Why do so many TV shows and movies involve courtroom trials? Trials (on the screen at least) are inherently dramatic: Adversaries face off in battles of strategy, wit, and knowledge; a winner and a loser is determined; wrongs are righted and justice is served.

We may be only at the mid-point of the season of Lent, but this week’s Narrative Lectionary text (John 18:12-27) speeds us ahead in the story to the time of Jesus’ trial. It is a story that elicits many questions, a few of which could be:

• Who really is on trial here? Is it Jesus or is it the way of life Jesus so often critiqued? 
• What might we learn from Peter’s identity crisis?
• How do we respond when courts fail us?
• How does this story of Jesus, Jesus’ disciples, a first century court system, and Peter connect to the larger story of scripture…and to our story as those striving to follow Jesus today?

Pastor Dave will attempt to address those questions and more in his sermon, “Denial on Trial”