What will you do with Jesus?

Introduction

story about Church league Basketball

played with a group of Guys last Tuesday,

Reminded me of my time playing church league basketball

I was on the team for 5 years. I never missed a practice or a game but I still didn’t play much.

I was a wrestler, not a baller, not only that, I was usually the shortest one on the court. And we were playing agains guys who played for college ball at NCAA Schools.

When one of our starting players got tired - they would come over to the bench and pick one of us guys sitting there to be there sub. I sat many games with a really nice front row seat. in fact, I was so bad, that on one substitution I was the only guy left when my friend scott came over to the bench to get a sub, I jumped up ran in and before I got to my spot - one of the other guys who just came out subbed me back out of the game.

How many of you could say that you got subbed in and back out all in the same substitution?

My church league basketball career came to and end after 5 years when the guy who put our team together came to me before the first practice and said we are going to try and be more competitive this year so you are no longer on the team. - I got cut from volunteer church league basketball.

They rejected me and it kind of hurt. I had been part of the team for five years. I had changed my schedule around every week so that I could be at every practice and every game. and yet when it got right down to it, my team rejected me and left me behind.

Today we are going to look at the rejection of Jesus in John chapter 18.

The private ministry Jesus has had for 3 years with His disciples is now over, and the public drama of Christ’s redemption of mankind is about to Begin. Beginning in John 18 we will see Men will do their worst, and God will do His very Best.

Paul speaking of mans sin and Gods response in ROmans

Romans 5:20 (ESV) but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Mankind is about to put on display their natural hatred towards God, And God is goingto respond with supernatural grace.

This morning I want us to look at the three responses people made towards Jesus in this passage, and next week ( Lord Willing) we will see God’s Grace as His response to mans rejection of His son Jesus.

Jesus was Arrested by His Betrayers

John 18:1–14 (NET)

18:1 When he had said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley. There was an orchard there, and he and his disciples went into it. 18:2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times with his disciples.) 18:3 So Judas obtained a squad of soldiers and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. They came to the orchard with lanterns and torches and weapons.

18:4 Then Jesus, because he knew everything that was going to happen to him, came and asked them, “Who are you looking for?” 18:5 They replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.) 18:6 So when Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they retreated and fell to the ground. 18:7 Then Jesus asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 18:8 Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, let these men go.” 18:9 He said this to fulfill the word he had spoken, “I have not lost a single one of those whom you gave me.”

18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear. (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) 18:11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

18:12 Then the squad of soldiers with their commanding officer and the officers of the Jewish leaders arrested Jesus and tied him up. 18:13 They brought him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 18:14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish leaders that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.)

The firs thing we can notice from this text is that verse 4 tells us that Jesus knew that Judas and His band of Betrayers where on their way to come and arrest Him.

Jesus always knew what was going to Happen. Nothing Surprised Him, including his betrayal, Because He was and is God and He has always been Sovereign over all things.

So our story today starts off with Judas the Man who left the last supper filled with the devil.

and now He is standing before Jesus with The Accusers. He is no longer standing on the Lord’s side but is now standing as one of His betrayers.

understand this truth- Judas didn’t loose his faith in Christ, he didn’t just stop believing in Jesus , Judas was never a true disciple of Jesus, but only followed Jesus because He thought it would benefit his own life.

He was a fake Christian- He was acting like a follower of Jesus but in his heart He only followed jesus because He was hoping for prestige and power.

And Now, Judas is standing where His heart was always at. The outside actions couldn’t fake it any longer and the inside character came out.

People will always go to where their heart is at.

Judas was a fake follower of Jesus. For three years He acted like the other disciples ont he outside.

To everyone around Him He looked and acted Like a follower of Jesus but He was just a really good actor, The heart of man is deceitful, It will try to convince others that it is better off than it really is.

Illustration: REAL ESTATE Client - FRAUD

Story about the young man and fiance from Chicago who was a wealthy Businessmen- wanted to buy a 700k house-

He looked wealthy (clothes, Car,)

He talked wealthy- Taking phone calls , and making appointments,

He even gave me and Amy a very expensive Polo outfit for Linden when He was born.

everything looked good until it came time to close. And everything starter to unravel, His earnest money check bounced, His name came back as someone else,

He was a conman- on the outside everything looked right but on the inside he was full of deceit and evilness.

The true person was not the fake identity on the outside it was who he truly was on the inside.

He was a rotten deceitful person who was using everyone around him for his own gain.

Church family, This is what a fake Christian looks like- They look great on the outside ,but they are full of deceit on the inside.

If you act like a Christian on the outside only , but your heart is following other things, Don’t be fooled into thinking your a Christian and ok with God, because the reality is that You are betraying Jesus Just like Judas in the garden.

If selfishness describes you and your relationship with Jesus its not too late to change.

TRANS: Our text Goes on to The Second the second response of mankind towards Jesus...

Jesus was Denied by his Friend

It’s one thing when our enemies don’t stand by us when times get tough ( in fact we kind of expect that, ) but when our own friends leave us alone in the storm it hurts.

Listen as I read the account of Jesus’s Friend, Peter in verses 15-27

Simon Peter and another disciple followed them as they brought Jesus to Annas. (Now the other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.)

18:16 But Simon Peter was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and spoke to the slave girl who watched the door, and brought Peter inside.

18:17 The girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” He replied, “I am not.”

18:18 (Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.)Jesus Questioned by Annas

18:19 While this was happening, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.

18:20 Jesus replied, “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues and in the temple courts, where all the Jewish people assemble together. I have said nothing in secret. 18:21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. They know what I said.”

18:22 When Jesus had said this, one of the high priest’s officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said, “Is that the way you answer the high priest?”

18:23 Jesus replied, “If I have said something wrong, confirm what is wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?”

18:24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to Caiaphas the high priest.Peter’s Second and Third Denials

18:25 Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing in the courtyard warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” Peter denied it: “I am not!”

18:26 One of the high priest’s slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the orchard with him?”

18:27 Then Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

The narrative of this passage now focuses on Peter.

Remember in the upper room just a few hours earlier in the evening, Peter Boasted 3 times that he would remain faithful to Christ no matter the cost. In fact, in John 13: 37

John 13:37 ESV

Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

and Jesus simply responded to Peter “Peter, You will not even stay faithful to me tonight, You will deny me 3 times before the rooster crows in the morning.

And now Jesus is arrested and being taken away, and at first it looks like Peter is going to do what He said He would do- He defended Jesus in the garden and drew a sword to protect Him, But Jesus quickly told him to put the sword away.

Jesus is arrested and taken away, and Peter follows them at a distance and comes to the place where Jesus is being held. and our text tells us that 3 times Peter was asked if he was a follower of Jesus and 3 times He denied his relationship with Christ. Just as Jesus told Him he would do.

Peter, one of Jesus’s closest friends yielded to the temptations in his life.

Luke 22 Tells us that In the Upper Room Peter Fell to the snare of Satan

In the Garden we saw Him yield to the weakness of the flesh and strike out in anger at the Accusers

and in the courtyard he surrendered to the pressure of the World. and denied Jesus 3 times

Understand this church- Peter was not a fake christian like Judas, He Loved Jesus yet He failed to follow Jesus with His life.

Peter let the influences around him dictate his love for his Savior.

Christian What is it in your life that causes you to deny Christ?

What is it that Causes you to want to hide your christianity from the world?

Do you feel like you have to be someone else in order to survive in this culture?

Is Satan tempting you to find your identity in things other than Jesus?

Is he putting doubts and fear into your heart so that you look away from Jesus?

Are you yielding control of your heart to your fleshly desires? Are seeking selfish pleasures instead of proclaiming Christ tot he world?

Are you running yourself ragged seeking earthly success and pleasure, to the point you have no time for Jesus?

Is the world having a bigger influence on your life than Jesus?

Church family Don’t deny Christ in your life! Don’t reject His truths even when the persecution seems too great to bear.

Finally we see another group of people and their response to Jesus.

Jesus was(completely) Rejected by the World

There is no greater illustration of this kind of rejection than in our own American Politics.

Look how quick we are to shut out a candidate when we don’t like what they are saying.

We will go to such extremes to make sure their voice is not heard, & to make sure they have no influence over our life.

And this is exactly what the world does with Jesus. They hater Him and they hate His message and there is nothing that they are not willing to do to keep him from having an influence over their life.

Listen one more timer to our text this morning as we wrap up our story in John 18

John 18:28–40 (ESV) READ NET BIBLE

18:28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence. (Now it was very early morning.) They did not go into the governor’s residence so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal.

18:29 So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 18:30 They replied, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.”

18:31 Pilate told them, “Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him according to your own law!” The Jewish leaders replied, “We cannot legally put anyone to death.” (This happened to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated what kind of death he was going to die.)Pilate Questions Jesus

18:33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

18:34 Jesus replied, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?”

18:35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

18:36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

18:37 Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

18:38 Pilate asked, “What is truth?”When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, “I find no basis for an accusation against him. But it is your custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”

18:40 Then they shouted back, “Not this man, We want Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was a thief.)

The hatred of the people towards Jesus is almost unbelievable .

They arrested Jesus and took him to the high Priest to be tried.

But this was no ordinary trial - everything about it was evil.

it was held at night without the public knowing.

Jesus was assumed to be guilty instead of innocent, and treated with no respect,

the accusers hired false witnesses and the court allowed it.

the judge approved of the mistreatment of Jesus while he was in their custody

& Jesus wasn’t allowed any defense.

The Jewish people were not content with Just convicting Jesus they wanted him dead. So After this secret night trial the religious leaders took Jesus to Pilate the Roman judge, so that he could issue a death sentence upon Jesus.

Our text tells us how much their hatred for Jesus dictated their actions- these Jewish leaders did not want to enter the gentile court because they didn’t want to defile themselves before the passover feast. This sounds good- They wanted to obey the rules of their religion. BUT

Do you see the irony here? They were worried that if they stepped foot in a gentile court on the passover that they would be unclean and not able to participate in the religious feast later that day.

They were worried about being unclean to celebrate the passover lamb before God and yet they did not hesitate to condemn the final Passover lamb of God to death!

That’s how far this world is willing to go to reject Jesus as their Savior.

Pilate trying to figure out the Jews rejection of Jesus Asked him“ are you the King of the Jews?

Jesus simply replies “ My kingdom is not of this world’ You say that I am a king!

I didnt come to sit on a throne on earth , My Purpose in coming to earth was TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH,

Pilot responds with a question that Many philosophers over the years have asked

WHAT IS TRUTH?

Remember what Jesus said in

John 14:6 (ESV)

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus says Every word I have spoken is truth, Every deed I have done is truth, because I am truth, and there can be no truth without me.

Mankind since the fall in the garden of Eden, has been trying to restore their relationship back to God, . And Every attempt that man has made on His own has left him still fallen short.

No one can know God unless they come through the truth.

No one can gain eternal life except through the truth.

Mankind’s relationship with God cannot be restored unless it goes through the truth,

And Jesus in verse 37 of our text today tells Pilot “This is the purpose I was born and came into the world—to bring the truth of Salvation to mankind.

“Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

After Jesus declares himself as the truth to Pilate, Pilate goes back before the crowd and He says I cant find any fault in this man. Meaning “In my opinion this man is innocent.” What do you want me to do with him?

“Would you rather me release him over the wicked man Barrabas whom you all know is guilty? “

and the crowd in their hatred for the truth Cried out in loud voice “We don’t want Jesus- We want Barabbas!”

The Crowd Rejected Jesus because they rejected the message Jesus came to deliver to them.

Church family- The world’s hatred towards jesus has not changed. They still despise the truth, they still reject his free gift of grace and they still run towards their own sin.

When it comes to the truth -Mankind on his own will always reject Jesus.

And understand, that it is this rejection of Jesus that brings eternal Judgement to the world.

Bring it Home

So what will you do With Jesus today?

Are you Like Judas?

Slide: Are you here acting like a disciple of Jesus on the outside but inside your heart is full of selfish gain?

Do you view Jesus as just a good option for you to have better life now?

Matthew Tells us that Judas was guilt-ridden after He betrayed Jesus and even then He still tried to fix the problem on his own.-He threw the money back at the priests in remorse, but He never repented and became a true follower of Jesus; and Matthew tells us that eventually he died by his own hand in shame.

Are you like Pilate?

Slide: ignoring the truths of Jesus hoping He will just go away?

When Jesus was brought to Pilate He didn’t want the problem of Jesus to affect his comfortable life

Are you living your life trying to ignore the truths of Jesus hoping that they will just go away and not disrupt your comfortable life?

Just because you ignore the truth of Jesus doesn't mean its not true, it just means that you are ignorant to the things of God.

- Our Ignorance of God doesn’t make eternal punishment go away. It just blinds us to the truth.

Are you like the Crowd?

Slide: are you rejecting the gospel of Christ in your life?

are you so mad at God that you fail to see His unconditional love he offers you through Jesus?

Mans rejection of Jesus is what Condemns him to an eternity in Hell.

Following the crowds rejection of jesus is the easy road to take, but in the end it leads to eternal seperation from God in the Lake of Fire.

Matthew 7:13 ESV

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

Trans; Only one of the characters in our story today is recorded as repenting and turning from their rejection of Jesus and that was Peter.

Are you like Peter?

Slide: Christian, Have you been hiding your faith In jesus out of fear from the world?

Peter, Without hesitation, when the temptation came and the cost seemed too great, Peter quickly out of fear, denied the Lord he’d so tirelessly defended.

The disciple who often was the quickest to speak, and the first to jump out of the boat, suddenly stood by the warmth of the fire in the deafening silence of his own denial of Jesus. Then, the Rooster crowed and Peter began to weep. Peter Wept in repentance of his denial of Jesus .

Christian- Do you need to weep and repent of your denial of Jesus in your life?

Maybe you need to commit you lifer like peter did to stand up for the gospel no matter the cost.

Out of all the character's in this story today Only Peter experienced the grace of God in His life. because Peter Chose the narrow Gate that leads to life. He repented of His sin and followed after Jesus.

As we close today, I ask you the same question that we started with “What are you going to do with Jesus?”

The only answer that can bring you eternal life is to repent of sins & fully commit to following Jesus.

if you have never repented of your sins and asked Jesus to be your savior you are still on the road that leads to destruction.

What is keeping you from fully trusting in Him today?

PRAY