(Read John 18:12-14)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our new mini-series, “The Road to the Resurrection.” Let’s pick up the story where we left off yesterday.
Can you picture the scene? Jesus had just finished sharing His heart with His disciples and He prayed a powerful prayer to the Father. Judas shows up with a clan. He tells them that he would go and kiss the one that they needed to arrest. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss Jesus calls him “friend” (Mat 26:49,50). Yesterday we learned that Peter cut one guy’s ear off and it was obvious that the men coming for Jesus were prepared for fight. Look at the great lengths that were taken to supposedly seize the King of Glory; a man who had never done anyone wrong.
Our text tells us that Judas arrived with a detachment of soldiers, the Commanding Officer, and the temple police. All of this for one man? Not just any man, but the only sinless man to ever live. And believe me, they could have brought 10 legions of men and they would not be able to arrest Jesus unless He allowed it. But Jesus did. Jesus was hauled off like a criminal; arrested without a warrant and without a charge. Jesus was taken to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas.
Annas was a High Priest who had been deposed his office, probably due to something he had done. His son-in-law (Caiphas) was made his successor. Although Annas no longer legally operated in the office, he still held the title. Once you were High Priest, you were so for life. Many still considered Annas to be the man with the power. So they took Jesus to Annas first and then to Caiaphas. This would be the first in the string of mock trials that Jesus endured on the road to the Resurrection.
So what does this mean to you today? What lessons can we learn from Jesus standing before two High Priests on the road to the Resurrection?
1. The Futility of Humanity: If anyone should have recognized Jesus as the Messiah, it was the High Priest. The High Priest had the right heritage (descendants of Aaron), wore the right clothes (priestly attire), and had the right authority (the only ones allowed to go into the Holy of Holies). You would think that Annas and Caiphas would have recognized the King of Glory. You would think that they would have known the scriptures well enough to identify Jesus with prophesy. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Sanhedrin Council, the entire body of Priests, and two actual High Priests all missed the Messiah while He was standing right in front of them. What does this tell you? It tells me that humans would be lost without God’s grace. Human fail all the time, but God never fails. It is only by God’s grace that He chooses to use us – failures, flaws and all!
2. The Irony of Life: Jesus was not taken to the lowlifes of the city. Jesus was not taken to backhanded shady characters. No, Jesus was erroneously arraigned and convicted without a charge and the process went through the Priestly office. Sometimes the most likely people to bless us will curse us and sometimes the most likely people to curse us will bless us. This is yet another reason why we should seek to look at life through the lens of Christ and His grace. When you choose to look at challenging circumstances through the lens of faith, focused by God’s grace, you will be able to look past the mess long enough to see the message, to look through the problems and far enough to see divine purpose! So get get frustrated with what you are facing this morning. God is still God, He is still on the throne, and He still has His hand on you. Trust God, even when men let you down.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for the example You have given me in Christ Jesus. In Jesus I see a man, a human, who walked the earth without sin. He was perfect, and He was perfect for me, because He knew I would not be perfect. Jesus was completely righteous, and He was righteous for me, because He knew I could never be righteous on my own. I am IN Christ and He is IN me. I am able to take on Jesus’ perfection and His righteousness. I love like Jesus loved. I live like Jesus lived. Jesus was accused, arrested, arraigned, and convicted; without any true case against Him, without any eye witness testimonies, and clearly without a fair trial. But Jesus did not complain, because He did it for me. I appreciate what Jesus did for me, and I learn from the process He endured on the road to the Resurrection. Two of the men who were most qualified to identify Him as the Messiah would up turning on Him and having Him arrested. This reminds me that my trust must be in You and not in man. I love my fellow man. I pray for my brothers and sisters. I seek to be a blessing to others. But when it comes to trust, my trust is in You and in Your overwhelming grace towards me. So Father, I enter this day with fearless confidence, because my trust is firmly rooted and grounded in Your love and grace towards me. Even if men let me down, I am still okay, because You will never let me down! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
