Rev. David Holwick ZH Encountering Jesus in John
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 18, 2015
John 18:28-38a
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I. Plotting to please.
A. Pilate was a people-pleaser.
1) He ended up pleasing no one.
2) He ended up on the wrong side of truth, for all eternity.
B. Who are we trying to please?
1) It might be a boss, or parents, or a spouse.
a) Everyone has someone you want on your side.
2) Will we please Jesus?
a) We are for him, or against him.
b) If we are for him, we must live by his principles.
3) Let's look at Pilate's character in depth.
II. Pilate had an ingrained attitude of contempt. 18:35
A. He was contemptuous of Jews, and Jesus.
1) He asks Jesus, "Am I a Jew?"
a) He apparently didn't think much of them.
2) Pilate chose the sign on the cross. 19:19
a) He insisted the sign read: "Jesus, King of the Jews."
b) He was mocking both Jews and Jesus.
B. Outside sources (Josephus) reinforce this.
1) When Pilate first visited Jerusalem, he let his soldiers
keep the image on top of their military standard.
To Jews, this was an idol, and previous rulers had always
removed it before entering the city.
Pilate did not.
2) In another incident, he raided the Temple treasury to
build a public works project.
3) The gospels refer to atrocities Pilate ordered against Jews.
Luke 17:1
C. What do you think of other groups?
1) It is a hot item in the news these days.
a) Massive movements of refugees around the world.
b) Protest rallies across Europe and walls going up.
2) America is hardly immune.
a) Consider Donald Trump's harsh statement on Hispanics.
1> He equated them all with crime and handouts.
b) Perhaps you feel the same way.
1> When times are tough, it is tempting to make
someone else the scapegoat for our problems.
2> But before you condemn them, listen at the portico
door of our church during the Latino service...
III. Pilate was expedient.
A. He tried to wheedle out of the dilemma four ways:
1) He tried to pass the buck (lay responsibility on Jews).18:31
2) He tried to escape by offering to free a prisoner. 18:39
3) He tried to compromise by having Jesus flogged. 19:1
4) He tried to appeal to the people: "Shall I crucify
your king?" 19:15
B. Doing what is easy is rarely courageous.
1) All of his maneuvers cannot hide the fact that Pilate
had the power to free Jesus with no outside interference.
2) He chose excuses over responsibility.
C. Do you do the same thing?
1) When you have the power to do something, but it could cost
you, what do you do?
2) We all think we are brave but we really are not.
In a famous Christmas sermon, the great reformer Martin
Luther described how Mary had to give birth in a stable
because there was no room in the inn.
Then Luther turned to his congregation and said,
"You think to yourselves, 'I wouldn't have turned the
couple away. I would have given them my own place.'"
To which Luther replied, "No, you wouldn't. If you would
have been so generous, so sacrificial, why aren't you now?
You meet Christ in your neighbor every day and you are
not generous or sacrificial to him now."
#64970
Rev. Robert Rayburn notes that can apply the same principle
here.
You would not have called for Jesus' death, would you?
Yet, how often are you unkind to those who hurt you?
Perfectly ordinary people participated in the murder of
Jesus.
The Bible says we are all capable of it, we have that
nature.
And don't justify yourself by saying "I may be bad,
sometimes, but Pilate was worse."
You have the opportunity to act on God's behalf, and you
don't.
You wait for someone else to do the "dirty work".
Kerux sermon #2047
IV. Pilate was worldly.
A. He had a short-sighted perspective on life.
1) Instead of thinking long-term, he focused on getting off
the hook right now.
B. He reduced everything to politics.
1) Most of his questions to Jesus addresses kingship.
2) Pilate was concerned about his political status in Rome.
3) The Jewish leaders played upon this. 19:12
4) Even today, many people frame issues in a purely
political light. Does it work for my party?
V. Pilate was cynical.
A. He famously asks Jesus, "What is truth?" 18:38
1) It is an ambiguous statement.
a) Was he being philosophical about an important issue?
b) Is he asking a sincere question?
c) Is he just being sarcastic?
2) Sarcasm is most likely - it fits with his "Am I a Jew?"
remark.
B. Most people today would rather be pragmatic than true.
1) "Does it work?" resonates more than "Is it true?"
2) We want a message that makes us feel good, that makes
our family happy, that increases our income.
3) Jesus voted for truth, even if it gets you crucified.
C. We need the courage to make the right decision.
1) Pilate doesn't come across as hostile, but wishy-washy.
In his sermon "Take Your Best Shot," Gordon MacDonald talks
about the two major forms of evil that erupt out of human
experience.
The crucifixion highlights both of them.
One is the crowd's irrational, angry, brutal resistance
against God, his purposes, and his people.
The other is Pilate's saying, 'I don't want to be identified
with it.'
In silence and complicity, he backs off, washes his hands,
and decides it would be better to do nothing.
"What bothers me most is my strong suspicion that I could
have been in the crowd....
I can see the possibility of being so defiant against God
that I would have joined the crowd saying, 'Crucify him!'
and self-righteously justifying myself.
I can also see myself as Pontius Pilate saying, 'I don't
want anything to do with this,' and letting it happen."
#3092
a) Jesus actually becomes the judge, asks all the questions.
b) Pilate leans toward Jesus, but is more worried about
saving face.
2) Pilate became known as one who would not stand up for truth.
a) By not making a choice, he made a choice.
1> Rather than ask for God's grace, he asked for a bowl.
2> Rather than invite Jesus to stay, he sent him away.
3> Rather than hear Christ's voice, he heard the voice
of the people.
b) Taking the easy way condemned him for the rest of time.
VI. What Jesus is all about.
A. Truth is essential.
1) Our lives must be based on convictions.
a) "Whatever works" isn't good enough.
b) Due to multitude of claims, many figure, "Why bother?"
c) (Meet with couple this week, have drifted from faith
because too many other religions to be only way.)
2) Know what you believe.
a) Is Jesus right? Is the gospel true?
b) If it is true, what should change in your life?
B. Don't compromise. Please God, not people.
1) People-pleasers, or God-pleasers. Gal 1:10
a) If controlled by sin, cannot please God. Rom 8:8
b) Seek to please him, because he will judge us. 2 Cor 5:9
2) Application to us.
a) What do you do when everyone around you is compromising?
b) Do we come to church to please family, or because we
want to know God?
c) Do we take a stand on moral principles that count?
C. Jesus' kingdom has different standards.
1) Politics has not changed in 2,000 years.
a) Leaders still want to be loved by everyone, and avoid
the tough decisions.
b) Force is the key to power.
1> If you doubt it, don't pay your taxes this year...
2) Jesus has also not changed in 2,000 years.
a) His kingdom is not so much a place, as a mindset.
1> Wherever Jesus is obeyed, his kingdom exists.
b) The key to power is love and service.
1> It is not power-hungry or people-devouring.
c) He cannot be served by violence. 18:36
1> (Christian history notwithstanding)
D. Christians must have a different lifestyle, in a good way.
1) We are in the world, but not "of it."
2) Be loving and affirming.
3) How different are you?
E. Jesus really is a king.
1) The world can harm, but Jesus has the ultimate power. 19:11
a) He deserves our obedience.
b) Each of us will answer to him.
2) As you confront Jesus, what is your decision about him?
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
This sermon is a reworking of one I did on April 9, 1995.
Kerux sermon #2047, “The Passion In John: The Sentence,” by
Rev. Dr. Robert Rayburn, Faith Presbyterian Church of Tacoma,
Washington, March 29, 1998.
# 3092 “The Two Evil Responses,” Craig Brian Larson, Leadership,
"The Art of Positive and Negative Preaching,"
January 1995, page 80.
#64970 “Is There Room In Your Inn?” Rev. Dr. Robert Rayburn, Kerux
sermon #2047, March 29, 1998.
These and 35,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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