People at the Cross of Christ (5/5)

People at the Cross of Christ

Introduction

We’re going to take a snapshot from the lives of 3 people and their association with the Cross – Pilate, Judas and Peter.

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

• We all have a race marked out for us (you can’t run my race, and I can’t run yours).
• There will be obstacles along the way.
• We are to run our race with perseverance!

There are many, many lessons for us to learn from the cross. Tonight, we’ll learn about the lesson of perseverance.

Perseverance – “to continue striving in spite of difficulties or obstacles.”

1. Pilate

   Luke 23:4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

   • Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and had done nothing wrong!
   • So how did we go from “Jesus being innocent” to Him being “condemned to die”
   • How did that happen?

   Let’s take a look…

   1. Pilate hoped to transfer to him to Herod and in so doing transfer the responsibility of decision. On hearing that Jesus was a Galilean, and therefore under Herod’s jurisdiction, Pilate sent Him to Herod for trial, But Herod sent Jesus back unsentenced (Luke 23:5-12)
   2. He tried half-measures
      Luke 23:16,22 He said, “I will have him punished (i.e. scourged) and then release Him. He thought somehow that would satisfy the crowd.
   3. He tried to do the right thing (release Jesus) for the wrong reasons
      • wanting the crowd to chose Jesus for release, instead of Barabbas Matthew 15:9-11
   4. He tried to protest His innocence
      Matthew 27:24 He took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” And then, before his hands were dry, he handed Jesus over to be crucified.

   What was Pilate’s problem?

   • He was a people pleaser, he gave in to fear
   • The Bible calls this kind of person a coward
   • Rev 21:8 their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur…(cowardice is a very serious sin)
   • Pilate was a coward! He wanted everyone to like him and be pleased with his decisions
   • Fear can mess you up!
   • Fear has a few cousins named worry and anxiety!
   • When you walk through your fear and come out on the other side; you find you’re a little stronger and better prepared to meet the next challenge…
   • Giving in to fear can take you down some dark roads, you DO NOT want to travel!
   • Pilate wanted someone else to feel the blame & responsibility for his decision. He didn’t want to feel bad about what he did.
   • All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing! A quote from the Holocaust
   • Pilate’s cowardice led to Jesus being murdered
2. Judas

   Luke 22:47-48 Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss

   • it was the sin of greed & loving money that led Judas to betray Jesus but I want to look at Judas’ reaction to his sin

   Matthew 27:3-5

   • he was seized with remorse (deep regret)
   • he returned the silver coins (he returned the money)
   • he confessed his sin (“I have betrayed innocent blood”)

   So, what was the problem?

   • His sorrow was for himself! He was completely absorbed in himself.
   • He was absorbed in self-pity
     He was singing the song, “Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen”…
   • It was all about him
   • It’s SO EASY to get like that. An attitude of “the world according to me.”

   Let’s talk for a moment about depression. Depression is not a sin. But sin can cause depression or vice versa. Depression is one of the most fertile grounds for developing “self-pity.” There’s no shame in being depressed. The only shame is in not seeking help. If you are going through a depression, or you know someone who is, please seek help! Symptoms of Depression (Mayo Clinic) Loss of interest in normal daily activities Feeling sad or down Feeling hopeless Crying spells for no apparent reason Problems sleeping Trouble focusing or concentrating Difficulty making decisions Unintentional weight gain or loss Irritability Restlessness Being easily annoyed Feeling fatigued or weak Feeling worthless Thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain, headaches

   Going back to Judas…He felt bad, took the money back, felt remorse, confessed his sin, but he decided not to persevere through the pain of godly sorrow. And it made all the difference (unfortunately).

   • In the end, Judas was so engulfed in self-pity, he chose a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
   • He could have just repented, by having godly sorrow (instead of worldly sorrow).
3. Peter

   Matthew 26:31-35

   v. 33 Peter said “even if all fall away on account of you, I never will
   v.35 Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you

   What was Peter’s problem?

   • He had too much confidence and trust in his own abilities.
   • In other words, he was proud!
   • We’re all very prideful, every one of us. And just when we think we’re really growing in our humility, pride rears its ugly head again!

   What’s the big deal about pride?
   Luke 10:17-20

   Pride is the sin that caused an angel in heaven to become a demon. It is the very sin that made Satan who he is…

   Proverbs 8:13 “ I hate pride and arrogance”
   Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction”
   Proverbs 36:2 “For in his own eyes, he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.”
   Daniel 4:37 “And those who walk in pride, He is able to humble”

   How do I know if I’m being proud? (Read Prideful vs. Humble Attitude from The Call of the Wise by Steve Kinnard at the end of this study)

   We all know where Peter’s pride led him…
   (I’m sure he remembered for the rest of his life that rooster crowing and how he denied Jesus)

   • But that’s not the end of the story!
   • When confronted with his sin, unlike Judas, Peter chose to have godly sorrow and repent.

   2 Corinthians 7: 10-11
   Talks about earnestness, eagerness, indignation, alarm, longing & concern

   Peter had godly sorrow and repented, and came out on the other side, reaping the rewards of his perseverance.

   Hebrews 12:1-3

   • Fixing our eyes on Jesus is the only thing that will cause us to continue to persevere.
   • Jesus is at the finish line, cheering us on, calling to us…
     “Come on, you can do it!”
     “Come on, don’t give up!”

   Let us persevere through the obstacles and trials of our faith, persevere through the sin that so easily entangles, so that we may finish the race that is marked out for us and get to spend eternity in Heaven with our Father who loves us and is waiting for us!