What Is the Speaker’s Intention?

Well, there is an election coming up in the United States. I wanted to pause after that just to see the reaction. Where's he going with this? Well, while all of you are trying to gather your thoughts and figure out where I might be going with that statement, as always, I haven't changed. I'm not here to talk about politics this morning, at least not in the way that you might be thinking, all right? So I've disappointed some of you, I've relieved some of you, but I'm not here to talk about any specific politician, I'm not here to talk about any specific political party, and I'm not here to talk about any specific political policy. You say, then what's left? If you bring up an election in another country, what's left? If you're not going to talk about a politician or a party or a policy, I'll tell you what's left.

Why Discuss the U.S. Election Process?

The mechanics of an election, how an election operates, how it works. You say, well, why didn't you just bring up our elections in Canada? Why in the U.S.? Well, because there's a specific form or process of voting in several of the United States that we don't have in Canada, and I think I'm kind of glad we don't have it. It's called a caucus, it's called a caucus, and the very first state just in the United States just voted in the primary election, and it was the state of Iowa, and Iowa is one of the few states that has a caucus, and a caucus can be very wild, and that's why I'm glad we don't have it.

What Makes a Caucus Unique?

See, for those of you who don't know what a caucus is, most elections are private. By the way, I am going somewhere with this, and you will see, so just trust me, okay? Most elections are private, and in private elections, you know, you kind of like walk into a booth, and you have a pen, and there's little circles next to people's names, and circle the circle, and then you cover it up, and you hand it to someone, and they keep it covered, and nobody knows. Nobody knows who you voted for, okay? Now, there's pluses to that. The plus to private voting is that, you know, if your friends, and neighbors, and co-workers, and family members are all against one of the candidates, you can vote for them, and they have no idea that you did, right? And so there's some pluses with voting. If you really believe on principle that you ought to vote for this person over that person, you can go and do it in privacy, and and no one knows, but that's not how it works in a caucus. In a caucus, those in a specific community, a specific postal code, they'll gather at a polling location, and in that polling location, probably about the size of this meeting space, they'll gather into what are called preference groups, and so each preference group supports one candidate, and so you literally have to walk into a group and show visibly to everyone your support for someone, and then each of the preference groups chooses a leader, and that leader will come up to the podium, and that leader will then speak about why you ought to support this one group, or this one candidate, rather. And so the group leaders are trying to convince you, and it's a wild thing because obviously people get very emotional about the candidate of their choice, and so they will try to pull other people into their group, and there's lots of pressure. So if your family and friends and neighbors are all in one preference group, but you want to choose the other candidate, but that means they're all gonna glare at you as you walk to the other preference group on the other side of the room, and so how can you support the candidate that you want on principle? And in a caucus, which by the way this year is the very first year that Iowa has done away with preference groups in their caucuses, I think for obvious reasons, but those who can stir up the crowd the best win, right? Those who can put on the most pressure, the most intimidation, they win. And so suppose you had two candidates, two candidates only vying for election, and on one side of the room there's a very powerful preference group with a lot of sway, a lot of intimidation.

What Is the Passage Today?

That is our passage today. We have today two candidates, a presiding governor over the election, one very powerful and intimidating preference group, and a very cowardly crowd of undecideds. And one of the two candidates is going to receive all of the votes. Only this isn't an election like you're thinking. This is a choice of who will live and who will die. Today we come in John 18 to the famous story of Jesus and Barabbas, and Pilate has a major problem.

What Is Pilate’s Predicament?

Jesus is innocent and Pilate knows it, but the Jews want Jesus dead. And so Pilate, in all of his great Roman wisdom, is going to make today his biggest blunder of his career as he tries to let Jesus go free. But that's the point. Jesus doesn't go free, but Barabbas does. Isn't that the point of Christ's death, the innocent for the guilty? As you sang this morning with me, behold our God. Behold the Son of Man. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And today as we watch what Jesus goes through in the Word, our response is very simple.

What Does Worship Entail?

Worship. Worship. But to worship is more than to sing. For many churches refer to the singing time of the service as the worship time or the worship, but rather worship goes far beyond. Worship is to constantly and consistently lift Jesus high in your mind. Worship means offering your life for Jesus. And so today I call you to worship the guiltless King who suffered so that you could go free.

Why Title the Sermon "The Raucous Caucus"?

The title of the sermon this morning is the raucous caucus. Would you look with me please at verse 38b of John chapter 18. After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him. The second half of verse 38 is the point of the passage. This is the first of three times that Pilate is going to say this phrase. I find no guilt in him. Remember Pilate is the presiding governor over this courtroom. This pronouncement as we might hear it today sounds like this, not guilty. Have you ever watched verdicts being read in courtrooms? Oftentimes they'll videotape verdicts being read in courtrooms. I've watched as defendants stand, they rise as the judge begins to read the jury's verdict. Oftentimes there are three or four or five or six counts against them for first-degree murder and second-degree murder and manslaughter etc. And I've certainly watched as defendants are pronounced guilty. But perhaps some of the most wonderful moments in life are to watch when a defendant is pronounced not guilty. And so the judge reads the charge. For the first charge of first-degree murder, the jury finds the defendant not guilty. Elation comes across the face of the defendant. Tears begin to stream down their eyes as the judge reads the second verdict. On the second count of second-degree murder, I find that if the jury finds the defendant not guilty. The defendant's face begins to turn a bright red as they realize that any prison sentence has been greatly diminished and tears begin to flow freely. On to the third and the fourth and the final charge, the final count against the defendant. The jury finds the defendant not guilty and I've watched as a defendant collapses onto the table in utter and overwhelming relief. Not so with Jesus. Pilate has just said, I find no guilt in him. There is no relief on Jesus' face. For Jesus knows that he must drink the cup of his father's wrath. The guiltless must die. But friends, Pilate doesn't know that. Pilate doesn't know what Jesus knows.

How Does Pilate Attempt to Appease Both Sides?

And so Pilate makes what he considers to be a shrewd move, but he ends up getting checkmated. Pilate brings the weight of the caucus down on the side of one candidate. He thinks he has devised a way to please everyone because he can both declare Jesus guilty as well as let Jesus go free. Verse 39, But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews? This is Pilate's big plan, this custom. And we learn more about this custom in in Matthew's account of Jesus before Pilate in Matthew chapter 27. Matthew tells us that that Pilate would always do this at the feast, specifically the feast of Passover here as John the son of Zebedee writes for us in John 18. But this was Pilate's first try, his first shrewd try at getting Jesus released. And he thinks he can please both sides because, aha, if he gives them the choice between two prisoners then he is automatically tacitly pronouncing guilt on Jesus. Jesus is now guilty, he's a prisoner, he's someone who you must choose to release. And so he makes the Jews happy, guilty. But at the same time Pilate believes they will not pick Jesus and so Jesus lives. And Pilate's happy that he doesn't have to kill an innocent man. Now why did Pilate think that this would work? Because we know the rest of the story and it doesn't. But why did Pilate think that this offer of releasing Jesus over Brabbits wouldn't work? Well Matthew chapter 27 verse 18 tells us. Pilate believed that the only reason that the Jews were bringing Jesus before him was out of a little sin called envy. That's what Matthew 27 18 tells us. That Pilate believed the Jews were only delivering Jesus up out of envy and so surely, surely Pilate could call their bluff. Envy would never make you request the release of a horrible murderer over the King of the Jews.

Why Did Pilate Think Releasing Barabbas Would Work?

But Pilate misjudged. Pilate misjudged the character of the Jewish leaders for their heart was not filled with envy but with hatred. With utter depraved hatred for the God of the universe. But there's another reason that Pilate offered Barabbas and that reason is Pilate's wife. Pilate's wife. Matthew tells us that right in the middle of the trial, right in the middle of Pilate trying Jesus in the courtroom, Pilate's wife comes into the courtyard. She walks up to Pilate. She whispers this in his ear as recorded in Matthew chapter 27 and verse 19. Have nothing to do with that righteous man for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream. Notice how the dream that God gave to Pilate's wife declared him righteous. I find no guilt in him. And so these are the two reasons why Pilate made this offer. One, because he believed that the heart of the Jews was only envious against Jesus and certainly they would not seek the death sentence over the man Barabbas. But secondly, because he was afraid for his wife had received a dream from God declaring Jesus as righteous. And so Pilate has made his offer. Do you want me to release to you according to my custom the king of the Jews? And now he's stuck. Pilate now must bend to the will of the crowd. He has made his offer. We now have two candidates. The preference groups are forming and the caucus voting has begun.

Who Are the Candidates in the Caucus?

Verse 40, they cried out again, not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Matthew chapter 27 and verse 18 calls Barabbas notorious. There's much more to the word robber here. Likely it could be translated as insurrectionist because in Luke chapter 23 and verse 19 we read this about the man Barabbas. A man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. And so Luke tells us that Barabbas was an insurrectionist and a murderer. In Mark chapter 15 and verse 7 we read, and among the rebels in prison who had committed murder in the insurrection there was a man called Barabbas. And do you see the irony? The man who the Jews are crying to be released has literally committed what they are accusing Jesus of. Sedition, treason, insurrection, usurping Caesar, the guiltless for the guilty. Oh the hypocrisy of the Jews that they would bring Jesus before Pilate knowing that he is innocent of these charges and then choose a man who has committed the very same crimes of which they are accusing Jesus.

How Did Barabbas Get Chosen?

Now hopefully you understand why I went so far with my introduction as I did but if you don't we learn more about this at Matthew chapter 27. Did you ever wonder how the crowd could cry for the release of Barabbas when just about a week prior to this event they had cried in the streets of Jerusalem Hosanna to Jesus? What changed in one week? What changed was the powerful intimidating preference group. Matthew chapter 27 and verse 20 reads, now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The raucous caucus, the intimidation of the Jews. It was the same way with the unblind man's parents in John chapter 9 when they wouldn't even speak of the miracle that Jesus had done in their son. It was the same way in John 12 with the Jewish leaders who would not openly confess Jesus because they would be put out of the synagogue for they loved the glory that comes from man rather than the glory that comes from God and friends it is the same for us isn't it? It's the same for us. If you think we are not intimidated by preference groups you have another thing coming. We love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. That is our sinful heart. As I said this year is the first year that the Iowa caucuses have no preference group voting. And I think it's easy to understand why we're fearful friends. It is difficult to stand up and do what is right. Even the disciples wouldn't stand up for Christ. Praise God later they did. Peter in Acts chapter 3 in verse 13 says the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers glorified his servant Jesus whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release him. But you denied the holy and righteous one as we sang about this morning only a holy God and asked for a murderer to be granted to you and you killed the author of life whom God raised from the dead to this we are witnesses.

What Is the Theme of John 18:38-19:5?

Friends I told you that the theme of this text this morning is worship. You'll see why in a moment but I call you to worship Jesus no matter the cost. Worship Jesus no matter if you are standing alone in a preference group and you may be one day. No matter what Jesus calls us to worship him. Friends Pilate's bet didn't pay off. His shrewd devices didn't work.

What Was Pilate's Last Plan?

The crowd cried for Barabbas but Pilate thought he had one last trick up his sleeve. Please look at John chapter 19 in verse 1. Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him and the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple row. They came up to him saying hail king of the Jews and struck him with their hands. This is confusing. Why did Pilate do this?

Why Mock Jesus with Symbols of Royalty?

Pilate has just said I find no guilt in him and now he flogs Jesus and allows his Roman soldiers to mock him. Friends believe it or not this was Pilate's last-ditch plan because in Luke chapter 23 in verse 22 we read a third time he said to them why what evil has he done I have found in him no guilt deserving of death. Listen I will therefore punish and release him. Pilate misjudged the crowd again because perhaps Pilate thought that the hatred of the Jews didn't go so far as it did. It didn't run so deep and so they thought he thought if I punish Jesus publicly the crowd will take pity on him. The preference group will then seek the release of Barabbas when they see what a pitiable sight Jesus is before them. And so he flogged him. Now there are three types of Roman flogging. Fustes, flagella and verbera. That's from the least to the most severe. The kind of flogging that you think of most often when it comes to Jesus is verbera. A terrible kind of flogging that would actually kill some men in the process. Jesus was possibly if we look at the account in John and the account in Matthew and Mark flogged twice. Once with the least severe form of flogging, fustes, and this would be the punish and release him. And the second time after Jesus is delivered over to be crucified because he has not yet been delivered over to be crucified is the worst form of flogging, verbera. And so Pilate flogs him. In verse 2 we read that the soldiers fashioned a crown for him in a row. Matthew and Mark fill us in on the details that this flogging, this mock worship was a shameful punishment. Jesus was stripped of his clothes. He was put into a robe. They took the thorns of likely a date palm tree which thorns on a date palm can grow up to 12 inches long. They fashioned a woven crown of thorns like one might see on one of the Roman gods in a depiction of God. Isn't that the curse friends? When God cursed the ground he said thorns and thistles it will grow. Jesus willingly subjected to the earth that he had cursed because of sin. And all the while Pilate is trying to save Jesus life. I will punish him and release him. We see the phrase used of Jesus again in verse 3, king of the Jews. After his flogging he's beaten with the hands of the Roman soldiers. And friends it is in these first three verses of John chapter 19 that we get our theme of worship. Matthew fills us in on a small detail that I think is very important. The Roman soldiers took a reed and they put it into Jesus' hand to depict a scepter as they were making him into a mockery of a king. Friends this is a mockery of worship. A crown, a robe, a scepter with subjects as Matthew says bowing before him saying hail the king. Worship. Oh friends you must worship this man. If only the Romans had realized what they were doing. If only the Jews had remembered Jacob's words to his son in Genesis 49 10, the scepter that reed in Jesus' hand shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until tribute comes to him and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. The sight of Jesus being mocked in worship and the crowd turning against him in fear should make us do one thing. Worship Jesus no matter the cost. Worship the guiltless King who suffered for you so that you could go free. Well does Pilate's second plan work? Let's see verse four.

Does Pilate’s Second Plan Succeed?

Pilate went out again and said to them see I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him. There's the second time. Not guilty. Next week Lord willing we'll look at the third time that Pilate makes that claim.

Who Is Really the King?

Jesus the guiltless King. Oh Pilate knows he's stuck. He bluffed. He got called. This is his last-ditch effort and so he brings out the King. Verse five so Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them behold the man. Last week Pilate spoke the famous phrase what is truth. This week another historic three-word phrase. Behold the man. The last time that Jesus had had anyone declare publicly behold was in John chapter 1 in verse 29 when John the Levite Baptist declared to his disciples behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We sing about that this morning. John presenting the sacrifice for sin and here in John 19 Pilate unwittingly presenting the Son of Man as the guiltless King of the Jews. Behold the man. As we said perhaps to gain pity or sympathy for Jesus perhaps to show how silly it was that they would accuse Jesus of being a revolutionary if only they had recognized their King. Praise God they will. They will. Zechariah chapter 12 and verse 10 says and I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and please for mercy so that when they look on me on him whom they have pierced they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly over him as one weeps over a firstborn. Revelation chapter 1 in verse 7 says behold he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him even those who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of him even so amen. When Peter spoke those words to the 3,000 at Pentecost that we just read earlier 3,000 souls Acts chapter 2 in verse 37 says were cut to the heart when they realized that the man who was mocked in worship was indeed the one to whom they owed their worship and they came to Christ that day. There he was. Behold the man. This was Pilate's last-ditch effort. Next week Lord willing we'll look at the reaction of the raucous caucus to this last-ditch effort but for now I'd like you to consider 1st Corinthians 1 23 which reads like this but we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles don't you see that there in John 18 and 19 Jesus was indeed a stumbling block to the Jews and a folly to those Roman Gentiles and he still is today a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles but Paul goes on in his first letter to the Corinthians to say but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God Oh worship the guiltless King who suffered so that you would go free do you realize that we all went free like Barabbas we went free through the death of Christ there may be someone here this morning though who is not free someone watching someone listening who has not been set free by the blood of Christ still in bondage to your sin friends we are all Barabbas you think Barabbas was bad think again just look right inside your own heart we are all filthy rotten vile sinners deserving of nothing more than enough hell to burn in for all of eternity and we needed that Savior to take our place and friend if you would choose to worship him you can be set free too the Bible says if you would confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved and that is my prayer for you today that you would believe in Jesus today and worship the guiltless King Jesus the Roman soldiers didn't know the significance of what they did if only they knew that their mockery was a foreshadowing of what was to come hopefully you can see it up on the screen behind me

What Should the Response Be to Jesus' Kingship?

Revelation chapter 19 verse 11 I read most even more of this passage last week one week but I want to come back to it for a different reason if you'd like to look it up with me it's Revelation 19 we'll read verses 11 through 16 the Roman soldiers did not know that their mockery of worship was a foreshadowing of what was to come look with me please then I saw heaven open and behold a white horse the one sitting on it is called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and makes war his eyes are like a flame of fire and on his head are many diadems there's that crown of thorns and he has a name written that no one knows but himself he is clothed in a robe dipped in blood there's that robe and the name by which he is called is the Word of God and the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen white and pure were following him on white horses from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations and he will rule them with a reed friend that scepter in his hand a rod of iron he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written the one that the Roman soldiers cried out hail the king of kings and Lord of Lords if only the Roman soldiers knew who they ought to be truly work worshiping he is the king Jesus is the king of the universe last week I told you that my favorite sermon was that's my king by SM Lockridge if you've already gone and looked it up and listened to it you're better for it I told you the beginning of the sermon last week I want to tell you a few more of the lines of it quote the Pharisees couldn't stand him but they found out they couldn't stop him Pilate couldn't find any fault in him the witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree and Herod couldn't kill him and quote friends one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and there will be no caucus there will be no preference group there will be no other candidate Jesus will forever be the only king and the scepter will never depart from his hand as Lockridge goes on to say quote that's my king he always has been and he always will be I'm talking about he had no predecessor and he'll have no successor there was nobody before him and there will be nobody after him you can't impeach him and he's not going to resign and so I leave you with this worship the guiltless King who suffered for you so that you could go free Oh worship the King all glorious above and gratefully sing his power and his love and I close with the words of first Timothy 117 to the king of the ages immortal invisible the only God be honor and glory forever and ever amen

How Should the Believer Respond in Worship?

Oh our father though it is so difficult to watch as our king was spit upon had a crown of thorns placed upon his head a mockery of robe placed about around his body and a scepter put in his hand Oh God we pray for Abbotsford for mission for Chilliwack for Yarrow for Langley for Surrey for pit meadows for Maple Ridge for Vancouver and Greater Vancouver for Hope God we pray for this province for this country that they will realize that there is only one candidate and we pray for us Oh God help us who have chosen to worship the king that we would stand alone in the preference group on your side may we worship the king with our lives with our mouths with our minds with our hands and our feet and may we never stray no matter the pressure no matter the cost because our King Jesus suffered for us in the place of us we are Barabbas and it is in your son's glorious and matchless name that we pray