Behold Your King!

Getting a Good Look at Jesus at Birth, in Life, at the Cross, and Soon!

John 18 & 19

I.         Introduction (Matt 2:1,2)

A.      The wise men came into Jerusalem looking for the new King, born into the world, whom they had come to worship

B.       It took 33 ½ years before people finally saw just WHO that baby really was

1.        Mary and Joseph knew it

2.        Those few wise men knew it

3.        Herod feared it

4.        Multitudes struggled with it

a.       The miracles matched the Messiah

b.       The methods matched the Messiah – meek, and lowly, and lovingly

c.       The message He preached matched what the Messiah would preach

5.        But the greatest statement made by anybody about that life, born in a manger, baptized by john the Baptist, burdened for sinners, beaten by wicked hands, was made by a governor – Pontius Pilate (John 19)

II.       Message (Jn 18:28 – 19:22)

A.      Jesus the Threat (Jn 18:28-30)

1.        To religion

2.        To the love of money-making

3.        To the status-quo

4.        Notice that Jesus doesn’t bring peace, but causes a stir – that is the only way to bring about a change to the human heart

B.       Jesus the Prophet (Jn 18:31-32)

1.        Prophesied that He would

a.       Die in Jerusalem

b.       Die by crucifixion

c.       Die because people in general would WANT Him dead

2.        It actually was the fulfilling of Scriptures that had prophesied these things over 1,000 years earlier!

C.       Jesus the Problem (Jn 18:33 – 38)

1.        Are you the King that they say you are? The Messiah? If you are, we both are in trouble!

2.        Jesus answers with a question – what do YOU think? YOU must see the truth yourself!

3.        Jesus came to talk about ONE THING

a.       The Truth

b.       He says that if He IS a King, then it will be because His Kingdom is the ONLY one! It is not from this world!

4.        What a subject – THE TRUTH!

a.       Pilate didn’t believe anything like TRUTH existed – politician

b.       And Jesus brings up the subject of heaven, and the after-life!

c.       Man! What a thing to be talking about when you are on death-row!

5.        To Pilate, Jesus was a problem

a.       There were some mad-dog Jews outside his door demanding His death

b.       There were some basic rules of justice that demanded Jesus’ release

c.       And when Pilate tried to manipulate the people’s judgement, it still fell-apart!

D.      Jesus the Man (Jn 19:38b – 19:6)

1.        A perfect Man

a.       Examined by family

b.       Examined by friends – disciples

c.       Examined by foes – here with Pilate

2.        A plain man

a.       Not fighting

b.       Not like most people – trying to get out of the situation

c.       Seemed quite in control, even though in bonds

3.        A punished Man

a.       For nothing of Himself

b.       Yet with all the vengeance of punishing a murderer

4.        A Dead Man – there was no way out

E.       Jesus the Son (Jn 19:7,8)

1.        Not in trouble for being virgin born, or the Son of Mary, or the Son of a carpenter

2.        Jesus is really in trouble for being the Son of God

3.        That makes Him someone more than

a.       Just a man

b.       More than a problem

c.       More than a prophet

d.       More than any threat ever before

4.        Here was the crux

a.       Was this the Messiah

b.       Was Jesus the real KING

c.       The promised Son of God – in the flesh? Standing before Pilate?

d.       Pilate should be kneeling before Jesus!

F.       Jesus the King (Jn 19:9-22)

1.        People will look at a little baby in a manger

2.        People will read of a Man doing miracles, and loving a world of sinners

3.        But have we beheld our King?

4.        Take a good long look!

a.       You will either see Him one day, face to face as your wonderful Lord

b.       Or, you will see Him face to face, as your terrifying Judge

c.       It is determined completely by whether you see Him first and foremost as YOUR SAVIOUR! Your gift from God! The payment for all your sins in full!

III.     Conclusion

A.      Now, none of us can see Jesus face to face

B.       So how do we get a good look at the Son of God?

C.       Don’t make the mistake that the crowd of 2,000 years ago made – saw only

1.        A Threat

2.        As Insignificant

3.        As an Opportunity

D.      Look through the lens of God’s inspired Scripture

E.       What do we see?

1.        God, as He always was, and is

2.        A perfect Man, who was born in that stable, and lived a perfect life, fulfilling ALL of God’s laws and requirements

3.        Simplicity, in all its beauty

4.        A Substitute – someone willing to take your place in death, and offer you to go free, and live forever

5.        The King

F.       Get a good look at Him

1.        You will either see Him one day, face to face as your wonderful Lord

2.        Or, you will see Him face to face, as your terrifying Judge

3.        It is determined completely by whether you see Him first and foremost as YOUR SAVIOUR! Your gift from God! The payment for all your sins in full!

IV.    Invitation Song – What child is This?