Creating Our Jesus

Chasing Jesus  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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As Jesus stands before Pilate, Pilate tasks himself with fitting Jesus into one of the molds defined by Roman law by which Jesus could be sentenced to death as His accusers desired. This is often the way that we approach Jesus as well. We desire to fit Jesus in the mold that we need Him to fulfill in our lives to accomplish our aim. Jesus does not fit these molds though. Every mold limits Christ in ways that He can not be limited. Just as the commandments instruct us to not make graven images of God for they can not fully encapsulate the wonder of God, Jesus should not be fit into molds for they can not adequately communicate the truth of the Savior.

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The Jesus of the Jews

John 18:28–32 NIV
Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 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,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
John 18:28–40 NIV
Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 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,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. 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. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 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 an uprising.
John 18:28–30 NIV
Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 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.”
John 18:1
The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jewish ruling authority. This court consisted of seventy-one judges appointed from the priests and Levites. These 71 served as the ruling governments during the time of the Roman occupation. To keep order in the Roman empire, each nation kept their ruling authority and would keep order and peace among their own people’ daily affairs. This ruling authority could extend all forms of judgment and punishment save execution for capital offenses. In other words, if there was a reason to put someone to death, the ruling authority would bring the accused before the Roman delegate who would carry out a Roman ruling and determine if the crime fit the punishment of death.
The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jewish ruling authority. This court consisted of seventy-one judges appointed from the priests and Levites. These 71 served as the ruling governments during the time of the Roman occupation. To keep order in the Roman empire, each nation kept their ruling authority and would keep order and peace among their own people’ daily affairs. This ruling authority could extend all forms of judgment and punishment save execution for capital offenses. In other words, if there was a reason to put someone to death, the ruling authority would bring the accused before the Roman delegate who would carry out a Roman ruling and determine if the crime fit the punishment of death.
The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jewish ruling authority. This court consisted of seventy-one judges appointed from the priests and Levites. These 71 served as the ruling governments during the time of the Roman occupation. To keep order in the Roman empire, each nation kept their ruling authority and would keep order and peace among their own people’ daily affairs. This ruling authority could extend all forms of judgment and punishment save execution for capital offenses. In other words, if there was a reason to put someone to death, the ruling authority would bring the accused before the Roman delegate who would carry out a Roman ruling and determine if the crime fit the punishment of death.
The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jewish ruling authority. This court consisted of seventy-one judges appointed from the priests and Levites. These 71 served as the ruling governments during the time of the Roman occupation. To keep order in the Roman empire, each nation kept their ruling authority and would keep order and peace among their own people’ daily affairs. This ruling authority could extend all forms of judgment and punishment save execution for capital offenses. In other words, if there was a reason to put someone to death, the ruling authority would bring the accused before the Roman delegate who would carry out a Roman ruling and determine if the crime fit the punishment of death.
John chooses in his gospel to not include Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. John saw the redundancy on their accusation and that of Annas. If we look in the gospel of Mark, we see that the trial before Caiaphas was no trial at all, like it was before Annas.
Mark 14:53-65
Mark 14:53–65 NIV
They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’ ” Yet even then their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Jesus is the Messiah. He is the Son of God. He is seated at the right hand of the Father. All of these things were true. Not only were these things true, they are the fulfillment of prophesy that the Israelites had been waiting for generations to see fulfilled. Jesus is the Messiah that the scriptures had promised. The Jewish leaders though created a picture, a mold of what the Messiah would look like, where he would come from and what he would do. Jesus failed to fit this mold so they chose to kill Him instead of investigating His claims.
We do the same thing. We create our own mold for Jesus. Jesus will bring into our lives peace, joy, happiness. Our troubles will begin to fade away and life will be easier. With Jesus, we will know what tomorrow holds and we will not have worry, doubt, struggle or trial. Our marriages will turn out like they do in the movies and we will find purpose, meaningful purpose in all that we do. We will have our lives together and we will start to fit that mold that all Christians fit into where we can show up on Sunday morning untouched by the world.
This is not the Messiah that has been promised nor is this who Jesus said he would be in our lives. Jesus came to set up his kingdom, a kingdom that was not of this world and unlike any kingdom in this world. His kingdom is built not upon the strength of its people or the resources available to be used. The Kingdom that Jesus ushered in is built upon His strength and righteousness. All are in His kingdom because of Him. He is transforming each and every individual to fit in the kingdom. He enters into our lives to take the place of whatever or whoever was ruling and reigning. Jesus did not come to build a winning team and recruit the best players to his side. Jesus came to be king and to invite us to be ruled by Him.
While peace and joy are aspects of his kingdom, they are not experienced in his kingdom like they are in the world. Our peace and joy come from our hearts embracing that this world is not our home but that our citizenship is now in Christ's kingdom. Jesus has not come to grant our wishes or to be what we need in our lives. This is the wrong perspective. Jesus is what we need, but that is because we were made to be in relationship with Him. We were made to be in the Kingdom of God. It was us who stood in the way of that.
The Jewish leaders missed Jesus as the Messiah because they had built a mold for who the Messiah was to be. They were looking for the conquering hero who would restore Israel to its former glory. What we fail to see about former glory is that our former glory is built upon a broken foundation. Our hope for making something great again fails on the very premise of what Christ is trying to do. He has come to make things new.

Jesus Before Pilate

John 18:33–40 NIV
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. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 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 an uprising.
John 18:31–40 NIV
Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. 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. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 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 an uprising.
John 18:
John 18:31-
As the Jewish leaders bring Jesus before Pilate, they are elusive with their reasoning for bringing Jesus. Their desire was for Jesus to be put to death because He did not fit their mold, their hope in the promised Messiah.
Pilate will not just give in. He too must decide the mold that Jesus would fit into. The Roman law system was designed to keep order. There were some violations that resulted in death, but the act of putting people to death, especially non-Roman citizens was in the hands of the Roman authority. Pilate was placed in the position of having to determine if Jesus fit in the mold of one whose violation warranted death.
To this, Pilate first desires to have nothing to do with this determination. He scolds the Jewish leaders and tells them to judge Jesus in accordance with their own law. Especially during the Passover feast where the population of Jerusalem increased multiple times over as Jews from all over the known world come to have their lamb sacrificed at the temple and partake of the most sacred of meals, Pilate and the Roman authority would have been on high alert. Rome had even sent a detachment of soldiers to be on guard int he city. Pilate would have been quick to enact judgment upon any who seemed a threat to the peace or a threat to the Roman interest. Pilate’s reluctance to entertain this trial of Jesus shows that Jesus was not on his radar. Jesus did not serve as a threat to the cause of Rome.
But the Jewish officials pushed for Jesus threatened their position. Pilate finally relents and conducts the trial to see if Jesus had indeed warranted death as the Jewish officials claimed. Pilate questions Jesus concerning his motives, seeking if Jesus was a treat to start a rebellion to usurp the Roman seat.
Pilate sought to fit Jesus into the molds that the world had defined. The Roman empire saw any who claimed to be the king and sought to make their claims a reality as a threat and worthy of death. Pilate tried to place Jesus in this mold, but he quickly found that mold did not fit.
Pilate then tried to fit Jesus into the mold of appeaser. He thought that if he just punished Jesus, then Jesus could be used as a tool to appease the religious leaders and restore peace. As Pilate brings Jesus out to the crowds, this mold quickly crumbles.
When we try to fit Jesus into the molds of the world, we quickly find that He does not fit.

Jesus for Who He Is

The reason none of these molds fit is because Jesus is greater than these molds can contain. It is from the hands of Christ that the world was formed. He is the one who fashioned everything into existence. As the Father spoke, the Son molded and shaped. It is upon His back that the universe was brought forth and it is by His hand that the universe continues. When we try to confine Jesus to the constructs of our mind, need, or desire, we are limiting who God is.
Exodus 20:4–5 NIV
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
Exodus 20:5 NIV
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
Exodus 20:
Exodus 20:4–6 NIV
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
In the second commandment, God instructed the people of Israel to not make graven images of Him from the material of the earth, sea, or air.
In the second commandment, God instructed the people of Israel to not make graven images of Him from the material of the earth, sea, or air. These were not other gods that the Lord was instructing them not to bow down to, that is covered in the first commandment. The practice of the Jewish people was to construct images of things to represent God, to make it easier to connect with Him. This is the very action that occurs as the people melt down their gold jewelry and make the golden calf as Moses is receiving the law on the mountain top. Aaron had fashioned for the people an image of God to worship. The issue is that the fullness of God can not be contained in the images of man. God is the one that fashioned man, He can not be properly represented by something created by that which He himself has created.
When we try to fit Jesus into our desired molds or when we try to make Jesus into who we desire him to be, we are limiting in our mind and lives He who is without limit.
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