Sermon -- Lenten Vespers #1 (March 6, 2024)

MATTHEW 26:57-75

GOD ON TRIAL: Testimony.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The religious leaders hated Jesus.  We fail to understand why.  Jesus performed miraculous healings for multitudes.  That is reason to rejoice, not to get angry.  Jesus demonstrated abundant mercy to people who were consumed by fear and overwhelmed by shame.  Rather than judge them according to their ugly past, he issued a pardon for their offenses and assured them of a beautiful future.  Who could not be moved by that?  And while the dreams of a messianic kingdom gave the Romans reason to be on high alert, Jesus did not stir up the crowds for rebellion.  If there was to be a fight, it was to be against their own sinful nature, not against earthly authorities.  The crowds rallied to Jesus, but they remained a peaceful assembly.  Nevertheless, the religious leaders hated Jesus.

     The reason they hated Jesus is because they were paying attention to his words.  Jesus had given testimony, again and again, stating his authority—authority over illness, authority over demons, authority over nature, authority over the Sabbath, authority over death, and the authority of God himself.  When Jesus had preached the Sermon on the Mount, he began by quoting one of the Commandments.  For example, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’” (Matthew 5:27).  But then Jesus continued, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).  What else is this testimony but a claim to be equal to God?  The rabbis did not miss this.  And other testimony by Jesus further emphasized the claim.

     The religious leaders hated Jesus.  But what they could not do was find fault with him.  While he taught with the authority of God, Jesus did not overthrow the word of God.  He did not rebel against the word of God, and he did not teach anyone else to sin against God’s word either.  In fact, he reinforced it.  This was his testimony: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18).  So, Jesus was faultless both in his teaching and in his keeping of the Law.  When Jesus stood trial, they brought in false witnesses to testify against Jesus.  Even those who were paid off could not agree on their testimony.  They could find no charges to stick against Jesus.  He was guiltless.  Nevertheless, the religious leaders hated Jesus.

     Throughout the trial, Jesus did not respond to any of the charges that were made against him.  Jesus’ teachings were done publicly.  If he had been guilty of anything, the evidence could easily be found.  Besides, Jesus had given plenty of testimony in the past, and they did not repent.  But now, the time for teaching and testifying had reached its end.  In the court of the Sanhedrin, Jesus did not bother to cast any more pearls to the swine.  He remained silent.

     Finally, Caiaphas put Jesus under oath.  “The high priest said to him, ‘I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’  Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so.  But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (Matthew 26:63-64).  Jesus not only repeated the claim that he is God, he also claimed that he would judge the living and dead when he returns in glory on the Last Day.  Caiaphas put him under oath to tell the truth, and he did.

     I don’t know if Caiaphas was angry or overjoyed.  Jesus gave the testimony which produced the results Caiaphas and the whole Sanhedrin wanted.  “The high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has uttered blasphemy.  What further witnesses do we need?  You have now heard his blasphemy.  What is your judgment?’  They answered, ‘He deserves death’” (Matthew 26:65-66).  The religious leaders hated Jesus.  They rejected the evidence.  They denied the miracles.  They slandered his authority over demons.  They despised his teachings.  And when God was put on trial, they condemned him for his testimony that he is God.

     As the trial was going on in Caiaphas’ palace, Simon Peter stood outside in Caiaphas’ courtyard.  He loved his master, and he longed to be faithful to him.  He had boasted of his allegiance, and he meant it.  As Jesus was being vilified at his trial, Simon Peter was warming himself in the chill of the evening.  A servant girl spotted him and outed him: “You also were with Jesus the Galilean” (Matthew 26:69).  You can envision all the heads turning toward Peter to get a good look at him—soldiers, servants, friends of the Sanhedrin.  The chill went out of the night air and right down Peter’s spine.  To confess Jesus would almost certainly mean to face the same fate as Jesus.  The religious leaders hated Jesus; they would hate his followers, too.

     To avoid trouble, Simon Peter had to avoid his allegiance to Jesus.  He gave his testimony: “I do not know what you mean” (Matthew 26:70).  Peter stepped away from the light of the charcoal fire and hid in the shadows at the entrance of the courtyard.  He was trying to escape danger, but he did not escape their notice.  “Another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, ‘This man was with Jesus of Nazareth’” (Matthew 26:71).  Peter was given another chance to give his testimony, to defend Jesus’ teachings, and to confess Jesus’ identity.  Instead, “he denied it with an oath: ‘I do not know the man’” (Matthew 26:72).  A third chance for Peter to give his testimony resulted in a third denial: “He began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, ‘I do not know the man’” (Matthew 26:74).  The religious leaders hated Jesus; Peter knew it.  The religious leaders hated Jesus’ disciples; Peter knew it.  But Peter did not want to be hated or endangered.  He was put under an informal trial for being Jesus’ follower.  He was put to the test, and he failed.

     It is a nerve-wracking question to this day.  When people ask about your faith.  Your defenses go up.  You wonder if you are about to face criticism or challenges or scorn.  The question feels like a set up.  But when the questions get more specific, that’s when things get dangerous. 

     Someone may say, “You believe there are more than two genders, don’t you?”  Or, “You believe in Creation?!  Why do you reject science?”  Or, “You are opposed to Drag Queen story hour?  What are you, a Puritan?”  Or, “You think nice people are going to hell just because they aren’t Christians?  Why do you hate them so much?”  And so on.  If these questions are asked, you might feel the heads in the room turn toward you to see how you will answer.  You might get attacked if you give a faithful testimony.  As a result, you may swallow your words, shrink away, and say nothing.  You might even deny what God’s word says so that people will like you.  Or perhaps you will try to find a middle ground and say, “Well, I’m a Christian, but I don’t believe everything in the Bible.  I’m way more open-minded than that.”  But this is what the Lord says, “Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26). 

     We have many opportunities to confess God’s word.  In these moments, God puts us to the test to see if we will confess him and if we will hold to the truth of his word.  If we uphold God’s word and if we insist that his word is true, it may convict some people whose lives or thoughts are opposed to it.  Simon Peter was fearful of the strangers around him.  For you, it may be family members who have turned away from God’s word.  The family expects you to praise wicked choices because you are supposed to stand by your loved ones.  Loving them is supposed to mean agreeing with them.  To stand on the testimony of God’s word will cause heads to turn and charges to be levelled against you.  Rather than repent of their sins, they will pressure you to reject God’s truth.  You will discover that people still hate Jesus, and they hate people who confess Jesus. 

     Perhaps you’ve had those difficult and uncomfortable moments.  How did you do? Were you like Simon Peter, who found it easier to deny Jesus than to confess him and endure the scorn?  Or maybe you chose to say nothing, making no response when asked for your confession.  When we long for the favor of sinful men more than the favor of God, it is God who gets rejected.  Repent.

     When Simon Peter realized how badly he had failed Jesus, “he went out and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:75).  He was appalled at how easy it was to turn on Jesus.  While Simon Peter was right to repent, he was not saved by his tears.  He was saved by Jesus who did make the faithful testimony to all people.  Jesus made his testimony throughout his life—before the crowds and their mixed reactions, before the rabbis who hated and slandered him, and before Caiaphas who was looking for reasons to kill him.  Jesus did not budge from the truth.  He sought only to uphold the will of his heavenly Father.  Therefore, Jesus confessed faithfully and freely that he is the Son of God, knowing that they would order his death for saying so.  Jesus’ faithfulness to God’s word does not merely stand in contrast to our weak confession or denial of God’s word, it atones for it.

     God the Father sent Jesus to pay the price for every careless word we have spoken, for every failed confession, and for every lie we have uttered.  He suffered in silence for our sins.  And although we have nothing to say in our defense, Jesus speaks to us in words of mercy.  Having paid for our sins, he issues his sentence upon us: Your sins are forgiven.  And he is pleased to acknowledge you before the heavenly Father and to confess that you are his.  He gives you words to say.  First, you confess what is true about yourself—that you have sinned against Jesus in what you have said and in what you have failed to say.  Then you confess what is true about Jesus—that his blood was shed to take away the sin of the world.  What’s more, he gives you his body and blood in holy communion.  This touches your mouth and cleanses you of every impurity in it.

     And then, Jesus gives you more to say.  We confess with David, “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” (Psalm 51:15).  If anyone hates you for your words, keep in mind that they hated Jesus first.  But fear not; Jesus loves you and that is all that matters.  Only Jesus has the words that grant eternal life.  He is not ashamed to acknowledge you to the Father.  For, he tells you that you are his redeemed, and his testimony is true.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.