When The Cheers Turned Sour

4. John 18:36 “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

5. He refused to be the kind of king they wanted. Their hopes were dashed and the tide had shifted against Christ.

B. They were influenced by the religious leaders who had no use for Christ or His message.

1. Matthew 21:15 “But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant.”

2. The chief priests, the scribes and the Pharisees saw Christ as a threat to their self-proclaimed authority and power. Christ interfered with their tradition and their method of establishing self-righteousness.

3. Matthew 27:20 “But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.”

4. In order to secure the condemnation of Jesus, the religious leaders urged on the people to demand Barabbas. The people were greatly under the influence of the priests. Galileans among the citizens of Jerusalem were held in contempt. The priests turned the pretensions of Jesus into ridicule. In a popular tumult, among a flexible and changing multitude, they easily excited those who, but a little before, had cried Hosanna, to cry, crucify him. - copied

C. A Mob mentality began to rule.

1. Many were caught up in a mob scene. The same thing happens today. People get worked up and excited and the next thing you know they are a mob. They’re beating someone or breaking glass in a store and carrying off loads of merchandise. Human nature hasn't changed and as someone has said “back in Jesus' day there were people who yelled louder than others and were heard.”

2. Matthew 27: 22-25 “Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

3. Their heart’s revealed their true nature. Man tends to turn their heroes into zeroes when they don’t see what they to see, get what they want to have, or hear what they want said.

4. In stark contrast these superficial followers were now Christ’s condemners.

III. Before we criticize too sharply are we any different today?

A. The cheers of some today are just as hollow as the crowds waving the palms

1. Some follow because everybody’s doing it. Being religious is the in thing. They want to be with the in crowd where it’s popular.