Thursday, June 29, 2017

Morning Moments with God: Day 114

                          Image result for Book of Matthew
Day 114: Jesus' Great Love

Please read the Bible verses for today:
Matthew 26:57-68

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

57 "Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” (Matthew 26:61)
What court of law is this? Let alone a court of law in the temple. "The chief priests and whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death." (Matthew 26:59) "...many false witnesses came forward." Why? What did they have to gain by giving a false witness against Jesus? In the Book of Mark, chapter 14 verse 55, it reads: "55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree." The goal was to put Jesus to death any way they could. They did not care if they found false or true evidence for such a claim, as long as they had just reason to have Him Crucified. But the ridiculous part in all this is that they could not find to false witnesses to agree on anything false so that they could be justified in sentencing Jesus. Than two false witnesses came in and agreed on the story of Jesus saying that He would Himself destroy the temple and in three days rebuild it. This is not what Jesus said. "Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” (John 2:19) First of all Jesus was talking about His body being the temple and secondly, that if they destroyed the temple (Jesus) than He would raise it again in three days, (the resurrection). Yet in Mark:14:59 it says, "59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree." 
62 "Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. (Matthew 26:62-63a)
I am sure in every case up until this point the accused would be yelling and trying to defend himself, but here Jesus remained silent. An ordinary victim would fight to live, to be justified, but this was no ordinary man with an ordinary case. This was Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, who was determined to obey the Father unto death for the salvation of the world. 
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 You have said so,” Jesus replied. But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered. (Matthew 26: 63-65)
The Sanhedrin got what they wanted- Jesus' judgment of death. 
Jesus got what He wanted- a judgment of death.
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?” (Matthew 26:67-68) In Mark 14:65 it says, " 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him." They blindfolded Him. Why did they blindfold Him? Where they afraid of Him? Why couldn't they spit and beat Him without the blindfold? My guess was they were unsure of who He really was, but logically, if they thought about it- if Jesus was God, blindfold or not He would know who was punching Him. 
This particular verse is sacred to me. You see, I was blindfolded and beaten by my family too. And many months afterward, when I was physically and emotionally stable, I cried out to God. I told Him that I knew He had endured many things for us so that He would understand what it was like to be human and go through many trials, but that He had never been blindfolded and beaten. At that moment the Lord told me to read His final days on this earth. When I came across Mark 14:65, I wept. Jesus has endured all things for us-even a beating blindfolded. He is our Great High Priest.
Pray with me:
Jesus, how much love you have for me that you would stay silent while your accusers brought in false accusations against you. How much you love me that you stood there, in front of mere man, to be judged. How much you love me that you would endure a beating, blindfolded. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for enduring it all for me. Help me to receive your love. Help me to receive your acceptance. Help me to live and bask in your deep love for me. Help me to give your love to all those around me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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