PREACHING THE CROSS
May 4, 2008 AM
Sermon Outline
TRIALS?
JNO 18:39,40
INTRO: About the time I think I am ready to move on, I come face to face with the realization that there is more information than I can possibly cover in a single sermon study. So, I find myself digging a bit deeper into the events of the last hours of Jesus before His death. The various hearings before religious and civil leaders are recorded in all of the gospel records. Many have branded the "trial" of Jesus before the high priest and council "illegal". But the Pharisees and Sadducees were going to have their way, and wasted no time with real legalities. During these last hours, Jesus acknowledged that He is, indeed, the Son of God (Lk22:70), that He is, indeed, the Christ (Messiah) and that He is, indeed, the King (Jno 18:37). But I would like for us to think a while about the last hours.
- FOLLOWING A "RELIGIOUS TRIAL", HE WAS TAKEN TO PILATE
- Pilate was the Roman governor ... the supreme authority for that place
- historically, Pilate was no great ruler - he was rabidly anti-Jew
- with that background, their bringing Jesus to him is a bit surprising
- Jno 18:28-32 - some thoughts?
- note: these holier than thou people did not want to defile themselves
- note: they did not want to be part of stoning Jesus according to custom
- note: v. 32 indicates their action was fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy
- Lk 23:1-4 - Pilate's first assessment
- notice how the enemies of Jesus misrepresented the truth - v. 2
- Mt 22:17-21 - here is what Jesus had really said about this issue
- Lk 23:5-7 - Pilate seemed very ready to rid himself of this troublesome matter - let Herod Antipas deal with it!
- Pilate was the Roman governor ... the supreme authority for that place
- THE HEARING BEFORE HEROD
- Nazareth & Capernaum were in Herod's jurisdiction
- historically, there was no "love lost" between Pilate & Herod
- sending Jesus to Herod was perhaps a diplomatic overture
- see Lk 23:12 - this gesture seemed to be worthwhile for Pilate
- Lk 23:8-11 - The "hearing"?
- Herod was glad to see Jesus - he had great curiosity about Jesus
- but his questioning of Jesus brought him no satisfaction
- so, Herod and his men treated Jesus with contempt - back to Pilate
- Nazareth & Capernaum were in Herod's jurisdiction
- PILATE IS AGAIN FACED WITH A DECISION ABOUT JESUS
- Lk 23:13-16 - Neither Herod nor he found cause for execution in charges
- Pilate may have been cruel, unprincipled ... but not dumb
- he knew the charges against Jesus were spurious
- so, he would "chastise him, and release him"
- Mk 15:6-10 - Pilate's attempt to release Jesus
- the custom of the pass over was to release one prisoner
- Pilate knew that it was for envy Jesus was being accused
- v. 11 - but the chief priests insisted on release of Barabbas - a known insurrectionist and murderer!
- Mt 27:19 - Pilate's wife's dream
- we have no idea of the substance of her dream - it was disquieting!
- dreams to the pagan world were very significant - powerful influences
- Pilate would have been heavily influence by this dream
- Jno 19:1-5,12a - Pilate continued to try to release Jesus
- he had Jesus scourged thinking this would satisfy the Jews
- but the Jews continued their cry of "crucify him"
- Jno 19:10,11a - all of this was in keeping with God's plan, agenda!
- Jno 19:12b,15 - the Jews knew that Pilate was in a sort of political "box" - what if Caesar heard that Pilate had released "the King of the Jews"?
- Mt 27:24,25 - The symbolic act of washing his hands
- but the symbolic act could not absolve him of his part in this drama
- he simply lacked the moral courage to do the right thing - but tried to transfer the guilt to others
- when an issue is within our power to change, to decide, washing our hands of it does not absolve us of irresponsibility!!!
- Mk 15:15 - sad, sad words - "willing to content the people" ... how often is for no better reason than this we do what we should not?
- Lk 23:13-16 - Neither Herod nor he found cause for execution in charges
CLOSE: And all of this was done for me! My sins caused the sinless Savior to suffer this unfairness, these indignities, this suffering. In honesty, I have read and reread these things many times in the past few weeks. And they have brought me to tears in the knowledge that someone loved me this much!
Cecil A. Hutson
04 May 2008