7. John 18:28-31a, NIV “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.

8. 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.’

9. Luke 23:2, NIV “And they [the priests] 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.’”

10. Luke 23:3-4, NIV “So Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus answered. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, ‘I find no basis for a charge against this man.’ ”

11. Matthew 27:19, NIV “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.’”

12. Mark 15:15, NIV “Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.”

13. Why do so many of us have the natural tendency to be people pleasers?

14. How can we stop pleasing people at the expense of ourselves and most importantly, at the expense of our relationship with God?

15. Ephesisans 1:3-5, NIV “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

16. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.”

17. The more we realize our identity in Christ, the less we need the approval of others.