This morning we are back in Luke chapter 23 and the trials of the Lord Jesus Christ here before Pilate. Verse number 14 we read, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. So in this message we are going to pick up where we left off last week. Jesus was arrested in an isolated location, the Garden of Gethsemane on Mount Olivet, in the darkness of night. The darkness was both physical and spiritual as Jesus responded to the temple guards who took him into custody. This is your hour and the power of darkness. John has some details here that's found only in his gospel. And when the officers hear from the priests and the Pharisees approach Jesus with lanterns, torches, and weapons, John adds that Jesus asked them, whom do you seek? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. And he responded, I am. I am. Yahweh. That's the Old Testament name for the Father. I am." And hearing this, the company drew back and fell to the ground. There was a response to this divine announcement. I believe they heard the voice of God and responded accordingly, but that didn't stop them in their mission. So he asked them again, and they repeated, Jesus of Nazareth. So letting the disciples go, the arresting band, and this is also in John. John refers to it as a cohort. Whether it was an actual cohort or not, I do not know. A cohort of 600 soldiers. I doubt if it was 600 soldiers there that evening, but probably a few from a cohort. Here, according to John 18, verses 3 to 8, they bound him and they took him first to Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest Caiaphas. But Annas still had considerable influence. And this we read in John 18, verse 12. And I believe they also interrogated him there illegally. according to John 18 and verse 19. And since it was still dark, they really needed to wait until daylight to begin a formal trial. So what did they do in the remaining hours? As they waited for daylight to approach, we find here that they mocked him, according to Luke chapter 22, verses 63 to 65. They blindfolded him, they hit him, they just mocked him. And while that was going on, they were seeking witnesses. They're referred to as false witnesses. They wanted guys to lie and bring charges against Christ, but the problem is they couldn't get anybody to agree because the scripture says at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the thing be confirmed. Not on the accusation of any one man. I believe that was of God. He didn't allow their lying to agree. And it was also, I really believe at this point then, that Peter denied that he knew the Lord for the third time and the rooster announced the coming dawn. So when the day broke then, they led him to try him officially there at the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. And they convicted him there for blasphemy, for declaring that he was the Messiah Christ, the Son of God, according to Matthew there. He referred, and while they were pressing him for an answer, he refused to answer. But he did declare this in Luke chapter 22, verses 67 to 70. From now on, the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God. And with that they pressed him then. Are you saying here, are you telling us that you are that divine son of God? And Jesus said, yes I am. At that point the high priest ripped his garment and said, what further need have we of witnesses? You've heard it for your own ears. This man has revealed his crime by his own lips, and they found Jesus guilty of blasphemy. So now they could take him to Pilate, the Roman procurator, since they were not allowed to put any man to death. Last week we covered their approach to Pilate. Obviously the Romans here were necessary to their plan. But would the Romans put him to death for blasphemy? I don't think so. So when Pilate demanded the charges against him, they accused him of being a rabble-rouser, refusing to pay taxes to Caesar and calling himself a king, hoping that that would get Pilate's attention. They didn't want Pilate to try Jesus, they just wanted Pilate to carry out the death sentence for them. So they said, we found this man guilty. In other words, we tried him for these crimes and we found him guilty of them, but not one of those crimes was mentioned in their trial at the house of Caiaphas. Only blasphemy against God. which was not a crime for the Romans. They just wanted Pilate to execute him. But Pilate wouldn't cooperate. Pilate said, I'm going to examine him myself. So he took him into the praetorium, to the judgment hall, and asked him, are you the king of the Jews? They're accusing you of being king of the Jews? Are you the king of the Jews? What we need to understand is there was another family that were claiming that title for themselves, the Herods. And Jesus assured him that, yes, I am that king, but he also According to John, Derr made it clear to Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world. And Pilate was satisfied with his innocence and returned then to the porch to declare to the chief priests in the crowd, I find no guilt in this man. That's chapter 23, verse 4. The Jews, however, were not about to let the matter go, so they pressed Pilate further. He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place. And when Pilate heard that, that he was a Galilean, ah, he saw a way out. If Jesus was from Galilee, he could send him over to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. Herod was in Jerusalem for the Passover, so that made it convenient. And he regarded himself as the real king of the Jews. If Jesus claimed to be the king of the Jews and Herod Antipas was the king of the Jews, maybe this could be settled with them. But we read here that And the Jews went along with this idea, even though the law read, they accepted the Herods. But here's an interesting thing. Listen to Deuteronomy 17. This is verses 14 and 15. When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose, one from among your brethren. Or your brothers you shall set over you, as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. Herod was not a Jew, he was an Idumean, and yet he was their king. So at this point here, though, both Herod and the soldiers again mocked Jesus, blindfolding Him, hitting Him, and asking Him to prophesy about who struck Him. But Herod absolved him of all the accusations against him and sent him back to Pilate. He did not respond like his father, Herod the Great, who, when the wise men from the east came to worship the newborn Christ, learning that he was in Bethlehem, This Herod sent soldiers down there to kill all the boys two years old and under. He did not want any competition. That's according to Matthew chapter 2. Antipas, however, the son, did not regard Jesus as any threat to his title. So he sent him back to Pilate. And it was this argument on Jesus' innocence then that cemented, I believe, the friendship between Herod and Pilate, as we see recorded there in Luke 22. So for the third time then Pilate called the Jewish leaders together and announced his verdict. After examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving of death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him. Luke 23, verses 14 to 16. This statement revealed that Pilate was ready to compromise. Had Pilate been a strong leader in the position that he served here for the Roman Empire, He should have simply remained firm in his conviction of Jesus' innocence and released him. Period. But here he has this crowd before him, angry, pressing, demanding. And it was the inclusion here of the people in verse Thirteen, I believe, in the returning crowd, the growing crowd, the people coming, that no doubt entered into his thinking. So this takes us to this, the tragedy of compromise. As judge, Pilate addressed the gathered assembly with clear judicial tones. He's a judge. Jesus was innocent. But the fatal weakness here appears in this final proposition. I will therefore punish and release him. Punish him for what? If the man is innocent, why would you punish him? If he's done nothing wrong, there's nothing to punish. He was innocent. And as the people were gathering, he probably was now seeking to placate them. They wanted him to die. Maybe they would accept a compromise here. Let me just punish him and then release him and I will be satisfied and you will be satisfied. But the Jews who brought Jesus to Pilate argued that he was misleading the people. Now what's interesting here is how Pilate responds to this. The participle here, misleading, that the Jews used, and I think it would be better translated corrupting, as an agitator corrupting the nation, in verse 2, was changed by Pilate to mean as one diverting or turning the people aside. from a right course. Yet Pilate exonerated Jesus from even that charge. He hasn't done anything wrong. The language used here is very clear. There was no doubt. Both he and Herod concluded that Jesus committed no crime worthy of death. Jesus was innocent. Pilate suggested a compromise. He would chastise Jesus, then release him. What would that chastising involve? First of all, Jesus would be stripped, tied over a waist-high railing to expose his back. Generally they tied his hands to his ankles. in that position and then they would use a whip with three strands with bone embedded into the tips of that so that it would tear the flesh and it often tore the flesh so deeply that it exposed vital organs in the side. Those treated in this way suffered greatly often injured for life, some even dying in the process. This is not the way one treats anyone officially found innocent. The fearful inconsistencies of worldly logic and moral matters are astounding. To hope to escape the devil by paying him a half price is the folly of making him certain that you will pay the full price. That is in his book, Interpretation of Luke, on page 1117. Things do not change, and Pilate's error has been multiplied over the years by those who are in power who ought to know better. Coming back here, Matthew also includes the fact that Pilate's wife sent a message to him as he interrogated Jesus for the third time. And she warned him, have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream. Matthew 27, 19. God was warning him. But he, fearing the people, nevertheless sought a compromise. Do not compromise with what is true. Don't compromise the truth. Matthew and Mark also add that there was a custom at the Passover a Jewish prisoner would be released by the Romans as a gesture. Thus Pilate continues his diversion of character and offers to release Barabbas, a true insurrectionist and murderer. Perhaps he thought that in comparison with the horror of Barabbas' character and crimes, the Jews would accept Christ and ask for him to be released. Thus Pilate addressed the increasing crowd, I find no guilt in him, but you have the custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover, so do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews? This release was to illustrate the nation of Israel released from bondage in Egypt the night of the Passover, and that custom dated clear back to the Maccabean era. Luke abbreviates the exchange at this point, not giving any details as to why Barabbas was offered as an exchange. The increasingly agitated crowd, however, continued their shouting, Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas, a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection, started in the city, and for murder, according to verse 18. Again, Pilate pressed for Jesus' release, because he desired to release him. He is pressure on both sides. Perhaps his wife's warning sounded in his mind. Nevertheless, the crowd persisted. Crucify, crucify him! A third time he said to them, Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him. But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And notice, their voices prevailed. You compromise, you're going to come out on the wrong end of the compromise every time. The language of the Greek here is also very revealing. Pilate had fallen from his official position of Roman governor and groveled as a pathetic politician, pleading with the fickle crowd, being stirred by the implacable Jewish leaders. The coward crumbled, and he delivered Jesus over to their will. noting here some clear implications of both the Jews and the Romans in the death of Christ, bringing the judgment of God upon them both. So let us consider, secondly, the fatal result of compromise. Although the salvation of his people was the primary objective of Christ dying on the cross, God also determined to bring judgment on both Israel and Rome for their part in this crime. It was clearly the plan of God, as we read in Acts 2, verse 23, Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you took and crucified. Jesus was also clearly informed the disciples there in Luke 22, verse 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. It's necessary to be fulfilled. He's citing there from Isaiah 53, verse 12. However, those who carried out the plan were wicked men who would suffer the wrath of God for their sinful behavior, including Pilate. By the way, Pilate was soon after disgraced by the Caesars. And Herod himself was sent into exile for life. The issue here is that both the Romans and the Israelites would suffer as did the Babylonians who was used of God to punish Israel. And yet God turned around and the Babylonians also suffered for doing so. God often uses wicked people to carry out His purposes and then punishes them for carrying them out. This is a plan, a mystery of God. Peter's message at Pentecost is very revealing here. He began his message by citing Joel chapter 2. And Joel chapter 2 reads, and I'm quoting it here from Peter's message in Acts 2. It says, In the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. So here's the first thing that the death of Christ accomplished was the salvation of his people and the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit upon them. In those days, he says, I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy, which explains what was happening there at Pentecost. But this is also followed by these words, and I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. That's judgment. So on the one hand is the salvation of God, on the other hand is the judgment of the evil. In other words, the same event that brought salvation and permanent and dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit upon the people of God also brought judgment upon the wicked, and this was the case in A.D. 70 and eventually in Rome A.D. 476. There's 400 years here, but that 400 years was awful. It was an awful time. Jesus spoke to the disciples about this judgment in his Olivet Discourse. Joel clearly linked the outpouring of the Spirit on Christ's own with wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below, which is judgment, blood, fire, and vapor of smoke. Jesus also referred to judgment, for those are days of violence to fulfill all that is written. For there will be great distress upon the earth, wrath against this people, And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. That's verses 23 and 24. That happened in 70 AD. Now again, hear what Jesus said as prophesied in Joel chapter 2. There will be signs in the sun and the moon and on earth, distress of nations and perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of heaven will be shaken, and then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. These are the very words that Jesus also used to the Sanhedrin. When the high priest asked him, I adjure you by the living God, tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God? And Jesus said, you have said so, but I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power coming on the clouds of heaven. Matthew 26, 63 and 64. You see, they fit together perfectly. Then Jesus concluded by saying, Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up, raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. And it's interesting that Joel concludes his prophecy with these words in Acts chapter 2 verse 21, And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. The same event that brought judgment to the wicked was used of God to bring salvation and deliverance to his people. It is also interesting here that the right hand of God, and this is what it means here when it says Jesus, was to be seated at the right hand of God. The right hand of God both destroys the enemy and saves the righteous. That's what the scripture declares. Look at Exodus chapter 15 verse 6. Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. Glorious in power shatters the enemy. Psalm 74 verses 11 and 12 we read. In the Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them. Let God, my King, yet, excuse me, God, my King, is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Here's another, Psalm 80, verses 14 to 18. Look down from heaven and sea and have regard for this vine, that is Israel, the stalk that your right hand planted, and for the Son, whom you made strong for yourself, that's Jesus, they have burned it with fire, that's the Romans in 80-70. They've cut it down May they perish at the rebuke of your face. Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, that's Jesus. Then we shall not turn back from you. Give us life and we will call upon your name. Those whom Jesus saves will be turned back and given life. Indeed, Jesus was seated at Yahweh's right hand. According to Psalm 110, verses 1, 5, and 6, the Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. The Lord is at your right hand. He will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, This is in Psalm 45 verse 1. Jesus is the Cyrus of God. And where we read there, Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him. Thus we are admonished, in Colossians 3 verses 1 and 2, If you then have been raised with Christ, Seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Why? And here we read in Hebrews 8 and verse 1, now the point And what we are saying is this, we have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven. Salvation. So we are then admonished in Hebrews 12, 2, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12. So let me close here by making this connection from Daniel chapter 2. Remember Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. Got all of his soothsayers and fortune tellers and dream interpreters and everybody together. And he said, tell me the dream and tell me what it was about. And they said, we don't know. He's going to put them all to death. And then here comes Daniel. Daniel says I'm I'm I know the Lord and the Lord's one who interprets the dreams. So here's here's the interpretation and He told him the head of this image So he had this dream of this great image like a man big man standing with head and feet and everything He said the head of this image is a fine gold. That was the Babylonian Empire its chest and arms of silver, not quite the same quality, but that's the Medo-Persian Empire that followed them. And then we have the middle part and thighs of bronze, less quality than the chest, that was the Grecian Empire. And then its legs of iron, that's the Roman Empire. And then it was terminated there at the feet of partly clay and partly iron. Partly iron and partly clay. The iron in the feet is also the Roman Empire. So who is the clay? The Jews. Why? Because they were united against Jesus and His salvation. And what do we read here? The feet here, I believe, represent the period of the Roman domination of Israel, particularly the time of the rule of the Edomaean Herods, kings of the Jews, during Jesus' time on earth as the God-man. So Daniel then continued, as you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand. I believe that's a reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter interprets it, I believe in 1 Peter 2, verses 4 to 8. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God chosen and precious. The stone that the builders rejected. One of the charges they brought against Jesus was he said he would destroy the temple in three days and build it again. Which he did in John chapter 2. He is the stone the builders rejected. which then becomes the stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. And then Peter concluded, they stumbled because they disobeyed the word as they were destined to. God made it clear. They rejected it. But on the other hand, Peter said, you are a chosen race. So now returning to Daniel, Listen to it. And the stone cut out without human hand struck the image on its feet. The feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold all together were broken in pieces and they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. That's the kingdom of God. I know that because verse 44 plainly tells us this. And in the days of those kings, Rome and Israel, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. And it shall break all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever the kingdom of God. That kingdom through the gospel is right now filling the whole earth. Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing? We'll close it there. We ask your grace in our understanding. Here we see a Roman official, and we see one representing the Jews as king of the Jews, agreeing together that Jesus was innocent of any crime that had been leveled against him. And yet they compromised with the Jews and the people who were infuriated against Jesus and wanted him dead. But that was your plan so that Jesus' blood could be poured out for the salvation of your people. And yet at the same time, Lord, you determined that Jesus would be seated at your right hand and then all of your enemies would then be brought to justice. Father, your Word is just amazing. And as we read back there in Daniel, this stone cut out of the mountains without hands, our Savior. They put him to death, but he rose again on the third day. And then that stone destroyed his enemies and continues to do so until he comes again. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Father, until then, help us to be faithful. Help us to trust you, help us to look to you, and to know that all around us, as the enemy rages, your judgment is continuing to come. And one day, the great Babylonian harlot will fall in a single day. We're looking forward to that day and we praise you for it in Jesus' name.