What’s the Verdict?
“Are you guilty or not guilty”
Matthew 25 : 58 & 69 – 75
In the court of law in a jury trial after all the deliberations have taken place, the jury will come back into the courtroom and there is a conversational exchange that happens between the judge and the foreman of the jury. The exchange goes something as follows.
The judge says: Have you reached a verdict?
The Foreman says: Yes we have.
The Judge says: what’s the verdict is it guilty or not guilty?
The question that is presented to you tonight is “What’s the verdict Guilty or not Guilty?”
We find in this text that this is the night that Jesus was betrayed by Judas, arrested by the band of Roman soldiers, tried, and beaten all night long. Pryor to this Jesus had told Peter that before the cock crowed that he would have denied Him thrice (3times). Peter, like most people when things are going smooth said most assuredly, that even if it cost my life I will never deny you Lord and even when the band of soldiers came with Judas and were about to lay hold on Jesus, it was Peter that drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus the servant of the high priest. Jesus said to Peter put away thy sword for all that live by the sword shall die by the sword (paraphrasing). Peter put his sword away and Jesus miraculously restored the ear of Malchus and then told the band of Roman soldiers don’t you know that I can pray to my Father in Heaven and He shall send me more then twelve legions of angels. NOTE: A legion consisted of 5000 to 6000 men, for Him to call twelve legion of angels would be about 72,000 angels, what a mighty God we serve. Peter and the rest of the disciples had a false since of security, because they trusted in the sword and not the source so they fled for their lives.
The soldiers laid hold on Jesus and arrested Him. Understand that this arrest was nothing nice, there were no video cameras around that could be used in a case of police brutality. These that arrested Him were Roman soldiers, the most vicious and brutal soldiers that have ever been upon the face of the earth. They arrested Jesus and took Him to Caiaphas, but the Bible says in verse 58 “But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.”
He tried to place himself among the common folk, he tried to show that he was no different then anyone else; however, there is something different about a child of God. Its not that you have develop a prejudice about yourself to the point that you think you are holier then thou, because that’s not a difference that’s pride and God hates pride, but when you have been in the presence of the Lord there is something different about you.
The Bible says “Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. ” Peter had been tried and found guilty of being in the presence of the Lord.
Eventhough he tried to fit in among the rest of the world but there was something different about him. He tried to blend in, but there was something different about him. He even said I do not know the man, yet there was something different about him. He had developed transference.
Transference is best explained like this, if you take a piece of metal and place it in the fire, the heat, which is the characteristic of the fire, is transferred to the piece of metal, when you take that piece of metal out of the fire and place it near a fuel source, wood, paper, or gas, that fuel source is ignited, because the characteristic of the fire has been transferred to it by the piece of metal. Peter although He denied it had been in the presence of the Lord and the characteristic of Jesus was all over him and he could not deny it. The people said surely you were with Him, because you speech betrayeth you. Surely you were with Him, because your looks are those of His looks. He was tried and found guilty of being in the presence of the Lord.
What’s the verdict? Are you guilty or not guilty of being in the presence of the Lord? The Bible says we are a peculiar people. This word peculiar doesn’t mean that we are strange, but that there is something different about you. When you walk into your job, the atmosphere changes, the dirty jokes stop from being said, WHY, because you have been trien and found guilty. There has been transference of the characteristics of Jesus Christ. It’s not because of you, but because of whom you have been in contact with.
When you have been in the presence of the Lord, you can never be the same again. You may try to do the same stuff that you used to do, but there’s something different. You may go to the place that you used to go, but there’s something different, because you have been in the presence of the Lord.
What’s the verdict are you guilty or not guilty. There’s a song that we sing sometimes entitled “Not Guilty”, because Jesus paid the price on Calvary we are not guilty, we don’t have to pay the price of sin, but that’s not what we are talking about here. Are you guilty, are you letting your light shine that people will see God in you and glorify Him, or are you like Peter ashamed and trying to hide and blend in with the rest of the world.
WHAT’S THE VERDICT
In the courtroom the verdict is read something like this.
On the charge of being in the presence of the Lord, we the jury of the world find you guilty.
On the charge of having a new attitude we the jury of the world find you guilty.
On the charge of talking differently and walking differently we the jury of the world find you guilty.
On the charge of proclaiming the name of Jesus you have been found guilty.
On the charge of speaking in tongues you have been found guilty.
On the charge of changing the atmosphere you have been found guilty.
In the court of law after the verdict has been read if it is not guilty the judge will something like the case is over, but if it is guilty then there is what is called the sentencing. This sentencing can be anything up to and including death. Only the judge is able pass the sentence onto the one being tried. The Bible says in 2nd Tim 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Well you are found guilty its time for your sentencing.
You are sentenced to life and that more abundantly. You have been weighed in the balance and you are sentenced to life eternal. You are sentenced to joy unspeakable full of glory. You are sentenced to peace that passeth all understanding.
WHAT’S THE VERDICT ARE YOU GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY.
I remember a show that used to come on T.V. some years ago it was called Beretta. The theme song to this show said “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time”. But in this spiritual courtroom you want to be found guilty, you can’t afford not to do the time.
Elder Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
Boanerge Ministries
