Matthew 27 11-26

4. FOLLOW JESUS-

With Uncompromising Loyalty to the Truth

Text: Matthew 27:11-26

      Unless you are a history buff, you probably cannot tell me the name of a single Roman procurator who served in the days of the Roman Empire-except one. One of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, who served as governors in Rome’s heyday is world famous, or should I say infamous. His fame was guaranteed when his name was included in the Apostles’ Creed, “suffered under Pontius Pilate.”

      Pilate’s name has become synonymous with adjectives like unprincipled and unscrupulous. He was a man who was willing to sacrifice principles on the altar of expediency. He was one of history’s great compromisers. Perhaps never has the difference between ugly compromise and principled integrity been more dramatically exhibited than it was in the trial of Jesus before Pilate. When Pilate and Jesus faced each other as judge and defendant, the world was given the opportunity to witness one of the most paradoxical role reversals in history. Pilate was interested in saving his skin; Jesus was interested in saving our souls. In Pilate, justice failed. In Jesus, justice triumphed for us all, because of his uncompromising loyalty to the truth.

      Today we want the Holy Spirit to firm up our determination to FOLLOW JESUS-With Uncompromising Loyalty to the Truth. We’ll note that Pilate serves as a model of unprincipled compromise, whereas Jesus serves as a model of uncompromising commitment to the truth.

1)         Pilate serves as a model of unprincipled compromise.

      As we proceed, we will be weaving together what both Matthew and John tell us in their accounts of Jesus’ trial in Pilate’s court of justice. As Roman governor over the province of Judea, Pilate was responsible as Caesar’s representative for upholding justice and preserving order. The power to do so, Jesus had reminded him, had been given to him by God. Pilate failed miserably in fulfilling his responsibility.

      The interviews between Jesus and Pilate centered on Jesus’ claim to be a king and the nature of his kingdom. The trial began with the dubious accusation: “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king” (Luke 23:2). The mob knew that would get Pilate’s attention and it did. Especially the word king. So Pilate asked Jesus, “‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied” (verse 11). John tells us that Jesus asked a counter question: “Are you asking this question because, as a judge, you want to get at the evidence, or because you personally are interested in my claim?” “I’m no Jew,” Pilate replied, “so what makes you think that. Just tell me, What is it you have done?”

      Then Jesus tried to explain that Pilate represented one kind of kingdom, whereas Jesus represented a totally different kind of kingdom. “My kingdom is not of this world,” he said (John 18:36). That was something Pilate couldn’t comprehend, so he said to Jesus, “You are a king, then!” (John 18:37)-as if to say there is only one kind of king. Either Jesus is or he isn’t that one kind of king.

      That precipitated the famous exchange about the subject of truth. “I came into the world, to testify to the truth,” Jesus told him. “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” In answer to that, Pilate contemptuously responded, “What is truth?” (John 18:37,38). From that moment on, things began to unravel with no further thought of upholding justice. Pilate’s only concern was to somehow extricate himself from this Catch 22 situation. But how? When principle is thrown to the winds, justice flies out the window and compromise is the only alternative.

      Here’s how that played out with Pilate. He returned to the mob and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him” (John 18:38). But he didn’t have the fortitude to insist, “So, I’m going to release him.” First, he tried the Barabbas ploy. That didn’t work. The mob chose Barabbas instead of Jesus. Then he sought to curb their rage by playing on their sympathy. With no concern for justice any longer, he arranged for Jesus to be beaten, crowned with a crown of thorns, and robed in a purple robe. “Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him’” (John 19:4). Then pointing to the pathetic figure standing next to him, he said, “Here is the man!” (John 19:5). But that only infuriated the mob more. By now Pilate knew there was no easy way to get out of his predicament. To make matters even worse, his wife urged him to let Jesus go because she had had a bad dream about him. That completely unnerved Pilate.

      Now what to do? As a Roman, Pilate had some sense of justice. Romans prided themselves on that. But Pilate was, above all else, a politician whose primary interest was his own personal gain. And that proved to be his undoing. The religious leaders were clever enough to use Pilate’s weakness to their advantage. If he didn’t do what they wanted, they’d report him to Caesar and have him removed from office. So now who does he listen to? His wife or the mob? You know the rest of the story. Pilate washed his hands of the whole sordid affair and condemned Jesus to die.

      So what can we learn from all this? Know for sure that many things are worse than personal setbacks, and compromise is one of them. Unfortunately, compromise is wired into our human nature. Compromise is a favorite tactic of our old Adam. It is a mortal enemy of Christian character. When compromise does not involve truth or principles, it’s not wrong. Compromise may often be wise. But when principles are involved, compromise is a betrayal of truth and principle. God does not allow us to make peace, as Pilate sought to do, on our own terms. And that’s what compromise is. It’s an attempt to solve problems our way rather than God’s way. It’s part of our culture and it’s insidious. Cheating, lying (especially little white lies), marital infidelity, divorce, abortion, alcoholism, you name it-they all involve compromise.

      Compromise is serious enough in the public square. But when it invades the church, it is doubly reprehensible. Compromise is at the heart of the controversy today because of Lutheran churches that have compromised the Bible’s teaching of justification for the sake of outward union with churches whose teaching is not scriptural. Often those who refuse to compromise the truth, as Jesus did, are singled out, as Jesus was, as the ones who cause strife.

      Each of us needs to ask, How does compromise insinuate itself into my life and undermine my relationship with my Savior? And how often do I, like Pilate, try to make excuses for it? We all need to answer that for ourselves. And when we do, repentance is in order.

2)         Jesus serves as a model of uncompromising commitment to the truth.

      When we come up with our answers to those two questions, we need to turn our attention to the One who refused to compromise, even though it meant that the Innocent One would have to die so the guilty ones could go free. That’s just it, you see. That was the ultimate purpose behind all the injustice that was played out here. So let’s take a moment to focus more intently on Jesus, who serves as the model of uncompromising commitment to the truth.

      The whole life of Christ exhibited that total commitment from beginning to end. We noted that especially in the first sermon in this Lenten series. Early in his ministry Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34). Nothing could turn him aside from that commitment. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, on the pinnacle of the temple, and on a high mountain peak, Jesus made it clear that there would be no compromises in an effort to find an easier way to achieve his mission. And again in the Garden of Gethsemane, he reiterated his commitment to see things through to the end on our behalf. “Not my will, but yours be done,” he said to his Father (Luke 22:42).

      So also in Pilate’s courtroom. The Savior’s composure throughout this mockery of a trial reveals a peace of mind rooted in obedience to his Father’s will. Listen again to Matthew’s account: “When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge-to the great amazement of the governor” (verses 12-14).

      His refusal to respond was not a sign of weakness, but of strength and determination. He was determined to make up for all our compromises with his steadfast determination to make no compromises.

            Now recall once again what it means for us to be “in Christ.” To be in Christ means to be by grace what Jesus was in word and deed as our substitute. It means that he takes the blame for all our compromises and gives us the credit for his uncompromising commitment to the truth. It means that we appropriate our Savior’s achievement as our own by faith. The Pilates of this world may scoff at that kind of truth, but it is still the truth. It changes our whole identity from those who join in actions that call for Christ to be crucified to those who humbly say with heartfelt gratitude, “He was crucified for me.”

            If we are in Christ, we cannot just stand still or sit on our hands. We are compelled by all that Jesus has done for us to follow him. And that means that we now want to exhibit to all the world what Jesus exhibited for us in his passion and death. It means that we will never be content just to know that we are now in Christ. We will want everyone else who knows us to know that we live in Christ and that he lives in us. To live with that purpose always in mind is to know peace. To compromise our identity in Christ is to rob ourselves of the peace that only Jesus can give. We are followers of Jesus Christ.

            Remember when Luther was asked by the Emperor and the Pope at Worms to compromise the gospel for the sake of outward peace in the church? Part of his famous response was to say, “It is neither safe nor right to go against one’s conscience.” May that be the firm resolve of each and every one of us-to follow Jesus with uncompromising loyalty to the truth. Amen.