Trial and Denial

If you have your bibles please open them up to John 18. Pray with me.

I have titled the message this morning Trail and Denial.

Last week we saw the arrest of Jesus, and the Betrayal of Judas being fulfilled, and Bryce said something that I have said several times in this gospel, and that is that God is in control even over his arrest, and he planned this all out, that Jesus is not just some weak man who got arrested for his claims. He orchestrated it all. he is God and no man or any enemy can change that very thing. ( despite of what it may have seemed like in the moment.

So we heard last week that Judas as he betrayed Jesus had this mob come and get him over 200 people came to arrest this man who did no wrong, and in it we saw Peter try to be this hero amongst this mob even to the point where he cut someone’s ear off, and Peter thinking he was being the hero was standing in the way of what God had planned from the very beginning of time. Because Jesus told Peter really that he could not bear this cup that Jesus was given by the Father to drink which was the wrath of God himself.

So as Jesus is getting arrested Caiaphas tells them it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. So Jesus is arrested the disciples scatter with the exception of two disciples and thats where we pick up in the text today, and if you were going to get one main Idea from the message today it would be this…

God is in control even in Peter’s denial and Jesus trial.

Let me read just a few of the verses from todays text for you.

Starting in verse 15 it says this…

John 18:15–18 ESV

15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

something I want you to take note of in these few verses in this…

Peter’s denial was predicted by Jesus

We already know about the betrayal of Jesus by Judas that Jesus said, must be fulfilled, Without knowing the this before hand you read the gospels the last person you would think to deny Jesus would be Peter, right Peter the bold one, the one who was always outspoken, and always at the front of the line saying the boldest of claims, walking side by side with Jesus. but if you remember Jesus in the intimate moments after Judas left said Peter would betray him.

Just as a reminder to you let me read that brief interaction.

John 13:37–38 ESV

37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

In a previous sermon I covered this text and in this text I said. Peter tried to be the hero amongst the disciples saying Ill lay my life down for you Jesus, even though it was not his place to do that just yet? And Jesus gives him a question will you lay down your life for me? He is Kinda like are you sure? Then he tells him something im sure he doesn’t want to hear . You are going to deny me three times before the rooster crows.

Peter’s appeared heroics would soon come falling down before his very own eyes before the night would end.

Remember I said two disciples followed at the beginning of this sermon. This other disciple many scholars and I would agree is John the author of this very gospel, and John in some sort of way has access to the priestly group within the Sanhedrin. It’s only speculation to how this was the case but never the less Peter got to be close to this trial of Jesus.

So as Jesus is in the courtyard, John comes to the servant girl to bring in Peter to witness this for himself, and the girl who is at door says to Peter, You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?

So Peter being really Jesus right hand man for the last 3 years being asked such as simple question by just a slave girl you would think he would have the courage to say yes I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, from what we know about Peter maybe he would say. I am actually disciple number 1… However this is not the case.

He doesn’t say he is a disciple. he cowards down to this unnamed servant girl out of fear that he might become as Jesus has become, arrested for no good reason. For following Jesus.

And He tells her. I am not… I am not a disciple of Jesus. the language here i believe is intentional by John, especially given what we know already throughout the gospel, that the only I am is Jesus, and Peter as much as he wanted to in his heart said I will lay my life down for you Jesus did not truly have that in him yet… He is a coward in the moment.

I am sure in the back of Peter’s mind he wasn’t really thinking about the consequences of denying him yet, but he denied Jesus, and in that denial he goes and warms himself up around the fire. For Peter in the moment self preservation outweighed his own commitment to Christ. A sad reminder to us all how easy that can be.

Many of us may ask ourselves why did Peter do this? Well it goes to show you that even those close to Christ can deny him in the word and in deed. And this is just the first time he did that very thing on this night.

Second thing I want you to take note of is this…

Jesus trial was illegal.

At the end of verse 18 we see that this trial was taking place at night. This was not suppose to be done. And Bryce even said this last week, they had to get it done before the passover. They had to do this quickly and that is how God designed it to be done. So they were going to get it done that night.

But being held at night was not the only thing they did wrong…

Look back at the text we are in today and listen to what is taking place.

John 18:19–24 ESV

19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Notice Jesus did not answer him about his disciples and this was because he told the father he would not lose any that was given to him, but quickly he tells them he hasn’t done anything in secret.

And in a trial like this it was not proper to question the defendant. In fact it was those who brought a charge against Jesus who was suppose to be speaking, yet Jesus knowing every ones heart in the situation tells them I have always taught in the synagogues and in the temple.

If you remember in the Synagogue he proclaimed that he is the very bread of life. He gave the powerful words in John 6:35 that said,

John 6:35 ESV

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

He did not tell that to just one person or just the disciples but preached it out loud in the synagogue.

In the Temple, Jesus said in John 10:27-28 this powerful words.

John 10:27–28 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

He has publically made the claim that he is savior of the those who believe in him.

He doesn’t have some double agenda like they probably thought, he isn’t teaching something different to his disciples, He only got deeper into his teaching with them. But nothing he didn’t already say out loud.

So just to further there own guilt against Jesus he says… Why do you ask me??? Why do you ask me? The priest is suppose to ask those who bring a charge against Jesus. He said ask those who have heard me… They know what I said… Jesus has talked to thousands of people by now, and yet not one is here proclaiming against Christ, though the others gospels teach us during this event that false witness tried to. John left out that detail.

But Jesus is not trying to be smart with the priest here. he is trying to get him to follow what the Law says to do in this sort of situation… They want to know about his theology, but Jesus has already made it clear he is God, but he is not saying it in the moment in the way they want to hear it. He is showing them they are breaking the law.

And what Jesus does is rebukes Annas and in that rebuking one officer did not take kindly to it. And goes and slaps Jesus, One man I was reading this week was like the officer slapped Jesus because he was thinking who does this guy think he is? Taking to the High Priest like that.. oh boy if he knew in the moment right? That he was slapping the one who for all things have been created.

One of the commentaries I was reading this week said this… Unbeknownst to the official and the high priest, the dignity of the high priest derives from the dignity of Jesus. The high priest holds a sacred office only because God is sacred. The sacred and Holy God stands trial before those made sacred by what he has given them, and they hold their own dignity more dearly than his. Indeed they do not even acknowledge his identity.

He would go on to say… They hate God and slap Jesus because what God has made sacred the high priesthood is more precious to them than God himself. This is a common error with God’s gifts. God gives a good and holy gift, such as sex, authority, or stewardship of resources, and humans exalt their pleasure, their power, and their money over God himself. They refuse to Worship God because they are intent on making idols of his gifts.

Folks they totally missed Jesus, and that was the plan of God all along. Think about this trial of Jesus who should have known better than anyone else who the Christ would be?? It would have been the high priest it would have been all those who tried to get Jesus killed. But they in their position of authority, power, influence, and money wanted all those things instead of the true and rightful high priest Jesus. Who could take away their sins.

I have said something similar to this before but you can appear to be close to God, and totally not know him. Let me say that again. You can appear to be close to God, and totally not know him. You can be so enamored with your titles like they were where you miss the one who gave you that title.

Its powerful how God unfolds his plan of redemption, by showing those who are suppose to be closest to him how much they need him. Even though they don’t see it.

And going back to Jesus in this situation he tells the official hey if what I said is wrong bear witness about the wrong… BUT if what I said is right why do you strike me? This wrongful trial Jesus said just a few words because the evidence was so clear in his favor yet they did not want to hear it. And Annas was left without words he was the high priest before Caiaphas and he is like send him way. Caiaphas was the one who was the true high priest at the time, because the Romans appointed him as such, and as I have said during our study of John only Rome has authority to implement the death penalty to someone. This is what Annas is hoping Pilate will do.

with all that just took place John shifts back to Peter, third thing I want you to take note of is this....

Peter’s denial of Jesus was fulfilled.

Listen to rest of text today…

John 18:25–27 ESV

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that another servant girl saw him, and said to others this man was with Jesus of Nazareth. In the Gospel of John it said I am not, but in Matthew It said I do not know the man.

What a powerful denial of Jesus whom he said before anyone else you are the Christ. Peter certainly knew Jesus even though he denied it in the moment. A second time he denied him.

But as Jesus said Peter would deny him a third time and that is what he did. The gospel of John One of the servants of the high priest a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off asked, Did I not see you in the garden with him? And Peter denied it, and the Gospel of Matthew says he put a curse on himself swearing I dont know the man. The curse part is interesting because scripture says that Christ became a curse for us, and yet Peter was so sacred in the moment he not only denied Jesus but put a curse on himself.

And both Gospels say immediately the rooster crowed. John leaves out an important detail the other gospels say and that is that Peter went out and wept bitterly. The One who was boldly behind Jesus denied him in his final hours of life, and he could not help but weep.

The gospels don’t tell you why Peter denied Jesus, only that Jesus said he would. Its one of the stories that really make you think why Peter? Why? Were you afraid to meet the same fate as your Lord? Where you afraid to die? We do know one think God was even in charge of this..

One man I read this week said, “Better for his life to end in honor than to continue in shame.” Remember this is the man who said he would lay his life down for Jesus sake… Yet failed. Like we all fail.

I believe this happened to Peter for one reason, and that was so Peter would truly have faith in Christ as his Lord and Savior. See Peter had that shame of denying Jesus for the rest of his life, but when Jesus returned after the death and resurrection he sought peter, and he commissioned Peter, and even though Jesus denied him, he did not deny Peter.

I want you to write down one more thing…

Jesus does not deny those who are his.

R. C. Sproul says, “What does this teach us? He is talking about Peter’s denial. I think it teaches us something hideous, something we don’t want to see—the darkness of the human heart. This shows us what people are capable of doing. Even after making a glorious confession, even after swearing allegiance to Jesus—“I will lay down my life for Your sake” (13:37b)—Peter failed at the moment of truth. Such is the fallen human nature.

The passage also teaches us, especially in light of Peter’s later restoration, what kind of people Jesus died to save. He had no need to die for people who are sinless, for there are no such people. He gave Himself for people who have it in them to betray Him, people like you and me. However, He will never betray those on whom He sets His love, but will love them faithfully for all time.

I dont think I could have put it any better than R.C. Sproul. In our own human hearts we have the tendency to make claims that we will never go against God. That we will to the point of death be faithful to him at every turn, but the reality is that is not the case. Many of us fail at the moment of truth to often.

For the born again believers I want to talk to you for a moment because this is to often the case. Its not just the denying him with our lips, but we deny him in other cowardly ways.

Its clear from reading the story that the Jewish leaders denied Christ, right they wanted him dead, wanted him out of the picture so they could go back to their old lives, but I am convinced that we like Peter. And we say we want to follow him, yet our actions prove otherwise. Now I have already talked about this during our study of John, but even us Christians who profess Christ still need Christ. We still need him daily..

There are not one of us who doesn’t struggle with sin, there is not one of us who even today may deny Jesus with our lips, our hearts, and our actions, and even though we may deny him over and over again, Church he wont deny those who are his… Let me say that again…

There are not one of us who doesn’t struggle with sin, there is not one of us who even today may deny Jesus with our lips, our hearts, and our actions, and even though we may deny him over and over again, Church he wont deny those who are his…

To help us understand this better I want to share with you something I read in Seminary titled The Discipline of Grace and in the book he quotes an African Man and it says this…

We know of course, how central the forgiveness of our sins is to salvation. We preach it, we believe in it. We see that first repentance and surrender to Christ as a glorious moment. We also accept that Having come to the Lord, we must continue to purify our lives.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9. But in talking with many believers., I get the impression that most of us consider the ongoing repentance of the saved as a not so glorious experience, a sort of sad necessity, Sin grieves God.

we must not downplay the seriousness of it in the life of a believer, but we must come to terms with the fact that God's grace is greater than our sin. Repentance is one of the Christians highest privileges, a repentant Christian focuses on God's mercy and God's grace, any moment in our lives, when we Bask in God's mercy and grace is our highest moment. Higher than when we feel smug in our decent performance, and cannot think of anything, we need to confess whenever we fail, and we will fail the spirit of God will work on us, and bring us to the foot of the cross, where Jesus carried our failures, that is potentially a glorious moment, for we could at the moment except God's abundant mercy and grace, and go forth with nothing to boast of accept Christ himself or else we struggle with our shame, focusing on that as well as our track record. We fail because we have shifted our attention from God's grace and mercy. One who draws on God's mercy and grace is quick to repent, but also slow to sin

Jesus is far better than any of us, and what he did for Peter, and what he does for us, should motive us to follow him, and be slow to sin. The fall of Peter is like I already said a reminder that we all sin, but the grace that he shows Peter and us should motive us to live for him.

Christian because Jesus does not deny us we should not deny him in any part of our lives. Many of us have been in that business of denying him for far to long. You need to turn back to the Lord and stop denying him with your lips, hearts, and actions, and take that to the foot of the Cross, knowing that he does not deny you.

Peter’s denial was I am sure the worst day of his life, he would not deny Jesus but soon after his Lord would die.

See the author of that book I just mentioned would go on to later say in his book, Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace…

Some of us say we can’t relate to Peter or relate to those who arrested Jesus, but all of us have sinned, and there may be others in this room or online who have denied Jesus their whole life. And the sad reality is if you continue to deny him he will deny you… No one who denies Jesus on earth will be with him in heaven, see Jesus as we will see will continue to be questioned over and over again, and handed over to this death, but remember he was in charge, and though he would die he would rise again, and through that rising he proved to have dominion over sin and death, and all who believe in him as Lord and repent of their sins will be saved.

Dont leave here today without asking yourself? Are there areas in my life where I am denying the Lordship of Jesus Christ? I am sure all of us say yes to this, and you need to turn away from it, because he never turns away from you, and walk in the newness of life he granted you in your salvation.

Finally have you been denying Jesus your whole life? If so today is the day of salvation turn to him, trust in him, knowing that when you do that he will never deny you. Let us pray…