Peace Through Life’s Trials
Knox, Port Carling & Zion Torrance Presbyterian Pastoral Charge
Sunday March 15, 2019 ~ 3nd Sunday in Lent
Reverend Glynis Faith
Scripture John 18:19-24, 28-38 (also read Isaiah 43:1-7)
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
MESSAGE ‘Peace Through Life’s Trials’
Betrayed by one disciple, denied by another, while the other 10 have run off and left Him alone. Yet he is not alone – He is in God’s great plan.
Rejected by those tasked to teach God’s love. And in their rejection of Jesus they miss God’s love in the flesh. Jesus would go to the Cross because of them. Little did they know, Jesus had his eyes fixed on the Cross for them.
Turned over to be sentenced by secular authority, Jesus faces Pilate, the man with the earthly authority to end His life. Instead of a defense, Jesus offers Pilate the Truth – for the truth is that Jesus had His eyes fixed on the Cross at Calvary out of love for those who did not know the Truth – out of love for those who lived in opposition of the Truth – out of love for the corrupt High Priest and those who represented religious authority, out of love for Pilate and those who represented power, out of love for me and for you.
Reading through John’s account of the arrest of Jesus, something interesting stands out: the peace of Jesus.
Despite the betrayal of a friend, the denial of another and the absence of all friends when troubles set in, Jesus remains at peace. Although falsely accused and facing a mockery of a trial, Jesus remains peaceful. Even standing before the man who had the power to arrange His execution, Jesus remains confident in His Passion – assured of God’s will – at peace despite the chaos unfolding around Him.
Jesus remains calm against the accusations of His people. He remains calm while facing the world powers. He is calm despite the realization of what lies ahead for Him.
With all the fears currently swirling around the medical concerns over the coronavirus and the fears surrounding the predictions of a major recession, perhaps it would benefit us to take a closer look at the peace of Jesus and to consider the source of Christ’s peace.
So where is the Peace of Christ coming from? How does Jesus maintain His calm in the storm surrounding Him?
I think it is important to remember how Jesus prepared for what He knew lay before Him. Before Jesus’ arrest He had celebrated an important meal with His disciples. The meal is the Passover, a meal designed to remind the people of how God had delivered them in the past. The Passover meal is a symbolic reminder of the bitterness and pain of the slavery their forefathers had endured. This symbolic meal also reminds them of the great joy and celebration when God freed them from slavery, bringing them out of bondage and building them into a great nation. This meal is a reminder to keep our hearts focussed on God and to trust in His plan.
Before His arrest Jesus also took time to pray. Realizing what lay ahead, Jesus’ prayer was filled with honest human fear. The time had come and Jesus prayed that there might be another way.
I don’t know about you, but I have learned that great peace begins in honest prayer. As we confide in God our deepest fears and our greatest anxieties, we begin to realize His presence with us. I am reminded of my one son who is overly anxious about needles, doctors, nurses, cold stethoscopes, or anything he cannot see or know ahead of time. I learned that if I reassured him I would stay with him, and I talked him through everything as it was taking place, he would remain much calmer. This is what honest prayer does for us, as we talk with God we are reminded of His presence with us, as we express out fears we allow God to ease the tension associated with our fears. Fear is an honest human emotion, but we do not have to let fear steal our peace.
Jesus was also knowledgeable about Jewish Law and the writings of the prophets. When Jesus taught in the synagogues, at the temple, in the streets and in private He taught the people the truth of God, helping them to better understand God’s will. So when Jesus is brought before the religious authorities for questioning Jesus knows they are breaking the laws they are supposed to be upholding.
Jesus reminds them, “I have spoken openly,” “I have taught in synagogues and the temple where Jews come together,” ask those who have heard me.” He doesn’t argue his case, He simply reminds them of God’s laws for protecting those falsely accused.
Jewish law did not allow people to be questioned in a way that sought to incriminate them. Jewish law did not require the accused to prove their innocence; but rather, accusations needed to be based on multiple witness accounts.
Jesus is confident in his innocence, and despite His knowledge that the leaders were twisting the rules to condemn Him, He has peace in knowing that He has not stepped outside of God’s laws.
As he comes before Pilate, Jesus stands firmly on truth. Pilate believes he has the power to spare or take away Jesus’ life, but Jesus is fully aware that Pilate is a puppet in the hands of those who want Him dead.
We can see in the earliest interaction between Pilate and the religious authorities that they want death not justice. Pilate asks for the charges against Jesus to be stated, but since they have no real evidence against Him, they say, “If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” It is clear, Jesus’ death is imminent, yet Jesus knows something that guides his words and his reactions. Jesus knows who He is – He knows Whose he is – and He knows He has a purpose, for which he has come to testify to the truth.
A lot can happen to us in life. There are many many things that can fill us with fear, legitimate human fear, but fear does not have the final say when we know in our hearts and minds who we are, Whose we are and when we have the full assurance that we have a purpose in this world.
Jesus knew His purpose: to show the world the true love of God. Jesus also knew who he was: 1) the child of Mary and Joseph, from the line of David, eldest of His siblings. He was of Jewish descent, a Galilean, son of a carpenter. And Jesus knew Whose he was: The son of God, beloved son and member of the Trinity – descended from the Father to offer humanity freedom from the grip of sin – to once again ascend to the right hand of the Father.
Christ is able to stand fully confident and at peace in the face of betrayal, denial, being left alone, false accusations and the verdict of death for His innocence. He was able to do this because He knew who He was and Who he belonged to and He remained committed to his Father through prayer and adherence to God’s Laws.
Friends, you too are children of God. You are loved by God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit, and you have access to God through prayer and through His Holy Word.
Whatever fears you face in life, you need never face them alone. Listen to God’s word to you:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Please pray with me:
Father, we need to be reminded often that we are Your children, that we are beloved, that we are precious to You, and that we never face life’s challenges alone. You do not promise to take the cup of woes from our hands, but You do promise to never leave our side. Thank you Jesus for showing us the love of the Father, and thank you for showing us the way home to You. AMEN