Good morning, everyone. The reading is from Matthew 26, starting at verse 57, reading to 27, verse 2.
!
That they might put him to death.
But they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.
At last, two came forward and said,
This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.
And the high priest stood up and said,
Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?
But Jesus remained silent.
And 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.
Then 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.
Then they spit in his face and struck him.
And some slapped him, saying,
Prophesy to us, you Christ.
Who is it that struck you?
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.
And a servant girl came up to him and said,
You also were with Jesus, a Galilean.
But he denied it before them all, saying,
I do not know what you mean.
And when he went out to the entrance,
another servant girl saw him,
and she said to the bystanders,
This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.
And again he denied it with an oath,
I do not know the man.
After a little while,
the bystanders came up and said to Peter,
Certainly you too are one of them,
for your accent betrays you.
Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear,
I do not know the man.
And immediately the rooster crowed.
And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus,
Before the rooster crows,
you will deny me three times.
And he went out and wept bitterly.
When morning came,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people
took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
And they bound him and led him away
and delivered him over to Pilate, the governor.
Well, good morning everyone.
Will you pray with me as we come to God's word?
Father, we always need your help
to understand your word and believe and obey
and be full of your son and your grace.
And so I ask that you be with us now in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Just a show of hands.
Who knows what TED Talks are?
How much do I have to explain?
Okay.
TED Talks are just experts in their field
give really short talks,
probably shorter than mine today.
I'm sorry.
15 minutes or so.
They're experts in their field.
Hopefully I pronounced her name right.
Brené Brown.
Her TED Talk is the fourth most watched.
After two decades of her research,
I just want to share a few of her insights.
So let me quote.
Connection is why we're here.
It's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.
Neurobiologically, that's how we're wired.
It's why we're here.
But when you ask people about love,
they tell you about heartbreak.
When you ask people about belonging,
they'll tell you their most excruciating experiences
of being excluded.
When you ask people about connection,
the stories they told me were about disconnection.
I ran into this unnamed thing
that absolutely unraveled connection.
Shame.
Is there something about me
that if other people know it or see it,
that I won't be worthy of connection?
I'm not good enough.
I'm not rich enough, beautiful enough,
smart enough, whatever.
I'm guessing this is hitting a nerve
because a lot of eyes have stopped looking at me here.
Only one variable, I'm still quoting,
that separated the people
who have a strong sense of love and belonging
and the people who really struggle for it,
and that was the people who have a strong sense of love and belonging
believe they're worthy of love and belonging.
That's it.
They believe they're worthy.
End quote.
Now, Genesis 1-3 has said this for millennia,
but it helps.
It helps to have an expert in people confirm it.
Connection.
We're made for it.
But that shame, that fear of being unworthy is in all of us.
It's not some.
It's in all of us.
I think in our passage today,
we're going to see the only reason
you and I can know for certain
we are worthy of connection.
And it is so strong
that we can even move towards people
who treat us as unworthy.
So please,
have your Bibles open
or on your phones, whatever.
We're in Matthew 26.
We're in the courtroom.
Well, I'll describe the setting in a moment,
but first I want to illustrate
the injustice of this scene we're entering.
Okay, illustration.
The elders here at Grace have decided
to excommunicate Andrew Wilkinson.
Now, this is the first he's hearing about it.
Now, we don't have a reason yet
just to quote Hunt for the Wilder People.
He's a real bad egg.
Now, I'm just wondering,
would anyone like to come up to the microphone
and just provide some reasons
that we should excommunicate him?
Anyone want to?
Okay.
We love you, Andrew.
We love you.
Now, I'm also aware that that illustration
is going to be a bit triggering
for some in this room
who have experienced rejection from the church,
but I want us to feel just,
not just,
how unjust
this trial is.
He's standing there as the accused.
They've decided the sentence already
in verse 59.
Now, the chief priests
and the whole council
were seeking false testimony
against Jesus
that they might put him to death,
and there's no charge yet.
They're spending the night
bringing in witness after witness
to find some mud
that's going to stick.
There's so many breaches
of Jewish law in this scene
that later writings of the Mishnah
required.
It was taking place in Caiaphas' home,
not in the temple precinct.
Capital cases required,
you could not do those at night time.
Here we are in the middle of the night,
through the night.
There was supposed to be a minimum of two days
for a trial,
and blasphemy charged.
The accused had to technically
use the name of God
for it to be a legal sense
with Leviticus 24.
But justice can be put aside,
is their thinking.
The hour demands it.
They've got to hurry.
They're afraid of the crowds.
If they don't hurry this night,
there's going to be mob violence
the next day.
He's arrested Thursday night.
Sabbath begins Friday at sunset.
He needs to be dead by then.
Pilate sees cases brought to him
in the morning.
They've got to get it done by dawn
so that he's dead by dusk.
And they need a charge against him
that will satisfy the Jewish crowds.
It is so unjust.
If anyone's wondering,
if you want a picture of all the Gospels
in terms of the flow of events here,
the most likely harmonisation
of the four Gospels
is that first he's examined by Annas,
seems to be a more private examination.
Then, while the Sanhedrin
is getting together,
you only needed 23 of the 70 council
to make a quorum.
So while they'll get together,
we shouldn't see the whole 70.
But then we've got this scene
before the courtroom.
And then you'll notice
in chapter 27, verse 1,
when morning came,
all the chief priests
and the elders turned up
and they confirmed the decision,
probably in the temple court,
and then they take him off to Pilate.
Now, can I quickly pause
and just say,
there's no grounds here
for anti-Semitism.
There's some awful anti-Semitism
going on in Australia.
This is not grounds for it.
Jesus is a Jew.
His first followers were Jewish.
So getting back to the story.
They need a charge against him
that will satisfy Jewish opinion.
So verse 60,
at last, two came forward and said,
this man said,
I am able to destroy the temple of God
and to rebuild it in three days.
Finally, finally,
they've got something
approaching blasphemy here.
The temple is where God put his name.
His reputation is bound up in the temple.
He did drive out the money changers,
as we've heard.
He did rearrange the furniture,
claiming it's his own house.
You can only rearrange furniture
in your own house.
He said,
my father's house
will be called a house of prayer.
Now, is the charge true?
Is it accurate?
When he prophesied the destruction
of the temple in 70 AD,
that was to his disciples in private.
What he said in public
is in John chapter 2.
Destroy this temple
and in three days I will raise it up.
And John adds,
he was speaking about the temple of his body.
He didn't actually,
the charge is close,
but it's not accurate.
He didn't say he will destroy the temple.
He said he would be destroyed.
He will be the temple.
He will be that high priest
who connects us to God.
He will be that final sacrifice
that deals with sin.
He will be the meeting place of God.
So the charge isn't true.
And I bet every fibre of his being
wants to defend himself.
How do you go
when someone says something untrue
about what you said or did?
How do you like the thought
that people you care about
have a false view of you?
I remember being hit
by a rubber in class at school
and the teacher saw my reaction
being hit by this projectile
and I got put on detention.
You teenagers at school
know the destructive power
of gossip.
Or at work
and you're treated as a scapegoat
for some error,
the company made.
How do you go?
What many people have found
so unique about Jesus
is
like a lamb
that is led to the slaughter
and like a sheep
for its shearers
is silent
so he opened not
his mouth.
His silence
is
its incredible strength.
His silence
but it frustrates
Caiaphas
almost got him
but he doesn't
incriminate himself
and so he puts him
under oath
before God.
Now
he's trying to force
the situation.
If you remain silent
under oath
you're breaking
the law.
If you
retreat
and say
you're not the Messiah
crisis over
because word will spread
if you affirm it
well
you have to be guilty
and
so he's forcing
the issue.
I adjure you
by the living God
tell us
if you are the Christ
the son
of God.
have you ever
thought about
how unusual
that question is?
Have you ever
been asked that
before?
You are
your words
and your life
there's something
about you
tell me
are you
the Christ?
This is such
a strange
question
in history
it's remarkable
that
this learned
high priest
even asked
this question
but then
knowing the
hatred and
rejection
Jesus would
receive
his response
is
more remarkable
it's out of this
world
he doesn't
shrink back
but he tells
the truth
so verse 64
is key here
Matthew
often picks
a saying
of Jesus
that interprets
the whole
story
and here we
have it
verse 64
is the key
to this
story
let me read
it again
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
so there's
two parts
of this
you have
said so
it seems
to be
a reluctant
yes
we should
probably hear
it as
well
in a sense
yes
but not
what you
think
not this
political
idea
of Messiah
who would
vanquish
the Romans
and
establish
the Jewish
authorities
and
not in
that sense
in a sense
you're right
in calling
me Christ
son of
God
but I'm
going to
pick a
different
phrase
so that
you understand
me
son of
man
and
bows
open
the
morning
for us
already
to understand
he's
upping
the ante
here
the prophet
Daniel
he's a
Jewish
man
he could
not
imagine
anyone
being seen
as divine
except
Yahweh
but then
he's given
the vision
behold
with
clouds
of
heaven
there
came
one
like
a
son
of
man
a
human
being
and
he
came
to
the
ancient
of
days
and
he
was
presented
before
him
and
to
him
was
given
dominion
and
glory
and
a
kingdom
that
all
peoples
nations
and
languages
should
serve
him
his
dominion
is
an
everlasting
dominion
which
shall
not
pass
away
some
people
ask
what's
the
difference
between
Christianity
and
other
religions
all
religions
are
making
truth
claims
the
difference
is
look
at
this
prisoner
here's
this
prisoner
standing
before
the
judges
saying
you're
not
going
to
see
me
like
this
again
how
I
am
today
but
you
will
see
me
when
God
gives
me
dominion
over
all
the
world
when
I'm
seated
on
that
glorious
throne
and
all
the
nations
including
you
Caiaphas
including
you
in
this
room
and
me
all
will
stand
before
me
and
I
hold
the
destiny
of
everyone
in
my
hands
you
see
me
as
a
blasphemer
that
God's
angry
at
me
no
the
father
delights
in
me
honouring
me
as
the
object
of
the
world's
worship
you
sentence
me
to
death
I'm
going
to
rise
and
I'm
going
to
come
on
the
clouds
of
heaven
who
is
this
guy
saying
this
to
quote
to
quote
C.
S.
Lewis
because
he can
say it
better
than
me
man
then
comes
to
man
to
God
says
he
was
a
man
who
goes
about
talking
as
if
he
was
God
claims
to
forgive
sins
says
he
always
existed
says
he's
coming
to
judge
the
world
at
the
end
of
time
now
let's
get
this
clear
among
pantheists
anyone
might
say
that he
was
a
part
of
God
or
one
with
God
there's
nothing
very
odd
about
that
but
this
man
since
he
was
a
Jew
could
not
mean
that
kind
of
God
in
Jewish
language
meant
a
being
outside
the
world
who'd
made
it
and was
infinitely
different
from
anything
else
when
you
grasp
that
you'll
see
that
what
this
man
said
was
quite
simply
the
most
shocking
thing
that
has
ever
been
uttered
by
human
lips
so
what
is
he
worthy
of
what
do
you
think
he's
worthy
of
Caiaphas
asked
that
question
to
the
room
and
they
say
he's
worthy
of
death
the
high
priest
tears
his
robes
in
anger
in
grief
that
this
man
has
claimed
the
place
of
God
and
maybe
to
quieten
their
own
conscience
for
condemning
an
innocent
man
I'm
not
sure
why
they
do
that
they
spit
in
his
face
struck
him
slapped
him
mock
him
prophesy
to
us
Christ
who
is
it
that
struck
you
the
one
who
alone
is
worthy
of
all
our
connection
all
our
love
is
put to
shame
he's
hated
he's
rejected
he's
condemned
and
amazingly
again
he
who
called
down
twelve
legions
of
angels
remained
silent
rejected
by
all
and
he
remained
silent
and
then we
come to
Peter
verse
58
Peter
follows
at a
distance
he
seems
to be
halfway
between
courage
and
cowardice
he's
faced
with the
fear
of
experiencing
the same
injustice
and
hatred
that
when
the
servant
girl
implies
the
accusation
you
also
were
with
him
publicly
whoever
was
listening
before
them
all
he
lies
I
don't
know
what
you
mean
he
seems
to
retreat
further
away
probably
into
the
darkness
and
another
servant
girl
accuses
him
and
he
intensifies
his
lie
with
an
oath
before
God
I
do
not
know
the
man
having
lied
twice
the
third
accusation
he
calls
God's
curse
down
on
him
I
do
not
know
the
man
us
westerners
probably
see him
weeping
outside
when the
rooster
crows
we
probably
see that
as guilt
he's
done
the
wrong
thing
now
that
I'm
sure
there
is
guilt
I
think
it
goes
deeper
Peter's
identity
is
shattered
at this
point
who
is he
the
Peter
of
verse
35
or
is he
the
Peter
of
verse
74
which
Peter
am I
even
if I
must
die
with
you
I
will
never
deny
you
or
am
I
the
Peter
who
calls
down
God's
curse
and
three
times
I
do
not
know
the
man
he
shattered
who
am
I
he's
weeping
bitterly
in
shame
I
think
any
sense
of
self
worth
of
God's
connection
and
Jesus
connection
is
shattered
he
feels
so
ashamed
rejecting
his
friend
rejecting
his
Lord
something
a question
that came
to my
mind
is
Peter's
denials
didn't
actually
affect
the
outcome
of
Jesus
going
to the
cross
or not
it
didn't
affect
the
court
why
do
all
four
gospels
emphasise
Peter's
denials
in
any
religion
any
belief
system
any
friendship
group
any
family
any
political
party
any
club
do
!
Not even his closest followers are loyal as he deserves.
Every single person is unworthy of connection with God.
Enemies and friends rejected him.
I think Peter illustrates the primary cause for Jesus being killed.
See if you can agree with Don Carson when he says this.
Every Christian is as guilty of putting Jesus on the cross as Caiaphas.
But thoughtful believers will surely admit that their own guilt is what drove Jesus to the cross.
I think Peter's here so that we go, I put Jesus on the cross.
Which is the true Dave Bott, the one who preaches on a Sunday, hopefully sometimes confidently and passionately,
or the one who in conversation in private has an opportunity to say he loves Jesus and keeps his mouth shut in fear and shame.
Which is the true Dave Bott?
Now I could pick heaps of other inconsistencies.
Caiaphas wasn't the primary cause.
What drove Jesus to the cross was his desire to do the Father's will in moving in love towards our unworthiness,
in our rejection of him, to unite us to him forever.
He moves in love towards our faithlessness.
I think Peter is like the Apostle Paul.
Do you remember where Apostle Paul, he counts himself as the chief of sinners
so that the rest of us might know God's amazing patience and mercy?
I think Peter is like that.
When we look at Peter, you and I can be assured,
as we see Jesus' commitment to Peter,
he tells Peter ahead of time,
you will fail me.
Within hours, you will fail me.
And Luke's Gospel says,
at this moment he looked Jesus in the eyes.
What piercing shame,
but I think also connection.
I think in Peter,
we see the only way you and I can know for certain we're worthy of connection.
It's not the Peter who believed in himself.
Even if I must die with you,
I will not deny you.
Here's how you can be worthy of connection.
Be broken.
Weeping.
Ashamed.
Spiritually bankrupt.
Unworthy.
And then seeing your God move toward you
in love and commitment,
taking your shame to the cross.
I think saying, in effect,
I am committed to you.
Even to death,
knowing full well you won't treat me
with the worth I deserve.
I am committed to you.
To quote Tim Keller again,
you are absolutely
and totally adopted,
accepted,
loved,
treasured,
and delighted in
by the only person in the whole universe
whose opinion counts
and whose opinion will last.
will last.
Well, speaking to someone this week,
they've experienced unjust gossip
in the workplace and mocked and excluded.
It sounded like a kind of personal death to their identity.
It made them not want to go to work, of course,
if maybe you've experienced something like it.
But their testimony was that in that agony,
in that helplessness of the injustice of the situation,
that they found a friend.
They had a friend in Jesus that sticks closer than a brother.
They found a deeper place of personal worth.
In what they already believed,
they just now know it in a deeper, personal way.
And it turned that situation into an opportunity
to share in the sufferings of Christ,
the injustice,
and to enter that darkness
and show this world the grace of God
who moves towards our rejection in loving commitment.
I was really encouraged by it.
So can I finish just by asking,
brothers and sisters,
what opportunities has God given you at the moment
to find your worthiness of connection
in your one true heavenly friend?
friend.
Whatever sense of unworthiness
you're hearing in your own mind,
stop listening to yourself
and preach this passage to yourself.
It may be in your marriage.
You can't even reach out
and take their hand at the moment.
It may be with school friends.
It may be with your parents or with your kids.
Maybe all of the above.
But what opportunities has God given you
that you can go deeper in knowing
that your Lord is committed to you.
That you are absolutely and totally adopted
and accepted and loved and treasured
and delighted in
by the only person in the whole universe
whose opinion counts
and whose opinion will last.
and then
to willingly enter that situation
sharing in Jesus' death,
in the injustice of it,
but sharing in his resurrection life
and showing
showing those people the love of God.
Our God who moved towards us
when we rejected him.
that they too might know connection with Christ.
But what opportunities
has he given us at the moment?
Will you pray with me?
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus,
we have only scratched the surface
in terms of
how worthy you are
of
of all our heart,
soul,
mind and strength
and
seeing the awfulness
of
when we're not faithful to you.
We've only scratched the surface
but
I pray you might fill each one of us
with
how deep your commitment to us is.
Your grace
knowing full well
we can't
treat you as you deserve.
but you took the shame
we deserve.
Lord,
fill our hearts
so that we might have peace
and joy
and hope
in you
and so that we might honour you
in whatever situation
you have us in at the moment.
That we might trust
that the situation
you've got us in
is an opportunity
to display
this Christ.
Pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.