What shall I do with Jesus?

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 10 APRIL 2022 pm

MATTHEW 27 VERSES 19 - 26

Pilate has to pass judgment on Jesus Christ.  He asks an important question, a question we must also come face to face with in our lifetime.  The crowd wanted rid of Jesus  They asked for Barabbas to be released and Jesus be crucified.  The important question - "what shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?"  Before you step out into God's great eternity what are you going to do with Christ?  Jesus was brought first to Annas then Caiaphas and then Herod.  Finally he came to Pilate.

The encounter Pilate had - verse 11 "and Jesus stood before the governor."  He could have called the angels from heaven to take him back to his father's side but he didn't.  He set his face to go to that cross.  Jesus said "if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself."  Every one of us was lost in our sin, on our way to a Christless eternity.  "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life."  A gift to us - eternal life.  This man was having a privileged interview with Jesus.  He was standing before him.  "Where 2 or 3 are gathered together there am I in the midst."  The bible says the Lord himself said "behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in."  He wants to be your Saviour, he died for you.  Until you accept that word you will never know Christ for yourself personally.  Jesus had been arrested, questioned by the religious leaders and rejected by them.  Pilate was advised of the situation.  He was watching everything very carefully.  He had heard of his preaching and teaching, heard of his miracles, how the blind were given back their sight, how the lame were able to walk again.  He even heard of those who had been raised to life again.  Now was his opportunity to meet him.  He realised he must make a decision now at this moment.  We are looking at the one who came into the world, the sinless Lamb of God, taken and was made sacrifice for sin for you and me.  We stand in Pilate's shoes and we must answer the question "what am I going to do with Jesus?" The Christian life begins with an encounter with Jesus Christ.  It does not begin in a home were all the family is saved.  It does not begin there.  The Christian life does not begin with a church membership, where you sign your name on a piece of paper and you become a Christian.  Christianity begins with an encounter with Jesus.  The realisation of who I am, what I have done but what Jesus had done for us.  The centurion at the cross said "surely this was the Son of God."  Christianity does not begin at a communion table but with an encounter with Christ.  Remember Zacchaeus who had a real encounter with Jesus.  He had heard a lot about him.  One day he had heard Jesus was coming to Jericho.  He wanted to see him and hear more about him.  There is no point in coming into a church to find out more about a denomination but rather hearing more about Jesus himself.  Zacchaeus ran down the street and got up in the sycamore tree.  The Lord knew he was there.  He called his very name.  He knew where he was at hiding in the tree.  The Lord knows all about you, where you stand with Christ, whether you are one of his or a backslider or even one of his own and obeying him.  Jesus stopped with Zacchaeus at that tree and told him to come down because he wanted to go to his house that day.  Jesus met with Zacchaeus.  He was a changed man that day.  There were those who despised Zacchaeus from then on.  Remember the story with Matthew, another tax collector who gathered the taxes for the Roman authorities.  Jesus told him to follow him and he left all to follow Christ there and then.

The evidence that was present.  This man had a mighty decision to make.  When you have such a decision to make you need evidence to point you in the right direction.  Pilate addressed the crowd but there was no-one to help .  He thought the crowd would pick Barabbas because he was an evil man but the crowd called out for Jesus, the innocent one.  Maybe you are concerned about your soul.  Maybe you are backslidden, cold at heart.  Maybe you are not even saved, not ready for heaven tonight.  Maybe you are considering what you shall do.  You are asking others, debating with them whether to get saved or not.  Maybe you are saying "I have pondered over this question".  Pilate looked to 5 different pieces of evidence.  First to Judas - he had betrayed Jesus.  Why?  For a few pieces of silver.  Conviction overtook him afterwards and he threw the money back.  "I have betrayed innocent blood."  Did Pilate hear about this?  His wife was the other evidence.  She told him "have nothing to do with this just man, I have suffered many things this day by way of a dream because of him."  Herod himself told him "I find nothing worthy of death in this man whatsoever."  Pilate looked to the crowd and asked "what do you want me to do?"  They cried "crucify him".  Finally Pilate looked to his own conscience and said "I find no fault in this man"  You could look at others and find so may faults but none in Christ.  It is him you want to trust in tonight.  This man had the benefit of all this evidence.  It didn't matter what any of these pieces of evidence showed him.  He had to make a decision for himself.

The error he makes.  Pilate knew the season was the Passover and that a prisoner would be released.  Barabbas was brought in.  He asked the crowd who they would choose.  The crowd cried out for Barabbas to be released.  He was left with Jesus and the question - "what shall I do with Jesus?"  He knew he had something to do - himself - personally.  You have to do one of 2 things tonight.  Will you say "no my church is good enough, God will not prevent me from getting into heaven because of all the works I have done in my lifetime."

The expression he makes.  Pilate surrenders to the crowd.  He hands Christ over to be crucified.  Then he calls for water and dips his hands in to the water and washes his hands.  Verse 24.  Water would never erase the mistakes he made on this day.  He would remember this day down through the ages of eternity forever.  Will you take the Lord or reject him again?