“To Repent or Not to Repent”

Our last message in this series saw the culmination of the betrayal of Jesus as Judas led a mob of Temple Police into the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus. In this message we will see the plot beginning to unfold as the Sanhedrin desperately tries to do away with their arch-rival, Jesus. There is also a sub-plot running simultaneously that involves Peter and Judas. The way each of them dealt with sin is a lesson to us today as to how we also deal with sin.

Examination: (What?)

1. Jesus and the Sanhedrin

Mt 26:57-68 “57 Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened. 58 Peter was following him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the servants to see the outcome. 59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death, 60 but they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two who came forward 61 stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ” 62 The high priest stood up and said to him, “Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 “You have said it,” Jesus told him. “But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you’ve heard the blasphemy. What is your decision?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death!’ They they spat in His face and beat Him; others slapped Him and said ‘Prophesy to us Messiah! Who was it that hit you?’”

The charade of faux trials of Jesus started in the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest where a meeting of the scribes and elders (Sanhedrin) was taking place. Peter had gone from being one who vehemently proclaimed that he would never desert/deny Jesus to becoming a fierce defender with a sword, to running away when Jesus was arrested. Now we find him slinking into the courtyard of the high priest and becoming a bystander who desperately wanted to hide his true identity while waiting to see what would happen.

The fake trial began with the Sanhedrin and the high priest trying to drum up false testimony against Jesus so that they could legitimize their call for His death. They had no legal standing and could not administer the death penalty, thus they sought something that Rome would act upon. Although many came forward, seeking their 15 minutes of fame, none of them agreed and thus their testimony was not valid. Finally, a little bit of pre-testimony finagling resulted in two witness who said the same thing verbatim. Just a many do today, they took a statement of Jesus out of context and used it to convict Him in their minds. (side note: you will never argue anyone into surrendering to Jesus. It will only happen when God draws them, the Holy Spirit convicts them of sin, and they willfully repent and surrender.)

Trying to keep some semblance of legal decorum, the high priest questioned Jesus, who, knowing that this was a charade, said nothing. Then the high priest ranted and propped up his argument by bringing profanity into the conversation. (He used the name of God falsely) Jesus then gave His prophetic testimony. He agreed with their claim that He was Messiah (“You have said it.”) and told them what was coming in the future.

Mark Twain supposedly said, “Never argue with a fool. On-lookers may not be able to tell the difference.”

The writer of Proverbs 26:4 “4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.” Rather than trying to correct their false narrative, Jesus chose to respond rather than react. He introduced a whole new narrative. We should follow His example when we share the gospel. Acknowledge what the other person says, but don’t stop your witness until the gospel is fully presented. Jesus used this same approach with the woman at the well in Samaria. He refused to be side-tracked by her questions regarding religion.

As a result of Jesus’s response, the high priest and Sanhedrin went into a frenzy of fake indignation, just like a lawyer, seizing on a statement and faking indignation before the jury.

Then their true nature emerged and they resorted to physical attacks against Jesus. This is a true sign that they knew their argument had no merit. It is like the preacher who wrote in his notes, “Weak point; pound pulpit.”

2. Peter’s Failure

Mt 26:69-75 “69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl approached him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.” 70 But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” 73 After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You really are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.” 74 Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

Peter, an eyewitness to the fake trial, suddenly finds himself in a pickle. Someone recognized him and publically called him out. Immediately he resorted to the same tactics of the Sanhedrin and high priest by denying the truth with increasing intensity. He even resorted to profanity to prop up his denial. After the third denial, Luke reported in Lk 22:61 “61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”” BUSTED! The conviction of the Holy Spirit descended on Peter with a vengeance. What happened next is extremely important. Rather than continuing to try to justify his behavior, Peter’s will was broken, and sobbing, he ran out of the courtyard.

According to the Biblical Counseling Center, there are six principles for genuine repentance. I will paraphrase them.

Confession (agreeing with the charge)

No excuses (don’t try to justify)

Ask for forgiveness (we assume the Peter did this)

Remain accountable (Peter returned to the disciples; his “small group”.

Accept your limitations. (realize that no matter how strong you think you are, your weaknesses will be exposed)

Resume faithfulness to God’s direction. (do the daily tasks that God asks of you)

When we get to John 21 we will find Jesus restoring Peter to his leadership position of the disciples. This is the indication that Peter was indeed repentant. When we sin we must confess and repent in order to be restored. That restoration is an act of God. I find it interesting that today when a Christian leader has sinned, confessed and repented, many others who claim to be Christ-followers do not believe that they should ever be restored to ministry. They still castigate the offender on social media and feel justified in their stance. Anyone whom God forgives, I should also forgive.

3. Judas’s Failed attempt to right the ship

So what was the difference with Judas? Did he truly repent?

Mt 27:1-10 “1 When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to death. 2 After tying him up, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. 3 Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” 5 So he threw the silver into the temple and departed. Then he went and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not permitted to put it into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 They conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. 8 Therefore that field has been called “Field of Blood” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him whose price was set by the Israelites, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”

Judas chose a permanent solution to what should have been a temporary action. He did confess (“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”) but he did not repent. Instead of confessing to the One against whom he had sinned, he confessed to this co-conspirators and then he once again took matters into his own hands and committed suicide. Earlier, when he didn’t think that Jesus was moving fast enough to deliver Israel from the tyranny of the Romans, he sought to force the issue (in his mind). Now, faced with the enormity of his actions, he saw no way out short of taking his own life.

Perhaps you have noticed, as I have that there are rarely deep emotional responses to conviction of sin in the church today. It seems that we have become so emotionally stoic that tears are rarely, if ever, shed in church. I found this explanation of when our tears become prayers. “It's not tears of joy or gratitude but it's tears that stem from a deep inner sorrow. When the pain of brokenness is so great that the only way to articulate praying is through tears of sorrow and grief. First of all God knows our heart but Satan also doesn't want us to live victoriously.”

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Ask God to break your stubborn spirit and make you aware of the gravity of your sins.

Say the same thing about your sin that God does. Confess to those who are affected by your sin and seek their forgiveness.

Stop the sinful behavior. But don’t stop there…Begin a new behavior of obedience to God.