2025.10.26.Sermon Notes. THE TRIAL, THE DENIAL, AND THE BETRAYAL - WHEN THE HEART IS TESTED MATTHEW 26:57-27:10
Matthew 26:57-75, Matthew 27:1-10
William Akehurst, HSWC
KEY WORD:
Trial, Denial, Rejection, Betrayal, Sanhedrin, Blasphemy, Remorse, Repentance, Field of Blood, Remorse without Repentance, Religious, Guilt
SCRIPTURES:
Matthew 26:57-75, Matthew 27:1-10, Isaiah 53:7, Daniel 7:13-14, John 5:39-40, Luke 22:61-62, John 21:15-17, James 4:8, Acts 2:23, Romans 8:28, John 8:36, Zechariah 11:12-13, 1 John 1:9, Psalm 51:10, 2 Corinthians 7:10
BIG IDEA:
Every heart is tested in the presence of JESUS. The religious leaders rejected Him, Peter denied Him, and Judas betrayed Him, and yet each story reveals the depth of human weakness and the overwhelming grace of GOD’s redemptive love.
INTRODUCTION:
When the pressure is on, when faith costs us something, our true allegiance is revealed.
In this passage, we find three heart tests:
1. The religious heart that rejects the truth (the Sanhedrin).
2. The fearful heart that denies under pressure (Peter).
3. The guilty heart that regrets but does not repent (Judas).
Through each one, we are confronted with this question:
How will my heart respond when tested by truth?
1. THE TRIAL – JESUS BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN Matthew 26:57–68
57-68 Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
57 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”
62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?”
They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”
67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES:
• Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
• Daniel 7:13-14 13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.
EXPLANATION:
The Sanhedrin (the religious elite) gathered in darkness to condemn the Light of the World. They assembled not to find truth, but to justify a predetermined verdict.
They were religious but blind; they sought a reason to kill JESUS, not to know the truth.
False witnesses couldn’t align their stories, yet the High Priest pushed JESUS to speak under oath.
When JESUS finally spoke, His words came from eternal authority, declaring His divinity, quoting Daniel 7 – that HE is the Son of Man who will come in glory. The high priest tore his garments, accusing JESUS of blasphemy and yet in truth, they were blaspheming the Son of GOD standing before them.
Their reaction? Rage and blasphemy accusations. Religion without relationship cannot recognize revelation.
JESUS remained silent, submitting to the Father’s plan.
His silence was not weakness, it was surrender to divine purpose.
POINT: JESUS was not on trial, the hearts of His accusers were.
SELF-REFLECTION AND APPLICATION:
• Do I ever stand among the accusers?
Have I allowed religious habit to harden my heart to the living truth of CHRIST?
John 5:39-40 “You search the Scriptures… but you are not willing to come to Me.”
• Am I willing to stand silent when falsely accused?
JESUS didn’t defend Himself, He trusted the Father’s justice.
Can I show that same trust when misunderstood?
• How do I respond when truth challenges my pride?
The high priest tore his robes; JESUS opened not His mouth. One revealed anger, the other revealed peace.
May my response to truth be humility, not hostility.
2. THE DENIAL – PETER’S FAILURE AND TEARS Matthew 26:69–75
69-75 Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly
69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”
71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”
73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”
74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES:
• Luke 22:61-62 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
• John 21:15-17 15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?… Feed My lambs… Tend My sheep…Feed My sheep.”
EXPLANATION:
Peter, once bold and fearless, who had boldly proclaimed, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You,” now followed at a distance.
Distance led to denial. Fear replaced faith. Distance became danger; the moment he separated his presence from CHRIST, his courage faded.
He denied JESUS three times, each denial more intense than the last. But when the rooster crowed and when JESUS looked at Peter, conviction overwhelmed him, and that moment of divine eye contact broke his heart.
Peter’s tears became repentance that led to restoration.
POINT: GOD’s grace meets us even in failure. Peter’s denial didn’t disqualify him; it became the moment that reshaped his heart for ministry.
SELF-REFLECTION AND APPLICATION:
• Am I following JESUS at a distance?
Distance weakens devotion. Stay close to the Lord in prayer and Word. James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• Have I ever denied JESUS through silence or compromise?
Every time we stay quiet when our faith is tested, we risk echoing Peter’s denial.
• How do I respond after failure?
Peter wept - but he didn’t run from grace. Judas ran away; Peter returned to the Savior.
Failure isn’t final when we turn back to CHRIST.
3. THE BETRAYAL – JUDAS’ REGRET WITHOUT REPENTANCE Matthew 27:1–10
1-2 JESUS HANDED OVER TO PONTIUS PILATE
1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
POINT: Things are progressing very quickly. JESUS was condemned and HIS death was imminent.
Even when Jesus was bound and betrayed, He was still carrying out the Father’s plan of salvation. What seemed like defeat was actually divine purpose in motion.
EXPLANATION:
At dawn, the religious leaders gathered, not for prayer, but to conspire. They had already condemned Jesus in the night; now they sought Rome’s approval to execute Him. They bound Him, hands that healed, blessed, and lifted others were tied by sinful men.
Yet, in their plotting, God’s plan was advancing. Jesus wasn’t a victim; He was a willing sacrifice. The cross wasn’t a surprise, it was THE MISSION.
• Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
They thought they were leading Him to death, but He was leading them and all humanity to redemption.
SELF-REFLECTION AND APPLICATION:
• God is still working when life feels out of control.
When others bind you with false accusations or betrayal, remember, God’s purpose cannot be bound.
Romans 8:28 …all things work together for good…
• Jesus was bound so that we could be free.
The hands that were tied at Pilate’s hall broke the chains of sin for us all.
John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Reflect: Am I living in the freedom Christ purchased for me?
3-10 JUDAS HANGS HIMSELF
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”
SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES:
Zechariah 11:12-13 12 Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter” - that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter.
EXPLANATION:
Judas saw JESUS condemned and felt remorse - but not repentance. He admitted his sin yet never turned back to JESUS. He admitted guilt yet sought relief through self-destruction, not forgiveness. His sorrow was emotional, not spiritual.
The priests dismissed him coldly, proving that religion without compassion is lifeless.
The priests, consumed by their hypocrisy, used the “blood money” to buy a burial ground - a permanent reminder and grim testimony of the cost of sin and how sin pays in death.
POINT: Regret without repentance leads to ruin. Repentance opens the door to restoration.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
SELF-REFLECTION AND APPLICATION:
• What do I do when guilt consumes me?
Judas tried to fix his sin by his own hand. True forgiveness comes only by surrendering to CHRIST.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• Am I living with regret instead of repentance?
Regret focuses on consequences; repentance focuses on the cross.
• Do I truly believe GOD’s mercy is greater than my failure?
Peter believed it and lived; Judas doubted and died. Your response determines your destiny.
FINAL APPLICATION:
The Sanhedrin rejected JESUS with hardened hearts.
Peter denied Him in fear.
Judas betrayed Him in guilt.
Yet JESUS went to the cross for them, and for us.
Even when we fail, His mercy still calls us back.
• When your heart is tested, draw near to JESUS.
• When you fall, repent and return.
• When accused, trust the Father to vindicate you.
POINT: Let your test become your testimony.
SELF-REFLECTION:
1. Am I following JESUS closely or at a distance?
Following at a distance leads to compromise. (Matthew 26:58)
2. Do I defend truth or stay silent under pressure?
JESUS’ silence was strength; ours must be Spirit-led.
3. When I fail, do I run from GOD or toward Him?
Peter ran back in tears; Judas ran away in despair.
4. Is my sorrow repentance or regret?
True repentance turns the heart back to GOD.
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
PRAYER
Heavenly FATHER,
When trials come, test our hearts and draw us near. Forgive us for following at a distance. Give us the courage and strength to stand firm for truth and the humility to repent when we fall.
Restore us, just as YOU restored Peter. Redeem our failures for Your glory.
Thank YOU, JESUS, for enduring rejection and betrayal for our salvation, for standing silent before accusers, for dying in our place, and for rising to give us new life..
We surrender our hearts to You, fully and without reservation.
In YOUR Holy Name we pray, Amen.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Bill
HYMNS
#58 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - Isaac Watts
#197 Grace Greater Than Our Sin - Julia H. Johnston
#198 Just As I Am - Charlotte Elliott
#316 I Surrender All - Judson W. Van DeVenter
DEFINITIONS:
Sanhedrin: Jewish ruling council - symbolizes religion without relationship.
Blasphemy: The charge used against JESUS for claiming divine authority.
Denial: To reject or disown; Peter’s failure of courage.
Remorse: Emotional sorrow without repentance.
Repentance: Turning the heart toward GOD, producing change and life.
Field of Blood: The physical mark of betrayal’s consequence and fulfilled prophecy.
