What Will You Do With Jesus?

1. Read: Matthew 27:22

2. About the Text:

1) Jesus had been taken a prisoner from the garden of Gethsemane the night before.

2) The Jews had put Jesus through a mock trial with many false witnesses.

3) They had now brought him before Pilate to be tried under Roman authority.

4) Pilate asked if he should release Jesus or Barabbas; the Jews chose Barabbas.

5) Pilate then said, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?”

3. There are three responses which we can make toward the same question today.

4. Our response depends upon what we think about the claims Jesus made; He claimed to be . . .

1) Fully human-Jesus once asked his disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” (Matthew 16:13). Jesus humanity insured that he always taught those things which were right concerning man’s relationship to other men-ethics.

2) Fully divine-When Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus said, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:16, 17). Jesus’ divinity insured that he always taught those things which were right concerning man’s relationship to God.

1. They reject his humanity.

1) Some think that Jesus was not even a historical figure.

2) Some recognize that he was a historical figure, yet reject what Jesus taught.

3) To these we ask, by what standard do you judge Jesus.

a. Some say by the standard of man, “Man is the measure of all things”-humanism.

b. Some say there is no standard-all actions are morally equivalent.

c. Some say that the standard is the situation-situation ethics.

2. They reject his divinity.

1) Most of these do not even believe in the existence of God.

2) Those who do claim some sort of belief are pan-theists.

3) Nontheless, they certainly do not believe in the God of the Bible.

4) So, they either reject Jesus’ divinity because they believe themselves to be as much a god as he was, or they simply reject the idea that there is a God at all.

3. C.S. Lewis said that every person must make some kind of response toward Jesus. He said that there were only three possible things you could call him-liar, lunatic, or Lord.

1. Some accept Jesus’ humanity, but reject his divinity-these are modernists.

1) They accept his humanity.

a. They think Jesus was a good man and that he presented a high standard of ethics.

b. Again, we must ask, by what standard do you judge Jesus to have good ethics.

c. If his ethics were right, then why do you judge his other teachings false?

d. In fact, His high standard of ethics is evidence for accepting his other teachings.

e. cf. Matthew 5.

f. Islam claims that Jesus was a prophet, but not the Son of God (state problem).

2) They reject his divinity.

a. Some modernists may say there is no God, but still subscribe to Jesus ethics.

b. Some modernists may say there is a God, but Jesus could not have been God. They do this because they impose their materialistic view of man upon Jesus. These fall under the category of 2 Peter 3:3,4; “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

2. Some accept Jesus’ divinity, but reject his humanity-these are hypocrites.

1) They accept his divinity.

a. These say that Jesus is the Son of God.

b. They believe that God exists and that the Bible is God’s word.

2) They reject his humanity.

a. Some attend services faithfully, but when they leave, they stop living like Christ. James says, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1:23-25).

b. Some do not even come to worship God as God prescribes in the Bible although they claim to be Christians. “And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrewsl0:21-27).

c. Although these accept Jesus divinity, they are not Jesus friends; Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14).

1. They accept his humanity.

1) They have chosen to follow the Savior wherever he may call. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Peter 2:21-25).

2) They have chosen to accept the life of the cross

2. They accept his divinity.

1) They believe, with Peter, that Jesus is the Son of God.

2) They believe that Jesus is reigning in heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:16-18).

3) They believe that one day he will come back and judge the world in righteousness. “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

4) They boldly say with John, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30, 31).

1. Will you reject him?

2. Will you Eulogize him?

3. Will you in humble submission to his will accept him?

4. You can accept Jesus today.

1) Hear with a view toward obedience. “For faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

2) Believe in God, in his word, and in the Christ. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6).

3) Repent “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians7:10).

4) Confess “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33).

5) Be baptized “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).

5. If you are a Christian, what will you do with Jesus?