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If you turn back to that portion
that we have been reading there, Matthew chapter 27, you've probably
picked the text already that we want to consider. Verse 22,
these words of Pilate, what shall I do then with Jesus which is
called Christ? What shall I do then with Jesus
that which is called Christ? We're going to bow together in
prayer and ask the Lord for his help for a moment. Our Heavenly
Father, we thank Thee for the opportunity to sing Thy praises
and to rejoice in Thee. We thank Thee that the people
of God can give a testimony to what Thou hast wrought in our
lives for Thy mighty saving power. And Lord, Thou art a great Saviour.
And we thank Thee for the love of God towards fallen humanity,
that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.
And Lord, we think of the words of that hymn that expressed that
God loved the world of sinners lost and ruined by the fall,
salvation full at highest cost. He offers free to all. And Lord,
we pray tonight that thou will bless thy word. And as we come
and consider it here in this place, may we know the Lord speaking
tonight to our hearts. And oh, may we know Christ. May
we be able to testify and say that. that he's not a stranger
to us. It's not just something that
we've only heard with the hearing of the ear. But may we be able
to testify that we know him and he knows us, for he has washed
us in his precious blood. So hear us, we pray tonight,
and grant us thy blessing now. Give help in the preaching, I
ask in Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Amen. We want to think
about this question. that Pilot asked this evening.
Now questions are an unavoidable aspect of everyday life. There's hardly a day goes by.
There's not a day goes by, but at some stage or other during
the course of the day, maybe even multiple times, we will
ask a question of one sort or another. By asking a question,
well, we can acquire knowledge of something that we don't know
anything about. We can ascertain whether something has been done.
If we have asked somebody to do it or give instructions for
something to be done and we want to know, well, has it been done?
Well, you can ask the question and find out. You can obtain
counsel and advice by asking questions. Sometimes the asking
of a question reveals uncertainty. maybe even confusion about some
matter that somebody's not sure about, and they're asking questions
because they want to know more, and they're not aware of just
what all the details are, and they're asking questions to find
out more information. Asking a question can also suggest
indecision, maybe even uncertainty in somebody's mind about a particular
thing. They're not clear about something,
not sure about something, and they're wanting to know more
about it. Well the question that is before us here in this text
of scripture this evening actually falls into a somewhat different
category. Because the question that is
here in this verse of scripture is one that reveals a conflict
in Pilate's heart. And the conflict that's in Pilate's
heart at this particular moment is a conflict between doing what's
right and doing what's wrong. That's what is being betrayed
here. That's what is being revealed and opened up to us when Pilate
utters these words. The Jewish leaders are there.
The crowd is there. The people are gathered there.
They're all within that gathering, and they're observing Pilate.
If you go back up the chapter a little bit there, it tells
us that Pilate is sitting upon his judgment seat, and they're
all waiting there. and looking for him to give his
judgment upon the situation that is before him, and he asks this
question, what am I going to do? What shall I then do with
Jesus, which is called Christ? And Pilate is revealing to us
that there is a conflict that is raging in his heart at that
very moment between doing what he knows he ought to do and doing
something that he ought not to do. Pilate knows that he ought
to release Jesus Christ. He has conversed with the Lord
Jesus. He has heard what the people have had to say. He has
heard what the Jewish leaders have had to say. He himself has
spoken personally with the Lord Jesus Christ and he knows that
he should release Jesus Christ. There should be no, not for a
moment should he entertain the idea that Jesus Christ should
be crucified. Not for a moment should Pilate
entertain the idea that he should go along with the people and
go along with the Jewish leaders and give them what they want.
And they want Christ to be crucified. You see, Pilate's conflict of
heart comes from a desire to please the people. That's why
he's having this conflict. That's why he's asking this question. In modern words and modern metaphor,
Pilate's worried about his opinion poll ratings. He doesn't want
to look bad in the eyes of the people. He wants to ingrain himself
into their affections and he wants their support and here
he is putting out this question, hoping that somebody else will
answer the question for him, hoping that somehow there will
be an answer and there will be a means of getting away from
addressing the question. But there is no getting away
from this question. There's no getting away from
this question for Pilate. There's no getting away from
this question for any of us who are here tonight. Every one of
us, every single individual in the world who hears of Jesus
Christ has to answer this question, whether they want to or whether
they don't. They have to answer this question. At some stage,
what are they going to do with Jesus Christ? Because Jesus Christ
makes certain claims. And it's because of those claims
that he makes upon the heart of an individual that there is
this question that is found in the Word of God and it is applicable
to each and every one of us, not just to Pilate. It's not
something that can be read and just passed over and set aside
and it doesn't matter, it doesn't apply to anybody else. Sure,
that was only Pilate and the condition and the situation that
he found himself in. Every single individual has to
answer this question. What are you and what am I going
to do with Jesus Christ? Because Jesus Christ makes certain
claims. Claims that demand a response
from every one of us. He sets himself forth as the
saviour of sinners. He sets himself forth as the
one who is to be believed and who is to be trusted. He is the
one who not only invites sinners in the gospel to come to him,
but he is the one who commands sinners in the gospel to come
to him. The gospel is both. The gospel
is preached and it's an invitation. And oftentimes we might frame
even preaching in that, maybe even hymns that are sung in that
regard, that the gospel is an invitation. And so it is. There's
that invitation that goes out to sinners to come, come to Christ. But the gospel is also a command.
Sinners are commanded to believe the gospel. Sinners are commanded
to repent and come to Christ. And because of the claims that
Jesus Christ makes upon an individual, therefore this question is applicable
to each and every individual. And each and every individual
has to answer this question, what am I going to do with Jesus
Christ? Pilate is facing up to that question. And I want us to think about
that question tonight for a little moment or two, and challenge
each one here tonight. You'll have to answer the question
tonight. There you leave this meeting. You have to answer the
question. You will answer the question. You might not answer
the question outwardly and openly, and then others will hear what
you have to say, but nevertheless, you will answer the question.
In your heart of hearts, you will answer the question. You
will make it obvious to the Lord, if not to others who are beside
you, or around about you, or walking out the door next to
you. They might not be aware as to
what the answer is in your heart, but the Lord will know, because
He sees our thoughts. He knows the very thoughts that
we think, and He will know what the answer is. is that we will
give to this question. What will you and I do with Jesus
Christ? What will you and I do with the
claims of Jesus Christ? He claims to be the saviour of
sinners. He exhorts you to come. He commands
you to come and repent and believe the gospel and get right with
God. because the natural heart is not right with God and it
needs to get right with God. It's like that man Simon that
Peter spoke to in Acts 8 when Peter said to him, thy heart
is not right in the sight of God. And that is how it is with
every individual by nature. Our hearts are not right with
God and they need to be right with God. And there are claims
that Christ makes upon every single individual. So what will
we do with Christ? Well, I want you to consider
here Pilate and his facing up to this question. I want you
first of all to consider the dilemma that Pilate faced. The dilemma that Pilate faced,
because Pilate here has the Lord Jesus Christ standing before
him. Pilate there, verse 19, tells
us that when he was set down on the judgment seat, Pilate
is there to pass judgment. He's the Roman governor. He's
the final authority in the Roman province of Judea. The Jewish
leaders are there. The people are there. They have
been influenced by the Jewish leaders. And we know what they're
calling for in verse 20. It tells us that they have persuaded
the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy
Jesus. It's Pilate who's going to have
to make the decision. Pilate is going to have to face
up to the situation that he finds himself in. Pilate is at the
crossroads. He's at the crossroads. That's
evident from what he's saying here and how he responds in verse
23, because having uttered this question and the old cry there
at the end of verse 22, let him be crucified, the governor then,
verse 23, the governor said, why, what evil hath he done?
But they cried out the more. let him be crucified. So if Pilate
is facing a dilemma he thinks that he can excuse himself from
making a decision because we've read there from where we started
reading and elsewhere as well as mentioned
but there's sufficient recorded there for us to understand the
ploy that that Pilate is seeking to bring in here back in verse
16 because it mentions this notable prisoner called Barabbas And
Pilate is working a move here, and he's thinking, well, if he
can set before the Jews a choice of Jesus Christ or the worst
sinner that there is incarcerated at that moment under Roman authority,
if he presents these two individuals before the people, he thinks,
sure, they're going to choose Jesus of Nazareth. They'll not
want to side with the man who is notorious. He was a murderer.
He was on charges of insurrection, the scripture tells us. And Pilate
thinks that he can get out from facing up to this matter and
doing what is right and doing what he ought to do. And he thinks,
I'll give them this choice. They can have Barabbas or they
can have Christ. And little did he think that
they were going to say, we'll take Barabbas. We'll take Barabbas. So Pilate's dilemma cannot be
escaped from. And neither can you and I escape
from answering this question. Many attempt, many try to make
excuses, just as Pilate did. There's no escape from it. And
that's Pilate's problem. There is no escape. He in many
ways is boxed into the corner. He cannot get away from this
matter He's going to have to face up to this matter. What
is he going to do with Jesus Christ? He is sitting on the
judgment seat that tells us there. We're told that in verse 19 He
is going to have to make the decision with regards to what's
going to happen Who's going to be released who's going to be
crucified and nothing that he does no Ploy that he brings in
will ever excuse him and be able to exempt him from making this
decision Pilate is coming face to face with that reality. He's
going to have to decide for himself, what am I going to do with Jesus
Christ? And you and I cannot escape the
same dilemma. We have to decide, what are we
going to do with Jesus Christ? You see, this is, what we do
with Jesus Christ is a pivotal question, because it settles
our eternal destiny. It determines whether we're going
to heaven or going to hell. That's how serious it is. There's
no more important matter than in all the world than this. No
more important question that we could ever address than this.
This question is pivotal. It will determine what direction
in life we take. We're either going to be on the
narrow way that's leading upward to heaven or we're going to be
on the broad road that's leading down to eternal destruction.
What we do with Christ is going to determine. our eternal destiny. Pilate said, what shall I do?
It's personal. It's personal. Each one of us
must face up to this personally, individually. We can say it's
a pressing question because time is short. Life is uncertain. Death is sure. We can't presume
upon tomorrow. There's no guarantee of another
day. Therefore, it's a question that needs to be answered here
and now. It's not something to be postponed on to another time. Because of the seriousness of
it, it is something that we must address this evening. Pilate
stood at the crossroads, and so do each one of us. What are
we going to do with Jesus Christ? I want you secondly to consider
Pilate's decision. Pilate's decision, because he
had to make the decision and he did. He did. When he saw that
his ploy would not work in offering them Barabbas, the worst criminal
that there was, as I say, incarcerated under Roman authority at that
time in Jerusalem, the people aren't going to buy that. They're
not going to fall for Pilate's ploy. He has to make his decision
and he did. He did make his choice. But I
want you to consider for a little moment tonight the conflict that
raged in his heart as he makes this decision. You see, the Word
of God reveals to us something. the conflict that went on in
the heart and mind and soul of Pilate. The Bible reveals something
of that conflict that went on in the heart and soul and mind
of Pilate as he is facing up to this decision. Now what's he going to do with
Jesus Christ? The Word of God set some of this before us, so
the fact that the Word of God records this about Pilate, surely
it's there for us to notice. You see Pilate is being pulled
both ways. There's that which is drawing
him to release Jesus Christ. we started out saying Pilate
knows what he ought to do he knows that he ought to release
Christ and there's that which draws him towards that conclusion
and then on the other side there's that which is drawing him away
and would have him to decide against Christ. that he'd release
Barabbas instead and condemn Jesus Christ to be crucified. And the Word of God reveals that
to us when you think about what's here in Matthew chapter 27 and
also in the other Gospels as well. You find that conflict. The Lord is opening up in his
Word and giving us a little insight into the thinking in Pharaoh's
heart. Here is a man And he's facing
this decision. He's facing this question. What
am I going to do with Jesus Christ? Because in uttering the question,
he's actually revealing his thoughts. This is what's going on in his
mind. And sometimes, what has been thought of does find expression
in words. Many times, things that are thought
of never get as far as our lips at all and our tongue and never
find expression in words. But sometimes people, speak out
what they're thinking. And that's really what Pilate
is doing. Pilate is speaking out here what he's thinking at
this moment. And in his mind he's facing this decision. What
am I going to do? What am I going to do with Jesus
Christ? And the Bible indicates to us that he's drawn one way.
There's that which pulls him the other way. You see, think
for a moment of that which was drawing him. and directing him
to decide for Jesus Christ. There's two things that are mentioned
in the gospel accounts. There's first of all the witness
of his own conscience. Verse 18, look at verse 18 there.
It says, for he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
That's Pilate's conclusion. Pilate has concluded the reason
why they want Christ to be crucified is out of envy. It's not out
of justice. It's not out of doing what's
right. It's pure envy, pure spite against the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pilate has come to that conclusion. He has said, without turning
up the references, Luke 23 verse 4, John 19 verses 4 and 5, in
those places, Pilate says that he has found no fault in Christ.
I find no fault in this man. That's what he had said on more
than one occasion. So Pilate knows in his own conscience
what he ought to do. He has conversed with Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus has spoken to him. The scripture tells us further
on over in Timothy that the Lord Jesus witnessed a good confession
before Pontius Pilate. The Lord spoke to him. The Lord
spoke to him about the gospel. The Lord spoke to him about his
need. Pilate knows in his own conscience what he ought to do.
And he is drawn towards that by his own conscience. He ought
to release Christ. He ought to do what's right with
regards to the Lord Jesus. There's also the intervention
of his closest companion. Verse 19 tells us that as he
sat down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him a message. And this was remarkable that
his wife would intervene in the administration of Roman justice.
It was totally out of the ordinary. It was not the common custom
at all that she would do this or any individual would think
of ever intervening in this fashion. But this woman is so exercised
by this matter and what she knows and what she has been taught
about Jesus Christ that she sends a message to Pilate and she tells
him there in that verse, have thou nothing to do with that
just man. For I have suffered many things
this day in a dream because of him. So there's the witness of
his closest companion. And his wife is telling him,
don't you do anything to wrong Jesus Christ. He's a just man. And maybe there's somebody here
tonight and there's that which draws you towards Christ. There's
that which tells you you ought to come to know him. You ought
to get right with God. You ought to yield to the claims
of Jesus Christ and the claims of the gospel. Is there that
prick of your conscience this very moment by the Spirit of
God? That he would prick your conscience
and tell you this is what you ought to do? That striving of
the Holy Spirit within that teaches us and shows us what we ought
to do with Jesus Christ? That we ought to yield to him
and to the claims of the gospel? What about somebody close to
us? Maybe the closest companion we have in life. spouse or somebody
else, somebody witness to us, somebody speak to us. Maybe those
that are saved tonight could testify. Yes, somebody spoke
to me. We heard that in the testimony. And I'm sure every Christian
could say that in some regard. Somebody spoke to us. Somebody
witnessed to us. Somebody challenged us about
the things of God and our need of Jesus Christ and coming to
know him. Has there somebody challenged
you about coming to Christ? Is there that which draws you
to Christ? To decide for Him? There was with Pilate. And then,
on the other hand, there's that which was drawing Pilate away
from Christ. Listen to the clamour of the
crowd. We have a little insight there to it in verse 22, just
immediately after the question is uttered by Pilate, the people
give the answer, let him be crucified. And then Pilate asks again in
verse 23, why, what evil have they done? But they cried out
even more, it says, let him be crucified. So here's the call
of the crowd, here's the call of the world to Pilate, crucify
him, decide against Christ, don't release him. Don't do what's
right with regards to Jesus Christ. No, crucify him. Give your word
that he can be crucified. Or doesn't the world call many's
a sinner? How many an individual fears
the crowd, fears their companions, fears the world, fears the scorn
or the mockery of the world. Pilate's gripped by the fear
of man. And the Bible says the fear of man bringeth a snare.
And the crowd is baying for the blood of Christ, the death of
Christ. Pilate is listening to the crowd. Pilate wants to be popular. Pilate
doesn't want to go against the crowd. He doesn't want to side
with Christ and have the crowd oppose him, turn against him.
And there's many like that. They don't come to Christ because
of the fear of man, because of the ridicule of the world, the
mockery of the world. There's something that draws
them away from Christ, keeps them from coming to Christ. There's
also the call of his career. You turn over, let me read to
you John 19, and verse 12, because we find a little bit more there,
detail filled in on this particular matter. And in John chapter 19,
and, In verse 12 it says, From thenceforth
Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out, saying,
If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend. Whosoever
maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. What was the
crowd trying to do? They were trying to put pressure
on Pilate. The pressure of his career. Pilate, you're only the
governor because Caesar has given you this position. And just as
Caesar has given you this position, he can take it from you. And
if we tell that you're going to release a man who claims to
be a king, you'll not be too long in your post. You'll not
be too long in your job. And there's the crowd, they're
crying out, certainly crucify Christ, crucify Christ, but then
they're saying to Pilate, if you let him go, you're no friend
of Caesar, and you depend for your job on Caesar. So Pilate's
going to make his choice. He's going to make his decision.
His conscience is speaking to him, his wife, his closest companion
is speaking to him. On the other side, the crowd
are calling upon him what to do, and they're telling him,
Caesar will not be pleased if you side with Christ and release
him. Well, look at verse 24 where we were reading Matthew 27 and
verse 24, right at the end, the last four words of that verse,
it says, here's Pilate's decision. See you to it. See you to it. Pilate made his decision. He
listened to the crowd. He feared man. He listened to
the call of his career and he thought, I have too much to lose. I'm going to decide against Christ.
And there's many as an individual does the very same. They decide
against Christ because of the world, because of what they think
they might lose. And the devil comes and whispers
in their ear, oh, you'll lose this and you'll have these friends
to lose and you'll lose this and it'll impact your job or
whatever. Pilate listened and he made his
decision. See you to it. Don't make the
same decision that Pilate made. Because that brings us on very
quickly to notice Pilate's doom. Pilate's doom. Because his decision
that he made led to his doom. He tried to excuse what he had
done again. We've noticed how he tried to bring in that ploy
of offering the choice between Christ or Barabbas, the worst
criminal there was in prison at that particular time. Well,
here he's trying again, another maneuver. He's infamous for this,
which he did there in verse 24. He calls for the basin of water,
and he tries to wash away the guilt of what he has done. No
sooner has he made this choice in his heart because he hasn't
uttered it yet to the people but he's already made the choice
in his heart no sooner has he made the choice in his heart
and he begins to feel the guilt of it his heart is smitten his
conscience is smitten he knows he's guilty he knows he has done
wrong and he tries to wash away the guilt of it and as i say
he's infamous for that action of washing his hands trying to
wash away the guilt there's no washing away the guilt When somebody
decides against Jesus Christ, there's no way of escaping the
consequences. Pilate's decision sealed his
eternal destiny. We said a moment ago that this
question was pivotal. It settles our eternal destiny. Pilate is settling his eternal
destiny, and it's destiny for despair. It's not for heaven. It's not for the delights of
that home above. He's settling for despair. Eternal ruin is
going to be Pilate's portion. All because of what he did with
Jesus Christ. See ye to it. And as he uttered
those words, he sealed his destiny. And what we do with Jesus Christ
tonight will seal our destiny. How we answer this question will determine our eternal destiny. If you choose Christ, if you
come to Christ, if you yield to his claims, your soul will
be saved. You'll be forgiven. You'll be
on your way to heaven. But if you reject Christ, you
could seal your eternal destiny for despair, for hell, by rejecting
Christ. Oh, come to him. Come to him. May you do so even tonight. Let's
just bow together in prayer
What Shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?
Series Rathcoole Gospel Mission
| Sermon ID | 511191243165254 |
| Duration | 28:16 |
| Date | |
| Category | Special Meeting |
| Bible Text | Matthew 27:22 |
| Language | English |
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