Two Trials - Two Verdicts

I want to ask you this question this morning, when you face life's greatest crisis, how will you respond? When you face life's greatest crisis, how will you respond? When you go into work one day and suddenly find out you're losing your job, when you are diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, when a dear family member suddenly dies, when your house is reduced to rubble in a fire. When you face that or another kind of crisis, where will you turn? Obviously, after the initial shot and fear and anger and all of those emotions, maybe even panic, after you deal with those initial onslaught of emotions, when you have a chance to gather yourself, how will you respond? Where will you turn? How will you make it through those greatest crises of life? We're journeying with the Apostle John through his gospel and we find ourselves this morning in chapter 18. Last week we saw that Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemiti and we found that in a situation that would seemingly be totally out of control, 600 Roman soldiers coming to arrest Jesus out of his control, right? But we found that he was in every detail completely in control of that situation. He was the one calling the shots and eventually after speaking those great words, I am and all 600 soldiers falling backwards, he eventually gives himself to be arrested. And then John continues the story by following two main characters as the story develops and unfolds and as the trial of Jesus begins, John follows the two main characters in the story, Jesus and Peter, both are facing the greatest crisis of their lives. There is a sense in which both of them are on trial, typically we think of Jesus' trial being the next thing in the account of the gospels. Jesus is on trial but Peter is on trial too. In fact at one point he will actually put himself under oath. He literally is on trial, both of them are on trial and the question is how will they respond? It is amazing how John develops the story. In verses 12 through 27, he alternates back and forth between Jesus and Peter. In verses 12 through 14 he introduces the story of Jesus being taken into custody and beginning to appear before Anna is for his trial. Then he skips over to Peter in verses 15 and 18, talks a little bit about Peter. Then he comes back to Jesus in verses 19 to 24 and then he goes back to Peter in verses 25 to 27. The very fact that he alternates back and forth between the two characters serves to highlight the differences in the two. Show us the stark difference in the way they respond. One of these two will respond with strength, the other will respond with weakness. One of these two will respond with victory, the other will respond with failure. I think you can kind of guess which one responds which way. We are going to look at both of them this morning and then we are going to look at how we are also on trial. First of all the trial of Jesus. Jesus is the one who responds with strength and victory and so today we do look at two trials and two verdicts and there are great lessons to be learned for us this morning. The trial of Jesus begins in verse 12. Let's look at it. Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him. I want you to get the picture here of what it's like to be bound in that day and let off the trial means that Jesus' hands would be bound behind him with a heavy metal chain and his rope would have or his neck would have a rope around it. If a detainee tried to get away or resist in any way it was very obvious. It was clear it was easy to bring them to the ground. That's how Jesus is bound. Verse 13 says and brought him first to Anas who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who would advise the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people. You may recall he had said that back in chapter 11 when the ruling council visceral tried to figure out what to do with Jesus after the resurrection of Lazarus and Caiaphas was the one who had said that. Now skip down to if you will verse 19. Meanwhile the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. So what we see first here is the questioning. Jesus is arrested, he is bound and he is brought to Anas first. Why Anas? It will be clear as the story proceeds that Anas is not really a key figure anymore. He hasn't been high priest for 15 years. So why bringing to Anas first? Caiaphas is the one in charge. Caiaphas is the one that will ultimately between him and pile it. But decide what will be done with Jesus. So why Anas? Well Anas still kind of has that figurehead position. He's the first guy you go to because he still has a lot of authority and he still has a lot of respect and he still has a lot of influence over his son and the law of Caiaphas. So they bring him to Anas first of all. And Anas begins the questioning. Verse 19 says he questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Now I think it's very important at this point that we break from the text for a moment and we understand the nature of this trial and the injustice that will be performed this night in the trials of Jesus. Because you cannot grasp Jesus response, you cannot really understand the nature of what he says until you understand the kind of injustice that Jesus was suffering in this trial. This trial, actually a series of trials that Jesus will go through this night. There is no greater sham in the history of law than the trials of Jesus. Jewish law was clear on several points that were violated on this trial. First of all, there should never be a trial at night. That was violated in the case of Jesus. Secondly, you must allow a lawyer to speak for the accused. That was never done for Jesus. That was violated. No guilt must be declared unless two or three credible witnesses are called. Now later the Sanhedrin will try to call a couple of witnesses but their guys who are paid and their stories don't match up and the whole thing falls around the feet of the high priest and the Sanhedrin. So that's no good. That wasn't followed in the case of Jesus either. It was clear in Jewish law that the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of Israel who made these kind of decisions and before whom ultimately Jesus will appear, they were not permitted to render an immediate verdict. They were supposed to hear the testimony and then recess for two days. And during those two days, the Sanhedrin was supposed to be thinking about this trial. So it was actually stipulated in the law that they should eat and drink lightly. I mean, no serious partying during this time. You're thinking about this trial. After two days, you come back together, you hear the evidence again and then you vote the verdict. All 70 of the Sanhedrin, one by one would cast their votes starting with the youngest so that the youngest could really vote their conscience and not be swayed by the elders of the group. That's the way it was supposed to take place. Obviously, that didn't happen in the trial of Jesus. A number of things that were supposed to happen didn't happen. There's not supposed to be any punishment administered until a verdict is passed. But obviously that won't happen to Jesus. He will be struck on this occasion and will be brutally beaten later on before the trial is even done. And so none of this happens with Jesus. None of the Jewish law has followed. What's happening here is a kangaroo court quickly assembled in the middle of the night when nobody can have been killed. The one who rejects whose sole purpose and motivation is to angrily get Jesus to execution and kill him and get rid of this problem that the high priest and the Jewish leaders have been facing. They just and their rage and anger against him just spills over. Nothing is done legally. Now that helps us to understand the response that we see Jesus gives in verses 20 through 24. Notice this response. Verse 20. 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. Now some people have read that and felt like Jesus was being a little insolent here, a little rude, a little brash with the high priest. In fact, that's the way others there took it. He's not at all being insolent or rude. He is calling this court to some semblance of proper Jewish order. He's calling for witnesses, which is what the law says should be done. The accused in a Jewish court is not supposed to be compelled to testify against himself or present evidence against himself. And another Jewish law is that the presiding judge cannot directly interrogate the accused. You have to go through the lawyers to do that. None of this was done on Jesus' behalf. And so Jesus is bringing this mock court to some semblance of order. And for that, verse 22, when Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. Is this the way you answer the high priest he demanded? And notice that Jesus maintains, maintains composure. Does not retaliate. And this is what he says, verse 23, if I said something wrong, Jesus replied, testify as to what is wrong. The word testify is a legal term of the day, which basically means I have issued an objection to the proceedings of this court. This is not being done legally. I have objected to this line of questioning. And you hit me for it. I'm calling upon you if we're going to resolve this thing to do it legally. Bring witnesses, testify as to what I have said or done wrong. And then Jesus goes on to say, but if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me? What Jesus is clearly doing is bringing Jewish law in the court. And then into the courtroom here where it is not being followed. It's clear to me that Jesus is not trying to escape conviction. He's not trying to escape death. He has already surrendered himself to death. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he spoke the words, I am in 600 Roman soldiers fell backward to the ground. They couldn't take him against his will. He has willingly given himself to die. So this is not a ploy to try to legally wrangle his way out of this trial. Not that at all. For once and all, Jesus is establishing the fact that this is a corrupt group, motivated by anger and hatred of him who will throw all the law books to the side to get him killed. Jesus is showing they will not follow the law. And so their motivation, their character is absolutely despicable. That's what Jesus is establishing. But he is the one in control. Anas has already lost control of this proceeding in the initial questioning. But Jesus with calm composure, no retaliation is absolutely in control. And I think at this point, Anas realizes I'm in trouble. He's already called me on several legal proceedings that I haven't followed. I'm getting him out of here. And so he whisked him away to Caiaphas who will deal with him and Anas is done. What Jesus is doing is responding with the glory of the Son of God. What glory in his majestic bearing of himself in this trial? He does not crack under the pressure. He does not retaliate even when illegally struck what resolve, what humility, what strength, what meatness, what control, what trust, what victory on the part of the Son of God. Jesus stands alone in glory. Even though he is the one in chains where the rope around his neck, he stands head and shoulders above Anas and everyone else in this mock trial. He is the Son of God in all of his glory, reacting with strength and control and totally in victory. That's how Jesus responds to the greatest trial of his life, the greatest crisis of his life. Comely trusting his father through the whole thing. But then there's Peter. Simon Peter. Let's look at his trial. Peter obviously is the one who responds in weakness and failure. But we need to see how and why this happened. Let's look first of all at what the text says about the three denials. The three denials are described for us in two sections. First of all, verses 15 to 18. Let's look there. Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard. But Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple who was known to the high priest came back. Spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. You aren't one of this man's disciples too, are you? She asked Peter. He replied, I'm not. It was cold and the servants and the officials stood around the fire. They had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them warming himself. Now skip down to verse 25. While the trial of Jesus is beginning inside, Peter's outside in the courtyard, verse 25. Meanwhile Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, you aren't one of his disciples too, are you? He denied it saying, I'm not. One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off challenged him. Didn't I see you with him in the garden? Again Peter denied it and at that moment a rooster began to grow. The three denials. The gospels bring in different details of the three denials of Peter. They all treat it somewhat differently because there are numerous people firing questions and challenges at Peter. Lots of different people are interacting with him. You put all four of the gospels together. You kind of get the whole picture, but it's quite clear. He denies the Lord three times. Now let's think more carefully about how John describes this. John describes actually two people that are following this procession of soldiers and religious leaders who are taking Jesus to trial. Simon Peter and then another disciple in verse 15. Because he does not name himself, most believe similar to what he does otherwise in the gospels. This is John himself. He never names himself. He calls himself the Apostle Jesus loved or the other Apostle. So probably this is John. The Bible says that John was known to the high priest so he gets right in to the courtyard. Probably because he and his brother James come from a wealthy family with a huge fishing business in Galilee with lots of servants in their business and workers with them. He probably has connections in Jerusalem and those personally the high priest and so he's ushered right in. People recognize him, but Peter is still outside. John turns around and recognizes Peter is no longer with him. So he goes back and he speaks to the girl who's in charge at the door of letting people in and he says, he says, this guy's with me. Come on, let him into it. So Peter is brought in as well. But the girl at the door thinks she's seen him before. And so she says in verse 17, you aren't one of this man's disciples to. Are you? Now the way the question is asked, it expects a negative answer. It's very clear in the original language it was written in. You can ask a question three different ways. There are three classes of subjunctive moods in the Greek and three ways you can ask it. And depending on which word comes first, you can tell exact. What kind of question is what kind of response is expected in this case she expects a negative response. You aren't one of his disciples to her. She's expecting to say no. And so Peter gives the expected response. Mumbling, I'm sure. I'm not as he walks through the door. Satan has just made it very easy for him to deny the Lord. Just answer the question like it's expected. Just do the easy thing. Just go along. And thus his first denial. They gather around a fire inside the courtyard. It's pretty cold. So Jesus in the middle of the night, one or two o'clock in the morning probably has taken inside for the questioning with Anna's. Peter is one of those who finds himself around this fire in the courtyard trying to warm himself. And in verse 25, he is asked again. You are one of his disciples to are you again expecting a negative answer. And his reply is again to go along. I'm not. Now notice it says they asked him. This is a reason for what seems to be a discrepancy in some of the gospels. Some of the gospels tell us different people were asking him. Mark says it was the same slave girl that saw him at the door. Matthew says it was a different girl. Luke says it was a man that asked him this. In reality, they John has it has it summarized. They all of them were asking him as they warned themselves around the fire. They're pelting him with questions. You aren't one of his disciples to are you expecting a negative answer. And he goes along again and says mumbling. I'm sure I'm not. This is his second denial. Luke says about an hour passes. The proceedings are going on inside the questioning has taken place much more questioning than what we're given here in the text an hour goes by before Peter is questioned again. One of the gospels tells us that the soldiers begin to question his accent. You're not from around here are you you've got a Galilee and accent you've got to be one of his disciples right. But notice John picks up on someone else who speaks around the fire. One of the high priest servants a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off now just think of this. Think of being in the garden evidently this guy was with malcus the high priest servant he may have been involved in in the house priest's household management as well. I mean he's there that night. So he must have been so he's with he's with them in the garden and he was close enough to see what Peter did because he thinks he recognizes him even in the dim light of the torches in the garden. He thinks he recognizes this guy and he challenges him didn't I see you with him in the garden now this question expects a positive answer this guy sure I saw you didn't I see you. And the question is phrased in such a way that it expects a positive answer and Peter can no longer mumble under his breath. I don't know him. No I wasn't I'm not I'm not he couldn't mumble any longer he's caught he's trapped. And so now the Bible tells us Matthew tells us and Luke tells us that he calls down curses on himself and loudly says two things I don't know what you're talking about I don't even know this man calling down curses on himself. That doesn't mean he was using profane language he might have we don't know but literally he was placing himself under oath he was putting his hand on the Bible and saying I swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And I call down God's judgment on me if I'm not telling the truth I don't know this man. Peter how can you do that his third denial is so forced to do that. He's so forced to do it. It's obvious he's in it for shock value he wants to shut them up maybe this will do it maybe if I do it forcefully enough and call down God's judgment on me if I'm telling a lie maybe that'll convince them maybe that'll stop them and they they'll quit talking to me and quit questioning me. We denies him a third time I am struck by Peter's weakness. I want us to evaluate for a few moments Peter's weakness in this because quite frankly it mirrors my weakness it mirrors your weakness we are all weak like Peter but I'm struck with with the nature of his weakness. He is caught in a crisis that he is obviously not prepared for. He is obviously not ready for this and under the pressure of this constant barrage of questions and wondering what might happen to him if he owns up to being a disciple of Jesus he folds he fails miserably. What I want us to see is he fails at the point of his greatest strength. He is an extrovert. Peter's a brave guy naturally he's brave he's outgoing he's outspoken. Peter is the guy that will challenge Jesus when Jesus says in Matthew 16 I'm going up to Jerusalem I'm going to be arrested I'm going to be crucified I'm going to die and Peter says not so Lord never happened to you. You remember and Jesus looks straight at him and says get behind me Satan you're not thinking the thoughts of God Satan speaking through you but Peter's the one who would even review the Lord. He's brave naturally he's the one that steps out of the boat starts walking on the water none of the other disciples did that. This man has natural strength natural bravery and that's why his weakness is all the more stunning because he fails at the point of his strength. He's in a crowd he knows how to handle crowds. He knows how to deal with crowds. He's the speaker for the disciples. He's the one that always stands out the extrovert the one that knows how to deal with people. The one who knows what to do and jumps ahead in a situation but he's in a crowd now and he can't bear the pressure he can't bear the ridicule and he publicly and loudly denies Jesus. After just proclaiming to Jesus in the upper room a few hours before if everyone else in this group denies you I will not deny you I would die for you. Strong wasn't he? No he was weak. He failed at the very point of his strength he is now shaken to the core and loudly denying his Lord and not once but three times. I'm stunned by his weakness. He fails miserably. But we can't leave the story there and the gospels don't leave the story there. John just basically gives us this one last detail at the third denial verse 27. At that moment a rooster began to crow. But I want us to understand the whole story here because we can't just leave it with Peter's denial and weakness and failure. We have to see Peter's conviction and forgiveness. This is the blessed conclusion to the story. In the heat of the third denial loudly proclaiming I don't know him calling down God's curses on him if he's not telling the truth in the heat of that Peter evidently does not notice the shuffle of feet in the courtyard as Jesus is now being brought out to be transferred to Caiaphas because what happens next he's not prepared for he's not ready for this. Luke tells us the whole story look at these verses on the screen Luke 22 Peter replied man I don't know what you're talking about that's the third denial just as he was speaking the rooster crowed the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter it's obvious he's out in the courtyard now the proceedings have taken place inside but Jesus is now being transferred to Caiaphas and so he's out in the courtyard now he looks straight at Peter then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken in a two. In a two him before the rooster crowed today you will disown me three times and he went outside and wet bitterly please understand this scene as Peter loudly and vehemently calling down God's judgment on him the noise that he even knows this man who's being fried inside and turns around and Jesus is right behind him looking at him and their eyes lock can you imagine that he's not going to be able to see the Lord. I'm sure that as Peter looked into the eyes of Jesus and their eyes locked for just a moment Peter saw hurt and sadness in Jesus eyes I think he also saw love I think he also saw in Jesus eyes the assurance that Jesus was praying for him and didn't want him to fail Jesus had told him in Luke 22. Satan has desired to sift you as wheat he's desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat the sifting of wheat was the violent shaking of wheat to separate the true wheat from the false chaff it was a shaking process Satan desires to get a hold of you to shake you but I have prayed for you Jesus said that your faith will not fail and I'm sure as Peter looked into the eyes of Jesus he saw hurt sadness that Peter was in the heart of Jesus. Peter would fail so miserably and that Peter would even call down God's wrath God's judgment on him if he was lying. Peter deserved it then didn't he deserve God's judgment then with such a horrible failure but I believe he also saw Jesus look of compassion and forgiveness and prayer for him the next three days must have been horrible for Peter from early that Friday morning until early Sunday morning and even on through the day Sunday until Peter finally sees him that night they must have been horrible hours for Peter Luke says that he went out and went bitterly the sense of failure the sense of wondering can I ever be forgiven for this all the last time he must have heard me he must have heard what I said he was right behind me I can't believe he was in the heart of Jesus. I can never recover from this I can never be restored I can never be forgiven what a crushing realization that must have been what a penetrating heart-rending conviction that must have been. I believe that's why the gospels record in Mark 16 verse 7 that when Jesus raised was raised from the dead the third day he said to Mary I want you to go tell the disciples and Peter that I'm alive. Peter needs a special message from me and I think that's why Jesus met him again around fire will come to it later we just give you a little preview in chapter 21 Peter's back fishing in Galilee is a stranger on the shore who beckons him to cast the net over the other side of the boat Peter catches a huge amount of fish and he remembers that's how I got called in the ministry that's how Jesus called me this is Jesus on the shore and he jumps over in patch of his Peter brave Peter jumps over the side of the boat and swims to shore their Jesus is with a little campfire cooking breakfast. So Jesus and Peter meet again around a fire. And this time Jesus says to Peter do you love me more than these I think he meant more than these disciples it not what you claimed in the upper room. That even though everybody would forsake you you would stay with me you would go to death with me Peter do you really love me more than these three times he asked him that why do you humiliating no to give him three opportunities to proclaim his love just like you denied him three times I'm going to give you the same opportunity to come back Peter that you took to leave. I want you to know I love you I want you back in fact every time Peter would say Lord I can't rise to the word you're using for a sacrificing kind of love obviously I didn't sacrifice anything for you but I do want you know I love you like a friend. You would use a lesser word all three times rather than being condemned or criticized Jesus would say go feed my sheep I got something for you to do Peter. Now if that's not love if that's not restoration if that's not forgiveness there is no such thing around another fire he gives him the same amount of opportunities to come back as Peter took to leave. Yes Peter you are forgiven you are redeemed you are a new creature you'll change your gone you are new in me you can serve me and God deals with us in the same way I don't care where you are or where you've been. I don't care where you are this morning what your life is like the mess it may be in. I don't care what your past is like I don't care what you've done I don't care how you've denied Jesus how you've left him behind I don't care what you've done in your life to turn your back on Jesus Jesus loves you. And he wants to receive you back and he reaches out with open arms of love and compassion and when he locks eyes with you it is not with judgment it is not with cruel scorn it is with love and compassion and forgiveness that he wants to welcome you back to himself. That's the end of Peter's story and then God does using greatly yes he's weak but God takes him to the depths allows him to be broken so that he can be restored is that what you need today is that where you are is that what you need to be restored like Peter. Two trials. Two directly opposite verdicts Christ responding with glory composure strength victory majesty Peter responding with weakness and failure. But before we close there's a third trial I want us to look at quickly and that is the trial of the believer the trial of you and the trial of me because we are all under trial we all face crises in our lives pressure in our lives just like Jesus did it is trial just like Peter did around that fire that night we all face pressure we all face trial we all face difficulty we all face crisis. And the real question is which response will it be for you will it be strength and victory like Christ or will it be weakness and failure like Peter. Well I'll tell you where we need to begin because all of us need to begin here and that is with a recognition of our weakness friend let's own up to it you are weak I am weak none of us is strong enough in ourselves to stand up to the kind of pressure that we face in life. We must admit our weakness we are all like Peter weak. You come this morning I come this morning what is your weakness. What is the point of weakness in your life this morning is it some sin you're struggling with is it some temptation you're facing that is in your face every day is it some kind of anger or resentment or bitterness that you've not let go of is it a physical illness that is affecting your whole outlook on life is it maybe that you're just tired of fighting all the challenges of life and you're ready to give up this morning you feel weak and helpless or maybe you just feel drained. Of all your strength at home or at work and you're not sure how you're going to go another days at your point of weakness this morning or is your point of weakness maybe related to your strength. You see Peter failed at his very point of strength a take charge brave kind of guy who's outspoken and outgoing fails in a crowd where bravery is called for he fails at his very point of strength and my friend what we need to understand is that no matter what natural strength you may have they will fail you in the greatest crises of your life when you face crisis when you face crisis when you face crisis. You face struggle when you face deep trial even your greatest strength if that's what you're depending on that will fail you what is your greatest strength that's kind of taking you through life you kind of ride on this wave through your life maybe it's a win some personality. You can kind of work your way through any situation just the virtue of the strength of your personality maybe you're a real charmer and you just got this easy charm about you you walk into a room and people just immediately like you and you can kind of work your way through any that's been your strength all through your life it's gotten you through a lot of hard times or maybe you have incredible discipline or maybe for you your strength is your speaking ability or your intellect or maybe for you your strength is your wealth. And you've been able to buy yourself out of a lot of situations maybe for you your strength is your impressive appearance maybe for you your strength is that you're aggressive and bold and can just kind of run through any crisis or any any people they're in your way maybe it's an incredible talent that's your strength. I guarantee you my friend there will come a time in your life when your strength will fail you if that's what you're depending on you will fail just like Peter did at the point of his very strength he failed your natural strength will fail you so there is another way when you face the greatest crisis in your life there's something else only this will get you through. And it is Christ's strength for your weakness and don't care if your point of weakness is your point of strength it will fail you at some point and you will need to call upon the strength of Christ because Jesus who responds at the greatest crisis of his life with such strength and victory offers us weak followers of Jesus that same strength that same strength that same strength is the strength of Christ. And the same victory that same power the difference in these two in their trials is that Peter is counting on his natural strength to see him through like it usually does and he fails miserably while Jesus recognizes that even perfect humanity perfect humanity as he has without the pendant of Jesus. Jesus on the father is not enough to see you through life's greatest trials so just previous to this event in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus is flat on his face praying while Peter is sleeping that's the difference. Jesus is calling on the strength of his father doing spiritual battle in the Garden if it's possible let this cup pass from me this cup of your wrath I don't want to be separated from you father I don't want to experience your wrath but not my will yours be done. The Bible says that Satan himself appeared and tempted him in the Garden and God sent an angel to strengthen him. He's availing himself of the strength that is available from his father while Peter is sleeping and counting on his own resources to get him through what lies ahead that's the difference in the two. And that will make all the difference in the world for you Paul would learn this. Paul would say in second Corinthians chapter 12 look at it on the screen but he after after Paul is prayed three times with this physical affliction to be taken from him and Jesus said no he said to me my grace is sufficient for you now notice this next statement for my power is made perfect in weakness. You see that see the contrast your weakness his power Paul goes on to say therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses it's not like he's going around telling everybody you know I'm weak in this area I'm really proud of that not that that's not the idea the idea is that he will readily recognize his weakness and not be ashamed of it why because he knows that he knows that Christ's power may be a great power. May rest on me and he goes on to conclude this that is why for Christ's sake I delight in weaknesses and insults hardships persecutions difficulties why for when I am weak then I am strong it is in our weakness that Christ's strength meets us Peter Peter needed to learn that Paul needed to learn that the Psalmist needed to learn that in Psalm 46 and that great Psalm. That great Psalm of praise he begins this way God is our refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble so when you are in trouble when trouble is filling your day where do you find strength in yourself no no God is our refuge and strength he is an ever present help in trouble and that's why Paul could say in Philippians 413 I can do all this through this. To him who gives me strength it is Christ's strength in our weakness that will make the difference in your life and mine no matter what we face today or tomorrow or next week or next month or next year no matter what comes our way you try to live life in your own strength you will miserably fail like Peter if you will exchange your weakness for Christ's strength and you will recognize that your weakness is a strength that you will recognize. If you will recognize that then Christ's strength rushes in to give you what you need for the day for whatever Christ is you are facing you see it is not only Jesus and Peter who are on trial we are all on trial. Life puts us on trial and so what will the verdict be for you will the verdict be strength and victory or will it be weakness and failure maybe your whole life has been characterized by weakness and failure even at your point of strength why do you realize it's because you've depended on yourself rather than calling upon God your strength ever present strength and time of trouble recognize that in your weakness his strength is made perfect and you cast yourself holy upon him you depend on yourself it is weakness and failure that's the verdict you depend on Christ and it is strength and victory. The decision the verdict really will be rendered by you you will decide how you will face the greatest crises in your life and it all comes down to who you're depending on who you're trusting who you're leaning on is it Christ or is it yourself that's pray together. Thank you for these beautiful illustrations in your word of what it means to trust you of what it means to find your strength to be perfect in our weakness Lord too often I'm like Peter too often we're all like Peter no doubt where we fail maybe we've not literally denied you but in our hearts we've turned our back on you. Father help us to see that sometimes you allow us to be brought to the end of ourselves so that we can look up and find you smiling at us with those eyes of compassion and love you want to restore us you want to forgive us you want to use us oh God thank you for your grace and your mercy and your strength in Jesus name amen.