[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. This is the next message in our series on the book of John entitled, Jesus is God.
[0:14] All right, take your Bibles if you would and go with me to John chapter 18. John chapter 18. That's exciting to see a new group of people sing and say amen. Well, it's new to me.
[0:25] Probably you guys have seen them. I've been going three weeks and so it was sure new to me. Open your Bibles to John 18. I want to thank you as a church. Thank you as a people for how kind you have been to me over the last three weeks and all the things that have been going on in our lives.
[0:42] Thank you for all your faithfulness. Thank you for your hard work. Two comments. One, a video was sent to me and the video was a great video. I love the video. One comment was made by Deanna Mize and she said that she had been gone a week and it seemed like a long time so she could understand.
[0:58] So I thought that pretty well summed up how I felt about it. And then this morning in our Sunday school class, Ms. Sharon said she said she was sure pleased with the way God used the young men, that they were strong young men and done a great job.
[1:14] And all they've done over the last few weeks to take care of everything. And I am so blessed. Blessed by your faithfulness. Blessed by the way you've continued to serve and reach out for the Lord and blessed because God's working in you.
[1:26] And it's a tremendous and wonderful thing to see what God's doing. Open your Bibles to John chapter 18. Now we're in like the saddest chapter in John chapter 18.
[1:37] And we were in this chapter on Thursday night. And I showed you Thursday night how Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to him. And nothing surprised him because he is God and he knows what's going to happen tomorrow.
[1:50] There will be no surprises for Jesus. Not in your life and not in his life and not in what happens in this world. What's going to happen in America? He knows. What's going to happen in your life?
[2:00] He knows. He is God. And that's a wonderful, peaceful thing to know that we serve a great God who knows what's going to happen. Can you say amen right there? That's a great thing.
[2:12] Then we watched as Judas, who had been his friend, Judas, who had dipped in the same sop with him. In other words, they ate together, which was a time of sweet fellowship, even maybe more than us.
[2:25] Though we Baptists are very famous for getting together around a table and enjoying each other's company. They laid on their sides. In fact, as John laid his head on Jesus' chest, they were eating together.
[2:37] Judas went out and betrayed him right after that. A fake believer, a fake Christian. One who learned all the externals but had no internals. One who knew how to act like a Christian who wasn't really born again.
[2:51] And that's a great warning for all of us. Then we watched Peter, who thought he was strong enough to handle it. Who thought he would deal with temptation and testing right. Who thought if all...
[3:01] In fact, he was so confident. He said, you look around, Jesus. All these other guys you have that serve you, they'll mess up. But I won't mess up. And he did mess up. But all the time he was messing up, Jesus warned him he would mess up.
[3:14] Jesus was praying for him while he did mess up. And Jesus already had a plan for his life as soon as he got through messing up. Sure shows you how good God loves you. Can you say amen right there? Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, you were saved by grace and you were kept by grace.
[3:28] And you live by grace and God's going to see you through it. He that began a good work in you will take it through all the way to the end. And all you got to do is say how much you love Jesus. Because he is a good and a wonderful Savior.
[3:41] Can you say amen there? Alright. Now then, we turn to a religious crowd and a political crowd. And a fickle crowd that will turn on Jesus.
[3:51] He's rejected. He's rejected. And we're going to watch the story now. And we're going to see how religious people turn their back on him. Because religion doesn't like grace.
[4:03] Yes. I want you to hear that. Religion doesn't like grace. Karl Marx said religion was the opiate of the people. And to be truthful, he was right. You see, religion isn't Christianity.
[4:16] True Christianity. In fact, there's a lot of false Christianity. Where we want to use the Bible and other things to control people. We want to make them know they'll lose their salvation if they don't give a certain amount of money.
[4:29] We want to hold heavy, heavy over their heads. We want rules in their lives so that they know that they have to do certain things to be saved. But here's the beautiful thing about salvation.
[4:41] Grace is God loves us while we were yet sinners. He died for us. Can you say amen? I love him because he first loved me.
[4:53] I'm not saved because I did good. I am saved because my father is good. Can you say amen? I come to church today praising him and excited to be serving him because I serve such a wonderful and good God.
[5:08] And religion hates that. Now, I want you also to realize if you look around, if you look around you and see what's going on around you, you'll see that people come and go. And they come and go quickly.
[5:19] People that say they love Jesus today don't love him tomorrow. On the Sunday before all this happening in this chapter, on Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday right before all this goes on, they're out in the streets.
[5:31] They're laying their clothes down. They're praising him. And in just a few minutes, as you read John 18, they're going to choose Barabbas, a thief. Barabbas, a robber.
[5:42] Barabbas, a criminal. They're going to choose him over the miracle worker. They're going to choose him over the one that raised people from the dead. They're going to choose him over the son of God. So you need to know something.
[5:54] You will always be a weird bunch of people if you love Jesus. If you love Jesus, you're going to be the stranger. If you love Jesus, you're going to be just a tad off.
[6:05] If you love Jesus, the religious crowd's not going to like that very much. If you love Jesus, the regular crowd's not going to like that very much. The political crowd's not going to like that very much. In fact, they're going to say stuff like this.
[6:15] Well, your faith is personal. Just be quiet about it. But that's not what you're supposed to do. So if you would, open your Bibles to John chapter 18. Before I read, I want to ask you several questions.
[6:29] How much have you allowed the lost world to affect what you think of Jesus, God, the Bible, heaven and hell? I want to ask you that because the lost world in this story has tremendous impact on what's going to happen with Jesus.
[6:41] The lost world. Can you understand that they went from loving him to hating him? From loving him and calling him Lord to denying him?
[6:52] Now, you just sang or heard a song sung by a group of people and they said, we call him Lord. Lord, boss, king, ruler, master. That's what Lord means.
[7:02] God in flesh. That's what that means. But so many of us are allowing television to affect what we think about the Bible. We're allowing the people we work with to affect what we think about God.
[7:13] We're allowing the world, not God, not the Bible, to tell us what we think about him. And I want you to examine yourself today as we go through the passage of Scripture and find out how much you allow in the lost world to affect what you think.
[7:27] Are you thinking like they think? Are you thinking like they think? Are you allowing all the television shows? Are you allowing all the politicians? Are you allowing everybody around you to affect it?
[7:39] Or are you getting it from the word of God? How much do you allow the religious world to affect what you think? Well, you know, we've got religious programming and television. You can easily, easily think a whole lot of things.
[7:54] Just the other day I read where Obama was in a political thing with the Islamic people and he made a comment that religion was like the water.
[8:05] And ponds and lakes all had reservoirs and kept water. And there was water in all of them and there is truth in all religion. No, there's not.
[8:15] But that's a lie from the devil. There's truth in only one place and the truth will make you free and Jesus is the truth. Can you say amen? Come on, wake up, say amen.
[8:26] Sound like a bunch of communists this morning. That's what Trent said a while ago. He said, y'all didn't say the pledge, real excited. So, you know, be excited, man. We got the truth. How disciplined and dedicated are you at getting the word of God into yourself and into your family?
[8:41] If you realize where you live. If you realize the world you live in. You ought to know you need to get God and his word into your family.
[8:54] Do you realize that religion always wants you to do something? Where Jesus says, no, I'll make you something. Do you realize that religion always wants to control you and push you to conformity?
[9:04] Do you realize the world's favorite thing to say is it's a personal thing with you that you have faith? Read with me, if you would, John chapter 18, verse 12. Now, we're going to read the rest of the chapter.
[9:17] John 18, 12. Get your Bible out and underline and mark some things. Then the band and the captain of the officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound him and led him away to Annas first.
[9:28] For he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now, Caiaphas was the one which gave counsel to the Jews that is expedient that one man should die for the people.
[9:40] And Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. That's probably John. That disciple was known of the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without and then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door and brought in Peter.
[9:57] Then said the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He said, I am not. And the servants and the officers stood there who had made a fire of coals, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves.
[10:10] And Peter stood with them and warmed himself. The high priest had asked Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine. And Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews also resort.
[10:23] And in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me, which I said what I said unto them. Behold, they know what I said. When he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
[10:40] Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil. But if well, why smitest thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound to the calf as the high priest. Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.
[10:53] And they said therefore unto him, Art not thou one of his disciples? He denied it and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest being his kinsman, whose ear Peter cut off, said, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
[11:06] Didn't I see you cut off my kinfolk's ear? Peter denied again. And immediately the cock crew. Then led they Jesus from Caiapas into the hall of judgment.
[11:17] And it was early. And they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went out unto them and said, What accusation bring ye against the man?
[11:30] They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malfactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. That's interesting, isn't it? Pilate says, Okay, you've brought him here.
[11:41] You arrested him and you bring him to me and you say he's done wrong. So could I hear the accusation? Could you give me the warrant? Could you tell me what he did wrong? And here was their answer. Well, if he hadn't done something wrong, would you think we'd have brought him to you?
[11:53] Yeah, but I'd like to know what he did wrong. He did something wrong. That's what he did. Well, what was it? We wouldn't have brought him to you if he didn't do something wrong. I mean, honestly, this is a kangaroo court.
[12:04] They answered and said, If he were not a malfactor, we would not have delivered him up to you. Thirty-one. Then said Pilate unto them, Will you all take him and judge him according to your law? The Jews therefore said unto him, It's not lawful for us to put him into death.
[12:16] Pilate said, Well, see, you hadn't made it very clear what he did wrong. Why don't you all just take him and judge him? And they said, Well, we can't kill him. And we want him dead. That's why. We can't kill him.
[12:27] And we want him dead. That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again and called Jesus and said unto him, Art thou the king of the Jews?
[12:40] He knows what's going on. He said, Art thou the king of the Jews? And Jesus answered him, saying, Sayest thou this of thyself? Or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate said, Hey, are you the king of the Jews?
[12:52] And Jesus said, Huh, are you asking me that because you'd like to know? Or did somebody else tell you that about me? I love that. They think they're going to kill him. And he says, I'll take this chance to witness to this guy.
[13:03] And Pilate answered, What do you think I am, a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priest which delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done? He said, I'm not a Jew and your little religious thing's a Jewish thing.
[13:15] What'd you do? What have you done wrong? Still don't know what you did wrong. What'd you do? And Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews.
[13:27] But now my kingdom is not from hence. My kingdom is not from here. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? And Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I'm a king.
[13:39] To this end was I born and for this cause came unto the world that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. Jesus said, Hey, I came to tell you about the truth.
[13:51] Pilate said in verse 38, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews and said, I find no fault in him. Y'all didn't give me anything against him when you brought him to me.
[14:04] I've been talking to him. I can't find anything wrong with him. I find no fault. But you have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Passover. Will you therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews?
[14:16] Then cried they all again saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. We'll pray and we'll look at three or four things here that you ought to see out of this passage.
[14:30] But can you not imagine what's going on here? The crowd that esteemed him so much now chooses Barabbas, a thief. Pilate can't even find anything wrong with him.
[14:41] If anybody ought to found anything wrong with him, it was Pilate. Pilate couldn't find anything wrong with him. These Jews hate him and they want him dead and they want him dead. And they have to lie and sneak and connive to get it done.
[14:53] They think they're going to kill Jesus. The Romans think they're going to kill Jesus. But you know Jesus gave his life. He died on purpose.
[15:05] He is not the victim of a poor court procedure. He is not the victim of bad DAs and a bad judge. He is not the victim of public opinion.
[15:16] He came to die. You need to say amen right there. You need to understand Jesus came to die. In fact, it's in the middle of your reading. It said this.
[15:27] They wanted him to be taken to the to Pilate. So because Jesus told him how he was going to die. And that was done. So because Jesus told you how he was going to die, he would be crucified.
[15:39] This is a sad chapter because for 17 chapters, I've watched him do good. And so have you for 17 chapters. You've seen him do good.
[15:51] But in John chapter one, if you remember verse 11, he said, come to my own and my own received me not. And John seven starting John chapter one, always 17.
[16:01] He's working miracle after miracle. He's showing that he's not anybody normally showing he can do things. No one normal can do. And now he just finished praying for them and everybody, everybody is turning their back on Jesus.
[16:18] He is rejected of men. Father, please help us to love you and honor you and magnify you. God, help us to see the truths in your word about this story and to take them home.
[16:31] God, help us to stand for you in life and help us to stand for you at work where you are the mockery, where your name is used mainly for curse words.
[16:43] God, help us to let people know we love you. And I will give you great honor and great glory and great praise in Jesus precious name.
[16:54] Amen. First thing I want you to look at, if you would, it starts in verse 12, and we won't take the time to read the scripture again. But would you write this down? The lost world rejects and judges Jesus.
[17:05] The lost religious world, the lost religious world rejects and judges Jesus. You need to understand that Christianity is kind of like born out of Judaism.
[17:19] You need to understand that God in the beginning set up this religion that was called Judaism. And it was a good thing because it had a lamb that was slain. It had animals whose blood was slain.
[17:31] And whenever you read the Old Testament, you need to realize every time you see an animal die, it was a picture of Jesus coming to die. And every time you see a man sin and there's a substitute animal that dies, that was Jesus.
[17:44] They should have known. They should have known. They should have known. They should have known. They should have known who he was. Do you remember when they do you remember when Jesus when when the wise men showed up and asked Herod?
[17:55] They said, we hear there's a king to be born. And they said, well, let me find out. And he calls the scribes out and they got the Old Testament. They have 39 books in the Old Testament. And they go look and they search and they come back and say, yeah, that's right.
[18:07] There is going to be one born and you'll be born in Bethlehem. They knew about him. But when he came, they rejected him. They turned on him. They judged him.
[18:18] They wanted him dead. If you would, in verse 14, a guy named Caiaphas, he thought it would be a good thing if one man would die for for a country, for a people.
[18:30] That wasn't that Jesus would die so people could be saved. But if we could cut off the head of this new movement, if we could get rid of Jesus, we could stop the movement.
[18:43] Pilate wants to know, well, Jesus, what you've been teaching the Caiaphas and the religious world? They want to know, Jesus, what you've been teaching? You know what Jesus said? He said, I've not been sneaky in the least.
[18:55] I've not been hiding out and telling people in verse 20. I speak openly to the world. I always was teaching publicly in the synagogue and in the temple and everybody was there.
[19:06] And I said, I didn't say anything in secret. I didn't say anything in secret. I'm not ashamed of what I preached. And you can go ask the guys what I said. Jesus was shuffled from judge to judge from Annas over to Caiaphas.
[19:22] They want him dead. They want him dead. And they can't bring about that kind of judgment. So they've got to get him to Rome because the Jews could judge him. The Jews could beat him.
[19:34] The Jews could do a lot of things, but they couldn't put him to death. Their desire was that Jesus would die. And they couldn't bring that kind of judgment. Could I just remind you of some things real quickly?
[19:45] We aren't part of that group. We don't want to kill him. I don't think anybody in this room, we'd all say, if I'd have been there that day, I wouldn't have voted to have him die. I love him.
[19:57] But I'd like to ask you a few questions. A religious lost world, a religious lost world judged Jesus. That's what you live in, by the way.
[20:08] The Southeast is eat up with religion. Listen, it's everywhere we turn. This morning, lots of people went to church. Most of them wanted to go to a church where they sang a lot and preached a little.
[20:21] And most of them wanted to go to a church where they preached good Dr. Phil messages, but they didn't read the Bible and see what God had to say. Most of them are very religious.
[20:31] But they're pretty much ashamed of Jesus, except for a fish on the back of their car or a honk if you love Jesus. But please don't, they'll shoot you. I ask you some questions.
[20:42] Do you love him enough to serve him? Do you love him enough to serve him? The religious crowd all loves Jesus. Even the Islamic people love Jesus.
[20:56] He was a good prophet. But do you love him enough to give your life to him? Do you just stand by and watch how the world treats him? I'm always shocked by this about Christians.
[21:06] If they blast your ball team, you'll get mad. If they pick on your political candidate, you'll fight. If they mock Jesus or use curse words with his name, you'll let it go.
[21:20] It doesn't seem to matter. You would never do that with your wife's name, I pray, or your husband's name, I pray. But then Jesus, you stand with the religious crowd.
[21:33] Mock him if you want. Curse him if you want. Laugh at him if you want. You don't stand publicly. A great evangelist was in a barber shop and they were cursing in the name of Jesus.
[21:50] The evangelist was a young guy just out of his teens and he looked at them and said, I thank you to shut up. I do not want to hear his name used again like that. They said, you're a kid and it's none of your business.
[22:02] He said, he's my savior. He is my business. It ought to be important to you to stand with him. Do you deny him instead of risking your reputation? Now, I wonder how much we've let the religious world affect us.
[22:16] At work, we're kind of 007 secret agent Christians. We wouldn't want them to see our Bible. We wouldn't want them to see our love for Jesus.
[22:28] We wouldn't want to take a stand for him. How much do you love him? How loyal are you to him? The second story to hear is Pilate.
[22:38] Look at verse 33, if you would. Number one, it was a religious world that judged him. A lost religious world. Now it's a political world that judges him. Pilate judges him and finds no fault.
[22:50] And he also rejects him like everybody. Starting in verse 33, you'll get the story of what he did. I love this. Jesus is just about to die. And we know, by the way, that Jesus in his human form, he's God in human flesh.
[23:06] He's all God. He's all man. He's 100% God. He's 100% man. But you know, he sweat as if it were drops of blood. You know that he actually prayed and said, Lord, Father, if it be your will, let this cup pass.
[23:20] I'd sure like that. But nevertheless, I'll do whatever you want. We know that he wasn't anticipating, looking forward. He wasn't a masochist. He wasn't wishing to suffer. But when he stands in front of the man who will put him to death and the man who puts him to death said, are you a king?
[23:35] Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus says, oh, good question. Do you ask that because you want to know? He took every opportunity to witness even when the gun was pointed at his head.
[23:52] I want you to notice what Pilate thought. He thought what everybody you work with thinks. Pilate thinks it's a private thing. It's a religious thing. Look at verse 35. Pilate thinks Jesus having a religion is just for the Jews and it doesn't affect him.
[24:07] Isn't that about what goes on where you are? It's like, it's okay if you have your religion. It's okay for you to love Jesus. It's okay for you to be a Mormon. It's okay for you to be an Islamic person. It's okay because it's all a personal issue.
[24:18] No, it's not. People go to a real hell and a real heaven. People are really going to die. This is really true. Pilate answered and said, am I a Jew?
[24:31] Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done? He said, are you a king? And Jesus said, why are you asking the question?
[24:41] He said, well, am I a Jew? It's like you Jews got your religion and us Romans got our religion and the Moroccans got their religion and the South Africans got their religion. And the Chinese got their religion.
[24:52] In fact, it is one of the biggest hindrances to world evangelism is so many of you really believe they already have their religion. Why would you mess with them? They already have their belief. Let me tell you why.
[25:03] Because there's only one belief that takes a man to heaven. Because there's only one belief that saves a man from sin. Because there is a real hell and people really go there. Jesus tells Pilate that he's not trying to set up an earthly kingdom.
[25:19] In verse 36, he would set up a spiritual kingdom. And if he is, and if he was, then you and I ought to respond with he is Lord like they sang this morning.
[25:30] And Pilate hears and rejects truth. Pilate says, he said, what is truth? And Jesus said, well, those that want it, they hear it when I speak.
[25:41] Pilate says, well, you know, I don't find anything wrong with you, but I'm not willing to commit to you. You know, kind of like the guys where you work. I'm not against what you say. I'm not against what you do, but I'm not willing to commit to it.
[25:53] That's Pilate's answer. I find no fault in him. The third thing I want you to look at. Verse 39. The same world that welcomed him on what we call Palm Sunday.
[26:07] Now it chooses a thief and a criminal over Jesus. Rejecting him. Verse 39. You have a custom that I should release into you one at the Passover.
[26:17] Will you therefore that I release into you the king of the Jews? Then cried they all again saying, not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
[26:28] Now John 18 doesn't give you the whole story. John has a purpose. John's writing so you'll know that Jesus is the son of God. And that believing on him you can be saved. But in the other gospels you hear that the whole crowd was listening as he asked the question.
[26:42] And you know that the multitudes responded. We choose the lost guy. We choose the guy that's on his way to hell. We choose the guy who ought to die on a cross. We choose him.
[26:55] The crowd was easily affected by the religious leaders. I don't know how to say this to you.
[27:07] But you worry me. Carried about by every wind of doctrine that comes along. You get a good dose of Joel and you're smiling and on that way.
[27:18] You get a good dose of Mormonism and you're floating over that way. You get a good dose of tolerantism and you're floating over that way. Could you ever get to the point you'd choose Barabbas over Jesus?
[27:34] I'm sure you'd say, no, that could never happen to me. But it did happen here. I'm sure you'd say it never happened to me. But I'm afraid it's happened all over our country. I'm afraid it's happened all over our world.
[27:48] They quickly saw Jesus as a problem. I mean, Jesus does cause problems. He's a headache. If you stand for him, you can get in trouble.
[28:00] It's not as open here in America, is it? But overseas, people lose their jobs if they quit being the predominant religion and choose Jesus. There are places around the world today that if you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you'll be under the threat of death.
[28:15] There are countries around the world today that you have a card. And when you're born, if you're in Egypt and you're born as a Christian, which doesn't mean you're a Christian because you can't be born the first time as a Christian.
[28:26] But if your mom and daddy are Christians, they put on your card, you're a Christian. If you're born a Muslim parent, you're a Muslim. And if a Muslim ever decides to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior and ever tries to change that card, he could die.
[28:42] The mission world, the popular mission world has even been telling them, get saved, but tell everybody you're an Islamic person. You're still Muslim.
[28:54] Tell them you just have a favorite prophet and his name is Jesus. Anything but Jesus. It's Jesus. Everybody's rejecting Jesus. It's Jesus all the way.
[29:05] It's Jesus. They had followed him by the thousands, but when they didn't get what they wanted, they turned on Jesus. Jesus is never loved unless it's to get something from him.
[29:18] What's the most popular Christianity going on in this country today? Prosperity gospel. Serve Jesus and he'll make you rich. Give and he'll put money in your pocket.
[29:31] Hey, think positive thoughts. I'm so fed up with positive thoughts. I'm positive. I'm against them. Think positive thoughts.
[29:41] You can think positively while you go to hell. It's Jesus. It's Jesus. It's Jesus. By the way, if there's no difference in what I say and what you say, then what Oprah and Dr. Phil and Joel have to say, we need to check out our message.
[30:05] He had called people to follow him. Do you remember what Jesus said to them to do? Follow me. Take up your cross.
[30:15] Come die. Jesus might be interesting. If you weren't so demanding. Jesus is no genie in a bottle that you stroke to get him to come out and give you three wishes.
[30:29] Jesus is no answer to your having cancer. Jesus is no answer to your lack of money. And Jesus is Lord. He is God and human flesh on the planet for you to serve and honor and respect.
[30:43] How do I apply this to my life? This is for the whole chapter. But let me just quickly tell you this. I need to realize that there are many that claim to be saved that aren't. You need to wake up and realize that this morning.
[30:55] Everybody in Georgia is saved. Unless they're foreigners. And they came in with an Indian belief or a Muslim belief.
[31:06] They're mostly going to say they're saved. They're born again. They love Jesus. But can I just tell you something? Probably not true. You're not born again until you realize you sinned against a holy God.
[31:19] And you're willing to admit. Hey, I don't deserve to go to heaven. It's not how good I am. It's not how positive I think. It's not how much I contribute to society. I deserve hell.
[31:31] But Jesus died for me. And I trust Jesus. Unless they've done it, they're not born again. What happens in your life when the unexpected death or cancer or falling apart of your family takes place?
[31:49] Or your business? What happens? Have you chosen the Lord Jesus? I need you to understand that religion never accepts Jesus.
[32:01] They may use his name. But they never accept Jesus. That's why Mary may be a more important name. Or a preacher's name may become a more important name.
[32:14] Or a prophet's name. Maybe it's Joseph Smith or Joel Osteen. Or maybe it's Austin Gardner. And they lift up a name. But there is a name above every name.
[32:26] And that name is Jesus. The world likes to see... The world is like Pilate. They like to see faith as a personal thing. But they have little or no respect for your faith.
[32:41] You ought to be bold to share your faith. You ought to be bold to invite people to Christ. You ought to be bold to mention the name of Jesus. You ought not be embarrassed.
[32:52] But you'll have to know that in the end, just like they chose Barabbas, lost people will choose typically sinners over Jesus.
[33:04] Sin over Jesus. Do you? He's rejected in this chapter. He's rejected by a religious crowd. He's rejected by a political crowd. He's rejected just by people in general.
[33:16] He's rejected, but not in my heart this morning. And he won't be. I'm going to love him. I'm going to announce that I love him. I'm going to make it clear. It's so funny.
[33:27] I know I'm a preacher and I speak preacher speak all the time. But I'm sitting in the doctor's office. And he's talking to me. And he said, this is what's going to happen. I said, well, amen. You know, you could tell.
[33:39] He's looking at me like, what kind of weirdo is this? And he said, well, praise Lord. And, you know, it's like, hey, you ought not be afraid of who you are. Could you say amen? You ought not be afraid of who you are.
[33:51] You're more Republican than you are Christian. You're more Democratic than you are Christian. You're more your workplace than you are born again. You're more an Atlanta Brave fan than you are a Jesus fan.
[34:06] Stand up for Jesus. He's been rejected by everybody else. Father in heaven, I love you. I praise you. And I magnify you.
[34:17] And I pray that right now you deal with hearts and draw people to you. I pray that Christians would step out of their seat and say, Lord Jesus, I will recognize you and honor you and stand for you. And whatever it is the Holy Spirit dealt with their heart about, Holy Spirit confirming them and help them to make a decision today.
[34:33] And I'll give you praise. Show your power. Magnify yourself. And I glorify you. You have been listening to Austin Gardner, pastor of Vision Baptist Church.
[34:44] For contact information, location, service times, or more audio and video recordings, log on to www.visionbaptist.com.