Who is really on Trial?

God has a great sense of humor, we think as parents we are the ones raising our children. We say to ourselves, “They are learning and growing from us!” The older I have become, the more I have asked myself “who is raising whom?” Who is learning patience?  My child who decides I did not use enough soap to make bubbles for their bath or me when I find a brand new bottle of bubble bath, empty, floating in a mountain of bubbles? Who is learning self-control? My child who wears my expensive shoes to play in or me when I find that my child left them outside where the dogs are and the rain is? Who is learning longsuffering? My child who cannot wake me up in the morning or me when I finally awaken by my child jumping up & down on my stomach? And who is learning to be humble? My child who is singing in front of the entire community or me as I watch my child decide now is the time to scratch that spot or clean out his nose or adjust her underwear?

That's the way it is with a lot of life's lessons isn't it? You think they are for someone else and you find that in reality they are for you.

This time of year is always a great time for believers to reflect and contemplate their relationship with the Lord.

It had been a week of ups and downs. The excitement of riding into Jerusalem as it was prophesied by Zechariah . The heartbreak as He overlooked Jerusalem and knew she would miss her moment. The joy of being in the city where God's temple stood; the disgust when He saw how they had prostituted that temple! The oneness He felt as He shared that last night with His friends…the loneliness and agony He experienced in the garden.

Early that morning was a trial…but who really was on trial? Jesus was the apparent one, however we can learn from this time that men’s heart were also on trial. We should look to see if any of our hearts might fit into this scenario.

Whenever we are confronted with God's Truth our hearts are on trial. Let’s explore for a few days those hearts!

John 18:12–24 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up.  First they took him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “It’s better that one man should die for the people.” Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?” “No,” he said, “I am not.” Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself. Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. Jesus replied, “Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret. Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.” Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded. Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?” Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.

On Trial - The Biased Heart…intends!

When our hearts are biased, we have intentions already planned.

The leaders of Israel expose the dangers of the biased heart. Consider:

* The trial was illegal - The Biased Heart does not care about right or wrong, just a personal agenda!

There were so many illegal things about the trial of Jesus, here are just some of them.

§ Trial must be during the day, never at night.

§ Not before a single judge and never privately.

§ There must be independent witnesses and they must agree.

§ The Sanhedrin is not to assemble until the hour after the morning offering.

§ They shall not judge on the eve of the Sabbath, nor on that of any festival

§ A guilty verdict and sentence must take at least 2 days – Jesus was found guilty and put to death in one day

§ Proper charges must be brought. Luke exposes the lies.

Luke 23:2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

Matthew 22:17–21 “Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?...Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”

* The Outcome was already decided - The Biased Heart sets out to prove what it already believes.

John 18:14 Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.

* Used intimidation tactics - The Biased Heart side steps truth and looks for ways to attack.

John 18:19-24 The high priest therefore questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching,  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. "Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; behold, these know what I said." And when He had said this, one of the officers standing by gave Jesus a blow, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?" Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?" Annas therefore sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Notice the courage of Jesus – Go ask everyone about me!

* Produced false evidence - The Biased Heart will try and create proof.

Mark 14:55–57 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony:

* Call the truth a lie - The Biased Heart has an unwillingness to accept Truth.

Mark 14:61–64 But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”

Everything Jesus had said, done and the prophesies He fulfilled did not matter to the biased hearts. Later, even when His tomb was empty, they still refused…instead the bribes the Romans to lie!

How Ironic! The Creator, and One Person willing to sacrifice Himself to offer redemption to all men was murdered for the Truth:

John 19:7  The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.”

Meditation: When you approach God and His Word, have you already decided what you believe? What does that show you about your heart?

Next Devo we will look at another heart confronted by Truth.