March 6, 2024
Pastor John Hering
John 18:33-40
John 18:33-40
33 Pilate went back into the Praetorium and summoned Jesus. He asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”
35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here.”
37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked.
Jesus answered, “I am, as you say, a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate said to him.
After he said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?”
40 Then they shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was a rebel.)
A few weeks ago I was in the Alamodome in San Antonio. I watched the final 4 game for the UIL Girls Basketball and the Timberwolves from Cedar Park were playing. Our daughter-in-law, Lauren Hering, is the assistant coach. As the game progressed the crowd was becoming agitated with the refs. We could see some flagrant fouls against our players that weren’t being called. The truth was we could see those fouls, but the refs didn’t. The truth matters in every aspect of life from our job, to our family, to the rules of the games we play. The truth is especially important in the courtroom. Witnesses must swear to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” The people on the jury swear to “truly try the case and render a true verdict.” So, we are not surprised to see Jesus on trial before the Roman governor and the subject of truth comes up. May the Holy Spirit strengthen our faith as we meditate
God On Trial To Witness The Whole Truth
That Exposes Our Sin
Pilate was probably born in Italy—the heart of the Roman Empire. Then he was assigned the position of governor of Judea, which was probably not his dream job! Judea already had been the scene of uprisings, rebellions and self-proclaimed kings. Who knows what all Pilate had already learned about Jesus? It was the Passover and there were hundreds of thousands of Jews in his city for this festival that celebrated how God had delivered his people from a foreign oppressor. The previous weekend the crowds had marched into the city with palm branches yelling, “Hosanna, save us now, Son of David!” To Pilate, the Passover must have felt like a powder keg waiting to explode. Then first thing on Friday morning the Jewish leaders drag Jesus to Pilate’s palace to put him on trial. The governor begins his investigation to learn the truth and expose the threat.
33 Pilate went back into the Praetorium and summoned Jesus. He asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
No doubt Pilate was wanting to hear a simple yes or no answer from Jesus. However, Jesus takes the conversation into a different direction to expose the real threat.
34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”
Jesus would like to talk with Pilate about what it means for him to be the King of the Jews without the baggage of the false accusations brought to Pilate by the Jews. Pilate is a judge and he wants to get to the facts of the matter.
35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus is the one standing before Pilate on trial and Pilate wants to ask the questions.
36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate must have been surprised to here Jesus’ answer.
37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked.
Pilate heard the truth, but did he understand it?
Jesus answered, “I am, as you say, a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Pilate cared about hearing the truth and Jesus spoke the truth. But, what Jesus meant by “testify to the truth” and what Pilate heard him say didn’t match up. Then Pilate asks his famous question:
38 “What is truth?”
Remember, Pilate was a politician. Need I say more? Pilate understood how to manipulate truth through the ranks of the political system and use it to his own advantage. Pilate wanted the truth to Expose The Threat. The Jewish leaders were saying one thing and Jesus was saying another thing. Pilate was caught in the middle. Who was he supposed to believe? “What is truth?”
Jesus was here to tell the truth. The truth is the world has fallen into sin. The truth is every person deserves to be eternally punished for their rebellion against God. The truth is that the Lord God loved us so much to send his only Son to deliver us from eternal death to eternal life in heaven through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. The truth is that everyone who believes in Jesus shall not perish but has eternal life. God On Trial Spoke The Truth. The Truth Exposes the Real Threat of Sin and
That Reveals the Savior
Sadly, God’s Truth has fallen on hard times and is in desperate need of Jesus, the Savior. Barna research published a poll that reveal about where the American public is intellectually and spiritually. The poll found that, “most adults reject the notions of original sin, the existence of Satan, and salvation by God’s grace alone.” It also discovered that “Americans tend to think that the core documents of the world’s major faiths, such as the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon, are ‘different expressions of the same spiritual truth’ and that praying to the dead can reap personal benefits.” The research team concluded that, “the United States is the world’s greatest melting pot of cultures, and that diversity is clearly evident in the [religious] beliefs of its people.” (barna.com) In other words, many people conclude what truth is from Social Media, Oprah or Dr. Phil as much as the Bible — if not more. They see no difference between them.
You have probably had conversations with family, friends or co-workers who has said, “No one is really wrong, and everyone is right, and the important thing is that we have unity and all get along.” If you live in a world where no one is really wrong and everyone is right, then the gunman in Fort Worth is as right as the police who are pursuing him. If everyone is right, and no one is wrong, then the morals of the serial rapist are equal to the WELS CAR helping the Texas Fire victims. God’s Truth is under attack when you hear universities say, “We want to prepare students on how to think, not tell them what to think.” On the surface that may sound good, but the philosophy behind it is: “Truth is something you discover in your own mind. There are no facts, no absolute truths, no rights or wrongs, it is up to you to come up with your own truth.”
Compare this to our time spent in God’s Word during Lent. Jesus came to testify to the truth. There is only one way to God through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus wants this for everyone. He wanted the crowds in Galilee to love Jesus as their Savior from sin, not their Bread King. He wanted the woman at the well to recognized her sin and love Jesus, the Living Water. He wanted Pilate to see who he really was. God On Trial Testifies To The Whole Truth that Reveals Jesus as the Savior.
How does your heart feel right now? Do you want people to believe in Jesus because you know if they did, it would change their lives? Our hearts yearn for our loved ones who are missing out! We know people who are struggling with the truth of their addictions, their temptations, and the metal health issues and failures. We want people to hear the Truth! That is what Jesus wanted for Pilate. And you can sense the power of the Truth working on Pilate’s heart.
After he said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?” 40 Then they shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was a rebel.)
Pilate seems to have found Jesus not guilty of the charges and even tries to end the situation by releasing Jesus. How did Jesus’ heart feel then? Oh, the emotional suffering Jesus endured to even be compared to Barabbas. But, Jesus knew what Pilate needed. Jesus knows what the world needs more than anything else. We all need to be released from the curse of sin, the power of the death and the devil. Then see God on Trial as he Testified to the Truth and Reveals our Savior.
Truth is so important for our lives at basketball games, work and in the family. Truth is also important in the courtroom. Would you like to answer Pilate’s question? 38 “What is truth?” Truth is more than facts, or formulas or theories. Truth is a person! Truth is God Made Flesh. Jesus said,
“I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me”
John 14:6
The devil has done a good job to confuse our world about the Truth. Businesses spin the facts to get us to purchase their products. But, what’s the truth? People stretch the truth to get us to support their cause. Candidates claim whatever they can to try and get our vote. You can visit a dentist and they will give you variety of solutions for your teeth. But, what’s the truth? Even at a basketball game, was it a fowl or not? What’s the truth? In a world of so much uncertainty, how can we be sure of Jesus? Because God Was Put On Trial and He Spoke the Truth that Exposed Sin and Pointed to our Savior. 38 “What is truth?” May you boldly be ready to give a reason for the hope you have. Jesus is Truth! Amen!
