Jesus On Trial: The Sentence Series

Luke replies that he has given us the most scientific language of the four Gospels, and that he has recorded some of the most exalted titles ever given to Jesus: “Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32), “Son of God” (Luke 1:35), and “Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

John, what is your testimony? We know that you were very close to Jesus.

John replies that he has written the most explicit words of all, stating, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4). Further, he is also on record as saying, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).

John the Baptist, what is your testimony? You are Jesus’ first cousin. What do you say?

John the Baptist says, “I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).

Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus, Jesus often stayed in your home in Bethany, what do you say?

Martha says that she told Jesus himself, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (John 11:27).

And Peter, you were the leader of the apostles, what is your answer? What did you tell Jesus when he asked you, “Who do you say that I am?”

Peter, speaking for the rest of the apostles, said to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

Jesus never corrected anyone who said that he was the Son of God. He could have but he did not. And the reason he did not is because he was indeed the Son of the living God.

Conclusion

So, this Good Friday, what is your testimony about Jesus? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Or do you believe that Jesus was just a man, a good man perhaps, but just a man nonetheless. You may think he was a great teacher, prophet, or moralist, but that is all he was.

Pontius Pilate, along with the religious authorities and crowd, essentially sentenced Jesus to die because they believed his claim to be the Son of God was false.

Every one of us is also called to make a judgment about Jesus’ identity. But our judgment will not affect the destiny of Jesus but, rather, our judgment about Jesus will affect our own destiny.

Let us make the right decision about the identity of Jesus. Amen.