Last week we talked about the fact that Jesus was bound. They tied Him up to keep Him from retaliating. The crowd was afraid of Jesus. That is proven more and more as one reads about the events leading up to the crucifixion. Here Jesus is before Pilate. Pilate has questioned Jesus. He has tried to find out why the crowd wanted to crucify Christ. The crowd denied that Jesus was their king.
Read John 19:15
Unfortunately, this is something that occurs frequently. Today we are going to see that it was not just the crowd that denied Christ, but also those who were closest to Him. When people do deny Christ, what does that mean and what are some ways in which they do this.
I. The People denied their King- Jn. 19:15.
The people had all the evidence that they needed to know that Christ was King. They had heard His teachings, they had seen the miracles. When questioned by Pilate, Jesus told him that He was the Son of God. Jesus’ actions proved who He was. He had healed the sick, he had given the blind sight and the given the lame the ability to walk, he had raised the dead, and changed the water into wine. All evidence pointed to who Christ was and that He had come to change the world.
Pilate knew that Jesus wasn’t a criminal. Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. Pilate recognized Jesus’ position and place. Pilate wanted to let Jesus go but was more afraid of the people than Jesus. He tried to convince them to let Jesus go, but their cry was that Caesar was their king- not God.
In OT times something very similar happened. The people denied God as their king. They wanted to be as other nations and have a human king. They got what they wanted, but in the end it cost them dearly. Just as in the Ot times the people wanted freedom. By turning away from God and denying Christ as King they were denying the one who could truly set them free.
What is it that causes the crowd to deny Jesus?
People deny the true king everyday. They pledge their allegiance to Caesar or the Govt. Rather than to God. Baptist have long held to separation of church and state. This is to keep the govt. from running the church, and to keep from giving allegiance to the govt. over God.
There is a mob mentality. Sometimes when we are in a crowd this mentality takes over. This is the mentality that takes over in a riot. When lots of people begin to loot buildings and hurt innocent people. This mentality overtook the crowd.
There was noone in the crowd willing to step out and speak up for what was right. There was no one willing to step out and step up to Christ.
Even though they denied Him, he still endured. Even though they denied that Jesus was King, He still went to the cross and died for them.
II. Peter denied his King- Luke 22:54-62
one of the inner circle of Christ. He had been with Jesus from the beginning. He learned from Christ first-hand. He did not have to push through to be a part of a multitude to listen to one of Jesus’ sermons. Peter experienced the miracles as he handed out the bread and fish, and as he watched the storm quiet at His command. Peter began by following Jesus at a distance. He then denied Jesus 3 times.
Just as the people denied Jesus as king, so did Peter. Peter had given so much of his life to Christ, now he turns and denies Jesus. What is it that causes someone like Peter to deny Jesus?
Fear of the people- Peter was afraid of being noticed, Fear of harm, lack of knowledge of what to do.
There are Christians just like Peter. They are faithful committed Christians who for one reason or another deny Jesus. We may not deny Christ through saying we don’t know Him. There are other ways we deny Christ.
When we do not do what Jesus tells us to we are denying Him.
When we walk in fear of the people rather than the fear of the Lord, we are denying Him.
When we continually push away from Jesus. When we try to hide our faith and don’t share it
When we do not go where we are to go. When we do not witness to the one God tells us to
When we don’t do the job that God has for us When we refuse to use our gifts for His glory
When instead of taking time to read the Scripture, we busy ourselves with everything else.
Peter began by following at a distance. He had spent three years following Christ closely. He did all he was supposed to do and went where he was supposed to do. When this time came, Peter began to follow Christ at a distance. The first step to denying Christ is following Him at a distance. When we step back from following Christ, the next step is denial.
Peter had something that the crowd did not. Peter realized his flaw, and was able to be restored to his relationship with Christ. Peter could experience God’s grace. Peter did. Peter received God’s forgiveness. This was something that was available to the crowd, but Peter experienced first hand.
There are times that we will stumble and fall. There are times when we to will deny Christ by our actions or words. Just as Christ restored Peter, Christ will restore you.
