Day 12 :: Nothing to Hide
“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews congregate, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret.”
John 18:20(12-14,19-24)
It’s almost impossible to escape headlines that claim to expose someone or other. Recently we’ve heard of a footballer who kicked his cat, and we’ve heard about politicians who had Christmas parties while telling the rest of the country to stay home. Heartbreakingly, we see continuous reports of abuse being uncovered, often of people in positions of authority, even within churches.
It’s easy to look on and think ‘How could they…?!’ But the reality is that we’ve all got plenty of skeletons in our closets.
Jesus, however, had nothing to hide.
After his arrest, he was taken to Annas. Annas had been high priest a few years previously, but still had a significant influence and authority as head honcho of a leading family. Five of his sons had followed him as high priest, and his son-in-law, Caiaphas, was the latest to hold the position.
Annas wanted to grill Jesus, looking for some dirt he could expose. He questioned Jesus about what he had been teaching, and about his disciples.
But Jesus had nothing to hide.
He told Annas that whatever he taught his disciples in private was the same as what he taught in the synagogue publicly. He wasn’t hypocritical. He wasn’t double minded.
Jesus had complete integrity and spoke openly.
He encouraged Annas to ask folks who had heard them, there were plenty of witnesses who could testify to all Jesus had done and taught.
One of the officials near Jesus took offense at the way he had responded to Annas, as if Jesus’ honest answer was disrespectful to this revered man. In his outrage, he hit out and slapped Jesus.
“If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?” (v23)
Jesus did nothing to deserve the slap. Jesus did nothing to warrant his arrest. Jesus did nothing to deserve this grilling.
Jesus had nothing to hide. Nobody else can make that claim.
How easy is it to portray one image of ourselves in public, but have things going on in our lives, or our heart, that would shame us? Our sin is deeper than we’d like to admit. It’s even deeper than we’re aware.
Would any of us be comfortable sharing a video of all our actions, conversations, thoughts, and desires on YouTube? Doubt it.
One day all our skeletons will be out the closet though. We’ll stand before Jesus and answer for every part of our lives. Left on our own, we’ll be guilty.
“He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus, the only one with nothing to hide, died so that we could be forgiven for all our deepest sin, and be given his perfection. He took our skeletons, so we might have his life.
We can confess our deepest, bleakest sin, knowing that if our trust is in Jesus, it has been dealt with completely on the cross. We have no need to hide from God or people, because our darkest shame is no longer ours. Instead, we are seen as righteous before God, dealt with as sons and daughters in a sweet relationship with him. We can know freedom, and live honestly.
Let’s examine our hearts and lives today, confess whatever sin might we be hiding, and live in the sweet freedom of knowing Jesus. Because of what he’s done, we now have nothing to hide!
Passages to read: John 18:12-14,19-24
A thought to remember: Jesus had nothing to hide.
A question to ask: In what ways are you tempted to be double minded, or hypocritical?
A song to sing: His Mercy Is More