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(John 18:33-36). Remember these are only notes so do not expect full sentences, perfect grammar or even perfect spelling! (Remember too that British spelling is not the same as American spelling!) The accusations against Jesus: 1. Blasphemy (Religious) 2. King of Jews (Political) Incription over Cross was 'The King of the Jews'. Kingship - national leadership. Daunting. World's longing for good leadership.
Also here. New leader brings great hope and then Disappointment. In most there is a mixture of human good and bad, wisdom and folly. Magnify what is in all of us. N. Ireland - is it true that politicians not ordinary people cause problems? Not true - just our faults magnified by power. Acts 2: 36."Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Rev 17:14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings." The powers of darkness made war against Christ but He overcame - resurrection. The forces that rose against Jesus are still v. much alive today. • Self righteous pride - pharisees - tempation of all religious leaders. • desire to hold on to power at all costs. • Pilate and today's political leaders. • greed. - Judas - our materialist society. • cowardice - Pilate. • disloyalty - disciples. - not keeping promises. • indifference - passers by - too busy to bother with the most important fact in all the universe. As world history eventually reaches its climax these forces will again seem to have the upper hand. But He who rose cannot die again. One day all will have to acknowledge Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords Some will do so rejoicing and others will mourn. • Famous prophecy of Isaiah to Jewish People about their King Messiah who would one day come to the world: Isa 2:4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. • How the world longs for such a person! Yet are we ready to receive Him? • 20th century was easily the most blood stained in the history of the planet. Yet according to the book of Isaiah: Before that time of the rule of the Messiah, 1. He will have to suffer and die for the sins of the world 2. when that time is drawing near, Middle East will be engaged in conflict which will affect whole world. • Another prophet speaks of this king Messiah as `the desire of the nations.' Hag 2:67 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; ` I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come'. • The one the world longs for. • Kingdom break in from another world. • Preceded by the shaking of world's foundations. • (Earthquake just before the death of Jesus and at His resurrection.) Now: John 18:33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" • Did he know what he was asking? • Romans were afraid the Jews would find a leader who would lead a rebellion against them. • To them `King of the Jews' - terrorist. • Jews themselves wanted a leader to do just that. • To them `King of the Jews' - Freedom fighter. • Judas Maccabaes. • Jerry Adams • To the militant Republicans - Freedom Fighter. • To the Loyalists and British - Terrorist. • Does it depend what side one is on? (I am not saying no real good and evil - just depends from what viewpoint you have - No!) What I am saying is that it isn't always easy to know how to judge these matters because most of us don't know all the facts. • World conflicts have same problems. • How difficult to know the true rights and wrongs! • Only one who loved all peoples and could see the hearts of men - • only He could be the true `desire of the nations' that the prophets foretold - • the `King of the Jews' as understood not by the Jews or Romans • but by God Himself. • So when Pilate asks: `Are You the King of the Jews?', Jesus replies: John 18:34 "`King' as you use the word or as the Jews use it?" (TLB) • Then reminiscent of the words of the prophets, Jesus says: John 18:36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." (NIV) • Not as the world understands kingship! • How does the world experience its rulers? • Warning from God. 1 Sam 8:11ff 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen. • But Jesus has come to be a different kind of king. • `My kingdom is not of this world' • Pilate's response: John 18:37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. • Jesus answered again: "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." (NIV) • `To give the world truth'. • In all the world conflicts that is the great lack - truth. • The first casualty of war. • The world is cynical about truth. • Post modernism - no such thing as truth. • Just truth for you and another truth for you. • No absolute standards. • No word from God to guide us. • Pilate too was cynical about truth. • `What is truth?' • There can only be peace in world and in your heart and mine when: • we face up to the truth. • But where do we learn the truth about God and ourselves? • Face to face with Christ and His cross and resurrection. • Cross and Resurrection. • Stands over and enfolds: • the story of the world. • your story and mine. • In the cross and res we see the truth about: • The great love of God for a lost world • The enormous wickedness of human sin. • The enormous value God still places upon all our lives. • His love for all the earth. • Jesus's true kingship is revealed in His sufferings and death. • when He submits Himself to the bad rulers and `kings' of this earth. • God puts His seal on that by raising Him from death. • The Roman soldiers used the title `King of the Jews' to mock both Jesus and the Jewish people: John 19:2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face. • Perhaps Pilate was beginning to recognise that there was more to this man than he had first realised. John 19:512 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" 6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him." (In the presence of Jesus he has a struggle with his own conscience - even though he was a cruel leader) 7 The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God." 8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, (Has Jesus come from beyond this world?) but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realise I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" 11 Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. (All earthly kings are ultimately answerable to God -
15 They shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.(Pilate wanted all peoples to know that this man was no ordinary criminal) 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." • After His resurrection He can say: • `All authority in heaven and earth ...' • He is the only one who on coming again to the world will be able to: judge between the nations and settle disputes for many peoples'
• May that day soon come to this world! • May we be those who are ready for that day, • having knelt at the cross and acknowledged that it was for our sins He died. • and having acknowledged Him as Lord of our lives and Lord of all. Howard Taylor welcomes questions
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