Chapter 18 Verse 12

• There are many times that I have prayed, “Father please show them.  Show them Your power.  Show them Your compassion…surely they’ll believe and they’ll change.”  But the truth is…they won’t…because the decision to follow Jesus…the resolve to see and accept the truth is not an act of logic or reason or physical proof…it is alone the business of the Holy Spirit within someone’s heart.
• In Luke 16 we find an interesting scene.  A rich man, wicked and corrupt dies as well as a righteous man by the name of Lazarus.  And the scene opens in Abraham’s Bay where Lazarus is comforted as he awaits the redemptive work of the cross.  And the rich man trapped in Hades, in torment sees Lazarus and Abraham a far off and calls out to him saying, “I beg you, send me to my father’s house for I have five brothers so that I may warn them lest they end up here in the place of torment.”  And Abraham responded…”even if one was raised from the dead, they would not be persuaded…”
• We see that type of hardness of heart here.  The willful and utter blindness of the flesh…Jesus just spoke a word and 600+ men had fallen backwards to the ground!  Malchus’ ear was just sliced off in their very eyes and Jesus lovingly had picked it up and restored it as if the wound had never occurred…yet the detachment, and the captain, and the officers…all together…proceed to arrest Him.  The word there for arrest is specific…it reveals their rabid sinfulness…the word is syllambano and it literally means “they seize Him with impulsive lust”…their rage surged against Him even in the light of His power and great compassion…
• And how ridiculous…they bound Him.  The word in the Greek suggest that they used chains…whew good thing it wasn’t ropes…those chains should hold Him!  Please.  Jesus was already bound.  Bound with a greater force than any material they could have used…He was already bound with His love for you and for me.  He was already bound with His love for His Father’s will and glory!

Chapter 18 Verse 13

• The position of high priest had become somewhat of a political character at this time.  The Jews recognized Annas as their High Priest and the one having ultimate authority while the Roman Government had appointed Caiaphas through a biding and bribing type of relationship.  And so they lead Jesus bound to their spiritual authority first, Annas.
• And there in the next verse (Verse 14) John reminds us how it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.  You remember right?...back in John Chapter 11 verse 50 where Caiaphas, after hearing the rumbles of the Sanhedrin about how Jesus was stirring up the people, which would be a problem for the Romans, said to them, “look…the ends justify the means…its better just to off Him than for the entire nation to be destroyed by the Romans…”

Chapter 18 Verses 14 – 15

• Now we know from Matthew Chapter 26 that Peter followed Jesus indeed, however Matthew tells us that he followed Him “from a distance.”  This distance between him and the Lord will, in just a moment, lead to outright denial of Jesus. 
• Well why?  Because Peter was so weak?  Because Peter was so afraid?  Maybe…but I think there’s something much more powerful here that leads to his eventual denial of Jesus.  Opportunity. 
• If Peter had simply followed Jesus closely all the way, there would have been no question…”are you one of His?”  Because it would have been obvious…see what I’m saying?  But Peter made the willful decision to follow Jesus…from a distance and therefore the opportunity to deny the Lord presented itself.
• Same goes for us folks.  The most prevalent problem in Christianity today is that so many are just fine following Jesus from a distance…and then what happens?  They develop text relationships, or facebook relationships or lunch relationships with members of the opposite sex who are not their husbands or wives.  “Oh come on Matt, they’re just friends, it’s fine > NO ITS NOT!  Because that emotional equity and affectionate attention rightfully belongs only to your wife or your husband and so often that leads to relational adultery!  Even for the unmarried!  That emotional equity and affectionate attention belongs to the Lord alone! 
• “Oh now you’re off the deep end”…no sir, no ma’am it’s the other way around!  Read 1 Corinthians 7!  Don’t concern yourself with what he needs to be like or how you need your biceps this big to make sure you attract the “right one for you!”  Psalm 37!  Delight yourselves in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart…My God will supply all that is lacking!  But we follow from a distance!
• You know the math of the mind…my way + God’s way = Amway!  You know I just keep getting richer!  Do you?  That equation is a scheme from the devil!  A scheme that opens opportunity for you to deny the Lord.
• Christians following Jesus from a distance…become enticed by the materialistic offerings of the world because they see, in total, hours of commercials a day watching television and surfing the internet…Black Friday is now its own holiday according to Wikipedia!  Did you know that!?  Yet far from a Holy Day it is!  People go buck wild to save $5 on a cell phone!  People hitting others, racing others, yelling and screaming at others…we laugh but all them calories should be spent on the Kingdom man!  I wonder how many that fight for the Furby would say that they are Christians?!  Following from a distance, man!
• “Oh but you know they’re buying gifts for others Matt so…you know its ok”…check the stats man.  Last year a survey was conducted by the International Council of Shopping Centers on Black Friday.  The percentage of shoppers who were buying items for themselves or their families for immediate use was 90% compared to 10% of shoppers who said they were actually buying gifts for others.  Wow right!  All that fighting, all that greed, all dressed up in a costume and very very far from the heart of God.
• Look we follow from a distance and we fall prey to the evil one…we become dreamers and fantasisers and buy into situational comedies and sappy sentimental stories that we can now get on our iBooks or Kindles at a simple click of a button…all the while becoming more and more out of touch with the truth…to live is Christ and to die is gain!!
• Why not just scatter with the rest Peter?  In Matthew 26:56 we read that after Jesus asked them why they came with weapons, the disciples scattered.  Now we know from the next verses that John and Peter remained…but if you’re going to follow Jesus from a distance…why not just go home?  At least then the opportunities of outright public denial would have been avoided you see?  But Peter did what so many do…some knowingly, some having even no idea that they’re hokey pokey Christians. 
• “Well, following Jesus even a little is good, right Matt?”  Wrong!  That’s horrible!  Following Jesus in this part of your life but not another will lead you right into confusion.  To the point where you can’t even discern if God Himself is faithful!
• “Oh Matt, you’re off today.  I’m not with you today.”  Look, I don’t want to freak you out but if that’s what it takes for you and for me to see the truth, then I’m ok with that.  Jesus was!  Revelation Chapter 2 verses 15 and 16…Jesus speaking to the Laodicean church…”I know you…that you are neither cold nor hot…I wish you were one or the other…so then because you are lukewarm, I will vomit you out of My mouth”  Oh man, following from a distance, why does it make God sick to His stomach?  Because it puts you in grave danger child! 
• Opportunity presents itself time and time again when you are not following Jesus closely and look, no matter how intelligent, no matter how well taught, no matter how well versed in the scriptures you are…opportunity presents itself enough and you too will deny Jesus.  I’m no superhuman, I have no extra special strength…but Jesus does…and only He is able to keep you from falling.  But Peter, he made a mistake here…a mistake that followed him the rest of his life…when it mattered the most, he followed from a distance…
• And notice the “other disciple” that did not scatter with the rest we know is John as it was John who was at the cross.  It was John who follows Jesus into the inner courtyard of the High Priest and that is how we have his account before us this morning.
• Now John was the son of Zebedee who was a prominent fisherman in Jerusalem.  Even today, there in Jerusalem you can go and visit a spot that is called Zebedee’s Fish Stand.  Zebedee was an accomplished fisherman as we read that he had employees including but not limited to his own sons and so no doubt John in his youth would have carried fish from the market to the courtyard of the High Priest and therefore he was known by the servant girl who kept the door.
• And so verse 16…

Chapter 18 Verse 16

• John goes back out and brings Peter in…here comes opportunity…

Chapter 18 Verse 17

• Strike one.  Peter.  A servant girl?  Peter come on man are you that weak?  Nope…simply the opportunity…you see we have to actively notice in our own lives where opportunity has been allowed for us to deny the Lord…and we have to take up our beds and walk you see…take away the opportunity.  Lest a servant girl scares us to the point of denying the Lord!
• Now we’re going to see Peter in a downward spiral.  Poor decision after poor decision…which is always the pattern, the course, the frustration of this cycle of following Jesus from a distance, failing…following Jesus from a distance, distractions and disillusion…following Jesus from a distance…its like a rut, its like miry clay…notice Peter’s next opportunity and subsequent move…

Chapter 18 Verse 18

• Here he is, warming himself, seeking comfort, at the world’s fire of coals…where’s John?  The next verse tells us…John is near to Jesus…the next scene shows us that John was there, with Jesus…all the way in to the point where he could hear the conversation between Annas and Jesus…all the while > safe. 
• Isn’t that interesting?  Peter acting out of fear…very much in harms way…finding himself in opportunity after opportunity to deny the Lord.  John, staying close to Jesus which took much courage…to closely follow a prisoner, condemned already even…yet notice, John is never questioned.  John is never hurt or harmed or anything…the entire time…safe.  What an interesting pattern and one that is the opposite of what we think isn’t it?

Chapter 18 Verse 19

• Now understand how extremely unlawful this accusation is.  First, this is happening at night which was against the law because those that are being tried had the right to be tried in plain public daylight so that anyone involved or interested could be present or offer witness.  This accusation not only is at night but it is also occurring in the inner room of the High Priest…
• Even beyond that, the High Priest asking Jesus for His own testimony is in direct violation of Jewish law.  In their law, no man could give testimony of or against himself…and Jesus knew all of this and so He exposes the unrighteousness.  Look what He says…

Chapter 18 Verses 20 – 21

• Verse 21 is not rhetorical.  Jesus was for real showing the High Priest the truth and then posing a question in light of that truth.  “Do you see?”  “Why do you ask Me?”  The correct answer, “because I am in sin.”  Then, even at this time, the High Priest could have been healed…but no…

Chapter 18 Verse 22

• Notice the officer “stood by.”  Which implies that Jesus didn’t see this coming.  To be slapped or punched when you see it coming hurts…but when you don’t see it coming, any blow can inflict real damage and at the very least…severe pain. 
• This is the first time in the story where we see Jesus physically assaulted.  There were several other times when the crowd or the Jews or the High Priest sought to take Him but they couldn’t, why?  Because Jesus would not allow it.  But now, we see Him struck.  We see contact.  Why?  Same reason.  Because He allowed it.  Jesus is in complete control…all the time.  The things which are happening to Him and the things which will happen to Him…the cross…one reason…one motivation…His depth of love for you and for me…
• Notice the High Priest stood by when He was struck…given the truth, the question of repentance…he refused…and so notice Jesus’ response…

Chapter 18 Verse 23

• Notice, Jesus does not resist this evil…just as He taught in Matthew Chapter 5…but He does do something awesome.  He challenges this man.  He doesn’t cower into the corner and prepare for the next blow…although it may have been coming…no He stands in eternal strength and brings the truth!
• Man that is power!  That is might!  That is real force!  That is to say with great vigor and asurity, “Your physical affront has not achieved its intended effect!”  You mean to berate me, you meant to anger me, to cause me to get all worked up…but what did you get?  Truth!  BOOM!  Turn the other cheek at its root, at its very precept means STAND FIRM!  Don’t return violence for violence but battle evil and hate and harm with TRUTH! 
• So often people get the best of us.  They call us an idiot so we call them an idiot.  They hurt us and so we conspire to hurt them.  We retain bitterness and a future plan to “get even.”  Man why would you EVER want to be even with evil!!???  No!  You do as the Leader and the Author of your faith and my faith does here…you stand for righteousness!  You deny the evil one the satisfaction of knocking you down to his low level!
• You speak the truth in love…or you don’t speak at all.  Prepare for the next blow…lest you become the joke and deny Jesus!  “If I have done evil, tell Me and I will take full responsibility.  But if I have done well, are you ok?  What’s really going on with you?  Why have you struck Me?”  Oh what a wonderful wonderful WONDERFUL example that should always be followed…but oh how difficult when we ourselves, like Peter, following from a distance, are out in the outer courts and cannot hear the voice of Truth…

Chapter 18 Verse 24

• And so we’ll pick it up next time as Jesus leaves Annas, travels briefly to Caiaphas and then on to Pilate…