The Trial of Jesus (3 things)

• 1^st – The trial before Annas… vs. 19-24
  • Jesus was tried four separate times before His crucifixion…
    • He was first tried at night before Annas – recorded only here in John… 
    • Jesus was then tried at night before Caiaphas – recorded in Matthew 26 / Mark 14…
    • There also was a morning trial before the High Priests Caiaphas – Luke 22…
    • Finally Jesus was tried before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate…
  • 1^st – Annas asked Jesus about His teachings / disciples… vs. 19-23
    • Jesus told them He taught openly in the Temple and synagogues…
      • If they wanted to know what He had taught – ask the people who were listening…
      • The point was if Annas did not know what Jesus was teaching…
      • It was not because it was a secret – it was because he was not listening!
      • Jesus is not hidden – He is easy to find – the Gospel message is available to everyone!
      • The problem is people do not want Jesus – because they prefer to stay in their sin…
      • They would rather have their sin – than eternal life with God in Heaven!
    • One of the officers struck Jesus in the face…
      • He demanded – ‘Is that any way to answer the High Priest question’…
      • But Jesus was quick to respond – ‘What did I do to deserve a slap in the face’…
      • If He had done something wrong – then they should give their evidence first!
      • Jesus was not just talking about the slap – He was referring to the whole trial…
      • This was not justice – it was a lynch mob that had only one purpose – to kill Jesus!
  • 2^nd – After questioning Jesus – Annas sent Him to Caiaphas… vs. 24
    • There – according to Luke 22 – Caiaphas demanded to know if Jesus was the Christ…
      • Jesus answered – ‘If I tell you – you will not believe’…
      • He knew they were not looking for the truth – they were looking to accuse Him…
      • And no matter what He said – they were not going to believe the truth!
      • There are many times we want to ‘make’ someone believe in Jesus as their savior…
      • But if someone does not want to hear about Jesus – you cannot make them listen…
      • We can pray for them – so the Lord opens their heart/ears – so they want to hear!
    • Finally they asked Jesus – ‘Are you the Son of God’…
      • He said to them all – ‘I Am’ – referring to the name of God – Exodus 3:14
      • At the ‘confession’ of Jesus – Caiaphas the High Priest tore his clothes – Mark 14:63…
      • He did it in an effort to show his outrage at the ‘Blasphemy’ of Jesus…
      • But by tearing his clothes – he removed himself as the High Priest…
      • Leviticus 21:10 – “The high priest… must never… tear his clothing.”
      • By disqualifying himself as High Priest – he opened the door for Jesus to replace him
      • Hebrews 9:11 – “Christ has now become the High Priest over all…”
  • 3^rd – Early the next morning Jesus was given His ‘public trial’…
    • The reason for the morning trial – was the night trial had been illegal…
    • 1^st – Only a judge – not the High Priest – was allowed to pass judgment…
    • 2^nd – You could not try a prisoner at night (a rush trial – perversion of justice)…
    • 3^rd – It was against the law to interrogate a prisoner in a closed meeting…
    • 4^th – It was against the law to hold a trial the day before a Holy day (Sabbath)…
    • This third trial at daybreak was simply done for appearances – legitimacy…
    • The verdict had already been rendered – Jesus was going to be crucified!
      
• 2^nd – The denial of Peter… vs. 25-27
  • 1^st – While Annas tried Jesus – Peter was still warming himself by the fire…
    • He was trying to just blend into the crowd – hoping no one would recognize him…
      • One of the people asked him – ‘You are not one of Jesus’ disciples are you…’
      • The assumption was that Peter was not one of the disciples…
      • He was so convincing warming himself by the fire – he looked like he belonged there!
      • If we try and blend into the world – we will end up far from Jesus…
      • We may even find people no longer recognize us as Christians…
      • Because we want to blend into the world – be begin to look just like the world…
    • A second time Peter denied Jesus – this time with an Oath – Matthew 26:72
      • If He had not been warming himself by the fire – He would not have denied Jesus…
      • Peter put himself in a place where he was going to compromise…
      • Be very careful where you allow yourself to go – who you are identified with…
      • I Corinthians 15:33 – “Bad company corrupts good character.”
      • We are foolish if we think those around us do not affect us…
      • If you hang out with people who gamble – tell bad jokes – and get drunk…
      • But you think to yourself – I will not be like them – I am a godly Christian – foolish…
      • Choose VERY wisely who you spend time with – because you will become like them!
  • 2^nd – A relative of Malchus (Peter cut off his ear) recognized Peter from Gethsemane…
    • The servant made two accusations against Peter…
      • First Peter had tried to murder his relative in the Garden of Gethsemane…
      • Second Peter was most assuredly one of the disciples of Jesus!
    • Peter reacted violently – and began to curse and swear – ‘I do not know this Man!’
      • In front of someone Peter had once been willing to fight for Jesus – he now denied Him!
      • He added cursing and swearing to prove he was not even a religious man!
      • There is no middle ground – if we are not drawing closer to Jesus – father away…
      • Friendship with the world is a slippery slope – you quickly slide down…
      • If you are wondering where your walk with the Lord is – examine yourself…
      • II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine…”
      • If we are still acting like (or worse) than the world around us – where is Jesus…
      • Do we live in willful sin – ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives…
      • Or are we forgiven by grace – not living for sin – but living our lives for Jesus!
  • 3^rd – Immediately the rooster crowed…
    • At the same time Jesus was led out of Annas house – to be tried by Caiaphas…
      • Jesus stopped and looked at Peter – knowing he had denied the Lord three times…
      • The conviction must have been overwhelming – the failure was complete…
      • Peter – in Jesus hour of greatest need – had turned his back on the Lord / his friend…
      • He had boasted – even if all others leave – yet now he himself had denied Jesus!
    • Peter went out and wept bitterly!
      • Peter was broken – but he had learned the most important lesson…
      • Peter learned he could not trust in himself – he learned to he needed Jesus!
      • When we get to that place where we have completely failed…
      • We have done things – become so much like the world – we are shocked…
      • Jesus is right there – He is looking right at us – not in condemnation…
      • But in forgiveness – if we are willing to let our heart break – repent…
      • Come back to the Lord – stand with the Lord!
      • Realize you need the Lord – every moment of every day!

• 3^rd – Trial before Pilate… vs. 28-40
  • 1^st – Jesus was taken to be judged by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate… 28-32
    • The leaders refused to go in to the Praetorium fortress to see Pilate…
      • They were still celebrating the seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread…
      • And if they went into the ‘house of a gentile’ – they would become ‘unclean’…
      • They would no longer be able to attend the festival – so they did not go in!
    • Instead Pilate came out to them and asked what accusations they had against Jesus…
      • The Jews assured him they would not have brought Him if he were not a ‘bad man’…
      • Pilate was not impressed – ‘You take Him and judge Him according to your law…’
      • But the Jews could not judge Jesus – they did not have the right to put Him to death…
      • Around Jesus’ birth – Rome had taken away the Jewish right of ‘Capital Punishment’…
      • The leaders could condemn Jesus – but they did not have the right to kill Him…

• 2^nd – Pilate called Jesus into the Praetorium… vs. 33-38
  • The Jews made several accusations against Jesus…
    • They accused Jesus of claiming to be the Son of God – John 19:7
    • This accusation was true – Jesus did not claim to be God – He was God!
    • When Pilate heard this he was fearful – and for good reason!
    • Pilate was not sitting in judgment of Jesus – Pilate was sitting before his judge!
    • People need Jesus – one day they will all ‘stand’ before Him – Philippians 2:10-11
    • And unless they confess – repent – and accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord…
    • They will have to stand before Jesus and be judged for all their sins…
    • That is why we tell anyone/ everyone about the Good news of the Gospel!
  • They accused Jesus of making Himself King…
    • This was a very serious accusation – it was punishable by death…
      • So once Jesus was inside Pilate asked Him – ‘Are you the King of the Jews’…
      • Jesus questioned Pilate – was this his question / or the Jews question…
      • If Pilate was repeating the accusation of the Jew – then it was an empty question…
      • But if the question was Pilate’s – Jesus was more than willing to tell Him the truth…
      • Jesus is not concerned about what other people say about Him – what do we say…
      • If we are truly looking to find the truth – God is always willing to answer…
      • Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
    • Pilate was indignant – ‘Am I a Jew!’
      • Pilate did not care who the King of the Jews was – he was Roman!
        • But Jesus’ own people and leaders had were demanding He be put to death…
        • Pilate wanted to know what Jesus had done to upset them!
      • So Jesus answered – ‘He was not a King here on this earth…’
        • If He were a King here – His followers would have fought when He was arrested…
        • Jesus was not here to set up His Kingdom – or rebelling against Rome…
        • He was here to save men from sin – He wanted to open the way to heaven!
        • We are not here to get others to come to our church – build ‘our kingdom’…
        • It does not matter what church someone goes to…
        • We are here to tell people about Jesus – what is important is they go to heaven!
    • Pilate missed Jesus’ point – and only heard – ‘So you are a King’…
      • Jesus answered – ‘You are right to call me a King…’
      • Jesus came into the world to bring truth – those who love truth recognize Him…
      • But Pilate was not asking the right questions – so he answered – ‘What is truth’…
      • Often times people come away from church / reading their Bibles – empty…
      • They think that the Bible had no answers to their questions…
      • But the problem was not the Bible – the problem was the questions being asked…
      • The Bible does not tell us how to get rich in life – it tells us how to get to heaven!
      • If we come with the right questions – we will find all the answers we need!
• 3^rd – Pilate came back and said to the leaders – ‘I find not fault in this man’… vs. 39-40
  • Pilate had a custom of releasing a prisoner for the Passover festival…
    • In an act of good will – and celebration – he would release ‘The King of the Jews’…
    • But the people cried out – ‘Away with Jesus – release Barabbas!’
  • The crowd whom days earlier had cried out – Hosanna – now wanted Jesus dead…
    • The reason – they were just following the crowd – not matter where it led…
    • We often do what others do – because everyone else is doing the same thing…
    • It is always a wise question to ask – whom am I following – where are they going…
    • Matthew 15:14 – “If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
    • When we follow the crowd – we can easily be led the wrong way…
    • Following Jesus means that you do not ‘go with the flow’ – you stand out…
    • If no one else goes to church – if no one else wants to do what is right…
    • Are we still willing to follow Christ – stand up for the truth!