Dear Christian friends:

While Peter was outside denying His Lord, the Jewish Sanhedrin (Board) was inside accusing (blaming, charging) Him falsely. During the past two Sundays we saw how we joined with Judas in betraying Jesus and with Peter in denying. Today we shall see that we also are joined with the Jewish Church Board in falsely accusing Him.

To sharpen your understanding of this I wish to ask another question:


What were the charges they brought against Jesus? They were religious charges that He would destroy the temple and three days later build it up. More serious was Blasphemy, "He said He was the Son of God." Jews couldn't execute but needed Pilate's condemnation.

But before Pilate their charges change: "And they began to accuse Him say, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ a King." (Luke 23:2)

Clever devils they are, but Pilate is no fool. After briefly examining Jesus He says, "I find no fault in Him." (Luke 23:4) Seven times Pilate said those same words during the trial.

Today men still bring false charges against Him: deceiver, bastard, dreamer, etc. But Jesus says to all His accusers, "Why do you strike Me? If I have spoke evil prove it!" (John 18:23)

Now let us look more closely at Jesus' accusers and see who was there. Sanhedrin, personally and directly involved, but all men do world-wide sin.

Adam: "The woman thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." (Genesis 3:12) Israelites in the desert rebel against God and Moses. Job's wife.

The chief priest and elders were there, Adam and Job's wife were there. The Israelites under Moses were there. Were you there? Did you also join in blaming God's Son?

In time of trouble have you felt God was not fair to you? Have you blamed God for not answering your prayers? Do you feel that God expects too much from you to do His church work, giving your time and money? Do you blame the pastor if you have to work and give for the church? If we complain and blame God, the church or the Pastor are we any better than the Jewish Board? We, too, complain and accuse God by that, we are joined with the Sanhedrin, we were there!

Also if we gossip and falsely blame another person. If you hurt your neighbor you also hurt God's Son. Have you falsely and wrongly blamed another person? If so you were there!

But let us look once more and see the Accused One? An innocent Man. Pilate said so! Judas said so, the Centurion said so. The Bible many times says so. He is the sinless Son of God. Maker of the world and Judge of the world. He has a duty and right to blame us not we blame Him. But He became our Substitute and accepted our blame for all sins.

(Tell the story of the judge who fined a dear old friend and then stepped off the bench and paid the fine himself.) So Jesus our dear God and Friend He blames us and shows us all our rotten, dirty sins like here this morning. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21) Jesus paid for our sins!

Let us truly understand this. Confess your sins! Agree that you wrongly and falsely often blame God and other people. Be sorry about that and then see Jesus does not punish you as you deserve, but kindly suffers that blame instead of you. Then say, "Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus unto Thee." (TLH 420, Christ, the Life of All the Living")

Because Jesus loved us so, we now hate all false accusations, lies and gossip. Now we try to find the truth and tell the truth and do the truth. Jesus says, "If you continue in My Word, then are you My disciples indeed! And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-31)

Amen.