We come now to what is in my (and all other Christians) opinion the most significant event in all of human history. The crucifixion of Jesus, along with his subsequent resurrection, is the turning point for all humanity. However, it should be noted that we are looking at John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion. Each of the other three gospel accounts contains their own eyewitness accounts of the event. There are areas of agreement between the accounts, as well as some information that is present in one and not in another. For a more complete account of what happened, I would recommend reading the account of Jesus’ crucifixion from each of the gospels. For our purposes today, however, we will only really be looking at the account that John gives of the death of our Savior. With those clarifying remarks out of the way, let’s begin our look at our text for today.
Read John 19:17-37
The events that we have recorded for us today are some of the most striking images in all of Scripture. There have been more pictures and paintings and sculptures, more plays and movies, done concerning these events than probably all other biblical events combined. We need only look at the crucifixes that hang on so many walls as evidence of this statement. Yes, this is a very well-known narrative. However, there are some inaccuracies in the way that we commonly view these events, as well as some very meaningful information that simply gets glossed over far too often. As our text begins, we’re told of the famous scene of Jesus bearing, or carrying, his own cross up to Golgotha. We read these words and we immediately think of this one man hauling this giant “t” made of wood up a mountain. We even see many Christian groups reenact this event each year with walks where people make their own crosses and march carrying them a distance thought to be comparable to that in which our Savior walked this day. Well, in actuality, that’s most likely not the way it happened. You see, the custom of the Romans was to have the vertical support already in the ground, that way they knew that it was secure and that there was no way the prisoner could come down. What the criminals were made to carry was the horizontal piece that their arms would be spread out across. Now make no mistake, it’s still heavy. So heavy that many criminals find themselves in the same boat as Jesus does in the other gospel accounts when he has to have a bystander, Simon of Cyrene, help him carry the cross to his final destination. It doesn’t take away anything from our understanding of the cross by this being the case, but it helps us know more precisely what is going on here.
We’re told that a placard of some sort was placed at the top of the vertical beam that read in several languages “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” This was done so at Pilate’s orders. The reason for it was that when a criminal was crucified, it was customary for their offense, or the reason why they were being killed, to be known at the time of their crucifixion. Well, the Jews take issue with the placard because the way it reads seems to infer that Jesus is exactly who he claimed to be. Now, we said last time that it could be possible that Pilate was beginning to believe Jesus and that he had come around on his understanding of Jesus as the Son of God. However, just because he had this phrase here written doesn’t necessarily prove that he did believe. He could have, but he also could have intentionally had these exact words written just because he knew that it would drive the Jews crazy. After all, as much grief as they gave him and as many headaches as they had caused for him, why would he not take an opportunity to upset them when there really was nothing they could do about it. He published the offense and did so in every common language, so it doesn’t matter if the people are 100% thrilled with his choice of words or not.
We’re then told about the soldiers dividing up Christ’s clothes. At the time of execution, a prisoner was given articles of clothes that would eventually be removed. The reason for their removal was to bring even greater shame upon the criminal. There was thought to be no greater shame than having all your clothes removed from your body and to be paraded before a crowd of people. The tunic, which was the one of the articles of clothing, was of some value as long as it was kept in one piece. The soldiers decide that they would cast lots to see which one of them could claim ownership of this valuable article of clothing. Unbeknownst to them, they were actually fulfilling the words of Psalm 22:18 in their gambling for Jesus’ tunic.
As all of this is taking place, a group of women that included Jesus’ mother and Mary Magdalene were watching alongside John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, the author of this gospel. If you will recall, way back when Jesus was first born and presented at the temple, a man named Simeon had prophesied to Mary that one day “a sword [would] pierce through [her] own soul as well” (Luke2:35). As they were forced to watch these events take place, Jesus’ mother was having to endure her own torture and agony. How painful it must have been for both Jesus’ earthly mother and heavenly Father to sit idly by and watch as their son/Son was being crucified.
In a moment that epitomizes the compassion that Jesus had for those whom he encountered, we’re told of his commending his mother into John’s care. As our Savior hung there nailed to the cross, in a moment of indescribable pain and suffering, he looked to his mother and said, “Woman, behold your son!” and to John, “Behold your mother!” In essence, Jesus was saying to these two individuals, “consider yourselves family from this point forward. Love him as a son, and love her as your mother.” Remember, Jesus’ use of the word “Woman” here, although disrespectful in today’s world, was the highest form of tenderness that could be expressed towards a woman during Jesus’ day. It’s the same word that he used when speaking to her at the wedding in Cana. It’s the same word he used with the woman at the well who had been caught in the midst of adultery. Jesus’ compassion doesn’t end even during his times of greatest struggle. Jesus stills shows love, respect, and honor towards his mother as his life on this earth draws ever-closer to an end.
After being given a sponge of sour wine (which fulfills yet another prophesy from Psalm 22), Jesus looks up and says “It is finished!” He then hangs his head and passes away, or as we’re told, he “gave up his spirit.” The Greek word used here of finished is from of the verb telos, which means to complete or end. Taking it a step farther, the form of this verb which means to complete is form that indicates that something is a past action and is completely over or ended. In other words, the end goal of both Jesus’ earthly ministry and God’s plan for salvation have found their fulfillment in what has just taken place and the impending final breathes of our Savior. Jesus wasn’t lamenting here over the fact that his earthly life was coming to an end, but was bearing witness to the fact that the pre-Gospel, the protoevangelion of Genesis 3:15, had come to fruition. When his mission was accomplished and atonement completed, Jesus laid down his life and died.
In order to speed the process up so that it would be over before the Sabbath, the guards are told to break the legs of Jesus and the other two men so that they will die quickly from not being able to breathe. The first two men’s legs are broken accordingly, but when the guards come to Jesus, they realize that he has already died. There’s no point in breaking his legs if he has died, so they decide to pierce his side with a spear to make sure he’s really dead (thus fulfilling even more prophecies about the Messiah from the Old Testament). They find that indeed he has died and his body makes no movements as his side is pierced. The only reaction is that of his blood and some water coming from the wound in his side.
Can you imagine what the feeling must have been at this point? Can you imagine the uncertainty and the sick-to-the-stomach feeling that those who knew and believed in Jesus were feeling at this point? I can’t even imagine what it was like for those who didn’t believe, much less those who did. We’re told in the other gospel accounts of the curtain of the temple tearing into two pieces and that there was a guard who seemingly undergoes a conversion of sorts as Jesus passes away. It seems like a pretty emotionally charged and chaotic scene, but John’s gospel doesn’t have any of that information. No, instead, what we find in John’s account is really more of an author’s insertion of ideas, a commentary of sorts. And these authorial comments are really more about the author and readers of this gospel than they are about Jesus and his death. Well, we have to ask ourselves why that is. After all, every word of Scripture is inspired by God and is meant for us to have, it is God-breathed as we’re told in 2 Timothy 3:16. So, what is the purpose for this little verse, verse 35, being in Scripture at this point?
Well, I think that John himself gives us that answer, “He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.” That we may believe that what had happened and what is recorded actually did take place, that it is the truth. We may believe and have faith in it. Faith is not supposed to be the result of just a blind leap. I know that many times we define faith as being belief in that which is unseen, but faith should come about from the truth. If something is untrue, then it is not worthy of our believing in it. John tells us here that what has taken place is true and Christ’s fulfillment of the will of the Father is such that we can and must build our lives upon it. We have to know that Jesus’ death paid the price of salvation, the price that was owed to God for our sins. That has to be the truth in our lives, but it has to be even more. That truth, that undeniable fact, has to shape everything about us. It has to shape everything that we do and all that we are. We have to allow that good news, that great and wonderful news, to consume us and use us for whatever purposes God sees fit. For it is not enough to just profess with our mouths, but we must act out this truth with our very lives. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
John 19:1-16 "What if He's More?"
Over the past several weeks, we have spent some time looking at the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Well, we have finally come to the point in which the horrific events of his death begin to unfold. We’ve looked at the sham of a trial that was conducted by the Sanhedrin in order to find Jesus guilty so that they could have him executed. We’ve seen the account of the Sanhedrin bringing Jesus to Pontius Pilate and demanding that he have Jesus crucified, yet they personally want no part of such a violent act. We’ve even spent that past few Sundays together looking at Jesus and Pilate and the events around their meeting and the conversation that they had with one another about the person and work of Jesus. We’ve seen that Pilate found no fault with Jesus and even tried to stack-the-deck in Jesus’ favor and have the crowd grant his release. Pilate had never imagined that Jesus would have been chosen to die over the hardened criminal Barabbas. Nonetheless, once the crowd had decided that they would rather see Jesus punished than Barabbas, Pilate, largely because of his unstable political situation with the people of Jerusalem, was left with no choice but to begin punishing Jesus.
We’re told in our text that Pilate began to flog or scourge Jesus. Now, it could have been Pilate himself, but it was most likely his men doing the punishing under his direction. During this process, one of three things would happen. A criminal would either simply just be whipped; they could be whipped repeatedly until their bones actually become visible, or they could be whipped with leather strips that had pieces of metal and bones embedded in them. As this third type of whipping was done, the metal and bones would actually tear away chucks of flesh as they were drawn back for another swing. The concept behind this third type of flogging was to beat a person literally half to death, so that their time spent upon the cross would not linger and they would pass away quickly. The type of flogging that one received out of these three choices was based upon the severity of their crime. Well, Jesus is being punished for insurrection, claiming authority over the emperor. There is no greater crime to the people in the Roman Empire at this time, so Jesus received this third and most severe form of flogging. As if that alone wasn’t enough, some of the soldiers mocked Jesus’ claim of being a king and made him a crown of thorns to wear upon his head. Now, they didn’t just gently place this crown upon his head, but they pressed it firmly into his skull. It’s thought that these thorns were a couple of inches in length and extremely sharp. I know the pain that I feel when a thorn bush has gotten ahold of my arm or leg and won’t let go; I can’t even imagine the pain of a crown of such thorns being driven deep into my skull. In addition to this, they shouted “Hail, King of the Jews” at Jesus as they slapped him in the face over and over again. Such slapping of a king was a complete mockery to all royal claims. There was absolutely no honor or dignity shown to this man who is truly the King of kings.
At this point, it’s important to note that Pilate does look to the crowd and say to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” In other words, Pilate is reminding the people that this violent beating that they are watching is being given to a man that Pilate already said that he found no fault in. Pilate was hoping that the beating and punishment that has been handed out thus far was enough to satisfy the crowd so that they would want Jesus released. This is the point in time where Pilate proclaims the famous Latin phrase Ecce Homo, which means, “Behold the Man!” This phrase has been the topic of conversation for many theologians over the years. What exactly was Pilate saying with these words has been the source of much debate. It’s as if at this moment, Pilate really begins to question why the Jews are so afraid of this man. It’s almost as if this is the point where Pilate begins to really ask himself, “Is this only a man, or is he someone or something more?”
The chief priests, almost sensing Pilate’s growing compassion, sparked the crowd by shouting out “Crucify him, crucify him!” The violent beating that Christ had already taken was not enough to quench their hatred of this man. Pilate, being passed the point of frustration finally had enough and said to the crowd gathered around, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him!” Now, we may want to quickly condemn Pilate for handing Jesus over to the Jews. We may want to ask the question, “Well, if he found no fault or guilt in him, then why did he release Jesus to the Jews, knowing that they would crucify him? Why did he not just stop the beatings and release him as a free man?” Those are all good questions, but remember, context is king. Pilate is in Jerusalem, in a situation in which if the people truly revolt and riot, then there is really nothing that can be done to stop them. With so many people wanting Jesus crucified, there would have been a full out riot had he gone against the will of the masses.
The Jews say that they will gladly take Jesus away because he must be put to death for making himself the Son of God. This is ironic because he didn’t make himself the Son of God; he really was and is the Son of God. John tells us that the words of the Jews made Pilate even more afraid, but the question is afraid of what? Well, we don’t know for certain, but from what is taking place we can guess that it has something to do with that phrase or title “Son of God.” I mentioned a moment ago that Pilate seems to be wondering if this man is more than just a man. After hearing the title Son of God used of Jesus, Pilate very well could be thinking to himself, “What if this man really is the Son of God?” He goes back into his headquarters to speak with Jesus in an attempt to find out something that will free him. He reminds Jesus that he, Pilate, has the power to free Jesus, but he needs a reason. Jesus responds to Pilate’s claim of authority with these words, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” Pilate was in this position because God allowed him to be. Pilate was in essence an actor in this narrative. Yes, Pilate had authority that had been given to him by the emperor. However, God had also placed Jesus under Pilate’s authority so that His will might be done. Pilate has authority over Jesus only because it is the will of the Father. God is working in and through even the most evil and heinous of acts of sinful men to accomplish His purposes.
We’re told that Pilate’s goal at this point is to release Jesus. Despite his desire to accomplish this, the Jews will have none of it. They threaten Pilate by basically saying that they will cause so much trouble for him with Caesar, that there is no way that he will allow him to remain in his position. And as we have said, the Jews have the power to accomplish just that. Pilate knows that his own job is at stake, as well as his life. If he is seen as undermining the authority of the emperor, then he too will face the same punishment that awaits Jesus. He wouldn’t just lose his job, he would lose his life. Pilate makes one last attempt to stop what is about to take place. “Behold your King! Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate’s pleas are met with only chants of “crucify him” and “we have no king but Caesar.” Pilate doesn’t have the power to stop this. No one does. This is God’s plan coming to fruition. Had Pilate been a political figure with more clout then it would have been possible, but that’s not the situation. It’s funny hearing the chief priests shout “we have no king but Caesar.” They must have forgotten that their nation had been established as a theodicy, a nation with God alone as its king. Now, they are denying Him. They have turned from their faith and their faith has become nothing more than religion and a set of rules. Pilate then turns Jesus over to them so that they could carry out with his crucifixion.
How far have the people fallen from being the nation of Israel who is known throughout the land as having God alone as their king to now saying that Caesar is their only authority? From Saul, David, and Solomon and continuing on through the time of the prophets, Israel never would have made a statement like that. It reminds me of times when in our own country people ask, “I wonder what the founding fathers would have thought about that?” Well, I wonder what kings like David and Solomon or even leaders like Moses and Joshua would have thought of the Jews for such statements. This goes to show you just how fallen and distant from God humanity, God’s people, had already become at the time of Jesus. It shows us even more our need for a Savior then and our need for a Savior today. Once again, God is taking such a crime, such a horrific sequence of events, and he is using it to save us. A plan is being unfolded before our very eyes, a plan that has been in place ever since the Garden and Genesis 3:15 where God told Adam that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the seed of the serpent. And it isn’t as if God was in control then and simply walked away. There is more still to be done. There is still a plan unfolding for us this day. There are still things taking place until the time of the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation. Know this: that God was in control during Israel’s time in the wilderness, He was in control at the time of Christ, and He is still in control this very day. And as long as He is the one who is in control, there is nothing to fear. There may be times of doubt or times of hardship, but how do we know that that is not exactly where God wants us at that time. We know from Jesus’ words leading up to his arrest as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that he really didn’t want to be in that hardship either. However, God doesn’t always see us to where we want to go, but to where we need to go. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We’re told in our text that Pilate began to flog or scourge Jesus. Now, it could have been Pilate himself, but it was most likely his men doing the punishing under his direction. During this process, one of three things would happen. A criminal would either simply just be whipped; they could be whipped repeatedly until their bones actually become visible, or they could be whipped with leather strips that had pieces of metal and bones embedded in them. As this third type of whipping was done, the metal and bones would actually tear away chucks of flesh as they were drawn back for another swing. The concept behind this third type of flogging was to beat a person literally half to death, so that their time spent upon the cross would not linger and they would pass away quickly. The type of flogging that one received out of these three choices was based upon the severity of their crime. Well, Jesus is being punished for insurrection, claiming authority over the emperor. There is no greater crime to the people in the Roman Empire at this time, so Jesus received this third and most severe form of flogging. As if that alone wasn’t enough, some of the soldiers mocked Jesus’ claim of being a king and made him a crown of thorns to wear upon his head. Now, they didn’t just gently place this crown upon his head, but they pressed it firmly into his skull. It’s thought that these thorns were a couple of inches in length and extremely sharp. I know the pain that I feel when a thorn bush has gotten ahold of my arm or leg and won’t let go; I can’t even imagine the pain of a crown of such thorns being driven deep into my skull. In addition to this, they shouted “Hail, King of the Jews” at Jesus as they slapped him in the face over and over again. Such slapping of a king was a complete mockery to all royal claims. There was absolutely no honor or dignity shown to this man who is truly the King of kings.
At this point, it’s important to note that Pilate does look to the crowd and say to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” In other words, Pilate is reminding the people that this violent beating that they are watching is being given to a man that Pilate already said that he found no fault in. Pilate was hoping that the beating and punishment that has been handed out thus far was enough to satisfy the crowd so that they would want Jesus released. This is the point in time where Pilate proclaims the famous Latin phrase Ecce Homo, which means, “Behold the Man!” This phrase has been the topic of conversation for many theologians over the years. What exactly was Pilate saying with these words has been the source of much debate. It’s as if at this moment, Pilate really begins to question why the Jews are so afraid of this man. It’s almost as if this is the point where Pilate begins to really ask himself, “Is this only a man, or is he someone or something more?”
The chief priests, almost sensing Pilate’s growing compassion, sparked the crowd by shouting out “Crucify him, crucify him!” The violent beating that Christ had already taken was not enough to quench their hatred of this man. Pilate, being passed the point of frustration finally had enough and said to the crowd gathered around, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him!” Now, we may want to quickly condemn Pilate for handing Jesus over to the Jews. We may want to ask the question, “Well, if he found no fault or guilt in him, then why did he release Jesus to the Jews, knowing that they would crucify him? Why did he not just stop the beatings and release him as a free man?” Those are all good questions, but remember, context is king. Pilate is in Jerusalem, in a situation in which if the people truly revolt and riot, then there is really nothing that can be done to stop them. With so many people wanting Jesus crucified, there would have been a full out riot had he gone against the will of the masses.
The Jews say that they will gladly take Jesus away because he must be put to death for making himself the Son of God. This is ironic because he didn’t make himself the Son of God; he really was and is the Son of God. John tells us that the words of the Jews made Pilate even more afraid, but the question is afraid of what? Well, we don’t know for certain, but from what is taking place we can guess that it has something to do with that phrase or title “Son of God.” I mentioned a moment ago that Pilate seems to be wondering if this man is more than just a man. After hearing the title Son of God used of Jesus, Pilate very well could be thinking to himself, “What if this man really is the Son of God?” He goes back into his headquarters to speak with Jesus in an attempt to find out something that will free him. He reminds Jesus that he, Pilate, has the power to free Jesus, but he needs a reason. Jesus responds to Pilate’s claim of authority with these words, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” Pilate was in this position because God allowed him to be. Pilate was in essence an actor in this narrative. Yes, Pilate had authority that had been given to him by the emperor. However, God had also placed Jesus under Pilate’s authority so that His will might be done. Pilate has authority over Jesus only because it is the will of the Father. God is working in and through even the most evil and heinous of acts of sinful men to accomplish His purposes.
We’re told that Pilate’s goal at this point is to release Jesus. Despite his desire to accomplish this, the Jews will have none of it. They threaten Pilate by basically saying that they will cause so much trouble for him with Caesar, that there is no way that he will allow him to remain in his position. And as we have said, the Jews have the power to accomplish just that. Pilate knows that his own job is at stake, as well as his life. If he is seen as undermining the authority of the emperor, then he too will face the same punishment that awaits Jesus. He wouldn’t just lose his job, he would lose his life. Pilate makes one last attempt to stop what is about to take place. “Behold your King! Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate’s pleas are met with only chants of “crucify him” and “we have no king but Caesar.” Pilate doesn’t have the power to stop this. No one does. This is God’s plan coming to fruition. Had Pilate been a political figure with more clout then it would have been possible, but that’s not the situation. It’s funny hearing the chief priests shout “we have no king but Caesar.” They must have forgotten that their nation had been established as a theodicy, a nation with God alone as its king. Now, they are denying Him. They have turned from their faith and their faith has become nothing more than religion and a set of rules. Pilate then turns Jesus over to them so that they could carry out with his crucifixion.
How far have the people fallen from being the nation of Israel who is known throughout the land as having God alone as their king to now saying that Caesar is their only authority? From Saul, David, and Solomon and continuing on through the time of the prophets, Israel never would have made a statement like that. It reminds me of times when in our own country people ask, “I wonder what the founding fathers would have thought about that?” Well, I wonder what kings like David and Solomon or even leaders like Moses and Joshua would have thought of the Jews for such statements. This goes to show you just how fallen and distant from God humanity, God’s people, had already become at the time of Jesus. It shows us even more our need for a Savior then and our need for a Savior today. Once again, God is taking such a crime, such a horrific sequence of events, and he is using it to save us. A plan is being unfolded before our very eyes, a plan that has been in place ever since the Garden and Genesis 3:15 where God told Adam that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the seed of the serpent. And it isn’t as if God was in control then and simply walked away. There is more still to be done. There is still a plan unfolding for us this day. There are still things taking place until the time of the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation. Know this: that God was in control during Israel’s time in the wilderness, He was in control at the time of Christ, and He is still in control this very day. And as long as He is the one who is in control, there is nothing to fear. There may be times of doubt or times of hardship, but how do we know that that is not exactly where God wants us at that time. We know from Jesus’ words leading up to his arrest as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that he really didn’t want to be in that hardship either. However, God doesn’t always see us to where we want to go, but to where we need to go. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
John 18:33-38a "What is Truth?"
As most of you know, Amy and I were out of town last weekend celebrating the marriage of her sister Beth to her now husband Aaron. I had the privilege of officiating or conducting the ceremony in which these two people whom we care for deeply pledged their lives to one another. I decided several months back that I was going to take the Sunday after the wedding off and attend church with Amy’s parents. I did that for a multitude of reasons. The main reason being that I knew I would just be too exhausted to stand before you last Sunday with the appropriate amount of rest, energy, and focus that being here deserves. The second reason I wanted to worship in Ocean Springs was because quite frankly, I never get to worship with my wife; something that she reminds me of many times. For the better part of three years now really, I bet I can count the number of services that I have spent the entire time with her on one hand. Thirdly, a long-time friend of mine is the senior pastor of that particular church and I wanted to hear him preach. While doing so I was reminded of how much I love to just sit and listen to other folks preach. He gave a wonderful sermon on King David and how God used him is some mighty ways, but perhaps the most impactful way that God used him was as the author to many of our Psalms. He spoke of David’s actual legacy being different from what he thought his legacy would be.
After hearing God’s Word, we then took part in the Lord’s Supper. Their church receives the element of the cup much like we practice here and hold it until everyone is supplied so that it can be taken in unison. We were sitting towards the front, so we had to hold the cup for a little while before consuming it. As I’m sitting in the pew, holding this little cup of juice, I’m looking down at it and for some reason I’m deeply convicted. Now, I know that the elements of the bread and the cup don’t change during communion. However, the sense of feeling that I am experiencing is that I am looking at the blood of Christ. I feel like I’m looking at the very thing that has achieved my salvation. I’m looking directly into this tablespoon full of salvation and I am completely awestruck. Like I said, I know that the elements in and of themselves are not what save me, but it is what they represent that has already saved me. The body has already been broken and the blood already shed. Here I am with all of this theological training and education and understanding, and I am left just absolutely speechless at something that seems so simple, yet is making no sense to me at all at that very moment. How could something as simple and common as blood and the shedding of it mean so much to myself and all others who profess saving faith in Jesus Christ?
Before my absence last Sunday, we had looked at the larger narrative that is taking place here in our text. We looked at how the Sanhedrin had brought Jesus to Pilate and that he had examined Jesus and found no fault in him. We saw that when Pilate gave the crowd in Jerusalem, many of whom were Jews, the chance to free Jesus; they chose to set free a man named Barrabas instead. They chose to free a true criminal in every sense of the word instead of the Savior. You can almost feel the shame and embarrassment that Pilate has for what has just taken place under his watch. You see, Pilate wasn’t a Jew. We mentioned last time that that fact alone caused him great hardship in dealing with the Jews in Jerusalem. He really had nothing for the Jews at all. Pilate can’t speak from a Jewish perspective. He really doesn’t care whether or not Jesus’ theology coincides with that of the Jewish people at all. And the Jews know that as well, that’s why they are very specific in saying to Pilate that Jesus had been calling himself a king. To say such a thing and to give oneself that title would be insurrection and that would not be tolerated. Remember too, like we said a few week ago, Pilate really doesn’t care to be the one who handles the Jews dirty work, so to speak. He doesn’t want to be the one who deals with the Jews problem when they are the source of the majority of his problems.
Throughout the numerous questions and responses in the conversation that Jesus and Pilate have (understanding that there very easily could be much more than what is recorded here in John’s gospel), Pilate continues to really only want know one thing; he wants to know whether or not Jesus has been calling himself a king. Finally, Jesus acknowledges Pilates persistent questions and says to him, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Jesus admits to his royal nature and the royal mission to which he has come to complete, but he does so is a very tactful way. On the one hand he says that he is a king, but on the other he makes it very clear that he is not here to subjugate and conquer the world. He is not here to win great military conquests and battles in order to grow his empire. Jesus is in this world simply to bear witness to the truth. He’s not here to shed the blood of others for his own glorification, but he is here to shed his own blood for the glorification of the Father. He’s here so that all those who are of the truth may hear his voice. Pilate, having heard Jesus give this answer, then asks him somewhat sarcastically, “What is truth?” Here, Pilate seems to have given up all hope of ever getting a completely straight answer from Jesus.
What is Truth? As I gazed into that little cup last Sunday, much like we will do again this Sunday in just a moment, I already knew what my text for the next Sunday would be. I didn’t know what I was going to say, but I knew where it was coming from. Then, I thought of the words of Pilate, “What is truth?” Truth is God; or more accurately God is truth. Either way, everything that is true comes from God. The world that we live in that says that truth is different for every person doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense how truth can differ. After all, truth is when there is a standard and there are facts that do not vary. God is truth. God is that standard and He is that thing, that fact that does not vary. Way back when, when we first began our walk through John’s gospel, we looked at the prologue. We saw that Christ’s coming into the world was the true light shining in the darkness. The Word became flesh, the Truth became man. Christ himself referred to himself as the truth on more than one occasion. That little cup, that little symbol of the shedding the blood of the truth, represents God’s love for me. It represents the truth that God, through the person and work of Jesus Christ, has paid the price that is owed for my sins; and not just my sins, but the sins of all those who profess and proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The King, the Prophet, the Priest, the Messiah, the Lord, the Lamb, the Truth; no matter how many titles we may ascribe to Jesus, his work remains the same. He is the one who lived the life-to-perfection. He is the one in which there is all holiness and righteousness. He is the one who laid down his life so that we may live. What is the truth? The truth is that apart from Jesus Christ, we have nothing, we are nothing, and we are going nowhere (at least nowhere good). But in him, we have everything, we are the children of God, and we will one day enter into our eternal home and dwell in the presence and glory of our Father for all eternity. That is the truth. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
After hearing God’s Word, we then took part in the Lord’s Supper. Their church receives the element of the cup much like we practice here and hold it until everyone is supplied so that it can be taken in unison. We were sitting towards the front, so we had to hold the cup for a little while before consuming it. As I’m sitting in the pew, holding this little cup of juice, I’m looking down at it and for some reason I’m deeply convicted. Now, I know that the elements of the bread and the cup don’t change during communion. However, the sense of feeling that I am experiencing is that I am looking at the blood of Christ. I feel like I’m looking at the very thing that has achieved my salvation. I’m looking directly into this tablespoon full of salvation and I am completely awestruck. Like I said, I know that the elements in and of themselves are not what save me, but it is what they represent that has already saved me. The body has already been broken and the blood already shed. Here I am with all of this theological training and education and understanding, and I am left just absolutely speechless at something that seems so simple, yet is making no sense to me at all at that very moment. How could something as simple and common as blood and the shedding of it mean so much to myself and all others who profess saving faith in Jesus Christ?
Before my absence last Sunday, we had looked at the larger narrative that is taking place here in our text. We looked at how the Sanhedrin had brought Jesus to Pilate and that he had examined Jesus and found no fault in him. We saw that when Pilate gave the crowd in Jerusalem, many of whom were Jews, the chance to free Jesus; they chose to set free a man named Barrabas instead. They chose to free a true criminal in every sense of the word instead of the Savior. You can almost feel the shame and embarrassment that Pilate has for what has just taken place under his watch. You see, Pilate wasn’t a Jew. We mentioned last time that that fact alone caused him great hardship in dealing with the Jews in Jerusalem. He really had nothing for the Jews at all. Pilate can’t speak from a Jewish perspective. He really doesn’t care whether or not Jesus’ theology coincides with that of the Jewish people at all. And the Jews know that as well, that’s why they are very specific in saying to Pilate that Jesus had been calling himself a king. To say such a thing and to give oneself that title would be insurrection and that would not be tolerated. Remember too, like we said a few week ago, Pilate really doesn’t care to be the one who handles the Jews dirty work, so to speak. He doesn’t want to be the one who deals with the Jews problem when they are the source of the majority of his problems.
Throughout the numerous questions and responses in the conversation that Jesus and Pilate have (understanding that there very easily could be much more than what is recorded here in John’s gospel), Pilate continues to really only want know one thing; he wants to know whether or not Jesus has been calling himself a king. Finally, Jesus acknowledges Pilates persistent questions and says to him, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Jesus admits to his royal nature and the royal mission to which he has come to complete, but he does so is a very tactful way. On the one hand he says that he is a king, but on the other he makes it very clear that he is not here to subjugate and conquer the world. He is not here to win great military conquests and battles in order to grow his empire. Jesus is in this world simply to bear witness to the truth. He’s not here to shed the blood of others for his own glorification, but he is here to shed his own blood for the glorification of the Father. He’s here so that all those who are of the truth may hear his voice. Pilate, having heard Jesus give this answer, then asks him somewhat sarcastically, “What is truth?” Here, Pilate seems to have given up all hope of ever getting a completely straight answer from Jesus.
What is Truth? As I gazed into that little cup last Sunday, much like we will do again this Sunday in just a moment, I already knew what my text for the next Sunday would be. I didn’t know what I was going to say, but I knew where it was coming from. Then, I thought of the words of Pilate, “What is truth?” Truth is God; or more accurately God is truth. Either way, everything that is true comes from God. The world that we live in that says that truth is different for every person doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense how truth can differ. After all, truth is when there is a standard and there are facts that do not vary. God is truth. God is that standard and He is that thing, that fact that does not vary. Way back when, when we first began our walk through John’s gospel, we looked at the prologue. We saw that Christ’s coming into the world was the true light shining in the darkness. The Word became flesh, the Truth became man. Christ himself referred to himself as the truth on more than one occasion. That little cup, that little symbol of the shedding the blood of the truth, represents God’s love for me. It represents the truth that God, through the person and work of Jesus Christ, has paid the price that is owed for my sins; and not just my sins, but the sins of all those who profess and proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The King, the Prophet, the Priest, the Messiah, the Lord, the Lamb, the Truth; no matter how many titles we may ascribe to Jesus, his work remains the same. He is the one who lived the life-to-perfection. He is the one in which there is all holiness and righteousness. He is the one who laid down his life so that we may live. What is the truth? The truth is that apart from Jesus Christ, we have nothing, we are nothing, and we are going nowhere (at least nowhere good). But in him, we have everything, we are the children of God, and we will one day enter into our eternal home and dwell in the presence and glory of our Father for all eternity. That is the truth. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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