WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.080 Let's pray. Bow our heads in prayer. 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:07.960 Father, it's snowy, it's cold. 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:12.740 We thank you that we can be where it's warm and where it's not snowing. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:18.800 We ask, Lord, that you would help us to know deeply the truth of your word, 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:22.460 the truth of your gospel, and how we should then live, 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.280 given that the gospel is truly true. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:27.679 Father, bring this home to our hearts this morning. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:31.920 We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:00:32.700 --> 00:00:33.460 Please be seated. 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:43.480 So quite a few years ago, one of my children started to have very severe breathing problems one evening. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:47.320 And she has an asthma problem. 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:49.039 We knew that she had an asthma problem. 00:00:49.100 --> 00:00:50.799 She was quite young, very, very young. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:55.460 But her breathing problems, even when we gave her puffers, it didn't fix things. 00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:56.600 Things just got worse. 00:00:56.600 --> 00:01:02.200 And so we eventually decided that I had to take her to the hospital. 00:01:02.480 --> 00:01:03.679 We didn't call the ambulance. 00:01:03.939 --> 00:01:05.200 I drove her to the hospital. 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:09.500 And she continued to go downhill, actually. 00:01:10.099 --> 00:01:14.460 And it felt afterwards I discovered that it was a bit of touch and go 00:01:14.460 --> 00:01:17.359 as to whether they were actually going to be able to save her life. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:23.760 But I can't remember if it was the day after a very, very hard night or two days after two hard nights. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:31.379 I'd been sleeping at the hospital, sleeping in quotation marks on a chair beside my daughter's bed. 00:01:32.260 --> 00:01:33.680 But she had turned the corner. 00:01:34.539 --> 00:01:36.980 Still not better, but she turned the corner. 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:38.719 The things were looking good. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:42.980 The machines and the trend lines were going in good directions now. 00:01:42.980 --> 00:01:50.159 And I went down to the cafeteria of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario to get a muffin or something like that. 00:01:50.219 --> 00:01:54.040 And no surprise, a cup of coffee, a very big one because I was very tired. 00:01:54.040 --> 00:02:05.320 And as I'm leaving the cafeteria, I bump into somebody who was a regular, occasional-slash-regular member of the church whom I knew. 00:02:05.820 --> 00:02:08.159 And I had forgotten that this guy attended the church. 00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:12.780 But not only was he a doctor at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:16.480 he was actually the head of a department in the hospital. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:18.960 So he was sort of a big mucky-muck guy. 00:02:19.900 --> 00:02:21.939 And he said, George, what are you doing here? 00:02:21.939 --> 00:02:23.359 And I just told him. 00:02:23.379 --> 00:02:24.659 And he said, oh, is she all right? 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:26.479 And I said, oh, yeah, it looks like things are going well. 00:02:26.659 --> 00:02:29.240 And he said, are they treating you well and her well? 00:02:29.259 --> 00:02:30.400 And I said, yeah, I have no complaints. 00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:31.300 They're doing a great job. 00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:33.439 And he said, well, I'm going to come up and see her. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:35.240 Now, I don't know. 00:02:35.419 --> 00:02:40.120 Afterwards, I was wondering if he was thinking of this and this and this and all these other things. 00:02:40.139 --> 00:02:41.800 But he says he'll come up and see me. 00:02:42.539 --> 00:02:47.860 And I don't really sort of realize the significance of this until we get out of the hospital, 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:50.599 the elevator at the floor that my daughter was on. 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:57.740 And there happened to be a senior doctor walking by with a group of interns, obviously. 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:04.139 And the doctor stopped suddenly and turned and said, I'll call him Andy. 00:03:04.519 --> 00:03:06.599 Andy, what are you doing here? 00:03:07.459 --> 00:03:10.680 And so Andy said to this doctor, whom we'll call Bob, 00:03:11.740 --> 00:03:15.039 Andy said, oh, you know, this is my really good friend. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.519 And he's also my pastor and his daughter's in your ward. 00:03:20.799 --> 00:03:25.199 And all of a sudden, Andy got a Bob, the doctor. 00:03:26.180 --> 00:03:27.379 They got very concerned. 00:03:27.500 --> 00:03:33.639 I found out that this Dr. Bob was actually the doctor who was in charge of that whole department. 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:39.340 That's, I guess, why she was really surprised when a doctor from another apartment came onto her floor 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:40.520 to see one of her patients. 00:03:41.200 --> 00:03:44.840 And so Bob got instantly concerned as to whether I was being treated right. 00:03:45.920 --> 00:03:49.340 You could just tell from the body language, like, oh, is everything going all right? 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:50.219 Are you being treated all right? 00:03:50.259 --> 00:03:50.900 And I said, no, I'm fine. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:52.159 There's no problems. 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:56.199 And then Bob says to me, well, listen, at any time while you're here, 00:03:56.240 --> 00:03:59.039 if you have any problems, this is my name. 00:03:59.379 --> 00:04:00.800 The nurses know how to reach me. 00:04:00.860 --> 00:04:02.080 You get a hold of me. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:03.680 I'll make sure things are put right. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:09.280 And then, of course, the head of the department from then on came and visited my daughter. 00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:11.000 Now, why am I telling you this story? 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:15.360 What I've described is something which is just very, very deeply human. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:23.480 People look after their friends and sort of just their tribe, their friend. 00:04:23.540 --> 00:04:25.620 They look after each other often. 00:04:26.420 --> 00:04:30.360 And I don't know if this doctor from our congregation, Andy, 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:34.020 he sort of wanted to guarantee that I would get treated really well by making an appearance. 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:36.319 Like, I don't know all that, the politics, and I never asked him. 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.900 And he's no longer with us. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:44.080 But we got even better treatment after that. 00:04:44.180 --> 00:04:44.860 But here's the thing. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.500 It's very, very deeply human to do something like what this doctor did. 00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:52.480 And she sees an important person in the hospital. 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:56.540 I'm that person's friend and pastor. 00:04:57.080 --> 00:04:58.680 And you look after each other. 00:04:59.000 --> 00:04:59.639 That's what you do. 00:04:59.699 --> 00:05:00.160 That's human. 00:05:00.699 --> 00:05:04.960 Now, I mention this because it's actually a dynamic of what's going on in the story. 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:07.639 And it's a very important dynamic in this story. 00:05:08.259 --> 00:05:11.600 And it's one of the reasons why this dynamic which I'm describing, 00:05:11.780 --> 00:05:14.500 which when I point it out to you, you'll see that it's there in the story. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.500 And it's one of the reasons why the Christian faith transformed the world. 00:05:19.400 --> 00:05:22.100 Like, it's very hard maybe for some of you to believe that, 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:24.379 but the Christian faith transformed the world. 00:05:24.540 --> 00:05:25.780 Well, let's see how. 00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:30.899 If you turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 10, sorry, Mark chapter 14. 00:05:30.899 --> 00:05:37.379 And we're going to be reading from verse 53 on. 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:39.599 Mark 14, 53 on. 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:43.320 We're preaching through the book of Mark. 00:05:43.320 --> 00:05:44.860 And that's why we come to this story. 00:05:44.860 --> 00:05:48.900 And I'm going to do, once again, the same type of technique I did last week. 00:05:48.900 --> 00:05:57.720 Imagine this is a European, some Europeans or the BBC or some British group has decided to put all of this into a bit of a series, 00:05:57.860 --> 00:05:59.080 a limited edition series. 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:02.759 And so there's a succession of episodes to tell the overarching story. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:08.079 And you might or might not remember, but last week ended on a cliffhanger. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:11.539 I'm watching The Last of Us. 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:15.399 And those of you who've been following that along, last week ended with a cliffhanger. 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:18.819 And there's a similar cliffhanger that happens here. 00:06:18.819 --> 00:06:29.360 The story ends with all of Jesus' friends abandoning him and a group of men armed with clubs and other weapons have seized him. 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:31.180 And they've carted him away in the night. 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:33.079 And now the story continues. 00:06:33.579 --> 00:06:38.199 And so we'll call this first scene, scene one, the right quorum. 00:06:38.719 --> 00:06:41.300 Scene one, the right quorum. 00:06:41.459 --> 00:06:42.680 And it's verse 53. 00:06:42.899 --> 00:06:43.920 And here's how it goes. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.580 And they led Jesus to the high priest. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:50.580 And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:54.180 Now, you can listen to my last two sermons. 00:06:54.300 --> 00:06:59.759 I'm not going to go into the significance of naming the chief priests, the elders and the scribes. 00:07:00.379 --> 00:07:02.060 But here we see now the high priest. 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.000 We know now, in fact, later on, it's covered up in our translation. 00:07:06.280 --> 00:07:07.340 It's the Sanhedrin. 00:07:07.340 --> 00:07:12.900 And there's one high priest and 70 other members that make up this gathering. 00:07:12.899 --> 00:07:19.919 I mean, but there's, and by the way, when it says here, they led Jesus to the high priest, it's not as if they led Jesus there. 00:07:20.259 --> 00:07:25.439 This is where you need to, you know, the filmmaker would have to make sure that the episode shows this. 00:07:26.039 --> 00:07:29.019 They lead him there with clubs, seized. 00:07:29.620 --> 00:07:31.719 So they've seized him to make sure he can't run away. 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:33.399 They're all armed, heavily armed. 00:07:33.539 --> 00:07:34.679 Jesus is in the midst of them. 00:07:34.679 --> 00:07:37.779 And that's how they lead him to the high priest. 00:07:37.779 --> 00:07:44.619 And when it says all, and this is going to be important throughout the story, wherever you see the word all or whole, 00:07:45.259 --> 00:07:53.059 they don't mean every single priest and every single scribe and every single elder. 00:07:53.239 --> 00:07:57.039 And they don't even mean every single one who's on the Sanhedrin. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:02.180 What they're referring to is basically that a quorum has been reached. 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:08.540 And ancient people who wrote at that time that we have their records of what they wrote, 00:08:08.620 --> 00:08:13.759 we know that in those days a quorum was the high priest and 22 other people. 00:08:14.420 --> 00:08:18.460 And if you had the high priest and 22 other people, you had everybody there. 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:21.500 You had all, in a sense, that's what all refers to. 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:23.660 And that's later on what whole refers to. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:27.959 And when they say the decision is unanimous, that's what it's referring to. 00:08:28.180 --> 00:08:31.439 It's a valid meaning on one level of the Sanhedrin. 00:08:31.620 --> 00:08:32.639 They can make decisions. 00:08:33.340 --> 00:08:38.960 And that fits in with why in other of the ancient biographies it says that some people remember the council 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:40.700 and they wouldn't have voted against this. 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:44.019 Well, that's not a discounting of what's happening right here. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:45.580 The quorum has been reached. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:47.799 And here's the thing with my introductory story. 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:53.120 It's a normal human thing to care for your group, so to speak. 00:08:53.379 --> 00:08:58.539 And my parishioner that I've called, Andy, he sees me there in the hospital. 00:08:58.679 --> 00:08:59.959 He knows I shouldn't be there. 00:09:00.259 --> 00:09:03.120 And he wants to make sure, I mean, he is a doctor. 00:09:03.319 --> 00:09:05.240 He loves children. 00:09:05.659 --> 00:09:08.719 He's a doctor because he loves to see children made well. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.399 So he has both a natural human desire to go see my daughter. 00:09:13.959 --> 00:09:16.559 But at the same time, he's wanting to make sure I'm carried well. 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:25.979 But that can also get twisted so that we make sure the right people, our people, are in positions of power and authority. 00:09:26.959 --> 00:09:31.500 And the high priest is manufacturing and the others are manufacturing this. 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:34.739 And they might say beforehand, we're going to be gathering people together. 00:09:34.819 --> 00:09:36.279 We've got to get our people there. 00:09:36.359 --> 00:09:38.419 We've got to get our people there who are sound. 00:09:39.439 --> 00:09:39.599 Right? 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:44.800 You know, don't bring in Fred or, you know, or Smith. 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:46.300 They're on our side. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:50.220 But, you know, they get wishy-washy and caught up on legalities and all of that stuff. 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:53.120 And don't bring in, you know, Abe. 00:09:53.180 --> 00:09:55.080 And don't bring in, you know, Sam. 00:09:55.220 --> 00:09:57.899 Because, you know, I don't know, they're a bit sympathetic to it. 00:09:57.899 --> 00:10:02.179 And we want to make sure our people, the sound people, from our point of view, are there. 00:10:02.459 --> 00:10:04.159 And that's the dynamic that's going on. 00:10:04.419 --> 00:10:05.579 And they're successful. 00:10:06.279 --> 00:10:07.159 They're successful. 00:10:07.340 --> 00:10:09.759 So the right quorum is there. 00:10:11.079 --> 00:10:13.819 So now the next bit is sort of odd. 00:10:13.820 --> 00:10:22.960 And if, once again, we were doing this as a television series, we're setting up something here that's going to be central to the very next episode. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:27.000 The next episode seems to be taken aside from the storyline. 00:10:27.260 --> 00:10:29.400 And it's setting it up with this small incident. 00:10:29.940 --> 00:10:33.480 But there's also something very important for us to notice in it. 00:10:33.540 --> 00:10:38.800 So scene two is he knows better with a question mark. 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:40.400 He knows better. 00:10:41.060 --> 00:10:42.140 And it's verse 54. 00:10:42.140 --> 00:10:43.360 And it goes like this. 00:10:43.820 --> 00:10:49.220 And Peter had followed Jesus at a distance right into the courtyard of the high priest. 00:10:49.780 --> 00:10:54.840 And Peter was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 00:10:55.500 --> 00:10:57.620 Now, when we'd last seen Peter, he'd fled. 00:10:57.760 --> 00:10:59.580 Obviously, he has a bit of a change of heart. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.420 And he follows along at a distance. 00:11:02.420 --> 00:11:03.960 And now he comes right into the courtyard. 00:11:04.100 --> 00:11:05.620 Now, why do I call it he knows better? 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:07.180 This is deeply human. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:09.180 Deeply, deeply human. 00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:20.879 Jesus has warned Peter that he, Peter, is going to deny Jesus three times before the cock crows, before the rooster crows. 00:11:21.199 --> 00:11:25.179 Although there's a different way to understand that, which we'll talk about next week. 00:11:25.179 --> 00:11:30.459 And Peter has seen that every time Jesus speaks, Jesus is correct. 00:11:30.460 --> 00:11:34.360 And so Peter here thinks, I know better. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:36.900 Because what does he do? 00:11:37.100 --> 00:11:39.340 He actually goes and sits with the guards. 00:11:40.040 --> 00:11:45.720 Like, you know, this is actually just saying, I know better. 00:11:45.920 --> 00:11:48.080 Like, Peter, Jesus is going to be wrong. 00:11:48.220 --> 00:11:49.400 I'm not going to deny him. 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:55.419 And, you know, maybe that would be hard for Peter to deny him if he'd gone and just hidden off somewhere by himself for the night. 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:58.000 You know, trying to pray and screw up the curds and things. 00:11:58.299 --> 00:12:00.279 But he, in a sense, tempts fate. 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:02.139 He tests the limits. 00:12:02.699 --> 00:12:02.980 Right? 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:06.720 And he actually goes right amongst a whole pile of guards. 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:09.079 Some of whom are going to recognize him. 00:12:09.319 --> 00:12:12.039 And who are going to ask him if, you know, he's tempting. 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:21.899 You know, he's like, not that any of this happened to any of our, any of us when we were young. 00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:26.639 And our parent says to us, well, why did you go to that party? 00:12:27.019 --> 00:12:28.799 Or why did you go off with those people? 00:12:28.939 --> 00:12:32.480 Didn't you know that if you went with those people, they were going to do this and that was going to happen? 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:35.179 Well, you did. 00:12:36.319 --> 00:12:40.019 But you thought you could sort of go up to the line but not cross the line? 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:41.219 It's very deeply human. 00:12:41.220 --> 00:12:42.460 That's what Peter thought he could do. 00:12:42.500 --> 00:12:45.420 You could go up to the line but not cross it. 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:48.180 And as we'll see next week, he crosses it. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:55.220 But in the meantime, something also deeply human, weirdly human, happens next. 00:12:56.200 --> 00:13:02.620 See, one of the things about this story is that everything about it could easily be filmed in a realistic series. 00:13:03.980 --> 00:13:09.960 It's something, once again, which is weirdly human that we don't often think about. 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:11.580 And that's the next thing. 00:13:11.780 --> 00:13:15.720 It's scene number three, the show trial. 00:13:16.220 --> 00:13:17.780 Some of you know what a show trial is. 00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:21.060 The show trial, verse 55, and it goes like this. 00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:25.780 Now, the chief priests and the whole council, that's the Sanhedrin literally, 00:13:26.420 --> 00:13:32.540 were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:45.279 Now, a show trial is something that comes from the Soviet era where basically everybody knew that the person was going to be found guilty. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:47.939 Everybody knows that in advance. 00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:51.819 But they go through the appearance of having a legal trial. 00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:54.439 But everything about it is a sham. 00:13:55.059 --> 00:13:59.480 The person's going to probably confess, has been beaten or tortured until they confess, 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:02.500 or threatened with the death of their loved ones until they confess. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:06.679 Everybody knows, involved in the trial, that there's no justice there. 00:14:06.779 --> 00:14:08.360 It's all just appearance. 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:12.279 But, you know, here's the thing. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:14.940 This is what's so deeply human about it. 00:14:14.940 --> 00:14:19.740 We can say, oh, you know, those terrible Soviet Union or, you know, other more modern examples of it, right? 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:23.060 Because they're not seeking a trial to figure out what happened. 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:24.620 You know, look what it says again. 00:14:25.060 --> 00:14:28.480 They're seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.980 And that's what they're seeking to do. 00:14:32.539 --> 00:14:38.120 But we all know that they just want to have Jesus killed, but they're looking for evidence, so to speak. 00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:44.300 And, you know, most people won't just come out and say, yeah, that's a lie. 00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:48.940 I did that just because I'm selfish. 00:14:49.580 --> 00:14:52.680 And I just did it, you know, because I don't like you. 00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:53.759 I hate you. 00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:55.759 Nobody says that. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:02.360 Well, they say, well, you know, there's this reason and there's this circumstance and I'm pursuing justice and I'm doing this and I'm doing that. 00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:03.679 Like, that's a deeply human thing. 00:15:03.819 --> 00:15:05.740 We rationalize our actions. 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:11.679 In fact, it's almost as if in Genesis 3, which is whether or not you believe it's literally true, 00:15:11.779 --> 00:15:14.000 and I actually believe that it's literally true, 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:20.259 it's deeply psychologically true that we human beings continue to love fig leaves. 00:15:20.259 --> 00:15:27.840 That after we've done something wrong, and the people who matter know we've done something wrong, 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:34.340 we like to have some type of fig leaf to try to cover that, the revelation that we've done something wrong. 00:15:34.460 --> 00:15:38.840 We like to have things to make it look like we're, it was really good. 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:40.519 And we see that in Canada. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:41.740 We see it in our own lives. 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:44.620 It's something deeply human. 00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:50.379 So they are going to have a pretend process, but everything about this is wrong. 00:15:51.299 --> 00:15:59.759 If you'll notice here in the previous story, it said that Jesus, or the previous verse, 00:15:59.860 --> 00:16:03.560 that Peter had followed them into the courtyard of the high priest. 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:07.039 Like, this is a trial happening in the middle of the night, 00:16:07.779 --> 00:16:13.119 and it's happening not where the Sanhedrin has their meeting, nor in the high court, 00:16:13.319 --> 00:16:17.799 but in the high priest's personal residence, where guards are out front, 00:16:18.199 --> 00:16:23.679 to make sure that inconvenient, nasty people who might want to give other type of testimony 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:25.299 definitely can't even appear. 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:30.679 Everything about this stinks, but they still want to make it look like there's evidence. 00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:36.659 They still want to make it look like they're just concerned with the truth. 00:16:36.779 --> 00:16:40.179 They have valid reasons, but everything about it stinks. 00:16:41.099 --> 00:16:42.500 So how does it work out for them? 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:44.799 Well, we already had a hint, but how does it work out for them? 00:16:44.859 --> 00:16:49.799 The next scene is scene four, the false witnesses mess up. 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:53.479 That's what it's called, the false witnesses mess up. 00:16:53.599 --> 00:16:55.639 Verses 56 to 59. 00:16:57.459 --> 00:16:58.699 I mean, there's another problem. 00:16:58.699 --> 00:16:59.879 We're in the middle of the night. 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:01.799 Like, where do these witnesses show up? 00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:03.860 Like, how is it that a quorum shows up? 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:05.839 Like, these things don't naturally happen, right? 00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:07.599 Everything about this is a conspiracy. 00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:09.500 The right people are there. 00:17:09.660 --> 00:17:10.799 It's all a show trial. 00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:12.500 It's all a stage, but they still mess up. 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:13.319 Verse 56. 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:18.940 For many bore false witness against Jesus, but their testimony did not agree. 00:17:19.819 --> 00:17:23.140 And some stood up and bore false witness against Jesus, saying, 00:17:23.140 --> 00:17:29.220 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:34.220 and in three days I will build another not made with hands. 00:17:34.780 --> 00:17:39.560 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:46.039 Now, what's going on here is probably the high priest who's organizing this whole thing, 00:17:46.139 --> 00:17:47.579 along with a couple of his buddies. 00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:54.279 He's going to himself, like, we got morons as false witnesses. 00:17:54.579 --> 00:17:59.960 Like, he's probably going to later on give a tongue lashing to some of his assistants and aides, 00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:03.839 because they got complete idiots and fools to come up and do the false witness. 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.619 Like, can't you even do something as simple as this correctly? 00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:15.099 And then what we see in the text is actually a very important moment for us as Christians. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:20.539 Notice here in verse 58 it says, 00:18:20.919 --> 00:18:25.119 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, 00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:30.559 and in three days I will build another not made with hands. 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:33.559 And you wonder, well, where's the contradiction in that? 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:35.279 But here's what's gone on. 00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:42.500 Mark has summarized their argument better than they could put it. 00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:45.299 That's what he's done. 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:50.419 They probably have bits and pieces of this, and the bits and pieces are contradictory. 00:18:50.819 --> 00:18:53.759 They're maybe internally contradictory and contradict each other, 00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:56.039 and they're not able to put it together. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:58.579 They can't get their lie straight. 00:18:58.579 --> 00:19:07.500 And Mark has summarized their argument and stated it really clearly, better than they could. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:14.019 Now, just as a bit of an aside, how on earth would Mark know this? 00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:18.099 Well, here's the problem. 00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:23.400 And this goes right to the heart of why it is that we're even reading a text like this 2,000 years later. 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:25.480 They had a perfect plan. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:30.079 The chief priests had an absolutely perfect, brilliant plan. 00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:33.519 Who knows how many other times they had successfully got something like this off. 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:37.099 There was just one hugely inconvenient fact. 00:19:37.099 --> 00:19:41.319 That dang Jesus rose from the dead. 00:19:42.939 --> 00:19:47.899 Like, that massively screwed up all of their calculations. 00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:57.059 When the tomb is empty, and Jesus appears alive, and he spends 40 days with them, teaching them. 00:19:57.059 --> 00:20:03.139 And that's separate from the fact that maybe some of these priests and others who are there later on become Christians 00:20:03.139 --> 00:20:04.759 and let people know what happens. 00:20:05.399 --> 00:20:06.399 Now, here's the thing. 00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:08.659 If you could put up the first point, Claire, that would be good. 00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:12.639 Since Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, 00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:16.899 the way of truth is solid and clear. 00:20:17.659 --> 00:20:23.500 And the way of the lie is vain, empty, complexity. 00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:47.859 You lie, and then people challenge you on it. 00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:51.880 You tell another couple of lies, and then later on you have to recount it. 00:20:51.880 --> 00:20:57.380 And now it's harder to remember your multiple lies than if you just actually tell the truth. 00:20:58.760 --> 00:21:02.360 I mean, that's just, that's been true time and time and time again. 00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:08.480 And the fact of the matter is, is if you're pursuing a lie, that is something vain, 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:11.060 both in a sense vain that you'll never accomplish it, 00:21:11.080 --> 00:21:14.260 but also vain that it's something involving your own self-flattery. 00:21:14.820 --> 00:21:20.380 Lies are empty, and it just raises you into a whole area of complexity where you can't keep it straight. 00:21:20.380 --> 00:21:23.860 And you've just seen that with these people who want to give lying testimony. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:28.160 And their lying testimony are empty, and there's the complexity, 00:21:28.340 --> 00:21:30.920 and because of the complexity, they can't get their lies straight. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.780 And this, by the way, is when I said that, you know, when you're looking at these stories 00:21:36.780 --> 00:21:39.700 and you see how they fit, how quite literally, 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:46.440 some guys and gals at Netflix or BBC or, you know, some European broadcasting thing, 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:49.059 they could make these things into a realistic show. 00:21:49.860 --> 00:21:55.840 And why that is very, very important, and why it is that Christianity changed the world, 00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:59.819 is that the other religions and spiritualities of the world, 00:21:59.819 --> 00:22:06.819 truth is based in story and in myth and in feeling and in mystical experience, 00:22:07.679 --> 00:22:08.919 but not in real life. 00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:13.319 Not in real life. 00:22:14.439 --> 00:22:18.519 And the Christian claim is that this actually happened. 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:22.839 Truth is in history. Truth is historical. 00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:29.480 And that, as that idea launches into the Roman Empire 00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:31.240 and then eventually into all of the other, 00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:33.379 into many other cultures in the world, 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:39.220 then you start to realize that you, like, there's something to pursuing truth. 00:22:39.480 --> 00:22:42.740 And not just religious truth, but historical truth, 00:22:42.839 --> 00:22:45.220 and economic truth, and scientific truth, 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:48.679 and technological truth, and moral truth. 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:53.480 And you can see in our culture, 00:22:53.600 --> 00:22:58.680 where our culture increasingly is what you can describe validly as a post-truth society. 00:22:58.820 --> 00:22:59.100 Why? 00:22:59.840 --> 00:23:02.299 Because in our society increasingly, 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:05.740 what matters is truth is connected to your feeling, 00:23:06.120 --> 00:23:08.240 to your story, or to your myth, 00:23:09.140 --> 00:23:11.039 and not in what is actually real. 00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:14.539 And as these things, in a sense, 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:17.000 it's a return to ancient paganism, 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:20.819 it's a return to many of the Eastern religions 00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:22.859 prior to the advent of Christianity, 00:23:22.859 --> 00:23:26.980 where people are always just as smart 00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:28.140 and always just as clever. 00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:31.579 And people never completely got lost. 00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:34.319 You can't live in the world without being concerned with true. 00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:38.500 You notice if your apples are stolen, 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:40.279 because there's fewer than there were there. 00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:44.839 But Christianity, the Bible, Christ, 00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:47.559 introduces into human consciousness 00:23:47.559 --> 00:23:49.859 this idea, 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:54.240 the Bible introduces this revolutionary idea 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:57.059 that becomes a virus that infects the human race. 00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:02.759 Truth is solid and clear. 00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:03.960 It's historical. 00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:09.319 And you do not go just to story and myth and feeling 00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:11.100 to understand what's happening. 00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:13.380 You seek the truth. 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:15.779 And the truth is solid and clear. 00:24:16.380 --> 00:24:21.100 And that's why Mark is able to summarize their lies 00:24:21.100 --> 00:24:22.680 better than they are. 00:24:23.380 --> 00:24:24.960 Because he's seeking the truth. 00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:27.140 Even the truth of what their accusation is, 00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:28.200 he seeks the truth. 00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:30.880 They seek lies and can't get it straight. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:34.880 Now, in a series, 00:24:35.400 --> 00:24:37.560 it's often the case, 00:24:37.580 --> 00:24:39.900 if you were doing this as a BBC thing or whatever, 00:24:40.060 --> 00:24:41.840 it's often the case that sometimes, 00:24:42.200 --> 00:24:43.560 in a subsequent episode, 00:24:44.040 --> 00:24:46.480 you revisit something from an earlier episode 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:48.920 that just seemed to be a little bit of a small thing. 00:24:49.560 --> 00:24:51.200 And you spend the whole episode 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:53.880 sort of trying to actually understand that small thing, 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:56.400 because that small thing is actually very important. 00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:59.220 And that's how I'd like to approach this now. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:02.280 And that's the next scene, 00:25:02.420 --> 00:25:03.380 is scene five. 00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:05.180 And we go back to verse 58. 00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:06.760 Scene five, verse 58. 00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:08.040 And it's titled, 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:11.600 The Ironic Ignorance of Lies. 00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:16.140 The Ironic Ignorance of Lies. 00:25:17.060 --> 00:25:18.880 Now, and look here, 00:25:19.260 --> 00:25:20.460 in verse 58 it goes, 00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:21.540 we heard him say, 00:25:21.780 --> 00:25:24.820 and here's how Mark has summarized 00:25:24.820 --> 00:25:26.600 what they were trying to get at. 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:30.599 I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, 00:25:30.939 --> 00:25:33.279 and in three days I will build another, 00:25:33.819 --> 00:25:34.939 not made with hands. 00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:37.379 Now, this is one of the cases where 00:25:37.379 --> 00:25:38.599 the original, 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:40.019 knowing the original language 00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:42.019 helps you to understand what's going on. 00:25:42.859 --> 00:25:45.859 And what's going on is that when it says temple, 00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:47.019 so first of all, 00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:48.659 Jesus didn't say this, by the way, 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:51.419 but it's something Jesus would agree with. 00:25:51.420 --> 00:25:54.400 And the deep irony is, 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:56.460 it's actually a summarizing, 00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:58.279 like the basic principle 00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:01.140 is a summary of the Torah, 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:03.080 the Tanakh, Old Testament teaching. 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:05.519 It's a fundamental summary 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:08.320 of Genesis to Malachi. 00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:10.440 Now, applied to the temple, 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:14.759 but it's actually a deeply biblical teaching. 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:16.279 And interestingly enough, 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:20.619 it's a teaching that secularists in Canada 00:26:20.619 --> 00:26:23.059 and atheists actually believe as well. 00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:26.559 And here's what is going on. 00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:28.420 I will destroy this temple, 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:30.400 and in the original language, 00:26:30.539 --> 00:26:31.539 the word temple here 00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:34.059 isn't just referring to the entire place, 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:34.879 you know, where there's, 00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:36.680 you know, some residences 00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:39.059 and storehouses and places of prayer. 00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:41.140 It's referring to the most holy place 00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:42.599 and the holy of holies. 00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:43.759 That's what it's referring to. 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.940 The very holy place 00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:47.220 where God is supposed to dwell 00:26:47.220 --> 00:26:49.140 and meets with the high priest 00:26:49.140 --> 00:26:51.099 only once a year with sacrifices 00:26:51.099 --> 00:26:52.259 and the holy of holies. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:53.279 And outside of that, 00:26:53.879 --> 00:26:55.279 only the high priest can go in 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:55.759 after sacrifices, 00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:58.720 and it's where God dwells. 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:00.960 So they say that Jesus said, 00:27:01.099 --> 00:27:03.079 I will destroy this holy place, 00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:04.079 this holy of holies. 00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:06.019 And here's what the claim is, 00:27:06.099 --> 00:27:07.480 that it's made with hands. 00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:10.039 And if you go back 00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:10.920 and you were to read 00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:13.200 what we call the Old Testament, 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.059 what our Jewish friends 00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:15.220 called the Tanakh or the Torah, 00:27:16.120 --> 00:27:18.080 the way they describe idols 00:27:18.080 --> 00:27:20.940 are gods that are what? 00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:23.220 Made with hands. 00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:25.740 And if you go back 00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:27.019 and read the entire Old Testament, 00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:28.740 they say that's completely ridiculous. 00:27:29.319 --> 00:27:31.039 Why is it that you make something 00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:32.140 with your own hands 00:27:32.140 --> 00:27:32.960 and then you bow down 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:33.700 and worship it? 00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:36.180 Like, and that's exactly 00:27:36.180 --> 00:27:37.259 what you would hear 00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.259 if you were to go 00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:39.700 down Rideau Street 00:27:39.700 --> 00:27:40.740 and down Bank Street 00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:41.940 and you would go to the bars 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:42.720 and the places 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:44.319 where people are having dim sum 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:46.420 and they haven't gone to church 00:27:46.420 --> 00:27:47.920 and if you were to press them on it, 00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:49.559 they might eventually articulate it 00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:50.319 in some such way. 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:52.080 I think it's completely crazy 00:27:52.080 --> 00:27:53.319 that people go to the synagogue, 00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:54.740 the temple, the mosque, 00:27:54.860 --> 00:27:55.279 the church, 00:27:55.299 --> 00:27:56.160 or anything like that. 00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:57.799 They're just taking ideas 00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:59.240 that they've made up themselves 00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:00.900 and then they sort of 00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:02.059 try to worship it 00:28:02.059 --> 00:28:03.580 and they want to get us worship it. 00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:04.480 And of course, 00:28:04.539 --> 00:28:06.019 that's just completely ridiculous. 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:06.579 Like, you know, 00:28:06.639 --> 00:28:07.339 I make my, you know, 00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:08.779 we're just making your stuff up 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.539 out of yourself. 00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:11.939 And so what they're saying 00:28:11.939 --> 00:28:14.079 is that the Holy of Holies 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:16.539 is just made with hands. 00:28:17.720 --> 00:28:19.199 And then in three days, 00:28:19.659 --> 00:28:21.139 and Jesus does talk about this, 00:28:21.179 --> 00:28:22.039 I will build another 00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:23.000 and he does talk about 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:24.240 this a little bit specifically. 00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:25.699 He will make another 00:28:25.699 --> 00:28:27.079 and he does talk about this. 00:28:27.159 --> 00:28:28.399 He's going to in fact say 00:28:28.399 --> 00:28:30.480 that the place where we meet with God 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:32.059 is ultimately him. 00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:35.199 And when it says 00:28:35.199 --> 00:28:36.460 not made with hands, 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:38.039 that, once again, 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:39.460 if you go back to the Old Testament, 00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:41.899 that's what the contrast is. 00:28:42.059 --> 00:28:44.259 Idols are just stuff made by hands. 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:47.179 There's wonderful texts in the Bible 00:28:47.179 --> 00:28:51.199 where the prophets mock 00:28:51.199 --> 00:28:52.819 the peoples of the world 00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:54.139 and say they go into a bush 00:28:54.139 --> 00:28:55.839 and they cut down a tree 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:58.519 and they take half of the tree 00:28:58.519 --> 00:29:00.079 and they burn their game 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:00.819 that they've caught 00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:01.819 and with the other half 00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:02.539 they make an idol 00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:03.500 and fall down and worship. 00:29:03.579 --> 00:29:05.139 Like, isn't that 00:29:05.139 --> 00:29:06.099 the most ridiculous thing 00:29:06.099 --> 00:29:06.500 in the world? 00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:09.859 We believe in the God 00:29:09.859 --> 00:29:11.759 who makes, in a sense, 00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:12.539 his kingdom 00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:14.159 and the holy of holies. 00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:15.460 It's not made with hands. 00:29:15.720 --> 00:29:16.460 It's made by God. 00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:20.359 If you could put up 00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:21.139 the second point, 00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:23.619 what humans have made 00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:24.399 to be holy 00:29:24.399 --> 00:29:26.139 is not holy. 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:28.439 What the triune God 00:29:28.439 --> 00:29:29.659 has made to be holy 00:29:29.659 --> 00:29:30.939 is truly holy. 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:33.500 See, here's where we now 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:35.140 disagree with our secular friends. 00:29:35.340 --> 00:29:35.700 We say, 00:29:36.259 --> 00:29:37.380 we agree with you. 00:29:37.940 --> 00:29:38.700 We agree with you 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:39.660 a thousand percent. 00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:41.740 You're completely right. 00:29:41.820 --> 00:29:42.640 If it's just people 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:43.680 making up stuff 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:44.559 out of their own heads, 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:45.100 it doesn't matter 00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:46.299 how bespoke it is 00:29:46.299 --> 00:29:47.720 and how solemn 00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.960 we talk about it 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.940 or the music 00:29:49.940 --> 00:29:51.279 or the effects 00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:51.660 or whatever. 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:52.360 It's just stuff 00:29:52.360 --> 00:29:53.100 made up by hands. 00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:53.740 Just, you know, 00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:54.900 crap that people make 00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:56.000 and you shouldn't worship it. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:57.119 But what if 00:29:57.119 --> 00:29:58.079 there really is a God 00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:58.779 that does exist 00:29:58.779 --> 00:30:00.119 who has made certain things 00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:00.660 to be holy? 00:30:01.619 --> 00:30:02.500 He's done it. 00:30:02.619 --> 00:30:03.259 Not us. 00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:04.920 We just receive it. 00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:09.160 Well, you know, 00:30:09.240 --> 00:30:09.559 in fact, 00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:10.559 if we live in a world 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:12.519 where nothing is ever made 00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:13.640 by the triune God 00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:14.279 and there's nothing 00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:15.019 that's actually 00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:16.440 really truly holy, 00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:17.819 then we live 00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:19.119 in a meaningless universe. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:25.519 And there is a part of us, 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:26.339 and it's because 00:30:26.339 --> 00:30:27.019 we ultimately 00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:28.019 are made in the image 00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:28.639 of God, 00:30:29.079 --> 00:30:30.519 that longs 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.599 to not live 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:32.419 in a meaningless, 00:30:32.919 --> 00:30:34.119 empty universe. 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:38.319 And so for many people, 00:30:38.419 --> 00:30:39.479 they don't understand 00:30:39.479 --> 00:30:40.979 that that sense 00:30:40.979 --> 00:30:41.759 that they make, 00:30:41.859 --> 00:30:42.500 that they have, 00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:43.279 which is very, 00:30:43.419 --> 00:30:43.979 very deep, 00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:45.879 is only made clear 00:30:45.879 --> 00:30:46.959 and understood 00:30:46.959 --> 00:30:47.659 in the gospel. 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:53.959 Now, 00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:56.119 from his enemy's 00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:56.619 point of view, 00:30:56.679 --> 00:30:57.319 the question is, 00:30:57.419 --> 00:30:58.419 can this be fixed? 00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:00.019 Well, here we get 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:01.000 to scene six. 00:31:01.579 --> 00:31:02.319 Scene six, 00:31:02.419 --> 00:31:03.179 which is entitled 00:31:03.179 --> 00:31:05.099 The Ironic Witness 00:31:05.099 --> 00:31:06.939 of the Leading Enemy. 00:31:07.899 --> 00:31:08.119 Right? 00:31:08.199 --> 00:31:08.919 So the last scene 00:31:08.919 --> 00:31:09.519 was called 00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:10.459 The Ironic 00:31:10.459 --> 00:31:13.679 Ignorance of Lies. 00:31:13.819 --> 00:31:14.299 They actually 00:31:14.299 --> 00:31:15.579 are on to something. 00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:19.720 But here we see 00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:20.419 this next scene 00:31:20.419 --> 00:31:21.000 is called 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:22.399 The Ironic Witness 00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:24.119 of the Leading Enemy. 00:31:24.379 --> 00:31:25.720 Verses 60 to 61, 00:31:25.859 --> 00:31:26.699 and here's how it goes. 00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:28.179 And the high priest 00:31:28.179 --> 00:31:29.139 stood up in the midst, 00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.659 and in the original language, 00:31:30.859 --> 00:31:31.799 this is a dramatic 00:31:31.799 --> 00:31:32.939 moment of emphasis. 00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:34.939 He's been sitting, 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:35.480 in a sense, 00:31:35.579 --> 00:31:36.299 like up here, 00:31:36.879 --> 00:31:38.480 running things, 00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.919 and now all of a sudden 00:31:39.919 --> 00:31:40.859 he leaves his place, 00:31:40.939 --> 00:31:42.019 goes right into the middle, 00:31:42.919 --> 00:31:43.839 face to face, 00:31:43.919 --> 00:31:44.659 right in the middle. 00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:46.500 And makes this thing. 00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:47.660 And the high priest 00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:48.340 stood up in the middle 00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:49.080 and asked Jesus, 00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:50.340 Have you no answer to make? 00:31:50.420 --> 00:31:51.320 What is it that these men 00:31:51.320 --> 00:31:52.440 testify against you? 00:31:52.840 --> 00:31:54.600 But Jesus remained silent 00:31:54.600 --> 00:31:55.540 and made no answer. 00:31:56.060 --> 00:31:56.420 Again, 00:31:56.540 --> 00:31:57.560 the high priest asked him, 00:31:57.660 --> 00:31:58.720 Are you the Christ, 00:31:59.120 --> 00:32:00.220 the Son of the Blessed? 00:32:01.180 --> 00:32:02.540 Are you the Christ, 00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:04.259 the Son of the Blessed? 00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:05.540 And Son of the Blessed 00:32:05.540 --> 00:32:07.040 means Son of God. 00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:08.279 Blessed is a way 00:32:08.279 --> 00:32:09.320 that they have avoided 00:32:09.320 --> 00:32:11.100 using the name of God, 00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:12.060 which had already developed 00:32:12.060 --> 00:32:12.680 as a habit 00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:13.980 in those days. 00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:15.660 And just to be clear, 00:32:16.500 --> 00:32:17.259 they understood 00:32:17.259 --> 00:32:18.160 in a way that 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:20.059 we understand 00:32:20.059 --> 00:32:21.140 on one level, 00:32:21.240 --> 00:32:22.700 except that so many people 00:32:22.700 --> 00:32:23.360 in our culture 00:32:23.360 --> 00:32:24.740 now believe lies, 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:26.220 right? 00:32:26.620 --> 00:32:27.680 That what is in, 00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:28.660 you know, 00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:30.140 we have at least 00:32:30.140 --> 00:32:30.759 one woman here 00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:31.279 in the congregation 00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:32.519 who's going to have a baby, 00:32:32.660 --> 00:32:33.339 and we all know 00:32:33.339 --> 00:32:34.599 that what is in that baby, 00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:35.860 what is in her womb, 00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:36.960 will not come out 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:37.599 as a kitten 00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:39.120 or a dog. 00:32:39.700 --> 00:32:40.720 It is human. 00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:41.339 human. 00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:45.160 Humans beget humans. 00:32:45.420 --> 00:32:46.460 They have human nature. 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:48.059 We know that, 00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:49.100 but we don't know that 00:32:49.100 --> 00:32:50.039 because our culture 00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:52.019 increasingly believes lies. 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:53.779 And when you believe lies, 00:32:54.120 --> 00:32:55.660 you enter into vain, 00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.900 empty complexity. 00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:58.500 And vain, 00:32:58.640 --> 00:32:59.839 empty complexity 00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:01.460 is where evil grows. 00:33:03.059 --> 00:33:04.539 Where evil grows. 00:33:04.539 --> 00:33:08.319 So he's saying, 00:33:08.399 --> 00:33:09.319 are you the Messiah? 00:33:10.099 --> 00:33:11.839 Are you God, 00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:13.220 the Son of God? 00:33:14.339 --> 00:33:15.480 Are you claiming 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:16.720 that you are God, 00:33:16.819 --> 00:33:18.299 that there is God the Father 00:33:18.299 --> 00:33:19.759 and God the Son? 00:33:19.879 --> 00:33:21.359 Are you claiming that, 00:33:21.859 --> 00:33:23.000 the high priest says? 00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:25.819 Now just so you know, 00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:26.839 there's a, 00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:27.619 I'm going to entitle 00:33:27.619 --> 00:33:28.099 this sermon, 00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:28.500 by the way, 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:29.619 The Trial of God, 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:30.279 Part 1. 00:33:30.819 --> 00:33:31.359 Then we're going to have 00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:31.920 an interlude, 00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:32.659 and then we're going to have 00:33:32.659 --> 00:33:33.440 The Trial of God, 00:33:33.519 --> 00:33:34.059 Part 2. 00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:35.539 And in a sense, 00:33:35.619 --> 00:33:36.279 The Trial of God, 00:33:36.359 --> 00:33:36.779 Part 1, 00:33:36.839 --> 00:33:38.279 is the trial of the committed 00:33:38.279 --> 00:33:39.200 and the engaged, 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:41.059 and trial number two 00:33:41.059 --> 00:33:43.740 is the trial of the apotheists. 00:33:44.619 --> 00:33:46.000 People don't really give a hoot. 00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:48.099 People don't give a hoot. 00:33:48.539 --> 00:33:48.940 Apotheists. 00:33:49.659 --> 00:33:52.859 And what we see here 00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:53.859 is that they're going to need 00:33:53.859 --> 00:33:55.279 to have two things 00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:56.399 to convict Jesus, 00:33:56.539 --> 00:33:57.159 because there's going to have 00:33:57.159 --> 00:33:58.099 to be two trials, 00:33:58.480 --> 00:33:59.720 because they're not allowed 00:33:59.720 --> 00:34:01.839 to pass a death sentence 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:02.700 on anybody. 00:34:02.839 --> 00:34:03.980 The Romans have to do that. 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:05.480 So from their point of view, 00:34:05.539 --> 00:34:07.240 they want a charge of blasphemy, 00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:08.559 because by their law, 00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:10.579 blasphemy is a capital offense, 00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:11.480 and they can sentence 00:34:11.480 --> 00:34:12.400 Jesus to death. 00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.820 But they're also looking 00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:14.400 for something 00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:16.099 that the Romans will see 00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:18.279 as being worthy of death. 00:34:18.279 --> 00:34:18.840 And they're looking 00:34:18.840 --> 00:34:19.799 for two things, 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:21.799 and the high priest, 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:23.079 ironically, 00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.440 nails it. 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:29.119 Are you the Messiah? 00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:29.159 Messiah. 00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:31.199 If Jesus says yes, 00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:33.719 Rome's got him. 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:36.359 Because as far as they're concerned, 00:34:36.460 --> 00:34:37.460 the Messiah means 00:34:37.460 --> 00:34:38.480 a king, 00:34:38.559 --> 00:34:38.960 a ruler, 00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:40.400 who will overthrow the Romans 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:42.159 and bring in Jewish rule 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:42.980 over all the earth. 00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:44.440 If you say you're the Messiah, 00:34:44.699 --> 00:34:46.219 got you. 00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:48.059 And if you say 00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:49.179 you are God, 00:34:49.259 --> 00:34:49.900 the Son of God, 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:51.279 you are guilty of blasphemy, 00:34:51.339 --> 00:34:52.460 the Romans don't give a hoot 00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:53.159 about that, 00:34:53.639 --> 00:34:55.000 but we give a hoot about it. 00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:56.139 You're deserving of death. 00:34:56.139 --> 00:34:58.960 And here we see something 00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:00.359 which is very, very, very, 00:35:00.359 --> 00:35:01.799 very important. 00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:04.400 You know, the Bible says 00:35:04.400 --> 00:35:06.119 that the demons know perfectly 00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:08.019 about who God is 00:35:08.019 --> 00:35:09.159 and about who Jesus is, 00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:10.420 yet it doesn't cause them 00:35:10.420 --> 00:35:11.319 to love him 00:35:11.319 --> 00:35:13.339 or to want to know him, 00:35:13.759 --> 00:35:15.920 but it only deepens their hatred. 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:18.299 We often think 00:35:18.299 --> 00:35:20.079 that if we just know what's true, 00:35:20.739 --> 00:35:22.279 we'll submit to it. 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:24.000 We'll want to follow it. 00:35:24.059 --> 00:35:25.019 We'll want to believe it. 00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:26.000 But that's, in fact, 00:35:26.059 --> 00:35:27.259 a very shallow view 00:35:27.259 --> 00:35:28.239 of human nature. 00:35:28.840 --> 00:35:31.039 Often, the more clearly we know, 00:35:31.900 --> 00:35:33.079 the more we hate. 00:35:37.900 --> 00:35:39.559 So will Jesus stay silent? 00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:41.659 Let's go to the next scene. 00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:43.380 Scene 7, verse 62. 00:35:43.820 --> 00:35:46.420 Truth, death, and vindication. 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:47.440 And we're almost done. 00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:49.019 Truth, death, and vindication. 00:35:49.759 --> 00:35:52.019 Scene number 7, verse 62. 00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:54.259 It goes like this. 00:35:54.260 --> 00:35:55.640 And Jesus said, right, 00:35:55.720 --> 00:35:56.580 so the charge is, 00:35:56.660 --> 00:35:57.500 are you the Christ? 00:35:57.540 --> 00:35:58.360 That's the Messiah. 00:35:58.740 --> 00:36:00.340 Are you the Son of the Blessed? 00:36:00.560 --> 00:36:01.040 In other words, 00:36:01.080 --> 00:36:02.940 are you the Son of God? 00:36:03.160 --> 00:36:04.680 Are you God, the Son of God? 00:36:04.820 --> 00:36:05.780 And Jesus said, 00:36:06.100 --> 00:36:06.680 I am. 00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:09.160 Yes. 00:36:11.040 --> 00:36:12.140 He's been silent. 00:36:12.720 --> 00:36:15.080 He's been silent to all the lies 00:36:15.080 --> 00:36:16.440 and all the confusion 00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:18.220 and all the vain complexity. 00:36:18.219 --> 00:36:19.980 Now he says, 00:36:20.619 --> 00:36:21.599 yes, I am. 00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:24.199 And you will see 00:36:24.199 --> 00:36:25.500 the Son of Man, 00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:26.919 that's a semi-divine figure, 00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:28.480 now understood to be fully divine, 00:36:29.199 --> 00:36:31.579 seated at the right hand of God 00:36:31.579 --> 00:36:33.480 in the place of honor 00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:35.879 and coming later 00:36:35.879 --> 00:36:37.859 with the clouds of heaven. 00:36:37.860 --> 00:36:42.579 Now here's the thing. 00:36:42.660 --> 00:36:43.079 If you could put up 00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:43.800 the next point, 00:36:44.320 --> 00:36:44.579 Claire, 00:36:44.700 --> 00:36:45.400 it would be very helpful. 00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:47.519 This is very significant. 00:36:47.680 --> 00:36:49.420 On trial for his life, 00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:51.140 because that's what he is. 00:36:51.160 --> 00:36:52.620 He's on trial for his life. 00:36:52.619 --> 00:36:58.559 The Bishop of Ottawa, 00:36:59.259 --> 00:37:00.500 just a few months 00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:01.139 before we left 00:37:01.139 --> 00:37:02.000 the Diocese of Ottawa, 00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:02.980 called me in, 00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:04.500 improperly, 00:37:04.659 --> 00:37:05.659 probably illegally, 00:37:06.299 --> 00:37:08.099 on a Saturday afternoon 00:37:08.099 --> 00:37:08.799 to fire me. 00:37:12.219 --> 00:37:14.659 And he made a huge 00:37:14.659 --> 00:37:15.739 strategic mistake. 00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:16.900 He had a lawyer with him. 00:37:18.759 --> 00:37:19.960 I was very worried. 00:37:20.039 --> 00:37:21.119 I thought I was going to get fired 00:37:21.119 --> 00:37:22.500 and it would mess up us 00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:23.599 leaving the church 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:24.500 and everything like that. 00:37:27.019 --> 00:37:28.400 But when I went in 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:29.460 and I saw the lawyer, 00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:30.719 at that point in time, 00:37:30.799 --> 00:37:31.219 they didn't know 00:37:31.219 --> 00:37:31.920 that we had a lawyer. 00:37:32.339 --> 00:37:33.299 And I said to him, 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:34.579 I see that you have 00:37:34.579 --> 00:37:35.299 a lawyer present. 00:37:36.779 --> 00:37:38.339 And my lawyer has told me 00:37:38.339 --> 00:37:39.239 to never be in a room 00:37:39.239 --> 00:37:39.980 alone with you 00:37:39.980 --> 00:37:40.779 when you have a lawyer 00:37:40.779 --> 00:37:41.579 and I don't. 00:37:41.960 --> 00:37:42.880 Here's his card. 00:37:43.460 --> 00:37:44.920 Your lawyer can call my lawyer 00:37:44.920 --> 00:37:45.739 and set up a time 00:37:45.739 --> 00:37:46.699 for us to have this meeting. 00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:50.920 Now I ended up answering 00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:51.960 a couple of questions. 00:37:52.200 --> 00:37:52.900 I'd been trained 00:37:52.900 --> 00:37:53.980 by another lawyer 00:37:53.980 --> 00:37:54.820 about what to say. 00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:55.780 But the point is, 00:37:56.680 --> 00:37:58.260 I avoided being fired. 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:01.099 Jesus is on trial 00:38:01.099 --> 00:38:01.880 for his life. 00:38:02.740 --> 00:38:03.800 And here's the point. 00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:05.159 On trial for his life, 00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:06.760 Jesus testifies 00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:07.700 that he is both 00:38:07.700 --> 00:38:08.360 the Messiah 00:38:08.360 --> 00:38:09.639 and God, 00:38:09.740 --> 00:38:10.460 the Son of God. 00:38:11.960 --> 00:38:13.000 On trial 00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:14.619 for his life, 00:38:15.780 --> 00:38:17.159 he testifies 00:38:17.159 --> 00:38:18.139 publicly 00:38:18.139 --> 00:38:19.000 to his enemies 00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:20.099 that he is both 00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:20.759 the Messiah 00:38:20.759 --> 00:38:22.000 and God, 00:38:22.079 --> 00:38:22.799 the Son of God. 00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:24.179 If you could put up 00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:25.619 the next point as well. 00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:27.420 And here's the other thing 00:38:27.420 --> 00:38:28.299 which he is saying 00:38:28.299 --> 00:38:28.900 when he says, 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:30.019 and you will see 00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:32.279 me at the right hand 00:38:32.279 --> 00:38:33.079 of God, 00:38:33.179 --> 00:38:33.639 the Father, 00:38:33.779 --> 00:38:34.839 and you will see me 00:38:34.839 --> 00:38:35.480 coming again 00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:36.420 with the clouds of heaven. 00:38:37.259 --> 00:38:38.900 There is an implication here 00:38:38.900 --> 00:38:39.679 that he knows 00:38:39.679 --> 00:38:40.739 that he is going to die 00:38:40.739 --> 00:38:41.659 and he's going to rise 00:38:41.659 --> 00:38:42.339 from the dead 00:38:42.339 --> 00:38:43.219 and he's going to ascend 00:38:43.219 --> 00:38:44.259 and he's going to return. 00:38:44.260 --> 00:38:47.200 The resurrection of Jesus 00:38:47.200 --> 00:38:48.600 is a vindication 00:38:48.600 --> 00:38:50.140 of who he is, 00:38:50.620 --> 00:38:52.100 what he accomplished, 00:38:52.520 --> 00:38:53.580 and what he taught. 00:38:54.360 --> 00:38:55.760 The resurrection of Jesus 00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:56.840 is a vindication 00:38:56.840 --> 00:38:57.740 of who he is, 00:38:58.080 --> 00:38:58.780 what he accomplished, 00:38:58.940 --> 00:38:59.420 what he taught. 00:38:59.920 --> 00:39:00.060 You know, 00:39:00.160 --> 00:39:01.180 there are some, 00:39:01.300 --> 00:39:02.000 I'm not going to go 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:02.600 into all the details, 00:39:02.740 --> 00:39:03.880 there were quite a few times 00:39:03.880 --> 00:39:04.700 within the first 00:39:04.700 --> 00:39:06.080 ten years 00:39:06.080 --> 00:39:06.980 that I was a Christian 00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:08.420 where I almost gave up 00:39:08.420 --> 00:39:09.300 the Christian faith. 00:39:09.940 --> 00:39:11.060 And I have to tell you, 00:39:11.100 --> 00:39:11.200 it was, 00:39:11.280 --> 00:39:11.340 you know, 00:39:11.660 --> 00:39:13.280 my education 00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:14.340 at Carleton University 00:39:14.340 --> 00:39:15.280 and then going to 00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:16.180 an ultra, ultra, 00:39:16.240 --> 00:39:17.500 ultra liberal seminary. 00:39:18.200 --> 00:39:19.320 And I have to confess, 00:39:19.580 --> 00:39:19.720 you know, 00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:20.740 in heaven I'll discover 00:39:20.740 --> 00:39:21.260 that there was 00:39:21.260 --> 00:39:22.120 a little old lady, 00:39:22.220 --> 00:39:22.960 maybe Beryl, 00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:24.220 praying for me 00:39:24.220 --> 00:39:24.760 and that's why 00:39:24.760 --> 00:39:25.700 I didn't lose my faith. 00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:26.460 That's what I'll discover. 00:39:26.600 --> 00:39:27.960 But I will say to you 00:39:27.960 --> 00:39:28.720 that one of the things 00:39:28.720 --> 00:39:29.440 that helped me, 00:39:33.440 --> 00:39:34.040 and just, 00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:34.980 I think some of you 00:39:34.980 --> 00:39:35.940 have heard this before, 00:39:36.080 --> 00:39:37.120 but for me, 00:39:37.240 --> 00:39:38.100 if I was to stop 00:39:38.100 --> 00:39:38.720 being a Christian, 00:39:38.820 --> 00:39:40.380 I would be a nihilist. 00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:42.539 I think that's 00:39:42.539 --> 00:39:43.400 the best option. 00:39:45.099 --> 00:39:46.480 All things are permissible. 00:39:46.619 --> 00:39:47.320 There is no God. 00:39:47.420 --> 00:39:48.599 There is no meaning in life. 00:39:50.160 --> 00:39:51.800 And partly what stopped me 00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:52.800 from losing my faith 00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:54.039 was that I didn't see 00:39:54.039 --> 00:39:55.000 any middle ground 00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:55.559 beyond that, 00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:56.460 but the other thing was 00:39:56.460 --> 00:39:57.220 that Jesus just, 00:39:57.460 --> 00:39:57.720 dang it, 00:39:57.760 --> 00:39:58.780 he rose from the dead. 00:39:59.720 --> 00:40:00.360 And even though 00:40:00.360 --> 00:40:01.079 I might not know 00:40:01.079 --> 00:40:01.700 how to solve 00:40:01.700 --> 00:40:03.039 this intellectual problem 00:40:03.039 --> 00:40:03.860 or this dilemma 00:40:03.860 --> 00:40:05.160 or this moral thing, 00:40:05.599 --> 00:40:06.680 the fact of the matter is 00:40:06.680 --> 00:40:07.860 Jesus really did rise 00:40:07.860 --> 00:40:08.440 from the dead. 00:40:08.440 --> 00:40:09.599 And if that is the case, 00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:10.420 it vindicates 00:40:10.420 --> 00:40:11.500 that he is God, 00:40:11.579 --> 00:40:12.300 the son of God. 00:40:12.599 --> 00:40:13.579 He is the Messiah. 00:40:14.019 --> 00:40:15.119 It does vindicate 00:40:15.119 --> 00:40:16.420 that he accomplished 00:40:16.420 --> 00:40:17.480 something on the cross 00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:18.360 for me to make me 00:40:18.360 --> 00:40:19.099 right with him 00:40:19.099 --> 00:40:20.220 because that's what 00:40:20.220 --> 00:40:20.760 he taught. 00:40:20.900 --> 00:40:22.099 And it vindicates him. 00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:24.740 It vindicates him. 00:40:27.659 --> 00:40:28.480 And then almost 00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:29.079 to the end, 00:40:29.300 --> 00:40:29.920 if you could put up 00:40:29.920 --> 00:40:30.800 the final point, 00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:31.639 Claire, 00:40:32.240 --> 00:40:33.380 the only judgment 00:40:33.380 --> 00:40:34.099 that matters 00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:35.740 is the judgment 00:40:35.740 --> 00:40:37.400 made by the triune God. 00:40:37.400 --> 00:40:39.220 The only judgment 00:40:39.220 --> 00:40:39.980 that matters 00:40:39.980 --> 00:40:41.619 is the judgment 00:40:41.619 --> 00:40:43.180 made by the triune God. 00:40:44.360 --> 00:40:44.599 See, 00:40:44.660 --> 00:40:45.240 this is the beauty 00:40:45.240 --> 00:40:45.980 of the gospel, 00:40:47.240 --> 00:40:48.480 is the beauty 00:40:48.480 --> 00:40:49.099 of the gospel 00:40:49.099 --> 00:40:50.059 is that what Jesus 00:40:50.059 --> 00:40:51.180 taught is when we, 00:40:51.320 --> 00:40:51.639 in a sense, 00:40:51.720 --> 00:40:52.340 put our faith 00:40:52.340 --> 00:40:53.420 and trust in him, 00:40:54.240 --> 00:40:55.160 that what he's accomplished 00:40:55.160 --> 00:40:55.720 for us, 00:40:55.920 --> 00:40:56.780 his taking away 00:40:56.780 --> 00:40:57.500 of our sin 00:40:57.500 --> 00:40:58.400 and gifting us 00:40:58.400 --> 00:41:00.280 his righteous life, 00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:01.680 we know 00:41:01.680 --> 00:41:03.139 what God's judgment 00:41:03.139 --> 00:41:04.360 will be about us 00:41:04.360 --> 00:41:05.519 because we are 00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:06.039 in Christ. 00:41:06.039 --> 00:41:08.759 and we will know 00:41:08.759 --> 00:41:09.400 that Christ 00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:10.219 has dealt 00:41:10.219 --> 00:41:12.079 with everything 00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:12.539 that needed 00:41:12.539 --> 00:41:13.099 to be dealt 00:41:13.099 --> 00:41:13.900 with in your life 00:41:13.900 --> 00:41:14.420 and mine 00:41:14.420 --> 00:41:16.159 so that the justice 00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:16.679 of God 00:41:16.679 --> 00:41:17.659 could be satisfied 00:41:17.659 --> 00:41:19.079 and the mercy 00:41:19.079 --> 00:41:19.739 of God 00:41:19.739 --> 00:41:20.820 could be revealed. 00:41:21.759 --> 00:41:22.840 And so when we put 00:41:22.840 --> 00:41:23.259 our faith 00:41:23.259 --> 00:41:24.300 and trust in Christ, 00:41:24.360 --> 00:41:24.980 we can know 00:41:24.980 --> 00:41:26.159 with absolute certainty 00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:27.320 that the only judgment 00:41:27.320 --> 00:41:27.920 that matters 00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:28.880 is made by him. 00:41:30.119 --> 00:41:31.079 And he will say, 00:41:31.219 --> 00:41:32.099 welcome my son 00:41:32.099 --> 00:41:34.420 or welcome my daughter. 00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:39.679 Just in closing, 00:41:39.839 --> 00:41:40.599 I'll just read 00:41:40.599 --> 00:41:41.719 the last few verses. 00:41:42.159 --> 00:41:43.339 Scene number eight, 00:41:44.159 --> 00:41:45.860 how to prove yourself wrong. 00:41:46.960 --> 00:41:48.679 How to prove yourself wrong. 00:41:48.739 --> 00:41:50.480 Verses 63 to 65. 00:41:51.779 --> 00:41:53.039 And the high priest 00:41:53.039 --> 00:41:53.960 tore his garments 00:41:53.960 --> 00:41:54.440 and said, 00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:55.559 what further witnesses 00:41:55.559 --> 00:41:56.159 do we need? 00:41:56.339 --> 00:41:57.779 You have heard his blasphemy. 00:41:57.940 --> 00:41:58.779 What is your decision? 00:41:58.780 --> 00:42:00.080 And they all, 00:42:00.860 --> 00:42:02.100 like trained seals, 00:42:02.380 --> 00:42:02.700 said, 00:42:02.900 --> 00:42:03.660 condemned him 00:42:03.660 --> 00:42:04.960 as deserving death. 00:42:05.800 --> 00:42:07.120 And then some began 00:42:07.120 --> 00:42:08.260 to spit on him 00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:09.900 and cover his face 00:42:09.900 --> 00:42:11.100 and strike him 00:42:11.100 --> 00:42:11.920 saying, 00:42:12.360 --> 00:42:13.320 ha, ha, ha, ha, 00:42:13.440 --> 00:42:14.760 prophesy that. 00:42:15.120 --> 00:42:17.200 You can't prophesy anything. 00:42:17.700 --> 00:42:18.840 Prophesy that. 00:42:19.019 --> 00:42:19.640 And the guards 00:42:19.640 --> 00:42:20.800 received him with blows. 00:42:21.800 --> 00:42:22.440 If you go back 00:42:22.440 --> 00:42:22.880 and you read 00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:23.840 Mark chapter 10 00:42:23.840 --> 00:42:25.320 verse 33 and 34, 00:42:26.180 --> 00:42:26.880 Jesus said 00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:28.180 that after he was condemned, 00:42:28.780 --> 00:42:30.420 he would be spit upon 00:42:30.420 --> 00:42:32.280 and beaten with blows. 00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:34.920 And I'm sorry, 00:42:36.100 --> 00:42:37.400 those fools mocking 00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:38.600 that he couldn't prophesy 00:42:38.600 --> 00:42:39.800 fulfilled the prophecy 00:42:39.800 --> 00:42:40.600 by what they did. 00:42:43.560 --> 00:42:45.340 They made themselves foolish. 00:42:47.180 --> 00:42:48.380 Invite you to stand. 00:42:54.480 --> 00:42:55.860 Let's bow our heads in prayer. 00:42:55.860 --> 00:42:59.160 Father, 00:42:59.400 --> 00:43:00.420 we confess 00:43:00.420 --> 00:43:01.940 that we are human. 00:43:03.260 --> 00:43:04.160 And Father, 00:43:04.240 --> 00:43:05.039 for those of us 00:43:05.039 --> 00:43:06.440 who are in Christ, 00:43:07.360 --> 00:43:08.039 on one hand, 00:43:08.140 --> 00:43:08.340 Father, 00:43:08.400 --> 00:43:09.200 we know that 00:43:09.200 --> 00:43:11.120 you have made us 00:43:11.120 --> 00:43:11.720 born again. 00:43:11.980 --> 00:43:12.780 When we put our faith 00:43:12.780 --> 00:43:13.599 and trust in Jesus, 00:43:13.740 --> 00:43:14.720 you made us born again. 00:43:15.280 --> 00:43:15.960 And that Jesus 00:43:15.960 --> 00:43:17.180 is our hope of glory. 00:43:17.820 --> 00:43:18.700 And that one day 00:43:18.700 --> 00:43:20.079 we will stand 00:43:20.079 --> 00:43:21.380 before you face to face, 00:43:21.480 --> 00:43:22.200 not based on 00:43:22.200 --> 00:43:23.019 our own righteousness 00:43:23.019 --> 00:43:24.140 or our own accomplishments, 00:43:24.139 --> 00:43:25.779 but purely and utterly 00:43:25.779 --> 00:43:26.839 because of the grace 00:43:26.839 --> 00:43:28.219 of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:43:28.219 --> 00:43:29.159 and his finished work 00:43:29.159 --> 00:43:29.980 upon the cross 00:43:29.980 --> 00:43:31.139 and our faith 00:43:31.139 --> 00:43:31.900 and trust in him. 00:43:31.940 --> 00:43:32.480 And even that, 00:43:32.719 --> 00:43:32.779 Father, 00:43:32.859 --> 00:43:34.159 is a moving of your Holy Spirit 00:43:34.159 --> 00:43:35.239 to help us to do that. 00:43:35.879 --> 00:43:36.199 And so, 00:43:36.299 --> 00:43:36.460 Father, 00:43:36.539 --> 00:43:37.059 we know 00:43:37.059 --> 00:43:38.879 that that is our destiny, 00:43:39.059 --> 00:43:39.940 but there is still 00:43:39.940 --> 00:43:40.719 a part of us, 00:43:40.839 --> 00:43:41.019 Father, 00:43:41.079 --> 00:43:42.119 that loves lies 00:43:42.119 --> 00:43:43.400 and doesn't love the truth. 00:43:43.879 --> 00:43:44.639 And Father, 00:43:44.799 --> 00:43:45.960 we ask that you would 00:43:45.960 --> 00:43:46.739 make the gospel 00:43:46.739 --> 00:43:47.659 more and more real 00:43:47.659 --> 00:43:48.440 to our heart, 00:43:48.440 --> 00:43:49.900 to form us 00:43:49.900 --> 00:43:51.059 to love truth, 00:43:51.780 --> 00:43:53.139 to love true truth 00:43:53.139 --> 00:43:54.139 and truth 00:43:54.139 --> 00:43:55.500 in the spiritual world, 00:43:55.720 --> 00:43:57.220 the aesthetic world, 00:43:57.400 --> 00:43:58.480 the world of economics, 00:43:58.740 --> 00:43:59.740 the world of science, 00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:02.400 the world of justice, 00:44:03.220 --> 00:44:04.119 just the world 00:44:04.119 --> 00:44:04.920 of how it is, 00:44:04.960 --> 00:44:05.240 that you, 00:44:05.400 --> 00:44:05.679 Father, 00:44:05.820 --> 00:44:06.380 more and more 00:44:06.380 --> 00:44:07.099 would grip us 00:44:07.099 --> 00:44:07.880 with the gospel 00:44:07.880 --> 00:44:09.019 so that our desire, 00:44:09.159 --> 00:44:10.280 our heart's desire 00:44:10.280 --> 00:44:11.300 is to have 00:44:11.300 --> 00:44:13.119 eyes that see the truth 00:44:13.119 --> 00:44:14.019 and a heart 00:44:14.019 --> 00:44:14.800 that desires 00:44:14.800 --> 00:44:15.820 not just the truth, 00:44:16.139 --> 00:44:17.380 but also to see the truth 00:44:17.380 --> 00:44:18.920 within the context 00:44:18.920 --> 00:44:19.840 of love and mercy 00:44:19.840 --> 00:44:20.460 and grace, 00:44:21.320 --> 00:44:22.960 a concern for justice, 00:44:23.400 --> 00:44:24.280 true justice 00:44:24.280 --> 00:44:25.500 and true right and wrong, 00:44:25.980 --> 00:44:26.200 all, 00:44:26.340 --> 00:44:26.579 Father, 00:44:26.740 --> 00:44:28.140 with a humbling knowledge 00:44:28.140 --> 00:44:29.240 that we ourselves 00:44:29.240 --> 00:44:30.180 are sinners 00:44:30.180 --> 00:44:30.900 who need to be 00:44:30.900 --> 00:44:31.660 redeemed by grace. 00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:31.920 Father, 00:44:31.980 --> 00:44:32.860 we ask that you would 00:44:32.860 --> 00:44:33.800 so grip us 00:44:33.800 --> 00:44:34.440 with the gospel 00:44:34.440 --> 00:44:35.140 that you would do 00:44:35.140 --> 00:44:36.559 that work of sanctification 00:44:36.559 --> 00:44:37.320 in our lives. 00:44:37.860 --> 00:44:38.240 And Father, 00:44:38.340 --> 00:44:38.820 if there are any 00:44:38.820 --> 00:44:39.960 who are hearing this message 00:44:39.960 --> 00:44:40.700 who have not yet 00:44:40.700 --> 00:44:41.780 given their life to Christ, 00:44:41.880 --> 00:44:42.300 that you would, 00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:42.579 Father, 00:44:42.660 --> 00:44:43.740 by your Holy Spirit, 00:44:44.240 --> 00:44:45.220 help them to cross 00:44:45.220 --> 00:44:46.420 that important line 00:44:46.420 --> 00:44:46.880 where they 00:44:46.880 --> 00:44:48.059 call out to you 00:44:48.059 --> 00:44:48.960 that you, 00:44:49.220 --> 00:44:49.480 Father, 00:44:49.559 --> 00:44:50.360 would be their Father 00:44:50.360 --> 00:44:50.840 in heaven 00:44:50.840 --> 00:44:52.099 as they put their faith 00:44:52.099 --> 00:44:53.059 and trust in Jesus. 00:44:53.480 --> 00:44:54.740 And we ask all these things 00:44:54.740 --> 00:44:55.680 in the name of Jesus, 00:44:56.099 --> 00:44:56.700 your Son, 00:44:57.039 --> 00:44:57.720 and our Savior, 00:44:58.260 --> 00:44:59.480 and all God's people said, 00:44:59.980 --> 00:45:00.280 Amen. 00:45:00.280 --> 00:45:00.460 Amen.