John Chapter 18:28-34

Torture greed the world is coming to the church looking for answers. We saw 9/11.

There's a huge spike in church attendance, but then you know what happened and went right back down. You know what because they came to the church in the general sense for answers wouldn't give them money into a drink machine push about nothing happened. Had you feel you were probably pretty frustrated. See that's what the world is the world comes to us for answers and if we don't offer them the whole Jesus Christ because we got nothing to offer that hypocrisy does not typically teases the Greek word, it's wearing a man it's planning to play.

It's not so my struggle and that occasionally does something wrong. If you send me back when you said that doesn't necessarily make you hipper. That makes you believe it is trying to walk out his faith that occasionally struggles and samples welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. It's very true that stale, lifeless and hypocritical religion drives people only from God today. David explains why this is true and how you can overcome it as it continues with the gospel of John chapter 18 is teaching. Turn with me to John chapter 18 we finished up about verse 27.

We were talking about Peter and Judas and the difference between the two. And if you missed that you may want to get that off of the website. As we found encouragement in the fact that Peter was not permanently disqualified from ministry. So that brings us to verse 28 then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorian and was early morning, but they themselves did not go into the praetorian, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.

Now me explain a little something here because it scholars are counted different on the interpretation of this verse. Passover is the first night of the feast of unleavened bread, and yet sometimes in Scripture.

Those terms are used interchangeably, meaning the Passover refers not only to that first night, but to the whole feast of unleavened bread as well. Now I need to explain that because you might say will I thought they had Passover the evening before and I believe that they did. It's apparent from the other three Gospels that they did not. It cannot mean the Passover meal and here's why in and some scholars have actually said that it does. I'm not sure they understand Judaism as deeply as a rapture. The reason it can't be talking about Passover meal that Passover dinner is because the Jewish day is from sundown to sundown, and when you're made unclean in the in this sense, you would be unclean till the end of that day not unclean forever.

So if it was talking about the Passover meal obviously at sundown's were in early in the morning at sundown that day they would no longer be unclean. So I believe that it's referring to the on the feast of unleavened bread, and there's actually a meal that had come in the place to place. The guy that is a afternoon meal after the Passover evening and I think that's what the referring to, because it was referring to that. Obviously they would be concerned about being made unclean that day. Now, in and by the way, if you're wondering how I know it's morning this because look at verse 27 the roosters crowing so that lets us know when it says in verse 28 that it was early morning so we know the sons of now there is in the Bible there's what's referred to as Levitical law and that is the law in the word of God. Levitical law and pinnacle law and pinnacle law is the law that came up that men came up with from the word of God's words. They read the word of God and they said well you do.

We think it means is we think it means that they came up with 36,000 pages of do's and don'ts from the word. He got some of them were an application of the word got some of them were not. Some of them they got into really silliness as far as the Shabbat, the Sabbath goes in the sense that you know certain things you could do certain things you couldn't do like if you know if you have a kerchief in your pocket than that was working because you were carrying that kerchief but if you took that kerchief and pinned it to your clothing, then that was part of your clothing and you technically were caring. She could see they got into a lot of legalism and mankind began to stray from the heart of the law, and even today when you go to Israel. It's interesting you want to be careful which elevator you get in on the Shabbat on the Sabbath because Siegler is in the hotels there's elevator Shabbat elevator now what happens on those elevators is they automatically stop at every floor so if you get the wrong elevator and you're like the eighth floor. You can become Obama now because it's going to stop, but it's almost like having a small child there going just sitting there with buttons and as we hear this, we think letter that that is so silly yeah but you know what we picked up a lot of silliness in the Christian church stuff that didn't have anything to do with this word yet we've taken it. We've developed it. We've even elevated to the point of doctrine has no basis in the word of God so much of the world has been blinded by religion. See, we think when we talk about you know that the enemies of God, you know, we think about drug dealers or pornographers or outright Satanist or the sorts of things that's always think that you understand that one of the strongest, longest enemies of God is blind, hypocritical man based religion that more people have been led to a life away from God to actually eternal condemnation. More people have been led. That way by the church than all these other things combined. That's a sad fact because so often the church portrays what well it's all about your good works, so about you doing the best you can. If you do the best you can. Long enough, then God will accept you into heaven. Based upon those good works.

If you don't believe that exist just ask people today as you go to restaurants or whatever.

See other people to know how you get to heaven, and most people say you keep the 10 Commandments you go to church.

Where did Jesus say that they keep in mind I'm a pastor, I want people in church to be engaged in Bible study, but it's not like were stamping your ticket and you know after to get stamped 10 times or something, you get to go to. We need to be careful this watt while first life lesson. Stale, lifeless and hypocritical religion drives people away from God, stale, lifeless and hypocritical religion drives people away from God.

You understand, to a large degree, the world is coming to the church looking for answers. We sought 9/11.

There's a huge spike in church attendance, but then you know what happened and went right back down. You know why because they came to the church in the general sense for answers and wouldn't give them any money into a drink machine push the button. Nothing happened that you feel you were probably pretty frustrated that the unit I will never forget as long as I live. I went out we went up Stone Mountain, North Carolina, and we were doing all this hiking and if you go there. Be careful, because I think the signs are all wrong about the mileage distance on the trails but we came up off this huge hike on is like 3 miles or something on this one loop and I was always parts I drink a lot of water in the park. So we got to drink machine went up to drink machine and my money got stuck and I could see that I could see the quarters right there. You know, and I was your pastor is a little flustered.

He was frustrated so I had this planned that to get some sticks and try to push it to push the quarters down and there and some sitting there trying to push the quarters down in there and then also like a family comes around the corner and there looking at me. You need some change or sums or just trying to break into this machine that was very, see that's what the world is the world comes to us for answers, and we don't offer them the hope of Jesus Christ as we got enough of nothing to offer them. That is what we offer them and and now understand this hypocrisy is not contained just to the church, but obviously the church's engagement and hypocrisy does not typically D's is the Greek word, it's wearing a mask its plan in a play. It's not some regular struggle and that occasionally does something wrong if you sin me back when you sin.

That doesn't necessarily make you hipper. That makes you a believer that is trying to walk out his faith that occasionally struggles and stumbles. But if you're wearing a mask and you need to take the mask off. That's not what were about. This is the place where you can feel safe about taken that mask off about calling us insane. I am really struggling with this.

Can you pray with me through this. But again, you know the world is engaged in hypocrisy.

If you think about I got pro-choice.

I prefer to use pro death in you know it, kill the babies save the whales understand that so that hypocrisy is all three subsiding.

Regrettably, it's actually in the churches well verse 29, then went out to them and said what accusation do you bring against this man and answered and said them well. You are not an evil doer. We would not have delivered him up to you that's deftly what you would call circular logic unit. Obviously, as if he's here, he's guilty of something, and really answered the question now me explain a little bit about where Pollard isn't an politically pallet was given the governorship of this area if you will, because there were some problems. Pallet when he went to Israel wasn't really familiar with the way they did things and so he actually marched into Jerusalem and had a bus that you know a statue of Caesar, and also had the Eagles on top of the Roman flax will obviously the Jewish people who didn't believe in having idols making idols just totally freaked out just what room heard about.

So then how I thought he would settle down any build an aqueduct, which parts are still there and when he funded the aqueduct as he took money out of the temple so against the Jewish people got upset. Guess what room heard about. So here's two strikes against think the man is in somewhat of a political sensitive situation. So that's two strikes against them already and it's interesting they say well he hadn't done something wrong, we would have delivered him up. I went to the book of Luke as I was studying through one time and accounted 24 times in the book of Luke where they accused Jesus of wrongdoing something that's significant about that is Jesus never did anything wrong but that didn't stop them from accusing him 24×24 different thing that's interesting and I think it also is significant in the sit you know you can't silence accusers that's God's job. I learned a long time ago in ministry. If you if you try to defend yourself. God will let you but if you trust on God to defend you. God will defend you and again we want defending you got yourself all at the Lord to send me know. Again, they make these accusations against them and their obviously don't have a lot of merit but that doesn't stop them from making an understanding tele-staff and leadership a lot, you know, oftentimes an accusation can heard the minister not even an action but an accusation will be right back with more from David Magee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown. We want to take just a minute. Pray for a few cities in our listening audience in Montana, Gallatin, Glendive, Great Falls Hamilton, Helena Kalispell and Ms. Sula, Lord, we thank you for everyone listening right now.

We thank you for the work that you're doing in their lives. Lord I pray that you would fill them with the faith that they need to say yes to you, God.

We pray that if anyone in the cities does not yet know you if they've not put their trust in you that today they would lower pray for the churches in the area that you give the pastors wisdom. Lord I pray that people get plugged into these churches and grow in lower pray for the city leaders.

The mayor, the police chief fire Department the town Council everybody leadership Lord that you give them wisdom and discernment. We pray for unity amongst the government. In Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David Magee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 31 then Pilate said to them you take and judge them according to your law.

Therefore, the Jews said to him, it is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.

Now this is interesting because the Romans had done something that no other society or culture had done the Assyrians and Babylonians. The towns of captivity, the Roman government taken away from the Jewish people the right of execution. Now you may think what is really important deal will it is because see when they did that they took self rule away from. In other words, even if they found somebody guilty of a crime. They could not punish them as they saw fit so wrong had taken from Israel that right of self governing now.

This is very significant pressures and it okay was that important. It's an extremely important know I'll tell you couple reasons one it seemed there was a belief that they would stay self-governing until the Messiah came and they got this from Genesis chapter 49 verse 10.

This is in the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes Shiloh was shown mated to another word for Messiah and to him those H to him shall be the obedience of the people.

This was a messianic verses was talking about the machine, the Messiah, the coming Savior and they believe was Judah would be self and cut self-governing until the Messiah came, so this is interesting because what happened in about 20 A.D. is Rome make this move said you guys no longer have the right of execution and at that point. History records that rabbis and other Jewish leaders were mourning in the streets tearing their clothes sackcloth and ashes while because they thought the goddess had broken his word. God had not broken his word, but their perception… This is key. Got their perception of circumstances made them believe God broken his word that ever happened in your life, your perception of circumstances you saw the guy did not fulfill the promise. See, even as they were mourning in the street and tear in the closing and having sackcloth and ashes.

There is a young man up and north Galilee, and his father's carpenter shop. Jesus.

Shiloh was on the same side Shiloh had come now, here's the other thing family. Here's the thing that's really shrieking. You see 20 A.D. they took this right away. Remember 70 A.D. you may be familiar with the states 70 A.D. Rome laid siege to Jerusalem put the temple in ruins and basically overran the whole country and in we have. We know that we know that historically, we actually still have the arch of Titus. This is in celebration of them winning and putting down the Jewish revolt and this is in Rome today. You can still see this wind is that wise and important well remember Jesus not only predicted his death he predicted the way he would die.

John 314 says it is Moses list lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. John 1232 and 33. This is, and I if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. This, he said, signifying by what death he would die. But even long before the earthly ministry of Jesus's death and been spoken of in the Hebrew Scriptures in Exodus chapter 6 verse six is therefore say to the children of Israel. I am the Lord.

I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will rescue you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

Deuteronomy chapter 21, 22, Manus committed a sin deserving of death, and is put to death and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance for he who is hanged is accursed of God is a lot of Scriptures that I just give you one more. Zechariah 1210 says I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication. Then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn, you may be thinking, okay, what's the history stuff have to do with what you're talking about now. Again, Jesus not only predicted his death but he predicted how he would not wise that important how the Jewish people execute people by stoning. They would stone them with rocks right so there is a 50 year period and a 3500 year history where a Jewish person would have been crucified and not stuck yet another fulfillment of prophecy. That's an amazing thing to stop and consider then in the history of mankind.

There is only that brief period where a Jewish person would've been crucified speaks of the validity and the power of the word of God. Verse 33. Since then Tolle entered the praetorian again called Jesus and said to him, are you the king of the Jews. Now he explains him to verse 31 to 33 actually 37 and 38 are part of.

We have very early copies of this part of the Rylands fragments in London today and these have been dated somewhere between 50 A.D. and about 125 maybe even 150 A.D. and they were found in Egypt, so they had to go from Israel to Egypt and yet most scholars are agreeing on that day. That's an early date. And guess what they read. Just like your Bible reach today these verses the so again it reinforces that this is an accurate and valid morning asking, are you the king of the Jews. It reminds me of Isaiah chapter 9 verse six and seven basis for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder and his name will be called wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, Prince of peace and of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward. Even forever. The zeal of the Lord of host will perform this course, we refer to those verses.

Often times it at Christmas. The reality of this is that if you're a follower of Jesus your Christian believer you need understand that our enemy is on borrowed time see a couple of transactions happened that you need to be aware in the garden.

We had mankind had the title deed to the earth. We gave that to the enemy.

We gave him jurist diction the Prince of this world, but he's kinda like he doesn't own the world is just, renting, if you will.

Now some people don't understand this, but see if you remember he called the prince of this world and if you remember what in the transaction with Jesus but the devil said, look, all give you all this in Jesus rebuking the Scripture, but that's what Jesus didn't say Jesus didn't say it was not yours to give it a fight with them about that but again he is on borrowed time.

At some point our Messiah, the Savior of the world walks up to him and terrors that deed out of his hand and says this is mine. I bought and that's something we can look forward to with something we can look forward to wise Jesus waiting to do that is waiting on us to tell people is waiting on other people to hear is waiting on other people to respond in his love for us. Jesus in verse 34 Jesus answered, but are you speaking up for yourself about this or did others tell you this concerning me is are you are you asking for yourself or you just talking to me. Do you really want to know this is a good? Talk about spiritual things with people because some people just want to argue is when Ari I don't get in arguments. I try to avoid them occasionally tomato will why y'all believe this and and understand when you do that you're asking me to explain my position on something in the Bible and in love. I have not ask you your position because here's what can happen. We can get in this discussion and we can get an argument and at the end of the day. You know what I'm totally committed to this book, not necessarily what some man might say to me if is your end that understands that everybody agrees with everything we do here, that's fine, so money can be heated and still be want to discuss discuss my raises her voice gets passionate don't think we're just trying argument will talk to you anymore. But keep in mind the discussions because I think sometimes we engage in arguments, Moishe wishes to say anyone. I'll be praying for read the Bible, we can discuss it later. Instead of arguing in Jesus as well. You want arguers this to me want talk about friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him.

God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness.

Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations free, you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much he would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge. Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading and the thought to meditate on.

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Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God