Sunday Service

Good morning. Good morning.

It is tomorrow morning. Here they come.

I'll be coming around the fuse when they come.

Free. I saw you come up here. When is your birthday?

The same when what day? What day is your birthday? Remember how old are you going to be 15? No. 7 years old. That is so awesome. Well happy birthday 7 years old. That is really big and is 7 years old. She thinks that she's going to turn eight next month and I told her we've actually cancel back. So she said her plan is to have a sweet half 16 for, for being a with some half candy decorations and stuff like that. She at her magic Nation gets going, sometimes I this morning we are still talking about Jesus getting close to the time when he was crucified. And today we're going to talk about one of Jesus's friends who did not act like he was his friend, you guys ever have somebody who's your friend but doesn't always act like a good friend tells a story without using a name.

Now. Wow. So in class when like everything's okay, he acts okay but then when MP gets really okay? So we didn't have any choice but to be a good friend and he acts like a good friend and then suddenly when he's going to like impress people and stuff, somewhere else, he starts to not be such a good friend to good example. Anybody else think of any times like that.

You guys know who Peters, sorry the end of that. That question. do you guys know who Jesus is best friends were

yes, Anastasia

Peter and John. John's brother.

Also starts with a J.

James guitarist, Peter, James, and John. And when Jesus is getting arrested, you remember, Peter gets his sword and he fights and he tries to protect you and the high priests are all the high priest servants are off. And so he seemed so enthusiastic and so excited, but is he going to stay acting like a good friend? You know what happens? Let's see it says then versus 54 of Luke chapter 22, then they took him, that's Jesus. They took Jesus and let him and brought him into the high priests house and Peter followed a far-off. So is Peter close to Jesus? No juice is over there and Peter's way back. You heard. Somebody say I'm behind you. Like I'm behind him to support you but they're way behind you know it's a yes.

Okay, if Dre was standing behind you with scissors, OK. Google somebody's behind, you wouldn't make sure they're not doing anything bad behind. You, good one now. Peter is he's following Jesus. This is kind of funny because what was the one of the first things that Jews ever said to Peter?

What do you think, Brody?

And that's really cool toy.

What do you think Michaela?

That's true. When you go back to your parents, you need to be good. Jesus said our Anastasia

Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men. That's right. And so Jesus told Peter to follow him, is this what? Jesus meant? Follow me from way back here. No, but Peters really scare Disney until he's following Jesus way in the distance, kind of waiting to see what's going to happen. And when are you going to Kindle the fire in the midst of the hall and were set down, together, Peter sat down among them. So they're in the high priests kind of yard, he's got like a porch and they're gathered in there and it's dark. It's the middle of the night. It's illegal to have a trial in the middle of the night but they don't care very much about that cuz they're about to crucify. Somebody wasn't doing anything wrong and they light a fire. And Peter comes and come sit by the fire to stay warm and to see what's going on. Then you'll happens, it says, but a certain made beheld him as he sat down by the fire and earnestly looked upon him and said this man was also with him. So amazed probably a little bit older than Kennedy probably about Katie's age. Okay. So like Teen a young teenager 12 or 13, type age range, okay? Looks at Peter, who's a grown man and says, hey, And she's like staring at him. Like do I know you from somewhere? Oh yeah, this guy was with Jesus to And you know what Peter says? I know, that's right. Vs57 he denied him saying woman. I know him not cuz I don't know who that is.

Now did Jesus know this was going to happen. Remember, Jesus, told Peter before, this rooster crows. You're going to deny me three times. And Peter said, no, never! I'm ready to die with you. So Peter thought he was going to be a good friend Peter believed it when he said it but sometimes do we get tired or scared? And we don't act the way that we know we should act. It'll be like, we're not that kind of friend, we know we should be Is one, I'll even know him. And after a little while another saw him and said that word also of them and Peter said, man, I am not. So, one person comes up and says, hey, you were with Jesus is a teenage girl. And then somebody else comes up to Jesus and says, you were with Jesus. And Peter says, no absolutely not verse 59. And after the space of one hour, another confidently, a firm saying I'm a truth. This fellow also was with him for he's a Galilean. So Summit, a third person, an hour later comes up and says Brooks was with Jesus. Right. Now I can tell by his accent, he's From Galilee. Right now, Peters had an hour to sit there and think about it. and you would hope that maybe at there for that, he would kind of man up a little bit, right? But that's not what happens. It And Peter said, man, I know not what thou sayest. I don't even know what you're talkin about and immediately while he gets paid the cop crew. So a rooster start scrolling while Peter still talking. He hears a rooster crowing. I didn't Jesus say he was going tonight deny him three times in the rooster was going to Crow. Now watch, this is one of my favorite verse in the Bible verse 61 and the Lord turned and looked at on Peter. So, Jesus is over here being beaten and everything else. He's in the other side of this Courtyard, it's a big open space and Peter's over there saying. I don't even know who he is and the rooster crows and Jesus turns and looks right at Peter. Have you ever been doing something wrong and your mom turned and looked at you and she didn't say anything. But you saw her looking at you? Yeah. I'm not going to let you guys tell this story right now. So turns and looks at you and when you get a little bit older, if you get married, sometimes you young man, your wife will look at you. And she wants a special, say, I ain't with her eyes. There it is. So the He looks at Peter. How do you think Peter feels when he looks at? When Jesus looks at him. Like that? Yes, sir bad, yeah, cuz he knows that there's no denying. And Peter remember the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him before the cock Crow, thou shall deny me Thrice. He remembered what Jesus said. And then and Peter went out and wept bitterly. You guys know what weapons means cried. Yeah, he goes out and he's just crying. It. Goes into the dark again, he's by the fire and it goes into the dark. It's kind of an ironic. What's another word for ironic? I don't know. It's Peter, when he's inside by the Light. His heart is in a very dark place because he's denying Jesus. And then he goes outside into the dark again. But why he there? He's in the light because he realizes he did something wrong, he realizes that he betrayed Jesus. And so when Peter standing by the fire, he's in the spiritually dark place and when he's physically in the dark, he's in the spiritually light place because he's sorry. And here's the amazing thing, Jesus knew. Write Tyler. Jesus knew that Peter was going to betray him, right? and, Did Jesus kick Peter out? No, he said, I prayed for you that you won't fall and that when you're turned back that you will strengthen your brothers, So he knew he was going to fail and he had a plan for Peter after he failed when you mess up and you send, do you think that God will not ever use you again? Aquaguard use you again after you mess up. Yeah. If I didn't use you again after you messed up, he would never use anybody right? Cuz we all mess up. And so Peter was not a good friend, he was not faithful to Jesus, but the Jesus forgive him, he did forgive him because Peter goes on and he becomes one of the leaders in Acts and he needs lots of people that use us. So just God forgive us when we sin. Yeah, so we need to know that sometimes other people can me and we can face Temptations and we can let God down or other people can. Let us down other people can let God down but the difference in Peter. And the other people, the difference in Peter and Judas is that, once Peter realize he did the wrong thing. He goes out and he weeps, he's sorry. So what God doesn't God doesn't expect us to be perfect, right? God knows we're not ever going to be perfect but God expects us to be sorry after we send right that the Holy Spirit shows us we did something wrong. That's called conviction. Can you guys say conviction conviction?

One more time conviction. Conviction is when God makes you feel sorry in your heart for something you've done wrong. And when we feel that and we tell God we're sorry, he forgives us. And so crying is sad, right? But Peter, crying here is actually happy because it means that Peter knows he did the wrong thing, and he's asking Jesus for forgiveness. And the Bible says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us, from all unrighteousness. So when you asked God to forgive, you do you know what God does every single time?

John a trick question by somebody that's name is not Anastasia ivory. What when we ask Jesus to forgive us, what does Jesus do every single time? I Kennedy, he forgets that. That's right. And so, we don't need to say, oh my God can't use me. I'm messed up. We can say I messed up, and God will forgive me if I ask him to cuz he's always ready to forgive us. Okay, let's pray and will be dismissed the class. Heavenly Father, God, we are so grateful for this day, we're so grateful that you do. Forgive us that like Peter, we fail often when I'm tired or stressed or fearful that our weakness become so great, but that your strength is greater and that no matter how far we fall, you can always look this up again. So I pray father that you'd help these kids and all of us to be quick to confess our sins and to be forgiven, a vet that we be quick to trust you quick to leave the light of the world where it seems quick to leave the light of this world, to go to the light of the world that we would not believe. By the campfire that feel safe, but that we'd be with you wherever you are. So father for those who have entrusted, you as their savior. I pray, they make that decision today, and for those of us who do know you that you'd help us to be more and more faithful as these things in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you guys. Very much. Alright.

We are this morning starting here.

Off he goes, I don't know whose kid that is.

It doesn't look familiar.

We are beginning of Luke chapter 22.

Procedure of course. Peter denied, Jesus, three times. I told messages denied three times and actually we got a long text. We're not really going to look at most of it. We're going to skip around in it, but I went to see the Jesus is actually denied 3, * 3 *. So Peter says three times, I don't know who Jesus is. And then they take, Jesus may put him on trial and he goes to Pilot and pilot kicks him off to Herod. And he goes to Herod and Herod kicks him back to pilate three times. The Gentile authorities refused to do anything, and then pilot says, look, I'm just going to beat him and let him go. And the Israelites a note, crucify him and pilot says he hasn't done anything wrong. Can I say no crucify him and the third time pilot says, he hasn't done anything wrong. Let me release him. And I'll crucify Barabbas, and I say no, give us grab Brabus, crucify him, and to the people deny him three times. But in this set here, we see that Peter's denial is Painful and extreme and tragic, but it's not alone. As we look into, I can't believe Peter would deny Jesus. I can't believe Peter act like that, but actually everybody acts like that. Peter is one example of it, but none of the other disciples are there either saying it's me, it's me, I'm the one who was with Jesus, but they all forsook him and fled That it's not that we can say, oh, Peter failed. But I succeeded because like we talked about, it's his blood that's on our hands. The question is, how does this failure work? And how does God restore us? Why is Peter's failure different than the failure of the others? And of course, if you're paying attention with the kids, we already know the answer, don't we? That Peter's failure was different because Peter repented, The difference in King, David and King Saul is not. That's all send and David didn't, it's that one sauce and he doubled down and said, how dare anybody talk to me like that? And when David send he wept and he beat his heart. He said God be merciful to me a sinner, restore unto me, the joy of your salvation. The difference in people who follow God and the difference in people who don't is not whether or not, we send, it's what we do next, right? Your heart is not shown by your, with the weakness of your flash. Your heart is shown by what you do after Is there a way to see today? The people deny Jesus, tragically and painfully. We're going to see him buried back and forth. I'm going to see him in control through it all this morning. As we look at this text that powerful text to see Jesus on trial, And it's a powerful text because we know that we ought to be the ones on trial. I know where the one thing a man Shouldn't Judge. God, God judges man's right there where the ones that should be on trial, but Jesus puts himself in that position for our good and for his glory I'm going to read this whole text like I said, we're actually look at about 7 versus in depth, but we're going to read the whole thing from chapter 22 verses 54 through 2325 to see the trial of Jesus, over your able, would you stand with me and honor of the reading of God's word.

22:54 Luke, The Physician the companion. The missionary, Paul riding under the inspiration of the. Holy spirit says this, then they took Jesus and let him and brought him into the high priest's house and Peter follow too far off and when they had kindled a fire in the mitts of the hall and were set down, together, Peter sat down among them, but a certain made that held him as he sat by the fire and earnestly, looked upon him and said, this man was also with him. And he denied him saying woman, I know him not And after a little while another saw him and said that, we are also of them and Peter said, man, I am not. In about the space of one hour. After another competently affirmed thing of a truth. This fellow also was with him for. He is a Galilean and Peter said, man, I know not what thou speakest and immediately while he gets fake, the cop crew. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered, the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him before the cock Crow. Thou shalt deny me Thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly. And the men that held Jesus mocked him and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him they struck him on the face and ask him saying prophesy. Who is it? That smote thee and many other things Blasphemous, meet blasphemously spec they against him. And as soon as it was de the Elders of the people in the chief priests and the scribes came together and let him into their Council saying art. Thou the Christ tell us and he said of them, if I tell you you will not believe and if I also ask you, you will not answer me or let me go Hereafter. Shall the son of man. Sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, aren't they all the Son of God and he said unto them, you say that I am and they said, what need, we any further witness we ourselves have heard of his own mouth and the whole multitude of them, a rose and let him on the pilot. And the began to accuse him saying. We found this fellow perverting. The nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ. The King and pilate ask him saying art, thou the king of the Jews and he answered him and said, they'll say instead, then said pilot to the chief priests into the people. I find no fault in this man. And they were, the more fear saying he's stirring up. The people teaching throughout all jewry, beginning From Galilee to this place. When pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were Galleon. And as soon as he knew that he belonged in the Harwich jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when he had saw Jesus, he was exceedingly, glad for he was desirous to see him of a long season because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to see some miracle than by him. Any question with him, in many words, but he answered him nothing and the chief priests and scribes stood and vehement Lee accused him and hear it in his Men of War, set him at not, and mocked him in a raid him in a gorgeous robe, and send him again to Pilot in the same day. Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before, they were an enemy between themselves and pilot when he called together the chief priests in the rulers in the people said unto them. You have brought this man into me as one that perverted the people. And behold, I haven't examined him before you have found, no fault in this man, touching these things where of you accuse him, no, not yet, I sent you to him and low. Nothing of War of death is done in him. Nothing worthy of death is done in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him from necessity. He must release one under them at the feast. And they cried out all at once saying away with this man and release unto us Barabbas who for a certain sedition made in the city was cast into prison pilot therefore willing to release Jesus spake unto them again. But they cried saying crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them, the third time. Why what evil has he done? I have found no, cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him and let him go and they were instant with loud voices, requiring, that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed and pilot gave sentence that it should be as they required and he released unto him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison and they had desired, but he delivered Jesus to their will and all God's people said, amen. You may be seated.

I know it's absolutely text, but I don't know how to not tell you that whole story because Jesus, they're playing ping-pong with him, playing pong with him. Nobody want to take any responsibility for him. They want to send him back and forth and back and forth. The Jewish people raised up and they have an illegal trial in the middle of the night. And then first thing in the morning they bring him before the Sanhedrin to rubber-stamp it right to say, okay send them off but the same he drink and execute, they only execute people for violating the temple precincts and they can't kill Jesus. And so they say what will get the Romans to do it for us and so they decide that the charge against she's us is that he's claimed to be the Son of God, but that's not going to get very far with pilot. They take him to Pilot may say he's been corrupting the people. He's been saying not to pay your taxes. He's trying to mount a revolt.

And pilot interrogates him and he says this guy is no threat to me. I don't find any reason for death and him. It's not because Pilots a nice guy pilot did not have any hesitation killing people. He killed his own family members. But he says, he's not. He's not commenting. Any Revolt. He's no risk to me. So he finds out that. He's a Galilean and pilot says, well, I can make this, not my problem anymore and he sent him to Herod. Is his Herod was exceedingly, glad to see him. You think will that sounds promising that you keep reading? It says because he wanted to see some miracle. Remember this is the same Herod who had married his own half-sister and that he kept John. The Baptist in prison because he thought his preaching was entertaining until his stepdaughter, maneuvered him into having John killed. He didn't care anything about Jesus. He wanted entertainment and before him. Jesus won't even speak. He wasn't answering him at all. And he would send him back to pilate and says, well, I don't I don't see anything and I'm either he's on trial of third time and pilot says, I found nothing of death. In him. Jesus bounce back and forth being maneuvered. There's so many opportunities for him to be. Let go. He's found innocent three times and then crucified anyway cuz he's not in the hands of people. He's in the hands of God's plan to bring Salvation to you and to me. He doesn't defend himself. If I give you his answer to Pilot is, you know, used to the house, a hist it, right? And if you look, you'll notice in the King James that it is in italics, because literally the pieces, you say, That's not saying yes that's not saying no that's just not really answering. Isaiah told us that would happen. It said like the Sheep before her Shearer's is dumb so he opened it's not his mouth. The Jesus doesn't defend himself, he could defend himself. He could have defended himself in an argument and he could have defended himself by calling down armies of angels. He could have defended himself by telling Peter and the apostles go get more swords. It's time to fight, he could then lots of things. but he laid his life down willingly for you and for me, And the Very people he was dying for denied him instead.

Got three simple points this morning that are kind of scattered through here. First Houston died, three times by Peter, the disciples denied and then repented, then we're going to look at the nation's the Israelites denied him 3 times and replaced him. And the Gentiles denied, maybe most damning leave all by relenting. The pilots non answer is an answer, right? This is have it your way. He doesn't even have the Integrity to say, okay? He's guilty killing

Welcome back that momentarily first. Let's think about Peter as the representative of the disciples look with me and 22:16. It says and Peter said, man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately while he gets fake, the cop crew. Of course here. Once again, we see that Peter denies, Jesus, he had so much strength earlier. For the devil knows how to work on you. I ain't Satan doesn't tempt you when you're at your highest. Satan tempts you, when you're tired, and you're scared and you're hungry and you're at your weakest. If you think I'm going to go and I am invincible. The Bible says, if any man thinks he stands, let him take heed. Lest he fall? You know, when you're most vulnerable. When you think that you're untouchable. And we were get so confident in ourselves that we think I'll, I would never do that. Oh, look out. Peter said I would never do that a few hours before. Never Say, Never. You either way I would to God that I would never do that. I pray that God would give me the strength that I would never do that. But as soon as I think I'm strong enough to resist any Temptation on my own, I have just given the devil a pass and set up. This one is unguarded if you were trying to break into a bank, And you found out the bank manager decided that one door was impenetrable. And so there were no guards and no locks there. I know where you're going in. If you have somewhere, where you think your strong, that is where you are the weakest when I have somewhere. And I think I've got this under control, God, you can move along That's where I'm about to be in big, big trouble. So God strips us down. Sometimes as me we were getting in, God said you got too many soldiers, you're going to take the credit you better send them home. You're not ready to trust me yet. And so Gideon gets knocked down and knock down and knock down until he's got just a few soldiers to defeat this Mighty armies that only God can get the glory. Peter, and the warm up a room with the other. Disciples, a full belly? A joyful heart says, oh, I would never deny you Lord,

But a night. A fling from the soldiers hiding in the shadows. Watching Jesus be beaten and spat on across the courtyard. And suddenly the fight goes out of him.

And if you and I think that that couldn't happen to us, then there's only one person, you're fooling.

If Peter had said Lord, I can't do it on my own. If he had done what Jesus told him to do, which was pray. Lead us not into temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil, right? If you'd said bored, I can't do it in My Own Strength. I've got to use your strength. And maybe things would have turned out differently.

But we try to do it on our own. We fail.

So don't get out on a limb.

But much more importantly, is this next part while yet spake? The cop crew and the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. what like a a full sentence that is. Because I don't know about you, but I would like some more detail. when Jesus turned and looked at Peter, Did what it look like. Feel like a cyclist you come down or was it this tender reassuring look or was it? I don't know, I don't know. I don't know what I know is that it was the perfect. Look designed to get the right reaction out of theater.

And isn't that an amazing thing? We don't know our weakness. And so we trust ourselves. But the Lord knows our weakness and he chose is choose to go to the cross for us. Anyway. Peter couldn't see Peter, but Jesus saw him the whole time. And Jesus turned and looked at him and then Peter remember the word of the Lord how he had said in the head before the cock Crow. Thou shalt deny me Thrice and Peter went out and wept bitterly. When he goes out and he weeps his heart is broken. He repents and he is restored.

The disciples Peter in particular. Is this example here denied, Jesus. and then repented, If we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But for Sean says, it doesn't say it's very specific. If we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, you don't deceive your spouse rice and you don't deceive your friends. The only person, you're fooling, if you think you are sinless, is yourself. If we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves in the truth is not in there, but if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, the difference in you and me friends. Is not knife and you and me and the unbelieving world, right? You and me, and the unbelieving world. Is not whether or not, we send all of us and come short of the glory of God. The difference is, do we confess our sin? Confest con means with, right? If you go and you get a chili con, queso Chili's with cheese, if we confess fast means fess up to agree. Confessed means to agree with. You agree, with God and say yes, this is wrong. If I say God I did this and I know that you think it's wrong but I didn't really have any choice. Is not a confession.

And you may think that you can get out of it, but God's going to come back to you over and over again, cuz he's got the facts, he's got the truth. You think Colombo can get a confession out of somebody. Oughta say Jesus. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us. And so, Peter goes out and through these tears. He says, yes, or you were right about me, I was wrong about me. I have betrayed you and he receives forgiveness. And he goes on to do what Jesus always knew. He would, which is strengthen his brethren. Are there? Two other groups who denied? Jesus tonight? And they are not so good. The soap Peter, the disciples denied, Jesus and repent. Second, the Gentile, I'm sorry. The Israelites deny him and replace him. Look in chapter 23. Now verse 22. You remember they've gone back and forth now.

And three times pilot is said, let him go and they said crucify him, crucify him. I'm sorry, Bruce 18, I'm not getting ahead of myself here and they cried out all at once saying away with this man and release unto us Barabbas. Who for a certain sedition made in the city and for murder was cast into prison. The pilot says, look, let me Let Jesus go. We always let somebody go to celebrate the Passover. Let me Let Jesus go. He says all chastise him is what the King James says, which sounds really kind of tame, right? Like how you don't do that anymore. But chastise means to beat, right? I will get a whip and I will rip his back to shreds, and then I'll let him go. What's a little public torture for the sake, of a happy Passover?

They do it like that. President, pardons a turkey, you know,

but they say no not Jesus. They say, give us Barabbas. Now, I know all of you were somewhat Hebrew Scholars and so, you know, that bar means son, write a bar mitzvah is when a boy becomes the son of the Covenant Mitzvah means Covenant. So, when he becomes a man becomes part of the nation Bar, Mitzvah bar is Sun Harbour, you know, that one maybe I'll buy means father. Bar. Abbas means son of a father. What is a narrow down that much, does it? Everybody's a son of the father Like when Jesus says, there's not a greater man born of women and John the Baptist, while man, born of woman doesn't narrow it down very much.

Barabbas is a murderer. We know from other gospel, he's a thief. He committed sedition, right? He tried to start a Revolt, he actually did all the things that Jesus is accused of, and for that, he is getting ready to die.

And his name is. Anybody basically write his name, his name is somebody. How can you imagine this for a second Barabbas is sitting there. In prison of the prisons are not like if you visit somebody in jail and got the Plexi glass and then all the stuff not like that, right? The hole in the ground it is, they open up a hole and put bars around it and everything, it's dark and it's dank, and it's wet. And Barabbas is sitting there. And he know this is his knee, but his death could come at any time. And you I imagine if you were in that situation you couldn't help but think about what was coming. Being humiliated. Carrying your Cross Beam to the Cross. Having a railroad spikes driven in your hands and feet. And then hanging there, usually four days to suffocate and die while people came and your friends. Maybe some of the ones that said they were going to be on your side. In this Revolt, you were going to lead, are going to pretend, they don't know who you are so that they don't get crucified to. And rabbits is sitting there on this dirty floor. Waiting. And then he hears in the distance. The crowd shouting crucify. Him crucify him. And he's got to think this is it? My numbers up.

Crucify him. Crucify him. And so, they grab Brabus. Play Bring Em Out.

In the crowd says, give us Barabbas.

And Brabus watch. Jesus, get taken away. And maybe I don't know, maybe he's still in the area and maybe he's still around when Jesus crucified.

And can you imagine him? That's my cross. Those are my nails. That's my dad that he's dying in my place. That's the one I deserved. I already told you Brabus, his name is anybody? And so I can look at Jesus and I can say that's my cross. Those are my nails. That's my dad, but he's dying. He's the one who deserves to be free. I'm the one who deserves to bleed, But he died in my place.

Call brothers and sisters. What can we do in response to that except Stand in awe and worship. I think God of Glory. Will come down and do that for us. We saying that great him this morning, Crown Him With Many Crowns, the been in the his. Feed his wounded side but he comes Rich wounds yet visible above and Glory beautify. Imagine that. That when you if you trusted Jesus as your savior, when you go and see him one day, you're going to see the scars in his hands and his feet in his side. And you're going to know, I'm going to know. My nails made by the nails that were meant for me.

That should have been me.

And we can respond to that in different ways.

That you can respond to that, with some sense of, you know, guilt and despair. But that's, that's to miss the whole point that nobody was not an accident. Nobody forced it on Jesus. Jesus said I choose to take your place. Jesus died for the one who was rightly sentence, Brabus was accused as our Brabus was guilty of all the things that Jesus was accused of Jesus was punished for all, the things that I've done said, I could go free.

In the pits of the people make a great replacement, don't they? It says in verse 22 there, they sweat. Evil has he done? I found. No cause of death in them all there for chastise him and let him go to sit at the third time. I don't think that's a coincidence. That look record, 3, trial, and Peter's 3 denials, and the people's three denials it is a thorough complete rejection from everybody. The people reject Jesus, and they replace him with somebody else. Now, trading Jesus, for Barabbas. Is August a very, very, very good trade or very bad trade, depending on which side of it, you're on. because getting Jesus, when you had Barabbas He's a real upgrade. What is an interesting? How often when we like Peter went to trust in ourselves? We just say, give me Barabbas instead of Jesus. Like we trust in ourselves instead of in The God Who can do something The God Who can change us. If I rely on My Own Strength, I'm making the same trade that the Israelites to give me Barabbas. Give me me. Give me the one who deserves to die. Give me the one who's done, all these things.

but instead, we should put our old man on the cross and put Jesus on the throne. They denied him openly and boldly.

And they insisted. And they got their way. Peter denied and repented, the nation denied and did not repent, but both of them were bold.

And we can do both, right? Some people, openly deny Jesus. Some people trade Jesus for something else. It's called idolatry.

But there's a more subtle and therefore may be more destructive way of denying Jesus. The Gentiles denied by relenting Pilot new Jesus was innocent treachery then Herod and I No Herod. This is the son of Herod. The Great who had all the babies killed in Bethlehem. So there wouldn't be a competitor to the throne. That's the pair. Had that pilot said I would rather be here at the pig when his son died, because he wouldn't kill his pigs cuz it kept kosher, but it would kill his sons. Pilot of course, told you before had the shallow pool in his backyard. That was a few inches deep where lots of his political Rivals. When they came to dinner, tragically drowned didn't have any as hesitation to kill family members or anything else for them to say Jesus is harmless let him go.

But they don't have any backbone. Can you imagine that that politicians without a backbone? The they deny Jesus not by rejecting him, but by pushing it off.

but when you push him off, you've rejected him.

If?

When I had proposed calling if she said, oh, thank you talk to you later.

That would have, she didn't have to say the word. No. Right for that to be. No. If the Holy Spirit convicts your heart and God says, you need to be saved, you need to be. Baptized you to follow me in teaching this class or in surrendering, to preach, or in sharing the gospel, with your neighbor, or in giving to this missionary or whatever you don't have to say, no. For you to say, no, you can say, let me think about it. Later.

And later becomes later and becomes later. Becomes later.

And it never comes.

I can deny God with my silence. I could deny God like Peter, did I can deny him like the nation did or I can deny him by my silence and the reason I think that the Gentiles just relenting to say, okay, whatever. Have it your way is the most dangerous is that they never really realize they did anything wrong.

you're when you do something and you just want to roll over, then you can convince yourself. That you haven't made a decision when you have made a decision. Here's what it tells us in verse 18 and Trevor's 22. And he said unto them the third time. Why would evil has he done? I will five found no cause of death in him. I will therefore let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring, that he might be crucified like that. Requiring, who's King here? They know we've you've got to do it and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevail. Here's this judge, who knows. What's right? This king? Who knows. What's right?

and he says, but you've got to consider the politics of it. They really want me to go along with this. And this is what's going to take for me to stay in power.

And so he says, okay. Have it your way?

I'm going to leave any application that's an exercise to the reader.

When we look for leaders, it's worth saying that we should look for people who have a spine as a bare minimum qualification, right? But it's not going to do what's right. No matter what anybody thinks.

and that the one we are looking for leaders, in any sense, in our government and work places in churches and families, you should not be looking for somebody who is going to always Rollover right. We should be looking for men and women of conviction and integrity.

And that's not what pilot was. There's one thing, pilot liked and that was pilot.

And a few innocent people have to get killed to keep pilot in the good grace the people while at the small price to pay.

They are insistent requiring, he might be crucified and they prevailed and pilot gave sentence that it should be as they required even, that's kind of Weasley, isn't it? The way that verse 24 says, it pilot gave sentence that it should be as a required. It doesn't say, pilot gave sentence to juice should be crucified, pilot said, whatever you say. Have it as you demand it. Get you can have what you want.

First 25, and he released into him that was for sedition and murder was cast into prison. Whom they had desired. But he delivered Jesus to their will. He gave them what they wanted.

not by, Direct action.

But by neglecting his responsibilities.

You can deny Jesus on a metal, a little bit here. You and I can deny Jesus by neglecting our responsibilities. I fail to raise my kids in church. I'm not telling my kids, there's no God with my mouth. I'm not telling my kids serving, God doesn't matter, with my mouth but I am telling them with my behavior. He said, well I don't want to go to church because I don't want to make my kids go to church cuz then they'll resent it when they're an adult. Will you make them brush their teeth and stuff? And I've never heard anybody say, I don't take showers anymore cuz my parents made me when I was younger.

Does running make a lot of sense to me. No, friends. The we have a responsibility right. To raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Now they've got a free will and some of you have raised your children faithfully and then they go astray and that's your once. You've done your part, that's somebody else's problem, right? That's their responsibility. Now, you can't make somebody else do something. But if I don't do my part, that is my responsibility. Ezekiel at he said, you're I've made you a Watchman on the wall if you warn the people and they don't listen, their bloods on their heads. He said if you don't warn them, they'll still die but I'll require their blood at your hands. If you don't do your part Watchman on the wall warning, the people

Then you're responsible. And they're responsible. Hello, friends. We can neglect our responsibilities right to him, to lead our families to witness the people around us. We can deny Jesus by what we don't say. You said I would never say. I don't believe, I would never deny Jesus. The boy, we sure can deny Jesus by our silence. we sure can deny Jesus, by not speaking up when we ought to

And that's almost worse.

Because we won't take responsibility for it.

Because if you think about it, it's this one, right? It's the least direct of the denials that actually sends Jesus to the cross.

It's not the people, they can't, it's not Peter pilot.

He delivers them over to their will. I want to point out, you did a lot of irony in this passage, right? They blindfold, Jesus. And I beat him, but they're the ones who were blind cuz they don't realize who they're crucifying. Peter, when he's in the light, he's in the darkness and when he's in the darkness, he's in the light. Be they strip Jesus down and put them in a robe and bow down to him. Say, hail King of the Jews. When he is the king of the Jews, these things are there so much irony in this whole section, but I think that this last verse really sums it up, he delivered Jesus to their will