Who's Really on Trial?, Part 3

Before Jesus was crucified he endured a series of big trial. There were six different judgments that were manufactured by Jesus adversary in their trumped up charges ultimately led to shameful accusations. Each one was a sham at each trial designed to sabotage the growing sentiment today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll presents another study in Matthew chapter 26, where the writer describes these dramatic confrontation Chuck draws a parallel between the first century enemies of Jesus and those who deny him today, Chuck titled his message who's really on trial chiller is written five books to go titled rebel word for Rabbi the killer's words regarding torture just so great they decided to indulge in a ghastly game of terrible torture here were men who were supposed to protect the interest of their people, subjecting an innocent person to appalling abuse they turn Jesus over to the street ruffians for some horrible amusement. They jeered him challenging him to prophesy.

Who would last struck him a stinging blow. They sliced and smashed his face until it was purple and swollen with great welts either. Christ was in a beer garden with beasts rights Philip Keller. Meanwhile, Peter is at a distance probably doesn't see this going on, but is curious about what's happening. We pick up his story in verse 69 Peter is sitting outside in the courtyard of the servant girl came over and said to him you were one of those with Jesus, the Galilean now how would she know that. Remember, for over three years Peter has been in a group following Jesus, a group of disciples. Furthermore, he's been the leader of the group and when she sees his face, she declares you are one of you followed with those disciples. You're a follower of years.

Here's the first of three denials per 70, Peter denied it in front of everyone. I don't know what you're talking about. She lets it go but verse 71 tells us a little later out by the gate. Notice the change of location before he's in the courtyard, but now was moved out by the gate another servant girl notices him probably had also seen him when he had been walking among the disciples in she said to those standing around this man was with Jesus of Nazareth and now Peter swears he's not one of he says with a note, the noble man that you're referring to in a little later. Some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said you must be one of them. We could tell about your Galilean accent.

He realizes they got it. It's true I'm Galilean nice guy get out of this mess, so please observe what he does. Your Bible says he swore a curse on me if I'm lying I want to be careful here list you think. Out came a lot of profanity in the statement. What he uses is a word that is so severe, it's a term used of pronouncing death on oneself at the hand of God if he should be lying. In other words, may be damned before Almighty God.

If I am not telling the truth that kind of swear that kind of old and that's about as extreme as you could get in his third denial. By the way, you may not realize it, but three things happened at this point simultaneously to see them.

You gotta go to Luke chapter 22 turn over there we Luke 22.

I'm in verse 59 of 22. This must be one of them because he's a Galilean.

Peter said, man. I don't know what you're talking about. Here's the first of three things that occurred immediately while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. While that was coming out of his mouth. The rooster crows if he didn't remember the words of Jesus.

He certainly remembered the comment about the rooster must… Time to hear that sound in the distant before the rooster crows, this very night you will look denied me three times.

So at the moment the words are in his mouth. The rooster crows, but Luke adds this tidbit that Matthew doesn't include verse 61. At that moment notices her back to back to back events at that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. That tells me Peter has made his way from the courtyard to the gate and now up closer to the mansion where there trial is being held, and maybe he's looking through a window or maybe down one of the corridors and he's able to catch the scene of the torture as it's going on was shocking to see that and Jesus turns we read it right here. Suddenly we read the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly the Lord's words flashed through Peter's mind and now he gets the recollection before the rooster crows, you will deny me, you will have denied three times that you even know me and he weeps bitterly. First, the rooster then the glass from the Lord. And what a look that was followed by the realization of his of denials that the prediction was correct. Go back with me to Matthew 26. Suddenly the words flashed before his mind and he went away weeping bitterly. Now of hold on. Peter has suffered hundreds of years of being fully and attacked my one preacher after another or about one believer after another goes through this. These denials and pointing a finger about you you you you you you wait a minute, doesn't he weep bitterly. He doesn't shake as fast at Jesus. He breaks. I think it's the first step toward repentance.

There are times that tears reveal the first stage of brokenness and here's a case in point. It's it's very pharisaic for anyone to use stand and do nothing but accuse Peter for the wrong idea that the denial he he was guilty of and and stop there and to think I would never do that kind of weight holding just for a few moments.

If you can bring yourself to it. Just think back over the last few months about years of your own life promises you didn't keep warnings you didn't heed contracts. You didn't honor statements you didn't fulfill though you said you would just remember were all in this humanity together. But let us lighten up on Peter and the truth is, you may not even wept over it yet. It may have hardened you and you may be a long ways from repentance, not Peter, as a matter of fact it says he went away and wept but one of worry when I've never heard anyone address that were to go well. The fact is, were never told in the Scriptures so were left to a little imagination.

My guess he went back to get 70 he went back to the place where the rebuke was first given by Jesus where he first heard the master say to him, Peter, you're telling me all the others. My dessert but you never Peter. Peter don't go, don't know this very night, you will deny me three times. I think Peter stood in the spot. I am imagining this admittedly, but I think he went to the place worries self-assured pride was so firm and and worries said more than he should have. Rather than acknowledging that he's weak and and he needs the Lord's strength in tough times. He said I'm not going to be like all the others. Peter realizes here is the goes before the Lord and it remembers his backslidden situation.

My desire now is not to heat guilt on anyone but simply to call to mind the reality that were all we all have some Peter Innes. I mean wonder how long he stayed there working through it. Wonder what he said before the Lord when he fell on his face as a grown man weeping, remembering one of you came to terms with that. I think you probably did, just like many of us have crucial junctures of our lives. We we we stopped short and we say I I am is not my brother, sister, it's me overboard, standing in the need of prayer.

On the one that needs the forgiveness. Jesus is on trial, Peter is on trial.

How about you circumstances are different. Okay, let's say you're an environment that is unsafe, but so you're outnumbered this make it even more difficult was so you're the only one they only want to your company to make it even harder. What if making yourself known as a believer would mean your your death, your sure death as his taken place on high school campuses with a student wouldn't renounce faith in Jesus and was shot by the killer, or in some country where they find out your believer and you are history were thinking about because I I don't think were that far from a persecuted church in the United States.

I I'm not sending dates and I'm not making hard and fast predictions. But I'm able to read the signs that it taken place in my lifetime and I'll tell you things are far worse now than when I first entered the ministry. I never heard of churches being invaded and people shot while sitting in congregations that was unheard of. I never heard of little children shot in schools, the killers that walked in Chile at random. These are treacherous time I came across a story that happened back in the 80s early 80s. True story of before the wall was down.

While there were still the KGB in the informers, the informants and all of listen to this and put yourself in the shoes of those who were there, everyone was so excited to begin.

They were specially looking forward to the reading of a new section of the gospel of Luke.

That adjustment received from a secret home church in another city of the Soviet Union since Bibles are so scarce, the churches take them apart and exchange pages with each other. It had taken all day for the local body of Christians to assemble. They had to come to different intervals in groups of two or at most three at a time so as not to attract the attention of the ever present KGB informers, just as they were about to sing with subdued volume but not enthusiasm their first hymn of praise, the door burst open and two Soviet soldiers with automatic weapons at the ready. Roy stand and ordered everyone to line up against the wall. Put yourself in this setting everyone of you line up against that wall anyone who will renounce faith in Jesus, may leave now out that door the rest of you remain here with your hands up shot of one of the soldiers to then for and more left soldier said again in an even more threatening voice. This is your last chance to renounce faith in Jesus Christ, or else face the consequences. The parents of small children looked down reassuringly at their frightened little faces. No one else lift one of the soldiers walked over, slammed the door shut. Then they both put down their weapons and said all of you keep your hands up, but in praise to our Lord Jesus Christ brothers and sisters as the believers looked at them in total astonishment. The soldiers said we have become believers through contact with other Christians from home church is like yours.

We were sent to arrest them, and instead we were converted to their fate, but through our previous experiences. We learned that no one can be trusted unless he or she is willing to die for his faith attitude is this is a true incident reported by the underground church in Russia for you and that scene will you be sure that ever happened in some church were your attending or some gathering where you met study the Scriptures.

I don't know what the Lord's plan is what I know that in the last days times will get only worse in our testimony for Christ must be crystal clear, not so much lived out in our sermon to other people, but in our lives when we have a chance. We do share the Savior's message in the gospel, but there watching our lives long before their listing to our words, how your life these days as integrity of your faith with those without Christ bow with me. Would you let's all bow together right here where you're sitting. Today you you may have to admit frankly Chuck.

I don't I don't even have a faith in Christ.

I have never never come to know Jesus is great hope for you right now is the moment whoever has the son of God has life but if you choose not to have the son of God, the wrath of God will continue to abide on you trusted him now believe in him now present talking to someone that's really on the fence you talk one way, but you live another Sunday comes and you look your best.

But it's amazing about Tuesday or Wednesday in life back in the real world. Nobody would guess you're one of the followers of Jesus or would they. Today's a great day for you to come to terms with this, that maybe the reason you came today to get off that fence. The good of God to preserve the story of Peter, not just to reveal his failure but to remind us of hours and the need to make things right. If we confess our sins he is faithful and righteous to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do that right now lay it out before the Lord described to him the struggle you have the weakness you fight with that. You need the strength that he can give the lean on him for it. The test will come this weekend and I can assure you this is the day to prepare for father.

Thank you for catching us up short and out of the blue. Realizing we're really not reading so much about Peter, but about ourselves and the scene is not from the first century, but the 21st because it's here we see ourselves on trial. Thank you for the truth and the way it it cuts cuts right through and get to our hearts humblest Lord and remind us that were all only human and only by your grace or be able to press on and give strength to those who are in the midst of circumstances where their testimonies on trial.

Give them courage to live for you and walk with you when it's appropriate to speak for you.

We do commit to you this this week that unfolds before us used today to prepare us for the night guard us from stumbling in remind us that we will be be presented faultless before the presence of your glory with exceeding great joy to the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, diminutive, now through Christ our Lord. All God's people said amen. For those who follow Jesus Christ. We can expect to feel more and more pushback from those who oppose our Christian convictions. We see the obvious signs of persecution intensifying right before our eyes. You're listening to Insight for living in the Bible teaching of Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll were in the midst of a comprehensive study through the gospel according to Matthew, called the King of Kings and to discover a variety of resources available for today study, please visit us online@insightworld.org. For instance, Chuck is written the daily devotional book called God's word for you. The subtitle is an invitation to find the nourishment your soul needs is perfectly suited for those who are just beginning their journey here for those who hope to rekindle their affection for Christ and you can purchase a copy right now by going to Insight.org/offer or call us if you listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 and then let me offer a big thank you to all those who financially support Insight for living. Your generosity is truly making a difference in our pursuit of an audacious God sized dream and that is to bring Chuck's Bible teaching to 195 countries of the world.

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Just imagine walking along the sacred sites and seeing the Bible come to life before your very mark your calendar for March 6-17, 2022 and make your reservation by calling 1-888-447-0444 or go to insight.org/events Insight for living ministries tour to Israel is paid for and made possible by only those choose to attend. Join us again Monday, when Chuck Swindoll continues our study in the book of Matthew right here on Insight for living. The preceding message. Who is really on trial was copyrighted in 2017 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for personal use is strictly prohibited