PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 14:53-59
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.” (Mark 14:54)
I have heard from people who spoke falsely against Jesus.
Yet often their claims and arguments are weak, not based on fact.
They judge Jesus for what he supposedly did or didn’t say or do.
I understand why… they were basing this on other false witnesses.
They were judging Jesus based on what they heard and saw in the church.
I don’t blame these Jesus critics but I would urge them revisit the case.
Read the Jesus stories apart from the church and christianity.
Let the evidence stand alone, and not embellished by its witnesses.
Sadly churchianity has provided many with grounds to reject Jesus.
My appeal is to reopen the case, based only on evidence from Jesus.
Don’t let my false witness (or the church’s) keep you from the real Jesus.
My hope is to help those who’ve prejudged Jesus to revisit the evidence.
I also hope my testimony doesn’t give them more evidence against Jesus.
If my testimony does not agree with (match) Jesus, may they trust him over me!
PRAYER
Lord, I find you an your stories more compelling than the witness of the church. May my testimony not give critics more evidence against you.
Jesus never lied and always told the truth – its a test of His integrity that a public figure like him: “Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.” They had to make up the lie. They couldn’t so they had to find another way – how to convict Jesus so that he would be punished with death on the cross? Somehow, some way – Jesus needed to be the innocent one to die. In this case the religious authorities were the ones manipulating justice. We’ve seen that in history as well! Lord help me to stay close to the truth and discern the movements today to stay on the path of righteousness – for Jesus sake!
The religious leaders were looking for ways to serve their self interests and rid themselves of their competition. However they could not agree on their lies. They were false witnesses. My words and deeds need to be in sync. I am a living letter of Christ living in me – an epistle – read by all. Help me daily Lord to be a living witness of my God Who enables me to live for Him.
1 Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love;
where there is injury, your healing power,
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
2 Make me a channel of your peace:
where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
3 O, Spirit, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.
4 Make me a channel of your peace:
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.