CSI : Jerusalem - Setting the Crime Scene
[powerpress] Crime scenes capture the world's attention every day. Our media and even entertainment are filled with the reports of men and women who have suffered at the hands of injustices. There has never been such a tragedy more egregious than the execution of Jesus of Nazareth. For the next several weeks continuing through Easter, we will look at what actually happened at this particular crime scene, what precipitated the events, whether there was justification in Jesus' sentencing, and make an attempt to discover what really happened after the murder in question. We will be giving an apologetic (whose root means a defense of the faith) as to why Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are events substantial enough to give the world pause. It will be an excellent time to invite friends, family members, and skeptics to discover the real Jesus in His historic context. Today, we will look at the story of Jesus' journey to the cross, and how it sets up the crime scene. We will attempt to answer the questions, "Why would anyone kill a good man?", and "Why should you trust Jesus?"
Why Would You Kill a Good Man?
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” (Matthew 26:1-5 NIV)
Transforming Truth: People were willing to kill Jesus when His presence in their lives threatened what they loved more than God (the way of life to which they had become accustomed).
Passover is Monday, April 14th, to Tuesday, April 22nd, and this begins the first month of the religious calendar year for the Jewish community, of which Jesus was a part. It is an annual celebration of the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, by the power of God, under the leadership of Moses. The Passover Lamb was slaughtered for the atonement of the people's sins against God and one another. Jesus was proclaimed the fulfillment of that sacrifice (John 1:29-31), but also the greater Moses to lead the people out of their sin (Matthew 17:1-5).
(Pastor Rollan showed Leonardo Da Vinci's, The Last Supper.)
Why would the religious leaders have resisted this? The chief priests and elders of the people were what comprised the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Jerusalem.
Since the Hasmonean period, the office of the high priest had become more of a political office than one of spiritual leadership. The high priest was chosen by the Roman governor and worked closely with the government to direct affairs of the Jewish state. Caiphas, who was the high priest at the time of Jesus, was particularly savvy in this regard, as he was able to maintain his office for around 18 years, as opposed to the fast turnover of other high priest appointees during his era.
Why were the chief priests and elders of the people, the religious leaders, willing to arrest and kill Jesus? They loved their places of control and power more than they loved God. This was clearly seen based on the report after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead and many more became believers:
Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” (John 11:47, 48 NIV)
What element of control in your life do you enjoy for which you'd be willing to drop Jesus to maintain? What defines your identity more than Him? Whatever this is, whether it be your ethnicity, economic status, reputation, your sexuality, your ambition, your family, or some other relationship, it is idolatry if you are putting it above, before, or alongside your devotion to Jesus (Exodus 20:3-6).
What motivated the murder of the world's greatest man, teacher, prophet and leader? What would motivate you? You can become a murderer when something that you love is threatened. What do you love more than Jesus? For what would you be willing to sacrifice Jesus?
“The things that we love tell us what we are.” ― St. Thomas Aquinas
Why this matters is because God is calling for complete devotion in your life, and you will have to decide whether you will submit to or kill His ruling influence in your daily existence.
Why was Judas, one of Jesus' most trusted confidantes, willing to betray Jesus? He loved money and personal advancement more than Jesus.
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. (Matthew 26:6-16 NIV)
For what are you willing to sell out your allegiance to Jesus?
When his selfish and romanticized picture of the Messiah was thwarted, the driving motives of Judas' heart were revealed. He did not have the eternal matters of God in mind, merely socialistic initiatives that could simultaneously benefit his own pocket.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “'Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages.'” He did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. (John 12:4-6)
The things that you complain about not having are often the things that you love. You need to be sure that the things that you are spending your life pursuing are precipitated by the voice of God and not the prompting of Satan.
“Complaining proves nothing but that you can hear the voice of the devil.” ― Bill Johnson
How can we be like the woman with the alabaster jar? We can turn away from a bare minimum mentality to one of extravagant giving and living.
The reason that we do what we do as a church is in the hope of revival, when large quantities of people are strengthened in their love for God, and masses of people come into relationship with Jesus resulting in the transformation of families and societies for the good. Whenever there was a hope of God's visitation and intervention in the Old Testament, the people built altars and offered sacrifices. What we do through pure-hearted prayer, fasting, and giving is the altar that God is building within our lives to bring His reformational fire upon our communities.
As Jesus has been crucified and raised, we now have our own alabaster jars through which we can bring Him honor and demonstrate love for Him. (Pastor Rollan denoted the Rickshaw Republic Fundraiser coming up before Easter.) Is this gospel and the Jesus that preaches it worthy of spreading?
Why Should I Trust Jesus?
“Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.” ― David Hume, A Treatise Of Human Nature
Crusades or Crucifixion? When you look at why some people distrust Christianity, they site things like the Crusades to say that the enforcement of a particular worldview can be harmful and detrimental. What we see with Jesus, however, is that in preaching His gospel truth unapologetically, His trustworthiness was seen in the way that He voluntarily laid down His life that you and I might go free.
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. (Matthew 26:47-56 NIV)
Jesus shows you why His self-sacrifice gives you all of the reason that you need to trust Him when He tells you to obey His commands. The cross is the proof of His love and that He truly does have your best interest in mind in everything.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kO6qu5fQLHo
“Remember!--It is Christianity to do good always--even to those who do evil to us. It is Christianity to love our neighbours as ourself, and to do to all men as we would have them do to us. It is Christianity to be gentle, merciful and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts, and never make a boast of them or of our prayers or of our love of God, but always to show that we love Him by humbly trying to do right in everything. If we do this, and remember the life and lessons of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and try to act up to them, we may confidently hope that God will forgive us our sins and mistakes, and enable us to live and die in peace.” ― Charles Dickens
If you walk with God, there will inevitably be a point where He crosses your will and calls you to trust His goodness when it looks like everything that you expected as a reward of your devotion to Him is out of present reach. This is what the disciples were confronted with during Jesus' arrest, when they were anticipating a triumphant savior. In the meantime, as we spoke about last week, do business until He comes through on His promises. As in the case of the cross, God always has a grander picture in mind.
God loves you and has good plans for you. He demonstrated that by sending His only Son, Jesus, to the cross to reconcile us to Himself and set us on a new trajectory in life. If He did not spare His own life, you can trust that He has your relationships, provision, future, and calling all in mind.
What do you need to begin to trust Jesus with today? Is it your relationships? Is it your identity? Is it your finances or your time? What is happening in the dark of which you need to repent? Is it your attitudes? Is it gossip and slander? Is it something more? Jesus sees it all, yet still voluntarily laid down His life for you and me at the cross. Let's meet Him there now.
Second City Church- CSI: Jerusalem Sermon Series 2014