Sermon I Wrote Last Night (Rough Draft-Long) - Help Me Out

[FroMan]

I wrote this to be aimed at youth, since I am planning on being a youth pastor someday. I thought I'd share it with yall, to see what you think. Comments, praises, and/orconstructive criticism are welcomed.


Make Your Decision-The Crowd or The Christ?

The Story of Pontius Pilate

When we think of the man Pontius Pilate, we think of someone who played a crucial role in the crucifixion of Christ. It is a fact that he did, but behind the story of the crucifixion, we look at a man who was caught at a certain time, with a certain decision to make, that changed the world.

Pre-Jesus Pilate: Was placed in Palestine as a "procurator" to keep the peace, after Archelaus was removed from power. Pilate had already been warned about his governing over the Jews, a few times before, because anger and some riots had broken out. He was under much pressure to keep the peace in the province.

John 18:29-40 ; 19:1-22
18:29Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?" 30They answered and said to him, "If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you." 31So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death," 32to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die. 33Therefore Pilate enteredagain into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, "AreYou the King of the Jews?" 34Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?"

-This reply by Jesus was asking, "are you asking if I'm a political king, or a religious king?"

35Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?" 36Jesus answered, "Mykingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not ofthis realm." 37Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

-It seems here, as if Pilate recognized the "truth" but chose to reject it. It is a tragedy when we fail to recognize the truth. It is a greater tragedy when we recognize the truth, but fail to heed it.

If we know to do right and don't do it, we sin. (James 4:17)

38Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"

-In Mark 15:5 it says that Pilate was "amazed" by Jesus. Here he asks the question so many throughout time, have asked.

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "Ifind no guilt in Him.

-This is Pilate's 1st declaration that he finds Jesus innocent of wrongdoing.

39"But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release foryou the King of the Jews?" 40So they cried out again, saying, "Notthis Man, but Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a robber.

-Pilate was hoping, that through this custom, he would be able to release Jesus without punishment.

-Mark 15:15 says, "Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

-Luke 23:23-24 says, "But they (crowd) were insistent, with loud voices asking that he be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. And Pilate pronounced sentence, that their demand be granted.


19:1Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. 2And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; 3and they began to come up to Him and say, "Hail,King of the Jews!" and to give Him slaps in the face. 4Pilate came out again and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him."

This is Pilate's 2nd declaration of Jesus's innocence. He is also appealing to the crowd, trying to convince them that scourging, was enough of a punishment.

5Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold, the Man!" 6So when the chief priests and the officerssaw Him, they cried out saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him."

-This is Pilate's 3rd declaration of Jesus's innocence.

7The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God." 8Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid;

-What was Pilate afraid of? Riots? Rome? Losing Power? Killing an innocent man? Killing the Christ?

9and he entered into the Praetoriumagain and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesusgave him no answer. 10So Pilate said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?" 11Jesus answered, "You would have no authority overMe, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." 12As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, "Ifyou release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar."

-This new plea forced Pilate to choose between yielding to an indefinite senes of right or escaping the danger of an accusation from Rome. (Nelson's Bible Commentary)

13Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14Now it was theday of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixthhour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!" 15So they cried out, "Awaywith Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
16So he then handedHim over to them to be crucified.17They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearingHis own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew,Golgotha. 18There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.
19Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, "JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS." 20Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. 21So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, "Do not write, `The King of the Jews'; but that He said, `I am King of the Jews.' " 22Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

-Pilate refuses to change the title above Jesus on the cross. By doing this he affirmed more than he ever intended to, he proclaimed to all that Jesus is, indeed, the promised Messiah.

Pilate's Four Attempts in Dealing with Jesus

1.) He put the responsibility on someone else.
2.) He tried to find an escape so he could release Jesus.
3.) He tried to compromise with the people----beating Jesus instead of handing him over to be crucified.
4.) He tried an appeal to the sympathy of the accusers.

-Everyone must decide what to do with Jesus. Pilate tried to let everyone else decide for him, and in the end...he lost.

Post-Jesus Pontius Pilate: After a few more "governing mishaps" Pilate was summoned to Rome to answer to the Emperor, but before he arrived there, Emperor Tiberius died. According to legend Pilate fell into great misfortune under Caligula (Tiberius's Successor) and eventually committed suicide.

-Had Pilate been a man of real courage, he would have released Jesus no matter what the consequences. But the crowd roared and Pilate buckled under the pressure. When you face a difficult decision, don't discount the effects of peer pressure. Realize beforehand, that the right decision could have unpleasant consequences: social rejection, career derailment, or public ridicule. Resolve to stand up for what is right, no matter what other people pressure you to do.

[Rebel Hog]

When you face a difficult decision, don't discount the effects of peer pressure. Realize beforehand, that the right decision could have unpleasant consequences: social rejection, career derailment, or public ridicule. Resolve to stand up for what is right, no matter what other people pressure you to do.

Very well stated and very good advice!

[motor]

Very good and i pray you will receive a great responce from it..God blessed me with the opportunity to preach at a Christian school for about three years what a joy it was to see them grow in the knowledge of the Lord..sometimes you think you are just wasting your time but never get discouraged.. when one gets saved or comes to you and tells you they really appreciate you, that makes it all worth while..I'll be praying for you..

[The Rev]

I like it Bro Fro... .. Some constructive criticism, but only constructive, take if from one that has written many sermons..(Over a thousand.) This is from my thoughts and mine only this is what works for me, it may not work for you however. All preachers are not the same, we each have different talents and calling. This is what I try to do..

First remember your target audience, Who is it your are talking to,ifyou don't have your audience in your hand the first 15 seconds you've already lost them. Start with a dramatic statement, or a joke, interact or relate to them with an opening statement.. Also never preach beyond your target audiences head. Keep it simple. I test most of my messages by reading them to my wife. Sometimes I think I have written a theological master piece, and she says, 'I was lost after three verses"... Keep some of the verses to a minimum.. for the simple reason we are teaching and there is so much a person can digest at one time.. Always paint a picture in your audiences mind. I have fallen on the floor when using Peter as an example of walking on the water... Get vivid.. Use vast expressions, are better than big impressive words.... But always keep it where the average man can comprehend what your saying. I have a very wide vocabulary, and sometimes, it gets me into trouble using some hundred dollar words,where a twenty five cent word would suffice.But when dealing which youth, keep it on their level...Being a youth ministerisa gift, because not only do you have to relate to the youth, you have to be youthful yourself at heart. Your doing fine, just remember when dealing with youth, keep it on their level.

If I can help, please email me.. I may have made you mad . If I did, no harm intended my brother.. Keep it up we need people like you... Us old guys need help here!

[Tazman]

Fro I really liked that, the message/point your are wanting to make comes through loud and clear.