THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM TO BE!
Subject: Jesus
Theme: Jesus going on ahead of us!
Text: John 18:15-27
Time: Sunday morning October 22, 2000
Introduction:
It’s not always what it seems to be.
Our national pride is not always what it seems to be:
On the sixth day God turned to the Archangel Gabriel and said, “Today I am going to create a land called Canada. It will be a land of outstanding natural beauty. It shall have tall majestic mountains full of mountain goats and eagles, beautiful sparkly lakes bountiful with carp and trout, forests full of elk and moose, high cliffs overlooking sandy beaches with an abundance of sea life, rivers stocked with salmon.
God continued, “I shall make the land rich in oil so to make the inhabitants prosper. I shall call these inhabitants Canadians. They shall be known as the most friendly people on the earth.” “But Lord,” asked Gabriel, “don’t you think you are being too generous to these Canadians?” “Not really,” replied God. “Just wait and see the neighbours I am going to give them!”
A story that makes you think about how we perceive things:
An old story talks about a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to the market. Before very long, the servant came back white and trembling. Servant said to his master, “Down at the market place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd, and when she turned around I realized it was the face of death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture - master, lend me your horse so that I may hasten away to avoid her. I will go to Sumarah and hide so that death will not find me.”
The merchant lent him the horse and he galloped away in haste. Later the merchant went down to the market place and standing in the crowd he saw the woman - death. He went over to her and implored, “Why did you threaten my servant? Why did you make such a threatening gesture?” “That was not a threatening gesture but a only a start of surprise.” replied the woman. “I was astonished to find him here in Baghdad for I have an appointment with him in Sumarah tonight!”
In John 18:15-27 - John paints the picture for us - misunderstandings by Jesus’ disciples concerning his arrest, misunderstandings by rulers and authorities about who Jesus is. Things are not what they seem to be as John recounts for us the last moments of Jesus’ life on earth.
Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and sohe went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest’s courtyard. Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in. The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples?’ He said, “No, I’m not.” The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them trying to get warm.
Annas interrogated Jesus regarding his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered, “I’ve spoken openly in public. I’ve taught regularly in meeting places and the Temple, where the Jews all come together. Everything has been out in the open. I’ve said nothing in secret. So why are you treating me like a conspirator? Question those who have been listening to me. They know well what I have said. My teachings have all been aboveboard.” When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, “How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!” Jesus replied, “If I’ve said something wrong, prove it. But if I’ve spoken the truth, why this slapping around?”
Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to the Chief Priest Caiaphas. Meanwhile, Simon Peter was back at the fire, still trying to get warm. The others there said to him, “Aren’t you one of his disciples?” He denied, “Not me.” One of the Chief Priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” Again, Peter denied it. Just then a rooster crowed.”
Objective: We, above all, must trust who Jesus is, because on our own, things are just not what they seem!
Transition: First of all, in Peter’s denial we see
1. A DEFEATED AND A DISPLACED JESUS!
a. At least in the eyes of Peter - Jesus seems this way
Confusion about what Jesus was thinking - denying him the opportunity to step in and protect Him from those seeking His arrest. Letting Himself fall into the hands of those who desired to kill Him - all this was confusing for Peter.
All Jesus’ talk about the kingdom of God becoming a reality - and this was the result - Jesus taken away in chains by the authorities - just like every other radical who called for Israel’s freedom.
b. Would we have seen him to be any different?
If all the disciples missed what he was about - I think the judgment on our reaction would be the same - we would have seen him to be just like any other radical who called for rebellion - arrested- tried in a trumped court - and crucified.
c. getting from Jesus what we want?
In Peter, we see a symptom of selfishness and pride that runs through all of us. How many times have we viewed Jesus as the one who can get us what we want and so follow Him for those reasons? In fact, wanting a Jesus who articulates for us all that we view as necessary in life.
Illustration: Jean Vanier -Canadian Catholic who has worked his whole life to raise the level of honour and respect among human beings - has affected the major part of the 20th century with his belief that people with developmental disorders - whether physical or mental - are not to be put aside in society - but rather are to be integrated to society . He found that his own life was richer when he lived with two people who were developmentally handicapped. He commented, “I found with Raphael and Philippe ..... that I began to discover myself,” - “I began to find the child in myself, I was never so happy as when I was living with them in a little house, working together, having fun together, praying together.” Vanier went on to establish 100 such communities all over the world - similar to the one he began. His philosophy for living is that , ‘to be human is to be bonded together, each with our own weaknesses ans strengths, because we need each other.”
Some of North American Evangelicalism speaks of this - some speaks the direct opposite- in fact - sometimes we find a great “disrespect” for humanity in these circles -
Nolton Nash - CBC program “The Witness” - looks at “miracles” and its meaning in the persons of Benny Hinn and Reinhard Bonnke - especially views the inhuman tactics of Hinn - his appeals to offering - Millions of dollars to run his ministry. Following five crusade attenders - three of which were told they had miracles done in their lives - all of which died several weeks and months later - also a couple that was prayed for by Hinn - promised a miracle - asked to contribute a large sum of money to ensure the miracle would happen - only to have their son ravaged by brain tumors die months later.
Some people so desperately want Jesus to be what He has no intention of being for us. He will not be influenced to change His ways - so clearly we see that as His disciples (Peter especially) seek to direct Him in many other ways.
Application: Jesus challenges our expectations of him.
Like Jean Vanier -Henri Nouwen - and so many others in the world - the life of Jesus speaks loudly about honouring others! Peter was quick to deny Jesus - seeing only a defeated Jesus - arrested - about to be tried and crucified. On the other hand - Jesus viewed Himself as the only one who could raise men and women out of their hardship and suffering -
Has Jesus not been who you expected Him to be? - have some of your expectations on Him been dispelled? - have you viewed him as a defeated individual - like Peter?
Our reluctance to ask certain questions about Him - Our fear of having some of our views changed - speak of our fear - as Peter - of knowing something about Him that we do not want to know - but is so crucial to actually knowing Him for certain.
Transition: In the meetings with Annas and Caiaphas we find
2. A DESPISED JESUS!
a. His message infuriated the authorities
- in the story John writes - Annas had been High Priest several years ago - but replaced by Rome with another. Several of his sons - served as High Priests as well - but Annas still believed that he was the God appointed High Priest - regardless of what Rome said - and so we see him as the one who actually called for the arrest. Caiaphas was the puppet High Priest - Annas was the one who truly weilded power in Israel. Again - not everything is what it seems to be!
b. What was Jesus’ message?
“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. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
What was Jesus saying and teaching:
Rome is not the enemy - but evil in you (Israel) is the enemy - and if you continue you will be destroyed. Your future is with God - you must be cleansed (John the Baptist’s message - cleansed of your sin) you must “love your enemies”
Illustration: In Modern Day terms - the featured story in the newspapers of last week - Palestinian man holding bloody hands outside window of police station - after brutally beating two Israeli soldiers - throwing one of them out the window to be mauled by the crowd - the man yells “GOD IS GOOD!” - This is what Palestine was like in Jesus’ day. Rome had to have up to four times as much policing of this region as any other because situations such as we witnessed in the papers last week - happened on a regular basis.
And in this context - Jesus was preaching about - forgiveness, repentance - loving one’s neighbours - doing good - turning the other cheek.
c. naturally - they slapped him
The same would happen to you and I if we challenged the tensions of society like Jesus did. Yet what John is telling us in the story is that He was the only one who not only spoke the truth but was the truth for Israel and for Rome.
In a day and age where the very cynical attitude of society reigned in the comment of Pilate to Jesus, “What is the truth?” Jesus came on the scene proclaiming to have the truth and suggesting some of the most radical things possible so that truth may be realized.
Application:
We must let Jesus go ahead of us so that as He challenges us we can trust that the challenge will lead to truth. For Jesus, the truth of the matter was that He would die a cruel death of a treasonous rebel.
What does Jesus challenge us with today?
Be careful of building monuments rather than building people
Be careful of being so absorbed with your agenda that you cannot see His agenda!
Be careful how we live with others. Rather than demeaning others we must raise them to a place of dignity and respect.
Conclusion: Listen to who God challenged an individual as he prayed and sincerely heard God respond:
I asked God to take away my pain. God said, “No.” It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, “No.” Her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary.
I asked God to grant me patience. God said, “No.” Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn’t granted, it is learned.
I asked God to give me happiness. God said, “No.’ I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me pain. God said, “No.” Suffering draws you apart from the worldly cares and brings you closer to me.
I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, “No.” You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. God said “No.” I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as he loves me. Go said.....Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.
We, above all, must trust who Jesus is, because on our own, things are just not what they seem!
Peter expected that Jesus would liberate Israel - the answer was that Jesus would free Peter from the hopeless dreams of his nation and secure for him certainty of God’s love . In a hopeless moment for Peter - Jesus - later in a resurrection appearance - affirms the truth - “Things are not always what they seem to be!” Peter denied the Jesus that he had fabricated - Jesus restored to Him the Jesus who truly lives and is among us! People - here as we meet together - our human frailty fools us - “Things are not what they seem to be” Jesus is working his plan with tenacious commitment - he may challenge us - he may enrage us - but he will restore us to the truth of what God is about -
