“Christ’s Passion: Suffered Under Pontius Pilate” June 1, 2008

Mark 15:1-15

INTRO: Matthew tells us an interesting detail that Mark leaves out.

“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.’”

What was her bad dream? The Bible doesn’t tell us.

But English writer Dorothy Sayers once imagined what bad dream might have been.

She presents Pilate’s wife as a woman eager for husband to make name for self.

To rise through ranks of Roman bureaucracy, become famous, important.

Sayers imagines Pilate’s wife having a dream in which she heard vast multitude

chanting her husband’s name in hundreds of different languages—

“Pontius Pilate, Pontius Pilate, Pontius Pilate.”

And in her sleep she smiled, because it seemed that her husband had finally

achieved the fame and recognition that she craved for him.

But then her dream turned dark and frightening.

Because she heard more clearly what this multitude was chanting

in all these different languages—

It was not praise but an accusation . . .

“suffered under Pontius Pilate, suffered under Pontius Pilate . . .”

Of course, you know that phrase: “Suffered under Pontius Pilate”

You’ve said it many times, it’s from the Apostles Creed.

Dorothy Sayers’ point, Pilate’s wife’s dream came true.

He did, become famous, world famous. Most famous Roman of all.

Millions of Christians, hundreds of different languages, have through centuries

spoken her husbands’ name. But not the recognition wanted.

Why did the early church think it was so important to include that phrase,

“suffered under Pontius Pilate” in the Apostles Creed?

Apostles Creed, like all historic creeds of the church was an attempt by the church

to summarize the Bible’s teaching.

Early church was trying to say—this is the summary of New Testament teaching.

This is the Christian faith in a nutshell.

Lots of things in Bible—but these essential truths on which our faith stands or falls.

It’s easy to understand why the Apostles Creed says: “born of the virgin Mary”

Virgin birth is a pillar of our faith.

Jesus had to be born of a woman so that he would be a real person

Couldn’t just appear from heaven or would not be like us, true mediator.

But at the same time he couldn’t be a descendant of Adam in ordinary way.

Because he had to be born without the sinful nature we inherit from Adam.

So the virgin birth, conception by the Holy Spirit the only way.

But why, out of all the details in Bible, all details about Christ’s life—

why did early church think essential to affirm the Jesus suffered under Pilate?

Was it because Pilate hurt Jesus the most?

No—if that were reason, Creed would say, “suffered under Judas.”

Psalms (69, 109) make clear, Christ hurt most deeply by betrayal.

Was it because Pilate most guilty of Jesus’ death?

No—if that were reason, Creed would say, “suffered under Caiphas.”

John 19, “The one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

Reason early church thought it essential to affirm that Jesus suffered under Pilate

is because Pilate was Jesus’ judge.

Jesus had to face a judge in order for God’s salvation plan to work.

If Jesus hadn’t suffered under a judge, then you would have no hope of salvation.

You would not only stand naked before the judgment of God,

but you would be powerless against all of the lesser judgments

leveled against you in life.

Early church had it right when affirmed that one of pillars of faith

that Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate. Must be a pillar of faith for you.

Look at Jesus’ suffering under Pontius Pilate under two headings:

1. Why it was necessary for Jesus to suffer judgment.

2. How his judgment helps you face the lesser judgments of life.

MP#1 Why it was necessary for Jesus to suffer judgment.

In the simplest terms: The reason Jesus had to stand before a judge

is because one day you are going to have to stand before a judge.

Every person is summoned to stand before God’s judgment seat

and give an account for his or her life.

Jesus’ judgment is a substitute judgment that we can tap into by faith—

so that we don’t have to fear the judgment of God.

If you took a concordance and looked up the words judge, judgment, justice—

you would discover that it is one of the major themes of Scripture.

Just a few examples.

1 Sam 2 “The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.”

Rom 2 “This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets.”

Jesus himself often talked about judgment.

Mt 12 “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus talked more about judgment and hell than anyone else in the Bible.

Some of most sobering words in whole Bible are Jesus’ words about judgment.

In our day, people don’t like to hear about God as judge.

In Tim Keller’s book, “The Reason for God” he discusses the judgment of God

as one of the seven major objections to Christianity that he has dealt with in his

25 years as a pastor in New York City.

And the objection to this teaching is not just found in the general population,

it is also true of the church.

God as friend, God as lover—those are well-received. God as judge is not.

It’s too negative. It’s not the image of God most people want.

It makes people feel bad about themselves.

Argument in some churches is that people get enough negative messages in life,

last place they need to hear more is in the church.

We don’t want to turn people off so let’s just talk about God’s love.

Not just true of theologically liberal churches, some evangelical ones too.

But if you deny or ignore God’s judgment, you not only miss one of the major

teachings of Bible, you will miss the greatness of God’s love.

Only by understanding His judgment can you appreciate the wonderful truth

that God—in love—has provided a substitute judgment in the suffering of Christ.

Look at the way Jesus’ judgment was unique.

At most trials, if the judge declares the defendant not guilty, then he acquits.

But at Jesus’ trial, the judge affirmed Jesus’ innocence, then sentenced to death.

Over and over Jesus’ innocence was affirmed.

We’re told Pilate knew it was out of envy Jesus handed over (had broken no laws).

He offered to release him (because knew he was innocent).

He asked the crowd: Why should I crucify? What crime has he committed?

Luke tells us Pilate also said:

“I have found no basis for your charges against him.

And, “He has done nothing to deserve death.”

So Pilate’s judgment of Jesus on one hand was—this is an innocent man.

But then Pilate condemned him to death. He “handed him over to be crucified.”

Pilate’s sentenced him to a death reserved for worst kind of criminals.

If you trust Jesus, believe in him and his sufferings,

then God will make Jesus’ judgment your judgment.

So that even though you are actually a guilty sinner and law-breaker,

and deserving of death, God will acquit you because Jesus has already

suffered judgment for you.

As the hymn says: You can then face your Judge and Maker unafraid.

Because have already been judged in Christ.

We’ve seen over and over in Mark, all real, life-changing love requires substitution.

When you love a troubled person, a hurting person—no matter what their pain

or trouble, whether emotional or financial or whatever—there is a transfer.

Some of their trouble comes on you, even as your strength flows to them.

Remember Tim Keller’s example from a few weeks ago.

When a cool high school girl reaches out to the isolated girl, social misfit.

When she befriends her, tries to draw her out of her isolation,

what does the in crowd start to say?

Why are you hanging out with her? Why are you acting so weird?

As he put it: There is no way for you to diminish her isolation,

without some of her dorkiness rubbing off on you.

All real love requires substitution.

I hope you see in this study of passion,

that every part of Jesus’ suffering for you, not just the cross.

Agony in Gethsemane for you, arrest for you, betrayal for you.

His suffering under Pontius Pilate was for you, and necessary for salvation.

Jesus had to be judged so that he could save people who face judgment.

By the amazing accounting of God’s grace, when you put your faith in Jesus,

his judgment before Pilate becomes your judgment before God.

On the great Day of Judgment, when all men and angels stand before God

to given an account, the good news for you will be—your final judgment has

already happened. Your sentence has already been passed and served.

It happened in a Roman courtroom, downtown Jerusalem, 2000 years ago—

the Pontius Pilate presiding.

When you affirm: “I believe he suffered under Pontius Pilate”

Say those words with joy. That’s your judgment too.

You can face God unafraid—bold in that great day.

But I think there is an even more immediate benefit to believing

and understanding Jesus’ judgment for you—brings us to second point.

MP#2 How his judgment helps you face the lesser judgments of life.

As Christians, one of the things that often come against us and threaten our peace

and our experience of God’s grace are what I’m going to call the lesser

judgments of life.

I’m talking about the judgments of other people,

and the judgments against yourself.

Often times these lesser judgments seem more real and scary and painful,

than God’s final judgment on the last day.

It shouldn’t be that way with us. If we really knew how great it was to already

be acquitted on the day of judgment, then these lesser judgments wouldn’t

bother us a bit.

If you were on trial for murder, and the jury acquitted you—

you were walking out of the court house, someone from tax collector’s office

yelled at you: “There’s a judgment against you for not paying your car tag

on time!” You would just laugh. I’ve just been acquitted of murder.

You need to be able to use Jesus’ judgment for you in the same way.

You need to use it to deal with all the lesser judgments that come against you

and threaten your peace and experience of God’s grace.

Let’s get more specific.

1. Jesus judgment for you helps you face the judgments of other people.

For all of us, there are people whose judgments about us we live and die for.

More than anything else, want to be judged found acceptable in their eyes.

Different for everyone—for some of you it’s your parents.

“If only my father would tell me he loves me, or is proud of me.”

For some of you it’s what children think of you, or peers, person of opposite sex.

We think, if I can get a favorable judgment from this person,

then my life will be worth living.

Sometimes our concern for these judgments lead Christians into

all sorts of trouble. In Florida church, woman who had no happiness unless

she had a man who was telling her she was beautiful. Went through a series

of broken relationships with non-Christian men.

Man in church, deacon, for many years was so concerned about the approval of his

peers, became workaholic, and neglected family. God had delivered.

This hits home with me because one of my great cravings is favorable judgments

from the members of this congregation. That sometimes paralyzes and warps

the ministerial decisions that I make.

As a Christian, have to recognize what these judgments of other people are for you.

They are your attempts to deflect God’s judgment by substituting

the judgments of other people.

We all sense—consciously or subconsciously—the judgment of God.

We feel a sense of guilt and failure and inadequacy.

We think the favorable judgments of other people will acquit us before God.

The only way you can face these judgments of other people,

not be dominated by them—so that your peace and joy and happiness

rests on them is to come to know—not just in mind, but in heart—

that Jesus was judged for you.

He was innocent, but judged guilty, so that you who are guilty,

could be found innocent and righteous in God’s eyes.

When that starts to sink in—Through Christ, I’ve been judged and found right—

it gives you a place where you can stand so that the judgments of other people

don’t matter so much.

If the people that matter judge you harshly, don’t approve—you’re not crushed.

And even if they do praise you—you’re not insanely happy.

Balanced—because you know the most important judgment is one have in Christ.

2. Jesus’ judgment for you helps you face your judgments against yourself.

Sometimes when we sin, especially when that sin involves a significant failure—

when fail as friend or parent or spouse—the self-judgment is devastating.

We replay that failure and pile on the self-judgment.

Sometimes we say or think: I just can’t forgive myself.

When you peel back the layers—what you often find is that you are really

saying: I can’t believe I did that.

That’s not the kind of person I thought I was.

That’s not me.

That disappointment in discovering that you are not the good person,

or the self-controlled person, or the loving, generous person thought you were

comes like a crushing judgment.

What kind of husband am I?

What kind of a minister am I?

What kind of a Christian am I?

Have you ever asked those questions? They can lead you down, down.

When you are in the depts. of self-judgment, you have to latch on to Jesus’

judgment for you.

When you do, it lifts you—but it does so in a surprising way.

Because it lifts you by first taking you even farther down.

You start to see that the heart of your self-judgment is really pride.

Why did I do that? I’m not that kind of person. That’s not me.

Yes it is. You are that kind of person.

And that’s exactly why Jesus suffered judgment for you.

When you admit that, embrace his substitutionary suffering—it lifts you.

And you self-judgment starts to dissolve.

The Apostle Paul wrote this:

“I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court;

indeed, I do no even judge myself. It is the Lord who judges me.”

The reason the Lord’s judgment is s comfort and not a terror is because

his judgment of you has already happened—

Jesus was declared innocent and sentenced to death

so that who are guilty could be acquitted and declared righteous.

When that great substitution sinks in—all lesser judgments fade away.

CONC: As we come to the Lord’s Table this morning, come with joy.

The great judgment of life has been settled and you’ve been acquitted—

Bring to the table all the judgments of other people that dominate you

and the self-judgments that crush you, and give them to Jesus.

And as you do, thank him that he suffered under Pontius Pilate

the judgment of God for you.

as you thank him that he suffered under Pontius Pilate

the judgment of God for you.