Pilate’s Dilemma John 18:28-40

Ever have a dilemma? What do I do? Stay or leave?

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Pilate’s Dilemma--choice

Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?" "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you." Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." "But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?" "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

"What is truth. " Pilate asked "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him. 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'?" They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion. John 18:28 - 40

"What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews. . . What if?

What is truth? Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:5-6

Is Pilate’s dilemma our dilemma? Why? For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Galatians 5:17

Theology 101 3 Big Events Creation Fall Redemption

Creation God is source Creator In control of world Designs rules for life Humans dependent on God Creation In control of selves Obey his rules designed for life

Fall After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24

God Original Design The Fall God is the Source We depend on God We depend on ourselves

God Original Design The Fall God is the Source We depend on God We depend on ourselves God is Creator We are the creation and cannot exist unto ourselves We exist unto ourselves

God Original Design The Fall God is the Source We depend on God We depend on ourselves God is Creator We are the creation and cannot exist unto ourselves We exist unto ourselves God has control of the world We have control of ourselves We try to control our world and each other, losing control of ourselves

God Original Design The Fall God is the Source We depend on God We depend on ourselves God is Creator We are the creation and cannot exist unto ourselves We exist unto ourselves God has control of the world We have control of ourselves We try to control our world and each other, losing control of ourselves God designed life and its rules We obey Him and live the life God designed We make the rules and live any way we want to live

Redemption Creation Fall Redemption Creation Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

Pilate’s Dilemma our dilemma: What to do…. Leave Stay

Leave Rich and Stephanie God Original Design The Fall God is the Source We depend on God We depend on ourselves God is Creator We are the creation and cannot exist unto ourselves We exist unto ourselves God has control of the world We have control of ourselves We try to control our world and each other, losing control of ourselves God designed life and its rules We obey Him and live the life God designed We make the rules and live any way we want to live

Leave Dependence on self “Rich and Stephanie had drifted away from God as the source of life and into a will-power model. They did not depend on God, and they basically tried to run things themselves” Cloud, Henry. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth (p. 48). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Rich and Stephanie

Leave Control the world “And how has it been working, your being in control of him? Are you happy with that system?” I asked. “And, Rich, nice going on controlling Stephanie into a happy wife. She almost left you. Good job.” (Cloud, Henry. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth (p. 50). Zondervan. Kindle Edition). “Well, when Rich does not perform, you [Stephanie] go into an all-out effort to nag him into doing what you think is needed. That is really controlling. And you [Rich] do all sorts of things to try to appease her and make her feel better so she won’t get mad at you. You’re trying to control how she feels, and that makes it worse.” (Cloud, Henry. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth (p. 50). Zondervan. Kindle Edition). Rich and Stephanie

Leave Making our own rules For example, when God said, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph. 4:32), . . . They ignored the reality that if they disobeyed it, their relationship would die. And when their relationship was dying, they did not seek God’s rules and principles as the way to revive their marriage. They did not ask, “Where is our marriage suffering because we are not living in deep obedience to God’s ways?” Cloud, Henry. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. “Well, when Rich does not perform, you [Stephanie] go into an all-out effort to nag him into doing what you think is needed. That is really controlling. And you [Rich] do all sorts of things to try to appease her and make her feel better so she won’t get mad at you. You’re trying to control how she feels, and that makes it worse.” (Cloud, Henry. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth (p. 50). Zondervan. Kindle Edition). Rich and Stephanie

Pilate’s Dilemma our dilemma: What to do…. Leave Stay

II. Stay Remain in me, and I will remain in you. John 15:4

II. Stay Become Dependent on God But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

II. Stay Control themselves and not the world “When Rich stopped trying to control Stephanie and moved out of feeling as if he was controlled by her, he regained control of himself”. Cloud, Henry. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth (p. 52). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

II. Stay Obey God’s design “To get well, they had to rediscover the idea that God’s design and ways were given to make life work.” Cloud, Henry. How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Call to Faith - What areas of my life am I trying to control? What areas of my life do I need to relinquish control?