Sermon Nuggets
Theme- The Trial
Verses- John 18:38-40 "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?"
40 They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.
The Jewish leaders couldn’t get very far in the legal system this way. So they change their accusations, which was never brought up at the religious trial. He claims to be a king. Only Caesar is our king.
Hypocrisy of Politics
I suppose politicking is the cooperation of various people to achieve what each want. Often it involves negotiation, compromise and alternative ways to get an idea approved to some action.
Boy, you talk about political maneuvering when it comes to the trial of Jesus! When in the world would Jews want it publicly known their king was a Roman King? They did not recognize Caesar’s rule over them. But if this was what it took to get Pilate’s attention then they would say he is a political threat to Rome and to the civil authorities as well.
Pilate understood the politics to get in power. He had influential connections through marriage to get this appointment. He apparently came from Spain and married a young political representative Claudia who was the granddaughter of Augustus Caesar. He was part of the family. The other four earlier governors of Judea respected the strong zealous prejudice the Jews had against other gods. They would not bring up the flags or banners with the standard of Caesar inscribed on them. It was an image representing Caesar are not just king but also as God. They let the Jews govern their affairs as they could.
But Pilate did three things that infuriated the Jews. When he moved center of Roman providence from Caesarea to Jerusalem he brought in these banners with the emperor’s face and people protested for a long time. He threatened to kill them for their protests. But they offered their necks for slaughter and Pilate backed down. He tried to do the same thing placing similar shields in the palace of Herod, but outcry against him.
Pilate told them this was not Jewish territory but they were under the jurisdiction of Rome and that was too bad. These same leaders protested to Tiberius Caesar who allowed that exception to overrule Pilate, who was humiliated and power and position seemed threatened.
Finally Pilate needed a better aqueduct system and ran out of taxes to pay for it. He took money from the temple treasury and incensed the Jews. To there is not a lot of love here folks. They were ready to blackmail Pilate and turn him in so there was popular pressure to have him lose his job if he was unwilling to try Jesus on the charge that He claimed to be a king.
But after investigation there was nothing found guilty. Yet Pilate had him beaten hoping that would take care of these complainers, but it did not. He offered to release a prisoner and they cried for Barabbas. Now the hypocrisy of justice is taking the bowl and saying I am not responsible. He was responsible. He knew the law. He knew he was breaking the law. But instead of doing what was right and fair, he ordered the execution. All along there shows the difference of the justice of God compared to the justice of mankind. For personal political reasons the law is ignored but the edict is written and injustice prevails.
People are continually being jailed out of prejudice, out of envy, out of threatened power in political ways. Some simple examples America’s (and the church’s) past include racism, slavery, killing the Indians, stealing land from Mexico. Law courts are filled of non-sense law suits not for the sake of justice, but money.
There will be the day when those in sit in judgment will be standing before the judge of the world. There will be justice. There will be vengeance. There will be things made right. That too is the hope of the Christians who are victimized and abused and beaten and falsely accused and feel as if God has abandoned them. But Jesus won and is coming again to claim his own.
One day Jesus stood before Annas and Caiaphas and the Sanhedrain and they made a mockery of religion. But some day in the future Annas and Caiaphas and Pilate will stand before Jesus the righteous one to receive their eternal sentence. God who knows the hearts of each person will reveal the works and the reason for those works.
Before Christ there will be no plea bargaining or Boston lawyers to you off. Truth will prevail. Don’t let the atrocities of government, rules and laws keep you form a relationship of Jesus for all of that will be judged as well. What will you do with Jesus Christ?
Pastor Dale
