The Cross (Good Friday 2024): Ironically, during Jesus' trial and suffering, he was questioned, mocked, and abused for being the King. In his humiliating death on the cross, Jesus proved to be the perfect Passover sacrifice. Why did Jesus endure all this? It was all for you. Recorded on March 29, 2024, on John 18:28 - 19:42 by Pastor David Parks.

Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.

Sermon Transcript

John 18:28–40 (NIV), “28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” 30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. 33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.” As Justun mentioned last week, the Jewish religious leaders had illegally arrested, tried, and falsely condemned Jesus. However, as subjects of the Roman Empire, they didn’t have the authority to kill him — only Roman soldiers could do that. So, the trial moved from the high priest’s house to the house of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Ironically, John points out that the religious leaders wanted to avoid becoming ceremonially unclean while having an innocent man put to death. Again, ironically, Pilate spoke better than he knew when he said, “You are a king, then!” He wasn’t really confessing faith in Jesus, but what he said was true. Jesus was the King. But here, Jesus moved the conversation from his kingly authority to the truth of his message. If Pilate were truly a seeker, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity for him to hear the gospel. But sadly, Pilate played the cynical politician, rejecting Jesus’ claim to the truth (and maybe all truth claims: “What is truth?”). Even so, Pilate didn’t find any basis to execute Jesus, but he knew he had a hot political situation here. He tried to get Jesus released because of the Passover, but the crowd, no doubt led by the Jewish leaders, called for Barabbas, an actual criminal, instead.

John 19:1–16a (NIV),