Come Follow Me…

Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church

An Uphill Faith

Upper RoomA place of intimacy

Upper RoomA place of intimacy

GethsemaneA place of crushing

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

Matthew 27:11-24

“suffered under Pontius Pilate…”

Pontius Pilate was the 5th Praefectus of the Roman province of Judaea from 26 – 36 AD under Emperor Tiberius.

According to Rome-Jewish historian Josephus, Pilate was ordered back to Rome after harshly suppressing a

Samaritan uprising, arriving just after the death of Tiberius in March 37 AD. Exiled to Gaul by Caligula, committed suicide.

Before Pi late…a place of Decision

“What then shall I do with Jesus,who is call the Messiah?”

Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.  And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” Luke 23:1-2

We make our decision and then our decisions MAKE US

Past mistakes limit FUTURE OPTIONSPilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” John 19:12

You live either by PRESSURE or PRINCIPLES“Wanting to satisfy the crowd”

Mark 15:15

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a

mimicry, their passions a quotation.” Oscar Wilde

APPEASEMENT “I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty.

Therefore I will have him punished and then release him. Lk 23:22

BARGAINING“Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus

Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Mt. 27:17

POLITICSThat day Herod and Pilate became friends —before this they had been enemies. Luke 23:12

Courageous Decisions take PRACTICE“He who walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.” Pr 13:20

Life will shrink or expand in proportion to one’s courage.

Can you make the courageous choice when it’s COSTLY?

Will you make the courageous choice when it’s COSTLY?

Will you make that courageous choice, REPEATEDLY? 

“What then shall I do with Jesus,who is call the Messiah?”