Sermon outline and notes: Dr. Stephen Felker, Pastor Swift Creek Baptist Church.com, 18510 Branders Bridge Rd., Colonial Heights, VA 23834 4/6/2014 Luke 23:13-25 Jesus before Pilate & the Mob Intro. Pilate has gone down in history as the man who signed the death warrant that condemned the most innocent man to death by crucifixion. It s not a decision that he wanted to make. In fact, he did everything he could to avoid it. Pilate is also the one who asked one of the great questions of life, What shall I do then with Jesus who is called the Christ? (Matt. 27:22). Asked 2,000 years ago by this man Pontius Pilate, it is the great, ultimate question of life. It is the question that every one of you will answer sooner or later. It is the question of destiny. Answer this question right, and everything else will ultimately be right. Answer this question wrong, and ultimately everything else will be wrong. Now, there s really only two things you can do with Jesus. You can accept Him or reject Him. You can confess Him or deny Him. There is no middle ground. Jesus said in Luke 11:23, He who is not with Me is against Me. What have you done with Jesus? I hope you have already decided to invite Him into your heart and surrender your life to Him as Savior and Lord of your life. But if not, I hope that the message today will help you make the right choice, as we examine the choices made by Pilate and the mob, at the last phase of the trial of Jesus. Furthermore, near the conclusion of the service we will observe the Lord s Supper together. We will prepare for that memorial supper by remembering the suffering that Jesus endured on our behalf, including His suffering before Pilate and the mob. Think of what it was like to hear the crowd cry out, Crucify Him! Now I want to remind you of the context. In my last message we talked about the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, and the first part of his trial before Pilate. At each trial several accusations were made against Jesus. Were His accusers right? Was Jesus worthy of death? You need to decide for yourself. So I want to present to you first of all: I. THE INNOCENCE OF JESUS DECLARED Of the 4 Gospel writers who reported the trial of Jesus, Luke seems to make the greatest effort to point out the innocence of Jesus. And as you think about what you shall do with Jesus, I want to show you that no one should reject Him because He was condemned to death. We are going to see that He was actually innocent of all charges against Him. So first of all, His innocence was declared: A. By Pilate - Luke reports 3 of the times that Pilate declared Jesus innocent. We read in v.4, So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, I find no fault in this Man. In v.14 Pilate says, You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him. Once again Pilate says in v.22, Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. Actually, as you compare John s account (John 18:38; 19:6), you will discover that on no less than five occasions Pilate publicly declared Christ s innocence! He was not guilty of the charges against Him.
B. By Herod In v.15 Pilate says, no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. Herod examined Jesus, but would not condemn Him of any of the charges. He just sent Jesus & his accusers back to Pilate. C. By Jesus Himself - One time Jesus stood and asked this question, Who convicts me of sin? (John 8:46). Is there anybody else on this earth who could ask that question and be unchallenged? We wouldn t dare do that. But Jesus could do that because He was the Sinless One. He was the absolutely innocent, sinless Son of God. D. By the Apostles - There is abundant testimony to the innocence of Jesus. The author of Hebrews [4:15] says Jesus was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. The apostle Paul wrote that Jesus knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21). The apostle Peter affirmed that He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth (1 Pet. 2:22). The apostle John also affirmed in 1 John 3:5, in Him there is no sin. Peter & John knew Jesus first-hand. They spent three years with Him day in and day out. Their testimony is especially important. Furthermore, the sinlessness of Jesus is affirmed: E. By God the Father - At the baptism of Jesus God spoke from heaven saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mt. 3:17). The same was said at the Transfiguration (2 Pet. 1:17). Would God be well pleased with a sinner? 1 Then perhaps the greatest statement from God the Father was made on that first Easter morning. Even though Jesus was condemned to death by men, Romans 1:4 says He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. What do you think of Jesus? What is your judgment of Jesus? It is the collective opinion of the history of the world that Jesus Christ was not only not guilty of the charges against Him, but that He was an innocent man. Jesus Christ was without fault. Now I want to make it clear today that it is not enough for you to affirm that Jesus was innocent of the charges against Him. It s not enough for you to affirm that Jesus was a good man. I think Pilate was impressed with Jesus. He admired His calm courage. Yet Jesus Christ does not simply want your admiration. Jesus demands your surrender. When you come to Jesus, Mister, you don t tip the hat, you bow the knee. But though that is true, it is important that you recognize the innocence of Jesus. Jesus was not crucified because He was a criminal, or had done anything wrong. So we see the innocence of Jesus. But in spite of the fact that Pilate affirmed the innocence of Jesus, we see a problem. Luke tells us about: II. THE INDECISIVENESS OF PILATE Though Pilate knew Jesus was not guilty, he was still very indecisive in regard to Jesus. He did everything he could to avoid making a decision. Let me review quickly from our last message the 3 attempts he made to avoid a decision that Luke records for us: A. He Deferred to Herod We read about that in vv. 6-11. When Pontius Pilate heard that Jesus was from Galilee, it was music to his ears. He thought he was going to get off the 1 To no one else in Scripture it is stated that God was well pleased (eudokeo).
hook now. He would just evade the whole issue by referring the matter to Herod, who was over the district of Galilee. I have a feeling he congratulated himself on what a shrewd move that was and how he got rid of Jesus in a hurry and didn t have to make a controversial decision. But before he knows it, here they are knocking on his door again. Herod sent Jesus right back. His strategy boomerangs on him. So Pilate has Jesus back, and once again he s indecisive. He won t acquit, and he won t pronounce Him guilty of death. So next: B. He Offered a Compromise Pilate says in v.16, I will therefore chastise 2 Him and release Him. He repeated this offer in the last of v.22. You see, Pilate said he found no fault in Jesus, but His accusers said He was worthy of death. So Pilate presented a compromise between the two positions. As a result, Jesus was whipped 39 times by a big Roman soldier. It was not just a leather whip. They put small pieces of metal or bone at the tips of the whip. What suffering Jesus endured with each lash! What agony! Yet Jesus bore it all for you and me. Isaiah 53:5 says, But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Yet what is terribly wrong with what Pilate suggests here? Surely Jesus deserved no punishment at all, not even mild punishment. To chastise Him and let Him go is compromise. Compromise is a big part of politics. But often compromise is a big step away from truth and justice, and what is right. Don t try to get by with compromise when it comes to your relationship with Jesus. Some will try that, you know. Instead of giving their life to Jesus as Lord and Savior, they will just join the church and be baptized. They might even put money in the offering plate. They may give up a sinful habit. Friend, don t be like Pilate. Don t try to compromise when it comes to Jesus! He demands a complete surrender, and a true faith commitment. Yet that didn t work. He was still faced with a decision. So he thought of another way out: C. He Offered the Crowd a Choice A new opportunity for the solution of Pilate s problem now seemed to present itself. We read in v.17, for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast. Luke abbreviates this part greatly, and we must rely upon the other Gospels to fill in more of the details. Pilate remembered that it was his custom to release one prisoner to the people. It was a gesture since the Passover was a celebration of the Jewish people s release from Egyptian bondage. So Pilate was going to take that opportunity to release Jesus to them. But that did not get him off the hook. Some from the crowd took the initiative to call out for the release of a different prisoner, Barabbas. We read in v.18, they all cried out at once, saying, Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas. 3 In v.19 Luke explains the kind of character they called for. Luke reported that he had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder. He may have been a leader of the Jewish Zealots, who at that time was working for the overthrow of Rome. In v.20 we see that Pilate took up the call from some in the crowd, and presented the choice between Jesus and Barabbas. He thought this would get him off the hook. Surely, they 2 The word used in the original, and here rendered chastise (paideuo) can mean scourge. 3 The release of a prisoner as the result of a shouted request of the populace was not unknown in the Roman world of that day, as a papyrus document has shown.
will choose to have Jesus released. Why, even the leaders cannot with any consistency ask for the release of a violent, murderous insurrectionist, since just a little while ago they were accusing Jesus of insurrection! No one even accused Him of murder. And as for the crowd, surely they will vote for Jesus. It seems likely that Pilate had heard of the popularity of Jesus with the people. He probably received word of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem just a few days prior to this. Surely they will choose Jesus! What are you like when it comes to making a decision? So many people are indecisive. When a group wants to eat out, somebody has to make a decision! Life is full of decisions: Where will you go to college? What will be your major, & your life s vocation? Who are you going to marry? The most important decision has to do with Jesus? Will you believe in Him? Will you commit your life to Him? To be indecisive about Jesus Christ is a dangerous thing. Your very life depends on making the right decision. Friend, you can t evade what you are going to do with Jesus. You can t put it off on someone else. You have to make a decision. What you do with Jesus is not only the ultimate issue of life; it is the unavoidable issue of life. There are some decisions you have to make for yourself. The time will come when you will have to die and face God for yourself. Mother can t do it; Daddy can t do it; sister can t do it; brother can t do it; husband do it; wife can t do it; you ll have to die your own death, and face God for yourself. The decision about what you do with Jesus cannot be evaded. You must face the issue yourself. So Pilate was hoping that the crowd would make the decision for him. He was still hoping to avoid making a decision about Jesus. But as we continue into our story today, we see next: III. THE INSISTENCE OF THE CROWD Pilate is going to get the shock of his life. They refused to be satisfied with chastisement that Jesus had received. By this time the people have become fully aware of the fact that if they but persist in their demand, they can bend and break obstinate Pilate. Notice with me first: A. Their Choice of Barabbas Luke reports in v.18, And they all cried out at once, saying, Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas. " Matthew (27:21) & John (18:40) also make it clear that the anti-roman Jews chose Barabbas, a crusader against Rome. B. Their Cry Against Jesus Notice what they cry out first in v.18, Away with this Man. The mob illustrates too many people today. They want to get rid of Jesus from their everyday life. They avoid Jesus. They do not go to a church where they will be confronted with the claims of Jesus Christ upon their lives. Many in government want to eliminate Jesus from any public prayers, & they have just about succeeded. Then in v.21 they cry out, Crucify Him, crucify Him! Over and over again these terrible words were being yelled until they became a monotonous refrain, an eerie, ominous chant. The crowd was becoming a riotous mob, an emotion-charged, screaming rabble. This mob is bloodthirsty. They are crying for blood. In fact, look at v.23, But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. Why are they so worked up? Both Matthew (27:20) & Mark (15:11) tells us that this mob that is crying for the crucifixion of Jesus has been incited by the chief priests & the elders
who had been working the crowd. That s not anything new. We still see the same thing today. You see political rallies that are carefully orchestrated. They don t just accidentally happen. The political leaders try to manipulate opinions. Why did the majority of the crowd make such a choice to choose Barabbas, a murderer, & condemn Jesus? The leaders wanted to get rid of Jesus because of envy, and because He was a threat to their position as leaders. But why did many in the crowd make this choice? I believe the main reason was this: Their expectations about Jesus Were unfulfilled. The triumphal entry had not turned out the way many of the Jews had hoped. They wanted a political Messiah, a Strong Man who would deliver them from the Roman bondage, not one who was meek and lowly. Listen, you must accept the Savior that God has provided, and not the kind of Savior that you want. IV. THE INJUSTICE OF PILATE Pilate was a politician. Don t ever think that the politicians aren t interested in what people think. So ignoring the plea of his wife (Matthew 27:19) and the clamoring of his own conscience, he finally yielded to the pressure of public opinion. He wanted to get along with the crowd. He was a member of the cult of conformity. In his mind, why should he care about one man when he could please hundreds or thousands, and stay in good with the leadership of Rome & the Jewish nation? So the pronouncement was finally given, made by a judge who again and again had declared that Jesus was innocent. That was the most shocking travesty of justice history has ever recorded. In this situation Pilate was a weak, vacillating, fearful man. So he finally yielded. Weak kneed Pilate finally surrendered. Notice what he did: A. He Released a Murderer Luke reports in v.25, And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison. In order to make this injustice stand out all the more glaringly, the evangelist here highlights the contrast between the release of the rebel and murderer, and the sentence of death pronounced upon the Savior. Do you see the terrible injustice here? B. He Released Jesus to their Unjust Demands Luke says in v.24, So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. Then in the last of v.25 he says, but he delivered Jesus to their will. Instead of releasing Jesus from prison & death, he delivered Him to their will, which meant death by crucifixion. The book of Matthew says, When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person (Mt. 27:24). His conscience was piercing him with conviction. So he gets a big basin of water, puts his hand down in it and is washing his hands. When his hands come up out of that water, they are still blood red with the blood of the Son of God. When he went to bed that night, if he went to sleep, (which I doubt) he awoke during the night tossing and rolling. I can see him as he gets up again and goes to that basin of water. He s trying to wash his hands of Jesus. There is not a basin big enough, there is not enough water in all of the lakes and streams and creeks and rivers and oceans on this planet, to absolve you of the responsibility of what you ll do with Jesus Christ. He is trying to get that blood off. He knows he has sold out the Lord Jesus. He s trying to wash the blood of Jesus off his hands. I got news
for you. You can t ever wash your hands of your failure to receive Christ as your Savior. There is only one thing that can wash away our sins. The hymn writer said, What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Do you know what happened to this man who failed to make the right decision for Jesus? Just a few years after this (37 A.D.), this man Pontius Pilate was deposed from his governorship. He was remembered in history, not for any good that he did, but for the terrible injustice that he allowed. C. The Reasons This Happened - Why did Pilate give in to their unjust demands? First of all, there were: 1. Earthly Reasons - He was so filled with selfish ambition, a desire to win the favor of the powers above him and even of the people whom he ruled, that he did not have the manhood, the conscientious principle, to stand up for what he knew to be right. He was afraid of what the Sanhedrin and the crowds might do to him. After all, they made an implied threat, If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar (John 19:12). When Pilate left Rome to be the governor of Judaea, Caesar gave him a beautiful, unusual gold ring. On that ring was inscribed, Friend of Caesar. To be known as a Friend of Caesar was coveted by many in the Roman world. What really clinched it for Pilate was this. When they said to him, You are no friend of Caesar if you let him go, he had a choice. Would it be Caesar or would it be Christ? He chose Caesar instead. A Jewish uprising was the last thing he wanted during Passover. Furthermore, the stubborn insistence of the crowd overwhelmed him. He was being motivated not by principle but by political expedience. He wanted to be popular and not right; he was more concerned about reputation than he was character. What would you have done? Why do people fail to make a positive decision toward Jesus today? Too many seem to think that they are better off without Jesus in their lives. So they reject Him. So many people make their choice based on earthly concerns rather than heavenly and spiritual concerns. Furthermore, like Pilate, they want to be accepted by the crowd that s not following Jesus. Some of you kids have some kids at school who are in the so-called in crowd; they re smoking dope, getting drunk, and doing other things they shouldn t be doing. Some of you here today, when I give the invitation to come forward and profess Jesus as your Savior, you d say, What, me, in front of all of those people? If you let that keep you back, you are making the same mistake that Pilate made. You re too concerned about what people think. Listen, if you please God it doesn t matter who you displease, and if you displease God it doesn t matter who you please. Pilate lost his soul willing to content the People. Why go to hell for the crowd? 2. Heavenly Reasons - The conviction of Jesus to death on a cross seemed at first to be a very unlikely outcome, especially just 5 days prior to this when He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. Yet contrary to all expectation, it happened. Jesus did nothing to prevent it. God Himself did not intervene against this travesty of Jesus. Why? Because He had a higher purpose in it. When men were doing their worst, God was giving His best. Jesus was not crucified because evil men decided to get Him out of the way. His crucifixion was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23), an appointment made from eternity (1 Peter 1:20; Rev. 13:8). The prophet Isaiah foretold what would happen. In Isa. 53:5 says, He was wounded for our transgressions. Isa. 53:12 says, He bore the sin of many. Remember, it was for our sins that He went to the cross. Apart from this solemn fact there was no power on earth or in hell that could have forced Jesus Christ to die as He did.
Conclusion: If you had been Pilate on that morning, what decision would you have made? Would you have stood with truth and paid the political price? Pilate finally had to make a decision. Even so, the question comes to every one of us as individuals: "What shall I do then with Jesus?" What have you decided about Him? Many of you know in your heart what you ought to do. You know you ought to get your life right with God. I m urging you to do what you know in your heart you ought to do. You say, What will my family think? What will my friends think? Listen, what really matters is, What does God think? God is the only one who can forgive your sin. God is the only One who can change your life & give you eternal life. Or you may say, I m not going to decide. If you do not decide for Jesus, you have just placed yourself against Jesus. You can t be neutral. Make sure you have made the right decision about Jesus, & the salvation He offers. Then, some here today need to make a decision about baptism, or church membership. Do what God would have you to do without any delay. Sources: Virtus E. Gideon, Luke: A Study Guide Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1967); J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, Vol. 4 (Pasadena, CA: Thru The Bible Radio, 1983); Larry Pierce, Online Bible [Ver. 4:23] (Ontario: onlinebible.net, 2012); William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Luke (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978); H. A. Ironside, Addresses on the Gospel of Luke (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1947); Adrian Rogers (notes from his sermon on Matthew 27:22ff); Jerry Vines (notes from his sermon on this text dated 10/5/97); Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Courageous: Luke 14-24 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1989). Other sources listed in the footnotes. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982). ABOUT THESE SERMON NOTES Dr. Stephen Felker. These notes may be used and even shared for personal study or ministry, but not for commercial purposes. The author credits the sources listed above and footnotes for much of the content. Since Dr. Felker s sermons are generally preached without notes, the live recording of this sermon will be more completely in the author s own words. To obtain an audio recording of this message, you may send $2 for each CD ordered, plus $2 shipping & handling for each order mailed in. Up to 2 messages come on each CD. Make checks payable to Swift Creek Baptist Church, P.O. Box 235, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. Or you may listen free at www.sermonaudio.com/pastorfelker. Dr. Felker s email address is S+Felker&2@aol.com (remove signs).