an unjust trial that Jesus was subjected to by the chief priests and leaders of Israel and the Roman government. And how that a God can't stand under their jurisdiction, right? So that was unjust. That lawsuit or trial was brought by the chief priests and leaders of the Israelites against Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In that trial, the prosecuting attorneys were the elders of Israel, and they were the representative heads of the whole Israelite nation. In that trial, the defendant was our Lord Jesus Christ. That judge was Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. I'm having problems here. Technology is a lovely thing. It works. Let's try that again. The judge of that trial was Pontius Pilate, a Roman governor. We also briefly looked at the trial that Jesus brought to the nation of Israel. Today, we're gonna look more closely at that as a summary or a review of the overall context of why and how and when the book of Matthew was written. and the judgment that was passed on Israel by the one true judge of all mankind and of all nations. In this trial, Jesus is the prosecuting attorney. The Israelite leaders are now the defendants. And Jesus is also the judge because he is the one true righteous judge of all mankind and of all nations. Jesus brings true accusations to the Israelite leaders as representative heads of the nation of Israel. Unlike the other trial, there are no false witnesses. In fact, Jesus uses their own words and their own actions against them. The Jewish leaders are put on the stand and examined by the righteous judge, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The nation of Israel is found guilty and sentenced by Jesus Christ. Let's look at this lawsuit. The title of this message is The Gospel of Matthew, a Covenantal Lawsuit. This lawsuit is against a nation of Israel. The legal charge or accusations being brought against the Israelites is that they have broken their covenant with the Lord. The covenant that we're talking about is the Mosaic Covenant. You may be wondering, what's a covenant? It's not really a term that we use a whole lot. In this circle, we do a little bit, but not a whole lot in our country right now. It's a legal term, and a covenant is a binding agreement between two or more parties. It usually consists of promises and responsibilities clearly defined for each party. And sometimes, there are clearly articulated consequences for breaking that covenant. First, we're gonna lay the groundwork. Number one, a covenant is made. God makes covenants. God makes covenants with his people, that's how God works. And since he is the almighty one true living God, since he's the creator of all things, he does whatever he pleases. And he chooses to work through covenants. The covenant that we'll look at today, it wasn't the first covenant that God made. There were prior covenants, such as the Noetic Covenant in Genesis chapter nine, or the Abrahamic Covenant in chapter 11 of Genesis. Nor is this the last covenant that was made between God and his people. There's the Davidic Covenant, 2 Samuel chapter seven, and the New Covenant in Jeremiah chapter 31. But the Mosaic Covenant, which is the one in view today, was established in Exodus chapter 19 on Mount Sinai when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. The Mosaic Covenant is established. Exodus 19 verse five. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people, for all the earth is mine. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." That's what God was telling Moses. The Mosaic Covenant then was reiterated and reaffirmed very clearly in the book of Deuteronomy, and that's where we're going to spend a little bit more time now. At the end of the book of Deuteronomy, after God's law is firmly established and many details of the practical outworkings and explanation of how to apply the Ten Commandments was given and how they're to be obeyed, We come to Deuteronomy chapter 29, and Moses is speaking, verse 10. All of you stand today before the Lord your God, your leaders and your tribes and your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones and your wives, also the stranger who's in your camp, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water. that you may enter into covenant with the Lord your God and into his oath which the Lord your God makes with you today, that he may establish you today as a people for himself, that he may be God to you just as he has spoken to you and just as he has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I make this covenant and this oath not with you alone but with him who stands here with us today before the Lord our God as well as with him who is not here with us today for you know that we dwelt in the land of Egypt and that we came through the nations which you passed by and you saw their abominations and their idols which were among them wood and stone and silver and gold so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root of bitterness or wormwood, so that it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart, as if the drunkard could be included with the sober. In the last few chapters, Moses very clearly lays out a long list of blessings for the Israelites if they obey God's commands and keep their covenant. He also lays out an equally long list of detailed and horrendous curses that they will heap upon themselves if they do not keep their covenant with God. And he concludes this section in chapter 30 verse 15, see I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments, His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear and are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish. You shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live, that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days." That's the covenant, the Mosaic covenant between the Israelites and God. Established in Exodus, reiterated, restated with blessings and curses and consequences for either keeping or breaking that covenant. The Israelites knew that covenant. Number two, a covenant is broken. Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites consistently broke God's law and broke covenant with him. Remember the book of Judges? We went through that last year, right? They disobeyed Him, God sent a judge after they cried out to Him because they were in horrible situations. They'd turn back to Him, they'd disobey. They'd turn back, they'd disobey. Never was it passed from one generation to the next. Warnings were given throughout the Old Testament. Many prophets were sent to warn the Israelites of their coming destruction if they continued to reject God's law and worship idols. major prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah, minor prophets like Hosea, Amos, and Malachi. The Israelites would turn back to God for just short periods of time, but continued to reject him in his ways. They broke their covenant with God over and over and over and over and over again. In fact, what's amazing to me is that most people, when they look at the Old Testament, they see an angry God who shows wrath everywhere. Well, he did display his wrath, didn't he? But what's more evident, if you truly read God's word, is his long suffering, his patience, his mercy, and his tremendous forgiveness for those Israelites. He truly was and still is the God of second chances. He gave Israel countless opportunities to repent and turn to him. They would not. We're gonna cover, just briefly summarize a couple of the minor prophets. Prophet Hosea, the Israelites were unfaithful to God. The prophet Hosea compared them to a prostitute who refused to be faithful to her husband, even after giving many chances to repent. Like a prostitute, the Israelites continued time and time and time again to run after other gods, to serve and worship them instead of the one true living God. The prophet Amos, he passed judgment on the Israelites and Judah for hating God's law and breaking his commandments, for despising the poor and for sexual perversion, for defiling God's holy name through their actions, for giving the Nazarites wine to drink, which was forbidden, and commanding the prophets not to speak. The witnesses Amos calls against them are none other than the Egyptians and the Philistines, indicating that the Israelites were no better than the arch enemies of God. The prophet Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament. Malachi passes condemnation of Israel, chapter one, for defiled offerings. Chapter two, for corrupt priests. Chapter two, verse 10, for marital infidelity and divorce. Chapter three, for robbing God of tithes and offerings. And then chapter four, or excuse me, still chapter three, later in chapter three, because the people were speaking against God. And then chapter four, he warns that judgment is coming. Let's read the conclusion of the Old Testament. Malachi chapter 4, for behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. and the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear my name, the son of righteousness, that's Jesus, shall arise with healing in his wings, and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this, says the Lord of hosts. Remember the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. God made a covenant with Israel. And he was serious, wasn't he? Those aren't light words. Those are serious words from the Almighty God. God made a covenant with Israel. Israel broke that covenant. God sent prophets and messengers to warn them to repent. They did not. So Malachi warns them of coming judgment. This ends the Old Testament or the Old Covenant. Now there's silence for 400 years. God's not sending prophets, they're not speaking. Silence, 400 years. But a powerful prophet will pave the way for the Messiah, offering yet one more opportunity for Israel to repent and turn to the Lord. Number three, a covenantal lawsuit. The prosecutor is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the defendant, the nation of Israel. The charge is breaking covenant, punishable by death. The last and greatest prophet was sent, John the Baptist. He was the messenger that was prophesied in Malachi, sent before Christ as Elijah to point the Jews to Jesus and warn of the coming Messiah. He was sent to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest God would curse their land. The fathers of Israel were not turned to their children. The fathers did not pass their faith on to the next generation. This was made crystal clear throughout the whole Old Testament. There is no generational faithfulness in the nation of Israel. Matthew chapter 3 verse 1, in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he who was spoken by the prophet Isaiah saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. This is not a wimpy man. But, When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "'Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not think to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I say that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I'd like to have that kind of courage, to look at the leaders of the day who ended up crucifying the Son of God and say, you're it, and you're going to die. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. These are some stiff words coming of warning from the greatest prophet. And we know that he was Elijah as prophesied by Malachi because of Jesus' words in chapter 17, verse 10. His disciples asked him, saying, why then the scribes say that Elijah must come first? Jesus answered and said, indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man is about to suffer. Then the disciples understood that he talked to them of John the Baptist. Next, Jesus establishes his authority as judge. Matthew chapter 4, and we're going to skim through things. We're not going to spend a lot of time on these. There's a whole lot in there. Matthew chapter 4 verse 17, from that time Jesus began to preach and say, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 5, 17, do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For assuredly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever doesn't teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Throughout Jesus's life, he performs miracles. He heals the sick, the blind, the lame. He casts out demons. He raises the dead. He calms the storm. He walks on water. He healed on the Sabbath to show he is Lord over the Sabbath. And he forgave sins to prove his deity. Matthew 11, 20. Then he began to rebuke the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done because they did not repent. Listen to these words. Woe to you, Therese, and woe to you, Bethsaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works which had been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. Had to be a big pill to swallow. That's why he established who he was. Jesus establishes authority as judge. And now, Jesus presents his case against the Israelites. Let's look at some examples. Number one, they put traditions over God's law. Matthew 5.1, Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. And just like lots of times, Jesus doesn't really answer all the questions they ask, he answers the question that really needs to be answered. He answered and said to them, why do you also transgress the covenant of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, honor your father and your mother, and he who curses father and mother, let him be put to death. But you say, whoever says to his father and mother, whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God, then he need not honor his father and mother. Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy against you, saying, these people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Number two, they promote false doctrine. Matthew 16, five. Now when his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Jesus said to him, take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And the reason amongst themselves saying, is it because we have taken no bread? But Jesus being aware of it said to them, O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the 5,000 and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the 4,000 and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you don't understand that I do not speak to you concerning bread, but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which they were promoting. Number three, they perverted the worship of God. Matthew 21, 12, then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And he said to them, it is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. They perverted his worship. Then the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying out in the temple saying, Hosanna, the son of David, they were indignant and said to him, do you hear what they're saying? And Jesus said to them, yes, have you never read out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise? They perverted his worship. Next, Jesus uses parables to explain this case. We're gonna just look at a couple of these parables. Parables are interesting things. You can definitely apply a today context to some of these and get principles out of them for sure. But they were said initially, they were spoken to the people who were there. and they were spoken to explain things that they wouldn't understand otherwise. Parable of the laborers, Matthew 20, verse one. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius day, he sent them into his vineyard and he went out in about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace and said to them, you also go into the vineyard and whatever's right, I'll give it to you. So they went. Again, he went out about the sixth hour, and the ninth hour ended likewise. And about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing idle and said to them, Why have you been standing there idle all day? They said, No, because no one's hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and whatever's right, you'll receive. So when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to the steward, call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first. And when those came who were hired about the 11th hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more. And they complained likewise, excuse me, that they would receive more. And they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, these last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day? But he answered them and said, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what's yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. In this parable, the landowner is the Lord. The workers hired originally are the Israelites. The last ones hired are the Gentiles. The reward to those who follow him is eternal life. Second parable, parable of the two sons, Matthew 21, 28. But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not. But afterward, he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second son and said likewise, and he answered and said, I go, sir. But he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to him, the first, Jesus said to them, assuredly I say to you that the tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. But tax collectors and harlots believed him. And when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him. In this parable, the son that originally said he would obey and did not represents Israel and their covenant with God. And the son that originally said he would not go but later turned to him and represents the Gentiles. Third parable, the parable of the landowner. Matthew 21, 33. Here another parable. There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. And he leased it to the vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all, he sent his son, saying, they will respect my son. But when the vinedressers saw his son, they said among themselves, this is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers? They said to him, These are the Pharisees speaking. He will destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render him the fruits of their seasons. Jesus said to them, have you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone? This was the Lord's doing, and it's marvelous in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder. Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived he was speaking to them. In this parable, Jesus explains it pretty clearly. The Israelites rejected and killed all those prophets he sent them. And they're about to kill him, the son of God, the son of the landowner. Jewish leaders understood that. That's why they tried to kill him all the time, because they understood what he was saying, but they wouldn't submit. Jesus continues his case. Matthew 22, 23 through 33, I'm gonna summarize these, basically says that they do not know or understand God's law. Matthew 23, one through 12, they're hardcore hypocrites. They're prideful and love attention from people. They like to be called by special names. Now we're rapidly approaching the conclusion of this trial. Everything is ramping up. Jesus presents his closing statement. Matthew 23, 13 through 30, Jesus pronounces the woes to the Israelite leadership, summarizing their wicked leadership and the breaking of the covenant. Basically, the summary is they hate God's law. Israel is found guilty. Guilty of breaking the Mosaic Covenant. The case has been presented. The Israelites have been found guilty. Next, Jesus, as righteous judge, summarizes their guilt, then gives sentence for their crime. Listen to the words of this next passage. Matthew 23, 31 through 24, 2. Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up then the measure of your father's guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers, how can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you'll kill and crucify. Some of them you'll scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, all of it on them, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. And then we get a glimpse of his heart. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and sows those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. See, your house is left to you desolate. For I say to you, you shall see me no more till you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to him to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone will be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down. Jesus then stands at his trial, and at his death, his crucifixion, the veil is torn. Judgment has begun for Israel. And the Gentiles are given free access to God. Jesus' resurrection confirmed his identity that he had been saying all along. As the Roman centurion said, truly this was the Son of God. And by this, he affirms his sovereign right to judge Israel. He once again proves his messiahship. And all men and nations must bow to him or perish. Then in 8070 comes the final judgment of Israel. Their most important beloved city, Jerusalem, is destroyed. Their temple, the place of worship, is completely laid waste, just like Jesus said it would. Their sentence is complete. The once special people of God, ethnic Israel, is no more His special people. Not only the true, now only the true Israel worships him. And that consists of all who put their faith in Jesus as a sacrifice for their sins. It's from Romans 9. The holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, sovereign creator takes covenants seriously. And we are saved to obey him. We're saved to worship him. We're saved to do the works that he has prepared for us to do. Jesus' ultimate eternal authority and omnipotent power is confirmed by his resurrection. The remnant then is given a mission to make disciples of the nations. This is important to understand. We are to make disciples. Our work is not done when someone converts to Christianity. It's only begun. The Israelites were chosen by God to be his special people and to do his will. They did not do his will, so they were rejected by God. Let's not follow their example. God made a covenant with Israel. Israel broke that covenant. Jesus brought a public covenantal lawsuit against Israel. Jesus found them guilty of breaking that covenant, and then Jesus sentenced them. The end of sacrifices, the end of ethnic Israel as God's special blessed people, the complete destruction of their city and temple. But there's still hope. They, the Israelites, just like the Gentiles, can bow their will to His and submit to Jesus Christ and trust in Him for their salvation. Then, and only then, can they become part of the true Israel and rest in Jesus' saving work on the cross. I'll end this by reading the Great Commission. Matthew 28, 18. And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, I'm gonna highlight a few words here, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all of the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. not to walk an aisle and say a prayer. Doesn't sound like that, does it? And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. Heavenly Father, we thank you for what you have done for us. We thank you for opening up the veil and the Holy of Holies to us. Thank you that Jesus Christ is our sacrifice. Thank you that he has given us freedom to worship you. Thank you that we can come to you and he is our mediator. We don't need to go to a priest for forgiveness of sins. We can come directly to you, directly to your throne, confidently. because we're dressed in the robes of Jesus Christ and not our own sin. Thank you for taking our sin on the cross. Thank you for opening the way so that those who sat in darkness can see a great light. In Jesus' name, amen.