Who Are You Going To Believe?

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE?

John 18: 33-38

INTRODUCTION:

A. Under the Roman system of law, Pilate was not only the

Judge but also the jury

1. He had the responsibility to hear the evidence and come to

a conclusion of guilt or innocence about Jesus based on

that evidence

2. The charge against Jesus was one of treason

a. The Jewish leaders said that Jesus was telling the people

not to pay their taxes-- even though Jesus said render

unto Caesar his due

b. They also said that Jesus was claiming to be king-- a

direct challenge to Caesar’s authority

3. As we look back on the legal proceedings, we can all see

where Pilate failed as a judge

a. Pilate knew that the Jews had Jesus before him because

they envied Jesus and this was a way to use Pilate to get

rid of Jesus

b. After Pilate personally examine Jesus, he said, I find no

fault in him-- Jesus is innocent

c. Pilate’s failure as a judge was that he allowed an

innocent man to be executed

4. He allowed it because of political expediency and fear, but

he did allow it

B. What people don’t realize is that Pilate was the one who

was really on trial

1. What was at stake was not his physical life but his eternal

soul

2. What he needed to do was to weigh the evidence about

Jesus and see if Jesus was who He claimed to be

a. Jesus claimed to be the eternal Word, the I am-- God

Himself

b. Jesus claimed to be on a mission of seeking and saving

the lost-- that mission would entail Him going to the

cross

c. This is why Jesus never resisted or put up a fight-- He

had an appointment at the cross to pay for man’s sin

d. Jesus claimed that He would rise from the dead to set

up a kingdom

3. Jesus stated that to be a part of His kingdom required a

spiritual birth, a supernatural birth from above

4. Jesus claimed that without this birth, one would never see

His kingdom but would perish in eternal fire

5. If Jesus’ claims were true, then Pilate needed to turn from

his sin and embrace Jesus

6. In order to determine if Jesus’ claims were true, Pilate

needed to weigh the evidence

7. That is the importance of v. 34-- are you going to accept

what others have said about me, or are you going to

check things out for yourself?

8. That question is just as relevant today as it was then

I. THE EVIDENCE THAT SUBSTANTIATES JESUS

CLAIMS AS SAVIOR AND LORD

A. We will use the Scriptures to give us our source of

information about Jesus

1. Jesus told His enemies to sear the Scriptures for in them

ye think you have life but they are they which testify about

Me

2. I realize that some may scoff right here

a. You may scoff because you don’t believe that the Bible

is what it claims to be-- God’s inspired word

b. You may have heard preachers deny the Bible as the

infallible Word of God

c. Weigh the evidence-- are you saying this about the Bible

because of what you have heard or have you checked it

out yourself?

3. The Bible shares many things that point out His claim as

the eternal Word, the I am, God Himself

a. The Bible shares that as God, Jesus had the power to

heal sickness-- lepers, blind people, paralytics, fevers--

even Jesus’ enemies acknowledged His power to heal

b. The Bible shares that as God, Jesus had power over

nature-- turned water into wine, fed 5000 people with

five loaves and two fish, stilled the weather, walked on

water

c. The Bible shares that Jesus as God, had power over

demons-- He cast them out of the Gadarean, Mary

Magdelean

d. As God, the Bible says that Jesus had power over

death-- Jairus’ daughter, boy, Lazarus

e. The Bible reveals Jesus as the omnipotent God

4. The Bible also reveals Jesus as a sinless God

a. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin

b. His virgin birth gave Him a sinless nature

c. The Bible reveals that Jesus chose to resist temptation

and overcome sin-- wilderness, Gethsemene, the cross

5. The Bible shares that Jesus possessed God’s main

characteristic

a. I John says God is love

b. Greater love hath no man than this that a man would lay

down his life for his friends

c. Jesus proved His love for us by going to a cross to pay

our sin debt

d. Jesus loved us so much that He not only wanted us not

to go to hell but He wanted us in heaven with Him