SPRING QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2012
THEME: GOD’S CREATIVE WORD
Unit One: The Word Was In The Beginning. Lessons 1-6
“WHEN THE TRUTH WAS PUT ON TRIAL”
Sunday School Lesson No. V
April 1, 2012
Presented by Rev. Frank Davis, III, Pastor-Teacher
Theme of the Book of John: John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through His name.”
Lesson Text John 18:28-38
Required Reading: John 17: 1 – 19:42
Memory Text: John 18:37-38, “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.”
Reliable Resources: Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Word Search 10 Electronic Library; Libronix Electronic Library; Precepts for Living (UMI).
INTRODUCTION
We fast forward this week to study a seasonal text in John’s Gospel as we approach the Passion Celebration. The Person of the Word, Jesus Christ, came into the world to be our sacrificial offering. He is the “Lamb of God,” John wrote, who would take away the sin of the world. He is the only acceptable sacrifice for sin, provided by God the Father. John 3:16-17 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Now the setting of this week’s lesson is at the close of Jesus’ priestly prayer of Chapter 17. This prayer probably was prayed toward the close of the institution of the Lord’s Supper and great message of the True vine. Read John 13 – 17 and note the wonderful timeless words spoken by our Lord. John 18 opens with the words, “When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.” It was from this setting that the wheel began to turn quickly as “His hour had come!” John 12:23
Our lesson focus is on Jesus as the Truth being brought to trial before less than creditable authorities. He who said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life…” exemplifies what Truth or who Truth really is. A theologian defined Truth as “that which is real and verifiable by experience.” Well, there is no greater experience of verification than the Son of God, who declared that He himself is Truth and Life! No one is able to even enter the presence of God the Father except they come through Him. Let us now turn to the lesson and examine the scriptures’ wonderful exemplification of truth, as The Truth is Put on Trial!
Anticipated Power Points
· Truth Affronted. John 18:3-11
· Truth Arrested. John 18:12-14
· Truth Attested. John 18:15-18, 25-27
· Truth Accosted. John 18:19-24
· Truth in Authority. John 18:28-38
“WHEN THE TRUTH WAS PUT ON TRIAL”
LESSON OUTLINE EXPOSITION
I. Truth Affronted. John 18:3-11
In these verses Jesus is affronted by Judas and the band of soldiers given him to capture the Lord. As Jesus rose from prayer, He questioned those who sought Him. After identifying that He was the one they sought, His divine power knocked them backwards to the ground. He then asked again who they sought and again identified Himself to them. He urged them to let His disciples go their way and submitted Himself to them. (NOTE: Peter’s activity with the sword could have caused the death of the disciples, but Jesus took away all evidence of Peter’s actions by healing the man whose ear had been cut off.) “No man take my life.” John 10:17-18
II. Truth Arrested. John 18:12-14
Jesus submits Himself to the soldiers of the high priest and led to the beginning of several judgments. The goal of His captives was to see Him dead. (Read John 11:49-53)
III. Truth Attested. John 18:15-18, 25-27
Now Truth is attested by Peter as earlier Jesus Christ (the Truth) prophesied that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster would crow by morning. (Read Luke 22:31-34). Just as Jesus said, this thing came to pass!
IV. Truth Accosted. John 18:19-24
Now while in the sinister hands of the elder high priest Annas, Jesus is interrogated and physically accosted by an armor- bearer of the high priest. To this, Jesus questions the soldier for his ill-advised action of slapping the Son of God in the face. Jesus had nothing to hide and made it clear that all that heard and saw His work could testify to His innocence, for He worked in the light! (Read John 8:12)
V. Truth in Authority. John 18:28-38
After the interrogations at the hands of the religious leaders (two of which were totally unlawful because they were held at night ((Luke 22:66-72)), a trumped-up case was loosely put together before the Jewish governing board called the Sanhedrin Council, and Jesus was sentenced to death and brought to the Roman government in order for it to enforce their charges. It is here that we really find out the authority of the Truth (Jesus).
A. The accusations against the Truth by the Jews. vss. 28-32. (They were all prejudiced.)
B. The actions of Pilate the governor came through a series of questions.
vs. 33 – “Are you a King?” vs. 35 – “Am I a Jew?” and “What have you done?” or simply, what is the relevance of this case to me? These questions were simply examples of his frustration because the Jewish leaders wanted him to execute Jesus by crucifixion! vs. 31 – “…It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.” Crucifixion was the Roman’s way of public execution, to set an example before its adversaries. But Jesus had already spoken of the way in which He would die (John 3:14; 8:32). If Jesus was an insurrectionist, Rome’s law would waste no time executing Him (Luke 23:2). But Pilate did not agree with the religious leaders and simply told them to do their own dirty work (vs. 31). This led to…
C. The answers of Jesus towards Pilate, which had to be considered. What does one do when one has heard the Truth? Truth is Light and John 1:5 says, “And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” Pilate was not saved, so how could he legitimately comprehend the answers of Jesus Christ, who is the Truth? Even Pilate’s wife warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus, who she described as a just man (Matthew 27:19).
D. The final analysis is that Pilate would never understand Truth in his present state because Jesus said in verse 37, “…Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Pilate was not of the Lord’s truth, hence could not understand and simply but sadly, could only ask in the words of verse 38, “What is truth?”
CLOSING
Jesus Christ the Truth was put on trial by people who didn’t really know what Truth is! They all failed the Truth test! But today, we who hear and receive the testimony of Jesus can pass the Truth test because Jesus said in John 8:32, “…ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Beloved, receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and Lord that the Truth may abide in you and direct you through all of life’s trials and tests!
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LOOKING AHEAD: April 8, 2012 John 20:1-10, 19-20
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REV. FRANK A. DAVIS, III, PASTOR-TEACHER
Greetings Beloved Students and Supporters,
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THE STUDY HOUR
Frank A. Davis, III
Rev. Frank A. Davis, III, Pastor-Teacher