“Witnesses of the Non-Believers” sermon two of a sermon series, “Was Jesus Christ the Son of God?” by Pastor Richard Daughtridge

“Witnesses of the Non-Believers” sermon two of a sermon series, “Was Jesus Christ the Son of God?”     by Pastor Richard Daughtridge

Let’s read together:  John 19:1-14 

1      Pontius Pilate ( Words and political persuasion and what happened to Pilate)

2.       Soldiers (Did the laughter turn to belief? What happened next?)

3.      “Behold the Man” (The Words of a non-believer?)

4.      Jews ( What happens if they are only half right?)

5.      The Sad Witness of the Politically Correct  (Pilate persuaded by a mob of political correctness.)

6.      Unbelievers of this Generation  (No right or wrong just differing opinions.  Do all roads lead home?)

 Let’s read together:  John 19:1-14 

1.      Pilate     (1.) Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

(You like Pilate will choose to receive Him or scourge him.)

2.      Soldiers

   [2] And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, [3] And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

( Like the soldiers you will crown Him with a crown of thorns or  you will crown Him with honor, a robe of magesty or a robe of dishonor. Your very hands will smite Him or accept Him. Choose today. )

 3.      Behold the Man

[4] Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. [5] Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! [6] When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

(Behold means see. What do you see?)

4.      Jews

[7] The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

( Judgement is now in your hands. You now judge the very death that was your sentence. Guilty

[8] When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; [9] And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. [10] Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? [11] Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

5.      The Sad Witness of the Politically Correct

 [12] And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

[13] When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. [14] And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

The Henrik Hudson School District Library Media Centre provides a model essay for students which ends with these words:

“Perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, victims: we can be clear about three of these categories. The bystander, however, is the fulcrum. If there are enough notable exceptions, then protest reaches a critical mass. We don’t usually think of history as being shaped by silence, but, as English philosopher Edmund Burke said, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.”

 (Being a bystander is a vote in favor of evil.)

6.      What is your testimony?

A crown of Thorns or a crown of life?

A garment of royalty or a robe of mockery?

A knowledge of the humanity  of Christ or recognition of deity?

A law of condemnation or a law of love?

The passover lamb or The Lamb of God?

King of the Jews or The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?

Matthew 28:18-20     And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Today we want to crown Him properly.

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