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• Accusing Jesus Mark 14: 53-65
• Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
• Here’s the big thing about this portion of Scripture. How come there’s no one that stood up for Jesus? Peter came with the sword, but then it turned into complete denial
• You will often hear people say that we all crucified Jesus- The reason that people say that is that ‘the crowd’ that was there is indicative of all of us.
• We weren’t there- but the law of averages and numbers says that if we were, we would have been with the crowd. I’d like to say different, but Jesus wasn’t the resurrected Christ at that point. I may have had doubts. I may have stood silently. I may have questioned his deity.
• I may have shouted “give us Barabbas!” as many shouted.
• In this scripture we see the unlawful trial of Jesus. If you’ve ever been falsely accused or railroaded- you would identify with this. Done nothing wrong. No due process of law. Convicted before any evidence. This whole trial was a sham at best. Its angering to see them railroad Him!
• Contrary to popular opinion, there was not one trial for Jesus, there were six!
• They were not all Jewish, half of them were Jewish and half of them were Roman.
• First there was Annas. Then there was Caiaphas, with a body of men making up the Sanhedrin.
• And then third, there was this official band called the Sanhedrin. All these were Jewish trials.
• Then it goes to trial number four, Pilate the governor. This is where they accused him of treason because they were before a Roman Civil Court.
• And ultimately, after trial number five, which was really a clowning experience in front of Antipashe came finally to Pilate again, his sixth and final trial.
• Because of pressure from his wife, and because of Rome, Pilate gave the death sentence to Jesus.
• Pilate was never convinced of his guilt by the way, and the only half-way fair trial that Jesus got was before Pilate.

Unlawful trial of Jesus

• First reason it was Unlawful- Held at the wrong time. Held at night not day

• Jewish law prohibited from having trial at night or on a feast day If it were at these times, the entire council couldn’t gather. these trials were held in darkness.
• Witnesses could not come at night to defend the accused.
• Jesus trial was held at night and on the Passover- not in line w Jewish law- daytime trials only
• the code, which is taken from the Talmud: “The members of the court may not alertly and intelligently hear the testimony against the accused during the hours of darkness.”
• As we hear this we think- That’s wrong to put someone on trial outside of lawfulness
• But are we any better?

• Have you put Jesus on trial because his timing is inconvenient to you?

• Isn’t it unlawful to change the timeline in which God is dealing with you? Demanding your time
• It really no different than what these guys did- they unlawfully changed the time of the trial to get the outcome they wanted- they changed the time to get what they wanted- a conviction
• Ecclesiastes 8:6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly.——- its because we are impatient people- we want things on OUR TIME
• One of the worst ways in which we try to manipulate God is to try and get an outcome on our timeline instead of waiting on him to do it on HIS timeline.
• Its unlawful- Our lives are not our own. You gave your life, your plans to God- and when you’re not being patient with his plan- you can frustrate the process and go in directions you ought not
• Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
• God knows what he’s doing! He is totally fine with you waiting!
• The time it took from God telling me I was going to pastor to pastoring was 12 years. Doesn’t seem that long in retrospect- but that was more than a third of my life! WHEN GOD WHEN
• I look back and I can see God’s hand in what he was doing! He was refining me!
• Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
• When you wait on God- you do what you do in HIS strength- not in YOUR strength.

• Second reason it was Unlawful because of where it was held-

• Jewish law required that all trials of the Sanhedrin had to be held in the Hall of Hewn Stones on the Temple grounds This trial was held in the residence of the high priest
  • Only in the hall of hewn stones and there only, that a capital sentence could be pronounced, the Jewish traditions are unanimous in declaring.
  • Here is also the testimony of famous 12^th century jewish scholar Maimonides: There can be no sentence of death unless the Sanhedrim is assembled in its place,
  • It was unlawful because they changed the WHERE- they wanted it where THEY wanted it.
• Are you putting Jesus on trial based on where he has you?

• See in a trial you have someone is accusing someone else of a crime- the crime of this heart is – God- why do you have me here? This job. This relationship. This location.
• What these people do is accuse God of not knowing what he’s doing. You don’t choose the place- I DO
• Psalm 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
• You got on your knees- you told God- do what you will and he DOES and then you get mad at him
• This is where you get grumbling, complaining and dissatisfaction. I’m not saying you shouldn’t work for upward mobility- but there is a sense of accepting where God has you. Being ok with it
• This is some peoples heart- 2 Chronicles 20:6 and said: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?
• But we accuse God- why can’t I be THERE. Why do you have me HERE
• My experience has been that God will never move you to THERE until you accept that you’re HERE
• Job 9:12 If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
• Modern day Christianity has become a self indulgent ‘follow me god’ experience instead of subjecting ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus in our lives.
• Psalm 135:6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places.

• Unlawful because of the way it was held- they broke the rules!

• Many illegalities of the trial of Jesus Illegal to hold a trial on the eve of the Sabbath because there was supposed to be a one day adjournment if there was a conviciton
• Guilty sentence would be handed down the day after the trial
• Sanhedrin could not bring charges, they could only investigate the charges that others made
• The charges brought on Jesus changed throughout the trial- threatening to destroy the temple, then charged with blasphemy, before pilate charges were changed again – the claim of being the king of the Jews and not paying taxes to Rome
• Jesus was not allowed to bring a defense nor was he allowed to call witnesses

• Sanhedrin made the death sentence, which was unlawful for them to do

• Are you putting Jesus on trial because of the rules he places on your life?
• You accuse Jesus when you get upset at the rules in your life- loving your sin- wishing you could take part in it. Frustrated at the restraints of the Faith
• These guys wanted to break the rules because they didn’t like the rules. SELFISHNESS

• John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
• You should want to honor God with your life- you should want to do the right thing- and if you don’t- you should be asking God why you don’t
• People will get hired for a job, and act right cause they don’t want to get fired. Whats the diff?
• 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
• Pleasing God is not burdensome- its our pleasure.
• John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

• Matt 5:17-19 READ– ¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

• Unlawful because of what witnesses were called

• These men went out and actually called and sought witnesses to testify against Jesus
• They worked very hard to find people who would bring accusations against Jesus
• V56 claims that many were willing to lie and say Jesus did wrong, when he never had
• None of their testimonies agreed with each other
• According to the Law, the testimony of witnesses in a trial had to be in perfect agreement, Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Num. 35:30.
• Are you asking other people who Jesus is instead of taking God at his word?
• Are you pursuing people that will tell you what you want to hear about God?

• Fornicators that ask fornicators. Liars who ask liars. Gossips who ask gossips
• Proverbs 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.
• Often times people will go to people they know are going to give them the advice they want to hear so they can go with their preconceived plans
• Should I be doing this thing that doesn’t line up with the scriptures my fellow reprobate?
• 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
• Exodus 23:1 “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
• As your pastor- I am trying to lead you to JESUS and live for his word. When you go to Godless people asking them if you should follow God’s word- you will be led astray
• Isaiah 8:19 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?
• Going to the godless is no different than going to a sorcerer
• 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 READ- Saul sought mediums and it cost him his throne

5.Unlawful because of why it was held

• The trial of Jesus was not about seeking the truth of innocence or guilt. Jesus was guilty before the trial even began
• Jesus was going to be killed and found guilty regardless of the outcome of the trial
• The only reason they held it was so they could justify killing him- they had to stop him!
• Is your trial of Jesus already come to a conclusion before your trial is over?

• Why are you serving God? SO you can lead him somewhere or he can lead you somewhere?
• The entire experience of being a Christian is about submitting to HIS plan. HIS purpose. Not YOURS. Why do you say you’re serving God if you already have a predetermined outcome for your life? You’re going to do what you want to do anyway. Quit playing around!
• Have you already decided your course of action and your plan and asking God to join YOU?
• Many people have already passed judgment on Jesus and already decided the outcome before THEIR ‘trial’ is over- “I already know how this story ends” I’m going to give up on serving God right now because I already know the outcome- I am not going to trust God through the process
• Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
• It’s a lack of trust to control you own life instead of trusting that God knows what he’s doing
• Psalm 112:7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
• Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
• God is going to sustain you. He is going to keep you. Don’t come up with the ending. Let HIM
• Constant faith and trust!
• Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.