Sermons

Summary: 10 Week series on the Gospel

-When it comes to the death of Jesus the usual suspect is…

-Judas killed Jesus for money. (Matt 26:15)

-Judas was a key player in the plot to kill Jesus.

-John 12:6 tells us that Judas was greedy for money and had actually stolen money from the disciples shared ministry funds.

Matthew 26:15 says that Judas went to the leading priests and asked them, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.”

-He had seen heard Jesus preach with authority.

-He was there to witness the powerful miracles.

-He saw sight returned to the blind, and hearing to the deaf.

-He saw lame people walk and dead people raised to life.

-Judas’ weakness for money led him to do the unthinkable.

-You could argue that Judas killed Jesus. It’s true that he is the one to hand Jesus over, but Judas only played a part.

-The death of Jesus was a bigger and more complicated affair.

-The Pharisees killed Jesus to maintain their standing. (John 12:19)

-The Pharisees were the popular religious sect in the days of Jesus

-They were the ones who crushed people with hundreds of rules and regulations.

-They kept the people enslaved to guilt and shame.

-Jesus constantly exposed their hypocrisy, challenged their oppressive rules…generally speaking he really ticked them off!

-When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday there were crowds of people worshipping him and

John 12:19 “Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

-He was a threat; they were losing their grip on the people.

-The leaders of the Pharisees were part of the payoff to kill Jesus.

-They were also present during some of the 6 trials that Jesus was put through.

-And the Pharisees were there inciting the crowds to crucify Jesus

-With Jesus out of the way the Pharisees would eliminate the competition and get back to oppressing the people unopposed.

-But it wasn’t just Judas and the Pharisees.

-The Sadducees killed Jesus to protect their interests. (Mk 11:15-17)

-The Sadducees had been given power by the Romans because they showed a certain willingness to cooperate.

-So the high priesthood of Israel was given to the Sadducees which meant they were in charge.

Mark 11:15-17 “When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them,

“The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

-Who do you suppose was getting all that kickback money from the business being conducted inside the temple?

-The people in charge! The Sadducees!

-And who did Jesus stand before when he was on trial?

-Two Sadducee high priests…Annas and Caiaphas!

-When Jesus turned over the tables at the temple, he was disrupting the flow of money…so he had to go.

-And then there’s another party we have to mention.

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