Lord, we thank you that we can meet
on this day where we remember your crucifixion.
Lord, we
ask you to open our ears, eyes, and
hearts that we might understand more about the
depths of your suffering.
Be with us, Lord, speak by your holy
word and by your holy spirit.
Amen.
Our text we'll be reading in Matthew chapter
26.
And we read from verse 57.
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.
Now the chief priests, the elders, and all
the council sought false testimony against Jesus to
put him to death, but found none.
Even though many false witnesses came forward, they
found none.
But at last, they
found two false witnesses who came forward and
said, This fellow said, I am able to
destroy the temple of God and to build
it in three days.
And the high priest arose and said to
him, Do you answer nothing?
What is it that these men testify against
you?
But Jesus kept silent, and the high priest
answered and said to him, I adjure you
by the living God that you tell us
if you are the Christ, the Son of
God.
Jesus said to him, It is as you
said.
Nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter you will
see the Son of Man sitting at the
right hand of the power and coming on
the clouds of heaven.
Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying,
He has spoken blasphemy.
What further need do we have of witnesses?
Look, now you have heard his blasphemy.
What do you think?
They answered and said, He is deserving of
death.
Then they spat in his face and beat
him, and others struck him with the palms
of their hands, saying, Prophesy to us, Christ,
who is the one who struck you?
We will read thus far.
Before we consider our text, just as words
of introduction, the high priests had already planned
to kill the Lord.
The high priests and his fellow priests and
the Pharisees in them, they had decided that
Jesus was to be killed.
The trial hadn't yet occurred.
Jesus wasn't given an opportunity of defense.
They had already tried and sentenced him to
death.
It is
extremely
dangerous for you to reckon a person who
is not worthy of death.
You try and judge them in your heart,
and you have already decided, before you have
heard all the different sides of the matter,
then you belong to this crowd which killed
Jesus.
Actually, they were jealous.
They didn't like somebody to be on a
higher level than they were, and to be
more popular, and so they decided, let's get
rid of him.
He must be killed.
No wonder Jesus had to be silent, and
he spoke.
He didn't speak while he was being tried,
for they had already decided, and their murderous
intentions were already made known.
This is an indication of the fall of
man, man's depravity, a state in which God
had not created them to be.
Man is totally corrupt.
He is not in that state that God
made him to be.
He is a fallen creature.
The Old Testament says, Oh, how you have
fallen, Lucifer, you who walked among the burning
stones, you who are a shining angel, how
you have fallen.
This is an indication of the fall of
man, man's depravity, a state in which God
had not created him to be.
He is a fallen creature.
Here, in the suffering of the Lord Jesus,
we behold the corruption of man, and we
say, Oh, how man has fallen.
Yes, great was the fall of Lucifer, even
greater, though, the fall of man.
Lucifer, you who walked among the burning stones,
you who are a shining angel, how you
have fallen.
Yes, great was the fall of man, even
greater, though, the fall of man.
Lucifer, the prince of angels, had fallen, but
oh, when you see man, recognize that this
is a fallen creature, great is his fall.
That is because man was created in the
image of God, and look how he has
fallen.
Now when you look at this text and
all that happens in this scene, you discover
the utter corruption and depravity of man.
And if he is not born again, see
how corrupt he is.
Now here I am going to just touch
upon a few themes as we go along.
Maybe whatever is left out, I will return
to later on.
And those who had laid hold of Jesus
led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest.
John describes for us who those were who
led Jesus to the high priest.
We find that in John 18, verse 12.
Then the detachment of troops and the captain
and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus
and bound him.
And they led him away to Annas first,
for he was the father-in-law of
Caiaphas who was the high priest that year.
The high priest and his council had predetermined
to kill Jesus, but they did not know
how to get it done because of the
crowd.
And they realized that should they arrest him
in front of the crowds, there will be
a mob riot.
And that crowd was huge.
It was the Passover feast.
Those who have studied the history of the
period tell us that the Passover was a
very big celebration.
Almost every male Israelite was there at the
Jerusalem Passover.
And they tell us that probably there were
two million or so.
A massive crowd.
Just think of a thronging crowd of two
million.
And the leader of the council and the
high priest in them, they discussed together how
were they to capture him if he was
among the crowds because the crowds were eager
to listen to him and he was popular
with them.
They were confused and said, well we won't
get a chance to arrest him.
And then they decided, well if we are
to arrest him we must do it secretly
while the people don't realize what's happening.
There was no way to grab hold of
Jesus and arrest him in front of the
mob.
And their predicament was how to arrest him
when he was so popular.
For some were saying he is sent of
God.
Some were even saying that he was the
Messiah.
And while they were in that predicament and
in that state of confusion not knowing how
to do it, Judas Iscariot came along at
night and said I'm looking for the high
priest.
And Judas Iscariot came along at night and
said I'm looking
for
the
high priest.
Now while they were busy trying to fit
together the pieces of this puzzle of how
to get hold of him and to have
got rid of him before the day had
passed because within 24 hours the Passover was
to begin and they needed to get hold
of him and along came Judas Iscariot.
In less than 24 hours.
They were in a hurry and yet they
could see no way open.
And then that night, the
servant of the high priest came running saying
here is a man who wants to see
you.
And along came Judas Iscariot and it says
that they were delighted with what he had
to tell them.
Satan had already entered into him.
That is Judas.
And he said I can help hand Jesus
over to you.
I know where he is right now.
If you come with me now I can
present him to you.
Their problem was solved.
They could have thanked God and said well
you have helped us out of this problem
and they were thrilled.
This man was the Lord Jesus Christ.
He was God.
He was the one who was innocent, totally
sinless and yet they wanted to accuse him
of guilt and sin.
And should the Lord will these days we
will still expound upon that theme.
Speak about Judas and those who denied Jesus
and who betrayed him.
Judas is not the only traitor to have
been around.
Remember also that girl who had betrayed Samson
to his enemies.
Remember David who was betrayed by his very
own son.
There are many in the Bible who are
known for being traitors.
They have been around for a long time
and still till today they exist.
There are many and I wouldn't be surprised
if there are some in our midst who
are Judas Iscariots.
And then Judas led them to Jesus and
said the one whom I kiss it is
he.
And so they went on their way to
arrest Jesus.
Now there is a point that I wanted
to get to but as I speak of
these things so many other points come to
me.
These things are so huge and are so
inexpressible to try and describe.
And here is Judas leading this detachment to
Jesus so that they might arrest him and
bind him.
And he is one of the twelve disciples.
One of them.
And indeed here he comes to Jesus and
he kisses him.
And Jesus said my friend do you betray
the son of man with a kiss?
Then Jesus asked that crowd, the mob with
him, whom do you seek?
They said we want Jesus.
And he said I am he.
And they all fell over backwards.
Just with his words I am he they
fell over backwards.
Do you see the depravity and confusion and
insanity of mankind?
Who is this one that they seek to
arrest?
He is the creator of heaven and earth
and they seek to tie him with ropes
and to bind him.
And even when they took the first step
when he said I am he they fell
over.
This is the same one who spoke at
the grave at the tomb of Lazarus and
he just spoke and Lazarus arose.
Lazarus arose even though the grave smelt.
There is no smell as bad as that
of a corpse.
That is why we do not keep corpses
around we put them under the ground.
But that person who was already corrupted and
decaying the Lord Jesus called him out of
his death and he arose.
Great is the Lord Jesus even if others
treat him as if though he is nothing
and belittle him and treat him like a
dirty rag which can be cast aside.
Joseph was betrayed for just 30 pieces of
silver.
It is not really so much money.
It is just a minor amount.
And that Jesus was sold just for 30
silver pieces is a small amount.
But I still say that that price which
Judas received was worth something in comparison to
the little which you betray Jesus with.
You betray him for nothing maybe just for
the popularity the momentary acceptance and you are
wanting to be honoured amongst people and you
betray Jesus for far less than what Judas
was paid.
Some people betray the Lord Jesus even for
less.
They might steal just a little bit of
money far less than 30 silver pieces and
by that betraying the Lord or going and
picking up aids or just doing something minor
and they get death.
But just
look
at the foolishness of these people who want
to arrest this Jesus who has so much
authority that when he just utters the words
I am he they fall over backwards.
And yet he submits to their arresting of
him.
This same Jesus is the one who said
just a few words and the storm was
calmed on the sea.
So how could these people ever imagine that
they could bind the one who could bind
the wind and the waves.
No wonder that when Jesus said I am
he they fell over.
But the son of man had come for
this purpose and so he allowed them to
bind him and arrest him.
And so since the court proceedings had closed
for the day and it was night time
they led him firstly to the house of
Annas.
He had been the high priest for many
years.
Then the Romans came and deposed him and
Caiaphas was then enthroned.
Caiaphas
was
the son in law of Annas.
Annas was the father in law of Caiaphas
who was the high priest that year.
But they started by leading him to Annas
because according to the Jewish law the high
priest is one who once he is established
is there for life.
That's why some still reckoned Annas to be
the real high priest that's why they brought
Jesus to him first.
And they took Jesus to the house of
Annas.
After that he was then taken to the
house of Caiaphas who was the high priest
that year.
All these things were done at night in
their homes.
While people were asleep.
You know how it can happen here that
we might have meetings and people while they
are asleep there are others who are talking
and talking right into the early hours of
the morning and then when they are in
the service they are asleep.
So they were speaking all their latest news,
it was a family affair and they were
getting all the tidbits of information.
It's dangerous to be awake at night busy
with your thing and not the things of
God where you could have maybe been in
prayer or have prayed Lord speak to me
even as I'm asleep speak to me.
You know
how
it can happen here that we might have
meetings and people while they are asleep there
are others who are talking and talking right
into the early hours of the morning and
then when they are in the service they
are asleep.
Many of the friends of Jesus were quite
unaware of what was happening to him that
at that very time he was being bound
and arrested and the death sentence was being
passed upon him.
And there was no one to defend him
but let's forget those crowds for the moment.
What about us?
Are we maybe busy with our things not
standing up for him, not defending him, not
interceding for him or maybe we even part
of the very crowd that betray him and
seek to judge and try and sentence him
to death.
The high priest and his council with their
plans, their purposes, their
motivations and their ideas which they are defending.
Now we get to a painful part.
Jesus is to be killed.
By whom?
Were they the communists?
Were they those who deny God's existence?
Were they pagans?
No.
Religious people, the leaders of the churches.
A heart breaking matter that the religious leaders
are the ones, the very ones who are
murdering Jesus.
The mind boggles.
We fail to understand how it is ever
possible that men of prayer, men of worship,
men who preach should then want to crucify
the one who is the Saviour.
But history repeatedly shows us that it is
religious leaders who are the most dangerous.
And cause the greatest injury to the work
of God.
When I
thought
about the revival having begun, I thought well
surely everybody will be thrilled and glad as
we were but it was only the pagans
who were happy.
Most in the churches felt endangered and were
against it.
Why?
For Judas was troubled by thieving.
The Pharisees, because of jealousy, that is why
they betrayed him.
And their lives were not complete and perfect
in the Lord and such people will find
themselves, as religious as they are, fighting against
the Lord.
In our age you will find some denominational
leaders who will go against you if you
say Jesus Christ is the only way of
salvation.
They will resist you to the point that
they will crucify you, they will want to
get rid of you if you say Jesus
is the only way for they declare always
lead to God.
I remember speaking at a certain university in
Pretoria where I had been invited to address
this crowd of religious leaders.
And when I spoke about Jesus Christ being
the only way, I could see in their
eyes the fierce resistance and I thought well
if they had the opportunity they would crucify
me.
A certain minister in Germany, Fliege, they say
he is the best known minister, every day
he speaks on television.
But the things he says, you would be
shocked that a minister can even attest such
nonsense.
He has just published a booklet, a magazine
type of thing which has sold huge amounts.
He has just published a booklet, a magazine
type of thing which has sold huge amounts.
He is the type who says anybody will
go in, if they go the Muslim way
or the Hindu way, that's fine and he
makes it very broad.
Interesting though that the way is only made
narrow regarding Christians, like here in South Africa,
everybody is welcome except the real Christian view
is the one that is excluded.
But if you say there is no other
name by which we must be saved, you
are considered an evil person.
The conditions are the same still today, should
Jesus come today you would find that he
would be crucified again, maybe it would be
quicker than in that time in which he
came.
The heart breaking thing is that it was
these people, these people who were in the
church, who were in the church, who were
in the church, who were in the church,
who were in the church, who were in
the church, who were in the church, who
were in the church, who were in the
church, who were in the church, who were
in the church, who were in the church,
who were in the church, who were in
the church, who were in the church, who
were in the church, who were in the
church, who were in the church, who were
in the church, who were in the church,
who were in the church, who were in
the church, who were in the church, who
were in the church, who were in the
church, who were in the church, who were
in the church, who were in the church,
who were in the church, who were in
the church, who were in the church, who
were in the church, who were in the
church, who were in the church, who were
in the church, who were in the church,
who were in the church, who were in
the church, also I patient with these religious
leaders who led the pack and wanting to
kill Jesus, how much better it would have
been if they had come saying I want
to confess my sin.
and I don't mean just confessing it in
the bedroom one person did that and it
came out and somebody said what have you
been doing instead I've been confessing there the
person said no you were not you are
hiding them if you want to confess it
confess it openly if you confess Jesus it
would be foolishness to go into your bedroom
and confess him there where you're alone if
you confess you bring it to light you
expose it my woman mom voodoo Jesse for
it was a stupid and
had
the high priest been walking in in making
right themselves and confessing their own sin they
would have been able to help Judas Ascariot
as he came and threw those silver pieces
on the ground declaring that he had committed
sin but instead because they didn't confess their
sins they were unable to help them they
could have gone aside with them and talk
to him but instead you find that they
could not confess their sin and they had
no time to help him they said that
is your private matter that doesn't concern us
no care and no concern for the soul
of a person even though a person's soul
is so precious what do these religious leaders
then do they arrest Jesus and the first
thing they sought false witnesses about Jesus
to see the fall of man the
chief priests seek false counsel they actually look
for those who can bear false testimony about
this man I don't
know whether they bought people
out or how they went about going around
asking who could lie about Jesus Stephen who
was stoned he was also spoken
falsely about they'd sought false testimony and they
brought false witnesses why
because
they
know his innocence they know his truthfulness and
they know that they have to use lies
to try and go against him because no
fault could be found in him
Paul
could say I serve God with a clean
conscience
so
if you want to arrest this person who
is innocent you cannot use real sinful things
or wicked things I've done you've got to
use lies now
look at these people they were also created
in the image of God they also had
consciences which they had seared and destroyed
they
doesn't trouble them that they seeking false witnesses
they know that it means they seeking lies
but still they seek them
conscience
was of no assistance to them it could
not prompt them to say to themselves but
look this is a lie after all that
we had killed their consciences
if
the Holy Spirit speaks to you and you
do not listen to him you're killing your
conscience
your
conscience
has been blunted by disobedience and has been
killed by it and then because you cannot
use your conscience you seek lies to support
you and
now these religious leaders these high priests in
them they seek lies they say come let's
go and seek out those who will bear
false testimony and they found them
because
in any council sorry in any community you'll
find all manner of rubbish and
of junk and some false
witnesses then did come forward they didn't know
the situation they didn't know what had really
happened around this man but they testified
anyway but
you
might call them ever so evil but what
about what you've done what about the things
you've stolen and who has taught you was
it the religious leaders know it was your
great high priest Satan himself in hell what
do you say about your lies remember
court case when we were still children where
one of the men shouted to his son
in the court tell lies after all this
court is a house of lies fallen
is man if you tell lies you tell
what is natural to man like
a certain missionary who came to an area
which was totally un-evangelized he was the
very first missionary there he decided to tell
them about the death of Jesus and he
told the story of how Jesus was arrested
and how Jesus was betrayed by Judas
and
when he got to that part of telling
the story of how Judas leading the mob
came to Jesus and betrayed him with a
kiss at
that
point of betrayal that pagan crowd cheered and
they shouted their bravos that Judas had done
such a cunning thing for they regarded Jesus
as being the fool and Judas as being
the hero and
so that tribe cheered for Judas they regarded
him as being the heroic one the cunning
one I wonder are there any of that
crowd in our midst Satan
has
worked in bringing man down I wonder are
you part of the that crowd that is
still fallen yesterday I wept
I cried tears as God reminded me of
something while we were at a certain shop
that belonged to my father it was there
in the Kingscliff area a
certain Indian man came along with his van
full of you're selling bananas and things I
could take you with me now to that
very spot outside that shop where the motor
vehicle stopped the Indian man was walking
he was selling
his vegetables and bananas and things with his
van and he would travel to many spots
only bananas he had come from the Tongat
area selling bananas they say he had a
sail covering his van he
would then uncover his sail and reveal all
the bananas that he was selling and the
crowds were thronging around and demanding bananas as
they were about to buy in that shop,
another person came to him or her who
was of the same nation and
this person was working there, they were busy
sweeping the floor with a box and a
broom and they quickly grabbed four cameras and
they slipped it into the box while they
were sweeping this customer observed what was happening
while they were sweeping this customer
observed
what
was happening while they were sweeping this customer
observed
what
was happening this customer observed
what was
happening
a certain man was going along and said
I want to buy 10 packets of this
thing 8,
9, 10 and then
giving him the 10 packets sneaked in an
11th one and said don't worry you just
pay for the 10 and what did that
person do?
that man, a Zulu man said that
black man then said to the owner here
is a thief and he grabbed him by
the sleeve and said here is this thief
he has probably been doing it before and
he will continue doing it, he will cause
your business to go bankrupt, get rid of
him you see a person who is healthy
who is healthy spiritually, one who can defend
Jesus but one who doesn't is in the
crowd who crucifies Jesus and
maybe you say but the crowds will attack
me they will want to kill me so
what didn't they kill your Lord?
I have a figure, I have a manga,
I have a fagazza, I have a fagazza,
I have a There were these false witnesses
came and they tried to say their things
but their evidence was very flimsy and they
were not allowed to just kill Jesus.
They could not put the death sentence upon
Him for...
They were not allowed to do that without
Roman approval.
Let's illustrate with something maybe that you know.
Using a local type of illustration, something that
happens even now in our areas, there will
be tribal authorities where they might try in
their court, in their rural area, different types
of crimes, but if it becomes a serious
crime like murder, they're not allowed to try
it there, it must be sent to higher
courts.
And so they tried and found the Lord
guilty, but they had to then pass on
the trial, the case to Pilate and Herod.
Their false witnesses had such flimsy evidence that
it was obvious that they were lying.
At last, two false witnesses came who boldly
asserted that they had evidence that they would
be strong enough, and I said, well, what
is it?
The one said, I heard this fellow say
that he would destroy the temple of God
and build it in three days, that I
have the power to destroy the temple and
rebuild it in three days.
Jesus was quiet, but they were lying.
Now, Jesus had not said that, he never
said that he would destroy the temple and
they would build it in three days.
What he had said was, if they destroy
his temple, that is his body, in three
days he will rise it up in resurrection.
That's what he had said.
I had
wanted to
actually go further and speak about the high
priest's robe and that, but now I'd rather
come to my final point, which is that
they came, these men, and they testified with
these lies of theirs.
These lies, which were actually just a spin
or a twist of what was actually said,
they put an interpretation of what was said
and it actually was not like that, but
they tried to make it to sound as
if though that was what was said.
Woe to you if you change the matter
even so slightly.
For he had said, you can destroy this
temple.
But I will raise it up.
Those were the words which he said, but
they twisted it.
Do you speak the matter exactly as it
is, or is it that you twist it
and you give that bias towards it?
Woe to you if you do that.
Then you're part of this crowd of these
two false witnesses who lied.
You'll be with them in hell.
Now, I don't know whether they actually were
there, like they say they testified.
I was there when he said.
Now, it might be that they were there,
but it could be that in actual fact
they were passing on third hand what they'd
heard from somebody else.
Be very careful of what you hear from
other people, and then you just pass it
on.
It's seldom.
It's seldom that what you hear from somebody
else you can pass on accurately.
It's usually embellished.
There's something added to it.
And woe to you, you belong to hell.
You're all of hell if you're that type
of reporter, that type of newspaper that spreads
the news and the chitchat that you get
from other people.
I end there.
These were the people who then were part
of the plot that brought Jesus to trial
and then to crucifixion.
Jesus then saying on the cross, Father forgive
them, they know not what they do.
You need to confess that sin.
If you have lied, then come, confess that
sin.
Jesus then saying on the cross, Father forgive
them, they know not what they do.
You need to confess that sin.
If you have lied, then come, confess
that sin.
If you have lied, then come, confess that
sin.
Jesus carried those sins as he died, for
he was the bearer of sins.
These sins that caused him to die.
Come to him.
Get your life sorted out.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, you who carried our sins, Lord
we've seen today how total is the fall
and the depravity of man.
And how the old leaven works in people.
But we thank you Lord Jesus that nevertheless
you were willing to carry the sins of
these people and to carry our sins.
Amen.