Click here for PDF file of sermon for preaching.
Grace,
mercy and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The
high priest then question Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
Prayer: Dear Lord
Jesus, bless all of us with your Holy Spirit, to me that I may preach well, and
to all of us that we may hear well. Amen.
Tonight for our
first midweek sermon we’re going to be reading about Jesus when he appeared
before the high-priest, Annas. What we’re dealing with here over the next few
weeks is a trial—Jesus, the completely innocent man, appears before the
priests, but it given a completely unfair trial. He is innocent, but in the end
he is condemned. Jesus receives an unfair trial.
But then it is a
wonderful mystery when we consider on the other hand our own trial. We will
also appear before God on the last day—when all our thoughts, words and actions
will completely laid bare before God’s judgment throne. Even before then, there
is a constant trial going on in our own minds day after day, and hour by hour.
We often find ourselves with our conflicting thoughts accusing and excusing
ourselves. Now, unlike Jesus, we are guilty—we are actually sinful. As we often
say on Sundays: We have sinned against you in thought, word and deed. Or
sometimes we say: I a poor, helpless sinner. You might remember the
words of prodigal son when he returns to his Father: Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. We
know that this prayer also is true about us. Heavenly Father, we have sinned
against heaven and before you. We are no longer worthy to be called your sons
and your daughters.
However, we also
receive a trial which seems unfair. Jesus is the innocent one, but he is
condemned. We are the guilty ones, but we are set free. We are actually
forgiven. From a human viewpoint, we would think that Jesus, because he is
innocent, should go free because he deserves it. But that would mean that if we
are guilty, we should be condemned. That would be the right thing to happen
according to God’s justice. But Jesus came down from heaven as a helpless baby
at Christmas time for one purpose—so that could take on himself the sin of the
world. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He takes all
our guilt upon himself, and then he is condemned not for his own guilt but for
ours. So what does this mean for us? It means that when we appear on trial
before God, all our guilt and sin has already be dealt with in a previous
trial. Jesus has already charged for it, and he has already died for it, and he
has already paid for it with his death and with his blood. When we appear on
trial before God, since Jesus has already been tried for us, now we go to be
tried for Jesus, the innocent one—we go to trial before God as if we are Jesus,
innocent and perfect. Jesus was condemned, but we are forgiven. Jesus blood has
paid the price, and by faith in Him, and by faith in his trial, his suffering,
his death, his blood, we are completely forgiven. Luther writes in the Small
Catechism that Jesus redeemed us so that I may be his own, and live under
him in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and
blessedness.
So let’s look at our
text for tonight. The history about when Jesus is questioned by Annas is only
recorded in the Gospel of John. In the history of Jesus’ suffering and death,
we actually read about two high-priests, when normally we would expect there to
be only one. It so turned out that Annas served his term as high priest
earlier, but he was deposed by the Romans. So the sons of Annas and his
son-in-law Caiaphas carried on the position. However, because Annas was wrongly
kicked out of his position, they brought Jesus to him out of respect. It might
be a bit of similar situation as in the Roman Catholic Church at
present—normally, we would expect there to be one pope, but we know there’s
also a retired pope, Pope Benedict XIV, living somewhere in a monastery out the
back of the Vatican somewhere.
So Caiaphas is the
high priest who is actually serving, but Annas, his father-in-law, should have
continued to serve if the Romans hadn’t kicked him out. Jesus, too, is kicked
out and rejected by the whole world. He comes into the world as its Saviour,
and our true high-priest, who prays for us constantly. And then we—like the
Romans did to Annas—try to kick him out of our hearts, and reject him. However,
there is no one to replace Jesus, only wolves. There is no one to replace
Christ, only antichrists. There is no one to replace the true Son of God, only
idols.
We read in John: The
high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. When
someone has a large gathering of disciples and followers, people start to
worry. What’s he going to do with all these disciples? Are they going to start
up a revolution? And so, since Jesus has a large group of followers, what’s he
actually saying to them? You can see here why the high priest is questioning
Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. With the word,
teaching we might also say: doctrine. Jesus’ teaching and his doctrine
is the same thing, it’s the same word. Sometimes today people prefer to talk
about Jesus’ “teaching” rather than his “doctrine”—people avoid using the word
“doctrine” because it has a certain ring to it, as if it is legalistic,
negative and old-fashioned. But actually, it is a good word. But there’s a
difference between doctrines, with an “s”, plural, and Jesus’ “doctrine”,
without an “s”, singular. Jesus actually has one doctrine to teach, one unified
whole, one unity of teachings—and what this means is that everything Jesus says
is connected with something else. If we just take the bits we like, and reject
the bits we don’t like, then we don’t really accept Jesus’ authority at all,
and we even undermine and do damage to the bits we like. When Jesus sends out
his disciples later, they are charged to teach them to observe everything I
have commanded you. Not one piece is to be left out, everything fits
together into a unified whole, like a gold ring. When you cut a piece out of
the ring, then it’s not a circle anymore. That’s what the word doctrine means.
So Annas the priest
questions Jesus about his disciples and his teaching, or we could say, his
doctrine. However, it is not the disciples who are be questioned—it is
Jesus. Now normally, wouldn’t you think that it would be better to ask the
disciples about Jesus and his teaching? But also, what was Annas wanting to ask
Jesus that he already didn’t know?
So we read that
Jesus says: I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in
synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing
in secret. Jesus points out the fact that here he is bound in chains,
having been arrested in the middle of the night, not in broad daylight where
everyone can see it, and now Jesus is being questioned by the priest. They had
had plenty of opportunities to do this before. Jesus wasn’t secretive. He
didn’t hide anything. And so he testifies of the fact that what he has said has
always been public. And because it is public, there should be many people
around who are perfectly capable of telling Annas what he wants to know.
Jesus says: Why
do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what
I said.
So here’s the
situation: the high priest asks Jesus about his disciples and his doctrine, but
Jesus points the high priest to ask the disciples about himself and his
doctrine. And this is the way it continues for the church today, and Jesus
shows us something really wonderful about mission. Sometimes people say, I like
Jesus, but I don’t like Christians. I like Jesus, but I don’t like disciples. I
agree that Jesus is a good guy, but his followers are a bunch of hypocrites.
Of course we
are—Jesus is true God, and we’re a bunch of sinners coming to Jesus’ hospital
for a cure, and for fixing up. Sometimes people read the bible and read about
Jesus, but then they look at the church and say, I don’t see what I read there,
and so they stay away from the church.
But this is not how
Jesus has established it. He wants people to ask his disciples, his church,
about himself and his teaching, his doctrine. Jesus actually sends us, and
trust us, to give an answer about him and what he teaches. What is important is
that we give a faithful witness.
Too often in the
church, all people are interested in is bottoms on the pews, and money on the
plate. But Jesus is interested in saving souls. When we give an answer about
Jesus and his teaching, many people don’t listen, but the fault is not
necessarily with us. We are not the ones who convert people, the Holy Spirit
does that. But he does it through our witness, through our testimony to God’s
word, so if we want to be useful missionaries in whatever little corner God
places us, we do well to read and study God’s word and to learn it well, so
that it’s there on our tongue as a wonderful means for the Holy Spirit to use.
Jesus says in our reading: Ask those who have heard me what I said to them;
they know what I said. If Jesus says: they know what I said, it’s important
that we know what Jesus said! We give the witness and the Holy Spirit works the
faith, when and where he chooses, not when and where we choose. And so, we
should not be discouraged when people don’t want to listen. When they don’t
want to listen to the word of God spoken by us, his church, his disciples, they
are not rejecting us, they are rejecting Jesus himself. As Jesus says: The
one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one
who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.
So the high priest
asks Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. But today, people ask his
disciples about Jesus and his teaching.
In fact, here in
our reading, not only did people not want to listen to Jesus, but even we read:
When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus
with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?”
It’s not just that he
doesn’t listen to Jesus, and is apathetic, but this man is hostile, and
violent. This is all testimony to the fact that Jesus is perfect, and that his
listeners are sinners. How many times have we often sat in the pew and thought,
“I just want to get up there and slap the pastor?” Maybe it’s not him we want
to slap, but Jesus we want to slap! Jesus word is a double-edged sword, and
here this man, like us so often, want to make sure he defends himself.
In my life as a
pastor, I once struggled for a time where I thought that people were apathetic.
But then later, some people became hostile. And I talked to an older pastor
about it, and said, “What am I doing wrong?” And he said, “Nothing—it’s easier
to deal with people who are hostile than people who don’t care.” When boredom
towards God’s word turns into hostility, then it means that the idols in
people’s hearts are protesting.
And so this soldier
also protests. And what’s his idol? He says: Is that how you answer the high
priest? Hang on, Jesus is the true high priest! He is a high priest who is
not unable to sympathise with us in our weakness, as it says in Hebrews 4. So
Mr Soldier, is that how you answer the high priest? With a slap? Don’t you know
who your high priest really is?
And so Jesus says: If
what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is
right, why do you strike me?
So what does he
think was wrong with what Jesus said? Was he mad at him because he told the
high-priest to do something, even if it was the right thing to do? Did he think
Jesus was being rude? But was there anything that Jesus actually said that was
wrong? No. So why the slap?
Actually, let’s go
back to what Jesus said earlier in answer to Annas, the high priest. He says: I
have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the
temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.
Notice here that
Jesus’ ministry is a public ministry. Everything is laid out in the
open. Christianity is not a secret society with dark hidden secrets. Everything
is laid out in the open. Anyone can go and buy a bible in this country from a
bookshop and can read about the life of Jesus and the history of God’s people
and God’s word. Jesus says: I have spoken openly to the world. Jesus
speaks openly because there is nothing to hide. Of course, this makes Jesus
vulnerable. When we hide our secrets, we protect ourselves. Opening himself up
means he opens himself open to attack. We might think about when he preached at
Nazareth, his hometown, and the people tried to throw him off a cliff.
Here in our
reading, the fact that Jesus has spoken openly means that he even ends up on
trial. However, even though Jesus has spoken openly to the world, Annas gives
the impression that he knows nothing, so that Jesus has to remind him: I
have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in the synagogues and in
the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do
you ask me?
But this is the way
dodgy politics goes. Bullies in authority give the appearance of being fair and
just and following the proper process and procedure, but in the background and
in the wings there is a hidden agenda, there’s a scheming plot. What Annas is
doing is to Jesus by giving this appearance of fairness is like what Psalm 55
says: His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words
were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
Jesus exposes the
farce, the show, the appearances, and so no wonder he gets slapped.
But back to the
fact that Jesus speaks openly. As I said before, the whole of God’s word is
laid bare before the world, not so that the world can judge it and put it on
trial, like Annas puts Jesus on trial, but so that by this word the world can
be judged. It is not us that judges God and his word and his Son, but it is God
and his word and his Son that judged us. And so it is for our benefit, it is
for our instruction, it is for our encouragement that Jesus speaks openly to
the world. Jesus gives his straight talk to the world, and since we’re are
also part of the world, he gives us his straight talk too: God so loved the
world, that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him may not
perish but have eternal life. We read in 2 Timothy: All Scripture is
breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work. And in Romans 15 it says: Whatever was
written in former days was written for our instruction, that through the
endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. That’s
what the Scriptures are given for: teaching, reproof, correction, training in
righteousness, but most importantly, encouragement and hope.
We might think of
some other religious groups which do not speak openly, but keep secrets.
Freemasonry for example does not speak openly, but puts on a show as if it is
nothing but a friendly men’s club. But then the more a person is initiated into
all the different levels and goes up the ladder, then things get stranger and
stranger. Masons take curses upon themselves if they were to tell anyone the
secrets of masonry. Christians are commanded to tell people the secrets of
Christianity. It’s the opposite.
Mormonism is a bit
like this too. It starts off giving the appearance of being like any other
Christian denomination, but then the more you learn, the weirder it becomes.
Another example of
a religious group that does not speak openly is what is called Anthroposophy.
This is a religious philosophy started by Rudolf Steiner, who also started
Biodynamic Agriculture and Waldorf Education. There is a Waldorf school in Mt
Barker where I was before, and also Trinity Gardens Primary School nearby here
follows this philosophy. Biodynamic Agriculture gives the impression of being
just like organic gardening, and Waldorf or Steiner Education gives the
impression of being progressive, child-centred learning, but underlying these
things is a whole philosophy which is basically occult, and even uses
witchcraft. It’s a secretive show.
Christianity is not
a secretive show—it is public and open, and it’s now a show, an appearance, but
it deals with real things: the life-changing powerful word of God, and the
powerful sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It deals with the real,
concrete, in-your-hand, forgiveness of all your sins. We have a living Lord: a
living Jesus, the Son of a real, loving heavenly Father, and a powerful living
Holy Spirit. There’s nothing about Christianity which is reserved for a chosen
select few—the whole of Christianity and the whole of God’s word is there to be
learned and studied by anyone and everyone. Even pastors and theologians
sometimes say: “We won’t tell the lay-people about that!” No! Jesus says: teach
them to observe everything! everything! everything! I have commanded you.
At the end of our
reading for tonight, Annas simply doesn’t both asking Jesus anything more and
sends him off in chains to Caiaphas. Here we see a man pricked in conscience,
fobbing him off. He is happy to have the prestige of being respected
high-priest, but when it doesn’t suit him anymore, he sends him off to his
son-in-law, Caiaphas.
We are so often
tempted to this too. We don’t understand something Jesus says, and we just fob
him off, we give up, we think it doesn’t really matter anyway. No—this is how
the Holy Spirit works! Be like Jacob and don’t let your Jesus go until he
blesses you. Don’t send him away to the next person in line. Let him stay in
your house so that he may pray his blessing over it and your life. And what a
wonderful Saviour we have who really does stay with us, right through each day,
each week, each year—let’s not fob him off, and let him pass on, but hold on to
him! Amen.
Dear Lord Jesus, we
praise and thank you that you have spoken openly to the world and to us. Send
us your Holy Spirit that we may not be offended and angered by your living and
active words, but that we may go wherever you send us and speak all that you
have commanded us. We commend our bodies and souls into your holy wounds this night
as we think upon your trial, your holy suffering and your death. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment