Who Killed Jesus Christ?

Who Killed Jesus Christ?

John 12:23-24

http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/WhoKilled.html

Jesus died and was buried, and sprung up in everlasting life!

He begins now to give the disciples some teaching about what they are about to witness in a just a few days. This is all new to them, but the cross was in the mind of God long before this day...long before Jesus was even sent to the earth. Isaiah spoke of it 700 years BC. Exodus predicted it 1500 years BC. Even in the garden of Eden it was referred to:

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

And we can go back even further...

Revelation 13:8

... the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Bill O'Reilly is a great writer, and is very good at what he does on TV, so long as he doesn't make an attempt at the spiritual. "Killing Jesus" is a sad representation of the story of the cross, with many inaccuracies, and a glaringly obvious overtone that it is written by a person who has not been born again. It just goes to show how until a person's eyes are opened, they cannot understand the things of God!

Who killed Jesus Christ? Was it the Jews? The Romans? Ultimately it was God who offered that sacrifice. But since it was our sins laid on Him there, it is most accurate to say that WE killed Him.

Isaiah 53:5-6

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

We are not getting deep into the text just yet. This is just an introductory message...an overview of all we will be studying for the next months to come.

From earth's perspective:

1. Self-righteous religion killed Jesus.

The Pharisees took everything to the extreme in their pursuit of God. They wouldn't eat an egg laid on the Sabbath, because they would be condoning the work of the chicken.

And it was a religious crowd that conspired to crucify Jesus. Religion and salvation are not the same at all.

2. Cold-eyed hypocrisy killed Jesus.

Why did Judas betray Jesus for a little silver? He was a hypocrite! He wore a mask like the old Greek play actors. Are you wearing a mask?

None of the disciples suspected him. He was so trusted he held the money for the group! And some in our number are that good ... but deep down you know you are a play actor.

I'm not talking about a Christian who struggles with sin. If you hate your sin, you're on good ground. I worry about those who can sin and it doesn't bother them, and they just hide it away and play pretend church in public.

To the world I say, don't let the hypocrites keep you from church. It's between you and God.

ill.--I bet you've gone to some baseball games where there were people there who weren't really fans of baseball. They had other motives for being there. So, you'll never go again?

A counterfeit validates that which is genuine and valuable. Money is counterfeited because it has genuine value. No one counterfeits gum wrappers.

The Bible says all religious hypocrites go to hell, so don't be one of them...don't let them take you with them. It needs to be done right, so be part of the solution!

ill.--years ago a trash worker saw something moving in a dumpster...it turned out to be a baby. He saved it and she was named baby Grace. She was found in the midst of rubbish. She was a diamond in the rough.

If you are gonna find the truth about God, it's not likely to be a pretty thing with everyone dressed up and holy with stained glass windows and a big pipe organ. You'll find the truth at the foot of a blood covered cross!

3. Cowardly compromise killed Jesus.

As demonstrated by Pontius Pilate. He was a fence-straddling, spineless, wishy-washy, weak-kneed politician. He was the consummate compromiser...a coward. He stated publicly that Jesus was innocent, finding no fault in Him. He knew the Jews were acting out of jealousy. His wife had even been warned in a dream by God, that Jesus was not worthy of death.

He rejected the voice of conscience, reason, and revelation. He listened instead to the voices of the crowd. Sound like any politicians you know today?

He tried NOT to decide. He tried to have it both ways. "I give Him to you, His blood be on YOUR hands."