The Trials of Christ

What is the most famous trial that you have seen in your life time? There may be a variety of prominent names that come to your mind. But when one goes back into history, the most famous and well-known trial through the ages was the trial of Jesus. People of every generation through the centuries for the past 2000 years have pondered the significance of this trial.

Now while lady liberty is to be blind and justice is to be fair, reality shows us that is not always the case. In Acts 8:33 God has recorded for us these words in regard to Jesus: “In his humiliation justice was denied him...” This held true whether He appeared before Annas or Caiaphas or the Sanhedrin or Pilate or Herod or even the crowds of people. Justice was denied Him.

We invite you to join us throughout this upcoming season of Lent and Holy Week for our special mid-week services as we will consider the trials of Jesus. This is more than the trial of the century, this is the trial for our lives. Each time we will be considering a part of the trials of Christ Jesus. Come and take a seat in the courtroom and have an eyewitness account concerning what was taking place.

This was no ordinary miscarriage of justice. Jesus stood and endured false witnesses so that our falsehood can be forgiven. Jesus was unjustly condemned so that He may carry the sentence that our sin justly deserved. In Romans 6:23 we are told that the wages of sin is death. Although Jesus was declared innocent, His life would not be spared. Jesus would be mocked, ridiculed and denied justice in order to suffer and die upon the cross for our guilt. Jesus was denied justice in order that we may be set free.

At the end of it all we will come to the final verdict. Jesus would not stay in the grave. He would rise from the dead and bring to everyone who trusts in Him the verdict of “not guilty.”

One day each one of us will stand in the heavenly courtroom before the Almighty God.
We would have no defense to give if it were not for Jesus. Thankfully, when we do sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. (1 John 2:1-2). Jesus is our great defense attorney. Because of Jesus we are forgiven. Because of Jesus we are acquitted. Because of Jesus we are set free and because of Jesus we too will one day rise to eternal life. The trial of Christ is more than an interesting story from history. The trial of Jesus is your trial as Jesus stood in your place so that you may be set free.

Therefore, I invite you to join us for this season of Lent as we will consider the trials of Christ. The schedule of our special worship services will be as follows. Note that the mid-week services, including Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, will take place at 7:00 pm.

We look forward to seeing you in church as together we will journey with Jesus as He stand trial and is denied Justice so that we may be judged innocent through faith in him. May God richly bless you and other through this sacred time of the year.

Pastor Schoenfeld