Life’s Most Important Question
Matthew 27: 11- 26
We are going to look at the most searching question in all of the Bible and in all of the world.
If I were to ask you what might be the most important question for today, some would say health care or the war in Iraq.
This is not the most important question.
“What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ” is the most important question.
It is a personal question - “I.”
It is a particular question - “Jesus.”
It is a pertinent question - Heaven or hell depends on your answer. Your eternal destiny hinges upon your answer to this question. Your choice will decide between eternal delight and eternal despair.
"What shall I do then with Jesus?" This is the question of the Ages.
D.L. Moody called it the biggest blunder of his life. It happened on a Sunday night October 8, 1871, during a preaching series in Farwell Hall, Chicago, because of the increased crowds. His text was “What then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ.” Moody asked his congregation to evaluate their relationships to Christ and return next week to make up their minds about Jesus and to make their decision for Him. That crowd never gathered again.
He then turned to Ira Sankey for a solo, and Sankey sand “Today the Savior Calls.” But by the third verse Sankey’s voice was drowned out by the noise outside the hall. The great Chicago fire had begun, and the flames were even then sweeping toward the Hall. The clanging of the fire bells and the noise of the engines made it impossible to continue the meeting. In the years that followed, Moody wished that he had called for an immediate decision for Christ.
What will you then do with Jesus?
The question was first phrased by Pontius Pilate when he faced a bloodthirsty mob who demanded the crucifixion of Jesus (v. 22). The experience of Pilate in that day has a great deal in common with the experience of men in the day in which we live as we also face the most important question in the world.
I. The INTRUSION PILATE KNEW WAS INEVITABLE
I believe Pilate knew that sooner or later he was going to have to deal with this man named Jesus. Jesus interrupted Pilate’s life.
A. Reports about the person of Jesus of whom he was familiar
No doubt that he had heard of His name many times from the lips of others.
As a Roman governor, his position was not without great concerns. The Jews has proved in the past a difficult race to subdue and a difficult race to rule. As a result, a Roman governor would have an intelligence service equal to now. He was kept informed of anything or anyone who would threaten the peace of his rule. As a result, I doubt that there was little that he did not know about Jesus Christ.
He heard about the carpenter from Nazareth at the first and was just amused.
However, as growing hostility and bitterness grew, Pilate became alarmed. Finally, Pilate must have acknowledged to himself that one day he was going to have to deal with this man named Jesus.
He knew how jealous the religious crowd of that day were of their influence of the people; and he was aware at how embittered they were by Jesus’ attacks on their hypocrisy.
He was familiar with the words of Jesus.
Hew as familiar with the works of Jesus.
Reports about Jesus are familiar to people today. Men today have heard about his birth, death, and resurrection.
B. Reality of the presence of Jesus of whom he now faced
He is now no longer dealing with a report of a person but with reality of a presence. Jesus has been delivered to Pilate. He is now looking at this man named Jesus.
II. EVASION PILATE FOUND IMPOSSIBLE
Though Pilate attempted to evade dealing with Jesus, he found it was impossible. Pilate attempted to avoid decision about Jesus. He tired to dodge the responsibility, but he could not.
It was an unavoidable question. It was a question he could not dodge. You must do something about Jesus.
A. Alternative he pursued (Luke 23:7)
Pilate was willing to make friends with his enemy, Herod, to get Christ off his hands. However, Herod sent him back to Pilate.
Pilate could not dodge the issue and neither can you or I.
B. Appeal he presented (15-17)
It was customary at the feast of the Passover to release to the Jews one poisoner, whomever the people should desire. So Pilate had a crafty thought. He would limit their choice to two men. He selected the most wicked man in jail, a murdered, Barabbas. It was probable that his crimes had aroused great public indignation. Without a doubt he was a notorious criminal.
Pilate must have reasoned that, though the chief priest wanted Jesus killed, the mass of the people had rather have Jesus pardoned and released to them than to have Barabbas, the murder, turned loose. He thought the choice was clear; however, he underestimated their hatred for Jesus.
Pilate tried desperately to hand the decision over to others, but he could not escape the final decision.
The simple fact is no one can remain neutral on the issue of Jesus Christ. We must decide for or against Him.
A psychologist once asked a patient, “Do you have trouble making decisions?”
“Well,” answered the patient, “Yes and no.”
Here is one decision you must make. Neutral you cannot be.
III. DECISION PILATE MADE THAT WAS INCREDIBLE
Pilate tried to dismiss the issue by sending Jesus to Herod.
Pilate tried to discuss the issue with Jesus.
Pilate tried dodge the issue by letting others choose.
Pilate tried to disown the issue by washing his hands.
However his decision could not be evaded.
Before Pilate Jesus still stood.
Pilate would decide
a. Personally
b. Permanently - decision time had NOW arrived for him.
A. The fear that chained him
See Luke 23:23,24.
The threats and shouts of the majority won that day. Pilate feared the crowd. The fear of man bringeth a snare.
It was a dangerous time for a uproar, with more than a million Jews in Jerusalem, and probably not a thousand Roman soldiers in the castle. If one occurred, it would be reported to Rome, and Pilate could hardly make a credible defense to the emperor. He therefore yielded, and gave his sanction to the confessed wrong, rather than endanger himself.
Conscience dictates one thing, but cowardice directs another way.
B. The fabrication that condemned him (24)
Pilate called for a basin of water and rinsed his hands, thus symbolically handing responsibility for the murder of Jesus back to the Jews. However, washing his hands would never remove the guilt for condemning someone to die when you knew they were innocent.
No water can wash the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ.
Pilate needed something stronger than water to wash the blood of Jesus off your hands. You cannot rid yourself of responsibility by such nonsense. It was great folly and madness in Pilate, to think that washing of his hands did or could free him from the guilt of innocent blood. Pilate you had better rub hard and long, if you mean to rinse from thy soul the guilt of the sin which you have committed; your guilt will cleave unto thee and nothing can make amends for it but the blood which thou hast shed.
Pilate Rejected Jesus :-
(a) Carelessly - He treated his opportunity with lightly
(b) Consciously - He knew what he was doing.
© Callously - he even rejected his wife’s warning
(d) Cunningly - Herod failed; the scourging failed; the bargaining failed (Barabbas); the washing of his hands also failed. It was still Pilate’s own decision.
(e) Cowardly - for the love of position and the fear of man.
(h) Condemningly - John 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
Conclusion
The question is not what I do with the church, or the creed, or Christians, but “what I then do with Jesus?”
Your standing before God depends on it. John 3:18 "he that believeth on Him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already"
Your status in eternity depends on it - i.e. heaven or hell. It all rests on what you do then with Jesus who is called Christ.
A well-to-do banker had a wild and reckless son. The banker had sense enough to make money but not sense enough to whip his son and make him mind. At last the rebellious lad ran away and joined the navy. On the ship he got into one scrape after another, and he landed in the brig again and again. Finally, he was called before the captain of the ship. The captain said to the young man, "Son, I hear you are having trouble. You don’t seem to want to obey the rules." The young man was silent. He had said to some of the other sailors that the navy could not make do things. The captain was aware of the young man’s comments, and so he proceeded to say, "Son, you are in the navy. It is true we cannot make you do anything. We can’t make you into a good sailor if you don’t want to be. We cannot make you keep the rules if you have no sense of loyalty. No, we can’t make you do anything." At those words the young man seemed to smile. However the captain went on to say, "No, we can’t make yo do anything, but we can surely make you wish you had.”
Nobody can make you decide for Christ, but if you don’t you will one day surely wish you had.
