Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
This sermon explores the conflict between religious and political power as seen in John 18:28-39, where Pilate must decide whether to execute Jesus, a decision that pits his Roman authority against the Jewish leaders and their religious kingdom.
The year was 1776 and the American colonies were in the midst of a revolution. The colonists had declared their independence from Great Britain and were now in a fight for their freedom. John Adams was a lawyer and a politician. He was also one of the most influential people in the fight for independence and the establishment of the United States of America.
But, he was faced with a difficult decision. He’d been asked to sign the Declaration of Independence, a document that would officially declare the colonies' independence from Great Britain. He knew that signing the document would mean he was putting his life and the lives of his family in danger. It would also mean that he was committing treason against the British Crown and the official punishment for treason was execution by hanging.
John Adams had to choose between doing what he felt was right for the colonies and doing what felt was best for himself, his family, and their future. As most of you know, after much deliberation, he chose to sign the Declaration of Independence. His decision was a brave one, and it changed the course of history.
As we’ll see in today’s teaching, a struggle between two powerful forces often leads to a critical decision for those who care about their world as well as the lives of those around them. These decisions are never easy and they always come with consequences. Thankfully, we serve an all-powerful God who holds it all together and works things for good. He alone is King over culture. He is the King of all kingdoms.
He alone is King over culture. He is the King of all kingdoms.
In John 18:28-39, we see the struggle between two powerful forces coming to a climax. We see the struggle between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Rome as the teachings of Jesus and His miraculous healings are stirring up trouble among the Jewish people.
This passage begins with Jesus’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is first taken before the Jewish leaders and then before Pontius Pilate, who was the Roman governor of Judea.
Pilate is perplexed as to why the Jews have brought Jesus before him, and he quickly discovers that it is because of the religious and political tensions between the Jews and the Romans.
The Jews have accused Jesus of claiming to be the King of the Jews, which would mean that he is claiming to be their ruler ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium
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