Is He the Christ?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Some of you may love a good courtroom drama on TV. All of them have some similar traits that are part of a real life legal proceedings.
There will normally be an investigation phase of the show where evidence is collected and theories are tested to see who the suspects are and who charges will be filed against.
Then will follow the trials where a jury will be selected and the evidence will be presented. At the conclusion of the show, there will be a verdict that is given.
Sometimes the show may prove the defendant is innocent, or it may be that the show favors the prosecution.
In all of these shows, there are witnesses, testimonies, and evidence that are given to prove the case.
This is true of all legal proceedings, whether they are fictitious and for entertainment purposes, or whether they are real life legal proceedings.
This morning, we are going to put Christ on trial. This trial was a mock trial and illegal at that, but nevertheless a verdict will be reached. The question we want to answer is this:
“Is Jesus the Christ?”
When we say Christ, we mean the promised King that was foretold by the prophets.
57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.
58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,
60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward
61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’ ”
62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”
63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy.
66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.”
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him,
68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Pray
1. The Illegal Trial (vv.57-58)
1. The Illegal Trial (vv.57-58)
57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.
58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.
Trial was held overnight
There were a series of trials
First was before Annas - the former high priest who still exerted a lot of influence (John 18:13-14)
Caiaphas was his son-in-law
He had 5 other sons who would serve as High Priest as well
There needed to be a quorum of 23 members out of the 70 in the Sanhedrin
Capital Offense trials could not be held overnight
Evidence needed to be presented in the open
Jews could not put to death, only recommend
First trial is an informal, second before Caiaphas is formal
Caiaphas’ House = Mansion overlooking the temple complex situated in the Upper City
Application
The world does not fight fairly
It often wants to try the evidence secretly and manipulate it so that no one will notice
When truth is not on your side, you cannot fight fair
Christ wins handily even against all of the underhanded schemes of the enemy
2. The False Witness Testimony (vv.59-63a)
2. The False Witness Testimony (vv.59-63a)
59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,
60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward
61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’ ”
62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”
63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
The Chief priests and leaders had hired false witnesses like they had hired Judas
Why stop at justice when you are bent on evil
Even the witnesses against Jesus could not agree
When they finally agreed on one point to charge Jesus against (destroying the Temple) they still could not agree
Jesus remained silent before them all because He knew they did not care about the truth
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
They manipulated Jesus’s words about what temple He was referring to.
Jesus had been referring to His own body
The enemy will twist God’s Word - “Has God really said - Gen 3)
The enemy will misrepresent God
Annas and Caiaphas are asking two lines of questions towards Jesus
Spiritual - what is the teaching
Political - who is the King
Their hopes are to get Jesus to confess to treason so they can recommend the death sentence
Application
False witnesses will arise against the truth - that is a certainty
They will use underhanded techniques
We must be prepared to give a defense
Even when false witnesses arise, we must remember that God’s Word is the final authority and we always appeal to it
God confirms His own word as truth - it is self-evident
3. The Critical Question (vv.63)
3. The Critical Question (vv.63)
63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
Caiaphas sees he is getting nowhere with the false witnesses and gets down to the critical question
Jesus cannot lie
He is the Messiah
He is the King
The irony is that they accuse Jesus of blasphemy - claiming to be God - before God and supposedly on His behalf
The only blasphemy Jesus has committed and the only treason is against their own kingdom of god.
They have no care about the truth, but didn’t want Jesus around because He challenged their system that benefitted themselves
Jesus cannot deny Himself. He is God. He is Immanuel - God with Us. He is the Christ.
Application
We must ask the critical question of everyone we share Christ with.
Is Jesus the Christ to you?
This does not mean that the answer is relative and that Jesus is not the true King and Lord.
It is a personal question that determines the outcome of the soul of every person.
He knows His position and does not have to fight for it. But do you know?
4. The Final Verdict (vv.64-68)
4. The Final Verdict (vv.64-68)
64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy.
66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.”
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him,
68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Jesus answers the question in the affirmative
The high priest tears his robes in a mock attempt to be offended by what he claims is blasphemy.
He pronounces the sentence against Jesus and prepares to send Him to Pilate
Is the charge treason or blasphemy?
It is both a spiritual and political charge?
The enemies of the world will unite when their god and their kingdom is challenged.
Beast and False Prophet
They mock Jesus and beat Him, beginning the first of the blows to HIs body
He will later be mocked by the Romans with a crown of thorns and a robe
Application
Jesus stands the scrutiny of the world
He will be vindicated by the Father and put on triumphal display as He victoriously raises from the dead and ascends to the right hand of the Father
He will return on a white horse as a conquering King and all the world will melt in fear at His coming.
There will be no denying that He is the King of kings and Lord of lords
He will hold judgment in His court and will be both the Prosecutor and Judge
Conclusion
On that day, will you stand?
Jesus has no need of your witness to prove who He is, but you need Him to give witness that you belong to Him.
Who are we to think that we can judge the Judge?
Who are we to think that we know the truth of heaven when God had to reveal it to us.
We cannot see the spirit realm
We cannot know God unless He reveals Himself to us
God has done the miraculous and yet we still will not believe
In human courts, cases can be appealed to a higher court whenever there is a claim that the lower court got it wrong.
Heaven’s court is the Supreme Court of Appeals
It does not get things wrong like a human court
Jesus is the Christ who was sent into this world to save you
Will you receive heaven’s pardon today or will you insult the Judge who handed it down to you?
