False Accusations

English Standard Version Chapter 1

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

ME:

Pledge:

Passage:

53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.

54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.

55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.

56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.

57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,

58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ”

59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.

60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”

61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?

64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.

65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

I have been thinking a lot about this time of the year “Easter”As I have been reading and studying God’s word I found this passage of scripture rather telling.I noticed something in this pericope that was very interesting “False accusations.”

I am reminded of a time in my life when I was accused of something that was false.Now do get me wrong, I have been accused of many things that I did do. I WAS GUILTY of those thing. Those don’t seem to stay with you as you grow older.What does stay with you is the times you were falsely accused of something.I was accused of embezzling $7000 from a church I pastored once.Also, I was being falsely accused of having an affair with the secretary.

I can tell you that both accusations were false.They both troubled me very much. My wife was not so much troubled about the affair but she did want to know were the $7000 was. (Just kidding).

Nothing ever came from these accusations. The reason was because they were not true.

Transitions Statement: I am sure many of you can relate to having false accusations made about you.

WE:

Unfortunately we see this all the time in the world we live in.People being falsely accused of something.

Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do?How did you feel about it?How did you respond to it?Has it caused you to see life through a different lens now?Has it been resolved or is it still lingering over you?

Maybe you have been on the other side of it …..Have you ever accused someone of something knowing what your were accusing them of was not true?Why did you do this?What was the result of it?

Transition Statement: As we approach Easter do we realize that this Holiday we celebrate is one that was kicked into motion by false accusations?

Lets reread a portion of the passage we read out of

53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.

54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.

55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.

56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.

57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,

58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ”

59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.

Let me set the scene for you ……Jesus has just been detained.They are leading him to the High Priest House to have an unofficial “pre-trial” to see if there is enough evidence to have Jesus killed (not arrested but killed).

Peter, (the only one of the 12) follows this entourage to the High Priest house. This is taking place in the middle of the night.Peter is Sitting around the fire with some guards (scripture translates the word Guards) but they are the individuals who put into actions what the officials have made official. These are the people who Peter is standing around the fire with.

The “Pre-Trial” begins. The Chief Priest and his whole council is trying to find evidence (testimony) against Jesus.The Greek word here for testimony is marturía means a witness. This word has a legal feel to it. A testimony in the court of law. A testimony against someone.This is what the Chief Priest and his council is trying to find.

The next 4 verses (56-59) we read where they cannot find evidence (collaborate testimony) against Jesus.

What the Chief Priest and his council was trying to do was abide by the scriptures ….. On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. Duet. 19:15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.”No one can be put to death by one persons accusation. There must be 2 or more.

They had the testimony of one accuser but could not find someone to collaborate that persons accusation.

What I found interesting about this was Jesus never defended the false accusations.Verse 60-61a And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 61 But he remained silent and made no answer.

The thing that Jesus was put to death for was answering the next question …..Verse 61b-63 …. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?

Jesus Never try’s to defend the false Testimony. He never felt the need to.

Transition Statement: Looking back on your encounters with false accusations, How did you respond?

YOU:

Did you try to defend?Built up your defense and presented it?

I know for me, I kept quiet.I felt that the more I tried to defend the more ammo I was giving the army that was trying to rise up against me. Unknowingly I did what Jesus did, “Kept quiet!”

Why? Because I was confident that they could not gather info to support their accusations.

You might be thinking about a circumstance in the past where you didn’t react the way Jesus did when it came to false accusations about you.You might be saying to yourself “I wish I would have kept quiet!”

Transition Statement: We cannot go back and redo these experiences (how we reacted to these False Accusation). But we can respond differently when the time comes for new accusations (and there will be).

ME:

I can testify to this ….. As I was being accused I remember specifically the Lord telling me to “BE STILL!” I find this truth in the book of Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

I will tell you honestly, I was angry! I was angry at what was being said and being done to me and my family.But I put my faith in the Holy Spirit who told me to “be still”. It didn’t change my emotions …. Just my reaction.

Maybe some of you today are dealing with accusations being said about you. Be Still! Listen before you speak. Don’t speak until you hear.Don’t let anger rule.

Maybe some of us don’t have accusations being stated against us …..Be careful to not let the enemy guide us down a path that we become the one who is making false accusations.

How do we know if we are being used by the enemy? Ask the Holy Spirit …. He will reveal truth to the matter.