John 18:28-40 | Jesus on Trial
John 18:28-40
Jesus is in the political and spiritual capital of Jerusalem. Only five days earlier Jesus was welcomed as a king, before being betrayed, denied by His friend, and arrested by the religious leaders. Because those religious leaders cannot impose the death penalty, they hand Him over to Pilate to achieve their goals.
Delivered by the hypocrisy of the religious elders, they don’t just want Him dead, they want Him discredited and shamed.
From the text, we look at three points:
The Kingdom Jesus Has
The Message Jesus Brings
The Rescue Jesus Offer
If His kingdom was on Earth, His authority could conquer the world, however, His kingdom comes from outside this world. The difference, He lays down His life, instead of coming to take life.
Jesus sates that His message is to bear witness to the truth, and that everyone of the truth will listen. We are to abide in His word and know the truth. That is why he was born into this world.
Pilate, finding no guilt in Jesus, offers Jesus the freedom by custom to the Jews at the Passover. Instead, they choose Barabbas, a criminal and insurrectionist. Barabbas is the first man to walk free in place of Jesus. We too are guily, beyond rescue by our own power. We too, are saved by Jesus’s substitution.