Take your Bibles if you would. Turn to John chapter 18. John chapter 18 this morning. And in just a few minutes, we'll begin reading from verse 12. But first, I would like to draw your attention to the screen up here and once again, first Peter three seventeen and eighteen.

Peter wrote, for it is better, if the will of God be so that you suffer for well doing than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit. Hebrews twelve three, for consider him that is Jesus, that endured such contradiction of sinners. Against himself, Lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. Let's go to the Lord in prayer.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord again. For your word, thank you for what you did for us on the cross Of Calvary. Lord, help us not only to be more grateful for all that you did there for us. But Lord, I pray that you would help us to see that it is not a burden, not merely a responsibility, but Lord, indeed it is a privilege to suffer for the sake of the gospel and for Jesus Christ, our savior, who suffered for us. Lord, help us not to hesitate in our service for you, to take a stand for your word, or to do what's right, out of fear, of suffering.

But Lord, may we as the apostle Paul, embrace it. And embrace the opportunity we have to stand for Jesus Christ, who hung on a cross for us. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen. Last Sunday, we saw that the way of the cross is a path of surrender.

As Christ surrendered to the will of his father, as so clearly declared in Philippians two. As he surrendered to the will of the men who came that night to the Garden Of Gethsemane to arrest him. As he surrendered to the need of humanity for a savior and he became that savior in our behalf. This is a picture I took from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This is looking eastward across the the Kidron Valley to the Mount Of Olives.

After Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover and instituted the Lord's supper in the upper room. They left that room and they walked across this valley off the East Side Of Jerusalem to the base of the Mount Of Olives and there Jesus prayed to his father in this garden called the Garden Of Gethsemane. Now, we don't know the exact place at the foot of the Mount Of Olives or where the garden exactly was in Jesus's day but there's still a garden there and this area on the Mount Of Olives today. Those olive trees, you look at, you see this olive tree right here? They're they are some of the ugliest trees I have ever seen in my life.

This thing, if you could dig in through there, it's it's it's not one big solid tree. It keeps growing up around itself and it just gets bigger and bigger. They don't get very tall and it's kind of hollowed out in the middle so to speak but that tree is hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years old. Some of those trees are over a thousand years old. May have been seedlings not long after Christ prayed in the Garden Of Gethsemane that night.

Prayed to let this cup pass from him but also prayed not my will but thine be done. As he prepared himself to surrender to the mob that he knew was coming for him that evening to take him to the cross. Having surrendered to that mob, Jesus is now led to see Anas and then Caiaphas for an unlawful trial in the middle of the night. The way of the cross is not only a path of surrender but the way of the cross is also a path of suffering. Look if you would in John chapter 18 and we'll begin reading in verse 12.

John 18 and verse 12. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him and led him away to Anas first for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas which was the high priest that same year. Now, Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one should die for the people. Let's stop there for just a moment. So, first of all, we see Christ suffering at the hands of the Sanhedrin.

The Sanhedrin was a ruling council of 70 men that ruled over religious matters in Jerusalem. They didn't have much authority over civil matters that was left to the Romans. However, religious matters was the purview of the Sanhedrin. The head of the Sanhedrin was the high priest at the time. At this time, there were sort of two high priests, Anas and his son-in-law Caiaphas, who kind of switched back and forth with the duties of the high priest.

Jesus was taken from the Garden Of Gethsemane back across the Kidron Valley and up the steps and path to a place where he would be held and would be accused, falsely accused, interrogated by a smaller group and then later in that evening, the entire Sanhedrin at the hands of Anas and of Caiaphas. These were the priests, the ringleaders of those who opposed Christ and plotted his death. Of the Jews that rejected Christ, these two men carry the greatest blame as it was their responsibility as high priest to intermediate between God and men and it was their responsibility to teach the people the law. It was their responsibility to be an example. It was their responsibility to point them to the Messiah, the lamb of God but did they do it?

No, they did not. Instead, they chose to reject him. Instead, they chose to turn the people away from him. Instead, they chose to kill him. Because of their unbelief and because of their pride and because of the power that they did not want to give up.

These two men, Anas and Caiaphas, are largely to blame for the attitudes of the people of Israel and of the plot that they concocted for his death. The devil has a way of sneaking his servants sometimes into the very heart of that which was instituted for the worship of God. Paul warned the Galatians that Satan can appear as a what? An angel of light. That's why Paul said the Bereans were more noble when he preached to them because they didn't simply receive what he said and assumed that he was sent from God but they checked it by the scriptures to make sure that what he said came from who?

Came from God because there are many charlatans and as Peter says there in his book, there are many antichrist that have gone out into this world to tune the hearts of men away from the savior. These two men, Anas and Caiaphas, were among those antichrists. For they turned the hearts of the people away from the savior. That day. It was Caiaphas, the high priest, who swat sought to persuade others.

I can't talk this morning. Who sought to persuade others to slay Christ months earlier. Saying somewhat ironically and yet prophetically, hold on, come back to that, these words. John eleven fifty, you know nothing at all. He's speaking to the people nor consider that it is expedient for us That one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not.

Caiaphas' conclusion was that Jesus was a troublemaker who was going to get them in trouble with who? With Rome. And so he began to persuade the people. It's better to kill Christ off. It's better to get rid of Jesus and that he should die than that the hand of Rome should come down on the people of Israel.

That was his excuse. That was his manipulation and indeed for many, it worked and while he did not mean for this to include the plan of redemption, it is ironic that Christ did come to die for us so that we would not have to die. He died in our place. Sad to say, Caiaphas couldn't see what was right in front of his face. Here before the Sanhedrin, Christ was beaten, mistreated, falsely accused without a fair hearing.

Let me back up for a moment here. According to tradition in Jerusalem, this is the path that Jesus was led up from the Kidron Valley back up to a a house, a residence for Anas or Caiaphas. It had a dungeon in the bottom of it where they could hold prisoners while they were on trial and so this is that path that leads up to that place. This are pictures from inside that building. There's obviously a newer building built on top of it.

When we go in, you go down and you go into this structure that would have been there in the day of Christ. Again, some of these things we can't be sure of is to if this is the one or that is the one but indeed this may have been the place where Christ was held that night as he was interrogated by the Sanhedrin. It's hard to see in this picture but there is a hole cut in the stone right here where they would lower the prisoners down on a rope into the holding cell below and where they would lift them back back out. This is the hole from looking at it from down below. This is looking through another window into the holding cell and this was from Christ's time period that this was being used.

This is looking up from down in the holding cell. We had a little prayer meeting down there in the holding cell and saying praises to the Lord. And so, this is possibly the place where Christ was being held while this unlawful trial was going on in the middle of the night. Look, you would in verse 19, it gives us a few things that were going on. We won't look at every detail from all four gospels but we'll just look at this passage from John verse 19.

The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world, I ever taught in the synagogues and in the temple whether the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me. What have I said unto them?

Behold, they know what I said. So, they they wanted a personal lesson from Christ. Christ said, well, you've had plenty of opportunity. I've not done this behind closed doors. I've done this out in the open.

You know what I've said and they did. They just didn't wouldn't believe it and they didn't want to accept it. Verse 22 and when he had spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand saying, answers thou the high priest so. Jesus answered him, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil but if well, why smitest thou me? Now, Anas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas, the high priest and so we're going to stop there for the moment.

So, the rest of the passage and we won't have time to get into it. Today is about Peter and how Peter out of fear for his own personal safety, what did he do? He denied Christ three times before the cock crowed the second time. There, at this place where they were holding Jesus. Possibly out on these stairs in this area as brothers were gathering around to see what was going on late into that evening.

It's interesting that the verse that I read to open the sermon this morning is first Peter. What that means is, the verse I read, who wrote it? Peter wrote it. After he asked for the Lord's forgiveness, after he was restored, after the day of Pentecost, it was Peter who wrote for it is better if the will of God be so that we that you suffer for well doing than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins.

The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit. And it was Peter who church tradition says, refused to be crucified in Rome the same way Christ was but asked to be crucified upside down. What a difference. What a difference God made in the life of Peter. What a difference.

The Holy Spirit made in Peter and what a difference he should be making in our life. That we too would be willing to suffer if need be for the sake of the gospel, for the glory of Jesus who suffered so much for us. In Matthew 26, and verse 27, Matthew writes, then, did they spit in his face and buffeted him which means they took their fist and they beat him. Others smote him with the palms of their hands. Sadly, Christ was not the first nor the last who would suffer such atrocities at the hands of wicked men.

Brutality is in man's nature and when given proper motivation, it rears its ugly head again and again and again. I don't know about you but we've been through so much in this world and we know so much and and we think how could we ever go back to War War two and to the Nazis and and to how things such terrible, grotesque things happened. But man always finds his way back there. Again, and again, and again. Sometimes in direct rebellion against God is in the case we see here before us in the case of Stephen and his martyrdom and the thousands who have been murdered for their faith in the centuries Since that day, at other times, men just simply brutalize other people out of hatred.

For research purposes, Nazis, for population control, abortion, for power, for pleasure. That's how bad man's nature is. And we see it today in the news. The bodies that are strewn on the streets in the Ukraine. By soldiers who under order or take it upon themselves.

Simply out of hatred or for pleasure. Brutally, kill, and maim people. This is nothing new. One day, it will end. I mean, Christ returns but until then, we're reminded of the nature of man in Romans three where Paul writes, they are all gone out of their way.

They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues, they use deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their eyes. How true that is? And yet, that being true, Jesus walked this path. For us. Jesus took this beating.

From the hands of wicked men. For us. To change us. To save us. To redeem us.

And to make us his own. This they did to the son of God, their own Messiah, abusing him to the greatest of degrees and afflicting maximum pain upon him out of hatred and in unbelief. This he endured for you and me. As he suffered the just for the unjust. Then he was taken from this place this holding cell, this place of abuse and interrogation, he was taken to Pilate.

Pilate, the governor, the Roman governor of Judea, resided or at least kept court in Fort Antonio which was built on the corner of the Temple Mount. He was taken there by the Sanhedrin, by the priests because they did not have the authority under Rome to execute prisoners. Only Rome had that authority. So, they took him to Pilate to convince Pilate to have him executed to be rid of him. We read about that in Luke chapter 23.

So, if you'll turn with me to Luke chapter 23, alright? Luke 23 and we'll read about what happens next as Christ is brought before Pilate and then Herod. Now, Herod that we're going to see in a moment is not Herod the Great. It is one of the sons of Herod the Great who was ruler in Galilee who had a place in Jerusalem and was staying in Jerusalem at the time and therefore, it was convenient for Pilate as we will see to take Jesus to see Herod, okay? So, Luke chapter 23 verse one and the whole multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate and they began to accuse him saying, we found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ, a king And Pilate asked him saying, art thou the king of the Jews?

He answered him and said, thou sayest it. In other words, Jesus said, yeah, that's true basically. Verse four, then said Pilate to the chief priest and to the people, I find no fault in this man and they were the more fierce saying, he stirred up the people teaching throughout all jewelry beginning from Galilee to this place. In other words, they tried to convince Pilate that he was a seditionist that he was trying to lead a revolt against Rome and against Caesar. Was that what Christ was trying to do?

No, he was trying to lead a revolt against Satan and sin. That's the revolt. That he was trying to lead. That did not suit them. So, they tried to convince Pilate that he was leading a revolt against Rome.

Verse six, when Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean and as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who himself was also at Jerusalem at the time and when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad for he was desires to see him a long season because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. So, immediately, Pilate not finding any fault in Christ, he wanted to pass the what? Pass the buck. Pass the buck. Oh, Herod's here.

Great. He's a Galilean. I will pass him off to Herod and Herod can make this decision. Well, Herod was excited because Jesus was coming because he wanted to see Jesus do some miracle for him. He wasn't interested in what Jesus actually had to say or had to give.

Like his father, Herod was a brutal man himself. Only concerned about his own what? His own power. And when Christ did not entertain Herod, things turned ugly quickly. Verse nine, he questioned him with many words but he answered him nothing.

In other words, again, he refused to entertain his selfish, self centered, ego, and he said nothing in return. The chief priest and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. Herod, with his men of war, set him at naught, and mocked him, arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. In the same day, Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before that, they were enmity between themselves. What did Herod do?

He mocked the Lord whom he should have been bowing before in worship. He put a robe on him as a mockery, a royal robe as Christ claimed to be the Messiah, the king of the Jews, to mock him, and after they had beat on him some and they in they sent him back to Pilate that day. And that brings us to John chapter 19. So, if you would, John chapter 19. Now, Jesus back before Pilate again we see what Pilate does.

Then, Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him. Soldiers planted a crown of thorns and put it on his head and they put on him a purple robe, probably the same one that Herod put on him and said, hail, king of the Jews and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again and said unto them, behold, I bring him forth to you that you may know that I have found no fault in him. Odd that he found no fault in him and yet he scourged him and allowed his soldiers to beat the pulp out of him. But that's what he did.

Then, Jesus came forth wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe and Pilate said unto them, behold the man. When the chief priest, therefore, and the officers saw him, they cried out saying, crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, take you him and crucify him for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered, we have a law and by our law, he ought to die because he made himself the son of God. Oh, now, finally, they get to the truth of the matter.

He claimed to be the son of God and they would not accept him for who he was. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was more afraid. He went again into the judgement hall and say it unto Jesus, whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer, then saith Pilate unto him, speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee and have power to release thee?

Jesus answered, thou couldest have no power at all against me except it be given thee from above. Therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And from thence forth, Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out saying, if thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend, whosoever maketh himself as king, speak it against Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard that saying he brought Jesus forth, sat down at the judgment seat in the place that is called the pavement but in the Hebrew Gabbatha and it was the preparation of the Passover about the sixth hour and he say it under the Jews, behold, your king. Behold your king.

In verse 16, then delivered he. Him therefore, unto them to be crucified and they took and led him away. So, Pilate was taken. Jesus was taken before the Sanhedrin where he was mocked, interrogated, falsely accused, and beaten. Then, he was taken to Pilate who sent him to Herod before whom he again was mocked, accused, and beaten.

Then, he was sent back to Pilate. Pilate took, it says, he scourged him. That's a that's a neat little word, scourged. You know, what does that mean? That means he whipped him.

What does that mean? Well, the Romans used something called a cat of nine tails. It was a whip that had nine pieces of leather on it or maybe it was maybe this one had five or 10 or who knows? They had several leather straps on it. The end of each leather strap was a piece of rock or glass with a jagged edge on it and they would take it and they would hit the person with the whip.

The things would wrap around the metal piece or the rock at the end would dig into the skin and then they would jerk it off and they pull off nine pieces of flesh every time they did it. This is what he did to Jesus and if that weren't enough, the soldiers took and they beat him and they beat him and they beat him till you probably could hardly recognize his face and then, they took thorns. I've seen them. I brought some back from Israel. They're this long and they made a crown, a wreath, and they took it and they smashed it down into his skull.

And then they beat on him some more and then after that, they put the robe back on him. And they sent him to the people to carry his cross to the Hill Of Golgotha. This is part of what is left of Fort Antonio in Jerusalem today. This is thought to be the area where Christ was beaten and scourged that day in Jerusalem. This is a picture of the floor in that area.

There is a circle right here on the floor and some grooves that was made by Romans. It was a game that the soldiers played. They cast lots. Remember later at the cross for his robe. This was an area that was used for something like throwing dice game that they played and could be the place where much of the blood of Jesus Christ drained to the floor.

After they scourged him, and after they beat him, and then beat the crown of thorns down into his head. Before Pilate, Christ held firm to his claim as the Messiah, though quietly, without a fight, accepting the verdict of Pilate, and the will of God. Telling Pilate, thou couldest have no power over me except it be given thee from above. Thus, Christ fulfilled the words of Isaiah, the prophet, who said he was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shears is dumb.

So, he opened not his mouth. He did not open his mouth to defend himself. Did not open his mouth to call 10,000 angels. All it would have taken was one word. But he did not.

He chose to accept the suffering He chose that before he came to this world. He chose it in the Garden Of Gethsemane. And now he is feeling it. From his head to his toes. And mockery of the Jews more so than Christ, Pilate brought Jesus forth in that purple robe placed upon him to mock him by Herod and declared to Israel, behold the man.

Behold your king and he sent him to die on a cross under a sign which read, Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews. The place on the left where that sign is is thought to be the place where Pilate brought Jesus out from Fort Antonio on the steps and said, behold the man. The path which has signs along it which I I didn't I don't think I got one that says, has signs along the path that say via Dolorosa. That means the way of suffering. And this is the path that Jesus took or there abound on his way north of the Temple Mount to a place called Calvary or Golgotha both meaning the place of the skull.

There are different places that throughout the years that have been identified as Golgotha. This one seems to make the most sense because the hill actually looks like it is a what? A skull. We don't know for sure but it's in this area where Christ was taken and where Christ was crucified. So, we see his suffering at the hands of the Sanhedrin.

We see his suffering at the hands of Pilate and of Herod and now comes the suffering to the cross and we'll look more at that next week but just a quick reminder, he was nailed in anguish to the cross. They made him carry through the streets of Jerusalem to the Hill Of Crucifixion. He was hung between two thieves, nearly or completely naked before a jeering crowd. Soldiers gambled for his robe at the foot of the cross while he hung there in humiliation. Though an indescribable anguish, he found enough breath to tell John to look after his mother.

Though he were there at the behest of the jeering crowd, he found the words to say, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. When he thirsted, did they give him water to drink? No, they gave him what? Vinegar. He suffered more than any man there on that cross for he suffered for the sins of the world.

As God the father poured forth his wrath and indignation for sin upon his son, Jesus Christ. As Jesus cried, as written by the Psalmist, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Thus, he suffered for you and me. The righteous God of heaven became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. The just dying and suffering for the unjust.

So, that we need not suffer eternal separation and anguish in a place called the Lake Of Fire. For eternity. This is what Jesus did for us. The way of the cross was a path of what? Suffering.

Surrender. And real suffering. But we should not expect or even desire not to suffer at all. This world is not a friend to God. The God of this world, little G, the devil, hates those who love God and stirs up his people often to bring suffering into the lives of those who choose Christ as Lord.

Think it not strange that the world hates you or mock you or persecute you for the sake of Christ. Jesus said, if the world hated me, it's going to what? It's going to hate you. If the world loves you, then, you better check your testimony because something's not right. First Peter four twelve and thirteen Peter wrote, beloved, think it not strange.

Concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happen unto you. But rejoice in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings. And when that when his glory shall be revealed, yay you may be glad also with exceeding joy. First Timothy three twelve, Paul writes, yay and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall what? Suffer persecution.

We must not shrink from the sake for the sake of Jesus who suffered such contradiction of sinners on our behalf. Rejoice and be exceeding what? Glad for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they, the prophets which were before you. We all desire to have a life of peace.

And luxury and ease. But let it not come at the expense of the testimony of the one who suffered for us. At the cost of our loyalty, at the cost of the gospel in the lives for whom he died on that cross. Embrace the cross of Jesus. Make it yours.

Take up your cross and follow Christ. For Jesus said, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. I didn't know if I'd be able to do it because last week, I made myself sick trying to sing. But I'm going to try it anyway. This is a song entitled, I should have been crucified and it's true.

I was guilty with nothing to say and they were coming to take me away when a voice from heaven was heard that said let him go take me instead and I should have been crucified should have suffered and died should have hung on the cross in disgrace but Jesus God's son took my place the crown of thorns the spear deep in his side and all the pain it should have been mine those rusty nails were meant me yet Christ took them and let me go free and I should have been crucified I should have hung on the cross in disgrace but Jesus God's son took my place and he took yours too. We're born on the broad way that leads to death and a place of unimaginable suffering. But God loved us so much. He gave his only begotten son to suffer in our place and that he did and now it is our privilege to serve him, to be loyal to him, to tell others about him, to take a stand for him. And if that involves suffering, remember rejoice and be exceeding glad.

For great is our reward in heaven. What a privilege we have been given to suffer for his sake. Let us not shirk from it. And if you're here today and you've never trusted Christ as savior, he died for you. He suffered for you.

There would be no greater, no greater decision, no greater gift today that you could give but to receive the gift that he desires to give you. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for all that you've done for us. We pray if there be one here today that's not sure. That they have received your gift of eternal life, that they have put their faith and trust in your son who suffered in their place.

I pray Lord they'd make sure of that decision today and I pray dear heavenly father that we who know you as savior. Would not shrink from the responsibility and the privilege to represent you here. Though it may bring some suffering, it will be worth it all. And it is even now. Lord, thank you for the opportunity.

To give our lives a living sacrifice back to the one who gave his life for us. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.