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Hendersonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, NC

David Wright

The Greatest Witness

Well, the title of this sermonette is The Greatest Witness.

Oftentimes when we think of witnessing, we think of a time when we did the right thing, when everything comes together.

But sometimes, in fact, I think oftentimes, whether we like it or not, the greatest witness that you and I will ever have is in those moments where things are not going so great.

When things are challenging, when things are tough, when things are overwhelming, and those around you watch to see what you will do, how you will respond, how you will react, Where do you draw your strength from?

And so I think in this story that we focus on this weekend, we see an element of, in my opinion, the greatest witness of all time.

Even though things weren't going exactly as 1 would think they should have.

We see the trueness and the nobleness of the character of God displayed in a marked and powerful way.

And the Bible portrays it in such a way that to me is very powerful.

I don't know that I can improve on this story.

And you just read many of the lines that I'm going to read again, but we're gonna go through the book of Matthew, and I'm not gonna read everything in its entirety.

It's right there in your Bible, go read it.

But we're just gonna take some snapshots to try and get a picture of this last 24 hours of Jesus' life and then the beautiful resurrection morning.

And so we're going to start in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew chapter 26, verse 38.

Then he said to them, this is Jesus speaking to his disciples, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.

We like to think we've been there, but I would suggest we haven't.

My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.

And He went a little further and fell on his face and he prayed saying oh my father my father my father If it is possible let this cup pass from me I imagine there was a long pause.

In fact, 3 times he prayed this prayer, let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, Not as I will, but as you will.

Yet in the midst of that struggle, he's interrupted.

And behold, Judas, 1 of the 12, with a great multitude, with swords and clubs, came.

Now his betrayer had given them a sign saying whomever I kiss.

He's the 1 Sees him immediately, he went up to Jesus and said greetings rabbi and kissed him.

But Jesus said to him, Friend, friend, why have you come?

And they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him.

Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.

And those who had laid hold of Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

At last 2 false witnesses came forward and said, this fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in 3 days.

And the high priest answered and said to him, I put you under oath by the Living God.

Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.

And Jesus said to him, it is as you said.

Then the high priest tore his clothes saying he has spoken blasphemy.

He is deserving of death and then they spat in his face and They beat him and others struck him with the palms of their hand, saying, prophesied to us Christ, who's the 1 who struck you?

Now when morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to death.

And when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

Now Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him saying, are you the king of the Jews?

And while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Then Pilate said to him, Do you not hear how many times they testify against you?

Now at the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude 1 prisoner whom they wished, and at that time, they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, Whom do you want me to release to you?

And Pilate said to them, what then shall I do with Jesus?

But they cried out all the more saying, let him be crucified, let him be crucified, kill him.

And when Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying, I'm innocent of the blood of this just person.

And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children.

Then he released Barabbas to them and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium, and they gathered the whole garrison around him.

And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.

And when they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and a reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying, Hail King of the Jews!

And they spat on him and they took the reed and struck him on the head.

When they had mocked him, they took off the robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to be crucified.

Then they crucified him, And those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, you who destroy the temple and build it in 3 days, save yourself if you are the Son of God.

Likewise, the chief priests also mocked with the scribes and elders and said, he saved others.

Himself he cannot save If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross and we will believe Him.

He trusted in God, let Him deliver him now if he will have him.

And now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land.

And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

Then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in 2 from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

And coming out of the graves after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many so when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, truly this was the Son of God." Centurions are hardened people.

But I submit to you that this man named Jesus died in a way entirely different.

That it got the attention of this hardened man, this centurion man.

And he said, truly this was the Son of God.

Now granted, Jesus did some incredible things.

You think of all the people that he healed, each 1 of them independently phenomenal.

As he touched the eyes of the blind man and made the lame walk again.

As he knelt down and wrote in the sand and offered forgiveness and said, neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.

As he raised the dead, I mean this is incredible.

And yes, Jesus' death was a fulfillment of prophecy.

Not just 1, but many, many, many, many prophecy.

And I don't want to minimize any of those things this morning, all of those are true and all of those could be preached about.

But what arrested the attention of the centurion was how Jesus died.

And I would suggest what arrested the attention of all the universe, all the angels, anyone who was perhaps on the fence at that moment said, wow, Truly, truly this was the Son of God.

This was the greatest witness of all time.

And in the perception of the world, it wasn't in a moment of strength, he wasn't feeding the 5, 000, he wasn't parting the waters, He wasn't healing or bringing back from the dead.

The Greatest Witness

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