1. Jesus, a Wanted Man
"If Jesus had of entered into one of our modern cities, leading a parade, as the "triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He would have been arrested immediately. He would be a wanted man."
* The FDA would want Him for turning water into wine without a license;
* The EPA for killing fig trees;
* The AMA for practicing medicine without a license;
* The Dept. of Health for asking people to open graves, for raising the dead and for feeding 5000 people in the wilderness without a food permit;
* The NEA for teaching without a certificate;
* OSHA for walking on water without a lifejacket;
* The SPCA for driving hogs into the sea;
* The NATIONAL BOARD OF PSYCHIATRISTS for giving advice on how to live a guilt free life;
* The PLANNED PARENTHOOD for saying that whoever harms children, it is better that they had never been born;
* The COEXIST MOVEMENT for condemning all other religions,
* And by the ZONING DEPT. for building mansions without a permit."
Jesus would be a wanted man today. He was a wanted man 2000 years ago. While the crowd was praising Him, the religious leaders of the day and the Romans were working to kill Him......
2. Jesus stood before Pilate as a condemned man -- John 19.1-11
a. We have a law -- Leviticus 24.15-16
b. Pilate may be mocking the Jews and Jesus
c. Pilate inadvertently fulfills Zechariah 6.12
d. Pilate may not have understood, the Jews would have
3. Behold the Man:
I. The Picture of God's Love for Men
A. It Is Difficult to Trust an Invisible God
Trusting in Disaster
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. Isaiah 43:2
Reading about the Israelites standing on the shore of the Red Sea, we can imagine their distress over the advance of the Egyptian army. Has God forgotten us? This question visits each of us from time to time when everything around us seems to be crumbling: the loss of a job, broken relationships, or even the loss of loved ones.
It's hard to trust an invisible God. Like the Israelites in their moment of distress, we do not know God's plan; the Israelites were not expecting God to part the water before them. It would have been easy to abandon faith and become cynical. Instead, we can apply Moses' exhortation to ourselves, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord ... The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace" (Exodus 14:13-14). God delights in carrying us through even the darkest of times. He is at work in our situation. Trust in Him, and allow this promise to strengthen your spirit today.
Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelm us. Jerry Bridges
B. God's Ultimate Display of Love is in His Incarnation
1. Insufficient:
* Garden of Eden
* Call of Abram
* Call of Moses and Exodus from Egypt
* Gift of Torah
2. Inexplicable:
* John 1.14
* John 3.16
* Yet, not enough for some
3. Incredible Love of God -- 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13.7
a. Some put fault on others//Some take the fault of others
b. GOD is willing to bear and endure the guilt of our guilt
Love of Christ is Real.
"Dearest Jimmy, No words could ever express the great unhappiness I've felt since breaking our engagement. Please say you'll take me back. No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me. I love you, I love you, I love you! Yours forever, Marie... PS, And congratulations on winning the state lottery."
In 1993 the Sportsman Review stated that toy companies watch divorce rates. When it rises, so do toy sales. According to the analyzers, four parents and eight grandparents tend to compete for children's affections, so they buy toys.
The love of Jesus is different than any other kind of love in our lives.
II. The Picture of God's Loser Before Men
A. The Idolatry of "Success"
How do YOU define success? Many would define success with the attainment of one or more of the following:
* Power -- having a number of people under your authority
* Prestige -- being well-known, famous
* Position -- achieving the executive level
* Popularity -- being well-liked by the majority
* Possessions -- having everything that money can buy
* Pleasure -- being able to do that which brings pleasure to body and mind
Alexander the Great was not satisfied, even when he had completely subdued the nations. He wept because there were no more worlds to conquer, and he died at an early age in a state of debauchery.
Hannibal, who filled three bushels with the gold rings taken from the knights he had slaughtered, committed suicide by swallowing poison. Few noted his passing, and he left this earth completely unmourned.
Julius Caesar, 'staining his garments in the blood of one million of his foes,' conquered 800 cities, only to be stabbed by his best friends at the scene of his greatest triumph.
Napoleon, the feared conqueror, after being the scourge of Europe, spent his last years, in banishment."
God revealed the definition of true success to His servant, Joshua: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may OBSERVE TO DO according to all that is written in it. For THEN you will make your way prosperous, and THEN you will have good success" (Joshua 1:8).
B. Jesus Is a Source of Confusion -- 1 Corinthians 1.26-31
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
1. To Jews
2. To Pagans
III. The Picture of God's Loss for Men
A. Jesus' Death -- for US! -- Romans 5.8
1. His Death Brings Life -- seen in his resurrection
2. Application to us
* Ultimate resurrection to eternal life -- 1 Corinthians 15
* Contemporary New Life -- Romans 6.1-4; Galatians 2.20
o Wearying of "my rights" as a believer
o Slaves have no rights
o Dead people don't have rights
o Only the Master has rights
Slave and Sacrifice of Freedom
Abraham Bininger was born in Switzerland in the 18th century. He and his parents left their homeland and bordered a ship for America. During the journey both his father and mother died and were buried at sea. While just a boy he found himself in a strange land where he knew absolutely no one. However, he never let his misfortunes hold him back. As a young man he professed Christ as his savior. After hearing of the great misery and poverty among the blacks on the island of St. Thomas he sought to travel there to preach the gospel.
Upon his arrival he discovered that it was against the law for any person but a slave to preach to the slaves. It was the policy of the plantation owners to keep the blacks in ignorance and superstition.
Shortly after this the governor received a letter from the Bininger. In the letter Bininger pleaded with the governor to allow him to be made a slave for the rest for his life. Bininger promised that he would serve as a slave faithfully, providing he could give his leisure tine to preaching to his fellow slaves.
The governor in turn sent the letter to the King of Denmark who was so touched by the willingness of Bininger to sacrifice his freedom for the gospel that he sent an order the allowed Abraham Bininger to preach the gospel whenever and where ever he choose, to black or white, to slave of freeman.
B. Jesus' Condemnation was for Justification
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5.18-21
1. Jesus was justified as Messiah by his resurrection
2. Irony -- Pilate (as well as we) will be judged by the One HE judged (we?)
Conclusion
1. Man often seeks to be greater than he is, even to the point of becoming a god.
2. God, however, became less than He is and became a man as Jesus.
3. "Caesar was a man who became a god. Jesus was God who became a man."
4. Too often we want to direct our own steps and we fail as we pick and choose what we will do or what we won't before God
5. Jesus is on display before us as exactly what God wants us to be -- What will you do with Jesus?"
