They Beat Him and I hid

Notes
Transcript
They Beat Him and I hid
Rev. Thomas A. West, Sr
June 6, 2021
Matthew 26:30-35
Introduction:
As a young man growing up, I had a few close friends. There was Harold, it seemed that Harold was the one the would convince us to do things that would always and I do mean alway get us in trouble. And that trouble would sometimes involve the Pittsburgh Police Department. And then there was Paul who had you back no matter what. Always there when you needed him. The one who stood by you, he was the one who stood back to back with you when a fight broke out. He was the one counted on when some of the stupid things I did landed me in hot water with more that just one girlfriend.
As I grew into adulthood, I lost track of both Harold and Paul and for the most part though my twenty and thirties I counted on only me. I thought I knew what I wanted and did what ever it took to get it. I didn’t care who I hurt. I realize now, that even in those times, God still loved me. He knew what was best for me. A 3000 mile move to place where He could get my attention.
Because of His love for me, He put in in a place where I could learn from His Word and from my past. He gave me a group of men that I could count on day or night and I learned that It wasn’t about me. Some quite a few of those men are still apart of my life. I once thought that I could hide from God and I tried and failed. While I attempted to hide, He was busy seeking me, pulling me out of my darkness. He slowly change me from the man that did what ever it took to get what I want to the person I am today.
I still have my struggle but now I know Who I belong to and I know that He will never leave me nor will He forsake me.
{{Title and Scripture}}
The title of today’s message is “They Beat Him and I hid
Our Scripture for today is taken from the Book of Matthew, Chapter 26, verses 30 through 35, with our focal verses being verses 34 and 35
Matthew 26:34–35 NKJV
34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.
Matthew 26
{{Background}}
As we walk up to our text, we find a lot of things transpiring …
{{ Click and read}}

The Religious Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus

{{ Click and read}}

Mary Anoints Jesus for Burial

{{ Click and read}}

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

{{ Click and read}}

The Passover is Prepared

{{ Click and read}}

The Passover is Celebrated

{{ Click and read}}

The Lord’s Supper is Instituted

After they had celebrated the Passover meal, as they left the upper room the scripture says they sung a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives … as we begin today’s walk through the scriptures we pick up the story in verse 30 where it tells us that (Mat 26:30) Jesus sings with His disciples and they go out to the Mount of Olives.
{{ Click and read}}
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
We don’t often think of Jesus singing, but He did. He lifted His voice in adoration and worship to God the Father. We can endlessly wonder what His voice sounded like, but we know for certain that He sang with more than His voice, and He lifted His whole heart up in praise. This should reminds us that God wants to be praised with singing.
Can you imagine, just how remarkable it is that Jesus could sing on this night before His crucifixion. Could we sing in such circumstances? Jesus can truly be our worship leader. We should sing to God our Father – just as Jesus did – because this is something that pleases Him; and when we love someone, we want to do the things that please them. Does it really matter if it does or doesn’t please us.
It is wonderful that Jesus sang, but what did He sing? A Passover meal always ended with singing three Psalms known as the Hallel, Psalms 116-118. Think of how the words of these Psalms would have ministered to Jesus as He sang them on the night before His crucifixion:
Listen to a few verses of these Psalms ---
Psalm 116:1–4 NKJV
1 I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. 3 The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
Psalm 118:1–6 NKJV
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Let Israel now say, “His mercy endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord now say, “His mercy endures forever.” 5 I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
I can only imagine that “When Jesus arose to go to Gethsemane, Psalm 118 was upon his lips. It provided an appropriate description of how God would guide his Messiah through distress and suffering to glory.” (Lane)
Charles Spurgeon was asked this question … “If, beloved, you knew that at–say, ten o’clock tonight, you would be led away to be mocked, and despised, and scourged, and that tomorrow’s sun would see you falsely accused, hanging, a convicted criminal, to die upon a cross, do you think that you could sing tonight, after your last meal?” (Spurgeon)
let’s take a look for a moment at verses 31 through 35 of this chapter. Here we find Jesus predicting the desertion of the disciples.
Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.
Jesus is telling all of the disciples and I quote All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night: Jesus said this not to condemn His disciples, but to show them that He really was in command of the situation, and to demonstrate that the Scriptures regarding the suffering of the Messiah must be fulfilled.
Jesus already was looking beyond the cross. His eyes were set on the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2).
Shamefully, we find that Peter was tragically unaware of both the spiritual reality and the spiritual battle that Jesus clearly saw. Peter felt brave at the moment and had no perception beyond the moment. Soon, Peter would be intimidated before a humble servant girl, and before her Peter would deny that he even knew Jesus.
Jesus knew that Peter would fail in what he thought was his strong area – courage and boldness. Through a solemn warning Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to take heed and consider his own weakness.
Adam Clarke a British theologian wrote that Jesus said it so clearly to Peter. “Peter, you will be made to stumble. You will forsake Me, your Master. You will do it this very night – before the rooster crows. You will deny that you have any association with Me, or even know Me. And you won’t only do it once; you will do it three times.” “Was not this warning enough to him not to trust in his own strength, but to depend on God?” (Clarke)
Like most of us however, It was an opportunity that Peter did not use. Instead he said, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” Jesus knew Peter far better than Peter did, and in over-estimating himself, Peter had set himself up for a great fall.
As we continue reading through this chapter we find in verses 36 through 39 that Jesus prays and is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.
I have to stop here for a moment to remind you that Jesus did not die as a martyr. “Jesus went to his death knowing that it was his Father’s will that he face death completely alone (Matthew 27:46) as the sacrificial, wrath-averting Passover Lamb. His death was unique, as was his anguish; and our best response to it is to hide
Are you still with me?
3. (Mat 26:47-50) Judas betrays Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
4. (Mat 26:51-56) The arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane.
Jesus knew full well what was about to happen. Look at verse 56 fo this chapter where Jesus states (read)
Matthew 26:56 NKJV
But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
After His arrest Jesus had several trials before the Sanhedrin Council.
1. (Mat 26:57-61) Jesus is taken to the home of Caiaphas.
And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
This was not the first appearance of Jesus before a judge or official on the night of His betrayal. On that night and the day of His crucifixion, Jesus actually stood in trial several times before different judges.
Before Jesus came to the home of Caiaphas (the official high priest), He was led to the home of Annas, who was the ex-high priest and the “power behind the throne” of the high priest (according to John 18:12-14 and John 18:19-23).
Caiaphas had gathered a group of the Sanhedrin to pass judgment on Jesus.
After the break of dawn, the Sanhedrin gathered again, this time in official session, and they conducted the trial described in Luke 22:66-71.
Where Peter follow at a distance, determined to prove wrong Jesus’ prediction that He would deny and forsake Him at His death.
2. (Mat 26:59-61) The first trial before the Sanhedrin.
It must be noted that this nighttime trial was illegal according to the Sanhedrin’s own laws and regulations. According to Jewish law, all criminal trials must begin and end in the daylight. Therefore, though the decision to condemn Jesus was already made, they conducted a second trial in daylight (Luke 22:66-71), because they knew the first one – the real trial – had no legal standing.
3. (Mat 26:62-64) Jesus testifies at His trial.
Instead of defending Himself, Jesus simply testified to the truth. He was indeed the Christ, the Son of God. He answered as briefly and directly as possible.
4. (Mat 26:65-68) The Sanhedrin react with horror and brutality.
They spit on Him; they hit Him with their fists; they slapped Him with their open hands. It is easy to think that they did this because they didn’t know who He was. That is true in one sense, because they would not admit to themselves that He was indeed the Messiah and the Son of God. Yet in another sense it is not true at all, because by nature man is an enemy of God (Romans 5:10, Colossians 1:21). For a long time man waited to literally hit, slap, and spit in God’s face.
Charles Spurgeon suggested some of the ways that men still spit in the face of Jesus.
· Men spit in His face by denying His deity.
· Men spit in His face by rejecting His gospel.
· Men spit in His face by preferring their own righteousness.
· Men spit in His face by turning away from Jesus.
As e continue through the text in verses 69 through 75, we find our old friend Peter hiding among the on lookers.
5. (Mat 26:69-75) Fearing association with Jesus, Peter denies his relationship with Jesus three times.
{{ READ }}
Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
Notice, Peter was not questioned before a hostile court or even an angry mob. Peter’s own fear made a servant girl and another girl hostile monsters in his eyes, and he bowed in fear before them.
Peter’s sin of denying his association with Jesus grew worse with each denial. First, he merely lied; then he took an oath to the lie; And, as if it would help distance himself from association with Jesus, Peter began to curse and swear. “To call down curses on himself, signs of irritation and desperation; Peter has lost all self-control. When we hear that kind of language, we normally assume the person is not a follower of Jesus.
Peter finally remembered and took to heart what Jesus said, but in this case he did so too late. For now, all he could do was to weep bitterly. Yet Peter would be restored, showing a significant contrast between Judas (showing apostasy) and Peter (showing backsliding).
i. Apostasy is giving up the truth, as Judas did. Judas was sorry about his sin, but it was not a sorrow leading to repentance.
ii. Backsliding is a decline from a spiritual experience once enjoyed. Peter slipped, but he will not fall; his bitter weeping will lead to repentance and restoration.
This was the beginning of Peter’s repentance. Several things brought him to this place.
* The loving look of Jesus brought Peter to repentance. Luke tells us that just after the rooster crowed, the Lord turned and looked at Peter (Luke 22:61).
Matthew Poole a Biblical Commentator wrote “The gift of remembering brought Peter to repentance; Peter remembered the words of Jesus. “Our memories serve us much in the business of repentance.” (Poole)
As i close I want to share this story with you. There was a middle aged business man who was approaching the front door of a business. A young woman came up behind him at the same moment, so he stepped back and held the door open for her. She looked at him and said with annoyance, don’t hold the door for me just because I’m a lady. To her suppress he look right back at her and replied, I’m not. I am holding the door open because I am a gentleman.
Like wise, we as Christians must always act toward others on the basis of what we are in Christ Jesus, not the basis of what they may or may not be.
Here is a reality check for you and me …
Just like Peter, we hide when we fear the things of this world.
We are hiding when we fail to acknowledge the Father in all His righteousness.
When we fail to speak up against unrighteousness, we hide.
When we deny all that God has done in our lives, we hide.
When we insist on doing things our way instead of God’s way, we hide.
We hide Who we belong to when we lie, when we cheat, when we steal, does this sound familiar?
Every time we hide, we deny what He has done for us.
Every time we hide , we put our Lord and Savior back on that cross,
As we hide in the darkness of the world, we deny the He was crucified on that day. That He was buried in a borrowed tomb, we deny the greatest of all things — THAT ON THE THIRD DAY, HE ROSE, providing our bridge to salvation with the Father. Won’t you stop hiding? Please?
I want to close with a scripture taken from the book of Titus the second chapter verses 11 through 15 and I quote:
{{CLICK after each verse}}
Titus 2:11–15 NKJV
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
{{PRAY}}
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more