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JESUS: OUR ALL-SUFFICIENT SAVIOR
JESUS—OUR KING!

John 12:12-19 (Monday)
1) Around 430 B.C., Malachi, the last of the book of the Old Testament was written. At the point where we pick up in the book of John, the Jewish people had been without a prophet—without a spoken or written word from God for over 400 years! Last week we touched on the silence of God. It is quite often in the silences that our faith is most strongly tested and refined.
a) Psalm 28:1: “To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.”
b) Psalm 35:22: “O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord.”
c) Psalm 83:1: “O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still.”
d) Psalm 109:1: “O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent…”
2) Have you ever experienced God’s silence? How did it impact your life? What enabled you to hold on—to stand firm in your faith?
3) In these passages, the crowd following Jesus into Jerusalem were most likely the same people who had witnessed his many miracles, including raising Lazarus from the dead. John 11:1-44: reads, “Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." "But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light." After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up." His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
4) Here, we find these very same people welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem in a triumphal procession worthy of a king of the Jews. In fact, they even called him the King of Israel! Although God had been silent, it is amazing that the people still had a hopeful anticipation of His promises! And, what we see happening here is prophecy actually being fulfilled! See Psalm 118:25-26: “O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.”
5) Hosanna! This had become a word used to offer praise to God and is translated as “saves.” In Matthew 1:21, our Lord is given the name, Jesus, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, Joshua (Yeshuwa`, meaning, “the Lord saves or he will save.”) It is interesting to note that Joshua was God’s chosen man to lead the Hebrew children into their earthy promise land, while Jesus, the God-Man, leads us into our spiritual Promise Land--heaven.
a) How were the people hoping to be saved? See Zachariah 9:9:“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
6) Gentle and riding on a donkey. A true picture of our precious Savior and King, clothed in all the glory of His humanity and His humility. This is not us, in our feeble and vain attempts to reach up to a fearsome and unapproachable God. No, this is our loving Father, reaching down to us. God—in human form, acting out of humility and obedience—meeting us at the point of our greatest need! This is the story of God’s plan of salvation and redemption! See Acts 2:23:“This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge…”
7) We would do well to take Jesus’ own advise and “…learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls..." Matthew 11:29. Our souls. Always, always the desire of God is to “save” our souls! (See 2 Corinthians 5:18.) By the way, the return of our King will be much different from the humble entrance we witness here. See Revelation 19:11-16: ”I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Glory!
8) Humility does not come easy for we humans. This is evident by the fact that the Jews wanted an earthy kingdom, with an earthly ruler—me, me, me! Where is my next blessing! (Hey, I’m saying this to me, too!) They would not or could not see past the worldly into the eternal! A powerful example of the rejection of God is when the Israelites asked the prophet Samuel for a king to rule over them. See God’s response in 1 Samuel 8:4-7:“So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”
9) God Himself was Israel’s King—and they were not satisfied—hard to imagine, choosing man to rule over us rather than God, who loves us.
a) What do you suppose was in their hearts to lead them to make such a request?
i) Matthew 13:15: “For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'”
ii) John 5:37-43: “And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. "I do not accept praise from men, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.”
(1) Who is the one who will come in his own name?
10) Since Jesus uttered these words, history tells us that at least 63 self-proclaimed messiahs have led many astray. Ultimately, Jesus’ words will be fulfilled in the anti-christ—the one who hates God and openly opposes His Son, Jesus Christ.
a) Daniel 9:26-27: “After the sixty-two `sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.' In the middle of the `seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. "
b) Revelation 13:1-18: “And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.”
11) Don’t let this trouble you, we know the end. We win!
a) Revelation 20:1-15: “ And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
12) Are we often times guilty of de-throning God? What is the tragic result?
a) Luke 14:26: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.”
13) Less we be too quick to judge--I think it is important to remember that they were blind! and they were on the other side of the fulfillment of God’s promises through Jesus Christ. Even the disciples did not fully understand Jesus’ purpose until after His death and resurrection.
a) Acts 1:6-9: “So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”
14) Earthly kings—God laughs and scoffs at them!
a) Psalms 2:1-12: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
2. The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters." The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill." I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son ; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter ; you will dash them to pieces like pottery." Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
15) Notice how God speaks of the One He sets in place. How does God address Him?
16) What are we to do to avoid the Son’s anger?
17) Getting back to the text! The Pharisees are beside themselves and exclaim, “We’ve lost! Look, the whole world has gone after him!” What were they so afraid of losing?
a) Matthew 23:1-15: “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them `Rabbi.' "But you are not to be called `Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth `father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called `teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.”
b) John 12:42b-43: “But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.”
18) Were they correct that the whole world had gone after Him?
a) John 1:9-14: “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
b) John 3:19-21: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
John 18:33-40 (Tuesday)
1) We need to go back a little bit here. Pilate had been warned by his wife about Jesus. (Matthew 27:19:“While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.") Perhaps this is why he tried to find a human way to cleanse himself of Jesus’ death.
2) “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus puts a little spiritual spin on Pilate’s question, and asked Pilate if he was asking out of his own desire to know the truth. (Who is really on trial here?) Whether we know it or not, this is a question we must all come to grips with. Who is this Man?
a) Matthew 16:15:“"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
3) I hope you have taken the time to consider your own personal response to this question. If not, please speak with me or with one of our lead pastors! Your response is a matter of eternity—life or death!
a) Deuteronomy 30:15-20: “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Chose life!
4) “My kingdom is not of this earth.” Yet! Next to the Messiah, or Savior, the kingdom of God is one of the underlying themes of both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, asking that God’s kingdom come! The gospel of Matthew alone mentions the kingdom of heaven thirty-two times and the kingdom of God four times! Read Revelation 11:15b to see what God’s purpose for earth has always been!
“"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
5) Pilate asks a question that has probably astounded, and perhaps puzzled many who have read it, “What is truth.”
a) Do you sometimes question what is true about life, or maybe, what is true about yourself? See John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
b) And, John 1:17:“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
c) And, John 3:31-33: "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.”
d) And, John 7:17-18: “If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.”
e) And John 8:32: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
f) And last, but certainly, not least, John 14:6: “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
6) So, describe truth. Can you understand why Jesus answered that those who love truth will recognize what He was saying was true?
John 19:1-6 (Wednesday)
1) The verb for the actions taking here is a repetitive verb—meaning that Jesus was not hit once, was not mocked and spit upon once—but, over and over again.
a) Isaiah 52:13-15: “See, my servant will act wisely ; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him -- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness-- so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.”
2) Purple was the most valuable of all dyes and was the color of royalty. A very costly robe for Jesus—fit for a King!
3) A crown of thorns. Galatians 3:13 reminds us that Jesus became a curse for us—so that we would not have to be cursed:“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."”
4) Read about the curse poured out by God upon the serpent, Adam and Eve as the result of sin entering the world in Genesis 3:1-24: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, `You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, `You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" The man said, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, `You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
5) Aren’t you glad Jesus took this curse upon Himself. The final curse, our great enemy, death, is destroyed once and for all when Christ returns! Yeah, God! See 1 Corinthians 15:26: “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
6) You know, I sort of felt sorry for Pilate as I read all the different ways he tried to squirm out of crucifying Jesus. He appealed to their sense of justice—they demanded a murderer be released instead. He appealed to their compassion—they had none, even after witnessing how brutally He had been treated. Yes, I sort of felt sorry for poor, old Pilate, that is, until I read Luke 23:6-12: “On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends--before this they had been enemies.
7) Pity just went right out the window! You know, he had the power—he let fear of the Jews and Caesar outweigh his own judgment and his own declaration that Jesus was an innocent man. In reality it was fear of loss of power and position, yes, even fear of his own life that motivated Pilate. I guess you can dismiss what he did if, you, like Pilate, fail to recognize Jesus for Who He really is—our King!
8) Considering everything we have studied thus far, who would you say really crucified Jesus?
John 19:12-16 (Thursday)
1) Having a Jewish person tell a Gentile authority that Jesus was not a friend of Caesar is so ironic. The Jews hated being ruled by the Romans! You can really see the desperation here! Then, they say they had no king but Caesar—unbelievable. Here we see the Jewish leaders going right over the heads of Pilate and Caesar and appealing to their loyalty to Caesar, the emperor! Believe me, Pilate knew that to upset someone who actually thought of himself as being a deity, and boy, were you ever asking for trouble! Politics in action! Actually, claiming to have no other king than Caesar was blasphemy for them—the very thing they accused Jesus of! (Remember, day one—question 7!)
John 19:17-22 (Friday)
1) It was common practice for criminals to have a sign placed on the cross over their heads announcing their crime against society. Pilate made a bold move here—and I have to give him credit. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. Here is where God’s wisdom confounds the wise. The mocking sign was actually true! And, no one passing by could fail to interpret it because it was written in the most common languages of the region. Naked, exposed, lifted up—Jesus was about the come into His kingdom!
2) See what Jesus predicted in John 3:14-15: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
a) And, John 12:32: “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
3) Can you see how high God’s ways are above our ways? See Isaiah 55:8-9:“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
4) What is the difference in the sign saying, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” and “He said, I am the King of the Jews?” How would you have the sign read?
5) Beloved, I know it appears that man, and man alone, is behind what took place over 2000 years ago. But, go back and look at God’s promise to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
2) In the passages we have studied this week, what we are actually witnessing the battle for earth and man—satan has bruised Jesus’ heel. Oh, but one day, soon, please God, we shall all be witnesses to Jesus bruising satan’s head! See Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” And, Daniel 8:23-25:“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.”
a) And, Revelation 19:11-21: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.”
9) These rulers, these authorities, these powers—the beast, the anti-christ, the false prophet, satan, will all be destroyed, not by human power, but by the Word of God! This will be no mere military battle. The sword Jesus carries is the mighty Word of God and with It He strikes down the nations! May He live and rule forever! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!