The Trial of Trials - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

But praise the Lord that we just witnessed how the gospel still and will always be the power of God on the salvation. And what we just observed and celebrated was something beyond a church ordinance. It was something more than a tradition that has been practiced by Christians since the day of the apostles. We just witnessed five individuals who made the right decision concerning the person and the work of Jesus Christ. And I say right decision because there are only two options that every person can make concerning who they will make Jesus Christ to be in their lives.

Only two options. Only two. Not five, not seven, not nine. There are only two options that every individual has a choice from concerning how they will receive Jesus Christ. The first one is the right one, and that is when a person realizes that Jesus Christ is Lord and he is their savior, when they understand their need for forgiveness of sin, and when they recognize that this Jesus is the only one who made provision for that sin to be taken care of.

And as a result of that, these two options have two different consequences. And the first one has this consequence, that you will be adopted into the family of God, and you will receive eternal life. And then there's a second option, which is this. When a person rejects Jesus Christ being Lord of their lives by turning away from the grace that he gives as a gift, by failing to recognize that they do need forgiveness of their sins, and he is the only one that can provide that forgiveness. And this rejection can be caused by one or many reason depending on the individual, but every single rejection has the same consequence in this life and in the next.

A life void of joy, peace, and intimacy with God, and ultimately eternal separation from this God in eternal damnation. Only two options. And every person, even today in 2018, in the midst of all our busyness and all our advancements in society, has to make that choice. Option number one or option number two. And there are many examples in the scriptures that give us moments where people had to make that ultimatum, where people had to come up and make that decision.

And I present to you today in the book of Matthew chapter 27, one of these men in scripture amongst many that was confronted with this life and death decision. He was a Roman governor over Judea, and more specifically, he was a character in the scriptures that had a significant role in the trial and condemnation of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. For For some who are familiar with the story, they already know who we're discussing about, and that is Pontius Pilate. In Matthew 27, we see here that Jesus is on trial, and he was standing before this governor. And although Jesus in some sense on the surface level had his fate dependent upon this governor that would determine whether he would live or die, if you really read the story carefully, it's actually Pilate who's on trial, not Jesus.

Pilate is the one who is facing a decision to make concerning his fate and his judgment, and where he will go from this place, not just in his life in the temple, but in the eternal. And what I want us to consider today is the different influences in Pilate's life in this moment that would steer him either into the right or wrong direction. And as we unpack this, perhaps you will recognize that it's not only Pilate that has to deal with these different influences, it's you and I today. You and I today have to deal with what Pilate had to deal with. He had these different witnesses that would cause him to evaluate what kind of decision he will ultimately make with Jesus Christ, whether he's gonna take option number one or option number two.

And the first influence of every person that wants to make this decision or needs to rather make this decision is found here in verse 11. Now Jesus stood before the governor. This is Pontius Pilate. And the governor asked him, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus said, you have said so.

Pilate was faced with the very confession of who Jesus Christ is by the very lips of Jesus Christ himself. He inquired, and Jesus himself declared his own supremacy before this man. And what I wanna say here is this, that if you yourself in your heart truly inquire to know who this Jesus is, you will realize that in this book, this scriptures, the truth that Jesus does not leave himself without witness of himself. And you will know very quickly that he is beyond just a Jewish man, that he is beyond just a great thinker or a philosopher, that he is greater than a prophet or miracle worker. You will see that Jesus Christ is the God man, the savior of the world, the second person of the triune Godhead.

It's there. It's in the letters of red. He says it in John eight fifty eight. Before Abraham was, I am, going back to Exodus and taking the very thing that Yahweh declared himself when Moses said, what do what do I say to the people of Israel when they ask who sent me? He says, tell him I am.

And Jesus takes that very identity for himself. He says, before Abraham was, I am. And the Jews heard this, and he knew that very well, picking up stones ready to kill him on the spot. Jesus in John ten thirty says, I and the father am one. He says to his own disciple Philip in John fourteen nine, Philip don't you know that if you've seen me you've seen the father?

And even when you fast forward to the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, you will see that in front of his own disciple who fell before him as though dead because of his glory. Revelation one seventeen and eighteen, fear not for I am the first and the last, and I am the living one. And he says here that he was dead, but is alive forevermore, and he holds the keys to death and Hades. Who is this man? Who says these things?

What do you do when someone says those things? I hope you would at least consider that perhaps it's true. There's only two conclusions you can really come with, or three. One, he's a liar. Two, he has lost his mind, or three, he really is who he says he is.

So Pilate is faced with the very witness of Jesus Christ himself from Jesus Christ himself. And if you explore with your heart and purity wanting to know who this person is, you will see that Jesus Christ is more than a man. But there's another influence in Pilate's decision. We see here in verse 15. Now at the feast, the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted, And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, who do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus who was called Christ? For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat now picture this. He's sitting there on this judgment seat, and he's contemplating, and he's conversing with himself into this audience. What do you want me to do?

Do you want me to release this prisoner Barabbas, or do you want me to release Jesus? And as he's there on that judgment seat, we see here in verse 19. His wife sent word to him, have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream. The second influence that Pilate had before him was a testimony of another who had been impacted by Christ herself. He's sitting on this judgment seat, on this seat of decision.

And I find it ironic, don't you, that the tables have turned? That Pilate now will one day stand before Jesus Christ when He will judge the world? But he's sitting there on that judgment seat and he's contemplating, and as he's contemplating here comes word from his wife saying, don't make the wrong decision. He's a righteous man. And we have to understand that though we do not know the extent of this woman's belief in the Messiah, the principle here lies true that God allows people to bear witness of Christ in order to steer us to think and to believe rightly about him.

And you all, and all of us together just witnessed five people who did just that, that have come and witnessed and testified of what this Jesus Christ has done in their hearts. And I myself, if I can testify for a moment, they got me all stirred up. Remember the days in my college years when I was living in the world, living in sin, and as I was on my own judgment seat contemplating what to do with this Jesus because I grew up in a Christian home and realized that what the life says you need to have to be happy doesn't really satisfy. Oh, I remember when word was sent forth. It wasn't in a church.

It wasn't even in person. It was on social media when I would see sermon clips coming up on my news feed, and preachers testifying about how you can actually know this Jesus, and have a relationship with this God that is beyond tradition, it's beyond keeping some sacraments. No. He's a living God that wants a vibrant relationship with you, That there's sin in you that separates Him from you, and that He made a way for you to be reconciled to Him. All these preachers that would talk about eternity, praise God for faithful preachers.

Where are you gonna go when you give your last breath? Oh, word was sent forth, and I praise God that had a major influence on my life, major influence on my life to go into the right direction. And it's moments like this. It's moments like this where God sovereignly ordains it for you to come into a random church that you've never been to before. And you're sitting and you're seeing witnesses sending word warning to you.

Don't make the wrong choice about this Jesus. And perhaps you've never heard about this Jesus, but there's power in a testimony. Do you recall with me the woman at the well when Jesus had appeared to the Samaritan woman and told her everything about her life concerning her sin and her her history? And it says in John eight sorry. John four twenty eight.

So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, come see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? She goes into this village, and she has a testimony. And she says, something happened to me. This man told me everything about me.

And it says there that people have come to know Christ through her testimony, but then she brings them to this Jesus, and they see him and hear them for themselves. And look what the people have said in John four forty two. They said to the woman, it is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this indeed is the savior of the world. Any true testimony of any person who has an experience with God, if they truly had an experience with God, we'll point you to the word of God and say test it for yourself. See the word of God for yourself.

See the promise for salvation for yourself. Examine, study, whatever you need to do. I'm not basing it on some subjective experience. I'm telling you that, yes, I had something happen to me, but it's based on an eternal unchanging truth. So maybe you've never heard this truth.

So may I quote to you Acts seventeen twenty four to 31? The apostle Paul, who himself had an experience with this living God, who himself was enemy number one against Christianity in his day, yet met with this Jesus Christ. And now he's preaching to other people, and he says this in Acts seventeen twenty four to 31. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of all mankind to live in all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.

Why? That they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being. And even your own poets said, for we are indeed His offspring. Being then God's offering, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone formed in an image made by the art and imagination of man.

No. For the times of ignorance, God overlooked. But now he commands all people everywhere to repent because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed. And of this, he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. This is the reality.

There is a God. He created all things. Creation testifies to that, and he created you for one reason that you should seek him and know him. But you cannot just seek him and know him. You need to repent.

You need to realize your sin. Realize that to put him on the cross. Realize that you stand condemned before a holy God, and that his wrath will be poured upon you unless you turn from your sin and believe that he paid the price for you. And you say, well how can I do this? What hoops do I have to jump through?

No, no, no, no. It says that in him we live, and move, and have our being. You can right now call upon him in repentance, and he can give you that new heart right here. You can in that parking lot on your way home. I wouldn't wait that long.

I wouldn't wait that long. And I know that sounds funny, but all you can hear stories, and I know them, and I've even seen it with my own eyes. But people have waited to get to the front door, and it was too late. So there's this testimony of this woman, his wife. And up to this point, Pilate had two positive influences, the testimony of the king himself and the words of one who have been impacted by this Christ.

But there is an unfortunate voice that comes into play now, and it's found in verse 20. Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, which of the two do you want me to release for you? And they said, Barabbas. Barabbas.

And here comes the third witness and the third unfortunate voice of influence, and it is the majority of the people of this day like the majority of people today. Those who have already convinced themselves that they do not want to make Jesus Christ Lord of their lives. Those who although they recognize his sinlessness, His perfection, and even the grace that He wants to bestow upon Him have chosen to live independently from Him. This is the crowd. In fact, they made a different choice over this Jesus.

They chose Barabbas. Who is Barabbas? The gospel of Luke tells us that he was thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. And here we see a crowd that was persuaded to choose a man who caused a violent uprising against the government over the prince of peace. Here we see one who was a murderer and who had blood on his hands, and they rejected the one who brought life to the dead.

Here we see a man who symbolizes chaos, destruction, and rebellion over a man who offers peace, and joy, and harmony. And we look at this crowd would realize that these people are mad. You've chosen Barabbas over Jesus? But I would argue today that we see the majority of people doing the same here. In this day of age, people are doing the very same thing, that they have the choice between Barabbas and Jesus, and they are flocking to Barabbas.

And the only reason why America is the way she is today, the reason why there is so much chaos is because they've rejected the Prince of Peace. The reason why there is no true love is because they've rejected this God who says I am love. The reason why there is so much havoc is because they have said no to the judge of the earth, And the only way that we will see restoration is when we embrace this Jesus. Oh, you think our hope is in politics? You think our hope is in the right person in office?

You think if we get the right laws, people will find their way around laws. We need Christ to sit on the throne of this nation again. But I I wonder. I wonder if the reason why they chose Barabbas is because they had this this hope. See, the Jewish people were under Roman oppression.

They wanted freedom. They wanted their independence again, and they thought that this Messiah would come and overthrow Rome. But when Jesus came, he he came for a different mission, a greater mission to set you free from sin. But then there's this Barabbas who attempted to overthrow the government, And it could quite possibly be that because they thought that Barabbas initiated it, that he is a better option to their goal in the end, and so let's put all our chips on Barabbas instead of Jesus. In other words, we see here that they probably thought Barabbas was the promising option.

If he's tried to do it before, maybe he'll do it again, and be successful, And this is a scary picture of those who think and are falsely convinced that there is a greater option to freedom than the person who can truly set you free. This is a terrifying picture of a person that is seeking freedom and liberty from a different avenue other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself. But let me just tell you boldly, if you're attempting to get that sense of liberation internally or any type of freedom or independence apart from Christ, I don't care how it is packaged, you will be greatly disappointed, greatly disappointed, because there is only one who can set you free. There is only one who can set you free. And even if you think that you do not want a God to rule over your life and tell you how to live, you are still a slave.

The Bible tells you that you were either a slave to sin or a slave to God. Only two choices. Again, down to two choices. Give us Barabbas. Maybe he'll give us some freedom.

There's Jesus waiting. Are you surprised that the same crowd that was influencing Pilate is the same crowd that's influencing thousands of people today? I remember having a conversation with a young man who seemed terrified of this idea of giving his life to Christ, who seemed so reluctant, seemed so hesitant. Didn't know why he was fearful of, if I give myself to Christ, what will he take away from me? And I said, hold on.

Hold on. Let's just park here for a moment. Here's this God who loves you, who created you, who sent his son to die for you, who wants to give you eternal life as a free gift, who wants to secure your salvation. And not only that, he wants to give you a life that you never thought you can dream of even though you had all the resources that this world can offer, and wants to live inside of you, and wants to walk with you day by day. This is what I was telling him, and I said, what part of that is scary?

What part of that sounds like bondage? What part of that sounds like he wants to rob you of your joy? He just was bewildered. I don't know. I don't know.

Because the crowd persuades and influences and tries to convince you that Barabbas is the better option. What did Pilate end up doing? Look at verse 24. So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing so many people are hinging their decision to give everything to Jesus Christ based on whether other people will make that choice. But it's a whole different story when you have to make it alone.

Is it not? Here he was trying to attempt this crowd to go into the other direction, but let me give you some sound advice. Forget about the crowd. Forget about what everybody else is choosing. Forget about the latest philosophy.

What do you see? What have you heard from Jesus and his word? What have you seen and heard from those who have been changed by him? Should you not at least inquire? Should you not at least dig in But the pressure of the crowd, and it tells us in Mark's gospel, so Pilate wishing to satisfy the crowd gave Jesus up to them.

So here's this tragic story of a man who went against the witness of the king himself, who went against the witness of another who had been impacted by him, and who even went against his own conscience and decided to join the crowd. I wonder where Pilate is today. I wonder what his face will be like when he stands before the judge of all the earth. I encourage you today if you have not made that decision to follow Jesus, that you would take God at his word found in this book, that you would at least consider the testimonies that you've heard, and that you would at least mute the voice of the crowd just so you can think for yourself for a moment and realize that if you want eternal life, repent of your sins and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, and re recognize that he is the savior of your soul. Call upon him for he is near, and he will redeem you.

Before I close, I have to I have to just say something else. Some of you in here have made good confession before others in your own baptism, perhaps recently or even years ago. And you're sitting here today and you just witnessed people make that confession, but today you're not living for him as you used to be. Would you remember when you stood before your church, even maybe this one, and you made confession that you would serve Jesus Christ with everything within you? Would you remember when you grabbed that microphone and you shared with everybody else that I will live from the rest?

Do you know who else was sitting at your baptism service? Jesus. He will take you at your word. Where are you today from when you got baptized? Where are you?

Ask yourself. Answer God today. Where are you today? Are you just as la in love with him as you were when you came up here and you shared your testimony? One simple instruction.

He's waiting, and he does not condemn you. He does not use your own words that you promised against you. He's there with open arms ready to take you and walk with you again. Pray with me. Lord, if there's anybody on trial this morning, may they make the right decision and crown you king of kings of their lives.

For those who have walked away since they've made that confession, would they realize that your voice is calling out to them to return into your arms and to walk with you again? We thank you for these souls. May there be many more for your glory saved and sanctified. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.