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.