My Kingdom is Not of this World
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 52:26
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Introduction
Introduction
Turn with me in your Bibles to Jn 18.
The Netflix series “Manhunt: Deadly Games” is a dramatized psuedo-historical account of Eric Rudolph, the bomber of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and numerous other locations. After setting off a bomb at the Olympic Games, Rudolph went on to set off several more bombs, targeting abortion clinics, gay bars, and other targets. He fled to the wilderness of the Nantahala Mountains in North Carolina where he lived as a fugitive from the FBI for five years.
The FBI pursues after Rudolph, and In this dramatized account of the events, they build a giant base in the town and bring in lots of military support. In the process, they don’t make many friends with the locals, who view them with suspicion and distrust. Rudolph recruits assistance from a local Christian militia group in the NC mountains. He makes himself out to be a ‘freedom fighter’ on behalf of unborn children. He deceives the locals into thinking that he’s a good guy, and with the support of this local militia group, Rudolph is able to hide out in the NC mountains for 5 years as a fugitive hunted by the FBI.
(Spoiler alert!) The turning point in the show which led to his arrest was when the leader of the local militia group finally realizes that Rudolph is not a true believer, but in fact just a violent man who liked hurting people, and starts cooperating with the FBI in the manhunt. (Much of this aspect of this show is historically based speculation, not facts.)
What is interesting is how Eric Rudolph was able to make himself look like a good guy. He was a handsome, normal looking, charming guy. He knew the right words to say and seemed to be concerned with some of the same issues that the local Christians were concerned about. But he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Finally, one of the leaders of the militia group realizes the truth and says:
“You know, I used to imagine exactly this, that the enemy would come in exactly like this—build a base, oppress the people, and I would recognize him right away for who he was and be able to fight him with this (guns). I just thought it would be so clear.”
Historically, there is no hard evidence that he worked with any “Christian militia” groups—that much is pure Hollywood speculation and dramatization. But, the fact is, it can be difficult sometimes to tell the difference between those who are truly on our side, and those who aren’t.
The same was true in Jesus’ day. There were many seemingly devout Jews who seemed to be genuinely serving God and zealous for his Word. Yet those same seemingly devout Jews are the ones we see here in John 18 calling for Jesus’ death.
Scripture Introduction: (FCF) We are in the midst of a spiritual war between two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. But the problem is that it’s not always easy to tell the two apart.
Scripture Introduction: (FCF) We are in the midst of a spiritual war between two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. But the problem is that it’s not always easy to tell the two apart.
In 2 Cor. 11, Paul rebukes the Church at Corinth for failing to recognize false apostles and prophets and for receiving a false gospel. He says:
3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.
Why did they accept a false gospel? Paul tells us clearly a few verses later:
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
And that, sadly, is what we see happening in John 18. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish the Kingdom of Satan from the Kingdom of God. Just as Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, so does the Kingdom he represents.
As Christians, we are called to recognize the Kingdom of Satan for what it is, and make sure we’re fighting on the right side. John 18 shows us very clearly how to distinguish between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness.
As Christians, we are called to recognize the Kingdom of Satan for what it is, and make sure we’re fighting on the right side. John 18 shows us very clearly how to distinguish between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness.
Prayer for Illumination
Transition: So, when Satan disguises himself and his Kingdom, how are we to know the difference? How can we be sure that we’re fighting on the right side?
The Kingdom of God is characterized by non-violence.
The Kingdom of God is characterized by non-violence.
The Kingdom of Satan, by contrast, is characterized by violence.
The Kingdom of Satan, by contrast, is characterized by violence.
18:3--Judas and the chief priests brings soldiers
18:8--Jesus seeks the safety of his disciples
18:10--Peter attacks
18:11--Jesus rebukes him (and heals the man)
18:22—Servant of the high priest slaps Jesus
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
18:40—Jews find murder more palatable than Christ
19:1-3—Roman soldiers make crown of thorns and strike Jesus
19:6—Jews riot for Jesus’ crucifixion
“But wait, didn’t Jesus say that he came not to bring peace, but a sword? And wasn’t Jesus the one that told Peter to carry a sword?”
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Jesus’s words are figures of speech, not literal. Jesus is simply saying that he will be a source of division, even between close family members. He’s obviously not encouraging sons to try to kill their fathers with a sword.
35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”
Jesus’ command to ‘buy swords’ was simply a metaphorical way of foretelling the coming persecution. His statement “It is enough” in Greek could also be interpreted as “Enough of this.” Supporting this interpretation are two facts:
Jesus rebukes Peter’s assault on Malchus
51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.
Nowhere in Scripture do we see followers of Christ engaging in violent conflict in the name of Christ.
The Kingdom of God is non-violent.
The Kingdom of God is non-violent.
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
We are not called upon to take up physical weapons for Christ.
When John the Baptist was imprisoned, he began to have doubts about whether or not Jesus truly was the Messiah.
He did not expect the Kingdom of God to enter so quietly and involve so much suffering. Jesus implicitly affirms that he is the Messiah and then says this:
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
Jesus’ point is that from the very beginning (with John the Baptist), those who are part of the Kingdom of Heaven will suffer violence at the hands of evil, violent men. But, we are not supposed to be the violent ones.
There is a war going on, and we are called to take up arms and fight. But, as Paul rightly notes, our weapons are not physical, but spiritual.
Can you imagine a more worthy cause for taking up arms than that of defending someone from being falsely accused and murdered? Than defending the Son of God from a brutal, violent death? And yet Jesus told Peter to put away the sword. We don’t fight with that kind of sword. Our sword is God’s Word.
Jesus’ statements in v. 36 show that the Kingdom of God was not a physical threat to earthly kingdoms, even to the Roman Empire.
Jesus’ claim to the Kingdom of God did not threaten violence to the earthly kingdom that he was a part of.
If members of the Kingdom of God were not called upon to violently resist Roman rule and persecution, then what excuse could we conjure up?
Whenever someone encourages physical violence, you can be sure that their words do not represent the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not advanced through physical warfare but through spiritual warfare.
The Kingdom of God is characterized by truth.
The Kingdom of God is characterized by truth.
The Kingdom of Satan is characterized by lies and hypocrisy.
The Kingdom of Satan is characterized by lies and hypocrisy.
Peter’s denials of Christ (18:17, 25, and 27)
Peter was faced with a difficult situation—he wanted to follow Christ and stand for the truth, but doing so could mean death.
Lying, even in the face of death, does not represent the Kingdom of Heaven.
Perversions of justice by chief priests
False witnesses called
59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,
From “10 Reasons the Trial of Jesus Was Illegal” (lifehopeandtruth.com)
Bribes given and accepted
“No session of the Court [was] to take place before the offering of the morning sacrifice” (1887, translated by Julius Magath, p. 109). No night meetings were permitted. The law allowed such an investigation only upon daylight.
Mendelsohn states, “Criminal cases can be acted upon by the various courts during day time only, by the Lesser Synhedrions from the close of the morning service till noon, and by the Great Synhedrion till evening”
In Isaac Wise’s book Martyrdom of Jesus, we read, “No court of justice in Israel was permitted to hold sessions on Sabbath or any of the seven Biblical holidays. In cases of capital crime, no trial could be commenced on Friday or the day previous to any holiday, because it was not lawful either to adjourn such cases longer than over night, or to continue them on the Sabbath or holiday”
Jewish law states, “A criminal case resulting in the acquittal of the accused may terminate the same day on which the trial began. But if a sentence of death is to be pronounced, it cannot be concluded before the following day” (Mishnah, “Sanhedrin” IV, 1). This was to allow sufficient opportunity for any witnesses in support of the accused to present themselves. But the court did not allow Jesus this opportunity.
The condemnation of Jesus by part of the Sanhedrin was illegal because those who might have voted against His condemnation were not there.
According to Jesus Before the Sanhedrim, the Talmud states, “After leaving the hall Gazith [the court] no sentence of death can be passed upon any one” (p. 24). A sentence of death could be passed only in a legal court, not in a private home, as occurred in Jesus’ case.
Some of the judges were elected unfairly. From the Bible and from the Jewish historian Josephus, we have the names of most of the men who were on the Sanhedrin at the time of Jesus...There were 12 ex-high priests living at this one time, and all were part of the Sanhedrin. The Bible expressly requires a man serving as high priest to remain in that office until his death, at which time another took his place. But under the Romans, high priests could be replaced year by year. The whole official arrangement was wrong.
Jesus’ accusers are unwilling to defile themselves by entering the residence of a gentile, but willing to defile themselves by falsely accusing and murdering an innocent man, their Messiah and God at that!
28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.
30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”
Jesus accused of blasphemy before the Sanhedrin, but treason before Pilate.
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”
12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
Chief Priests are willing to align themselves with their Roman occupiers rather than with God himself.
15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
The Chief Priests, who were Sadducees, saw Jesus as a threat to their establishment. As the ones in charge of the Temple, they had a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. A Messianic pretender might excite the people into revolution, bringing down the heavy hand of the Roman military.
The great irony, then, is that they thoughtlessly called for the release of Barabbas—an insurrectionist—probably part of the Zealots.
It was the Zealots who would later be the cause of the Roman invasion of Jersualem and the destruction of the temple.
Josephus records that in AD 68, some Zealots sent for assistance to the Edomites, who sent a force of 20,000 soldiers to Jerusalem. The Zealots wrongly suspected that the priests were conspiring with Emperor Vespasian to take over Jerusalem. Believing the lie, the Edomites joined forces with the Zealots and slaughtered 8,500 people in the temple and in Jerusalem, including the High Priests and many temple workers.
Fed up with such insurrections, the Romans eventually sent legions of soldiers and besieged Jerusalem, sacking the temple in AD 70.
The great irony is that through their lies and hypocrisy and preference of men like Barabbas over Jesus, they brought about their own downfall.
Even more ironic is that Barabbas’ name means “son of the father.”
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 18
Barabbas means “son of the father” (Gk. bar-abbas). Ironically, the people wanted Barabbas released rather than the true Son of the Father, Jesus.
Pilate’s relationship with the truth is characteristic of many unbelievers—”What is truth?”
Pilate knows Jesus is innocent of the charges they level against him.
Recognizing that their quarrel with Jesus centers on theological grounds, Pilate attempts to dismiss the case (v. 31)
In v. 33, Pilate questions Jesus about his identity. Romans allowed Jews to have a “king,” the Herods. But they kept close watch over them. If Jesus was making a claim to that throne, he would be a legitimate political and physical threat to the Roman Empire.
Pilate attempts three times to exonerate Jesus (Jn. 19:4, 6; Lk 23:4)
Pilate knew the truth. His wife even told him about a dream that she’d had and that he should have nothing to do with Jesus’ death.
18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”
Ultimately, though, the “truth” for Pilate is whatever is most expedient and keeps the peace.
For Pilate, “truth” is relative and pragmatic. The “truth” is whatever he needs it to be.
Ironically, Pilate—the one tasked with finding out and ruling on the truth—has no interest in the truth and fails to seek the truth when the one true source of truth is literally staring him in the face.
The Kingdom of God is characterized by openness and truth.
The Kingdom of God is characterized by openness and truth.
37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.
Jesus spoke openly because he knew that he spoke only the truth (18:20-21)
20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.”
In the last few years, there has been a political movement arise known as Qanon. Q is the pseudonym that the leader of this group goes by, and this individual claims to have insider knowledge at the highest levels within our government.
He claims that there is a super-secret organization of liberals in high positions in society and in our government known as the ‘Cabal’ or ‘Deep State.’
He claims that this Cabal is secretly running a child-sex trafficking ring, destabilizing the country, conspiring against Republicans, drinking the blood of children, and so on.
Why are we talking about this in church? Because many pastors and church-goers are talking about it. They’ve bought into Qanon ideology. Painting liberals as blood-thirsty sex traffickers who drink the blood of children is appealing. Bible verses get thrown around in this discussion, and Q becomes a sort of Messianic figure who is going to usher in the Millennial reign.
But is it true?
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
Over time, Q has made thousands of prophecies. He prophesied that Trump would win the 2020 election. That Hillary would be arrested. Then, when Trump lost, he prophesied that the loss would be overturned, that hundreds or thousands of members of the Deep State would be arrested and executed. The list of failed Q prophecies goes on and on.
21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
As ambassadors of Christ, we are called to represent the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
What is your relationship with the truth? Do you seek truth? Are you quick to believe evil of your enemies without proof?
We all face temptation to lie or to believe lies. But which Kingdom are you fighting for?
You can recognize the Kingdom of God by its openness and truth, and you can recognize the Kingdom of Satan by its lies and hypocrisy. When someone is characterized by deception and falsehood, they do not represent the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is ruled by King Jesus and his Church.
The Kingdom of God is ruled by King Jesus and his Church.
The Kingdom of Darkness is ruled by Satan and his spiritual forces and Satan exerts his influence over earthly kingdoms.
The Kingdom of Darkness is ruled by Satan and his spiritual forces and Satan exerts his influence over earthly kingdoms.
The Romans served the Kingdom of Satan
They reveal their Kingdom allegiance when they mock Jesus
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!”
Satan often uses fear to control earthly rulers
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.
Pilate is no atheist, he’s a pagan.
He probably realizes in this moment that Jesus is the Son of the Jewish God, and he’s just had him flogged.
But he’s also afraid of a Jewish uprising and the wrath of Caesar for not keeping control of his region. And, not executing a pretender to the throne could be seen as an act of treason.
12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
In the end, fear of man wins out. He fears man more than he fears God.
The Jewish leaders served the Kingdom of Satan
They make their allegiance clear throughout the entire book, but no more clear than in:
15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.
The Kingdom of God is ruled by King Jesus and his Church.
The Kingdom of God is ruled by King Jesus and his Church.
Our allegiance is to Christ alone as King.
“We have no king but Jesus.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
In the past few years, there has been a dazzling display of conflicted allegiance within American Christianity.
We preach a Christ who came to inaugurate a Kingdom that is “not of this world,” and yet we put our hope in politicians and the legal system to bring about the Kingdom of God.
We follow a Christ who expressly forbade his disciples to use violence as a means of furthering his kingdom, and then we applaud or justify those who use violence to bring about their goals.
We follow a Christ who willingly suffered injustice, persecution, and murder yet exclaimed “Father forgive them” from the cross and yet we despise those who wrong us and hold grudges against them.
We claim to follow a Bible which reminds us that we “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12) and yet we treat lost people like they are our enemies and ignore the spiritual forces which hold them in darkness.
Christ suffered all this to make it possible for you to gain a pardon for your sins. We have all served the Kingdom of Satan. Jesus said that if we failed at just one point, committed just one sin, then we become guilty of the entire Law. Why? because the greatest commandment is
English Standard Version Chapter 22
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
English Standard Version Chapter 22
On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
So, if that sums up the entire Law, then breaking any point in that Law means breaking the first commandment. That means that we have shown false allegiance to God and stand condemned as traitors to the throne, worthy of death. Christ died to provide you a pardon for that sin and give you eternal life.
What is your relationship with the truth? Where is your allegiance?