Truth on Trial: When Fear Meets Faith (Wednesday - 11/5/25)

Teaching Outline: “Truth on Trial: When Fear Meets Faith”

(John 18:15–40)

Segment 1: Truth on Trial (Main Teaching – John 18:15–40)

Key Themes: Denial, truth, courage, the clash of kingdoms

• Setting: Jesus is arrested; Peter follows “at a distance.”

• Peter’s Denial (18:15–27):

  • Distance precedes denial.

  • Fear disguises itself as wisdom.

  • The wrong fire gives temporary comfort but weakens conviction.

• Jesus Before Annas (18:19–24):

  • Truth is questioned but never afraid of exposure.

  • Jesus embodies truth; He doesn’t defend it—He reveals it.

• Jesus Before Pilate (18:28–38):

  • Pilate represents worldly power; Jesus defines eternal authority.

  • “My kingdom is not of this world.” Truth is relational, not political.

  • Pilate asks “What is truth?” but refuses to hear the answer.

• Barabbas Released (18:39–40):

  • Humanity still chooses rebellion over redemption.

  • Barabbas symbolizes the great exchange: the guilty freed, the innocent condemned.

Practical Steps:

1. Stay close to Christ’s fire, not the world’s.

2. Speak truth even when it costs you.

3. Examine where you’re standing—proximity affects loyalty.

4. Live for the unshakable kingdom, not temporary comfort.

5. Remember: you are Barabbas—set free by grace.

Segment 2: When Fear Silences Faith

Focus: Peter’s denial and restoration

• Fear rationalizes compromise.

• Following Jesus “at a distance” leads to denial.

• The world’s fire gives comfort but cools conviction.

• Failure is not final—grace restores what fear breaks.

• The Holy Spirit’s fire turns fear into boldness (Acts 2).

Takeaway:

The courage you pray for will come when you stop standing by the wrong fire.

Segment 3: The Collision of Kingdoms

Focus: Jesus before Pilate – John 18:36

• Two kingdoms collide: Rome’s power vs. Christ’s peace.

• “My kingdom is not from this world”—its origin is divine.

• The world says control; Jesus says surrender.

• Power built on fear collapses; truth built on love endures.

• Pilate’s throne was temporary; Jesus’ authority is eternal.

Application:

• Live as an ambassador, not a tourist.

• Measure success by heaven’s approval, not public applause.

• You represent a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Segment 4: What Is Truth?

Focus: Pilate’s question – John 18:38

• Pilate’s cynicism mirrors our culture’s confusion.

• Truth isn’t an opinion—it’s a person (John 14:6).

• Indifference to truth is as dangerous as rejecting it.

• Truth doesn’t need defending; it needs living.

• When truth becomes relative, righteousness becomes optional.

Application Steps:

1. Don’t debate truth—embody it.

2. Let integrity preach louder than arguments.

3. Let compassion reveal Christ’s reality.

4. Point people to Who truth is, not just what it means.

Segment 5: Barabbas Moments – The Great Exchange

Focus: The substitutionary grace of Jesus

• Barabbas: the guilty man freed because Jesus stayed.

• Grace isn’t fair—it’s substitution.

• Jesus didn’t just die for sinners; He died instead of sinners.

• “Son of the Father” (Barabbas) walks free because the true Son bore the cross.

Reflection Points:

• You were Barabbas—set free while the innocent took your place.

• Grace is not logical; it’s powerful.

• Don’t live in guilt when grace already paid your debt.

Segment 6: Standing for Truth in the Courtyard and the Courtroom (Wrap-Up)

Focus: The call to courageous discipleship

• Peter’s failure and Pilate’s compromise reveal our struggle.

• Jesus stands steady between cowardice and corruption.

• Truth in you is stronger than pressure around you.

• Grace restores what fear breaks—Peter’s denial became his ministry.

• Live as evidence that truth still stands.

Final Prayer Points:

1. Ask God for courage to stand for truth with humility.

2. Confess any distance between you and Christ.

3. Receive His restoration—failure isn’t final.

4. Commit to carry truth into every space you enter.

Summary of Core Lessons

• Proximity shapes conviction. Stay near Christ.

• Fear silences faith. Speak even when your voice shakes.

• Kingdoms collide daily. Choose the eternal one.

• Truth isn’t abstract. It’s Jesus Himself.

• Grace isn’t fair. It’s the great exchange.

• Failure isn’t the end. Restoration is waiting at the shore.