All right, we're coming to the
point here where Christ is brought before the high priest, who was
the high priest at that time, a man named Caiaphas, and where
he is brought to trial. And we'll look at verse 57, let's
start there. It says, and they that laid hold
on Jesus, you remember how they came to him, Judas kissed him
with the Judas kiss, They asked him, or he asked him, who do
you seek? And they said, we seek Jesus
of Nazareth. He said, I am, and they fell
back. What a beautiful picture of the voluntary willingness
of Christ to go through what he was about to face to save
his people from our sins. Isn't that something? He willingly
did it. And after agonizing in the garden,
sweating great drops of blood, suffering even then, and I'm
gonna talk about that in the main message today. I'm mainly
gonna be dealing with the last three verses of Isaiah 53, but
you know the verses before that talks about him being a man of
sorrows, acquainted with grief, suffering servant. And now this
suffering, it didn't begin here, but it's continuing here. So
they lay hold on Jesus, verse 57, led him away to Caiaphas,
the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
I put in your lesson here, we know that all of humanity, all
of humanity, including ourselves, having fallen in Adam into a
state of sin and depravity and spiritual death, We are all naturally
opposed to Christ and the gospel. The Bible says that. There's
none righteous, no not one. There's none good, no not one.
There's none that seek after God, no not one. Now understand
that's in Romans 3 verses 10 through 12. It doesn't say there
that man doesn't seek a God. What it says is he will not seek
the true and living God. Man seeks a God. Man is geared
to worship something bigger than himself. And usually what it
is, it ends up being a likeness of himself. Like for example,
I've had a lot of people say, well, my God wouldn't be like
this or wouldn't be like that. Well, who would he be like? Well,
he'd be like them. And that's bringing our God down
too low. That's an idol. But man is not
geared to worship the true and living God. That's why we must
be born again. That's why we must be given spiritual
life from the dead. Because our disposition, our
bent, is away from the Lord God. First Corinthians 2.14 that I've
got listed in your lesson here. The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them. They're
spiritually discerned, and to have spiritual discernment or
understanding is to be given by God spiritual life and knowledge
and faith, all the gifts of God's grace. Well, even as God's elect,
we must include ourselves in those who are naturally, by nature,
as we're naturally born, opposed to Christ and the gospel. So,
and what does that do for me and you? It tells us that if
we believe this gospel, That's a work of God. Ephesians 2.10,
we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
not because of good works, but unto good works. Good works are
the fruit, not the cause. Unto good works which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them. So we're saved
not by works, but by grace. And so that's a blessing. And we should never take that
for granted. We should never take that as a given. Always
thank God that he's brought us to a saving knowledge of Christ.
And he does through by bringing us under the preaching of the
gospel. Now this is the problem here.
Why did Caiaphas, the high priest, and he had a father-in-law named
Annas, who had been a high priest, but he was kind of like the power
behind the priesthood now, It was a very political thing. And
these guys were not even in the line of Levi, which the priests
were to do. But we have to realize that this,
they're showing their hatred for Christ and the gospel. But
that's us by nature until God gives us life. And I put in here,
I underlined this. We as the elect of God have to
realize that it was our sins imputed to him. charged to him
for which he was nailed to the cross. He's our surety, he's
our substitute, he's our redeemer. But you know, like I said now,
understand, this is all of us by nature, but you know what's
interesting about this is the ones who seem to hate him the
most were the most religious in the community, the highest
in office. And it says, they lay hold on
Jesus, led him away to Caiaphas, where here they were, the scribes
and the elders. Here's the high priest. Now you
know the priesthood under the old covenant was established
to picture Christ, the great and final eternal high priest
of his people. But here's the high priest of
Israel denying, hating, seeking to put to death the true high
priest. We have a high priest, that's
Christ. That's why we don't have earthly
priests. You know, when the Bible talks
about the priesthood of the believer, you know what that means? I used
to think, when I was growing up in religion, I used to think
the priesthood of the believer meant that you could interpret
the Bible your way and I could interpret it my way. But that's
not what it is. The priesthood of the believer
is this. In Christ, our great high priest,
we have full, free, unlimited, uninterrupted, unhindered access
to God by the blood of Jesus Christ. Each one of you who know
Christ have that liberty, liberty to enter the holiest by the blood
of Jesus. So here he is, the high priest,
whose office is to represent and picture and prophesy of Christ,
seeking to put the very one that he's supposed to be representing
to death. Isn't that ironic? And then you
have the scribes and the elders. Now they were supposed to be
the experts in the word of God, in the Old Testament and in the
law. Well, here they are, claiming to be experts in the word, denying
he who is the word, and of whom the word speaks. You remember
Christ said, in John 5, 39, he says, I can't remember it now, just
slipped my mind. Anyway, it's John 5, 39, where
he says, oh yeah, he says, search the scriptures, for in them you
think you have eternal life. They are they which testify of
me. So here are experts in the word denying the one of whom
the word speaks. So that's the plight of natural
man. And so these scribes and these
elders, why did they hate Jesus so much? It's because of what
he taught. And you can see that over in
so many passages, the light that's coming to the world, and men
love darkness and hate the light because their deeds were evil.
If somebody came to you and you were in an unregenerate state
thinking that you've done, maybe not perfectly, but done enough
to recommend you unto God. And somebody came along and said,
now let me tell you something, what you're doing is evil. Now think
about that. If we're left in an unregenerate
state, we're not going to hear that message. I know because
I was there. But when God changes our heart,
when he gives us life, We repent of those dead works and turn
to Christ for righteousness, for forgiveness, for life, and
all blessings. So Christ, he told them, I put
in your lesson, he told them the same thing that John the
Baptist told them. Remember what John the Baptist said to the
Pharisees in Matthew three, verse seven, it says, when he saw many
of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, What did
he say to him? Oh, let's stand up and recognize
brother so and so. What an honor for him to be here.
Is that what John said? He didn't say that at all, did
he? Here's what he said. Old generation of vipers, who
hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Bring forth
therefore fruits, meat for repentance. You need to repent. That's what
he told him. Well, Christ told him the same
thing. And that's why they hated him. Well, look at verse 58. It says, but Peter followed him
afar off under the high priest palace. and went in and sat with
the servants to see the end." Now Peter followed him afar off. Now we realize from other scriptures,
especially John 18, we won't turn there today, but parallel
this with John gives us more information because I believe
John was there. Peter and John, it doesn't say
specifically in John 18 that the disciple that was with Peter
was John. But here's what happened. Peter
followed afar off, and we know it was because he was afraid.
We talked about that last week. He's a human being. You and I
would be afraid, too. We don't want to be arrested.
We don't want to be tortured. We don't want that. And of course,
Peter, at this time, he had those problems. He let the flesh get
the better of him. Some people claim that Peter
wasn't even converted at this time, and I'll show you that
next week when we talk about Peter's denial. We've talked
about that. You can have an opinion either
way. I know this, that Peter was one of God's sheep. He was
one of God's elect. And all those disciples except
Judas was, Christ said that. And Christ kept them together
providentially. Now that's, we need to understand
that. You know, before you were converted, if you're a true child
of God now, if you're a believer, God chose you before the foundation
of the world, and the moment you were born into this world,
even as a spiritually depraved, dead sinner, God had his providential
hand on you. And what you went through was
under the protection of God. I'll tell you something, there's
no way that any of us could have died before God brought us to
faith in Christ. And that's the same way with
Peter and the others. But we'll talk a little bit about this
next week. And I've often come to the conclusion,
I'm not sure, I have an opinion, but I'm not up here to give you
opinions. I'm just up here to preach the gospel. But Peter
was afraid. And when they brought Christ
into the palace, Peter stood outside the door. But the other
disciple went in. And I believe it was John, it
doesn't specifically say that. But he went in to see what was
going to happen. And I put in your lesson, some
have surmised that maybe Peter was intent on proving Christ
wrong about him betraying him. But we don't know that. It says
here, to see the end. Look at it. Peter followed him
afar off unto the high priest's palace, went in, and sat with
the servants to see the end. He wanted to see what was gonna
happen. That's simply it. So obviously both of these disciples
were afraid and they're wanting to see firsthand what was going
on in the arrest. But look at verse 59. It says,
now the chief priest and elders and all the council sought false
witness against Jesus to put him to death. Now think about
that. Now here are the religious leaders
of Israel who claim to be sincere in their religion and accepted
with God based on their works, which they were wrong, But what
are they doing? They're trying to get people
to lie, to perjure themselves. And they sought false witness.
And I put here, it's amazing to see the extremes that self-righteous
men will go in order to reach their goal. And I'll guarantee
you, and we know human nature, they do it in the name of religion. Justified by claiming to defend
the honor and glory of their God. The end justifies the means. And you know, religion is like
that. I mean, people will lie on you thinking they're doing
God a service. And that's the way it is, you
know. But we have to ask, why would they seek false witnesses?
And I'll tell you exactly why, because even they recognized
at that time, they didn't have any legitimate charges against
Jesus of Nazareth. Christ was and is always the
perfect God-man, without blemish, without spot, never broke the
law, he's separate from sinners, holy, harmless, undefiled. He
did no sin, he knew no sin, they didn't have any legitimate charges
against him. But they knew he was a threat
to them and a threat to their religion. and what they taught. He knew that he was calling them
to repentance, to something that they highly esteemed. You remember
what men highly esteem is an abomination to God? And that's
why they sought false witness. But look at the next verses,
look at verse 60. They wanted to put him to death
now. They didn't want to just arrest him, they wanted to shut
his mouth. And he says, but they found none. They didn't find
any false witnesses. Yea, though many false witnesses
came, yet found they none. I don't know exactly what they're
looking for, but it says, at the last came two false witnesses.
So they found two. And look at what they said. They
said in verse 61, this fellow said, I am able to destroy the
temple of God and to build it in three days. Now, what are
they doing? They misquoted him. And that
happens a lot when people are trying to show you up or trying
to come against you. They'll misquote you. And that's
from, it's John 2.18, or 2.20 and 22, where he was talking
about destroy this temple. Here's what he actually said.
He didn't say I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build
in three days. Here's what he actually said according to the
book of John, chapter two. He said, destroy this temple,
and in three days I'll raise it up. And in that statement,
he was answering a question from the unbelieving Jews after he'd
driven the money changers out of the temple. And they asked
this question, what sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou
doest these things, John 2, 18. But he was not speaking of the
physical temple. And he was speaking of the temple
of his body, and that's what it tells us in John 2. He's talking
about himself. He's talking about his resurrection.
You destroy this temple, the temple of his body. He said,
I'll raise it up in three days. And that's exactly what he did.
But that's what he was talking about. He came to earth to do
what? To put away the sins of his people. to pay our sin debt in full. Our debt was charged to him. And he paid that debt with the
price of his blood. And in that he established a
perfect righteousness for us by which we're justified before
a holy God. That's our justification. Think
about it. Forgiven of all our sins by the
blood of Jesus. Declared righteous. by the value
of his obedience unto death imputed to us. And he accomplished that. That ensured his resurrection.
That's what we're gonna talk about today. His resurrection
is part and part. This, if Christ be not risen,
Paul said, we're of all people most miserable. Why? Because all of our salvation
is wrapped up in he who died, was buried, and rose again the
third day. So his resurrection is the insurance of the salvation
and resurrection of all for whom he lived and died. And so he
said, you destroy this temple, his human body, and they did. He said, I'll raise it up in
three days. But they didn't understand that,
and look at verse 62. And the high priest arose and
said unto him, answerest thou nothing? Which is it which these
witness against thee? And it says in verse 63 that
Jesus held his peace. Now you know what's going on
here. You know, over in Isaiah 53 that we're gonna look at,
it said he opened not his mouth. He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter. He would not defend himself in
order to relieve or to avoid what he was about to face. Because
Christ, and understand this now, he was actually guilty, not of
what they accused him, but he was guilty before his father
for our sins imputed, charged, accounted to him. And the Bible says that the law
was given to shut our mouths. In other words, we're sinners.
If somebody says you're a sinner, how you gonna defend yourself?
Well, you're right. I'm a sinner, shut my mouth.
That's what it is. And so Christ did not defend
himself in that sense in order to avoid what he was about to
face. But look at verse 63 again. But Jesus held his peace, and
the high priest answered and said to him, I adjure thee by
the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ,
the Son of God. Now he's gonna open his mouth.
because he's not defending himself in order to avoid what's coming,
but he is answering the question, yes I am, and this is what he
said, verse 64. Jesus saith unto him, thou hast
said. Now that means what you're saying
is true. Nevertheless I say unto you,
hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand
of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. Somebody says, you
know I had professors in seminary, and I didn't like I told you,
it wasn't a gospel seminary. But they denied the bodily resurrection
of Christ. And they denied that he even
claimed to be God. Well what about passages like
this? You've said it. What you're saying's true. And
then hereafter you're gonna see the son of man talking about
himself. sitting on the right hand of power. That's his intercession
for his people. He sat down at the right hand
of his Father, ever living to make intercession for us. That's
where he is now. Christ, the God-man, the risen,
resurrected God-man, is now at the right hand of the Father,
praying for his people. We're gonna see next week he
made the statement to Peter. He said, Peter, I prayed for
you. That's a guarantee. Now, I can pray for you, but
there's no guarantee. I can pray for my lost loved
ones, but there's no guarantee. But if Christ prays for his people
as our mediator, that's a guarantee. And that's what he's saying here.
You'll see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the pastor,
and coming in the clouds of heaven, he's coming again. That's the
second coming. Well, now my seminary professors
couldn't understand what he said there, but I'll tell you who
did understand what he said there. Old Caiaphas understood it. Look
at verse 65. Then the high priest rent or
tore his clothes, saying he hath spoken blasphemy. Now, if what
he said was not a personal claim that he is God manifest in the
flesh, the Messiah, it wouldn't have been blasphemy. If he was lying about himself,
it would be blasphemy. But it wasn't blasphemy, but
the high priest thought it was, and he said, what further need
have we of witnesses? Behold, now you've heard this
blasphemy. We don't need these false witnesses.
He claims to be God, manifest in the flesh, the Messiah. And
he says that's blasphemy. So verse 66, he says, what think
ye? What's your opinion? They answered
and said, he is guilty of death. Now that kind of blasphemy was
guilty of death. And he says in verse 67, then
did they spit in his face, buffeted him, And others smote him with
the palms of their hands, saying, prophesy unto us, thou Christ,
who is he that smote thee? So there you see, there's the
charge. And you know, all of this was
according to prophecy. Prophesy unto us, they said.
And all of this was according to prophecy. Not any, maybe one
specific scripture, but the whole of prophecy in the Old Testament.
And all of this shows us that, listen, if we have true God-given
faith in and love for Christ, we're so blessed of God and his
grace and power, we don't have a thing to brag about over these
guys. I can't look to you and say,
well, God saved me because I was better than Caiaphas or Annas
or these scribes and elders, no. We have nothing in ourselves
in which to boast over these who hated the Lord and his gospel,
because by nature we did the same thing. But God changed us
by his grace and his power. And I know you say with me, thank
God for his grace. Amen? All right.