1. THE WARNING IN THE GARDEN.
(31 THRU 35).
DENIAL BY PETER IS PREDICTED.
2. THE BATTLE IN THE GARDEN.
(36 THRU 46).
DISTRESS IN GETHSEMANE.
3. THE ARREST IN THE GARDEN.
(50 THRU 56).
DETAINED BY GUARDS.
4. THE FAILURE OF COURAGE.
(57 THRU 58, 69 THRU 75).
DESERTION OF PETER.
5. THE TRIAL BEFORE THE JEWS.
(59 THRU 75).
DECEPTION BY THE SANHEDRIN.
KEY
TAKEAWAY:
IN OUR HUMAN STRENGTH WE ALL FALL AWAY.
JESUS SUBMITTED TO GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR REDEMPTION.
1. THE WARNING IN THE GARDEN.
(31 THRU 35).
DENIAL BY PETER IS PREDICTED.
THIS PASSAGE SHOWS US SOMETHING ABOUT JESUS !!
(I) WE SEE THE REALISM OF JESUS.
He Knew The Reality Of What Lay Ahead.
The Flight Of The Disciples Foretold In The Old Testament.
Zechariah: 13:7.
HE FORESAW WHAT WOULD INEVITABLY HAPPEN AND YET HE WENT ON.
(II)
WE SEE THE CONFIDENCE OF JESUS.
AFTER I HAVE BEEN RAISED I WILL GO BEFORE YOU INTO GALILEE.
Jesus Always Saw Beyond The Cross.
HE WAS AS CERTAIN OF THE GLORY AS HE WAS OF THE SUFFERING.
(III)
WE SEE THE COMPASSION OF JESUS.
He Knew That His Men Were Going To Flee For Their Lives.
He Knew They Would Abandon Him.
BUT:
He Does Not Condemn Them.
INSTEAD:
He Will Meet Them Again.
HE KNOWS OUR WORST BUT STILL LOVES US.
He Knows Our Human Weakness;
He Knows How Certain We Are To Make Mistakes.
He Knows How Certain We Are To Fail In Loyalty.
But That Does Not Turn His Love To Bitterness Or Contempt.
Jesus Has Compassion For Those Who In Weakness Is Sinful.
THIS PASSAGE SHOWS US SOMETHING ABOUT PETER !!
Surely His Fault Is Clear: Over Confidence In Himself.
He Knew That He Loved Jesus.
That Was Never In Doubt.
He Thought That All By Himself He Could Face Any Situation.
He Thought That He Was Stronger Than Jesus Knew Him To Be.
NOTE:
We Shall Be Safe Only When We Replace This Confidence.
Replace It With Humility.
Replace It With Acknowledged Weakness.
Replace It With Dependence Not On Self But The Help Of Christ.
WHAT DOES JESUS PREDICT AND WARN ABOUT PETER ?
FACT: “Apparently It Was Usual For Roosters In Palestine To Crow About 12:30, 1:30, And 2:30 A.M.; So The Romans Gave The Term COCK-CROW To The Watch From 12:00 To 3:00 A.M.”
The Romans And The Jews Divided The Night Into Four Watches:
6 P.M. To 9 P.M.
9 P.M. To Midnight.
Midnight To 3 A.M.
3 A.M. To 6 A.M.
EXPECTING COCK TO CROW: Between 3rd And 4th Watch.
BEFORE THE DAWN COMES PETER WILL DENY JESUS THREE TIMES.
2. THE BATTLE IN THE GARDEN.
(36 THRU 46).
DISTRESS IN GETHSEMANE.
Jerusalem: A City On Top Of A Hill.
No Space For Gardens Of Any Size.
No Space For Open Areas.
Every Inch Is Reserved For Buildings.
But, Wealthy Citizens Had Private Gardens.
The Private Gardens Were On Slopes Of The Mount Of Olives.
No Doubt It Was A Garden Of Olives And Jesus Was Permitted.
NOTE:
Nameless Friends Of Jesus:
The Man Who Gave Him The Donkey To Enter Jerusalem.
The Man Who Gave Him The Upper Room For The Last Supper.
The Man Who Gave Him The Permission To Enter Gethsemane.
THE BATTLE OF THE WILL AND EMOTIONS OF JESUS IN THE GARDEN.
(I) WE SEE THE AGONY OF JESUS.
He Was NOW TIME That Death Was Soon.
Its Very Moment Was On Him.
No One Wants To Die At Thirty-Three.
No One Wants To Die In The Agony Of A Cross.
A SUPREME STRUGGLE:
TO SUBMIT HIS WILL TO THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER.
It Was A Struggle In Which The Outcome Swayed In The Balance.
The Salvation Of The World Was At Risk In Gethsemane.
Jesus Might Have Turned Back.
God's Purpose Would Have Been Frustrated.
At This Moment Jesus Knew That He Must Go Forward.
All He Knew Was That The Will Of God Summoned Him On.
Things Happen In This World That We Cannot Understand.
It Is Then That Faith Is Tried To Its Utmost Limits.
And Every Man Has To Learn To Say, "Thy Will Be Done."
IT IS REASSURING TO US TO KNOW: JESUS UNDERSTANDS AGONY.
JESUS WENT THROUGH THAT TOO.
(II) WE SEE THE LONELINESS OF JESUS.
He Took With Him His Three Chosen Disciples:
They Were So Exhausted That They Could Not Stay Awake.
JESUS HAD TO FIGHT HIS BATTLE ALL ALONE.
True Of Every Man.
Certain Things A Man Must Face.
Certain Decisions A Man Must Make.
In The Awful Loneliness Of His Own Soul;
BUT:
IT IS REASSURING TO US TO KNOW: JESUS UNDERSTANDS LONELINESS.
JESUS WENT THROUGH THAT TOO.
(III) HERE WE SEE THE TRUST OF JESUS.
ABBA FATHER Is How Jesus Began His Prayer.
The Hebrew Term Used For A Child To Address His Father.
It Was An Everyday Family Word.
It Was Not Appropriate To Use By Anyone Else.
JESUS COULD.
He Spoke To His Heavenly Father In A Trustful Intimate Way.
THIS INDEED IS TRUST:
A Trust Which We Must Also Have.
A Trust That God In Christ Is Our Heavenly Father To Those That Believe.
SO:
IT IS REASSURING TO US TO KNOW: JESUS UNDERSTANDS TRUST.
JESUS WENT THROUGH THAT TOO.
(IV) WE SEE THE COURAGE OF JESUS.
"Rise," Said Jesus, Let Us Be Going. He Who Betrays Me Is Near.
The Time For Prayer Is Past.
The Time For The Garden Is Past.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION.
Let Us Face Life At Its Worst.
Jesus Rose From His Knees To Go Out To The Battle Of Life.
THAT IS WHAT PRAYER IS FOR.
In Prayer A Man Kneels Before God That He May Stand Erect Before Men.
In Prayer A Man Enters Heaven That He May Face The Battles Of Earth.
IT IS REASSURING TO US TO KNOW: JESUS UNDERSTANDS COURAGE.
JESUS WENT THROUGH THAT TOO.
AGONY, LONELINESS, TRUST, COURAGE.
3. THE ARREST IN THE GARDEN.
(50 THRU 56).
DETAINED BY GUARDS.
It Was Judas Who Had Given The Authorities The Information.
The Forces Of The Jewish Authorities Arrested Him.
The Mob That Followed Came Seeking Death Of Jesus.
Jesus Would NOT ALLOW RESISTANCE.
Matthew Simply Tells Us That One Of The Disciples Drew A Knife.
That The Disciple Was Peter. (Jn.18:10).
He Was Willing To Take On The Mob Alone.
Peter NOW Was A Marked Man With Jewish Authorities.
TWO THINGS ABOUT THIS EVENT:
(I) HIS DEATH WAS BY HIS OWN CHOICE.
Jesus Could Have Declined Coming To Jerusalem For Passover.
Jesus Could Have Declined Cleansing The Temple.
Jesus Could Have Declined Criticizing The Religious Leaders.
Jesus Could Have Declined Going To The Garden.
Jesus Could Have Called Down A Legion Of Angels As Defense.
Jesus Died Because He Chose To Die.
(II) HE CHOSE TO DIE BECAUSE HIS DEATH WAS GOD'S PURPOSE
It Was The Very Thing That Had Been Foretold By The Prophets.
HE TOOK IT BECAUSE:
LOVE IS THE ONLY WAY.
TAKING UP SWORD YOU PERISH BY IT.
GOD'S PURPOSE COULD BE WORKED OUT.
SACRIFICIAL LOVE WOULD ACCOMPLISH GOD'S PURPOSE.
4. THE FAILURE OF COURAGE.
(57 THRU 58, 69 THRU 75).
DESERTION OF PETER.
Peter Was Sitting Outside In The Courtyard.
A Maid-Servant Came Up To Him:
"You, Too, Were With Jesus The Galilean."
He Denied It In The Presence Of Them All.
Another Maid-Servant Saw Him And Came Up To Him:
"This Man Too Was With Jesus Of Nazareth."
Again He Denied It With An Oath.
Then Those Who Were Standing There Said To Peter :
“Truly You Too Were One Of Them.”
"I Do Not Know The Man."
AND IMMEDIATELY THE COCK CROWED.
PETER REMEMBERED THE SAYING OF JESUS:
"BEFORE THE COCK CROWS, YOU WILL DENY ME THREE TIMES."
AND HE WENT OUT AND WEPT BITTERLY.
This Story Is Told In Even More Vivid Detail (Mk.14:66-72).
HONESTY: Peter Himself Told About His DENIAL To Others.
So Far From Suppressing This Story.
Peter Made It An Essential Part Of His Gospel.
REMEMBER:
Peter Himself Who Is Telling Of The Shame Of His Own Sin.
So That All Men May Know The Glory Of The Forgiving Love.
So That All Men May Know The Cleansing Power Of Jesus Christ.
WHAT WAS THE REASON BEHIND PETER’S DENIAL OF JESUS?
THERE WERE TWO MAIN REASONS WHY PETER DENIED JESUS:
WEAKNESS AND FEAR.
1. PETER’S DENIAL WAS BASED PARTIALLY ON WEAKNESS.
The Weakness Born Of Human Frailty.
After The Last Supper, Jesus Took His Disciples To The Garden Of Gethsemane To Await His Arrest.
He Told Them To Stay Awake And Pray While He Went Off To Pray Alone.
When He Returned To Them, He Found Them Sleeping.
He Warned Peter To Stay Awake And Pray.
Although His Spirit Might Be Willing, His Flesh Was Weak.
But He Fell Asleep Again.
The Soldiers Came To Arrest Jesus.
HE HAD NOT FULLY BEEN PREPARED THROUGH PRAYER IT SEEMS.
HE UNDERESTIMATED HIS OWN WEAKNESS.
2. A SECOND REASON FOR PETER’S FAILURE WAS FEAR.
To His Credit, Although All The Others Had Fled.
Peter Still Followed Jesus After His Arrest,
But He Kept His Distance So As Not To Be Identified With Him.
There’s No Question That Fear Gripped Him.
He Watched Jesus Being Falsely Accused, Beaten, And Insulted.
Peter Was Afraid Jesus Would Die And He Was Fearful For His Own Life.
THE WORLD HATED JESUS.
PETER WAS NOT READY YET TO DIE FOR JESUS.
5. THE TRIAL BEFORE THE JEWS.
(59 THRU 75).
DECEPTION BY THE SANHEDRIN.
THE PROCESS OF THE TRIAL OF JESUS:
IT SEEMS TO HAVE FALLEN INTO THREE PARTS:
The First Part Took Place:
After The Arrest In The Garden.
During The Night And In The High Priest's House.
The Second Part Took Place:
First Thing In The Morning.
Matthew 27:1-2.
The Third Part Took Place:
Before Pilate.
Matthew 27:11-26.
The Jews Violated Their Own Laws In The Trial Of Jesus.
Was This An Official Meeting Of The Sanhedrin.
Hastily Summoned To Formulate A Charge.
THE JEWISH LEGAL POINT OF VIEW.
The Sanhedrin Was The Supreme Court Of The Jews.
Composed Of Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees And Elders Of The People.
It Numbered Seventy-One Members;
It Was Presided Over By The High Priest.
For A Trial Such As This A Quorum Was Twenty-Three.
It Had Certain Regulations.
All Criminal Cases Must Be Tried During The Daytime.
All Criminal Cases Must Be Completed During The Daytime.
All Criminal Cases COULD NOT BE Transacted During PASSOVER.
It Is Abundantly Clear They Were Eager To Get Rid Of Jesus.
They Broke Their Own Rules. Any Means Was Justified.
BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN.
THE CRIME OF CHRIST.
CLEARING TWISTING THE FACTS.
He Did Actually Say.
We Have Seen That He Foretold The Destruction Of The Temple.
THEY TWISTED HIS STATEMENT INTO A CHARGE:
He Had Said That He Himself Would Destroy The Temple.
He Did Actually Say.
We Have Seen That He Foretold That He Himself Would Be Killed And Would Rise On The Third Day.
THEY TWISTED HIS STATEMENT INTO A CHARGE:
He Had Said That He Would Rebuild The Temple In Three Days.
THIS CHARGE WAS FORMULATED
BY DELIBERATELY AND MALICIOUSLY
MISREPEATING AND MISINTERPRETING
CERTAIN THINGS WHICH JESUS HAD SAID.
TO THAT CHARGE JESUS UTTERLY REFUSED TO REPLY.
Therein The Law Was On His Side, For No Person On Trial Could Either Be Asked, Or Compelled To Answer, Any Question Which Would Incriminate Him.
BASICALLY: PLEAD THE 5th.
THEN THE HIGH PRIEST LAUNCHED HIS VITAL QUESTION.
NOTE: Jesus Repeatedly Warned His Disciples To Tell No Man That He Was The Messiah.
NOTE: Did Judas Break The Bond Of Secrecy About His Messiahship?
The High Priest Asked The Question.
The High Priest Asked Jesus To State His Answer Under Oath.
"ARE YOU THE MESSIAH?"
"DO YOU CLAIM TO BE THE SON OF GOD?"
Here Was The Crucial Moment In The Trial.
IF JESUS SAID, "NO,"
The Bottom Fell Out Of The Trial;
There Was No Possible Charge Against Him.
He Had Only To Say, "No," And Walk Out A Free Man.
IF HE SAID, "YES,"
He Signed His Own Death Warrant.
Just A Simple "Yes" Would Make The Cross A Certainty.
THEN HE SAID, "YES."
HE WENT FURTHER. HE QUOTED DANIEL 7:13:
A VIVID ACCOUNT OF THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPH
AND KINGSHIP OF GOD'S CHOSEN ONE.
HE WELL KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
IMMEDIATELY THEY CRIED OUT: BLASPHEMY.
GARMENTS WERE TORN IN HYSTERICAL HORROR;
AND JESUS WAS CONDEMNED TO DEATH.
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