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That's connectwithskip.com. Now let's get into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Jesus never had any hope that he was ever going to have a fair trial. He knew what was happening. This is 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. 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. Now, I brought with me a little bit of a list I just want to share with you. I'm not going to share all 18, but this is a little section from what's called the Mishnah. You've heard of the Mishnah. These are Jewish writings about how to live life. And there's a little section in the Mishnah that talks about rules you follow in a court case. Now, I'm just going to read a few of the rules because you're going to soon see that every single rule they wrote, they broke. Rule number one, according to the Mishnah.
This is for the Jewish leaders whenever they have a court case. Rule number one, no trials were to occur during the night hours. When did this take place?
At night. Rule number two, trials were not to occur on the eve of the Sabbath or during festivals. Is there a festival going on right now?
It's called Passover, the biggest festival. They broke that rule. Rule number three, all trials were to be public. That is in the temple courts in what's called the Hall of Judgment in the temple precincts. Secret trials are strictly forbidden.
What's going on here? Secret trials. Before Annas, the ex-high priest, the religious authority, and before Caiaphas, Roman government hadn't even been brought in yet. Then before the entire Sanhedrin the next day to sort of rubber stamp their verdict. Rule number six says the accused person can't testify against himself. This is to prohibit self-incrimination. This is the precursor to our Fifth Amendment.
But it requires witnesses to be brought in first. What happened this night? The Sanhedrin interrogates Jesus personally and when He does speak, they slap Him across the face. They broke their own rule. Rule number 12 says the high priest is not to participate in questioning the accused.
Did they break that rule? All night long with two high priests. And finally rule number 18, sentencing in a capital case is not to occur until the following day. There was to be a 24-hour period from the first meeting to the final verdict.
Here's why. So that feelings of mercy could arise. They met secretly. They did it at night. They did it during the festival. And then to rubber stamp their decision, as I mentioned, they got together with the whole Sanhedrin the next day. So every single rule is being broken that night.
The enemies defied Him. Let me just apply this to our lives because I don't know if you're in a similar situation, but the most or one of the most frustrating situations that you could ever be in in life is to be accused of something you didn't do. And so people will talk behind your back and they'll make up little stories and they'll spin it. And the stories actually get larger than the original story that was told. And pretty soon there's a reputation going on all around town about you.
It's not true. It's very frustrating. And so what do you do during those times? Well, if you try to chase down every story and every person that knows those things they have heard and they're spreading things that aren't true about you, that's a lot of work on your part. You have to find out who knows and how do I make it right?
So what do you do? Number one, you should realize you are not alone. If there was ever a time you can relate to Jesus Christ, it's now in this situation. If there was ever a time that Jesus could say to you, I know exactly how you feel, it's in that situation. Remember what it says in Hebrews? We don't have a high priest who can't be touched with a feeling of our infirmities.
He was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. So when you pray at those desperate times and you feel so isolated and so alone and in such agony because you're so misunderstood and those things they're saying aren't true, know that God knows exactly what that is like and He's with you, you're never alone. Second thing you should do, this is going to sound trite to some, it's because we don't practice it in reality, to entrust it to God. Let me phrase it another way, to actively trust God.
See, it's one thing to passively trust God, oh yeah, I trust God, I love God, I trust God for everything, do you? So what are you doing in this situation, have you freaked out about it or have you actively entrusted this to God? I want you to see this, turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 2. Keep a marker because we're coming back, 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 18. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and the gentle but also to the harsh.
So you have an employer who's breathing down your neck, giving you a hassle, troubling you, saying things about you, what do you do? Well, that's a perfect verse for that. For this is commendable if because of conscience toward God, one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if you are being beaten for your faults and you take it patiently? When you do good and suffer, but when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. So you get the picture? If you misbehave and they say, this guy's a rotten guy, so what? Well, they're saying bad things about me because they're true. I'm suffering patiently. No, so what? But if you didn't do anything wrong and they're making up stories about you and you suffer for it and you just take it patiently, He says that's commendable before God.
Now here's why. We'll close with this, not close the sermon with this, close 1 Peter. Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. Here it is, verse 23, who when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to Him who judges righteously.
That's active trust. That's actively entrusting my situation to God. Listen, God will make sure that justice gets done. It may not be in your timing, it may not be in your method, but God will make sure that justice gets done. You just make sure that you don't waste this time of suffering and agony, that you learn from it. So what do you do? Restrain from having to be heard.
You ever feel that way? I've got to say my piece. I have a few things to say. I want to be heard. Refrain from needing to be heard, to be vindicated, just speak the truth in love, in humility, not in pride, and submit it to God.
And that is so hard to do, right? That's what Jesus did, and it says that's the example we have. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig, Weekend Edition. Before we return to Skip's teaching, if you want to understand something, it's important to examine its foundations. That's why studying the book of Genesis is so vital to understanding the rest of the Bible. In Skip Heitzig's book, You Can Understand the Book of Genesis, he takes you on a fascinating journey to where it all began, from Adam and Eve and the fall of man to the birth of the nation of Israel, so you can understand the amazing story of God's love and our redemption in Christ. We'll send you a copy if you can understand the book of Genesis, as thanks for your gift of $50 or more to reach more people with God's love through Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Go to connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888 and request your copy when you give. Now, let's get back to Skip for more of today's teaching. Unjustly accused, he entrusted it to God. He knew the truth. He can live with the truth. He can go to sleep at night because he knew the truth. Now, go back to John chapter 18.
That night was a dark night. Religion despised him. His enemies defied him.
And thirdly, because his friend denied him. Verse 15 brings us to Simon Peter. 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. But Peter stood at the door outside. 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. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?
He said, I am not. Now the servants and the officers who had made a fire of coal stood there, for it was cold and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself. Look at verse 25.
Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, You are not also one of his disciples, are you? He denied it and said, I'm not.
It's his second denial. One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off. Okay, so she kind of knows, right? Said, Didn't I see you in the garden with him? Like you're the guy with the bad aim, right? You're the fisherman with the sword. Peter then denied again and immediately a rooster crowed. Okay, first of all, Peter shouldn't have been there.
You know why I say that? Because Jesus, when they were arresting him, a few verses before that, they were arresting Jesus. He said, Who do you want? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. He said, I am him. And they all fell backward and he said, Who do you want? He said, Jesus of Nazareth.
And he said, I told you that I am he. Take me if you want me, but let these, listen, let these go their way. That's what Jesus wanted Peter to do. Go away, Peter, go your way. Peter should have listened to Jesus.
He didn't, shouldn't have been there. Second, Peter shouldn't have said anything. In Matthew's gospel, it tells us that the servant girl figured that Peter was one of Jesus' disciples because of his Galilean accent. She said, Your speech betrays you. Now, you got to know the people in Jerusalem thought that the Galileans were hicks.
And no, I'm not going to define what I consider a hick. But they were unsophisticated. They had that accent from Galileans. Like, oh, you're one of his disciples.
I can tell by your accent. And Peter denied it. And three times he was denied. Peter shouldn't have been there. Peter shouldn't have said anything. Great commentator Les Flynn said, Peter talked when he should have been quiet. Peter slept when he should have been awake. Peter acted when he should have sat still.
Now, I do have to say this, however. I admire Peter's courage. You know, I think that in heaven there's going to be a long line of preachers having to apologize for Peter for some of the things we've said.
I'll probably be in that line. I've said some pretty bad things about Peter in sermons that I've preached. Because, after all, Peter was very courageous.
At least, he's the only one named who stood up and stood around Jesus. At the same time, all four Gospels, this is unique to the story, all four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell us that Peter denied Jesus. So the Holy Spirit has lessons for us to learn. So we want to learn those lessons. And the one lesson that we learn is that Peter took downward steps, and you need to be aware of what they are.
Downward step number one that got him to deny Jesus, downward step number one, self-confidence. Peter was the guy who said, I'll never leave you, Lord. I'll never deny you.
I'll even die for you. That's pretty confident in yourself. Instead of saying, Lord, I'm just trusting that you're going to keep me, he goes, Lord, you can count on me. These other guys are flakes, but you can count on me. That's self-confidence.
That's his first step down. Now, years before this, Jesus had paid Peter a compliment, and I think that there are certain people when you pay compliments to, it can be dangerous. It was Peter, when Jesus asked his disciples, who do men say that I am?
They said, well, a lot of things people say. He said, who do you say that I am? Peter said, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Remember that story? Remember what Jesus said to him? He said, blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah. Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you.
My Father who is in heaven has revealed this to you. You're Peter, a little stone, and upon this massive rock, I'll build my church. I think Peter never forgot that. I would never forget that.
And I think he sort of carried that. I'm the blessed one. I'm the rock. And I think that's what the sword in the garden was all about. He stands with the sword.
I am rock man. I am the blessed one. You know, he's like so confident that he's going to pull something off. And that's probably why he is pushing his way, following Jesus from afar, but there at the courtyard, self-confidence. Downward step number two, he slacked off in devotion. He slept in the garden instead of praying in the garden. Couldn't you pray with me one hour? Yeah, well, I'll be right there. He did that.
He slept. Now, step number one leads to step number two. If you're self-confident, you will slack off in your devotional life, guaranteed. Step one always leads to step two.
Step number three for Peter. He tried to cover up his guilt with feverish service, pulled out the sword and started swinging around. You know, when you feel guilty because, well, you haven't been what you should be, you haven't been praying and reading and living, what happens is you just start swinging swords around, doing dumb stuff.
I need to do something. No, you don't need to do anything until the Lord directs you. And step number four, the final step, he denies Christ. He doesn't admit.
He won't even be identified with Jesus at all. I don't know him. I don't know him.
I don't know him three times. Now, there's a psalm that comes to my mind, and it fits perfectly with this. Psalm 1, blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the scornful.
There's a picture of a man who's slowing down. He's first walking, then he's standing, then he's sitting. That was Peter. He was walking with the ungodly when he walked into the courtyard. He was standing still with the sinners when he lingered over the fire and he thought, ah, these people are kind of like my people.
I kind of like these people. And then he sat in the seat of the scornful. Two other gospels record that Peter sat down in the garden, and when they asked him the third time, aren't you his disciple, he began to curse and to swear. That's the seat of the scornful. Those are Peter's downward steps, and they're displayed in the Bible so that we can learn from him.
There's something else, and to me this is the best part, the word to learn from. It's not over, Peter. This is the worst night of your life, Peter, but it's about to be eclipsed by the brightest day of your life. You see, this night highlights series of threes. Did you know that three times on this night, if you, again, take all the gospel records, three times on this night, Peter boasted, you can count on me, Lord. I'll die for you.
I'll never leave you. Three times he did that. The Bible also records three times that night he fell asleep in the garden.
Check Mark 14 on your own sometime. Three times he fell asleep in the garden. Three times he boasted. Three times he fell asleep.
Also, three times that night he denied Jesus. Now, if this were baseball, three strikes and you're what? You're out. Peter, you're out. I'm so glad Christianity is not baseball because Jesus says, Peter, you're not out.
You have a whole new at bat. Here's what I mean. In John 21, and we'll read it if we ever get there.
Like two years from now, I'm just kidding. John 21, Jesus appears personally after the resurrection to Peter, and three times he says, Peter, do you love me? Peter, do you love me? Peter, do you love me?
Giving Peter an opportunity three times to confirm his own love. Peter was the guy Jesus personally appeared to after the resurrection. Peter is the guy Jesus will commission to give the very first sermon to the first crowd when the first church is established on Pentecost. He's gonna give that sermon. Peter is down.
He's not out. Peter's struck out. Jesus hands him a new bat and says, it's a dark night.
It's gonna get really good, however, Peter. See, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him, right? So was Jesus shocked when Peter denied him? Did Jesus go, I can't believe you denied me? He's just like, yep, what I said. I knew it. I'm not shocked by it.
I don't love you any less. Jesus also predicted that Peter would be restored. He said, Peter, when you are recovered from this, I want you to strengthen your brother. Jesus knew he would fail and knew he would recover. Jesus knows when you fail, and he knows how to bring you back. Some of you may feel so far from God this morning.
I just want you to know God is not far from you. He's right there. One person said you could sum up Peter's life in three stages, at the fire, under fire, and on fire. He was at the fire that night. He was under fire.
They peppered him with questions. But the Holy Spirit will come upon him after Jesus gets risen from the dead. He'll be recommissioned, and that boy will be on fire, and he'll be unstoppable. He wants to do that with your life. It's not over. Oh, but you don't know what I've done. It's not over. God, I made such a mess.
Not over. Here's a new bat. Here's a new chance.
We're glad you joined us today. Before you go, remember that when you give $50 or more to help reach more people with the gospel through Connect with Skip Heitzig, we'll send you Pastor Skip's insightful book, You Can Understand the Book of Genesis, to help you better understand the story of God's great love and his amazing plan for our redemption. To request your copy of You Can Understand the Book of Genesis, call 800-922-1888.
That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate. For more from Skip, be sure to check out the many resources available at connectwithskip.com slash store. 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 crossing Cast all burdens on his word Make a connection Connection Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
