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Righty-ho, so Matthew chapter 26 again, and we're on part two now. We're going to be looking for verse 47 last week We looked at verses 1 to 46 We were told that the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people the high priest Caiaphas, they were all conspiring together weren't they? We just talked about that briefly out that this was a big conspiracy, wasn't it? They were all conspiring to have the son of God killed and the point of it the conspiracy Like I said last week was to be able to take him away from the people because they feared the multitudes They couldn't just come and arrest him in front of people. They're worried that they would have got mobbed Attacked stoned or whatever else so that the conspiracy was to be able to get access to him Away from the people to then put him to death There was the box of spike nod that Mary anointing within the fake Indignation from Judas that the others then joined in with didn't they that's how I see that kind of went When we see kind of the other gospel accounts, you've got Judas kind of getting claiming to be so upset It could have been sold, you know and money given to the poor and then they're all gonna getting angry as well And Jesus Christ reproves them and you know, obviously he's approving Judas as well and it seems that's the trigger to Judas Going to agree to betray him for 30 pieces of silver I mean that's kind of it says then and it's like straight after Judas then goes to betray him and You know and we talked briefly about that as well whether it was a reproof or whether it was the fact that you know He was annoyed because he wanted his cut of the of the money. Either way. He's gone off and then betrayed him for money They meet for the Passover meal Jesus ordains the Lord's Supper from that we see that turn into then the Lord's Supper, which is why we Celebrate it once you like the Passover was and then Judas then we you know, he he goes to give Basically the location where he thinks they're going to be afterwards to the conspirators And then we see this big man talk from Peter, which obviously we're going to look at again as well So look from verse 31 in Matthew 26, Matthew 26 31 Which says then saith Jesus unto them all ye shall be offended because of me this night For it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee Peter answered said unto him though all men shall be offended because of thee yet Will I never be offended Jesus said unto him verily I sound to thee that this night before the cock crow Thou shalt deny me thrice Peter said unto him though. I should die with thee yet Will I not deny thee likewise also said all the disciples and we're going to look at the reality of what happened a bit closer tonight Then there was a sobering and heartbreaking sort of prayer praying of Jesus to the Father The what what I was kind of saying was really death anxiety it seemed However, even with all that there was still the submission regardless wasn't there? Okay, still no not not as my will but as I'm be done or along those lines He said that and then if the last verse we saw was verse 46, which said rise let us be going behold he is at hand that doth betray me and we're going to continue with verse 47 now where it says and while he yet Spake lo Judas one of the twelve came came and with him a great multitude with swords and staves From the chief priests and elders of the people. I'd like to pray before we continue the second part of the chapter father Thank you for well a great chapter of the Bible. There's so much in here Lord I'm only going to be able to touch upon certain topics here But please help me to just preach those that I do accurately and clearly and boldly and Lord Just help me to preach what you'd want me to preach and help me not to preach what you wouldn't want me to preach Lord help everyone here to have attentive ears Lord and Just help us to just preach this without distractions and be able to just you know Really everyone to be edified by your word just staying prone to this. Amen So so of course Jesus knew what was going to happen, but but can you imagine what the other disciples thought? We just saw Wally yet Spake lo Judas one of the twelve came and with him a great multitude with swords and staves From the chief priests and elders of the people I mean, they've just been they've been walking with Judas for over three years at this point sort of three and a half years They've been with this guy. It's approximately that and Must just be what on earth Judas has just turned up with all these people to arrest Jesus Christ You can imagine right imagine being there I think sometimes we kind of gloss over the fact that they must because it doesn't go into how they must have felt But they must have just felt just absolutely just stunned by this right because none of them had a clue a couple of Remember a couple of days before they were agreeing with his holier than thou stuff about the bottle of spike nod, right? They're like, yeah, you know You know this this woman it should have been sold and everything else. So they were well on board with Judas They weren't going on his Judas had it again is with his you know, fake holiness. They they didn't have a clue, right? They were questioning themselves. They were saying is it I that betrays you because they just never saw it coming with Judas And you know, it's something that we have to remember as Christians because it's gonna be hard It already has been for some before is that part of Christian part of the Christian life is betrayal, isn't it? Okay, if we're gonna follow in Jesus Christ footsteps, then we're gonna be betrayed in life. Okay, we're gonna be betrayed We're gonna be betrayed by Judas's we're gonna have Judas's whether it's in the church whether it's in other areas of your life We're gonna deal with Judas's a lot Okay and it's sad and it's hard and it can be off-putting for many as well thinking what because because it is it's I mean that Must have been absolutely heartbreak for him. I mean some of these guys would have considered him, you know, some of their best friends, right? Close to him. They spent all this time with him. They'll be looking back I remember him so winning I remember him doing and this is because this is what people do don't they go But can't be because I've seen them get people saved and inverted comments Look Judas never got anyone saved He couldn't have got anyone to say but he would have had a lot of people look like they were getting saved by him He would have been out there preaching the gospel He would have been claiming to love the Lord claiming to believe the word all this stuff but really he was a fraud and these guys must have been gutted by it and the truth is is the longer you are Christian the more you're gonna be betrayed and The more you're gonna feel absolutely, you know gutted when it does happen you're gonna look back at things and think really I Can't believe that after I did this and did that and this happened and they must just be absolutely just destroyed here It says in verse 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying whomsoever I shall kiss that same as he Hold him fast. So this is a greeting. Okay, the point being it's a greeting. Obviously. It's a cultural greeting We're not into kisses here and whatever however that was and maybe it was more of a sort of you know, cheek to cheek I don't know. Yeah Don't start trying to do that here and going it's biblical. Okay, because we're not gonna have that but Obviously that was something they did then but the point is that it's it's a greeting because remember it's at night Yeah, so, you know that he's he's making this point of who it is by pointing him out by going and greeting him There they are. But but although it's at night is an interesting they are carrying lanterns, aren't they? Okay, they're carrying lanterns because you don't turn it but John 18 3 says Judas and having received abandonment officers from chief Priest of Pharisees cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Okay, so they got lanterns They got torches. So though it's not like a thousand lumen flashlight. They could obviously see okay, these things weren't useless I'm sure they had a good way of having a fairly good lantern and torture some of one way or another and My point is is why didn't Judas say it's that big white fella with long blonde hair and blue eyes You know, why didn't he say that? Hey, why did why did he say it's a big handsome one in a dress? That the effeminate handsome one in a dress because he looked just like the other normal men there didn't he? Yeah, the reason he had to go up and greet him to point him out because they weren't all going Oh, yeah That's that Jesus guy because he seems to be a foot taller than everyone else and he's got flowing locks and you know And he's got a chiseled face and everything else. No, because well, you don't have to turn a bit Isaiah 53 2 says For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground He had no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him So Jesus Christ wasn't this beautiful figure that the Roman Catholics try and claim he was at least visibly people weren't looking him going Wow, you know look at that gorgeous, you know guy. No, he had no formal comeliness. He had no beauty that we should design But the Catholic Jesus is obviously not the Jesus of the Bible in many ways Not just in the way he looks but we won't go into that but but Judas had to identify him by going and greeting him Didn't he? Okay, don't miss out there. He had to identify him by going and greeting him because he didn't stand out in verse 49 says and forthwith he came to Jesus and said hail master and Kissed him and for me. It's another reminder for everyone that reads this, you know from when this was written onwards that Judas is calling a master He's claiming to greet him to know him, isn't he? Hail master, but he hates it Okay, he hates him hates him enough to go and conspire to have him killed when he knows full Well that he's never done anything wrong. He's not even sinned once he's never even he's never even committed a sin he's never even had a foolish thought and Judas is conspiring to have him murdered basically and Yet he's you know, hail master and greeting him and it's just a reminder that you know Just because people claim to know Jesus claim to love Jesus claim to call him master. It means nothing, right? verse 50 says in Jesus said unto a friend wherefore art thou come then came they and laid hands on Jesus and took him and He's asked him why yeah for what reason? And Basically, that's what he's saying. He's saying wherefore art thou come he's saying why have you come for what reason and we never hear the Answer do we so it's kind of one of those ones that we could always Probably guess what the answer from Judas might have been or could have been or maybe never did answer And point being this is yes. He was wicked. Yes, the devil entered into him. But what was it that made him turn? Probably it seemed to be the money thing didn't it whether it was because he wanted that money whether it was because he'd been Reproved over his kind of fake holiness thing. Whatever it was He covenanted for 30 pieces of silver didn't they 30 piece of silver He covenanted for the death of the Son of God and I think in a way he's maybe saying that to him Why did you come Judas? Because really he knows the truth. The truth is because you're a covetous, you know Probably not proud Reprobate you can't even take a little a little reproof from the Lord Jesus Christ himself and you've come and and come with a band of men behind you verse 51 says and behold one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and Struck a servant of the high priest of smote off his ear fact Turner John 18 I mean we are going to look at a couple of different Different passages but maybe so I don't just constantly read them out and you wonder we did look at verse 3 where it said that that Judas and having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests of Pharisees cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons That was a cross reference to see that they did come, you know with lights and torches Obviously, it's at night John 18 and verse 10 John 18 10 says this Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it and smote the high priest servant and cut off his right ear The servants name was Malchus So this is the reason we know it was Simon Peter because of John's gospel the other gospel accounts don't show who it was It did it and You get the feeling I don't think he was aiming for his ear necessarily it sounds like he was looking to cut his head off but happened to get his ear and You know, obviously Simon Peter at this point. He's got a little bit of fighting him, isn't he? I mean you you could also say well I get feeling that old Malchus didn't have his helmet on at this point Did he or didn't have a helmet on we were talking about this on Sunday night didn't have that helmet, did he? But however, look he's for me. He's tried to cut his head off. Okay, and that's why we know it's Simon Peter because of that Because of John's gospel account if you go back to Matthew 26 in verse 52 then says Then said Jesus unto him Put up again my sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword So you basically you go around chopping people up with a sword. You're eventually gonna die doing it Okay, that's the point now you're gonna die doing it and from there, you know There's so many it just made me think something my dad used to say, you know a version of this, you know If you you know live by the sword die by the sword and then probably people have heard similar sort of Sayings out there so many so many sayings come from the Bible So many sayings in life that come from the Word of God that's one of them But he actually said it like this all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword And turn a second Corinthians 10 because you know, it's a good reminder, isn't it that we're not in a physical battle Okay, we're not in a physical battle people who maybe don't really read the Bible could be maybe be confused because they'll kind of think about Samson maybe or David and his mighty men and others and think you know Maybe we should be kind of taking our swords out and chopping people up, but we're not okay. We're not called to that This is a New Testament. Okay, we're not we're not God's nation We're not they're kind of punishing for God all these wicked nations and taking the land and securing our borders We're not so we're not called to this physical battle Verse 3 in 2nd Corinthians 10 says for though we walk in the flesh We do not war after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal But mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds So so the weapons aren't carnal weapons that the weapons aren't those of the flesh They're mighty because of spiritual weapons it says in verse 5 casting down imaginations and every high thing that Exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity Every thought to the obedience of Christ and having it a readiness to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. So The thing with that though and people then go too far sometimes one way with this as well Don't they that doesn't mean that you have to be some sort of pacifist? Yeah, our battle our war for the Lord Jesus Christ isn't a physical one. Yeah, we're not called to go and Sometimes sadly you feel like it Yeah We can't just pop down to the local False-profits Church and you would literally only have to walk down the same road and just go walk over the barriers there We could you know, you know, sometimes you have dreams of going maybe mob-handed You know with a few swords each and everything else and just going in there and raising the place Right and and maybe beat a few false prophets on the way in and out, but that's not that's not what we're called for However, we're also that doesn't mean and then then people go the other way and go well, you know I've just got to let let some wicked violent criminal do what they want to me and my family You said anything about that? Yeah, because that's not the battle we're in anyway, so look yeah you go Well, you're you're in a spiritual battle. Yeah, but that that that criminal has got nothing to do with the battle We're in yeah, so you were you look if you're especially men here, you're cool to defend your families, right? Okay, and we're not we're not a bunch of pacifists here either. Okay. Yeah, we don't we don't agree with going out I take the law into our own hands However, when it comes to self-defense when it comes to defending your house and things like that We're not told like I think people have this image that we should all be like I often make this joke just because that's kind of the culture in this nation that we should be like the very Affeminate C of E priest and just be you know, we'll turn the other cheek, you know and everything else No, that's not what we're called for either. Okay, we're told to be men aren't we to quit ourselves like men be strong Yeah stand in the faith ball. So part of that is gonna be protect your families as well, right? Okay, so we were talking about this earlier just just before about how it's good good to get you know to at least be Able to have some capability Yeah, you don't have to spend your whole life trying to be a world champion in some sort of fight sports because that's a bit Of a waste of time right? Okay, it's not again That's probably a bit of a waste of life as well when you could be doing so many things for the Lord However, it's probably quite useful Isn't it to be able to at least have some coordination be able to do something be able to you know? At least be able to protect your family to fight off You know someone who's trying to attack you or something. Okay, and that's not what it's talking about here, obviously, but With that with the kind of temptation to take things, you know into our own hands. Let's be honest The odds do seem a little bit better when we rely on the spiritual army because when we rely on the spiritual army We do outnumber the enemy two to one don't we because was it not a third of the angels that rebelled, right? So we've probably got when it comes to the spiritual battle going on up there Two-thirds are on our side and one-third are on the bad guys side, right? Whereas if you want to take it into a physical battle Well, the odds are much worse than that the other way around right because well straight It's a way that leadeth unto life for you to be the find it, right? So we are better off this way for those of you that kind of like the idea of going and beating up false prophets There's quite a lot of them actually if they just teamed up we'd be in trouble Look at verse 53. We're back where we are Matthew 26 because he makes that clear with that spiritual battle He said think as thou that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more than 12 legions of angels Okay, if a legion 6000 that's 72,000 angels. I like those odds Yeah, and I prefer that they're really trying to you know Thinking that we're gonna be able to take on on the physical battle. He said him basically saying to Peter like what you doing Peter Yeah, do I need you to pull out? This is the Lord Jesus Christ. Did he? Just need Peter and those 12 guys to get out out the swords if he'd wanted to fight he could have thought right if he'd Wanted to and he wouldn't even he wouldn't have even had to lift a finger He could have commanded 12 legions of angels right there right then but he didn't and that's not the battle that we're called to Anyway, verse 54 says but how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be so Jesus Christ was fulfilling the many Prophecies pictures of his death. Okay that this just had to come this had to be verse 55 in that same hour I said Jesus to the multitudes you come out as against the thief with swords and staves for to take me I sat daily with you teaching in the temple and you laid no hold on me. Why because they feared the multitude Okay, that's why because I feared the multitude so then it's just sneaky It's trying to find a place where he's only on his own with his disciples and they can come mob-handed verse 56 But all this was done that the scripture of the prophets might be fulfilled then all the disciples forsook him and fled Okay, they all forsook him and fled at this point Now it seems to me that the fight that was in Simon Peter was probably maybe reliant on Jesus Christ in the same Maybe at this point he's thinking I was fight time and he's kind of you know, thinking we're all together We're all gonna have a fight and and once it was apparent that Jesus wasn't resisting They forsook him and fled and the question is why then what suddenly happened from chopping ears off, you know to turn now Just legging it. Well, it's one thing to fight alongside Jesus, isn't it? Okay, that's one thing and for many men Maybe especially because we kind of have a bit more we're a bit more wired for that. Maybe a lot of us alike Yeah, bring it on. Yeah, you got a fight. Let's have a fight It's another thing to suffer alongside him though, isn't it? That's a hard bit the easy bits fighting Yeah, bring it bring it on You know, I've said this for many times up. Sometimes I find it hard about the spiritual battle because I just prefer straight fight You know, I hate all this sneaky around stuff, you know and all this kind of you know Is that person really trying to do this or do that? I've kind of got to wait and see you know at all of that. I prefer just just let's just have it out Yeah, and that's the easy bit but the hard bit is in suffering for Jesus, isn't it? The hard thing is is is to be able to just take it and not be able to fight back yeah, it's easier to fight even if it's a losing fight and Yeah, look all of them forsook him and fled once they realize he's not resisting. He's letting this happen Verse 57 and they that late had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas The high priest where the scribes and the elders were assembled But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest palace and went in and sat with the servants to see the end so Peter followed him but he was a far off wasn't he? So Peter followed him afar off and here's the truth of it When you're following Jesus from afar, well, you're not close to him are you? So if you're following Jesus from afar off, well, you're not close to Jesus You're more likely to be sitting with the servants of his enemies Look it says here But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest palace verse 58 and went in and sat with the servants to see the end The servants of Christ's rejectors the servants of false prophets the servants of the conspirators That are trying to murder the Lord Jesus Christ so There's a great message in there, isn't there? Because so many people who think that they're following Jesus Christ afar off Well, you know, you don't have to go to church I just follow him afar for who you really sitting with then because you're spending time with someone Everyone look most people with social creatures, right you spend time with somebody you spent if you're not spending time in church he's spending time with and Often it's a servants of Christ haters. Oh, well, you know, I followed, you know I don't believe in all that going to church stuff. But or at least I'm not gonna go to that church It's a little bit too extreme. They're a bit hardcore, you know, so where you going in? Where are you going? I'll go to feel-good Baptist Yeah, I'll go to Nondenom Community Church. I'll go to Bible of the month Baptist. Yeah But really who are you really sitting with? I'll tell you sitting with you're sitting with the servants of these sorts of people because I've been to these sorts of churches before and And suddenly when you start to dig a bit deeper with them, they're all loud in people like Billy Graham John MacArthur and the rest of the wicked false prophets out there. That's who they are They're servants of them and you're like, oh well It seems all right They seem to believe the gospel there and even if the guy behind isn't so often at these weak Soft little liberal churches the people sitting in the pews Half of them are just servants of some sort of false prophet or other now I'm not saying they're all reprobates, but it's hard sometimes you're hard-pressed to find someone saved And even when you do and you find someone saved they're not servants of the Lord Just because you're saved doesn't mean you're a disciple. Does it? So who are we who are we sitting with when we're following Jesus so far off? Because so many people are well, you know Look, I like you know, yeah, I'm saying I like that I love the Lord Jesus Christ, but I don't want to have to do much for him, you know So who they with if you're not in church who you spending time with? And look, I'm not saying you have to spend every minute of every day with with fellow believers, but you go to church That's that's suddenly free services a week Well, you're spending time with God's people and you want to be spending time with God's people. Don't you? rather than servants of the high priest servants of Caiaphas servants of those types of people servants of Jean Kim You know apparently apparently he's over here doing anyone heard this Yeah, apparently he's over here doing some sort of Seminar series or some sort of nonsense like that and I'd imagine it was probably pretty popular right some absolute effeminate Sounding up. I'm gonna say it now. I'd be surprised if he's not a sod of mine Yeah That would shock me actually if he wasn't and these people are out there listening to this wicked guy preaching false doctrine Preaching all this weird crazy stuff about you know, all his Nephilim nonsense all this stuff Yeah, all this Dispensations and whiteboards and all that rubbish and and who are these people and these are the people you go to all these little Soft little Baptist church around there'll be Jean Kim supporters in there You go to these repent of your sins Baptist all gonna be Jean Kim as you know out there all these all these little lackeys all these little YouTube fans and everything else and and What happens with that? Well, as we'll see what happens with that you end up back stood and like Peter was Proverbs 13 20 says he that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be Destroyed now. Here's another thing though. You can be in a good church And still be sick with Jesus Christ enemies, can't you? Okay, you can still be sitting with him now I'm not saying again. This isn't no It can't happen in church Obviously as we've seen before and that look as as that starts become apparent remember I've preached this before and I'll preach it You know, I'll keep preaching it is until I have something to kick that sort of person out They're gonna be in the church, right? So but but you should be looking for that and not not in a crazy way not like but when it's just that like before It was obvious and we've all learnt from that Hopefully now people will kind of realize that a bit quicker next time but when it's as obvious as that, you know You don't want to be yoking up with those people because ultimately you're just going to end up Kind of like Peter right and at the least you're just gonna the betrayals gonna be harder to deal with when they do eventually get Kicked out, but however, you could be yoked up with them online as well, can't you? So you are well No, I go to a good church. It's right, but I'm at home Spending my hours listening to you know, false prophet of the month Flavor of the month false prophet Club. Yeah, and and oh, well, it's like well what you doing? In fact, you're yoke up online at the least if not, you're yoking up with cough In fact, you're not just sitting with the servants. You might as well be sitting with Caiaphas and the rest of the bunch and And you're getting there end up in a worse place than Peter was because look There's only one way you're gonna go eventually with that stuff So yeah We have to be be wary here and there's a great mystery in verse 58 where it says but fit Peter followed him afar off Unto the high priest palace and went in and sat with the servants to see the end Imagine that Peters now sitting with the servants of the high priest who have just taken him away and just arrested the Lord Jesus Christ Because he was following afar off what's the answer get close to Christ Make sure you're close to Christ because if you're not close to him you follow him far You're going to be basically yoked up with with with at least at the least the servants of the wicked Verse 59 says now the chief priests and elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death But but found none. Yea, though many false witnesses came yet found they none and And by the way, you don't turn a mark 1456 says for many bear false witness against him But their witnesses agreed not together So the reason they found none was because their witnesses didn't agree together and and you go old Well, they did they really care. Well, yeah, because I wanted to false witnesses They wanted to false witnesses that they could at least claim and pretend that they've done the right thing And it's all been done biblically and everything else Yeah, but it says yet found they none at the last came to false witnesses Now not notice in verse 59 how it doesn't say that they they were seeking witnesses Does it they were seeking false witnesses? So it's like that it says now the chief priests and elders all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death So they knew okay, they knew what they were looking for They weren't well these people have come forward and said that he said something well, we're just gonna have to go with it No, they were looking for false witness They wanted to put him to death their whole goal was to put him to death and already remember could aspire to put him to death Yeah But many came many came and that's don't miss that there either it says but found none Yea, though many false witnesses came verse 6 He says yet found they none and and we saw with the cross reference in Mark. It's because their witnesses agreed not together Point being there are many that are willing to bear false witness against the Lord Jesus Christ. They're they're everywhere I mean many came they're seeking for him and it's like I don't know how they was just putting the word out I don't know. Maybe they had a sign outside false witnesses wanted, you know paying well, you know 30 pieces silver but Many came right and Look many will come and many will keep coming to bear false witness against the Lord Jesus Christ Whether it's false witness against the way of salvation Whether it's false witness against who he actually is and try and claim that him and the Father are the same You know personal whatever it is There's false witnesses everywhere and they will come and they'll come and they'll come and in many different ways And they're all willing to bear false witness against the Lord and It's a bit of a crazy thing to think about isn't it that how many people are just willing to lie about? Jesus willing to lie about the Lord Jesus Christ At the last came to false witnesses. It said and said this fellow said Disrespect there as well. I'm able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days now turn of John chapter 2 Which is where Jesus spoke of raising up the temple in three days John chapter 2 Which is what they're talking about here So they've said he said I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days What's the truth though? Well, John 2 18 says this an answer the Jews have said unto him what signs show us our one to our seeing that they'll do As he sings Jesus answers said unto them Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up Then said the Jews 14 six years was this temple in building Well, I rear it up in three days But he spoke of the temple of his body When therefore he was risen from the dead his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them and they believed the scripture and the word Which Jesus had said so a slight difference there now you might go well, but but they just misconstrued it didn't they? Well, what did he actually say and what are they alleging that he said because he actually said destroy this temple Who is he talking about doing it them not him? Destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up and he's referring to the temple of his body Whereas the false accusers have said that he said I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days It's a lie. It's a false accusation He said if you destroy it, yeah, and and and this is another thing to remember this is our false witnesses operate Okay, they they they take a truth or a half truth and they twist it and they run with it And they add on to it and they change a little bit. They they twist and turn Because why because it sounds much more believable so when they're Slandering your pastor or slandering someone else's pastor or slandering You know Myself and evangelists of a church or whoever it is They're slandering and it will be church members sometimes as well and you know, etc when they slander you or slander someone else It's um, it's less likely that will just be something completely just out of nowhere What they'll do is they'll take something always they're probing looking for something to run with and slightly change and then it sounds much more believable And obviously we've dealt with that here and we'll continue to deal with stuff like that And that's sadly the way they do it. So here they've taken something so then people go. Yeah. Well, he did say something like that. Oh Yeah. Yeah, I remember him saying something about destroying the temple. Yeah Whereas they've just taken it and gone with it and hey presto. You have two false witnesses here now Here's another question. What sort of people stand up as false witnesses? Knowingly lie to destroy someone let alone the lord jesus christ I mean that's that's that's something else, isn't it? They stand up they knowingly they know full well that they're lying. They're false witnesses to to destroy him I mean that that's pretty extreme, isn't it turn to first kings 21? Which has a story that pictures jesus christ? Where ahab wants naboth's vineyard many of you will have read this or heard of this before So basically the wicked king ahab. He wants his vineyard of this guy called naboth his wicked wife jezebel She hatches a plan to to get possession of it and get naboth killed, you know in in the in the process. Okay now She sends letters to the elders and nobles in naboth city and that for me is one of the most disturbing parts of stories They're just willing to be involved in this as well Verse nine says this verse nine says and she wrote in the letters saying Proclaim a fast and set naboth on high among the people and set two men sons of belial Now sons of belial are children of the devil reprobates. Okay. It's one of the many terms in the bible workers of iniquity um son children of the devil, um, sons of You know sons of belial like we see here Reprobates we see them called as well. Um And various kind of versions of that false prophets obviously is another name for these types of people She said they set two men sons of belial before him to bear witness against him saying now did blaspheme god and the king And then carry him out and stone him that he may die And the men of his city even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city did as jezebel had sent unto Them and as it was written in the letters, which he had sent unto them They proclaimed a fast and set naboth on high among the people and there came in two men children of belial So another name for them now from sons of belial to children of belial and sat before him and the men of belial witnessed against him This is false witnessing even against naboth in the presence of the people saying naboth did blaspheme god and the king Then they carried him forth out of the city and stoned him with stones that he died now You can see this is clearly a picture of what happens with jesus christ, right? Okay, the whole point is blasphemy. This is what they accused jesus christ of they don't stone him, but he is put to death for it however What happened they said we need some people to lie against an innocent man to have him killed Who do we find? A couple of reprobates. Yeah, they're just like let's get a cut. She just says get some sons of belial Get some children of the devil get some reprobates and Point being is that that's what these people do That's what these people do and again The reason we say it is because without this teaching without understanding this point It's it's so hard to get to get your head in like around this sort of stuff It's so hard to understand that they've just got all these false witnesses go because they're all reprobates They've all been given over remember he said earlier to because you think how could there be that many of them around? Well, don't forget that he did actually say earlier in the gospels early in we read in matthew's gospel how basically They could not see because he blinded their eyes Yeah, these people are already being given over as they were rejecting the lord jesus christ And they've just got tons of them going i'll bear false witness against him these are wicked people you can't you can't Think like that. You can't get your head into theirs because we don't think normal people don't think like that You know go. Oh, yeah. I'm just gonna just make up some lies about someone normal people don't do that I'm just going to destroy that but let alone have them killed. I'm just going to have someone lose their job I'm just going to have someone do this because i'm just going to agree with someone else and make some lies I mean think about think let's put it into it because it's hard to put yourselves in the shoes of what was going on here So just think about it in your workplace Could you imagine if someone came up to you said I need you to lie about your boss I need you to lie about your boss so we can sack him And and he can and destroy his life Because hopefully he won't even get another job after it or something else. Can you imagine that someone can you? What on earth what that what is wrong with you? How could you even ask me such thing? What what? That should be the normal response. Yeah And Imagine if if you knew that was going on and two people just went yeah up for it. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah get him sacked Yeah, okay. That's just just some guy in the workplace. Maybe you could go Well, they had maybe a bit of a gripe with him or something else get along the son of god God in the the the the only perfect man when we say perfect how we'd use it Not maybe as if I would use it the only sinless man to ever walk the earth He never committed one sin You got you got what reason do you have to I mean, obviously they have reason to hate him because he's god because he speaks the truth, but You can't go. Well, I remember that time. He did this thing a bit mean no, he's god. He's perfect. He knew no sin And yet they were willing to conspire to to lie about him like these guys here with neighbor who've done nothing wrong I just want to take his vineyard Just want to take his vineyard and same here really it's out of envy is their envy for the people They want to take the people. Okay, that's what it's about. But But again, it shouldn't be surprising because the bible tells about them You don't have to turn to romans 129 says that they're full of deceit second corinthians 3 3 says that they're false accusers Okay, that's what these people do. They have no qualms at all about doing this sort of thing And back in matthew 26 and verse 61 They're purposefully changing what he said And said this fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of god and to build it in three days now Don't bear in mind this fellow. Yeah, they know that they're referring to the guy that's under arrest right now And they're looking to put him to death. So it's not like they're going. Oh, yeah I think I heard some guy say something. No, no, they're They're standing there going this is what he said and look again You know and look because not everyone's dealt with something similar we okay Obviously, you know, they weren't lying about the lord jesus or anything else But we dealt with something similar here and the point being that to stand up and go this person said or did this Is you've got to be pretty sure when you do that, right? Yeah, you well, I don't really know something like that. No You don't stand up and bear false witness Like that about something that definitely didn't happen unless you're wicked, right? And then obviously, you know, there's a hundred other reasons why they are why what we dealt with here was but But here look it's the same thing. We're just seeing just false accusation standing up And and lying about something lying about lying about something that they they're claiming the lord jesus christ said now Where are we so Another thing here just quickly is it does sound petty here as well, doesn't it? It sounds pretty petty this fellow said i'm able to destroy the temple of god and to build it in three days But I suppose that the accusation is that he's saying that he has the power of god I think that's probably what they're trying to say, aren't they? You know and obviously knowing that he's going to say no as well and but but It seems a bit of a strange one but I think the idea is then they go well he's trying to say that he's like god he could destroy our Temple and build it up and everything else then verse 62 says and the high priest of rose has said unto him answer a sound nothing What is it which these witness against him now? Why is he not answering? Well luke 22 and 67 You can turn there if you like luke chapter 22 Helps us to understand why We're going to look at verse 67 luke 22 again luke's account of this They said answer sound nothing What is it which these witness against you luke 22 67 says art thou the christ tell us and he said unto them if I tell you You will not believe look they cannot believe Okay, these people can't believe verse 68 and if I also ask you you will not answer me nor let me go look There was no point. Yeah, these people let their look these people are given over their reprobates. Yeah, so what's the point? The lord jesus christ wasn't there to beg for his life was he The whole point because I think sometimes you can read he's going I wish he'd said this or why But that wasn't the point let none of us would be saved if the lord jesus christ had got out of this situation Yeah, he wasn't there to get out of this situation not to try to persuade them. He's fulfilling scripture. He gave his life He gave his life. Yeah, we have the death anxiety we've seen before but but he he knew he came here for this purpose He knew he had that point before knowing what he was about to face But ultimately he willingly gave his life right and here Look, he's not there to persuade them not to You don't have to like debate with them and try and argue his way out of it verse back to where we are in. Matthew 26 so he's he said there and if I also ask you you will not answer me nor let me go You know, it's a waste of time. There's nothing to say in verse 63 where matthew 26 said but jesus held his peace And the high priest answered said unto him I drew thee by the living god That they'll tell us whether they'll be the christ son of god or he's also fulfilling scripture. I think isaiah 53, you know He aren't he he holds his peace, doesn't he? Verse 64. Jesus said saith unto him thou has said nevertheless I said unto you hereafter Show you see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power coming to clouds of heaven That's the second coming and notice again how he doesn't seem to be flying around he's on the throne when he returns here But mark 14 62 words it as this and jesus said I am so when they said When they asked whether they'll be the christ the son of god in mark in mark 14 verse 62 Jesus said I am here. He said thou has said And and in mark 14 63 he says I am and you shall see the son of man coming on the right hand of power And coming in the clouds of heaven either because either way he's not denying that he's the christ is he? He's not denying because he is he is the christ. Oh, well, which one was it? Did he say I am thou has said well, he's like yeah thou said thou said You know and for me he is saying yeah, i'm the christ mark mark 14 He does say I am yeah jesus christ He's not going to lie about that. Is he then the high priest rent his clothes saying He have spoken blasphemy what further need of we have witnesses behold now ye have heard his blasphemy What's the blasphemy? What's the blasphemy because they choose not to believe just because they choose not to believe is it blasphemy? I mean he's fulfilled tons of scriptures He's healed the sick. He's given sight to the blind. He's raised the dead He's done this like all these amazing works and miracles He's teaching the truth And they don't believe so they decide it's blasphemy. I mean it's this And that's but that's what we deal with to this day, don't we? We don't believe what the word of god says. So therefore It's a lie. It's false. It's whatever else and you deal with that with people that claim to believe the bible You show them what verbs say well no no no because we don't believe that no you're lying no no No, you're easy believers and you're whatever, you know, you name it whatever their criticism is. No, you're you're you're you're a hate monger Because you just preach because you don't believe it That doesn't mean that it's hate speech because you call it hate speech doesn't make it hate speech. Does it? Because you say that no no, no, that's not how we should you know believe now that doesn't mean it's wrong And in the same here with jesus christ he is the son of god He is the christ just because they don't believe doesn't mean it's not true yet. They're now saying it's blasphemy They said in verse 66 what think you they asked and said he is guilty of death Then did they spit in his face and buffed him and others smoked him with the palms of their hands Saying prophesy unto us our christ. Who is he that smoked thee? I don't remember that bit in leviticus Do you remember that bit for blasphemy? Oh, yeah, so if someone's guilty of so-called blasphemy you need to spit in his face buffet him, which is basically punching him And smite him so basically slap him about with the palm of their hands No Why are they doing it because they hate him? Because they hate god because these people hate christ. It's not just that they can't believe. Ah, they're just like if only I could believe Oh, I just If only I just hadn't been you know rejected by god, then i'll be no no, no, they hate him. They're haters of god Yeah They despise him Yes, and and with that they then at this point they show that and we see this just Just we just see the animosity towards the lord jesus christ Just full out here in a picture of it not even a picture just in the reality of them spitting at him Punching him slapping with him. It is a thing. Do you know that every single reprobate out there would do the same if they had a chance? Yeah, every single queer out there with their rainbow flags and all their weird filthy sodomite stuff If they had a chance, they'd be slapping jesus christ about as well. They'd be spitting in his face They could claim that they just want to come to church. They wish that we'd just accept them. No, they hate him Oh, no, they like their version of him Yeah, they like their whatever version they want to make but they hate the real lord jesus christ Don't they and it's same with all these different flavors of rep breaks They hate him that that that false prophet that stands behind behind a pulpit going you must repent of your sins Yeah, that wicked reprobate would spit in the real jesus's face, you know Why because he hates the fact that it's free grace that he can't puff himself up and act like he somehow earned it And the rest of they hate him they hate him and these guys are showing it And here's another thing the spiritual descendants of these people hate him too These these people look they didn't suddenly disappear No, they just went on to spawn or had already spawned this vile religion that we call judaism to this day Where where these same people? Still to this date spit in his face My you go how do they spit in his face? How do they punch him? How do they say I tell you how through their media? Through their filthy movies where they're constantly mocking him where he's a curse word where they've somehow promoted Jesus christ to be a common curse word now amongst people that are sucked into hollywood and all the rest of that filth Because I i'm i'm wherever I am now around worldly people all I ever hear is jesus And all this sort of thing where they're cursing isn't that wicked, isn't it? Did that that doesn't come out of a vacuum? Where does that come from that comes from hollywood? Comes from hollywood and it's not just hollywood all their stupid stupid books with all that The publishing companies are all the same mob who love to promote. What is it? It's people like things like the da vinci code just wicked blasphemous filth like that half Half the movies just filth them just everything against the word of god The the the the news articles all these stupid news articles that come out kind of I think they all they probably have them in their calendar and need a new news article. Um, either either You know mocking jesus christ in one way or another trying to disprove him trying to disprove the bible It's like oh god, uh time for another one because they're just regular aren't they? And I remember when I used to read the newspaper years ago. You just regularly see this Archaeologists have uh dug up a new thing to show that jesus christ actually got married Archaeologists have found it's just and what they're doing is spitting in his face. They're spitting in his face. They're slapping him about And it's the same people. It's the same descendants of these spiritual descendants of the they're not physical descendants They claim to be they're not but they're spiritual descendants spiritual descendants of these wicked people They're marxist university brainwash I mean you go to university and and the chances are you're going to be getting just all this Junk in your face, aren't you? All this just christ mocking christ scawning christ slapping christ punching christ spitting What about the songs? I mean half the music industry is blasphemous it's wicked and Look, this this is This hasn't stopped this is just this is a reality of what happened and these people But they would love to do it and they do it any which way they can they do it at least in a spiritual way Don't they and look at verse 69 now? Peter sat without in the palace And a damsel came unto him saying thou also was with jesus of galilean But he denied before them all saying I know not what thou say So all that talk of never denying him remember verse 35 peter said unto him though. I should die with thee Yet will I not deny thee likewise also said all the disciples and it took just a girl a young lady A damsel to break him That's all it took It was a damsel like this isn't an accident that they've just mentioned. It was a damsel That matthew just put in here and obviously, you know god god wrote this through matthew That a damsel came unto him and he denied before them all saying I know not what they'll say So it was just a young lady and he just finished cutting off ears and now he's denying christ to a girl Bizarre isn't it? You you could say But there's probably a sad truth in there as well How many young men will fight for the lord and then deny him when it comes to a pretty girl? I don't know. There's probably a lot of guys out there that will fight for him They'll you know, take the fight for the lord and probably get worked up when you're hearing stuff like that. Yeah those jews Yeah, those, you know, what are those reprobates? Let's have them have them and then some some pretty girl bats her eyelid at her eyelids at him and suddenly oh, yeah All that christianity. Yes. Yeah a bit weird. I kind of believe I don't really get involved with all that stuff You know don't really follow him You know because that's a bit weird, isn't it a bit sad or whatever else? I don't use those words anymore, but When I was young that sort of stuff they'd say wouldn't they? Now look obviously peter was married so i'm not saying that there was necessarily that reasoning there But a lot of people look tough guys will crumble when it comes to being in front of a girl Even if it comes to being just mocked by someone there's no love interest There's no romantic interest but just the fact that they don't they want to impress women guys. Just like impressing women, don't they? and Look sadly here. He's denying the lord jesus christ to just some damsel And here's another thing how many have had their spiritual life ruined by an unbelieving young lady as well How many guys out there how many christians throughout history have probably been on fire for the lord? And they've ended up marrying some girl who's got no interest at all whether she's saved or not and Destroyed them destroyed their life and peter's life's nearly destroyed from this point, isn't it? But obviously we see him come back and we're going to see that but so many that's happened to as well And that's so easy as well. It can happen and what a waste of life What a waste of life And verse 71 this is and when he was gone out into the porch another maid saw him so get another girl now And said unto them that were there this fellow was also with jesus of nazareth and look for many it can be easier when you're in the midst of a fight, but when When it's in a social setting and you're the odd one out. I get a lot of people find out. Oh, don't they? It'd be like look when people are attacking you you fight yeah, come on But when it's a social setting and you feel like you're going to be that one standing there kind of not denying the lord Standing there and saying no and standing up for the lord. Jesus christ A lot of people find that really hard don't they? But people find that awkward uncomfortable. I don't know and i'm going to be mocked and everything else And you're fine cutting the ears off i'll fight i'll fight the whole lot of them with their staves and their swords but Might look a bit odd in front of these girls That's the that's the truth for so many men out there And again, he denied with an oath. I do not know the man now he's making oaths I mean, he's like promise guy do not know the man. I mean, it's just going from bad to worse Isn't it here for beater then verse 73 says and after a while came unto him they that stood by and said to peter Surely thou also art one of them for thy speech Now beareth means to disclose to betray or expose you now just just a quick one on this because i'm sure i've I'm trying to remember him. I'm sure i've heard preaching before People like uh, you know peter You know, they knew because he was like a clean spoken christian, you know Then he starts like he must have been a finger blinding afterwards, you know, that's not the point. Yeah Um, it's it's it's gallilean accent if you're there if you could quickly go there mark 14 Actually shows us what it is. They're talking about here mark 14 and verse 70 says this mark 14 70 It says and he denied it again and a little after they that stood by said again to peter surely They are one of them for thou art a gallilean And thy speech agreeeth thereto. Okay. The point is that he's he's got a gallilean accent It's not that they're like man this guy just He just sounds so holy and then he's like Effing this and blinding that that's not that's not what happened here verse Verse 74 then began he to curse and to swear saying I know not the man now this isn't how we call this Oh, look, he's cursing. He must be using cuss words and everything else I know not the man immediately the cop crew But but here's a question. Who's he cursing? Perhaps even the lord, I don't know. I mean he's cursing and the swearing by the way Isn't how the world use the word swearing the swearing was saying I know not the man So he's like like it's like the oath thing again. It's like I know not the man like I swear, you know But who's he cursing then began he to curse now? He might be cursing no saying it but I don't know For me, it might be that he's actually cursing the lord jesus here, which is really sad to think about isn't it? Then he began he to curse and to swear saying I know not the man that's how that should be read Not oh, he's cursing and swearing and just trying to prove to them He's not a christian, you know, and obviously, you know Those people that like to jump on on that particular sin above all else love that love that interpretation, but that's not here so The swearing isn't swear words Okay He's promising I know not the man and peter remembered the word of jesus who said unto him before the cock crow Thou shalt deny me thrice and he went out and wept bitterly and this was verse 34 Jesus said unto him verily us anthony that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice And that's a pretty low moment for peter, isn't it? I mean, can you imagine this? He's just been so puffed up. He's literally just been saying to him. I will never deny thee and then He's denying him to a couple of girls and a few guys there and Look here's the thing though You know, we can look at this and and maybe for some you look at this and and understandably you're gonna go I can't believe peter did this or did that or for others? You might look at this and go i've had low moments like that because we've all had low moments Okay, and if you're if you're saved since you've been saved You will have had low moments and you're going to continue to have low moments. That's the truth now Yeah, you know, we want to minimize that. Yeah, but you're going to have time now I'm not saying you're going to necessarily deny Have an exact replica of this but you're going to have low moments You're going to have times when you fail as a christian. You're going to have times where you where you You do give in to the temptation in one way or another you're going to have times where you do look back I wish I hadn't done that. I wish I hadn't done this or that What's what's the key here though? The key is how you respond so it's how you respond You don't have to turn to providence 24 16 says for a just man fall of seven times and riseth up again But the wicked shall fall into mischief Okay, we how we respond when we do fall I remember I did a sermon a while back called bounce back ability in a christian life and that that's that's the test of you When you do when you do slip up when you do make an error when you do Fall into sin and look we're all going to sin Okay, i'm not just talking about you know, sort of something that you're not even really registering or something else But when you you know, do make a bit of a big mess up and everyone is going to do that at times You know make errors, you know Whether it's kind of maybe it's like you don't control your temper and you say things you wish you hadn't or maybe it's worse Or maybe maybe you are denying the lord. Maybe whatever it is. How do we respond? And that's the important obviously we want to try and avoid that all cause so we're going to see how you know Some of the triggers here, but how do we respond after because we see when we look in the scriptures? Yeah, peter backslides, right? He ends up on a naked fishing trip. I mean i've never backslidden as bad as that. I don't know I think maybe there's an equivalent but you know what he ends up going on to be one of the greatest men ever Doesn't he and and he does some great things for the lord. So he does bounce back But what was it so as well as wanting to be able to bounce back? Okay, and we can all bounce back. What what were the triggers here? Well, number one was peter's pride, wasn't it? Because pride goes before destruction and hold spirit before fall and peter Clearly was prideful when he because it wasn't that he just said it once then jesus said no You will all forsake me and he said no he basically corrected the lord and said no, I will not and yeah Okay, obviously peter wore his heart and his sleeve and you know, he is a likable character in in some ways, isn't he as well? But but he was prideful there wasn't he and we've got to be careful with pride. There was pride There was his following afar off as well It was a pride and then thinking you can follow jesus christ But from afar look you're either following him or you're not now here's the thing with that people go Well, whoever's not doing soul winning this amount of times are doing this doing that look That's not what it's about. It's where where's your head? Where's your heart? Because there's there's look for someone someone who's maybe newly saved or newly getting involved with the church like that Church like us they're not necessarily going to be every three three services no matter what Other than illness i'm soul winning price, but are you going in the right direction? Are you getting the sin out of your life? Are you doing more for the lord? Is it are you seeing this sort of trajectory on the curve or is it more like this, you know And there's a lot of people where their curve is where however shallow that decline might be. It's a decline Okay, and you're and that's a that's a bad place to be Okay, and that's why we often talk about the roman candle christian like it doesn't impress anyone who's been around christianity for a while When you see someone he's like, oh i'm fine. Yeah, i'm soul winning every day i'm doing this i'm doing that, you know And and yeah, i've read my bible 10 times this month, you know and everything else Look, that's not really not what it's about. It's about being constantly on this sort of Life you want to go like that and then carry on upwards great Yeah, and you really need a whiteboard, don't you? I really am following my thing. I'm gonna get a white Yeah, i'm gonna repreach this part of the server I'm kidding, but look we want to we want to constantly see improvement in our life, don't we? And then when we do have that little dip we want to carry on going back up again. Yeah, that's what we want and and Part of that is don't follow from afar off. You're you we should be drawing closer to christ not drawing away from christ and then last off Is not sitting with the servants Okay, not sitting with the servants of of the enemy Okay, and whether that's online whether that's in your social life whether that's In some wicked church somewhere or some at least Just joke church somewhere you sit with the servants of god's enemies and you are going to slip you are going to slide Okay, because that's just what happens and look like, you know, and and If you you know don't want to go too far because of course, there are those that will take their extremes I can't be around anyone. That's a non-christian. That's not what i'm saying But what I am saying is who are you who are you aiming to spend your time with? Now who are you trying to spend your time with you want to be around god's people you want to be around the lord Jesus Christ you don't want to be following him afar off You want to be close to him and yeah And especially nowadays more than ever with this weird online world that we're in you have to be really careful online Okay, like the amount of especially newer christians and newer believers that will start telling me. Oh, what do you think of this person? What do you think of that? It's like false prophet false prophet false prophet, you know And you almost like you just you almost don't even wait till they ask Like they're like, so I saw this person lied. I almost answered false prophet, you know Because you know the chance are they're going to be aren't they? And you have to be so careful because look a little leaven leaven is a whole lump, doesn't it? And these people that a little bit of that poison just gets into you got to keep away from these people You know be very careful with that Don't sit with these servants And all these were factors in his fall and they're all lessons for us, aren't they? And you know, thank god that peter did fall because you know, there are lessons that we should take from that We should look at that and go. Okay, right I can learn from that and peter would want us to learn from that imagine like peter probably a bit gutted about this Isn't he being read for thousands of years afterwards preach from pulpits across the world? You know, it's probably not his finest moment. Is it this but what would he want from it? He'd want us to all learn from it and grow from it, wouldn't he? um Okay, and and and here's eventual response and again When we look at the messages, I think we should be able to go Yeah But peter went on and did great things didn't he and we can all We can all we all have the ability to fall but we should all go on to great things as well Um, okay on that we're going to pray Father thank you for um, well what a great chap for the bible there's so much in there. Um, so many truths lord. Um that You know, it's hard to do justice in an hour sermon but especially Well, you know that that famous fool of peter's um and You know, just thank you for those lessons that we can learn from that how to try and avoid falling like peter did but Knowing that even if and when we do slip that we do have the ability to get back It's not something we should aim for lord But it is something that we can at least take hope from that. There's always a way back. There's always a way of bouncing back lord Like peter did famously as well and help us all to to though avoid those pitfalls avoid those those issues that pride of life Avoid that, you know being distanced from you. Um Avoid, you know kind of yoking up with the world lord and help us to just um you know to just be be better children to be To learn from p2 and to be what you'd want us to be here Please um, please bless us all as we go on go on with our weeks Our week ahead. Sorry the rest of our week those days ahead help us to um to to you know All just remember the messages that we've kind of spoken to us from today and help us to to apply it to our lives Um going forward and also to all um, do our best to return on sunday for another day in your house. Jesus name for all this Amen