Jesus the King

Introduction (18:28-32)

Illus. When I was a kid I had two really close friends that went to church with me, Nick and Michael. There was a summer where we spent every Sunday afternoon at each other’s houses. We made a lot of great memories that year. But one week the memory was not so good, we couldn’t all hang out together. Both Nick’s family and Michael’s family had something going on at the end of the day where they couldn’t be away from home. I was a home schooled preacher’s kid, all I had going on that night was evening church services. But I was left with an impossible decision: do I go home with Nick or Michael? I was torn and I didn’t want to be that guy who chose one over the other. So, you know what I did? Yup, I flipped a coin and ended up going home with Michael that week.

Some decisions are far more important than a one-day hang out. The biggest decision of all is: will you follow Jesus or reject Him? Everyone is faced with that choice. Hopefully you won’t have to flip a coin to decide.

The Jews and Pilate approached Jesus differently (18:28-33). After a long night of illegal trials, the Jews brought Jesus before Pilate. They were more concerned about their religious rituals than unjustly condemning their Messiah. Needless to say, their ceremonies were meaningless compared to the Anointed One of God in their midst. But they regarded Jesus as evil, as a sinner, and as worthy of death.

Pilate asked a very different question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” That’s vastly different than what the Jews did.

We are faced with the same dilemma. Do we attend church and thereby “do our religious duty” while hating our brother, holding a grudge, or participating in some kind of sin? The religious ritual means nothing if we do not live like Jesus in the rest of our lives. Let’s ask the question that Pilate asked and learn who Jesus is.

I. Jesus Revealed as King (18:33-38)

A. Pilate asked if Jesus was the King of the Jews (vs. 33-35)

1. He was in Jerusalem at the beginning of the week when the multitude welcomed Jesus with palm branches and shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, even the King of Israel” (John 12:13)

2. Surely he was confused as to the Jews coming to him in the middle of the night, crying for the death penalty

3. Pilate does not question Jesus out of bias, but simply to learn the truth of what has occurred

B. Upon finding Pilate’s questioning to be genuine, not deceitful, Jesus answered his first question (vs. 36-38)

1. The answer is yes, for sure, He is a King. Just not in the traditional way we think of

a. Jesus’ kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. It does not have borders, nor can it be found on a map

1. You cannot limit His kingdom to 240 E. Allen St. (these four walls are not the only location)

2. Rather, God’s kingdom is written on men’s hearts, it’s spiritual in nature

3. His kingdom is the church: as Christians, we live in His kingdom now, having been made citizens by the blood of Jesus.

b. Jeremiah 31:31–33 ““Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

c. Colossians 1:13–14 “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

d. Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

e. 1 Timothy 1:15–17 “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

2. Think about it this way...

a. Illus. David was anointed the rightful king of Israel after Saul rebelled against God

1. However, Saul refused to hand the scepter over and fought against David until his dying day. David was the rightful ruler during that time and a band of 400 soldiers followed him, recognizing his kingship

2. But David did not reign completely until Saul, his adversary, was removed.

b. Jesus is the rightful King of God’s kingdom: anointed by the Holy Spirit and now sitting at the right hand of God on High

1. Satan, the prince of the power of the air, has rebelled against Jesus’ rule, but that does not make Jesus any less King

2. Few may recognize Jesus’ Kingship, which He predicted (Matthew 7:13–14 ““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. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”), but He still rules over His kingdom, the church

3. We follow the rightful King who reigns the church and He will reign completely in heaven when His adversary, death and the devil, are removed.

3. So, yes, it is as Pilate said. Jesus is a King. In fact, He is the King of kings

II. Jesus Punished as a Criminal (18:39-19:7)

A. Even so, Jesus was punished as a criminal (18:39-40)

1. Pilate laid a decision at the feet of the Jews (possibly hoping they would make the right call)

2. He brought forth Jesus and Barabbas (a thief/murderer) and would release one to them as free

3. Would they want the King of the Jews or a murderer? Well, they chose the thief

B. So, Pilate took Jesus and punished Him (19:1-7)

1. Illus. Let’s paint a scenario. You’re at work and your boss comes to you with a project he wants you to do. He has spent hours planning exactly what he wants done and how he wants it done. He then presents it to you and says, “Get this done for me.” When you look at the plan you think to yourself, “I see what he wants to do, but I think doing this would be much better.” So, you don’t follow the plan and do your own thing instead. How would your boss react when he comes back to find your “great idea”? Probably not good

2. Pilate did not follow the Jews’ plan

a. He… scourged (whipped) Jesus, beat a crown of thorns on His head, put a purple (royal color) robe on Him, mocked Him, and beat Him

b. Pilate saw Jesus as innocent. Perhaps he felt that he could dissuade the death penalty by punishing Jesus with poetic justice

3. Clearly, it didn’t work. The chief priests and officers cried out for Pilate to crucify Jesus!

a. Again, Pilate declares that Jesus is innocent but the Jewish leaders don’t care

b. They deemed Jesus a blasphemer and are convinced that He needs to die

III. Jesus Rejected as a Beggar (19:8-15)

A. This news terrified Pilate (vs. 8-15)

1. To figure this out Pilate asked Jesus where He was from. If the answer was “from God” then this whole thing would stop. But Jesus said nothing

a. Perhaps, out of desperation, Pilate tells Him, “I have the authority to release or crucify you. So, work with me”

b. But Jesus knew that this was the plan all along. The King was going to serve His subjects through sacrifice.

c. God’s will was for Jesus to be crucified and Pilate recognized Jesus’ innocence, thus, the greater sin was with the Jewish leaders, for they rejected Jesus outright

2. Pilate tried to release Jesus but the crowds grew more restless and made it known that Pilate was no friend of Caesar’s

3. So, Pilate brought Jesus out onto the Judgment Seat telling the Jews, “Behold, your King”

a. They still rejected Him claiming, “We have no king but Caesar”

b. Pilate finally conceded and handed Jesus over to be crucified

B. Pilate seems convinced that Jesus is the King of the Jews:

1. His swaying argument for releasing Jesus as innocent is based on His Kingship (18:38-39)

2. He might have hoped a brief punishment (whipping, beating, mocking, and insults) would appease the crowd (19:1-5)

3. Pilate feared when he heard Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, insinuating some kind of belief (19:7-8)

4. Pilate tried very hard to release Jesus (19:12)

5. He presented Jesus as King in a final effort to protect Him (19:13-15)

6. Pilate declared Jesus as King on the inscription on the cross (19:19)

C. You might say, “That’s great! So, what’s the problem?”

1. Even though Pilate thought Jesus was innocent, believed that He was a King, and had a nagging thought that He could be the Son of God, Pilate was swayed by the Jews and handed Jesus over to be crucified (vs. 16)

2. While Pilate was a coward in God’s sight, not standing up in faith for a King, the Son of God

3. Both the Jews and Pilate, though confronted with Jesus as King, chose to reject Him. No coin flip needed

Application

A. What will you do with Jesus?

1. The Jews rejected Jesus, God in flesh, in favor of a human king, just like they did in 1 Samuel 8 (wanting to be like all the other nations)

2. Pilate might have believed Jesus was the King of the Jews, but he did not defend Him like Jesus was his personal king.

3. I implore you, go one step further. Don’t just declare Jesus King, submit to His kingship.

B. Live a life in service to Jesus. Follow:

1. The System of the King (walk in the truth)

2. The Sacrifice of the King (carry your cross, die to self, live to glorify Him)

3. The Silence of the King (humility to obey)