Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Saturday Evening Service - The Prevailing Voices
Transcript
- 0:00We're going to begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise and singing in Psalm 95.
- 0:06!
- 0:30Praise him and rejoice.
- 0:32We're going to sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
- 0:35We stand to sing.
- 0:36O come, let us joyfully sing to the Lord, to the rock of salvation.
- 0:52Let us raise our voice.
- 0:56Let us come before him, expressing our thanks.
- 1:05Let us with love singing, praise him and rejoice.
- 1:16The Lord is the great God, King over all gods.
- 1:24The earth's deepest places he holds in his hand.
- 1:34The heights of the mountains belong to the Lord.
- 1:42The oceans are his hand, he formed the dry land.
- 1:51Come, let us bow humbly and worship the Lord.
- 2:02Let us kneel before him, our maker in prayer.
- 2:11For we are his people, and he is our God.
- 2:20He shepherds and feeds us in his loving care.
- 2:29Let us pray, if you pray, if you hear, if you hear, and attend to his voice,
- 2:38don't harden your hearts, as you did on the way.
- 2:47In heaven, in a stesser, you quarreled with me.
- 2:57You tested my patience at Masa that day.
- 3:07Your fathers provoked me and tested me there.
- 3:15Although they had witnessed the works I had done,
- 3:25With that generation for forty long years,
- 3:34My deep indignation continued to burn.
- 3:42I said there are people whose hearts go astray,
- 3:52They do not acknowledge that my ways are best,
- 4:00And so in my anger I stated alone,
- 4:09I swear that they never shall enter my rest.
- 4:19Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray.
- 4:26Lord our gracious God as we come in your name this evening,
- 4:33We are thankful for the very privilege that it is ours to gather and worship you,
- 4:38To come and lift our voices joyfully to you in song,
- 4:43Acknowledging you as our rock, the rock of our salvation,
- 4:47And thankful Lord for all that you have done and are doing for us,
- 4:52And all that we look ahead to as well in anticipation that you will fulfill for us as well.
- 4:58We are thankful that you are the God who has given so many promises to us.
- 5:03We are thankful for the way that even this psalm reminds us of your goodness to your people,
- 5:10That you are one who leads them, who helps them along the way,
- 5:15Who helps your people through all different kinds of situations.
- 5:20We have sung of the way that you have led your people in the past,
- 5:25And thankful for the promise that you lead your people to this very day,
- 5:29And you lead your people going forward as well.
- 5:32And even in days when we are dismayed in the direction of our land,
- 5:37When we are dismayed by all that goes on around us in so many ways,
- 5:41We are thankful that we come to you as the living God,
- 5:46We come to you as the one who formed the deepest of places,
- 5:51And who holds all things in his hands.
- 5:54And we thank you that tonight, O Lord, in our weakness,
- 5:57We come to you as the one who is the strength to your people.
- 6:02You are the one who hears our prayers.
- 6:04You are the one who, even in a world that mocks the very fact,
- 6:08That we call to you as God and Lord,
- 6:11That you remind us in your word,
- 6:13And you remind us in so much of your providence towards us,
- 6:18That you will not be a God who is mocked,
- 6:20But that you indeed will hear and help according to your will.
- 6:25And so we come in that dependence upon you and you this night,
- 6:30As we prepare our hearts,
- 6:32As we come to worship you this evening,
- 6:35And as we look forward, God willing, in anticipation,
- 6:38To sitting at the Lord's table tomorrow.
- 6:41As we come, Lord, to remember,
- 6:44Above all what has been done for us through your Son, Jesus Christ,
- 6:48The one who was himself mocked,
- 6:51The one who was rejected and despised by many,
- 6:54The one who came to his own and his own did not receive him,
- 6:58The one who, as we will read of this evening,
- 7:01Was mocked among so many different people.
- 7:05And yet, O Lord, in the midst of all that was cried out against him,
- 7:10He cried out with a greater voice,
- 7:13Father, forgive them, for they know not what we do.
- 7:16And we thank you, Lord, that this evening as we come,
- 7:20That you are still a God who is merciful and gracious.
- 7:23And we do pray, Lord, that you will be merciful towards us,
- 7:27That in our preparation and in our looking to you at this time,
- 7:31That you will help us to come before you anew,
- 7:34Asking for forgiveness for all our sins,
- 7:38Asking that you will make us whole again before you,
- 7:42That you will cleanse us in the precious blood of Christ,
- 7:46And that we might know the power of your forgiveness,
- 7:49And that we might know the mercy and grace that you show to your people,
- 7:54Again and again.
- 7:55We pray that for ourselves here,
- 7:57As we pray it for all around us, Lord,
- 7:59That you would have mercy upon our land at this time.
- 8:02And we do thank you for your word that is an instruction to us.
- 8:07It reminds us of the great joy in worshipping you,
- 8:11But it reminds us too of the warnings of rejecting you.
- 8:14With that great warning that we have sung of in this psalm,
- 8:18That you swore that they would never enter your rest.
- 8:21And that is what you say to those who will reject you,
- 8:25Those who will turn away from you,
- 8:27That there will be no peace.
- 8:29But we thank you that for those who do confess your name,
- 8:33For those who put their trust in you,
- 8:35That you have prepared a place of peace,
- 8:38That you have prepared a place for your people.
- 8:41And we do pray, Lord, that you will lead us and guide us in that way.
- 8:46To show us the paths everlasting,
- 8:48The paths of life divine,
- 8:51Where there is joy at your right hand.
- 8:53And so, Lord, help us to praise you this evening.
- 8:56Help us to praise you in song,
- 8:58To praise you in your word,
- 9:00To praise you in our hearts, O Lord,
- 9:03That we would give thanks for all your goodness to us.
- 9:07And help us, Lord, just to look to Jesus,
- 9:10The author, the perfecter of our faith.
- 9:13We thank you for your church, for your people,
- 9:16For the great encouragement that there is as you build your church.
- 9:21And we do pray that your church will be built here in our midst,
- 9:25That you will encourage us together,
- 9:27That you will strengthen us in these days,
- 9:29That you will help us to be a people who worship you in spirit and in truth,
- 9:35And who serve you with our whole hearts,
- 9:37Who honour you with all that we are and all that we have.
- 9:40And that you would add to your number here, Lord, those being saved.
- 9:44As we hear the great encouragements in your word of the church in the days of the book of Acts,
- 9:51When they were together under your name,
- 9:56They were together in heart and unity and worship.
- 9:59And that you are pleased to bless by adding to their number those who are being saved.
- 10:03That is our prayer for us to gather here even this evening,
- 10:07That those who have maybe not confessed or professed your name,
- 10:11That would be added to that number,
- 10:14Who would profess Christ as Lord, Lord of all.
- 10:18And so we pray, Lord, that together here this evening,
- 10:21You would hear all our prayers collectively.
- 10:24And remember your church far and wide as well.
- 10:26As a church, your people pray for so many things going on in our world,
- 10:31As we especially think of our own nation in these last days,
- 10:35How we have seen the days that we live in the darkness of them.
- 10:39As we think of the Parliament's decision yesterday in supporting of assisted suicide,
- 10:46Lord, our hearts break in the midst of it.
- 10:49That we have come to such a point in our history,
- 10:52When we think that we can take control of matters of life and death,
- 10:58And not acknowledge that these belong to you.
- 11:01We do pray, Lord, that your will would still be that our nation would turn from this.
- 11:07That we would see a rejection of it, Lord.
- 11:11That we would see a turning against it.
- 11:13For we are so fearful of what it entails if it goes ahead to many in our land, Lord.
- 11:20When life is seen as in our own hands instead of in yours.
- 11:25Lord, we pray, have mercy upon us.
- 11:28We pray too for the nations of the world around us,
- 11:32Where we see so much turmoil and chaos.
- 11:35Not just in our own land, but far and wide.
- 11:38Our world, as it were, is crumbling around us in so many ways.
- 11:42The security and foundation of your word is lost.
- 11:45When we build our own kingdoms and we build our own towers,
- 11:50We know, Lord, that they will only be torn down.
- 11:53And so we pray, Lord, that your kingdom will come in power.
- 11:56That the darkness that we see around us will be overcome
- 12:00By the wonder of your light, the light of the gospel.
- 12:03That you would come in a day of your power.
- 12:06Draw us to yourself again and revive us in these days.
- 12:10So, Lord, we pray that you will hear your people.
- 12:13That you would draw near to us and help us in all of these things.
- 12:17Remember our loved ones in our community here in our church.
- 12:21Remember those who are unwell, whether that's at home or in hospital.
- 12:25We do commit each other into your hands, O Lord,
- 12:28That you will surround us by your grace and by your mercy.
- 12:32Thankful for you as our shepherd, the Lord who is near.
- 12:37The one who helps us through all the different experiences in life.
- 12:41Whether it's joy or sorrow.
- 12:44Whether it's times of building up or tearing down.
- 12:47Whether it's time of laughter or tears.
- 12:50We thank you that you are the one who gives us all experiences.
- 12:53And yet the one who is with us in them.
- 12:56So, Lord, bless us now. Continue with us.
- 12:59As we sing your praise and as we prepare our hearts.
- 13:02As we open up your word.
- 13:04That your word would minister to all our needs.
- 13:06And that you would come into our midst, O Lord.
- 13:10And do us good as we ask all things for the forgiveness of our sins.
- 13:13In Jesus' name. Amen.
- 13:16We'll again sing to God's praise this time in the Scottish Psalter in Psalm 19.
- 13:25Page 223.
- 13:32Psalm 19, page 223.
- 13:35We'll sing from the beginning of the Psalm down to verse 8.
- 13:40The heavens God's glory do declare.
- 13:43The skies his hands works preach.
- 13:46Day utter speech.
- 13:47Today and night.
- 13:48Tonight doth knowledge teach.
- 13:50There is no speech nor tongue to which their voice doth not extend.
- 13:55Their line is gone through all the earth.
- 13:57Their words to the world's end.
- 14:00We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 8.
- 14:02To God's praise.
- 14:03Amen.
- 14:04The heavens God's glory do declare.
- 14:07The skies his hand works preach.
- 14:21Day utter speech.
- 14:24Today and night.
- 14:25Today and night.
- 14:26Tonight doth knowledge teach.
- 14:31Today and night.
- 14:32Tonight doth knowledge teach.
- 14:34There is no speech nor tongue to which their voice doth not extend.
- 14:49Their line is gone through all the earth.
- 14:56Their words to the world's end.
- 15:02And then he said the sun attained.
- 15:10Orth voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy voy
- 15:40to end again.
- 15:45And there is nothing from this heat
- 15:53that hidden doth remain.
- 16:00God's law is perfect and converts
- 16:06the soul in sin that lies.
- 16:13God's testimony is most sure
- 16:20and makes the simple wise.
- 16:27The statutes of the Lord are right
- 16:35and to rejoice the heart.
- 16:42The Lord's call and is pure and a
- 16:49light to the eyes in light.
- 16:55We can turn together to read God's word now in the Gospel of Luke
- 17:04in chapter 23.
- 17:06Luke chapter 23.
- 17:10Luke chapter 23.
- 17:11We read from the beginning.
- 17:12We're going to read down to verse 25.
- 17:16Tonight and God willing tomorrow we're going to be looking at both this both
- 17:25chapters here chapter 23 and into chapter 24.
- 17:28This evening we're going to be looking at the voices that we see prevailing as it's described here the voice of the crowd and the voice of
- 17:37Pilate in the midst of it but above all to hear the voice of the Lord.
- 17:42So we're going to read from verse 1 chapter 23 down to verse 25.
- 17:48Then the whole company of them arose and brought him, that's Jesus, before Pilate.
- 17:55And they began to accuse him saying,
- 17:57We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.
- 18:08And Pilate asked him,
- 18:10Are you the king of the Jews?
- 18:13And he answered him,
- 18:14You have said so.
- 18:16Then Pilate said to the chief priests in the crowds,
- 18:20I find no guilt in this man.
- 18:23But they were urgent saying,
- 18:25He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea from Galilee, even to this place.
- 18:32When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
- 18:37And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction,
- 18:41he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
- 18:47When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him,
- 18:53because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
- 18:59So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer.
- 19:04The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.
- 19:10And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him.
- 19:14Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.
- 19:20And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day,
- 19:24for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
- 19:28Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people and said to them,
- 19:34You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people.
- 19:38And after examining him before you,
- 19:42Behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.
- 19:48Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
- 19:52Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.
- 19:57I will therefore punish and release him.
- 20:00But they all cried out together,
- 20:04Away with this man and release to us Barabbas,
- 20:08a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection,
- 20:12started in the city and for murder.
- 20:15Pilate addressed them once more,
- 20:18deciding to release Jesus.
- 20:20But they kept shouting,
- 20:22Crucify! Crucify him!
- 20:24A third time he said to them,
- 20:26Why? What evil has he done?
- 20:30I have found in him no guilt deserving death.
- 20:33I will therefore punish and release him.
- 20:36But they were urgent,
- 20:38demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified,
- 20:42and their voices prevailed.
- 20:45So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.
- 20:49He released the man who had been thrown into prison
- 20:53for insurrection and murder,
- 20:55for whom they asked.
- 20:57But he delivered Jesus over to their will."
- 21:01And so on.
- 21:02And may God add his blessing to that reading of his word.
- 21:06Before we turn back to look at this passage,
- 21:09we'll again sing to God's praise this time in Psalm 49.
- 21:13In the Sing Psalms version,
- 21:15Psalm 49, page 64 of the psalm book.
- 21:19We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 10.
- 21:24Psalm 49 at verse 1.
- 21:29Listen to me, all you people,
- 21:31all who are in the whole world dwell,
- 21:33low and high, both rich and needy,
- 21:36hear the message I will tell.
- 21:39And then the psalmist goes on to describe
- 21:42the way that the cost of redeeming a life.
- 21:45There is no one who is able to redeem a soul from death.
- 21:49None can pay to God the ransom to prolong another's breath.
- 21:53To redeem a life is costly.
- 21:56None sufficient price can pay
- 21:59so that one should live immortal, free forever from decay.
- 22:04A reminder to us here of the wonder of our Redeemer,
- 22:08who is Christ Jesus,
- 22:10and the one who paid the price for us.
- 22:13So we're going to sing from verse 1 to 10 to God's praise.
- 22:17Psalm 49, verse 1.
- 22:18Psalm 49, verse 1.
- 22:19Psalm 49, verse 1.
- 22:20Psalm 49, verse 1.
- 22:21Listen to me, all you people,
- 22:27saw you in the whole world dwell,
- 22:34Though unto my hope rich and needy,
- 22:41hear the message I will tell.
- 22:48I will speak with understanding,
- 22:55listen from the heart of grief.
- 23:02I will listen to a problem,
- 23:09Secrets with the heart of grief.
- 23:17Why should I fear days on evil,
- 23:25when the wicked hand be in?
- 23:32Those who boast of their possessions,
- 23:39by their trust in wealth they sin.
- 23:45There is no one who is able to redeem a soul from death.
- 23:59None can bid to God the ransom,
- 24:06To prove off another's bread.
- 24:13To redeem a life is costly,
- 24:21than sufficient Christ can pay.
- 24:28So that one should live immortal,
- 24:34free forever from decay.
- 24:40For we all can see life ending,
- 24:47Wise and foolish all will die.
- 24:55They must give their wealth to others,
- 25:02None can death's demand defied.
- 25:09We can turn back to our reading in Luke chapter 23.
- 25:16We read again at verse 22.
- 25:21A third time he, this Pilate speaking, said to them,
- 25:28Why? What evil has he done?
- 25:30I have found in him no guilt deserving death.
- 25:34I will therefore punish and release him.
- 25:37But they were urgent,
- 25:40Demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified.
- 25:44And their voices prevailed.
- 25:47Their voices prevailed.
- 25:50Prevailed there means victorious.
- 25:53As if they're saying their voices were victorious
- 25:56in this situation that Jesus would be crucified.
- 26:00But was it these voices that prevailed in this setting?
- 26:06If you had Jesus standing in front of you,
- 26:11what would you want to ask of him?
- 26:15What would be the burning question in your heart
- 26:17that you would want to ask of him?
- 26:20On Thursday evening, I was invited to the explorers group,
- 26:25the older group of the explorers.
- 26:27And they had been preparing questions to ask of me
- 26:31over the last number of weeks.
- 26:33They'd been studying through the early books of the Bible in Genesis
- 26:38and a few books after that.
- 26:40And so a lot of the questions were based on what they'd been looking at there.
- 26:43And there were some great questions that they'd come up with.
- 26:46Challenging questions.
- 26:48Questions that aren't always easy to answer.
- 26:51Questions like,
- 26:52Why did sin come into the world?
- 26:54Why did God make the world?
- 26:55Why did God make the world and the people in the world?
- 26:59Why did God make the Bible?
- 27:02Or where is the Garden of Eden?
- 27:05There's a lot of questions about the Garden of Eden.
- 27:08It's great to ask questions in that way
- 27:11because it makes us think, it makes us look into the Word of God
- 27:15and search into it and try and find answers to these questions.
- 27:20And we may all have questions that we would love to bring to others.
- 27:25But imagine having the Lord Jesus in front of you
- 27:29and being able to ask a question of Him.
- 27:32Well, as you read through this section in Luke 23,
- 27:36what you find is that Jesus is here appearing before many different people.
- 27:42And one of them is Pilate, who we read of here.
- 27:46Pilate was a Roman governor.
- 27:49He had a lot of authority, he had a lot of power.
- 27:52And that's why Jesus has been brought to him by the scribes and the Pharisees.
- 27:57And as he is brought to him,
- 28:00he has this question that he asks of him in verse 3 of this chapter.
- 28:06Is this the most burning question that you would want to ask of Jesus?
- 28:11Well, it was for Pilate in this situation.
- 28:14He asks of Jesus this question in verse 3.
- 28:18Are you the King of the Jews?
- 28:21Are you the King of the Jews?
- 28:26And what this question is really asking is,
- 28:30who are you?
- 28:32Who are you, Jesus?
- 28:34How should we see you?
- 28:37And as you read through the previous chapter as well,
- 28:41chapter 22 into chapter 23,
- 28:44what you are finding is Jesus before many different people.
- 28:48And he's been asked many different questions
- 28:51and they've come into their own opinions about them.
- 28:54There are many different voices speaking in this situation.
- 28:58But the question behind them all is really this.
- 29:01Jesus, who are you?
- 29:04How do we see you?
- 29:07And in our own understanding of who Jesus is,
- 29:11that's what determines our faith, where our hope lies.
- 29:16Who is Jesus to you this evening?
- 29:21That determines how you prepare yourself this evening.
- 29:26And that determines how you come, God willing, into this place tomorrow.
- 29:31Whether you come to sit at the Lord's table
- 29:34or whether you may sit behind the Lord's table and look on.
- 29:39Is he your king?
- 29:43Is he your Lord?
- 29:46Or do you look to another to rule over you?
- 29:51So many of the people here that we're reading of in this section,
- 29:55they did not want Jesus ruling over them.
- 30:00And Pilate is here in the midst of it with this question,
- 30:04Are you the king of the Jews?
- 30:09And because Pilate asks this question,
- 30:12because he sees Jesus as a threat to his authority.
- 30:17In the same way as the scribes and the Pharisees
- 30:20in the previous chapter in verse 67 of chapter 22,
- 30:26If you are the Christ, tell us.
- 30:29But he said to them, If I tell you, you will not believe.
- 30:34They saw Jesus as a threat, a threat to their authority.
- 30:40The response of the crowd here in verse 16 of chapter 23,
- 30:48again is showing just how much they demanded that Jesus be crucified.
- 30:54In verse 18, sorry they said,
- 30:57But they cried out all the more,
- 30:59Away with this man and release to us Barabbas,
- 31:04a threat to them and to their way of life.
- 31:08So who is Jesus to you tonight?
- 31:11Do you see him as a threat to your life?
- 31:14Or do you see him as the king and Lord of your life?
- 31:20In the tithes of Jesus, as we read here,
- 31:24crowds gathering to protest was a common theme.
- 31:28You see it so often in Jesus' experience
- 31:30that the more he was teaching,
- 31:32the more miraculous signs that he was doing,
- 31:34the more opposition there was rising against him.
- 31:37And again and again,
- 31:39these crowds were crying out against him in different ways.
- 31:43But this is where it comes to its culmination.
- 31:45This is where it all comes to a head.
- 31:49And they are seeing here the threat of their way of life,
- 31:52the threat towards authority in their situation.
- 31:55And their protest is to silence this
- 31:58and to get him out of their lives.
- 32:02And sadly, today we live in similar days as well.
- 32:06The people here wanted things going their own way.
- 32:10And so we see it in our own society today.
- 32:13We see many protests that rage against society,
- 32:16that rage against so many different things that are going on.
- 32:20But ultimately, in so many of them,
- 32:22it is a rage against God and against his law
- 32:27and who we will have as authority over us.
- 32:32And Jesus has warned of this already in the Gospel of Luke.
- 32:36In chapter 19, in the beginning of that chapter,
- 32:39he speaks a parable.
- 32:41And that parable, ultimately behind it is,
- 32:43the people cry out in verse 14,
- 32:45we do not want this man to reign over us.
- 32:51And that's what we see coming here as well,
- 32:53as we come to the trial of Jesus,
- 32:55as he appears before the council,
- 32:58before Pilate, before Herod, before the crowd.
- 33:01Who is it that is going to reign over us?
- 33:06There are many voices clamouring for our attention,
- 33:09demanding a response.
- 33:11But the most important question is for us,
- 33:15is Jesus our King?
- 33:18Is he our Lord?
- 33:21And so which voice prevails in all of this?
- 33:26We are going to look at three voices.
- 33:28Three voices that we see coming through here so clearly.
- 33:32And ask which one prevails for us.
- 33:35The first is the voice of Pilate.
- 33:38The second is the voice of the crowd.
- 33:41And then the third one is the voice of the Lord.
- 33:45So the first thing we see here is the voice of Pilate.
- 33:50Jesus has been seen as a threat for some time.
- 33:54His signs and his miracles that he was performing
- 33:57and his great teaching,
- 33:59it was met with a mixed reaction.
- 34:02So I marveled at what he was doing.
- 34:05But as we said, others saw it as a threat
- 34:08to the authority and power that the people had.
- 34:11And you would expect it maybe as you were seeing Jesus
- 34:15performing so many different miracles,
- 34:18teaching with his authority and teaching with his amazing teaching
- 34:23that he had of life, of eternity, of sin, of repentance,
- 34:28of all of these things.
- 34:30That people would just come and fall before him
- 34:33and see him for who he is as Lord.
- 34:36But it wasn't so.
- 34:38Yes, there were some who acknowledged him in that way,
- 34:41but we see there were others who plotted against him.
- 34:45And as you look through the life of Jesus,
- 34:48you find again and again these people
- 34:50were just looking for a way to get at Jesus.
- 34:53And perhaps as you go to the Gospel of John,
- 34:57you see a time when Jesus performed a miracle there
- 35:01with Lazarus in John chapter 11.
- 35:05And he said,
- 35:07Lazarus had died.
- 35:08And he came to Mary and Martha.
- 35:11And he wept when he saw their grief.
- 35:13But then he said,
- 35:16Lazarus, come out.
- 35:19And Lazarus came out of the grave.
- 35:24And you would expect, surely, that people would see
- 35:27that here is one who has power and authority over all things,
- 35:31even death.
- 35:33He had told them,
- 35:34I am the resurrection and the life.
- 35:37And many marveled.
- 35:39But it says in verse 53 of John 11,
- 35:44From that day on,
- 35:46they made plans to put him to death,
- 35:49to put Jesus to death.
- 35:51Despite all that he was doing in their midst,
- 35:54they plotted, they planned to put Jesus to death.
- 35:58And this is a situation that we now meet with Pilate.
- 36:02Their plan, their plot is now coming to fruition.
- 36:07Everything that they were looking towards now,
- 36:09it's coming to the point now where they've got him.
- 36:13They just need Pilate's help in the midst of it all.
- 36:17The scribes and the Pharisees, the Jewish council,
- 36:20they didn't have the power to put anyone to death.
- 36:23And so they accused Jesus,
- 36:25but they had to bring him to Pilate.
- 36:28And so that's what we see between the end of chapter 22 and chapter 23.
- 36:34The council, the scribes of Pharisees,
- 36:37they said, bring him to Pilate.
- 36:39Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
- 36:43They were bringing him accused before Pilate
- 36:46and giving Pilate now all the evidence that this man should be put to death.
- 36:53And what we see here is the voice of Pilate in the midst of all of this.
- 37:01The voice of Pilate.
- 37:03And what does it say?
- 37:04Well, we see the voice of Pilate,
- 37:06probably three different things we could highlight.
- 37:09We see doubt, we see confusion, and we see fear.
- 37:13We see all of these things in Pilate.
- 37:17And so often they are things that we see in ourselves as well.
- 37:22It could be the experience we've had.
- 37:24It could be the experience that we're going through.
- 37:27Doubt is the first thing that we see.
- 37:30Because Pilate has this question in verse 3,
- 37:34Are you the king of the Jews?
- 37:37He's looking for an answer.
- 37:39In the midst of his doubts,
- 37:41he's looking for an answer.
- 37:43He's looking for something.
- 37:45And it's just like ourselves so often.
- 37:48We're asking questions of the Lord,
- 37:51because we have our doubts.
- 37:53Lord, show me something.
- 37:56Give me a verse.
- 37:58Give me a sign,
- 37:59so that I can be sure of who you are.
- 38:02So that I can be certain and believe in you.
- 38:06And yet, time and time again,
- 38:09in Scripture we see people coming to ask for a sign.
- 38:13You see it with Herod here in verse 8.
- 38:16He had longed to meet Jesus.
- 38:19It says in the middle of verse 8,
- 38:21he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
- 38:25He was hoping to see something,
- 38:27some miracle, some sign done by him.
- 38:30But instead, he mocked him.
- 38:32So even when signs were done,
- 38:34the people mocked.
- 38:36And it's what we see so often in Scripture.
- 38:40Lord, just show us a sign.
- 38:43But Jesus has an answer to them.
- 38:45He said on one occasion in Matthew 12,
- 38:49An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign,
- 38:52but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
- 38:57Jonah was in the belly of the great fish.
- 39:00And he said,
- 39:01So will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
- 39:09Do you need more?
- 39:12Do you have doubts and do you need more?
- 39:15Or has not the word of God told you all that you need to know?
- 39:20Are you the king of the Jews?
- 39:24The second thing we see of Pilate here is confusion.
- 39:31And again, we can have our own times of confusion.
- 39:35There's so much put before us, even in our day and age now,
- 39:39that we think, well, what do we believe?
- 39:41And Pilate himself was confused.
- 39:44We see it in verse 4 here.
- 39:46I find no guilt in this man.
- 39:49Same in verse 14.
- 39:51Behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.
- 39:56There's this confusion in his midst.
- 40:00I can't see in all the evidence that's before me.
- 40:02I can't see what you're seeing.
- 40:04I can't see anything wrong with this man.
- 40:06I find no guilt.
- 40:08He's got evidence before him, but he's not sure what to do with it.
- 40:13And for ourselves, too.
- 40:15That can so often be the case.
- 40:17We've got the Bibles open before us, but we're confused.
- 40:21We don't know what to believe or how to believe it.
- 40:24Because the world tells us we don't need this.
- 40:27We don't need to believe in this.
- 40:31But we do.
- 40:33And the voice of Pilate is one we hear so often.
- 40:38And it's a voice that we say, I'm just not sure.
- 40:40But the word of God is given that we might believe.
- 40:44That we might be sure.
- 40:46C.S. Lewis, in his book, A Grief Observed, he said this.
- 40:52You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death.
- 40:59It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong, as long as you're merely using it to cord a box.
- 41:07But suppose you had to climb down a cliff.
- 41:11Wouldn't you then first discover how much you really trusted it?
- 41:15To be sure in something is so much more important when it's a matter of life and death.
- 41:21Well, do you realize the seriousness of what's before us in the word of God?
- 41:25It is matters of life and death.
- 41:28Where does your hope lie for life and death and eternity?
- 41:38Are you confused in it all because it is before us here in the word of God?
- 41:44Jesus is the only one who is the way, the truth, and the life.
- 41:51There's nothing this world can offer us that will be our hope for all eternity except for him.
- 41:59If we are confused, the word of God speaks and pray that the Lord would guide you to know that certainty, to know that security that there is in Christ.
- 42:10When Pilate asks the question here, are you the king of the Jews, what does Jesus say?
- 42:17In verse 3 it says, he answered him, you have said so.
- 42:22It looks like he's putting it back onto Pilate himself.
- 42:27And the third thing that we see in Pilate's voice here is fear.
- 42:31But it's not of God, it's of man.
- 42:34You see, Pilate here says Jesus was before Pilate.
- 42:41But ultimately, you can look at it the other way.
- 42:45Pilate was before Jesus.
- 42:48Pilate had a decision to make.
- 42:50What would he do with Jesus?
- 42:53What was he going to do with this man who he could find no guilt with?
- 42:59The man who he wanted just to know, who are you?
- 43:02Are you the king of the Jews?
- 43:06Well, what becomes apparent is that as Pilate goes on, it is the crowd that becomes more important than Jesus.
- 43:17He's more afraid of the crowd than he is of Jesus.
- 43:24The authority he might lose.
- 43:26His position that he might lose if he doesn't go with what they are saying.
- 43:30They are crying out, release to us Barabbas and crucified Jesus.
- 43:36Take this man away.
- 43:37And who is he going to listen to?
- 43:40Well, the fear of the Lord is nothing for him compared to the fear of man.
- 43:48And is that you this evening?
- 43:51What voice are you listening to in the midst of that?
- 43:55It's the fear of the Lord that is greater to you and the fear of man.
- 44:00Are you afraid of what you might lose if you claim Jesus as king?
- 44:08Well, there's more to lose if you don't.
- 44:12Pilate's voice speaks to us tonight, but it's a weak voice.
- 44:17It's not a voice we want to listen to.
- 44:21It's a voice full of doubt, full of confusion, full of fear.
- 44:27And it's not one we want to prevail.
- 44:31The second voice that we see here is the voice of the crowd.
- 44:36The voice of the crowd speaks so powerfully in many ways.
- 44:40And it's utter rejection.
- 44:42First, they shout out, away with this man.
- 44:48It's utter rejection.
- 44:50Release to us Barabbas.
- 44:52Who is Jesus to the crowd?
- 44:54He is no one.
- 44:55He is nothing to them.
- 44:57They just want rid of him.
- 44:59They want him gone.
- 45:01And this is exactly what Isaiah had said would take place.
- 45:05Isaiah writing about more than 600 years before this.
- 45:09In Isaiah 53.
- 45:10So much of what we see tonight and tomorrow we can see also in Isaiah 53.
- 45:17In verse 3 of that chapter of Isaiah 53, it says,
- 45:22He was despised and rejected by men.
- 45:25A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
- 45:29And as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised and we esteemed him not.
- 45:35Despised and rejected by men.
- 45:42And so that was the crowd away with this man and released to us Barabbas.
- 45:50And the same in John 1 verse 11.
- 45:57It reminded there of how Jesus came to his own and his people did not receive him.
- 46:03They wanted nothing to do with him.
- 46:07And so here we are seeing the fulfillment of Scripture.
- 46:11We are seeing the mocking of Jesus.
- 46:15We are seeing the crowd shouting like a baying crowd.
- 46:18And it says their voices prevailed.
- 46:23Their voices prevailed.
- 46:26Crucify him.
- 46:28Crucify him.
- 46:30It's not just a rejection of Jesus here of saying,
- 46:35No, we don't want Jesus.
- 46:38But we want rid of him.
- 46:41We want rid of him entirely.
- 46:43We want him condemned.
- 46:45Put to death.
- 46:48The most shameful death that there is.
- 46:51This is what they want for him.
- 46:54And so they get their wish.
- 46:58Their voices prevailed.
- 47:00What we see in our society today is heading in the very same direction.
- 47:07Where crowds are just baying for Jesus.
- 47:11Not just to be gone.
- 47:13But Jesus to be condemned.
- 47:15Jesus to be put away entirely.
- 47:18Not just to say no to Jesus and to God in our society.
- 47:23But now we're coming to the point where we say,
- 47:25We'll take the place of God.
- 47:27We'll take matters into our own hands.
- 47:32And it seems as it were as if these voices prevail in our midst.
- 47:38That these voices are victorious.
- 47:42It says that they handed, he delivered Jesus over to their will.
- 47:49In verse 25 there, at the end there.
- 47:52They delivered Jesus over.
- 47:54He delivered Jesus over to their will.
- 47:57But did he really?
- 47:58It wasn't their will.
- 48:02It was still God's will.
- 48:04And we'll see more of that tomorrow, God willing.
- 48:07But God was still in control.
- 48:10God was still in charge in this situation.
- 48:14And even in what's happening there is they released Barabbas.
- 48:18And took Jesus away to be condemned.
- 48:21What is it saying to us?
- 48:22J.C. Riles speaks very powerfully about this.
- 48:25He says,
- 48:26We observe in this passage the remarkable circumstances connected to the release of Barabbas.
- 48:32We are told that Pilate released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder.
- 48:38But he delivered Jesus over to them to do as they wished.
- 48:42The two people before him.
- 48:44And he released to them one of the two.
- 48:48The one was a sinner against God and man.
- 48:51A criminal stained with many crimes.
- 48:55The other was a holy and harmless and undefiled son of God in whom there was no fault at all.
- 49:01And yet Pilate condemned the innocent prisoner and acquits the guilty.
- 49:08He orders Barabbas to be set free and delivers Jesus to be crucified.
- 49:16Barabbas set free and Jesus to be crucified.
- 49:20And what is that saying to us?
- 49:22Even though that thought of their voices prevailed, this whole exchange was reminding us of the exchange that would take place in the cross.
- 49:32Where Christ, the innocent Lamb of God, would go in the place of sinners such as we are.
- 49:41That he would be made sin who knew no sin.
- 49:44That we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
- 49:48There was a powerful exchange.
- 49:51But it was more than the people's will being done.
- 49:54It was the will of God being done for the salvation of his people.
- 49:59They are rejecting him, but they don't realize even who it is that they are rejecting.
- 50:05Someone put it like this in Christ.
- 50:08And what we have in Christ and what the danger is that we are rejecting.
- 50:12We have a love that can never be fathomed.
- 50:14A life that can never die.
- 50:16A righteousness that can never be tarnished.
- 50:19A peace that can never be understood.
- 50:22A rest that can never be disturbed.
- 50:25A joy that can never be diminished.
- 50:27A hope that can never be disappointed.
- 50:31All of these things that we have in Christ, and yet they're saying no.
- 50:37Crucify him.
- 50:39Crucify him.
- 50:41Crucify him.
- 50:42Release to us Barabbas.
- 50:45And their voice prevailed.
- 50:48Is that the voice that you are listening to this evening?
- 50:54Is that the voice that you are following this evening?
- 50:58The voice of the crowd that says away with him.
- 51:03Crucify him.
- 51:04Crucify him.
- 51:05Crucify him.
- 51:06They prevailed here.
- 51:08But ultimately they're not victorious.
- 51:11Because we have a third voice here.
- 51:14A voice that we are to listen to.
- 51:16A voice that we are to heed.
- 51:19And that is the voice of the Lord.
- 51:22The voice of Pilate was weak.
- 51:25The voice of the crowd may have seemed to prevail.
- 51:28But the greater voice of all here is the voice of the Lord.
- 51:32And as we've read through these verses, you think to yourself,
- 51:37Well, the Lord has not said much.
- 51:40And the only words recorded for us are in verse 3.
- 51:44You have said so.
- 51:47But it makes us stop and ask,
- 51:51Whose voice are we going to listen to?
- 51:54What voice will we hear in the midst of all the voices crying out here?
- 52:00Which voice will prevail?
- 52:02Pilate who asked,
- 52:04Are you the king of the Jews?
- 52:07The crowd who said away with him, crucify him.
- 52:11Or Jesus who says,
- 52:14You have said so.
- 52:17He is showing that he has authority.
- 52:22And it comes back to the question,
- 52:25Who is Jesus for you?
- 52:28Is he Lord?
- 52:30Is he king?
- 52:32He is either Lord of all,
- 52:35Or not Lord at all, as someone once put it.
- 52:39And throughout Scripture, we have the voice of the Lord calling out for our response.
- 52:45Even tonight, the voice of the Lord calls to us all,
- 52:49Who is your Lord?
- 52:51And where are you with him?
- 52:53When you go through Scripture, you can pick out
- 52:57moments when the voice of the Lord calls.
- 53:00Go back to Genesis,
- 53:02In chapter 3,
- 53:04When Adam and Eve had sinned against God,
- 53:07And the Lord came into the garden.
- 53:09What does the voice of the Lord say there?
- 53:11He asks,
- 53:12Where are you?
- 53:14Where are you?
- 53:17And so the voice of the Lord speaks to us tonight.
- 53:20Where are you?
- 53:22Are you hiding from God?
- 53:24Are you fleeing from God?
- 53:27Are you coming to God?
- 53:30You go into Joshua, chapter 24.
- 53:34And Joshua is there speaking to the people,
- 53:36People who are taking many different gods into their hearts.
- 53:40And the voice of the Lord challenges in the midst of that,
- 53:44Through Joshua, who says,
- 53:46But as for me and my house,
- 53:48We will serve the Lord.
- 53:50And so the Lord puts,
- 53:53Joshua puts the word of the Lord before us tonight.
- 53:56Who do you serve?
- 53:58In John chapter 10, verse 3,
- 54:03The voice of the Lord calls there.
- 54:07And what does it say?
- 54:08It says,
- 54:09The sheep hear his voice,
- 54:10And he calls his own sheep by name,
- 54:12And he leads them out.
- 54:13And so it asks of us,
- 54:16Who is it that you're following?
- 54:18Are you following the voice of the Lord?
- 54:23He stands before you,
- 54:25And you need to answer.
- 54:26And who is he to you?
- 54:31Is the voice of the Lord prevailing in your life tonight?
- 54:36He is calling.
- 54:38He is calling.
- 54:40Where are you?
- 54:41He is calling.
- 54:42Who do you serve?
- 54:43He is calling.
- 54:44Who will you follow?
- 54:46But whose voice are you listening to?
- 54:50Pilate asked,
- 54:52Are you the king of the Jews?
- 54:56He didn't realize just what he was asking,
- 54:59Because this was no ordinary king.
- 55:02He is a different kind of king to what Pilate and the scribes and the Pharisees thought they were looking at,
- 55:08Thought they were putting on trial.
- 55:09He is a king who came into the world to seek and to save the lost.
- 55:14He is the king who came not to conquer earthly kingdoms, but to conquer the power of sin and death.
- 55:21He is a greater king than anything they had imagined.
- 55:26And yet their voices prevailed.
- 55:30Pilate put him away.
- 55:33The crowd said away with him, release to us, Barabbas, crucify him.
- 55:39And their voices prevailed.
- 55:42But no, it's the voice of the Lord.
- 55:46It's the voice of the Lord that prevails in all of this.
- 55:50Because he came for his own.
- 55:54And he calls his own.
- 55:57And as we think of preparing ourselves to come to the Lord's table,
- 56:04We ask ourselves, why should we listen to this voice?
- 56:09Because he has done it for you.
- 56:13In the previous chapter, chapter 22, in verse 19 and 20, we see there the preparation of the Lord's supper.
- 56:26And it says in verse 19,
- 56:28He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,
- 56:33This is my body, which is given for you.
- 56:39Do this in remembrance of me.
- 56:43And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying,
- 56:47This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
- 56:54It is the Lord's voice that prevailed.
- 57:01It is the voice, Lord, the voice of the Lord that we are to listen to.
- 57:07Because everything that they were seeking to do against him here was to fulfill Scripture.
- 57:14That he might save his people from their sins.
- 57:19This body is given for you.
- 57:24For you who will hear the voice of the Lord and follow him.
- 57:29And this cup is poured out for you.
- 57:33For you who will listen to the voice of the King.
- 57:38Is he your King?
- 57:42Is it his voice that prevails in it all?
- 57:47Because the voice of Pilate is weak.
- 57:53And ultimately puts Jesus away.
- 57:56The voice of the crowd may be loud and strong and many ways prevail.
- 58:02But it's still weak.
- 58:05Because it wasn't their will that was done.
- 58:08It was the will of God.
- 58:11And the voice of the Lord speaks through it all.
- 58:15Saying this I have done for you.
- 58:19Will you come and remember him?
- 58:25Will you come and follow the voice of the Lord.
- 58:29And do this in remembrance of him?
- 58:32Let us pray.
- 58:33Our Father in heaven we thank you that you speak to us as your people.
- 58:42That you call us to yourself.
- 58:44That you remind us of the voices in this world that so often seem to have power and authority.
- 58:51And yet the voices that are weak.
- 58:53And the voices that will be silenced one day.
- 58:56But we thank you that the voice of the Lord is heard.
- 58:59And heard powerfully.
- 59:01And we ask you Lord that you will speak to us anew this evening.
- 59:06And remind us of all that you have done for us.
- 59:09That you have prepared a table for your people.
- 59:13That you have given the body and poured out your blood.
- 59:18All for your people.
- 59:21And that we might hear your voice calling to us to come.
- 59:25And do this in remembrance of you.
- 59:28So Lord go before us.
- 59:30Guide us and help us.
- 59:31Strengthen us in our faith.
- 59:33And build us up together.
- 59:35As we ask all in Jesus precious name.
- 59:38Amen.
- 59:43We're going to conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 116.
- 59:47Psalm 116 in the Scottish Psalter.
- 59:51Page 396.
- 59:57Psalm 116.
- 59:59We're going to sing from verse 4 to verse 7.
- 1:00:02Psalm 117.
- 1:00:03Psalm 117.
- 1:00:04Psalm 117.
- 1:00:06Psalm 117.
- 1:00:07We'll sing these three stanzas to God's praise.
- 1:00:11We'll sing these three stanzas to God's praise.
- 1:00:16We'll sing these three stanzas to God's praise.
- 1:00:35Amen.
- 1:00:36Amen.
- 1:00:37Psalm 117.
- 1:00:38Psalm 117.
- 1:00:39Psalm 117.
- 1:00:38Psalm 117.
- 1:00:39Psalm 117.
- 1:00:40Psalm 117.
- 1:00:41Psalm 118.
- 1:00:42Psalm 118.
- 1:00:43Psalm 118.
- 1:00:46Psalm 118.
- 1:00:48Psalm 118.
- 1:00:49Psalm 118.
- 1:00:50Psalm 118.
- 1:00:51Psalm 118.
- 1:00:52Psalm 118.
- 1:00:53Psalm 118.
- 1:00:54Psalm 119.
- 1:01:07We humbly pray.
- 1:01:12Mercy full and righteous is,
- 1:01:21Yea, gracious is our Lord.
- 1:01:28God saves the meek I once got low.
- 1:01:37He did me help afford.
- 1:01:44O thou, my soul, do thou return,
- 1:01:54Unto thy quiet place.
- 1:02:00For thou, my soul, do thou,
- 1:02:06Lord, to thee is found in the express.
- 1:02:15Amen.
- 1:02:18After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
- 1:02:20We'll close with the benediction.
- 1:02:22Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God,
- 1:02:26Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
- 1:02:28Rest upon and abide with you all,
- 1:02:31Now and forevermore.
- 1:02:32Amen.
- 1:02:33Amen.
- 1:02:33Amen.