Sermon Cloud

Life can be quite sad at times; but it can also be rather fun and absurd. A true story from a west country paper:

A couple’s enjoyable day trip to Bridgewater was spoilt when pensioner Mrs Naylor’s husband Oliver left her on the forecourt of a garage in South Brent and drove 70 miles before noticing his wife was not in the car. "I couldn’t believe he’d gone without me, Mrs Naylor told the newspaper, I usually sit in the back where there is more space. We usually talk to one another." The couple in their 70’s had pulled into a garage to change a wheel. Mrs Naylor’s absence was noticed only when Mr Naylor arrived in Bridgewater and asked his wife "Where do you want to get out?". The paper added that they have in fact been married for 40 yrs.

Sometimes life is no laughing matter – we live in a sad and tragic world. You don’t go many years before you find yourself attending funerals, and not always of older people. But death is not the most tragic thing that can happen in human life; what do you think is the most tragic thing that could happen to us?

According to Bible, the most tragic thing that could happen is to reject Jesus Christ, and especially

what he has achieved in dying on the cross. This is the essence of sin, and is what most offends God.

Right at the heart of sin is rejecting God’s Son. I wonder if you connected sin with Jesus; its not murder or immorality, its rejecting Jesus. That’s why when Jesus said he would send the Holy Spirit he explained that the purpose was to convict us of sin – and he added because men do not believe in me. That’s the heart of sin.

And that’s why any religion that rejects Jesus as God’s Son is the worst thing anyone can do – whether Jewish or Muslim or liberal Christianity. We do need to be clear here; the success of anyone’s life is determined by what we do with Jesus – that’s how God and the bible see things.

That’s why Pilate’s question in 22 is so crucial, What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ?

The answer is highlighted by Matthew in listing in our section here a catalogue of rejection.

Now our man Pilate, can’t see it either; he is blind to who Jesus is. Matthew portrays Pilate here – as if on the titanic - thinking he’s the strong man with everything under control, but he’s floating towards disaster. There is splendid irony here; look at 19 Pilate sitting on the judgement seat – but is he really? Or when Pilate asks 22 What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? Pilate can’t see it; Jesus is the judge, the king of creation; its not a matter of what YOU will do to HIM, its what HE will do WITH you?

Lord Shaftesbury, who did so much for the poor and disadvantaged, once wrote: "I do not think that in the last 40 yrs I have lived one hour that was not influenced by our Lord’s return." Do you think and live like that? Does the Son of Man dominate our mindset?

Matthew, speaking to Jews, wants us to see the Lamb of God dying, silent before his shearers, the one who takes away the sin of the world - Jesus the silent suffering servant. Imagine a Jewish man listening to this text – what goes through his mind? Does he not see the Isaiah sacrifice here?

Jesus’ identity oozes through the text. He allows himself to be bound, 27:2 and led away to Pilate. What do Pilate and the crowd do with Jesus and his blood? Look again at the irony: 24 Pilate was getting nowhere. So he took water, and washed his hands. Look what he says: I am innocent of this man’s blood

And the crowd? What a paradox. 25 All the people answered, Let his blood be upon us & our children. In other words, "we and our children will accept the guilt for killing him. Pilate if it makes you feel better for blaming it on us – that’s fine. We too want him crucified - its your decision –go ahead – just blame it on us. You go home and have roast lamb with your wife, don’t feel bad – we’ll take responsibility"

TRUE STORY: There was a chap called William, who saved a girl from certain death. She was drunk and unconscious and was face down at the bottom of a swimming pool. William dived in and pulled her out. She never mentioned this incident ever again. She never thanked William, never showed any appreciation. She never extended even a hand of friendship, neither she nor her husband, nor her family. Why would that be? Could they be too proud, that they would never think they needed rescue? That they could never have got themselves into such embarrassing circumstances.

And you see what Pilate does? He asks the crowd to make the decision for him. And that’s what some of us do – if only someone else could decide for me. He knew it was out of envy that Jesus was sent to him, 18. Then his wife sends him a text message, 19, saying "Don’t have anything to do with this fellow" just as he’s on the judge’s bench, in flashes the text. "Don’t do anything with this man" And even after he’s received that word, he’s still asking Why, what crime has he committed? 23

But he has all the power here – look at 15, it was his prerogative to release someone. 19 he’s on the judgement seat, and the nail in the coffin is 26 – he has Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified. His indecision is not no decision; it is his decision. No judgement, actually is a judgment.

Listen to CS Lewis towards the end of his life. "No word in my vocabulary expressed deeper hatred than the word Interference. But Christianity placed at the centre what seemed to me a transcendental Interferer"

Two Applications:

Questions for House Groups