Pastor Nick Bergquist • Jesus before Pilate • March 28, 2021
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
What we see in our world:
Religious
– “Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.” (John 18:28)
Guilty before proven
– “So Pilate came out to them and asked, ‘What charges are you bringing against this man?’ ‘If he were not a criminal,’ they replied, ‘we would not have handed him over to you’ Pilate said, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.’ ‘But we have no right to execute anyone,’ the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.” (John 18:29-32)
So from that day on they plotted to take his life. (John 11:53)
Glimpse of the The Kingdom…eternal plan and sacrificial love (Psalm 34:20; John 3:14; Acts 4:27)
Political
–“Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ ‘Is that your own idea,’ Jesus asked, ‘or did others talk to you about me?’ ‘Am I a Jew?’ Pilate replied. ‘it was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?’”(John 18:33-35)
Glimpse of The Kingdom…another place, another time, other rules– “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.” (John 18:36)
A manipulation of
– “‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘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.’ ‘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.’” (John 18:37-38)
Glimpse of the Kingdom…ran by truth - Everyone on the side of truth listens to me (John 18:37)
The
die – “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?’ They shouted back, ‘No, not him! Give us Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.” (John 18:39-40)
The
of The Kingdom come:
The Kingdom has a
…My kingdom
The Kingdom has a
…not of this world
The Kingdom has
…on the side of truth
The Kingdom has
(aka: **righteous) – Everyone on the side of truth listens to me
