Speaker 1: 0:13

Um, so I am Ken Jensen and I was once pastor here and, uh, it's my chance to share with you this morning. I'm really excited about it because, um, we're actually going to be looking at the very last, within the last 24 hours of Jesus life on this earth, and there's probably I think it's pretty safe to say that there is no more compelling figure in human history or no one that has impacted, lies or changed the course of human history more than Jesus. And yet, when you look at his life, it's actually pretty unremarkable in terms of normal living. He was born to a peasant family in a very small town in the vast Roman empire. He spent most of his life actually in obscurity. His public ministry only lasted about three years. He could probably best be described in his time as just an itinerant rabbi. He never wrote a book, he never commanded an army, he never held government office or any kind of public authority. He really didn't do anything that usually accompanies what we would consider to be human greatness. Nt Wright, author and theologian, writes this what we know about him is so unlike what we know about anybody else that we are forced to ask, as people evidently did at the time who then is this who does he think he is and who is he in fact? So for the past three years actually almost three and a half years we have been going through a study of his life and ministry through the eyes of one of his followers named Matthew. It's called the gospel of Matthew and he was an eyewitness to all of this. And we did this because we want to examine who was he, what did he teach and, most importantly, how can we better follow him as his disciples?

Speaker 1: 2:13

And today's passage, everything is kind of coming to a climax. It's kind of like breaking the sound barrier. You know, as a jet plane gets faster and faster and faster, it pushes up against that wall until there's this sonic boom that everything gets so compressed and then, boom, it all opens up. And that's kind of the way Matthew's gospel reads. The first couple of chapters are a little bit about the events surrounding Jesus' birth, and then there's like 30 years of silence, and then there's about 18 chapters that are dedicated to his three years of ministry, and then the final week of his life is recorded by Matthew. It takes up eight whole chapters just in that last week, and then the last two chapters are just the last 24 hours of his life. So things are just compressing and getting to the point where it's about to explode and it all comes to a head when he comes into this encounter in his trial before Pilate.

Speaker 1: 3:13

And I think this is a perfect example of what happens when each one of us come into an encounter with Jesus, a genuine encounter with Jesus, when we're face to face with him and have to figure out what am I going to do with this man Jesus? And that's kind of what happens to Pilate. He is confronted with this man Jesus, and here's what he finds and what all of us will find. When you come into a genuine encounter with Jesus, one of the things you're going to find is he's going to challenge the authority of your life. The very first question that Pilate asks him it's in verse 11, jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him are you king of the Jews? Now, that is a very, very important question and you got to have a little bit of history. So bear with me, because what has happened here?

Speaker 1: 3:59

For about the last 500, five to 600 years now, israel has experienced conquest after conquest after conquest. They were conquered by the Assyrians, followed up by the Babylonians, and then the Persians, and then the Seleucids and now the Romans. So for the last 500, 600 years, israel has not been, not had their own king, because when Rome came in, they would set up their own puppet kings. Herod was a puppet king. He wasn't Jewish, he wasn't Roman, he was just kind of put in place and his job was kind of rule over that area. And then you have Pilate, and Pilate is a direct report to Caesar. He is the authority, the Roman authority there in Israel, and so when he asks, are you king of the Jews? That's a question that's going to impact him, because he's responsible for all of this.

Speaker 1: 4:55

And one of the big things that Rome was big, the big thing for Rome, if you were in charge, as in part, of the Roman Empire, your big deal, your one job, really came down to keeping the peace. They called it the Pax Romana. And when it's all about you don't allow any rioting, you don't allow any uprising, you just keep things moving smoothly. And the problem Pilate had is he wasn't very good at doing that. Pilate.

Speaker 1: 5:23

There's a number of things that we know. Actually, in Luke's gospel, luke chapter 13, tells about a time when there were Galilean guys coming down from Galilee coming to do worship and offer sacrifice at the temple, and we don't have all the details, but just referenced by Luke in Luke, chapter 13. But there was a massacre that happened under Pilate's rule and the blood of those worshipers got mixed in with the sacrificial blood and that was just like a big, huge no-no. And see see, what happened is that there's roman rule, but the romans had their own king, puppet king, and then they had what pastor larry talked about this last week, the sanhedrin, and they were kind of like the jewish court and it was mostly over religious things. And so you've got the jewish court and they've had their first trial.

Speaker 1: 6:18

Now they brought him to Pilate and so at the first trial it was all about, and the accusation was about, blasphemy, that he claimed to be the son of God, claimed to be the Messiah. But when they bring him to Pilate, that's not the charge that they bring. The charge that they bring is king, and the reason that's a big deal is because that's a possible threat to Rome and Pilate is a direct report to Caesar. So if he messes this up he could be in big trouble, and he's already messed up the one time with the slaughter that happened at the temple of the Galileans. But there's other things that he's done the Jewish historian Josephus tells us about there was an occasion where, when Rome came in, they came into the city. They came in, you know, in a legion like this, and when they came in, they also carried these banners, these standards. They were called, and at the top of the standard was this Roman eagle. But when Pilate brought his army in and established them, they're actually in the temple area, these standards with the Roman eagle. Well, that's a graven image. Again, another big, big no-no before the Sanhedrin. So that's two strikes on him. And then he had this great idea Well, they needed an aqueduct, and that wasn't a bad idea at all. In fact, it was a good idea. The problem was he robbed the temple treasury to pay for the aqueduct. So he's got like three strikes against him already.

Speaker 1: 7:44

When it comes to his keeping the peace, things have already gotten a little bit shaky. On top of all of this, his great benefactor was a guy named Lucius Sejanus. Lucius Sejanus, he was the guy that got Pilate the position there as governor in Israel. But Lucas Sejanus has had his own trouble. He's been arrested around this time because he was being accused of plotting an overthrow of Caesar. So Pilate's on really, really shaky ground. He seems to be one that has all kinds of authority and all kinds of power, but his authority is just on really, really shaky ground. He seems to be one that has all kinds of authority and all kinds of power, but his authority is just on really, really shaky ground. So when he asked him are you king of the Jews? And Jesus replies you have said so. That is a threat Because you see, if he comes in and forces to become king, then that's gonna cause all kinds of rioting, that's going to kind of cause all kinds of insurrection and all kinds of trouble for Pilate and that's going to disturb the Pax Romana, and if there's no Pax Romana, there's no more Pilate governor. So he's like in really shaky right now. He thinks he's got all this authority, but it's becoming clear he has very little authority after all.

Speaker 1: 8:57

Kind of like you and me, you know, we've got our own little kingdoms, we have our own little way about how we want everything to turn out, and we've got our authority and our power structure in our own lives. And that, by the way, starts at a very, very early age, around two years old, when a child learns the word mine, mine, what is mine? Mine is, I'm starting to establish my own little kingdom. And then they get disciplined and they say something like well, you're not the boss of me. What are they saying? You're invading my kingdom? And then he's riding in the backseat with his sister in the car on family vacation and they start fighting in the back seat and they're fighting over. He's on my side, she's on my side. What are they doing? They're claiming out their little kingdoms and dad reaches back, grabs the leg of one of them and squeezes really, really, really tight. Do you know why? Because the car is dad's kingdom and you don't want to disturb the Pax Pertanita. Daddy's peace is more important than all.

Speaker 1: 10:08

See, we all have our own little kingdoms. You have yours, I have mine. I have my own kingdom of Ken, and in the kingdom of Ken everything is supposed to go smoothly for Ken. Everybody's supposed to do things the way Ken wants things done. The kingdom of Ken is a wonderful place If you're Ken. But you see, my wife has her own kingdom and sometimes there are kingdoms in conflict. See, I want in my kingdom and what you want in your kingdom is for everything to go smoothly for you In the kingdom of Ken. You see, when you need to go get a hold of customer service, you don't need to handle with a chatbot, you don't want to deal with the chatbot and you want to talk to somebody, you want to go through a phone tree. That's going to put you off and then you're going to be on hold for the next 45 minutes. In the kingdom of Ken, somebody answers the phone, somebody takes care of your issue. In fact, in the kingdom of Ken there should be no issues. You want to know more about the kingdom of Ken? You can ask my wife. She'd be happy to tell you what that looks like.

Speaker 1: 11:13

But you've got your kingdom and you have been staking it out and you know what happens in the kingdom of Ken, the kingdom of whatever your name happens to be. It's an illusion. You think you have the authority and the power, but you really don't. There is so much of your life that you have no control over, and when there are kingdoms in conflict, it leads to frustration and disappointment and sometimes bitterness and resentment. And when there's conflict we are at odds with each other and that causes discord and jealousy and selfish ambition and envy and all of that other stuff. That is all because kingdoms are in conflict and I would dare say that the widening divine in our culture and in our world is all about people staking out their own little kingdoms.

Speaker 1: 12:09

And when you come face to face with Jesus in a genuine, honest encounter, he's going to challenge that, because what you think is your kingdom and your authority really isn't. He will threaten and challenge your authority, but he will not force himself on you. His kingdom is not like everybody else's kingdom. In fact, notice this when Pilate continues to ask him these questions during the interrogation, when he is accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him don't you hear the testimony they're bringing against you? But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge, to the great amazement of the governor. Why is he amazed? Because Jesus isn't fighting for his kingdom, because his kingdom is not like that, in fact most of his ministry. When things would happen or he would heal somebody, he would say to them tell no one, he wasn't pushing his kingdom. But now he is faced with this and if there was any a chance to be able to say wait a minute. I think there's been a big misunderstanding here. No, no, no, I didn't mean that People took that the wrong way. This would be the time to clarify it. But it's not. He is definitely saying I am king of the Jews, but it's not a kingdom like you think.

Speaker 1: 13:35

In fact, we have seen throughout this series through Matthew that there are a number of parables that Jesus told kingdom. Parables where he said the kingdom of God is like, or the kingdom of God is such, and what you find? As you go back through these parables, you find out that the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, is not about power and might. He tells a parable and he says the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that's planted in the ground. It's not about power and might and authority. It's about something simple, organically, that then grows into something else. Or like a little bit of yeast that is worked into some flour and it infects the whole batch and it all rises. That's what the kingdom of God is like. It's not about armies and shields and swords, not about power and might, but it does have great value.

Speaker 1: 14:26

He told another story. He said the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field that a man dug up, or like a merchant looking for fine pearls, and when he found the one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. He said the kingdom of God is precious and dear and great value. It's a kingdom about forgiveness dear and great value. It's a kingdom about forgiveness. He told another parable, another story, about a man who had racked up such a huge, huge debt to his master that there was no way he was going to ever be able to repay it. And it says the master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. It's a kingdom about humility. He said whoever takes the low position of the child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. It's a kingdom about grace.

Speaker 1: 15:12

He told another story, another one of his parables, about workers in a vineyard, and some of them were hired at the very beginning of the day, right at sunrise, sent out to work in the field, and then, about three hours later, he went out and found some more workers to go work in the field and then, three hours after that, towards the end of the day, he got more workers and had them go out in the field and then, at the very last hour of the day of working, he went out and found even more workers in the field and he brought them all together at the end of the day to pay them off. And they all got paid the same. Because the kingdom of heaven is about need what you need, not what you earn or deserve, and is about need what you need, not what you earn or deserve. And they're all up in arms about it because we worked all this day and they got the same pay. He said but that's what the kingdom is like, it's about grace. And in God's kingdom everybody is welcome, everybody is invited.

Speaker 1: 16:04

Told another parable about a man giving a great big wedding feast and it sent out the invitations. Then, on the day, all these people didn't show up. And so he said to the servants go out and find more people. And so they went out and they just grabbed people and brought them in and there was still room at the banquet. So he said now go out to the far reaches and just get whoever you can and bring them. I want this to be a party and everybody's in on it. That's the kingdom of heaven, that's the kingdom of God and it's very, very different than human kingdoms.

Speaker 1: 16:40

Dallas Willard writes about it in his book the Scandal of the Kingdom. He says All human governments had the power of death, but what they lack is the power of life. This is what the kingdom of God has the power of life. People think they must live on their own, using only their own resources and natural abilities. They are out there trying to survive, trying to get their way, trying to secure themselves and advance themselves. Tremendous unhappiness comes from people struggling to run their own kingdom, the things over which they have control.

Speaker 1: 17:31

Then along comes Jesus with this message Good news everyone can come. You don't have to live that way anymore. You can come and live in the kingdom of God. Now Jesus simply calls us to put our confidence in him, to know that he will act on our behalf. And that is what eternal life is about God with us. His kingdom, it's not like any other kingdom and he's not going to force. He will challenge you, but he will not force himself on you. But here's the thing you can't avoid him Because each and every day he keeps showing up. Pilate's wife warns him. She says when Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him the message don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I've suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him. She says don't get involved, stand back, find a way out of this. So he does.

Speaker 1: 18:31

There was actually a custom of that time for the governor to release one of the prisoners. And so he decides I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to get rid of this Jesus, I'm going to find a way to release him. So he goes and he finds like the worst possible incorrigible guy. And he brings them both out. And it says at that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, pilate asked him which one do you want me to release to you, jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah? And they call for Barabbas. That didn't work. What am I gonna do with this guy? And so, as a last resort, he just says I want going to do with this guy. And so, as a last resort, he just says you know, I want nothing to do with this. So he has a bowl of water, brought out. Verse 24,.

Speaker 1: 19:18

Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but instead an uproar was starting. Remember the Pax Romana? Can't let that happen. Got to calm things down so he took water and he washed his hands in front of the crowd. I am guilty of this man's blood. He said that is your responsibility. Of course we know he's not innocent and I think deep down he knows that too. He's really only fooling himself. But again, don't we do that. We're all pretty good at fooling ourselves and we know things like. So I know I should forgive, but what about them and what they did to me? I know I have a few bad habits, but I'm not as bad as those people. I know I should be generous, but I really, really want that iPhone 16.

Speaker 1: 20:09

And so we convince ourselves and make these compromises. We try to resist God's authority in our lives. We do it in our relationships, we do it in our finances, maybe in our work and career. We do it with our motives and our attitudes. I want to trust and surrender, but the kingdom of Ken likes the kingdom of Ken and I know I should do these things or I should give these things to him. I know I should surrender, but the kingdom of Ken keeps fighting against it, and so because it's going to be the death of the kingdom of Ken, and so I kind of I find myself and you maybe find yourself doing this too I say, okay, lord, I surrender, I'm going to trust you with this, and then I take it back. And then, okay, lord, I surrender, I'm going to trust you with this, but I want to take it back and I do that with different aspects of my life. Keep knowing and keep understanding. It is better for me to live in God's kingdom than the kingdom of Ken. It's really a better kingdom. So I give up, I surrender, I trust and I take it back.

Speaker 1: 21:30

It's kind of like the kingdom of Ken will not die. I don't know anybody seen the movie the Princess Bride. It's kind of old one now. But there's a scene where the hero it's actually a comedy, but the hero, wesley, has been tortured and he's like on death's door. In fact, for all they know he's dead. So his buddies grab him, they bring him to a guy called Miracle Max and they place him down on the table there and Miracle Max takes a look and he goes. Well, I've seen Weiss Worse he's dead, he goes. No, he's only mostly dead. And so Miracle Max comes up with this pill that revives him back up. It's kind of like the kingdom of Ken. It's only mostly dead. It will not die, and yet it needs to Because, really, the only response when these two kingdoms come in conflict the kingdom of Ken and the kingdom of God one of them has to die. The kingdom of Ken needs to surrender. But here's the great news Surrender sounds so weak but so necessary, because if you surrender, what you'll find is you get set free.

Speaker 1: 22:50

It's ironic that the last question that Pilate asked is what shall I do then with this Jesus who is called the Messiah? And that is a question that every one of us has to answer for ourselves. The crowd's answer is crucify him. People answered his blood is on us and on our children, and I think the point that Matthew is trying to get here when he includes that phrase in there is he's saying we're all guilty. Pilate washes his hands, but he's guilty. The crowd says we'll take it on, we're guilty, we'll put it on our kids. Pilate's guilty, crowd's guilty, their kids are going to be guilty, and you and I are all guilty. We are guilty of our own little kingdoms that need to surrender.

Speaker 1: 23:37

So it says. He released Barabbas to them and had Jesus flogged and handed over to be crucified so an innocent man is condemned, so that a condemned man can live. And that's the gospel, that's the good news that an innocent man was condemned so that you and I and all who should be condemned go free. Prophet Isaiah, 700 years earlier, wrote these words. He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace is on him. By his wounds we are healed.

Speaker 1: 24:34

There is a freedom that comes when I let go of the kingdom of Ken and I embrace the kingdom of God. Jesus put it this way in John 10, 10, I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. It is the very best life possible. It's not a life that's free from pain or difficulty or struggle, but the freedom from my guilt and shame gives me a freedom to live a brand new way. And what changes is this? That now, in the kingdom of Ken, I had to depend on my money and my resources and my savings to have a sense of security. But now it's not on that anymore. In the kingdom of God, I no longer have to depend on my money for my security. I don't need the approval of other people to have a sense of worth because he gives me that worth. And when I want to take revenge, I can now choose to forgive in his strength and his power. And when I admit my weaknesses, I find a new source of strength. And when circumstances overwhelm me, there's still hope. And when I want to fight for my rights, I can surrender. Because here's what happens in the kingdom of God God brings good out of evil. He brings light into the darkness and out of death he gives life.

Speaker 1: 26:05

Cs Lewis, who most of his life was not a follower of Jesus but was challenged by some of his friends to really investigate, and he did like we have for the last three and a half years, and this is what he wrote, he said I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things that Jesus said could not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on the level of the man who says he's a poached egg, or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the son of God, or else a madman or something worse. So you can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God.

Speaker 1: 27:01

But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about this being a great human teacher. He did not leave that open to us. He did not intend to. Would you bow your heads with me? So here's the question. It comes to you and to me, and it comes to us each and every day.

Speaker 1: 27:23

What will I do with this Jesus? And whether you're a Christ follower or not, he's going to challenge your authority and he's not going to go away. He won't force himself on you, but he's just waiting for you to surrender. And if you're a Christ follower, it might be a particular area of your life that you've just kind of been holding back on, or it might be for the very first time. This morning you're willing to say I'm tired of trying to run this all on my own Each and every day. I'm tired of trying to run this all on my own Each and every day I'm faced in your face with difficulties and want to insist on having our own way and exert our own authority. What we're all doing is trying to expand our own little kingdoms, but he says, listen, that only leads to frustration and disappointment and conflict. If you surrender, you'll find peace, comfort, strength, forgiveness, mercy, love. Pilate chose to preserve his own personal power and within a few years he lost it all. Same thing is true. You can preserve and try to preserve your own little kingdom, but eventually it's going to come to an end when you can choose the eternal kingdom of God. Surrender, and you can do that, maybe for the first time this morning. So I'd like to just have you make this your prayer.

Speaker 1: 29:02

Whether you're a long time Christ follower dealing with one issue or just taking a first step, it's simply this God, I give up, I surrender my little kingdom building is not enough and it leaves me frustrated, it leaves me angry, it leaves me with tension and stress in my life. What I need is your forgiveness. What I need is to surrender and let go. I'm going to invite you to take controls. Put my life in your hands, make me a part of your kingdom. I pray in Jesus' name Amen. Come on, stand to your feet, let's worship today.