A small, orphaned boy lived with his grandma. One night, there was a fire in the house as the boy slept upstairs. The grandmother was overcome by smoke and didn’t make it. A crowd had gathered around the house, and the boy’s screams for help could be heard above the blaze. However, no one seemed to know what to do, because the front of the house was a mass of flames, and there wasn’t any apparent way to rescue the boy before help arrived.

Then suddenly a stranger rushed through the crowd and circled to the back of the house where he spotted an iron pipe attached to the house that went to the second floor. Hand over hand, he climbed the hot pipe, reached the upstairs window, and rescued the boy. While the people cheered, he climbed back down the hot pipe while the boy hung around his neck.

Weeks later, a public hearing was held to determine in whose custody the orphaned boy would be placed. Many people showed up to argue their case. The first man said he had a farm and every boy needs room to roam around. The second one said, "I’m a teacher – the boy would receive a good education!" Other people argued their cases. Finally the richest man in town said, "I could give the boy everything mentioned: a farm, a good education, plenty besides, money and travel. He should live with us."

The chairman rose and asked, "Anyone else like to say a word?" From the rear came a stranger who had slipped unnoticed into the room. He walked toward the front with his hands in his pockets, deep suffering showing in his face. He stood right in front of the boy and removed his hands from his pockets. A gasp could be heard throughout the room. The little boy now looked up. The man’s hands were scarred terribly. The boy emitted a cry of recognition. This was the man who saved his life! His hands were scarred from the hot pipe. The boy threw himself around the man’s neck. One by one, everyone else left, leaving the boy with his rescuer who had won him without a word. Those scarred hands spoke more effectively than words.

Yes, those scarred hands, those nail-pierced hands speak more effectively than words. Even in his silence, Jesus speaks very effectively to you and me. His silence spoke very loudly when he was in front of the Sanhedrin, the leaders of the Jewish people, who put him on trial that night. What Wondrous Love Jesus showed before the Sanhedrin!

Here they were, the chief priests, the elders, the leaders, the "Sanhedrin," and their soldiers, hitting Jesus, spitting on Him, lying about Him, accusing Him. "But Jesus remained silent." That silence speaks loudly! Can you picture that scene? Can you hear their taunts? "Jesus of Nazareth, didn’t you say you were going to destroy and rebuild the temple?" ( silence) "You healed and saved others, aren’t you going to save yourself?" (silence) "Prophesy who hit you!!" (silence) "Aren’t you going to do anything about that!?" (silence) "Don’t you claim to be some kind of ruler?" (silence) But finally Caiaphas, the High Priest, asked a slightly different question: "Are you the Christ, the Son of God?" ("Yes, it is as you say.")

You would think Jesus would be out of that courtroom by today. But does this sound familiar? "Jesus of Nazareth, didn’t you say that you were going to return in glory?" (silence) "If you saved everyone, why don’t you save us from all the suffering in this world?" (silence) "I don’t need you in my life!" (silence) "Isn’t the church just full of a bunch of hypocrites anyway?" (silence) "If you are real God, you are cruel to expect so much of us!" (silence) "We all mess up! Don’t you ever mess up!?" (silence) "I don’t have time for you to go to church anyway – I’m so busy!" (silence) "After all, Jesus, I can believe whatever I want to believe, can’t I? You gave me a free will, right?" ("Yes, it is as you say.")

But then, in Caiaphas’ courtroom, Jesus did speak out: "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." You can count on the fact that the day is coming on which this courtroom scene will be reversed! That is right – Jesus will be on the throne in splendor and glory! No longer tied up and bleeding. And all people, including Caiaphas, those who arrested Jesus, those who lied about him, and all people, including you and me, will be in front of Him this time! And we can imagine that Jesus will keep his dignified silence. But for all of those who rejected Jesus, for all unbelievers, the tables will be turned. It will be no more enjoyable for them than it was for Jesus to be bound on that evening before the Sanhedrin.

Can you hear it? Unbelievers, getting agitated and defensive, demand answers from Jesus: "What’s happening to us? Can you tell us!?" (silence) "Aw, c’mon, you aren’t going to hold that against us what we did to you on earth, are you?" (silence) "When will hell end?" (silence) "I was planning on getting back into church someday. Can you cut me a break?" (silence) "Will the good deeds I have done in my life count for something here?" (silence) "I went to church when I was a kid – will that get me into heaven?" (silence) "Jesus, won’t you help me now?" (silence)

"Are we really going to suffer now?" ("Yes, it is as you say.") "So, you really are the Son of God?" ("Yes, it is as you say.") "You did rise from the dead?" ("Yes, it is as you say.") "You did rebuild the temple, which was your body, in 3 days?" ("Yes, it is as you say.") "You weren’t blaspheming!" ("Yes, it is as you say.") "It would have been worth my while to listen to you while I was living on earth!" ("Yes, it is as you say.")

But did you remember that it said in our text that during that trial, "The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any..." That is right, we would never be able to find any, because Jesus lived a perfect life that we couldn’t. He lived this perfect life, so that you and I could receive credit for it. And He went on trial, suffered, and died, so that we wouldn’t have to. He did this so that God wouldn’t have to hold your sins against you. When the Holy Spirit has given you faith that this is the truth, when He has made you a believer, this courtroom scene will be quite different for you!

As a believer, you will humbly fall on your knees to worship your Lord and Savior, because He has shown you wondrous love and you know that! Your questions will be different, but receive the same dignified answers! Only this time, Jesus will accompany his answers with a smile on his face. "Jesus of Nazareth, what sins are you going to hold against me?" (silence) "Which sins do I still have to pay for?" (silence) "When is this wonderful heaven going to end?" (silence) "What did I do to deserve this?" (silence)

"So, I’m going to heaven?" ("Yes, it is as you say.") "You’re not holding any sins against me?" ("Yes, it is as you say.") "You loved me enough to do all this?" ("Yes, it is as you say.") Nothing will be able to compare to that look, that welcoming smile of wondrous love, that Jesus will give you when you join Him in heaven! Amen.

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