BETRAYED, TRIED AND DENIED
Matthew 26 v. 47 - 75
1. The Lord’s Betrayal v. 47 - 56 see:-
(a) The Timing of it -" Gethsemene"
(b) The Tragedy of it v. 47 "lo, Judas, one of the twelve" i.e.he was as much saved as the rest of the disciples
(c) The Thoughtlessness of it v. 47 "a great multitude"
(d) The Treachery of it v. 48 "I shall kiss" -The kiss of a disciple, of deceit, of death
(e) The Test of it, v. 50 "friend" It was :-
(1) A personal question - why? are you come
(2) A pertinent question (Jesus had a right to know)
(3) A persistent question (it demands an answer)
(4) A piercing question ch 27 v. 3 (Judas repented himself)
(f) The Testimony of it v. 56 (the scripture fulfilled)
It was :-
(1) Appointed by God
(2) Attested by scriptures
(3) and Accomplished by man
(g) The Termination of it ch 27 v. 3 - 5 it resulted in:-
(1) Condemnation - A giulty conscience
(2) Contrition - Judas repented when it was too late
(3) Confession v. 4 "I have sinned"
(4) but Consternation v. 5 "he hanged himself"
2. The Lord’s Trial v. 57 - 68 it was :-
(1) A prestigous trial v. 57 - 59 -before the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin
(2) A prejudiced trial v. 59 "they sought false witness" - they agreed the outcome (death), and the method (false witness)
(3) A problematic trial v. 60 "they found none"
(4) A provoking trial v. 63 "Jesus held His peace"
(5) A prophetical trial v. 64 the judge would be judged
(6) A pathetic trial v. 65 - the truth Jesus told was no blasphemy
3. The Lord’s Denial v. 69 - 75 we see here :-
(a) The Reason for Peter’s Denial it was :-
(1) Pride v 33 - "yet will I never be offended"
(2) Prayerlessness v. 40 "could ye not watch with me one hour?"
(3) Presumption v. 51 - depending on physical prowess rather than spiritual power
(4) Position v. 58 - "He went in and sat with the servants to see the end" Psalm 1 reminds us "blessed is the man that walketh not, in the counsel of the ungodly,nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful"
(5) Powerlessness v. 70 "I know not what thou sayest" - he was alone and powerless
(b) The Reality of Peter’s Denial v. 70 - "I know not what thou sayest"
(1) It was a personal Denial - "I" know not - "he denied"
(2) It was a public denial - i.e. "before them all"
(3) It was a pathetic denial i.e. "I know not" - He claimed ignorance of the charge before a maid
(4) It was a persistent denial v. 72 "and again he denied"
(5) It was a perfect denial v. 74 in walk and in talk -he began to curse and to swear
(c) The Results of Peter’s Denial v. 75 "He went out and wept bitterly" -weeping for his faithlessness, his foolishness, and his failure in the flesh
"it’s Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts."
