It's Your Call

Based on: And The Angels Were Silent, Max Lucado, Chpt. 23—Your Choice

Scripture Ref: Matt. 27:11-22

John 2:4, 7; 6, 8, 30; 8:20;

Luke 22:66-70

John 6:60-69

Matt. 12:30

John 5:22-29

Phil. 4:13

1. Introduction

a. Relate to Reba McEntire’s song, Its Your Call.

· Story of a husband who has, in all likelihood, been unfaithful to his wife.

· He receives a call at home from his mistress, which his wife intercepts.

· His wife gives him an ultimatum—her or his mistress.

· The anchor of the song is that its “his call.”

2. Choice Is a Function of Time

a. Present as a theme like many TV series use—start in the present and revert to the past.

b. In the Present

(1) We stand on a threshold daily. Do we choose to do good or bad, to serve righteousness or evil.

(2) We have a choice—its our call.

c. In the Past

(1) Read Matt. 27:11-22

(a) Jesus is not afraid or angry. He is not near panic. And, He is not surprised. He knows his hour has come.

(b) Two sets of choices are displayed

· Jesus—agree with or deny Pilate’s questions or charges with regard to Jesus’ deity and kingdom.

· Pilate—Release Jesus because He is innocent or give in to the crowd so as not to incur their wrath and disfavor.

(c) God even provided input through Pilate’s wife’s dream, which he ignored.

d. Farther in the Past

(1) John 2:4—“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

(a) The first of the 35 recorded miracles Jesus performed.

(b) The timing of His manifestation was in God’s hands, not man’s (or His mother’s).

(2) John 7:6—Therefore Jesus told them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.”

(a) Jesus is being persuaded by his brothers to go to the Feast of Tabernacles in Judaea and perform miracles so people would know He was the Messiah.

(b) His brothers reasoned that if He was what He claimed, he should publicly demonstrate it.

(c) Satan will often tempt us to do something we know is not right. It’s up to us to make the right choice.

(3) John 7:8—“…You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.”

John 7:30—At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.

John 8:20—He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

(a) In all three cases, either John or Jesus indicated that Jesus’ time for manifestation had not come.

(b) Jesus was very intent on performing things according to God’s timing.

3. Curiosity Could Save the Cat

a. Perhaps you are like Pilate

· You are curious about Jesus.

· You are puzzled and stirred by his passions.

· You have heard the others speak; now you want for Him to speak.

b. Read Luke 22:66–70

(1) Jesus, on trial before the Sanhedrin, affirmed His authority as Messiah.

· The human side of Him could have denied this fact.

· Perhaps He could have left this trial with a punishment much less severe than death if He had recanted His proclamations.

· It was His call, but the Godly side of Him would not allow Him to deny the truth.

(2) The long-term result of His decision was that He would be seated on the right hand of the Father, a place of honor and power.

4. And now, Its Your Call

a. Read John 6:60-69

b. The people found His teaching to be totally unacceptable. Many of his disciples turned away from Him.

(1) Disciple (according to Webster)

· Follower of Jesus Christ in His lifetime.

· One who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another.

· A convinced adherent of a school or individual.

(2) They were looking more to Him as a political Messiah.

(3) He might be a great healer, but His teachings were hard. Who could obey them.

c. The life Jesus offered them, and us, must be experienced by faith. The words do not work automatically. There is no magic formula.

(1) He taught them that divine enablement was necessary to come to faith.

(2) Many things He said and did they found to be unpalatable.

· His rejecting their desire to make Him their political king

· His demand for personal faith

· His teaching on atonement

· His stress on total human inability and on salvation as a work of God

(3) They gave up on being His disciples.