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Friday 18 April 2003 - "False witnesses and the death of Christ"

(Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen)

Matt 26:57 - 67

• Here we see that the high priest and his company had already planned to condemn Christ to death, without any evidence. It is very dangerous to judge someone in your heart without having heard all the evidence from all sides.
• In John 18:12 we read who those were that led Jesus to Caiaphas. They were the captain and officers of the Jews. They were afraid to capture Jesus in daylight, because of the people, so they resorted to secret schemes. However they were still at a loss, until Judas arrived to betray Him to them. They were delighted with the one into whom Satan entered, and so to say thanked God for solving their predicament. Now Judas was not the only traitor we know about. There are many in the Bible, viz. Delilah, David's son, etc. Even amongst us there could be Judas Iscariots.
• As they came to arrest Jesus, Jesus' mere words of, "I am He", struck them to the ground. It boggles one's mind how hard mankind's heart can be! These were not communists, atheists or heathen. No, they were the religious leaders of the day and of the church! They were the ones that sought to kill Jesus. However, this incident is not unique in history. History testifies to the fact that many times religious leaders were the ones that caused the greatest harm to God's work. When revival started many years ago, I thought that the churches would rejoice with me for God's working. However, they were mostly ignorant or hostile to God's working. Only the heathen rejoiced. Why is this so? Judas was troubled by thieving and the religious leaders by jealousy. Their lives were not complete in God. They were hypocrites and hid sin. Such would always turn against God's work in the end. Even today, if one speaks of Jesus as the only way, there is fierce opposition from many Christian leaders.
• To convict Jesus, they had to get false witnesses and resort to lies, yet their consciences did not trouble them. They had already seared their consciences by continual disobedience to God. However, even with the false witnesses, they could not convict Him, for their testimony was so weak, that it was obvious they were lying. At last two false witnesses came forward who distorted Jesus' words ever so slightly, claiming that He said He would destroy the Jews' temple and build it again in three days. They were lying. Jesus words were, "Destroy this temple (referring to His body), and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). Firstly, He said that they will do the destruction of His temple (body), and that He will raise it up again in resurrection. Woe to you if you twist the truth to fit your goals and ideas. Secondly, it is not even certain that they were present when He spoke those words. They most probably only repeated a story they heard second-hand. It is hellish to pass on gossip. The story almost always changes to the gossiper's bias. If you are of those that spread gossip stories, you will also have your part with them in hell, unless you repent.
• These sins they were committing right in front of Jesus, were the very ones He came to die for. Had they only come and confessed their sin openly, and brought it to the light, they would have found forgiveness. So too you will find forgiveness from Him, if only you would come to Him, confess your sins as they are and bring them to the light.