The Cross • Week 1

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Well, good morning. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join me

in Luke chapter 22. It's where we're going to be this morning. I want to echo what Pastor Dave said

Luke 22 · chapter mention

and welcome our first-time guest. If you're a first-time guest, we want to thank you for being

here. Thank you for worshiping with us. At the end of the service, I'll be back here to my left,

back here at these tables, along with my wife, Erin. We would love to meet you, to shake your hand,

to thank you for worshiping with us. And if you have any questions about us at Willow Ridge Church,

we would love to be able to answer those. And maybe this isn't your first time, you've been

coming for a few weeks, but we haven't had the privilege and opportunity to meet you yet.

Please stop by. We would love, love to meet you. Also, at the very end of the service, we'll do the

message. We'll have a time of response. And then at the very end, we will partake in the Lord's

Supper together. And so the elements are back here, right at the entrance as you came in this morning.

If you did not pick up some of those, and you would like to partake in the Lord's Supper with us,

we want to invite you. Right now would be a great time. You can just go back there and you can grab

the elements so that you can be a part of that with us. We do, if you're a believer in Jesus Christ,

whether you call Willow Ridge Church your home or not, we want to invite you to join us in taking of

the Lord's Supper together. And we'll give some specific instructions about how we do that

at the end of the service. When we are beginning, we got done with Titus. It took us two years to

get through Genesis, took us six weeks to get through Titus. And so we're now starting our Easter

series. Easter feels like it sneaks up on us really quick each and every year. And it's a wonderful time.

We always know Easter season's coming, right? Because before Easter, there's the pollen.

And so we've got the pollen is here. The Easter season is here. And we're going to be working

through some different passages of scripture over the next several weeks. But in a few weeks,

we'll be Easter morning. We do a little bit different. We started a different little tradition

around here a few years ago. And we love it. It's a part of what God's called us and wired us to do

together. So I want to share with you the schedule of that so that you can choose what works best for

you and for your family. But at eight o'clock that morning, we do not call it a sunrise service. We

just call it an early service, right? We're not out there as the sun comes up. But at eight o'clock

in the morning, we'll have our outdoor worship service, our early worship service. It is for the

entire family. It'll be on the lower level of the parking lot. And so we want to invite you, if you

want to choose to worship during that time, please come and do so. And we'll worship together.

And then at 9 a.m., we'll have a church-wide breakfast. It's become just a wonderful time

for us to gather together as a church family. Grits, bacon, eggs, all the trimmings, everything

to get us loaded up and to prep us for that Easter lunch that we're going to have later. So we want to

invite you and your family to be a part of that. Some of the things that we've been able to hear the

last couple of years, and so we're adapting and changing a little bit with this. We will have a

couple of the classrooms open and available. There's no way we could do the tables and chairs for

everyone. So we're going to have some seating with tables and chairs in 102-104. And we're

going to ask that we reserve those for our senior adults and families with little ones. So we'll

have that. But then for everyone, you can stand outside, you can sit on the walls, you can gather

in the lobby, you can even come in here to eat breakfast that morning. But a wonderful time

of fellowship together. And then at 1015, we'll gather in here for service as the entire family,

again, kids all the way through to have that time of worship together. Now, the 8 o'clock

and the 1015, they are identical services, all right? So if you want to come to both,

hey, that's great. We'd love to have you. You can come get a double dose of worship that

morning. I would love to have you join us. But if you're sitting there and you're like,

I think I've heard this message before, you did at the 8 o'clock. So we'll be here and we'll

worship together. So we're looking in Luke 22. We're going to begin our study of leading us

up to Easter by this morning of looking as Jesus appears before four trials. And so we're going to

look at the weight and the impact and what God is teaching us about Christ and about who we are

and about his work through in Christ and his work through in us by looking at that. But I want us to

look at this verse as we kind of set our hearts on God's word for what he has for us. Luke 23, 24-25.

So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder

for whom they asked.

But he delivered Jesus over to their will. Would you pray with me?

God, we thank you for this wonderful opportunity that we have to gather here together.

God, there may be many reasons, routine,

community,

loneliness,

obligation,

many reasons that may have brought us here this morning.

But the true reason

is Christ.

So God, as we focus in,

especially on these next three weeks,

on the work that's done on the cross,

the power of the resurrection,

this morning as we look at an innocent man

declared guilty,

God,

God, I pray for whatever reason that we find ourselves

here this morning,

that you will stir our hearts,

Father, for your son Jesus.

That we will grow in love

and devotion for him.

We will give you all the praise

and honor and glory.

because life is made possible

through him

and through him alone.

And it's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. Amen.

Well, as a pastor,

you always are looking for

the next sermon series to work through,

the next book to work through,

how you're going to flow,

how you're going to kind of look at your

outlining throughout Scripture as you go through the year.

And there's two times of year

where it's just kind of naturally there for us.

It's the Easter season

and it's the Christmas season.

We kind of got the passages

that we'll work through.

And each year,

what I try to do

is build us a historical timeline

that leads us to the events

that we're leaving out

because there's no way

that we could possibly cover

every single thing that's happened,

but everything is continuing to show

in the journey of what's there.

So this morning, like I shared,

we're going to look at the trials of Jesus,

Jesus before the Sanhedrin,

Jesus before Pilate,

Jesus before Herod,

and then Jesus before Pilate again,

before he gets condemned to death.

This will be the story that we see.

But this is not just a moment

that happened out of nowhere.

It's a journey that has been happening

and then taken place.

And so the Sunday before this happens

in this Passion Week timeline,

if we were to read through the Scripture,

we're to see that this is the day

that Jesus enters into Jerusalem

with shouts of Hosanna.

Jesus will go and he'll weep over Jerusalem.

He will enter into the temple

and he'll return to Bethany.

He enters into the shouts of praise

where we'll see this morning

the same folks who would have said

Messiah, King, now call for crucifixion.

On Monday, while he'd be with the disciples,

he curses the fig tree.

He clears the temple

and he returns to Bethany with the twelve.

On Tuesday,

as he journeys back into Jerusalem,

the disciples see the withered fig tree.

The authority to Jesus

and the resurrection

is challenged at the temple.

And very important

for what we'll see today,

Jesus teaches on paying taxes to Caesar.

He then has the Olivet Discourse

on the way to Bethany

as Jesus shares

that the temple will be destroyed,

wars and persecution

will take place

and Jerusalem will be destroyed

among others.

Wednesday,

Jesus continues

to teach

in the temple

and the Sanhedrin

begin to plot

for the execution

of Christ.

Thursday,

in the time

that we begin to see

in the upper room,

the Passover meal,

the Last Supper,

the upper room discourse,

Jesus prays

in the garden.

In these weeks,

I mean,

I'm sorry,

in these days

that are leading up

to the events

that we'll look at

this morning,

you will notice

that Jesus

is not short of words.

Teaching

after teaching

after teaching

until he finds himself

in the garden

and he begins to pray.

Early Friday morning

sometime after midnight

where we find ourselves

this morning,

Jesus has been betrayed

by Judas

with a kiss.

Jesus is arrested

and the mockery

of his trials

begin.

Would you look with me

at Luke 22?

We're going to read

starting in verse 66.

When they came,

the assembly of the elders

of the people

gathered together,

both chief priests

and scribes.

They led him away

to their council

and they said,

if you are the Christ,

tell us.

But he said to them,

if I tell you,

you will not believe.

And if I ask you,

you will not answer.

But from now on,

the Son of Man

shall be seated

at the right hand

in the power of God.

So they all said,

are you the Son of God then?

And he said to them,

you say that I am.

And they said,

what further testimony

do we need?

we have heard it

ourselves

from his own lips.

Then the whole company

of them arose

and brought him

before Pilate.

So Jesus is arrested

and he's taken

before the religious

leaders of the day.

The group that we know

as the Sanhedrin.

The group that on Wednesday

have plotted this

all along.

This is not

the unfolding

of due process.

This is not

the unfolding

of legal matters

that take place.

This is a mob

who for their own

self-interest

view Jesus

as a problem

and due to their own

sin desire

to have him killed.

Now this group though

would have been given

certain rights

under Roman authority.

And so their goal

is the execution

of Jesus

but they do not

have the right

to execute

this judgment

legally.

So what the scripture

says

is once they've

heard what can

satisfy

the sinfulness

of their souls

they take him

to who can

and they bring him

before Pilate.

Let's continue

on verse 2.

And they began

to accuse him

saying

we found this man

misleading our nation

and forbidding us

to give tribute

to Caesar

and saying

that he himself

is Christ

a king.

And Pilate

asked him

are you

the king

of the Jews?

And he answered

him

you have said

so.

Then Pilate

said to the

chief priest

and the crowds

I find

no guilt

in this man.

They were

urgent

saying

he stirs up

the people

teaching throughout

all Judea

from Galilee

even to this

place.

When Pilate

heard this

he asked

whether this man

was Galilean

and we learned

that he belonged

to Herod's

jurisdiction

he sent

him over

to Herod

who was

himself

in Jerusalem

at the time.

So the Sanhedrin

brings Jesus

before Pilate

before someone

who can

implement

the penalty

that they

desire.

They bring him

before

with three

charges

that they share.

They say

that Jesus

has been

misleading

our nation.

What they're

trying to

paint a picture

of

is that

Jesus

is trying

to start

a riot.

Jesus

is trying

to overthrow

the government.

But here's

what we know

when we read

through the story

right?

Thursday night

in the garden

coming to get

arrested.

What does

Jesus do

as they

come to

arrest him

and as Peter

goes off

to attack?

Jesus stops

it.

He's not

trying to

create a

riot.

He actually

has prevented

one from

taking place.

Lie number

one.

Number two.

Jesus

opposes

tax payments

to Caesar.

Right?

Tax day

is coming up

for us too.

You got to

pay him.

All right,

there we go.

Again,

not true.

Not true.

Jesus just

taught Wednesday.

Just taught

Wednesday.

Give to Caesar

what's Caesar's.

Lie number

two.

Number three.

Jesus

claims to be

Messiah.

Jesus

claims to be

king.

And this

is interesting.

Pilate

doesn't

dive in

to these

others.

But he

latches

on to

this.

He

latches

on to

it.

Not

to the

whole

region.

He says,

you king

of the

Jews.

Now,

Jesus'

reaction

is somewhat

similar to

the last

part of

his

reaction

to the

Sanhedrin.

Jesus

has been

intentionally

teaching about

who he is,

about what

he's come

to do.

Jesus

has been

very open

and very

vocal.

And he

looks at

Pilate.

And I

can only

imagine

in this

the confidence

in his

eyes that

Pilate

would have

seen.

You know,

when you feel

like someone's

trying to lie

to you,

or someone's

speaking truth,

the difference

in what

the face

looks like.

And in

the very

face of

God,

and in

the fulfillment

of what

he's come

to do,

he says,

you say

so.

You say

so.

Jesus is

not denying.

Jesus is

not backing

down.

I am

the

Messiah.

I am

the

king.

And it's

interesting

that in

this,

that

Pilate

sworn to

Caesar

to make

sure that

everything's

calm,

everything's

peaceful,

finds that

Jesus has done

nothing

wrong.

Nothing

wrong.

But the

leaders,

these religious

leaders,

they insist

that this is

impossible,

that Jesus

is an

agitator.

He's an

agitator to

law.

He's an

agitator to

the rule.

He must be

dealt with.

And then they

mess up.

They say

that he's

from Galilee.

And Pilate's

like,

oh,

oh,

I'm out

of my

jurisdiction.

This isn't

for me.

This is

for Herod.

And so he

sends

Jesus to

Herod.

Herod,

who's in

Jerusalem.

In verse

eight.

When Herod

saw Jesus,

he was very

glad,

for he had

long desired

to see him,

because he

had heard

about him.

And he

was hoping

to see

some sign

done by

him.

So he

questioned

him at

some length,

but he

made no

answer.

The chief

priest and

scribes

stood by,

vehemently

accusing

him.

And Herod

with his

soldiers

treated him

with contempt

and mocked

him.

then arraying

him in

splendid

clothing,

he sent

him back

to

Pilate.

And Herod

and Pilate

became friends

with each

other that

very day,

for before

this they

had been

at enmity

with each

other.

So it's

kind of

strange

begins that

Herod's

excited,

he's glad

to see

Jesus.

You see,

the story

of Christ

was spreading.

I mean,

how could it

not?

Blind people

see,

people would

never walk,

walk,

demons cast

out,

even a dead

man brought

back to

life.

Herod's

like,

I'm

intrigued

by this

guy.

Now he

questions

Jesus,

and the

crowd

continues

to shout

allegations

and

accusations

against

Jesus.

But Jesus

does not

answer him

or the

crowd.

He said,

he's

testified.

Herod would

have heard,

Herod would

have known,

and Jesus

stands there.

And it

says

that they

mock

Jesus.

ironically,

they went

and got

the clothes

of a

king,

and they

put him

on the

king.

And then

he sends

him back

to Pilate.

Verse 13,

Pilate

then called

together the

chief priests

and rulers

and the

people

and said

to them,

you brought

me this

man as

one who

was misleading

the people.

And after

examining him

before you,

behold,

I did not

find this

man guilty

of any

of your

charges

against

him.

Innocent.

Neither

did Herod

for he sent

him back

to us

innocent.

Look,

nothing

deserving

death

has been

done by

him.

Innocent.

Verse 16,

I will

therefore

punish

him

and

release

him.

Pilate

calls

everybody

back

together.

He gets

all the

crazies

and their

cousins.

come on

around.

Nothing

this

man

has

done

points

to his

guilt.

but to

appease

the

crowd.

To

appease

the

masses.

I'll

punish

him.

Now,

this isn't

like

there's a

fine that

you'll

pay.

His plan

is to

beat him.

And the

Romans

were

excellent

at this.

Romans

understood

the

body

and

the

composition

of

the

body.

They

knew

what

level

of

degree

the

human

body

could

take

in

torment

and

torture.

And when

they

punished,

they would

bring you

to the

point

of

death

and then

stop.

And then

they'd

nurture you

back to

health

so that

they could

do it

over

again.

And this

is what

he promises.

But it's

not good

enough.

Verse 18,

But they

all cried

out

together

away with

this man

and released

to us

Barabbas.

A man

who has

been thrown

into prison

for an

insurrection

started in

the city

and for

murder.

Pilate

addressed

him once

more desiring

to release

Jesus.

A pagan,

an idol

worshiper

is standing

before

the people

who claim

to be

the people

of God.

And he

desires

to release

the Messiah

that they've

longed for.

But they

kept shouting,

crucify,

crucify him.

A third

time,

he said

to them,

why?

What evil

has he

done?

I found

in him

no guilt

deserving

death.

I will

therefore

punish

and release

him.

But they

were urgent,

demanding

with loud

cries that

he should

be crucified

and their

voices

prevailed.

So Pilate

decided that

on their

demand

should be

granted.

He released

the man

who had

been thrown

into prison

for insurrection

and murder

for whom

they asked,

but he

delivered

Jesus

over

to their

will.

The most

horrific

moment

of the

night.

The crowd

says,

kill Jesus,

give us

Barabbas.

Now we don't

know much

about Barabbas,

but here's what

we do know

from Scripture,

just from what

we just read.

They accused

Jesus of starting

insurrections.

Barabbas

started insurrections.

But in this,

Barabbas had

murdered

individuals.

We would

think of him,

we would

think of him

in today's

setting,

Barabbas,

as a terrorist.

It was his

responsibility

of what he

had taken

on himself

to undermine,

to work

through fear,

through chaos,

through panic,

through taking

of life.

And this is

what this man

does.

these four

trials.

We see

injustice

in our

world today.

Injustice

has been

a theme

of humanity

since the

fall in the

garden.

There's

never been

a greater

injustice

than on

this night.

Jesus

before the

Sanhedrin,

Jesus

before Pilate,

Jesus

before

Herod,

Jesus

back

before

Pilate.

Hollywood

could not

create a

greater story

of injustice

than the

one we

just

witnessed.

What is

Jesus

guilty

of?

Nothing.

Nothing.

You see,

it's not just

that Jesus

isn't guilty

of the

charges.

Jesus

isn't guilty

of anything.

There's

no one

point in

time

in the

men in

the Sanhedrin

who want

to uphold

the law

of God

that Jesus

has violated

it.

Completely

and perfectly

innocent.

traded

traded

for a

man

declared

guilty

by the

courts.

How could

this happen?

Why could

this happen?

What's God

teaching us

in this

story?

I want to

ask you

four questions

this morning

to think

about as

we go

in,

not just

to the

Easter

season,

but as

we look

at these

trials of

Jesus.

Four

questions

for you

and I

to examine

in the

harsh

reality

of the

truth

that is

here.

Question

number

one.

Does

your

practice

of

religion

inhibit

your

following

of

Jesus?

Now,

the trial

that we

begin,

remember

the charges

of what's

there are

before

Jewish

authorities.

They're

religious

trials,

is what we

see at

the very

beginning.

And they

show to

the degree

what these

religious

leaders

hated him

because they

carelessly

disregarded

their own

laws.

These men

are so proud

of knowing

the law,

of fulfilling

the law,

that they're

willing to

abandon

what they

believe that

God's

word has

called

them to.

You see,

several

illegal

activities

that

happened

in the

course

of

this.

Number

one,

no trial

was to

be held

during the

time of

the feast.

It's

Passover

season,

law number

one broken.

Number

two,

each member

of the

court

was to

vote

individually

to convict

or

acquit,

but Jesus

was

convicted

by the

mob.

Number

three,

if the

death

penalty

was

given,

and this

is what

they're

fighting

for,

if the

death

penalty

was

given,

a night

must

pass

before

the sentence

was

carried

out.

However,

only a

few

hours

would

pass

between

the

time

that

Jesus

was

convicted

and

placed

on

the

cross.

Number

four,

they had

no

authority

to

execute

anyone,

but it's

what they're

fighting

for.

No

trial,

number

five,

no trial

was to

be held

at night,

but this

trial was

held before

dawn.

Number

six,

the accused

was to

be given

counsel,

and Jesus

was given

none.

Number

seven,

the accused

was not

to be

asked

self-incriminating

questions,

but Jesus

was asked

these questions

over and

over and

over again.

Why?

Why?

Because

these men

were so

in love

with their

self-righteous

image of

themselves

that it

bypassed

the truth

of God's

word and

their desperate

need for the

Messiah that

they longed

to be

crucified.

When our

hearts

pursue

self-righteous

religion

of our

goodness

and our

glory,

we become

our own

standard of

holiness.

For the

Sanhedrin,

they had

become

their own

God

standing

on their

perversion

of truth

without the

markings

of humility

and love

shown and

displayed to

them in this

moment by

Jesus.

Jesus.

my caution

for us,

my caution

for you

is that

in your

pursuit

of religion

to make

yourself

right,

to do

good,

to make

sure that

you find

yourself

appealing

and

pleasing

to God

that

you

don't

miss

the

Savior

who's

standing

before you.

There are

men

and women

who fill

churches

all over

this world

where Christ

is proclaimed

but who

find

their

confidence

in the

religion

of man

instead of

the Savior

of the

world.

Number two,

number two,

do you

believe Jesus?

Do you

believe Jesus?

Now there's

a more

common

question

that we

ask.

That question

is do you

believe in

Jesus?

But I'm

asking a

different

question

this

morning.

Do you

believe

Jesus?

Do you

believe

Jesus?

You see

the trials

of what

they're

having

is not

do you

believe

in this

guy?

The

question

is not

do you

believe

in

Jesus?

The

question

that's

on trial

is do

you

believe

Jesus?

Do

you

believe

what

he

said?

Do

you

believe

what

he's

taught?

Do

you

believe

what

he's

testified?

What

is

on

trial

is

not

Jesus

existence

what's

on

trial

is

what

did

Jesus

say?

And

do

you

believe

him?

I

find

that

so

many

times

within

here

within

people

who

profess

Christ

as

their

Lord

and

Savior

they

they

believe

in

Jesus

but

do

you

believe

Jesus?

Do

you

believe

the

commands

that

he's

called

us

to

the

life

that

he's

called

us

to

the

submission

that

he calls

us

to

they

ask

him

did

you

say

you're

the

Christ

did

you

say

you're

the

king

did

you

say

you're

the

son

of

God

the

question

that

they're

asking

is

do

you

believe

Jesus

and

what

does

he

respond

with

you

say

that

I

am

implying

that

I

am

that

I

have

that

I

did

the

question

for

us

this

morning

I

think

is

more

complicated

for

many

than

do

you

believe

in

Jesus

the

demons

believe

in

Jesus

Satan

believes

in

Jesus

if

you

believe

in

Jesus

great

great

there's

more

historical

evidence

in

Jesus

than

George

Washington

I'm

glad

that

we

believe

in

Jesus

but

do

you

believe

Jesus

do

you

believe

his

very

words

do

you

believe

what

he's

taught

do

you

believe

what

he's

called

us

to

do

you

believe

what

he's

commanded

us

because

Jesus

says

some

crazy

things

Jesus

says

that

he's

been

authorized

to

forgive

sin

but

that

him

and

him

alone

but

that

he

can

forgive

your

sin

and

he

can

forgive

my

sin

and

that's

really

important

because

the

forgiveness

of

sin

is

what

makes

a

relationship

with

God

possible

do

you

believe

him

because

if

you

believe

him

and

what

he

said

and

his

ability

to

forgive

sin

you'll

also

know

that

Jesus

then

calls

us

as

those

who

have

been

forgiven

of

our

sin

to

forgive

others

who

have

sinned

against

us

in

the

way

that

he

has

forgiven

us

do

you

believe

him

do

you

believe

that

he

has

power

over

Satan

Jesus

tells

us

he

has

power

over

Satan

that

this

means

that

in

the

craziness

of

this

world

that

this

world

is

in

his

hand

that

he

is

the

victor

and

that

we're

called

to

live

in

victory

that

we

do

not

live

as

defeated

people

that

we

do

not

live

defeated

because

of

our

circumstances

because

of

this

world

and

those

around

us

that

Jesus

has

executed

will

continue

to

execute

power

over

Satan

and

that

this

world

is

in

our

hands

that

means

is

this

world

we

begin

to

feel

is

spinning

out

of

chaos

and

out

of

control

that

it's

not

that

it's

in

the

hand

of

God

because

it's

in

the

hand

of

Christ

do

you

believe

Jesus

because

Jesus

says

that

he's

the

only

way

to

God

Jesus

is

God

himself

says

that

there's

only

one

way

to

God

and

that

is

through

him

he's

the

only

way

means

by

anything

else

that

you

try

to

add

to

that

you

try

to