You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
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You'll open your Bibles again to Luke.
We are in Luke 23.
This morning we are looking at, again, the trial of God, round two.
I'm going to be reading Luke 23, verses 1, all the way down through verse 25, so you can follow with me as I read.
Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
And they began to accuse him, saying,
We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar,
and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.
And Pilate asked him,
Are you the king of the Jews?
And he answered him,
You have said so.
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,
I find no guilt in this man.
But they were urgent,
saying,
He stirs up the people,
teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee,
even to this place.
When Pilate heard this,
he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction,
he sent him over to Herod,
who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus,
he was very glad,
for he had long desired to see him,
because he had heard about him.
And he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
So we questioned him at some length,
but he made no answer.
The chief priests and the scribes stood by,
vehemently accusing him.
And Herod with his soldiers,
treated him with contempt,
and mocked him.
Then arraying him in splendid clothing,
he sent him back to Pilate.
And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other
that very day,
for before this day,
they had been at enmity with each other.
Pilate then called together the chief priests
and the rulers and the people,
and said to them,
You brought me this man
as one who is misleading the people.
And 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 death
has been done by him.
I will therefore punish him
and release him.
But they all cried out together,
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.
Pilate addressed them once more,
desiring to release Jesus,
but they kept shouting,
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 their voices prevailed.
So Pilate decided
that the demand should be granted.
He released the man
who had been thrown into prison
for insurrection and murder,
for whom they asked.
But he delivered Jesus
over to their will.
Let's pray that God would send his spirit
to give us understanding
of this portion of his word.
Father, we pray that you would speak to us.
We need your spirit to speak.
It's not just in our minds
that we need understanding.
We need hearts that are receptive
to what you would speak to us.
So would you pour out your spirit,
soften our hearts,
that we might have a clearer understanding
of Jesus and all that he is.
So come, teach us.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So as I said,
this is the second trial
that Jesus undergoes.
The Jewish leaders
that we saw last week
have already found him guilty.
but they are under Roman rule.
And being under Roman rule,
one of the privileges
Rome has kept for themselves
is the power of execution
of criminals.
So the Jews
can pronounce him guilty,
but that's as far as they can go.
So they have to.
If they're going to get him
put to death,
they've got to have Rome do it.
So now they come to Pilate.
And the question
before this court
is the same as the last court.
It's not about things
that Jesus has done,
but it's about who he is.
Who does Jesus claim to be?
Is Jesus the king of the Jews?
That is the question
that Luke highlights for us here.
And it's the question
that Pilate
and really everybody involved
has to deal with.
And so what we're going to do
this morning is look
all through this.
The way that Luke writes
is that he's really good
at highlighting
characters in his story
and holding them up
sometimes in contrast
and comparison to each other.
But here,
in this story,
he kind of shines the light
on about six different people
and groups
and how they respond
to this question.
But first,
let's take a brief look
at just exactly
what's going on
in this trial.
Pilate,
we were introduced to him
back in Luke 3.
Pilate is introduced
as Luke begins
to set the stage
at the beginning
of Jesus' ministry.
He gives us a date,
basically,
when Tiberius was emperor,
Pilate is governor,
Herod we're going to see
in just a minute.
Pilate is a time
of beginning
of Jesus' ministry.
But Pilate,
his tenure
in Jerusalem
was brutal
and the Jews hated him.
Well,
he didn't like
the Jews either.
Because we see
back in Luke 13,
as we've already seen,
we hear that
there were a group
of Galileans
that were slain
by Pilate
and then their blood,
he mixed
into the blood
of the sacrifice
in the temple.
Totally defiling
the worship
in the temple.
that's what
he thought
of the Jews,
which led to
what the Jews
thought of Pilate.
But now the Jews
have to come
to Pilate
with this issue.
So they come
and notice
how they frame
their charges.
It's a different
issue
than what they
dealt with before
because they know
that just dealing
with these
religious
controversies
is not going
to prick
Pilate's interest.
And so they
frame it
in such a way
that he will
see Jesus
as not just
a threat
to the Jews
but actually
a threat
to Roman
rule itself.
See what
they said?
He said
he's an
insurrectionist
basically.
He's forbidding
us to pay
tribute to
Caesar
which he
never did
but they're
building this
case
so that if
Pilate sees
that Jesus
is a big
enough threat
that he'll
deal with
him.
When Pilate
hears
that he is
a king
he kind of
takes him
off to the
side.
We see in
some of the
other accounts
if you pull
all four of
the gospel
accounts
together
that this
is a
longer
conversation
than what
Luke
has here.
Luke only
is focused
on one
question.
Is
Jesus
king
of the
Jews?
And so
Pilate
that's the
only thing
he was
interested in.
Jesus
doesn't
answer
any of
the
accusations
of the
Jews.
He just
stands there
kneels
down
and you
know
he's
been
beaten
to
within
a
hair
of
his
life.
I'm
sure
he looked
very
impressive
before
Pilate.
But this
is the
only question.
So when
Pilate
asked him
are you
the king
of the
Jews?
He
answers
using
the same
phrasing
that he
did with
the Jewish
leaders.
Basically
saying
yes
I am.
in John
we see
he
expands
that a
little bit
but it
says
it's not
a political
kingdom.
It's a
spiritual
kingdom.
And so
hearing that
Pilate
sees no
threat
to Rome
and so
he
attempts
to
dismiss
him
but then
he hears
that Herod
is in
town
or he
hears
that Jesus
is a
Galilean
and Herod
oversees
Galilee
so he
sends him
to Herod
to let
him question
him and
maybe
we'll
make
further
progress
here.
Well
Herod
doesn't
find out
anything
so he
sends him
back.
The
amazing
thing
in this
story
here is
three
times
Pilate
attempts
Jesus.
Maybe
not with
all the
gusto
he
should
have
but he
attempts
to release
Jesus.
He
sees
there's
no guilt
here
and so
he's
trying to
release
him.
He just
wants this
problem to
go away
but the
Jews will
have nothing
of that
they want
Jesus
dead
period.
Nothing
short of
that is
acceptable.
And so
they put
pressure on
Pilate.
They get
the crowds
involved
and with
that
threatening
a riot
Pilate's
had enough.
He said
okay
have it
your way.
and he
relents
and turns
Jesus over
for execution.
Now as
we look
at this
scene
again there
are six
characters
here or
groups
that Luke
mentions
and we're
going to go
through and
look at them
because it's
interesting how
each of them
responds
to
this king.
And as we
look at
them I
think it
could be
insightful
for us
as we
consider how
we should
respond
to this
king.
And whether
you're a
believer
and or
whether you
are here
just examining
or curious
about Jesus
about
Christianity
here's
the question
for all
of us
what are
you going
to do
with Jesus?
So again
there are
six here
don't worry
even though
there's six
I'll get
you to
work on
time
tomorrow.
First
let's look
at the
Jews
and we'll
look at
them briefly
because we
saw them
last week
the Jews
note
here
one of the
things that
Luke brings
out when he
talks about
the Jews
is that
they're not
only angry
they're
passionately
angry
they are
in a sense
in a froth
over wanting
Jesus
to be put
to death
and I've
said
you know
this is
kind of a
clue for
us
and I've
said
probably
many
times
if you
want to
know
where your
particular
idolatries
are
there's a
trail you
can follow
first
look at
the anger
and that
anger is
probably going
to lead
you to
something
you fear
and that
fear
is going
to tell
you
what it
is
that is
threatening
you
but where
your idols
probably
can be
found
so what
did the
Jews
fear
they feared
exposure
they feared
exposure
if they
were to
respond
properly
to
Jesus
what
should
they
do
they
needed
to get
naked
now I
had a
lady
sweet
little
lady
named
Louise
in my
very
first
church
that
told
me
you
can
never
use
the
word
naked
from
the
pulpit
you
can
do
it
in
the
fellowship
hall
but
not
in
the
pulpit
which
is
why
I
stood
over
here
they
had
to
get
naked
you
know
there's
a
story
in
2
Kings
5
and
it's
a
story
of
a
Syrian
general
named
Naaman
was
the
big
dog
in
Syria
only
second
to
the
king
himself
but
Naaman
had
a
problem
he
had
leprosy
and
Naaman
heard
in
Israel
that
there
was
a
guy
that
could
cure
him
his
name
was
Elijah
and
so
he
went
to
be
cured
and
Elijah
wouldn't
even
come
out
and
recognize
him
he
just
said
Naaman
I
thought
was
hoping
for
him
to
come
out
and
wave
his
hand
over
the
spot
or
do
something
magical
but
all he
said
was
go
wash
in the
Jordan
River
seven
times
you know
what that
meant
for
Naaman
for him
to wash
in that
river
he had
to strip
down
all
that he
wore
that
designated
him
as
special
as
someone
high
above
everyone
else
had
to
come
off
and
a
naked
general
looks
just
like
a
naked
private
except
maybe
a little
older
but
something
else
that
leprosy
was
going
to be
exposed
and that
leprosy
was going
to cause
him
to be
alienated
isolated
rejected
and so
forth
but he
did
and he
was cured
the
Jews
had a
leprosy
that they
could not
cure
but it
wasn't a
skin
disease
it was a
heart
disease
the only
cure was
for them
to take
off
all that
they used
to make
them look
righteous
to make
them look
special
all of
their good
works
they need
to despair
of
all of
their rituals
that they
thought made
them good
they needed
to despair
of
and come
to Jesus
owning
their
sickness
so that
the
Savior
could cure
it
completely
and this
might be
some of
us
some of
us
it might
be time
for us
to strip
down
and then
come
clean
that was
the Jews
then there's
Pilate
Pilate was in
a place he
didn't want
to be
he was in
Canaan
in Jerusalem
in a city
that was
notorious
for
insurrections
for
rebellions
and so
forth
and he
didn't
like it
the Jews
were extremely
hard to
govern
so he
just tries
to dismiss
this whole
thing
but he
can't
you know
maybe what he
fears here
that the Jews
are just
gonna again
here comes
another riot
another
resurrection
but Pilate
seems like
he just
wishes
things
would be
normal
quiet
let's just
get along
I know
we don't
like each
other
but we
can just
get along
it's kind
of like
families
at special
dinners
where the
matriarch
of the
family
typically
all she
wants
is everybody
just to be
happy together
and have a
good time
never mind
about
Uncle Ed's
addictions
never mind
about the
daughter
who's
covered with
ink
and wishes
she wasn't
there
never mind
about all
the relational
tension
that underlies
here
all this
matriarch
wants
is
to
look
let's
just
sit down
at the
table
let's
smile
eat
dinner
and be
happy
that's
kind of
the way
I picture
Pilate
here
in this
situation
all he
wants
is
normalcy
and peace
you know
just after
I came
to Christ
I remember
sitting on
the front
porch
of this
big resort
where I
used to
work in
Virginia
with a
friend that
was instrumental
in leading
me to
Christ
but we
were sitting
there together
with my
brother
and we
were talking
about
Jesus
and my
brother
as we
talked about
Jesus
and his
need for
Jesus
my brother
understood
something
very clearly
and his
response
to us
was
but
if I
come to
Jesus
then I'm
going to
basically
have to
give up
all my
friends
my life
is going
to totally
change
he said
I don't
know if I
want that
or not
my
brother
understood
Jesus
demands
that
we
turn
from
all
that's
normal
to
something
of
much
greater
value
because
see
in our
normalcy
our
pursuit
of
normal
we're
looking
for
security
we're
looking
for
predictability
we
we're
looking
to
appease
our
fears
and what
Jesus
tells you
is that
normal
will not
work
the only
thing
that can
bring
real
peace
or
shalom
is
Jesus
because
Jesus
does not
just keep
the lid
on the
pressure
cooker
he makes
all things
new
and this
is what
he comes
to do
your
normal
is a
facade
Jesus
is
everything
real
so
Jesus
comes
to make
everything
right
but
before
that
the
normal
has
to
go
what
about
Herod
our
next
character
here
Herod
was
ruthless
this
is not
the
Herod
that we
saw
at the
birth
of
Jesus
who
murdered
all
those
children
this
is
another
Herod
but
this
Herod
was
not
much
better
Herod
was
the
one
that
had
John
the
Baptist
arrested
and
eventually
beheaded
simply
to
please
this
tantalizing
young
woman
but
while
he
before
that
time
after
he
had
been
arrested
while
he
kept
John
in
prison
Herod
used
to
sneak
down
to
the
prison
and
listen
to
John
now
he
hated
what
John
had
told
him
because
John
said
your
current
marriage
is
unlawful
but
still
Herod
liked
to
listen
to
John
you
know
something
about
his
preaching
was
tugging
at
him
but
we
know
of
course
that
was
very
shallow
because
John
ultimately
lost
his
head
but
now
Jesus
is
around
Herod
thinks
maybe
this
is
John
raised
from
the
dead
he
doesn't
know
but
he's
heard
a lot
and
so
he
wants
to
see
Jesus
maybe
Jesus
will
do
a
trick
for
him
I
don't
know
Herod
seems
to be
dabbling
kind
of
skirting
around
the
edges
of
the
kingdom
has
a
little
bit
of
interest
but
that's
about
as
far
as
it
goes
because
see
Herod
really
was
all
about
himself
and
dabbling
in the
kingdom
would
never
penetrate
that
self
a lot
of
folks
dabble
in
religion
we
joke
about
priesters
you'll
see a lot
of them
in a few
weeks
priesters
are those
who show
up on
Christmas
and
Easter
Christ
sometimes
we show
up every
now and
then but
church
religion
seems to
be something
that we
tack on
to life
maybe given
legitimacy
to life
there's a
curiosity we
have about
it but
yet
it's
it never
gets
down
to the
core
we
cannot
come
to
Jesus
by way
of
dabbling
when we
come to
Jesus
it's
all
or
nothing
it's
like an
engagement
when I
got engaged
to
Gail
it was
37
years
ago
at
St.
Patrick's
Day
I was
so glad
I did
that on
a holiday
that I
could
remember
when I
asked her
and she
said
yes
we
committed
ourselves
to each
other
that
meant
if I
had
any
all the
pictures
of the
other
girlfriends
would have
to go
no more
dating
around
no more
play in
the field
I
was
hers
and hers
alone
and that's
kind of a
scary thing
because you
know you
do you
shut off
everybody
else
but what I
found
was such
a treasure
this is
what we're
called to
it's all
or nothing
but what
you find
in
Jesus
what we
find in
everything
else
is just
a fake
plastic
pearl
but in
Jesus
we get
the pearl
of great
price
and there
will be
no regretting
coming to
Jesus
what about
the soldiers
well we're
not told a
lot about
these guys
they're just
in a sense
kind of
mentioned
here
but it's
Luke
draws our
attention to
particularly
what they
do
we do
know that
Roman soldiers
were
these were
men
these were
big
strong
probably not
real pretty
you wouldn't
want to meet
one of these
guys alone
they were
strong and
brutal
and obviously
from what
they're doing
here to
Jesus
weakness
was
despised
so now
before them
this so
called
king
who presented
this image
that was
just pitiful
he's
bleeding
he's been
beaten
he's
God
you're
nothing
and so
they begin
heaping
abuse
on this
pathetic
example
of a
king
and I
imagine
when Jesus
was silent
that just
inflamed
them even
more
being
strong
for a
lot of
us
is a
very
desirable
place
to be
it's
also a
very
insecure
place
to be
I think
this is
really at
the root
of a
lot of
what we
would
call
you know
spousal
abuse
physical
abuse
even
sexual
abuse
where the
strong
preys upon
those who
are weak
because
somehow
their sense
of manhood
or being
strong
is threatened
and they need
to prove
themselves
that they
are
somebody
I think
this is
also why
many of
us do
not come
to Jesus
we
are taught
to be
more applicable
to men
though I
don't think
it's
exclusive
we are
taught to
be strong
we are
taught to
be capable
we are
taught to
be sufficient
we are
taught to
be able
to control
and manage
everything
weakness
is not
acceptable
it's not
desirable
it should be
avoided
at all
cost
you know
I've known
men
who will
not come
to Christ
because
their idea
of
Christianity
is that
it's just
a religion
for weak
old
women
strong
men
don't need
a crutch
coming to
Jesus
is not
for
the strong
and that's
true
coming to
Jesus
is for
the weak
and for
us to
come to
Jesus
we need
to come
and embrace
our weakness
Jesus
is for
the weak
unless
we are
willing
to bow
before
the all
powerful
all sufficient
king
we cannot
come
because
Jesus
the king
wants to
be the
benefactor
he wants
to be the
source
of all
that we
need
all that
we would
ever
desire
he wants
to be
the good
giver
of all
things
and for
us to
receive
we can't
have clenched
strong fists
they need
to be
open
we need
to be
asking
this
is how
we come
to
Jesus
where we
despair
of our
ability
and we
turn to
him
for
everything
that's
the
soldiers
so the
road to
Jesus
the road
to glory
begins
at the
bottom
not the
top
all right
let's look at the
crowds
in verse 13
we finally see
that it's not
just the
Jewish leaders
in verse 13
we see
now that the
Jewish leaders
have gotten
everybody
involved
and the
crowds
are now
working with
them
and how
quickly they
have turned
because just
day or two
before
Jesus was
their hero
and now
they're declaring
him
the great
villain
who needs
to die
what happened
well I mean
it's
pretty amazing
how powerful
a force
is
public
opinion
psychologists
sociologists
have done
all this
research
they all
do these
tests
and they'll
show you
a picture
of three
lines
two of them
are the
same
and one
of them
is very
obviously
shorter
than the
other
and they
want you
to pick
out the
shortest
line
well if
it's just
an individual
they get
it every
time
but for a
lot of
them
they're
told
that people
have chosen
one of the
other two
and it's
amazing how
they will
turn
from what
they see
clearly
and agree
with the
majority
even though
it's clearly
wrong
doesn't
matter
they want
to be
with
everybody
else
they
want
to be
relevant
being
out of
touch
invites
ridicule
rejection
you know
today
I mean
think about
it
just a
couple
of
decades
ago
there were
certain
particular
in the
area
of
sexual
morality
there were
so much
that was
taboo
that we
wouldn't
even
think
about
was
appropriate
and now
even
believers
have no
objections
it's
okay
we
love
relevance
we're
addicted
to
relevance
social
media
make
sure
make
sure
we
conform
so
we're
relevant
because
if
you're
not
there
you go
you're
going to
be cast
out
and this
may be
the bad
news of
the gospel
but if
you're going to
come to
Christ
you need
to know
something
Jesus
is not
relevant
he is
not
culturally
or socially
relevant
yes he
speaks into
our life
clearly
it doesn't
matter what
culture
what time
but
what he
says
you won't
find
in popular
opinion
in fact
Matthew 5
11 and
12
Jesus
promises
us
this
he said
blessed
are you
note that
first word
blessed
are you
when others
revile you
and persecute
you and
other all
kinds of
evil against
you falsely
on my
account
rejoice
and be
glad
for your
reward
is great
in heaven
allegiance
to Jesus
means we
enter
into
opposition
with everything
that's relevant
everything
that's popular
everything
that flows
with
popular
opinion
and culture
and society
because
he comes
to bring
a different
kingdom
and we
may lose
here
but there's
a promise
whatever
you lose
here
is
nothing
compared
to what
you're
going to
gain
because
we may
lose
what is
fake
and false
here
what is
unable
to keep
us secure
and he
will make
us sons
and daughters
of heaven
and give
us
everything
so
which
are you
going to
choose
finally
the last
character
is
Barabbas
first time
only time
he's ever
mentioned
Barabbas
was a
insurrectionist
he was
a murderer
but Barabbas
is interesting
he's the
only guy
who very
tangibly
gained his
life
because
Jesus took
his place
and I've
always wondered
whatever
happened
to Barabbas
after that
when he
realized
what happened
we can only
speculate
we don't
know
but the
question is
really not
how Barabbas
responded
but how
we respond
because we
are the
convicted
insurrectionists
we are the
rebels
we are
the murderers
we are
the guilty
and this
king
who
voluntarily
he
convicted
himself
in this
court
he gave
himself
up
this
king
who
calls
you
to
himself
he
doesn't
just
command
your
allegiance
he
wins
it
because
the
death
you
should
have
died
because
of
your
crimes
he died
the life
that you
could not
live
he lived
he
became
just like
you
so that
you
could
become
like
him
he took
all of
your guilt
he
and
he
gives
you
glory
this
is what
who this
king is
so how
are you
going to
respond
to the
one true
king
where are
you
today
I don't
know
are you
dabbling
are you
angry
because of
your
self
righteousness
are you
fighting
having to
come
clean
fighting
to avoid
weakness
come
Jesus
invites you
to come
because in
your weakness
he will
replace it
with
divine
power
he will
cover your
disease
and heal
it
and make
you
beautiful
Jesus
gives us
life
instead of
death
isn't that
the better
choice
let's pray
Lord Jesus
we pray
that you
would help
us to see
and understand
would you
open our
eyes
give us
clarity
open our
hearts
that we
would embrace
the great
true
king
come
we pray
in Jesus
name
amen
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information
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at
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