saw it on a news article online this week. He lost the game. They thought they were going to win. He lost the game, and he said it was the worst night of my life. It was the worst night of my life, said a teenage girl when she felt her friends were turning against her, and she posted that on her Facebook page. Worst night of my life. Years ago, there was a song written called The Worst Night of My Life by Eddie Arnold, speaking about him breaking up with his girlfriend. He said, last night was the worst night I've been through because last night was the first night without you. I felt so left alone.

I tried to call, but you weren't home. Last night was the worst night of my life. Now, I bet you've had some pretty bad nights.

I bet you can think back to some days and times and nights that were pretty gnarly. One old gentleman writes, after a daunting surgery that he had, I've sure gotten old. I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees, both of them. I fought prostate cancer and diabetes. I'm half blind.

I can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine. I take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. I have bouts with dementia. I have poor circulation. I hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.

I can't remember if I'm 89 or 98. I've lost all my friends, but thank God I still have my driver's license. Uh-oh.

That's why you don't want to text when you drive. There's people like that out there. Now, don't you think if anyone had the right to say, this is the worst night of my life, it would be Jesus, who is betrayed by a friend, who is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane while he's praying, who is taken before several different trials, pronounced guilty when he was totally innocent, and sentenced to die a criminal's death. That's a bad night. And then we think about these disciples who were his friends, and they've been with him for three and a half years. Talk about being at a very low moment, and especially Peter. Peter could say, excuse me, this is the worst night of my life.

He said that he would not deny Jesus. In fact, he will deny him three times in this night, and the Bible says, Peter went out and he wept bitterly. It was a bad night. But what has been considered Jesus' worst night would actually become our best night. And what was Peter's worst night would be eclipsed by his best days yet ahead. Now, the entire scene in John chapter 18 does take place at nighttime, and John will draw our attention to that over and over again. It's nighttime. In chapter 13, when they're in the upper room and Judas leaves, John writes, and it was night.

In chapter 18, verse 3, those who come to arrest Jesus come to the garden and they carry torches with them because it's dark outside, it's night. And there is something we notice as we go through John's gospel. John liked to explore contrasts and to use them in metaphorical terms. Something from the physical world to speak to something in the spiritual world. So he talks about life and death. He speaks about light and darkness. He records that it was Jesus who said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but have the light of life. It was John who records about Jesus in chapter 1, the very beginning verses, the prologue, he says, in him was life and his life was the light of men and the light shined in the darkness and the darkness could not extinguish it. So one of the themes of John is to show us that we as believers never have to be afraid of the dark.

That the darkness of life morally, spiritually, ultimately can never outshine or overshadow the light of Christ. I heard about a little boy who was afraid of the dark. I mean literally, he didn't want to go outside when it was dark and his mom asked him to go to the back porch and get the broom. He goes, Mommy, it's dark outside. She says, Honey, don't worry, it's just right outside the door. But it's dark outside. Honey, just go get the broom.

We've talked about this before. I told you, you never have to be afraid of the dark. Jesus is always with you.

So the little kid wasn't dumb. He just opened the door a crack and he said, Hey, Jesus, if you're out there, would you hand me the broom? You and I never have to be afraid of the darkest times of life because they might segue into the greatest moment of our life. And I think we see that here even in this story. Now, what you're going to look at and we're beginning in verse 12 of chapter 18 today in the Gospel of John, is two scenes, two different scenes, but they're happening simultaneously. They're happening one on top of the other. Picture two different cameras in two different locations and you're watching the movie and so the camera shows this scene and then it pans quickly to another scene, but it's happening overlapping the other.

They're happening at exactly the same time. One is a courtroom scene. The second is a courtyard scene. There are three realities.

That's what I want you to look at with me today. Three realities that show us why this night was the darkest night for Jesus. Reason number one is because religion despised him. Verse 12, then the detachment of troops. If you were with us a few weeks ago, you know that the word detachment means a cohort. A Roman cohort is between 200 and 600 armed men. So we have the whole SWAT team or all the SWAT teams gathered together to arrest Jesus.

That's the detachment. The detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews, these are the Jewish temple police, arrested Jesus and bound him and they led him away to Annas first for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was the high priest that year. Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. It's pretty well established that the religious establishment and authorities had long hated Jesus.

He upset their status quo. They had always been suspicious of him, but that suspicion grew into outright hatred. So that twice, twice in the gospel of John, Jesus tells them, you're trying to kill me. On one occasion he says, you guys speak about Moses' law, Moses' law, Moses' law.

You don't keep Moses' law because if you did, you wouldn't try to kill me, but you are trying to kill me. So he uncovered their motives. And it was obviously well known because the crowds in Jerusalem even said, hey, isn't that the guy they're trying to kill? So they have always hated Jesus, but chapter 11 is the tipping point. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, and when that happens and so many people start believing in Christ wholeheartedly, that becomes the tipping point where they say, we've got to get rid of this guy. We've got to crucify him.

We have to kill him. So religion had long hated Jesus. Okay, now Jesus gets arrested. And notice who he's brought before first, a guy by the name of whom? Annas. Not Caiaphas, he's the high priest, but Annas.

Now let me explain what's going on. Annas was considered the religious authority in the land, and here's why. He had one time been the high priest, but he's no longer the high priest. Now this is sort of weird because a high priest was a high priest for life, according to the Old Testament.

You're of the lineage of Aaron. Once you're the high priest, you're the high priest till you die. But the Jews aren't in charge. Who's in charge? The Romans are in charge. So the Romans kick him out, depose Annas, and put his son-in-law, Caiaphas. So Annas is the high priest from 6 AD to 15 AD, and he is placed there by a Roman authority, a guy by the name of Corinnaeus, the governor of Syria. You remember that name from the Christmas story. He gets deposed by Valerius Gratus. Caiaphas, his son-in-law, gets put on the throne, but for all intents and purposes, the real authority, not the puppet, the real authority to the Jews is a guy by the name of Annas who questions Jesus. He's very influential.

Something else you need to know. Annas was the guy who's making all the money from the temple sacrifices. Remember the money changers in the temple? You know, they would say, I'm sorry, you can't give us your money. We have to exchange it for the temple shuckle.

Well, there was a profit that was added to that, a little margin. That was given to Annas. Then there were animals sold and bought in the temple, right? You'd bring your lamb and the priest would go, I'm sorry, that lamb really is ugly. We can't sacrifice it. But you can buy our lamb for only like two million bucks.

I mean, you know, you get the point, an exorbitant price. All of the profits were pocketed by Annas. So Jesus, who twice cleansed the temple by overthrowing the money changers and driving out the sellers, that hit Annas right where it hurt, his pocket book. So you can bet your life that Annas wants to have a private talk with Jesus.

That's what this is all about. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig, Weekend Edition. Before we get back to Skip's teaching, understanding Genesis is critical to understanding the rest of scripture. And in his book, You Can Understand the Book of Genesis, Skip Heitzig helps you discover the meaning and message of this foundational book. Embark on an epic journey to where it all began so you can understand the amazing story of God's love and our redemption in Christ. You Can Understand the Book of Genesis is our thanks for your gift of at least $50 today to help share biblical teaching with more people around the world through Connect with Skip Heitzig.

Go to connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888 and request your copies when you give at least $50 today to reach people around the world through Connect with Skip Heitzig. Let's continue with today's teaching with Pastor Skip. Religion hated Jesus. Now I'm not a religious person. And this actually astonishes people when they see me in public, oh, you're that preacher over at that church, aren't you? You're a religious person. I say, I am not religious.

You just insulted me. I am not religious. Oh, I thought you were religious. No, because religion is all about a system. Christianity is all about a relationship. It's not about the rituals.

It's not about the system. It's about the relationship one has with Christ. I never found Jesus in religion. I grew up religious. And they talked about Jesus and they even sang some songs about Jesus and sort of religiously tipped the hat to Jesus. But there's a difference between the ritual and the reality that I experienced when at 18 years of age I was converted and authentically gave my life in sincerity in reality to Jesus Christ.

Made all the difference. And I also remember when I was 18 years of age and I was converted that people in my church that I had grown up with took note of this and they asked me to appear before the leadership council. The leadership council wanted an explanation from me why so many young people were leaving their church and what their church needed. Can you imagine them asking an 18 year old, what do you think our church needs?

Keep in mind I'm 18 years old. I don't have a lot of tact at that age. So I said, this church needs Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead and personally living in your hearts. It didn't go over as well as I thought it would.

My dad was in the crowd that day. It really didn't go over at home as well as I thought it would. But I've discovered Jesus Christ is not religious and doesn't really care a whole lot for religion. There's this huge divide between the religion that despised Jesus that we're reading about throughout this gospel and God who sent his son Jesus.

Now why is there such a divide and what is the difference? Well number one, I've discovered that religion is all about outward things. Jesus is all about inward things. He said in the Sermon on the Mount, you have heard that it was said by those of old, you shall not murder. That's outward. But I say to you, if you hate your brother, you're guilty.

That's inward. Religion is all about the show, the parade, the facade. Look at me, I'm religious. Don't you think I'm really cool? I'm really spiritual.

I'm really religious. Jesus said don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray standing up in the synagogue and on the street corner, here's the catchphrase, that they can be seen by men. It's all about being seen. It's all about the outward. Number two, religion is typically about the negatives.

Jesus is all about the freedom and the positives. I remember growing up, I heard this a lot, you can't do that. You can't do that either.

You definitely don't ever try that. Thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not. A lot of that is religious. Then I came to Christ and here's Jesus saying, do this and I'll help you.

Do that and I'll help you. And he changed me. It wasn't about a righteousness of negatives. See, a lot of people, it's all about negatives. Let me tell you how religious I am. I don't do this, I don't do that, I don't smoke, I don't chew, I don't go with girls that do. Okay, cool. What do you do?

What do you do? What's on the positive side of that? Here's a third reason that is a division between Jesus and religion. Religion sets up barriers that you have to jump over to get to God. Jesus is all about knocking barriers down and making it possible for anyone to get to God.

It's a huge difference. So if you were to visit the temple in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, there'd be courts. There was a court of Gentiles and you and I could go there. I'm not Jewish so I couldn't go any further than the borderline of the court of the Gentiles. There was another court for Jewish women.

They could go up to a certain point but they couldn't go any further. Then another court for Jewish men. Then another court for priests.

There was division. If this were a synagogue in ancient times, there'd be men on one side of the room and women on the other side of the room and non-Jewish seekers in the back foyer not allowed to get in the room. Then comes Jesus. And Paul says there's neither male nor female, Scythian, bond or free. We're all one in Christ. There's this big divide between religion that hated Jesus and Jesus Himself. See, Christ is the great bulldozer. He levels the playing field. He says basically everyone is a sinner so that everyone can be forgiven.

Level ground at the foot of the cross. I read a statement by Karl Marx years ago and it really struck me. And as I pondered it, I thought, I agree with this. And I have to say, I still agree with it.

Do you agree with Karl Marx? Yeah, this is what he said, religion is the opiate of the masses. It's the great drug that controls people in mass. It's the opiate of the masses.

I have to say I totally agree with that. But Jesus is the Savior of the world. And that's different than the religion that is the opiate of the masses. So it was a dark night for Jesus. Religion hated Him and they had been planning this attack and here's the fruition of it. Second thing I want you to note is that His enemies on this night, His enemies defied Him. Now look at the second scene in verse 19. The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

That sounds pretty fair, right? Hey, tell me Jesus, how many people have you got following you and what are they like and where are they? And what's your statement of faith? What do you guys believe in?

What are you into? Notice Jesus' answer. He answered them, I spoke openly to the world. I've always taught in synagogues and in the temple where the Jews always meet and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them.

Indeed, they know what I said. And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of His hand to hit somebody to slap them with an open hand, which is what this is, a slap across the cheek was the highest public insult. They slapped Him across the face with the palm of the hand saying, Do you answer the high priest like that? Jesus answered, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike me? Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest. Let me just say, Jesus never had any hope that He was ever going to have a fair trial. He knew what was happening. This was a kangaroo court.

I'll explain, but first of all, let me just help frame this for you a little bit. When Jesus was brought before the authorities for a trial, He didn't go through one trial. He didn't go through two trials. He went through a total of six separate trials before He was condemned and sentenced. If you were to take Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and parallel them all out, you have six totally different trials.

Let me explain. Trial number one, the one you and I are reading about, He comes before Annas, the ex-high priest who wields all the religious authority in the land. Trial number two is verse 24, Annas ships Him off to Caiaphas, his son-in-law, because he's the real high priest. Trial number three is recorded in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22, when early the next morning, it's still nighttime, the dawn hasn't broken yet. All of the Sanhedrin, the 70 ruling elders, gather together and condemn Jesus to die. That's the third trial.

But we have a problem. The first three trials are religious trials. The Jews have no authority in their land over crimes for capital punishment, which is what they want. They want to kill Jesus.

They can't do that. The Romans are in charge, so they have to bring it into a secular court. It brings this to trial number four. Early in the morning, Jesus is taken to Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate is a weasel. He doesn't want to have anything to do with making a choice, and so He decides that since Jesus is Galilean and Herod Agrippa is the Galilean magistrate, that He will ship Him off to Herod Agrippa, which He does. Now we're at trial number five already. Herod Agrippa is happy to see Jesus.

He has a lot of questions he wants to ask Him. But Jesus does this to him. Says nothing the entire trial. Well, that frustrates Herod, who sends Jesus back to Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate knows Jesus is innocent but gives in to the wishes of the Jewish Sanhedrin, and he is shipped off to be crucified. Those are the six trials. Now, back to verse 20.

This is still at trial number one. Annas peppers him with questions about what he believes and who his disciples are. Jesus gives him a pretty sharp answer.

And we wonder about that. Why did Jesus answer the high priest like He did in verse 20? Go ask those who heard me. I didn't do anything in secret.

Here's why. Jesus knew that the trial He was facing was totally illegal. According to Jewish law, you never address the accused in court at first. First thing you do is ask witnesses. So here's Jesus saying, so bring witnesses. There's plenty of witnesses. They've seen me. They've heard me. Go call for witnesses.

But they don't do that. They speak to the accused first of all. Thanks for listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. We hope you've been strengthened in your walk with Jesus by today's program. Before we let you go, we want to remind you about this month's resources that will take you back to where it all began so you can understand all of God's Word more clearly.

Pastor Skip's book, You Can Understand the Book of Genesis, is our thanks for your support of Connect with Skip Heitzig today. Request your copies when you give $50 or more. Call 800-922-1888.

That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate. And did you know that you can get a weekly devotional and other resources from Pastor Skip sent right to your email inbox? Simply visit connectwithskip.com and sign up for emails from Skip.

We'll see you next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig, weekend edition. Make a connection. Make a connection. At the foot of the cross and cast your burdens on His word. Make a connection. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.