Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God

Commiting the Sin of the Jews

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2007-09-20

Synopsis: John Weaver argues that modern Christians and society are replicating the sins of the Jews who crucified Christ by rejecting His kingship. He establishes that Jesus is the Messiah, holding the three offices of prophet, priest, and king, and that denying any office destroys salvation. The Jews' cry, 'We have no king but Caesar,' represents a rejection of God's salvation and law in favor of political salvation and human rule. Weaver applies this to both national and personal levels, urging believers to bow to Christ's kingship in every area of life.

[John Weaver] Well, I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to John Chapter 18 and John Chapter 19. John Chapter 18, John Chapter 19. I brought the message last night, the sin that every Christian commits, and especially on Sunday. Tonight, I want to bring a message which I've entitled Committing the Sins of the Jews. And then, Lord willing, tomorrow night, I'm going to be bringing a message on why God does not answer most prayers.

[John Weaver] So I hope that you will be able to be here. But look in your Bible to John chapter 18 and we're going to read two verses there, verses 36 and 37, and then we're going to chapter 19. John chapter 18, verse 36, Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence.

[John Weaver] Pilate therefore said of him, Art thou then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of truth heareth my voice."

[John Weaver] Now skip down to chapter 19, if you would, verses 14 and 15. John 19, verse 14, and it was the preparation of the Passover at about the sixth hour, and he said to the Jews, Behold your king. And they cried out, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. Now skip down to verse 19. Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross, and the writing was Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title enread many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was not to the city.

[John Weaver] It was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. Then said the chief of the priest of Jews to Pilate, write not the king of the Jews, but that he said, I'm the king of the Jews. Pilate answered, what I've written, I've written. Committing the sins of the Jews. It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well, that may be true in certain aspects, but it's certainly not true when it comes to sin, rebellion and wickedness.

[John Weaver] And I want to demonstrate something for you tonight from Scripture, something that you probably never really even thought about. And that is how today we are duplicating exactly the sins of the Jews. In fact, we're duplicating that sin when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ Messiah. Now, I know that it's not politically correct to refer to the scriptural fact that the Jews crucified Christ. But it is a scriptural fact which I'm going to show you. Many Christians try to water down that subject and they say, well, you know, we kind of all crucified before he died for the sins of his people. And if we're believers, our sins were placed upon him. And so we kind of all crucified. I understand that you can say that, and I certainly understand that thought.

[John Weaver] But the scriptures are very specific. And I want you to know how over and over they tell us that it was the Jews who crucified Christ. In fact, in John chapter 18, our Lord said, if his kingdom were this world, then would his disciples fight that he might not be delivered unto the Jews. It was the Jews who hated him. It was the Jews who sought his life. It was the Jews who delivered him up unto Pilate. It was the Jews who demanded that he be crucified. Listen, if you would, as I read John chapter 5 verse 16 and then verse 18. Here's what it says. And therefore, did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath day? When you get to verse 18, the Bible says this. Therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill him because he had not only broken the Sabbath, but also said that God was his father making himself equal with God. Over and over, you read in the Bible how the Jews persecuted Christ.

[John Weaver] And if you look back at John 19 and verse 11, look what Christ told Pilate. had asked our Lord, or said to him, knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, power to release thee, in verse 10. Our Lord answers in verse 11, Jesus answered, thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath a greater sin. And of course, we realize it was the Jews who delivered Jesus Christ up into Pilate. Now, on the day of Pentecost, Peter specifically charged the Jews with the crucifixion of Christ. If you would hold John 19, but look in your Bibles, first of all, the Acts chapter 2, Acts chapter 2. And look at verse 23. Peter is preaching Acts chapter 2, verse 23, and the Bible says that him, that is Christ. In fact, we can go back and look at verse 22.

[John Weaver] You men of Israel hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you as you yourselves also know. Him, that is Jesus Christ, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you, and he's talking to the Jews, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. So once again, Peter, on the day of Pentecost, is specifically charging the Jews with crucifying Christ.

[John Weaver] If you would look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 4 and verse 10. Acts 4, verse 10. Once again, Peter is preaching to the leaders and he says this, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole." So Peter, once again, is preaching. He's preaching to the Jews and he says, you crucified Christ. Now, if you would turn right over to Acts chapter 10. Acts chapter 10. And notice, if you would please, verse 39. In this passage, the Word of God tells us very specifically, Acts 10, verse 39, And we are witnesses of all these things, which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Now look, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Now, once again, the Bible is specifically saying that it was the Jews who crucified Christ. Now, if you will go back to Acts chapter 7, Stephen is giving his testimony before he is stoned to death.

[John Weaver] And look what he says in Acts chapter 7 in verse 52. In fact, he says this to them in verse 51. You stiff necked and uncircumcised and hardened ears. You do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so to you. Now, look what he says. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before the coming of the just one of whom you have now been the betrayers and the murderers. So once again, even Stephen says it was the Jews who betrayed and murdered Christ. Now, I realize it is not politically correct in this day and time to say that the Jews crucified Christ, but it is scripturally correct to do so because the Bible repeats that truth over and over. So you may believe the politically correct version or you may believe the scriptural version. And as for me in my house, I want to believe the word of God now. The question that must be asked is not who crucified Christ. The Bible is exceedingly plain upon that subject.

[John Weaver] But the question that has to be asked is, why did the Jews crucify Christ? Why was he crucified?

[John Weaver] Now, we understand and know that every detail of the life and the death of Jesus Christ was full ordained by God. In fact, if you look back in your Bibles to Acts chapter two and then we'll go to Acts chapter four, look in Acts chapter two. And notice, if you would please, verse 22 again, I read it just a few minutes earlier, but let me emphasize something different on this point. You men of Israel hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know. Now look, him, that is Christ, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. So God then, determined beforehand everything that was to happen to Jesus Christ down to the letter. In fact, if you look at Acts chapter 4, here is a confession of that fact. Acts chapter 4, beginning there with verse 26. Once again, the Word of God says, the kings of the earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.

[John Weaver] Now watch. For but truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, but the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." So let me just spell it out for you. There was not one thing done to Jesus Christ that was not already foreordained before the foundation of the world. His scourging, His crucifixion, His mocking, everything down to the nth degree, had been predestinated and foreordained by God. God left nothing to chance, nothing to fate, nothing to fortune. Everything was predetermined by God. Nothing could happen outside of God's will because God was in absolute, total, sovereign control. Please remember, Nothing happens by accident when it comes to God. And you can't slip up on God's blind side because He doesn't have one. God is the omniscient sovereign of heaven and earth.

[John Weaver] Now, here's what the Scripture teaches. Although everything about the death of Jesus Christ was foreordained from before the foundation of the world, and you do remember that He's referred to as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Since everything was foreordained by God concerning Christ, you've got to know this, that those who crucified Christ did not do so in obedience to God, but in rebellion to God.

[John Weaver] In fact, the Bible says the kings of the earth did not even understand what they were doing. But they were in rebellion. They were not doing anything in obedience to Jesus Christ. They hated Jesus Christ. They were refusing Him as the Messiah. And here's what our Lord said in John 15 and verse 25. Now listen carefully. John 15 verse 25. Our Lord said, But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated Me without a cause. What does that mean? Here's what it means. They hated him freely. You remember that passage in Romans 3, where the Bible says, being justified freely by his grace. That means this, there was nothing in the sinner that merited, earned, or drew forth the grace of God. It was free. When the Bible says, they hated me without a cause, it is the same Greek word, they hated me freely. That means this, there was nothing in Jesus Christ that earned or merited or drew forth their hatred. They hated Him just simply because they hated Him.

[John Weaver] And therefore, they were in rebellion to God, and they were responsible for His death. Why did they crucify Him? Because they hated Him, they refused Him, and they rejected Him. But why did they do that? When you look in Daniel, and don't turn there, but when you look in Daniel 9, verses 25 and 26, you're going to find the word Messiah. And we all have heard and have said that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. The Hebrew word for Messiah is Masiyah. That word is only translated twice in our Bibles as Messiah. However, it is translated 37 times as anointed. The word Messiah literally means the Anointed One. Hence then, it refers to Jesus as the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Prince, the King of Israel.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to stop and think just for a moment because I'm going to build the message tonight around this truth. We talk about Jesus Christ. Sometimes we read in the Scripture Jesus the Christ. And oftentimes we say Jesus Christ without even thinking it's like saying John Weaver. I've got a first name. I've got a last name. And when we say Jesus Christ, we never even stop and think about what we're saying. The Greek word for Jesus is the word Jesus. Which literally means Savior. The Hebrew word, of course, is Yeshua. That is also where we get the word Joshua from. Yeshua, which is translated in our Bibles as Jesus and occasionally as Joshua, both of those words mean Savior. So when you use the word Jesus, that is our Lord's human name, the name actually means Jesus. But when you say, or Savior, and when you say Christ, it is from the Greek word Christos, which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah, and the word Christos just literally means the Anointed One.

[John Weaver] or anointed. So when you say Jesus Christ, what you're saying is Jesus the Savior, the Anointed One, that is the Messiah, the One who has been sent by God the Father, He is the God-Man, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. So when you say Jesus Christ, you are confessing and acknowledging that Jesus is not only the Savior, He is the Messiah that God the Father sent. So Jesus Christ is literally the Messiah. He is the anointed one of God.

[John Weaver] Now, stop and think about this with me. As you read through the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, you find that prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Now, prophets were not necessarily anointed in the same exact way that the priests and the kings were, but they too were anointed. For instance, if you look back in your Bibles, hold John 19, but if you look back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18, Deuteronomy 18, and let's begin reading there at verse 18.

[John Weaver] And Moses is talking about the fact that God is going to raise up a prophet like unto himself. And, of course, that prophet is none other than Jesus Christ. So look in Deuteronomy chapter 18 and verse 18. Here's what God says. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, that is like unto Moses, and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require of him.

[John Weaver] Now, here is how those prophets were anointed. They were anointed in the sense that God placed His words in their mouths. Last night, we read from 2 Chronicles 36, verses 15 and 16, where God had mercy upon His people and He sent them His messengers and His prophets. But when you get to verse 16, He says this, They would not listen to his messengers, and they despised his words. His is singular. It was not the words of the messengers they were despising. They were despising God's word who sent the messengers. And so God had placed his word in their mouths.

[John Weaver] Now, let's stop and think about Jesus Christ for a little bit tonight. Because the topic of this message is committing the sins of the Jews. I'm trying to show you and lay the foundation how we today are doing exactly the same things the Jews did in their rejection of Jesus Christ. Now, we know that Jesus Christ is the God man. Let me put it like this. He is one man. He is one person with two natures. He is God. And he is man.

[John Weaver] The Bible makes it exceedingly clear. In the beginning was the word and the word is with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. Without him was not anything made that was made. All things were made by him. John 1 1 through 3. When you come down to verse 14, it says this and the word was made flesh. And we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. When you get to 1 Timothy 3, verse 16, the Bible says, without all controversy, great is the mystery of God, and it's God was manifest in the flesh. What's that mean?

[John Weaver] It means Jesus Christ is one person, but he has two natures. He is perfect God, and he is perfect man.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just show you the absolute importance of this. If you deny either one of those natures, he's divine or he's human. If you deny the fact that he's God, you destroy salvation. If you deny the fact that he's man, you destroy salvation. Jesus Christ has to be both God and man in order for salvation to be. He has to be God in order to be able to expiate, that is to wash away and to pay for and to take care of our sins. And He has to be man to be our substitute because it was in our nature that we sinned against God. So if you turn around and say, well, Jesus Christ is not God, then you've destroyed salvation. If you try to turn around and say, well, he may be God, but he was not a real man. He was just a mirage. Then you've destroyed salvation. He has to be God and man in order to have salvation. But now watch this. Jesus Christ is not only just one person with two natures.

[John Weaver] Jesus Christ is one person. With three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. What did the prophet do? The prophet declares the word of God. Well, we just read that in Deuteronomy 18. God said, I'm going to raise up a prophet like unto Moses. I'm going to put my words in his mouth. So Jesus Christ is our prophet to declare and thus the word of God. Jesus Christ is our priest, not only to make atonement for us, but also to make intercession for us. Jesus Christ is also our king to rule over us. Now, just like Jesus Christ is one person with two natures, if you deny either one of those natures, you've destroyed salvation. Jesus Christ is also prophet, priest, and king. He holds all three offices. If you deny either one of those offices, you have likewise destroyed Salvation. Salvation hinges upon, it is based upon, it is founded upon Christ as the God-man and Christ as prophet, priest and king.

[John Weaver] Now, let me explain the importance of what I'm trying to tell you. There are some today who try to say, well, you know, you can pick. Whichever offices of Christ. That you want to believe in and bow to. What are they saying? Here's what they're saying. Well, you can receive Christ as your prophet. To declare unto you the Word of God. And you can receive Christ as your priest to make atonement for your sins and to make intercession for you. But you don't have to bow to him as king. You don't have to bow to him as Lord. No, no, no. Christ is one person in three offices. Just like you cannot divide the two natures of Christ without destroying salvation, you cannot divide the offices of Christ without destroying salvation. There is no such thing as one-half being saved or one-third being saved. Jesus Christ is either prophet, priest, and king, or He is nothing. He is what God ordained him to be. And when someone says, well, you can just pick and choose.

[John Weaver] No, you can't do that. He is prophet, priest and king. If you receive him as your prophet and as your priest, you must also receive him as king. I'm going to say this again before I close. The only Savior that exists. The only one who exists is Jesus Christ, and he is prophet, priest and king. He holds all three offices.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 2. I want you to turn there. Let me show you why I'm emphasizing this truth. Look at Acts chapter 2. Notice verse 36, Acts 2 verse 36. Watch carefully, Acts 2 verse 36. Peter is preaching and he says this. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Look what he said. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. I hear preachers sometimes ask people, well, won't you make Christ the Lord of your life? And I always want to scream, you can't do that.

[John Weaver] God's already beat you to it. He made Him Lord and Christ. He already is Lord. But He's not only Lord, He is Christ. He is the Anointed One. He is Messiah.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look at the word assuredly. Therefore, let the house of Israel know assuredly Wow! Let me tell you about the word assuredly. It is the Greek word asphalos, and it is not only translated as assuredly in our Bibles, it is also translated as safely. I'm going to show you two passages. And when you see the word safely, it doesn't mean without harm. It means securely, for instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Mark, whole whole acts to look in your Bibles to the book of Mark, chapter 14.

[John Weaver] And notice, if you would please, verse 44, Judas has betrayed Christ. Mark 14, verse 44. And look what the Bible says concerning Judas, Mark 14, verse 44. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, the same as he, take him and lead him away safely."

[John Weaver] Now, once again, the word safely does not mean without harm. It means securely. I'm going to show you that in just a moment. It means don't let him escape. Don't let him get away.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look at it in your Bibles, that chapter 16, you'll see exactly how that same word is translated safely again. You remember that Paul and Silas have been beaten. They've been thrown into the dungeon. You remember how Paul had delivered this demon possessed girl. And so in Acts 16 and verse 23, Look what the Bible says. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, that is, Paul and Silas, they cast them into the prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Now, the word safely there doesn't mean without harm. I mean, they'd already beaten the living daylights out of them. They'd laid many stripes upon them. They threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely.

[John Weaver] Don't you let them escape. Don't you let them get out of here.

[John Weaver] Now, listen to what Peter said, Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly. That is, let all the house of Israel know securely. This is a fact that is beyond escape. You cannot get away from it. God hath made that same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. That is, Jesus Christ fills every office that God the Father ordained for him. He is prophet, priest and king.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you two quotes based upon what I've just told you. Here are two commentators to show you I'm not just making this up. This is not an original interpretation, but here's Albert Barnes and he says this. The word Lord properly denotes proprietor, master, or sovereign. Here it means clearly that God had exalted him to be king as so long expected, and that he had given him dominion in the heavens, or as we should say, ruler of all things. The extent of this dominion may be seen in John 17, Ephesians 1, etc.

[John Weaver] In the exercise of this office, he now rules in heaven and on earth. and will yet come to judge the world. The truth was particularly fitted to excite their fear. They had murdered their sovereign, now shown to be raised from the dead and entrusted with infinite power. They had reason, therefore, to fear that he would come forth in vengeance and punish them for their crimes. Sinners opposing the Savior are at war with their living and mighty sovereign and Lord. He has all power and is not safe to contend with the judge of the living and the dead.

[John Weaver] Now what was Albert Barnes saying on Acts 2 and verse 36, that Jesus Christ now has all power. He fills every office that God the Father ordained for him. And then the Baptist John Gill said this, God the Father had not only constituted and appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and had invested him with that office, power and authority, but he had made him manifest to be so by the Holy

[John Weaver] Spirit whom he had received and now poured forth the same." And not another, even him whom they have rejected with so much contempt, whom they had treated in such a scornful and brutish manner, has stood upon and buffeted and scourged, and at last crucified. Yet now had he all power in heaven and earth given unto him, he was exalted above every name, that in his name every knee should bow."

[John Weaver] Now when Peter said, therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, let them know securely, that God has made Jesus Christ the sovereign Lord, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Therefore, he is prophet, priest, and king.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31, here Christ is called a prince. I'll tell you why. Look in Acts 5, verse 31. The Bible says, Him, that is Christ, hath God exalted with or at his right hand to be a prince and a savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

[John Weaver] Now the word prince is the Greek word archegos, which means prince or captain or author, one who takes the lead in anything and thus affords an example, such as a predecessor. In Acts 3 and verse 16, Jesus Christ is again called Prince, but this time He's called the Prince of Life. When the word Prince or Archegos is used of Jesus Christ, it means that Christ is in the actual exercise of His office. He not only holds that office, He's fulfilling that office. He's exercising that office. It denotes the fact that Jesus Christ has power and dominion. That's why in Matthew 28 and verse 18 He said, All power or all authority in heaven and in earth are given unto Me.

[John Weaver] Now ask yourself a question. And I've just showed you a few passages. But ask yourself this question. Why is it that the apostles over and over preached on the resurrection and the exaltation of Jesus Christ? Why is it that over and over they pointed out the fact that Christ was the Messiah? Why did they point out over and over that Jesus had been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God? Is there a reason?

[John Weaver] And the answer is yes. Is there an important reason? And the answer is still yes. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of John. Chapter 20, and let's look at verses 30 and 31. John 20. Verses 30 and 31.

[John Weaver] Now, in order to commit the sins of the Jews, In order to see how we're doing it, you've got to understand who Jesus Christ is. You've got to understand His position. You've got to understand He is prophet, priest, and king. He's the Messiah. He's King of kings and Lord of lords. So look in John 20, verses 30 and 31. John writes, and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. That is the book of John. But these are written. That is, this is why he put all of these facts in the Gospel of John. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name. Now, I want you to go back and look at verse 31. Watch this. Here's what he's saying now. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. and that believing you might have life through his name.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you John's argument. The argument is very simple. If Jesus is the Messiah, if he's the anointed one that was foreordained and predestinated in the Old Testament, then as the Messiah, he fills those three offices of prophet, priest, and king. Now watch this. If Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and if Jesus Christ fills the office of prophet, priest, and king, it also means that he is the Son of God. Look what he said. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. So if Jesus Christ is Messiah, He's the Son of God, what does that mean? That means He's King of Kings and Lord of Lords and God of Gods. Now John says very simple, I want you to believe that Jesus is Messiah. If you ever believe that Jesus is Messiah, you must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I'm trying to make is what I said earlier. You cannot deny nor divide the person of Jesus Christ without destroying salvation. Neither can you deny or divide either one of these offices, prophet, priest, and king, without destroying and denying salvation. If you look in your Bibles, Romans chapter 1 verse 4, let me show you what openly declared Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. I asked you a question earlier. Why did the disciples always emphasize the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Why did they emphasize the exaltation of Christ? Here's why. Look in Romans 1 in verse 4. and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead." It was the resurrection from the dead that pointed out, that singled out, that manifested, that declared that Jesus the Messiah was indeed the Son of God. Now, the emphasis in the New Testament is not only that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, But he is prophet, priest, and king. And consequently, he is the Son of God.

[John Weaver] If he is the Son of God, he has all power and all authority. Now listen to me very carefully. I want you to understand something. We do not have a Savior who is not king. We do not have a priest who is not king. You remember Melchizedek, translated King of Salem, King of Peace, King of Righteousness. Here's Melchizedek, who was a priest, who was also king. who is a type of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not just a prophet. He's the prophet king. He's not just the priest. He's a priest king. Jesus Christ, since He is the Son of God, is King of kings and Lord of lords.

[John Weaver] One must bow to Him in order to be saved. Let me put it to you like this. The only Savior that exists is the Savior who is prophet, priest, and king. I've had people say to me in times past, well, I believe in God, but I don't believe that Jesus Christ is God. And I tell them, then, therefore, you don't believe in God, for the only God that exists is the God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. And if you read John chapter 5, He'll say, He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father. So the only Savior that exists is the one who is the Messiah, whose prophet, priest, and king, and that Messiah is the Son of God. Now, now that I've established one simple truth, Jesus Christ is no longer Messiah. He's a son of God.

[John Weaver] Now, how do we commit the sins of the Jews? Look in your Bibles, the first Samuel, chapter 8. I'm going to come back to John 18 and 19. I have not forgotten that. That is the text. And I'm going to explain it just momentarily. Look in your Bibles, if you would please, the first Samuel, chapter 8. I hope you know the story in 1st Samuel chapter 8.

[John Weaver] In this passage, the children of Israel refuse God as their king. And they want a man to be their king. But I want you to note what the scripture says. I want you to know what God says concerning this. Look in 1st Samuel 8 verse 4. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and my sons walk not in thy ways.

[John Weaver] Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." We want a king. We want to be just like the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites. We want a king. Verse 6, But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. Now look at what the Lord said. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee. Watch this. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Now, listen carefully.

[John Weaver] When there is a rejection of the kingship of God. There is rejection of his person. What did he say? They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them. So rejection of God's kingship is a rejection of God's person, and to show you that that interpretation is correct. He now, in the next verse, charges them with idolatry. Look in verse 8. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day, even to this day, that is, when they're rejecting His kingship and Himself, wherewith they have forsaken Me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Wow. Wow. Did you get that? God said when they rejected his kingship. They were rejecting his person and they were going into idolatry. In fact, look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12. Samuel points out the fact that God was indeed, and in fact, their king before they rejected him. In 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 12, And when you saw Nahash the king of the children of Ammon come against you, you said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us when the Lord your God was your king.

[John Weaver] Why do you want a man when you have God as your king? Without taking the time to look at it in verse 20 of the same chapter, he calls it wickedness. That is sin, iniquity and revolt. He said, you're rejecting God. You have God as your king and you want a man? You're rejecting God's kingship. You're rejecting God's person for a man.

[John Weaver] Now, go back in your Bibles, John 19, and let me start preaching my message, OK? Watch this in John chapter 19. Remember now, the Jews have delivered up Jesus Christ to be crucified. And they make an astounding statement in verse 15. After Pilate says to the Jews in verse 14, Behold your king, note, but they cried out, Away with 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. Wow. Before I explain that, I want you to look in verse 15. They said we have no king, but Caesar. The word have.

[John Weaver] Is the little Greek verb echo? And it is in the present tense. Here's what they're saying. We are not having. We're not wanting, we're not desiring any other king but Caesar. Hold on. The Greek word echo, that verb, is also translated in our Bible sometimes as need. So they are saying as well, we are not needing any king but Caesar. Caesar will suffice us. We don't want the kingship of Christ. We're not having this man to reign over us. No, no, no. Remember, when you reject the kingship, you reject the person.

[John Weaver] That's what 1 Samuel 8 said. Now, let's stop and think just a little while tonight of the implications of this statement. They said we're not having, we're not needing, we're not wanting, we're not desiring any king but Caesar. What are the implications of that statement? I want to give you four of them. First of all, the first implication is that here is a declaration of a denial of theological salvation. And when I say theological, I'm talking about that which is of God. Here is an outright denial of God's salvation. In Jonah 2, verse 9, the Bible says undeniably that salvation is of the Lord. You remember that God had promised salvation back in Genesis 3, 15, the protevangelium, the first promise of the Messiah, all through the Bible.

[John Weaver] He entered into the covenant with Abraham. He promised salvation. He promised deliverance. And now here in one fell swoop, in one simple sentence, they are denying God's salvation. They're saying we don't need God. We don't need God's salvation. We have Caesar. Do you remember how Paul talked about the hope of Israel? What happened to all of the salvation that had been promised down through the Scriptures? In one simple statement, they are rejecting not only the kingship of Christ, but the salvation of Christ. He who does not need Jesus Christ as king does not want Jesus Christ to be God. The only salvation that exists, folks, is the salvation that exists where Jesus Christ is King. Let me give you a statement that was written by John Calvin on this verse.

[John Weaver] Here's what he said very eloquently. He says, based upon this verse, we have no king but Caesar. This is a display of shocking madness, that the priests, who ought to have been well acquainted with the law, reject Christ, in whom the salvation of the people was wholly contained, on whom all the promises depended, and on whom the whole of their religion was founded, and indeed, by rejecting Christ, they deprived

[John Weaver] themselves of the grace of God and every blessing. When they said. We have no king, but Caesar, we're not needing anything, we're not wanting anything, but Caesar, they're saying, and I'm paraphrasing this Christ God, as far as your salvation goes, I don't need it. I don't want it. Don't bother me. There's a denial of the kingship of Christ, a denial of his person, And consequently, a denial of his work.

[John Weaver] But here's the second implication. I want you to think through this one with me, because when those Jews said in John 19 and verse 15, we are not having, we're not wanting, we're not desiring, we're not needing anything but Caesar. Here's the second implication. Here is a declaration that they now only have a desire and a satisfaction for a political salvation. A political salvation. Here's what they said. Caesar will do for us. Caesar will save us.

[John Weaver] We'll look to the emperor for bread and circuses. Now, let me tell you something in case you're unaware of it. In Acts 4 and verse 12, Peter was preaching the rule of the Zanhedrin and Peter issued a declaration of war against Caesar. What did he say? Acts 4 verse 12, here's what he said. Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none of the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Now, you say, how in the world could that be a declaration of war against Caesar? Well, because what Peter said in Acts 4 and verse 12 directly contradicted the words of Caesar Augustus. You see, In 17 B.C., when a strange star shone in the heavens, Caesar Augustus had proclaimed throughout the entire Roman Empire this saying, salvation is to be found and none other saved, Augustus, and there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved. Wow. And so what Peter did, he took that prominent saying from Caesar Augustus and applied it to Jesus Christ and said, oh, no, no, no.

[John Weaver] Caesar Augustus is not king of kings and lord of lords. He is not prophet, priest and king. Jesus Christ is. And what Peter was doing in Acts 4 verse 12, he was going head to head with the Roman Empire. He was denying their authority. He was denying their Godhood. Would the God that we have preachers today who was bold as Peter? But you see, on January the 1st, 42 BC, the Roman Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity, as a God. In fact, they proclaimed him Divus Hulius, that is, Julius the Divine, Julius the God. Octavian, who took the name of Augustus, who was his successor, went further, and he took the title Divithilius, that is, the Son of God. Augustus was claiming to be the Son of God. He was claiming to be God. He had proclaimed throughout his empire, there's none in the name of heaven given among men whereby you must be saved other than the name of Caesar Augustus. Caesar Augustus referred to himself as Lord, God, and Savior. He referred to himself as the just and holy ones.

[John Weaver] He also called himself King of Kings and Lord of Lords. What was Augustus Caesar doing? He was claiming divinity for himself. You see, in the Roman Empire, there was a pagan cult. There was a pagan religion. There was the worship of a false god, and that false god was Rome itself with the Caesar on the throne being the head god. And, of course, the priesthood in that Roman religion were those senators and those consuls. who ruled Rome supposedly wisely. They were regarded as the loyal leaders and they were looked upon as semi-saviors because they were continually looking out after the best interest of the Roman people.

[John Weaver] Now, does that sound familiar? We're just looking out for your good. We're trying to protect your health. We're looking out for your welfare. This was exactly the attitude that the senators and the consuls had. We're doing what's best for you. We're only thinking of you. And of course, the taxes in the Roman Empire kept getting higher and higher and higher because those consuls, those senators and those governors and those provincial leaders were now wanting to live a lavish lifestyle because they were claiming semi-deity themselves. And poverty and corruption increased in the Roman Empire, in fact, The pagan cult of Rome increased to such a degree that many of the emperors proclaimed that they were not only God, but they had superhuman power.

[John Weaver] What got started under Julius Caesar really snowballed under Augustus Caesar. In fact, it was Augustus who revived the old pagan religion. He was rebuilding the old temples. In fact, Eventually, the future Caesars, after Augustus, would be worshipped as, here's the title, duminus et deus, that is, Lord and God. It was Venetian who ruled from 86 to 96 A.D. who actually demanded that the Roman people worship him as a god. The violent persecution of Christians under his reign was from the fact that those Christians would not recognize him as God. It is said that Emperor Tiberius did not want to be worshipped as God. And in a speech before the Roman Senate, he said this, I am a mortal and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind. Now, Augustus, as I pointed out, referred to himself as the Son of God. In fact, he had that inscription on his coinage. Augustus Divi Filius, the Son of God. Now, here's what I want you to see. In the first century, there was a war between Christ and Caesar.

[John Weaver] Here was the issue. Who is Lord? Who is King? Who is God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords? Who is it that fills the office of prophet, priest and king?

[John Weaver] Now, please listen to this. Christians were not persecuted and slain in the Roman Empire just because they were Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to believe in Zeus, have at it. If you wanted to worship Aphrodite, go for it. If you wanted to worship Apollos, they could care less. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, wonderful! They could care less. Just so once a year, you raised your hand and you swore by the genius of Caesar and you said, Caesar is Lord. That is, Caesar gives me the right. To believe in whomever I want to believe. And the early Christians would not do that, and they were put to death not just because they were Christians, but because they were counted as traitors and treasonous to the Roman Empire and the Roman pagan religion.

[John Weaver] Now you say, but pastor. I understand what you're saying, huh? But we live in 2007 and we're not living in the Roman Empire. I understand that. But I do hope you realize that we still have the same state religion of political correctness, the same attitude of infallibility of government, the same demands for total, unlimited submission to government. The same confiscation of personal wealth for the benefit of government still exists, and it's still the same old pagan religion. Let me demonstrate it. Look at Katrina. Look at Andrew.

[John Weaver] To whom did the people of America cry for help? Did they cry to the One True and Living God who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ? Or did they cry to the federal government? What about the tornadoes out in Kansas? To whom did they cry? What about our droughts? What about our floods? To whom do we cry? Not to the One True and Living God. Let me tell you something. Nationally speaking. Nationally speaking. We've committed exactly the same sin today that the Jews did when they crucified Christ, because we've traded Christ for Caesar. We traded God for a man. We traded God's law for man's law.

[John Weaver] And we would rather have our sins than repent. And we'd rather lose our souls as a nation than take personal responsibility for our actions. When those Jews cried, we're having no king but Caesar, they were not only denying God's salvation, but they were saying we'll be satisfied with a political salvation. Here's a third implication. And you've got to remember this. A king rules by his law. When they said we have no king but Caesar, what were they doing? They were trading God's law for man's law.

[John Weaver] I'm going to show you that in just a moment. Think about that. Let me ask you a question. Who is your king? And I know what you're saying, you're answering yourself, well, Jesus Christ is my king. Well, I pray that is true, but let me ask you another question. Whose law do you obey? You see, a king rules by his law. And our king is, in reality, the one whose law that we obey. Who is paramount in your life, Christ or Caesar? If there is a showdown and you have to choose between Christ or Caesar, who would you choose? If you cannot obey both and you only have to obey one, which one would you obey? Well, Peter and the other disciples answered that for us very clearly in Acts 5 and verse 29, when they simply said, we ought to obey God rather than men. But may I just quote a few scriptures for you? Don't you think about this? Our Lord said in John 14, verse 21, he that loveth me keepeth my commandments.

[John Weaver] Verse 24, he that hath not my commandments or keepeth not my commandments loveth me not. You remember what he said in 1 John 5 and verse 3, and this is the love of God that we keep as commandments and they're not grievous unto us. How about this passage in 1 John 2 in verse 4? The Bible says, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to show you is the war still exists between Christ and Caesar. Each one is claiming lordship. Each one is claiming divinity. Each one is claiming kingship. Each one is claiming the right to rule and the one who brings salvation. The question is, which one do we obey? Let me give you the fourth implication, then I want to tie it all together for you. The fourth one is this.

[John Weaver] We must always remember that there are consequences to our actions. Here are these Jews standing before Pilate. Pilate says, what then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ, who is called the Messiah? And they cry out, crucify him, crucify him, away with him. They were rejecting God's salvation. They were choosing the salvation of Caesar. They were wanting that, they were content with that, which meant now they're going to be under Caesar's law. They're going to abide by his law, his rules. But they've also forgotten there are consequences. for rejecting the kingship of God and the kingship of Christ. When wicked men refuse Christ and His law, they rush headlong into the arms of tyrants.

[John Weaver] They just simply bring misery upon themselves and their prosperity. You've got to remember this, folks. We're either going to be ruled by God or by man, and we're going to find this out, that the severity of God is milder than the tender mercies of tyrants.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles before I make some applications and look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. This is the passage where they have rejected God as king. I told you that a king rules by his law. When they rejected God as king, they were not only rejecting his person, they were rejecting his law. So once they have a human king, they're now going to be ruled by a human law, so look what God says. First Samuel Chapter 8 and verse 7 and the Lord said of Samuel, hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them, according to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day wherewith they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee." Now look what he says. Now, therefore, hearken unto their voice, however you yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

[John Weaver] In other words, show them the consequences of their actions and of their choice. And Samuel told all the words of the Lord and the people that ask of him a king.

[John Weaver] Now, listen, I'm going to emphasize one word with my voice. Here it is. And he said this will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them for himself or his chariots to be his horsemen and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, captains over fifties, and will set them to ear his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his instruments of war and his instruments of chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, to be cooks and to be bakers. And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your oliveyards and the best of them and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and his servants. And he will take your men's servants and your maid's servants and your goodness young men and your asses and put them to his work. He will take the tent of your sheep, and you shall be His servants."

[John Weaver] Let me stop there just for a moment. God said, You didn't want to serve Me? Fine. You'll serve Him. You didn't like My law? Fine. You can have His law. You didn't like My mercies? Fine. You can have His severity. And then He says in verse 18, And you shall cry out in that day because of your king which you have chosen you, and the Lord will not hear you in that day."

[John Weaver] There's a price, dear friend, for rejecting the kingship of Jesus Christ. Those Jews cried out, We are having no king but Caesar. We're not wanting any king but Caesar. We're rejecting Christ. We're rejecting Him as Messiah. We're rejecting Him as prophet, priest, and king. We'll not have this man reign over us. Caesar will take care of us. We'll be satisfied with Caesar. And guess what? Guess what? Caesar showed them how merciful he could be in 70 A.D.

[John Weaver] when he tore down and destroyed Jerusalem and literally murdered millions of them. The Word of God says even the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. How much more the cruelty. Our Lord says it so accurately in Proverbs 8 and verse 36 when he says this, He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death. Those who trust in Caesar keep crying out, give us better government. Give us better government. Do you realize that all Caesar can do is to create more bureaucracies and more little talents? He cannot save us because he is not God. Only Jesus Christ can save us, for Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords.

[John Weaver] Did you know that on August the 2nd, 1776, when the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence was being signed, yes I know, two signed it on July the 4th, but most of them signed later on August the 2nd, but when our Founding Fathers were signing the Declaration of Independence, August 2, 1776, Samuel Adams said this. Listen. Samuel Adams said, We have this day restored the sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient.

[John Weaver] He reigns in heaven from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun. Let his kingdom come. Our founding fathers said, We have this day restored the rightful sovereign. Not King George, but King Jesus. Who is your sovereign? Who is your savior?

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something. Committing the sins of the Jews. We can commit those sins nationally. And we can commit those sins individually. Nationally, what we have done is a professing Christendom. As we've created Christ for man, we've created God's law for man's law. But do you realize we do that personally as well? Now, let me tell you what the Jews wanted when our Lord came. What the Jews wanted was not a meek and lowly Savior who would make atonement for their sins and save them. What they wanted was a deliverer who would come riding in on a white charger and deliver them from the Roman Empire.

[John Weaver] Even our Lord's disciples in Acts chapter one in verse six ask this question. Will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? They were expecting Christ to come in on that white charger and restore the kingdom to Israel. Now watch this. where the Jews messed up. They wanted a political deliverer. But they did not want a personal deliverer. Where we mess up today in 2007, we're willing to receive Christ as a personal deliverer, but not as a political deliverer, not as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Now, when I say we're willing to receive him as a personal deliverance.

[John Weaver] What I mean by that is this. Who wants to go to hell? Nobody. Why? Everybody's willing to be a Christian in the sense that we want to be saved from the penalty of our sins so that we can enjoy the pleasure of our sins. That's what we want. We want to be delivered from that penalty. so that we will not be judged and destroyed. But at the same time, we do not want Jesus Christ to reign over us.

[John Weaver] What we're saying is this, oh, I'll bow to your priesthood and I'll bow to your prophethood, but Lord, don't be a king in my life. Don't tell me how to live. Don't tell me how to act. Don't tell me how to walk and talk and how to dress and how to treat my parents and treat my friends and treat my husband and treat my mother. Don't tell me. Oh, yes, dear friend. If he is your prophet, if he is your priest, he is also your king, which means he has the sovereign right to reign over you and tell you everything. He's king of kings and Lord of lords.

[John Weaver] Let me show you one thing. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter one, last scripture, Luke one. Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist. I want you to note the prophecy, the words, the admiration that Zacharias gave. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 1 verse 67. And his father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying, I want you to watch this carefully. He's talking about the first coming of Christ. He's talking about the birth of Christ. He was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.

[John Weaver] And have raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began. Now look that we should be saved from our enemies. and from the hand of all them that hate us, to perform the mercy promised our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear in

[John Weaver] holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life." May I point out that Zechariah's prophecy was not talking about the second coming of Christ, but the first coming of Christ. Christ now is quite able to deliver us from our enemies. He is now quite able to give us complete and total and absolute deliverance politically, nationally, any way whatsoever. But what is required is a vowing to His kingship. Salvation does not come just any old way. It only comes God's way. The other verse does not come any old way. It only comes God's way. Are you listening? And on God's terms. What did those wicked people say about Christ in Luke 19 and verse 14?

[John Weaver] They said, We'll not have this man to reign over us. You know what Christians are saying in this day and time? Personally, individually, by their actions, we'll not have this man to reign over us. But I've got news for you, folks. Whether you admit it, whether you acknowledge it, whether you confess it, whether you believe it, He is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And He has all power and all authority.

[John Weaver] And you will bow sooner or later. Because every knee shall bow. of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Do not commit the sins of the Jews. You bow to Christ in your personal life. You bow to Christ in your family life. You bow to Christ in your church life. You bow to Christ in your business life. You bow to Christ in your political life. You bow in every area. For Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the God-man, the Son of God. who is King of kings and Lord of lords, prophet, priest and king. Let's pray. Father, we do ask you to teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, help us to see, Lord, the absolute importance of the kingship of Jesus Christ, how it affects all of our life every day. And Lord, may we not say with those wicked people, we'll not have this man to reign over us.

[John Weaver] May we not say we're only needing and wanting and having Caesar. May we say we're only needing and wanting and having Jesus Christ, who is the true King, the true Lord, and the true Savior. In my name we pray. Amen.

Committing the Sin of the Jews

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	920071615223
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2007-09-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 134: Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification - Volume 1 — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	96

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message and reads John 18:36-37 and John 19:14-15, 19-22, highlighting Jesus' kingship and the Jews' rejection.

Well, I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to John chapter 18 and John chapter 19. John chapter 18, John chapter 19. I brought the message last night, "The Sin That Every Christian Commits, and Especially on Sunday." Tonight, I want to bring a message which I've entitled "Committing the Sins of the Jews." And then, Lord willing, tomorrow night, I'm going to be bringing a message on why God does not answer most prayers. So I hope that you will be able to be here. But look in your Bible to John chapter 18, and we're going to read two verses there, verses 36 and 37, and then we're going to chapter 19. John chapter 18, verse 36:

Scripture Reading — John 18:36-37

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence."

"Pilate therefore said of him, Art thou then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of truth heareth my voice."

Now skip down to chapter 19, if you would, verses 14 and 15. John 19, verse 14:

Scripture Reading — John 19:14-15

"And it was the preparation of the Passover at about the sixth hour, and he said to the Jews, Behold your king. And they cried out, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar."

Now skip down to verse 19: "Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross, and the writing was Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city."

"It was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not the King of the Jews, but that he said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written." Committing the sins of the Jews. It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well, that may be true in certain aspects, but it's certainly not true when it comes to sin, rebellion, and wickedness.

The Jews Crucified Christ

Weaver asserts that Scripture repeatedly states the Jews crucified Christ, citing John 5:16-18, Acts 2:23, Acts 4:10, Acts 10:39, and Acts 7:52.

And I want to demonstrate something for you tonight from Scripture, something that you probably never really even thought about. And that is how today we are duplicating exactly the sins of the Jews. In fact, we're duplicating that sin when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Now, I know that it's not politically correct to refer to the scriptural fact that the Jews crucified Christ. But it is a scriptural fact which I'm going to show you. Many Christians try to water down that subject and they say, well, you know, we kind of all crucified Him—He died for the sins of His people. And if we're believers, our sins were placed upon Him. And so we kind of all crucified Him. I understand that you can say that, and I certainly understand that thought.

But the Scriptures are very specific. And I want you to know how over and over they tell us that it was the Jews who crucified Christ. In fact, in John chapter 18, our Lord said, if His kingdom were of this world, then would His disciples fight that He might not be delivered unto the Jews. It was the Jews who hated Him. It was the Jews who sought His life. It was the Jews who delivered Him up unto Pilate. It was the Jews who demanded that He be crucified. Listen, if you would, as I read John chapter 5, verse 16 and then verse 18. Here's what it says: "And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath day." When you get to verse 18, the Bible says this: "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he had not only broken the Sabbath, but also said that God was his father, making himself equal with God." Over and over, you read in the Bible how the Jews persecuted Christ.

Scripture Reading — John 5:16, 18

And if you look back at John 19 and verse 11, look what Christ told Pilate. Pilate had asked our Lord, or said to him, "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?" in verse 10. Our Lord answers in verse 11: "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." And of course, we realize it was the Jews who delivered Jesus Christ up unto Pilate. Now, on the day of Pentecost, Peter specifically charged the Jews with the crucifixion of Christ. If you would hold John 19, but look in your Bibles, first of all, to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2. And look at verse 23. Peter is preaching. Acts chapter 2, verse 23, and the Bible says, "Him," that is Christ—in fact, we can go back and look at verse 22.

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." So once again, Peter, on the day of Pentecost, is specifically charging the Jews with crucifying Christ. If you would look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 4 and verse 10. Acts 4, verse 10. Once again, Peter is preaching to the leaders and he says this:

Scripture Reading — Acts 4:10

"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole."

So Peter, once again, is preaching. He's preaching to the Jews and he says, "You crucified Christ." Now, if you would turn right over to Acts chapter 10. Acts chapter 10. And notice, if you would please, verse 39. In this passage, the Word of God tells us very specifically, Acts 10, verse 39: "And we are witnesses of all these things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem." Now look: "whom they slew and hanged on a tree." Now, once again, the Bible is specifically saying that it was the Jews who crucified Christ. Now, if you will go back to Acts chapter 7, Stephen is giving his testimony before he is stoned to death.

And look what he says in Acts chapter 7 in verse 52. In fact, he says this to them in verse 51:

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:51-52

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye."

Now, look what he says:

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:51-52

"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers."

So once again, even Stephen says it was the Jews who betrayed and murdered Christ. Now, I realize it is not politically correct in this day and time to say that the Jews crucified Christ, but it is scripturally correct to do so because the Bible repeats that truth over and over. So you may believe the politically correct version or you may believe the scriptural version. And as for me and my house, I want to believe the Word of God. Now, the question that must be asked is not who crucified Christ. The Bible is exceedingly plain upon that subject.

But the question that has to be asked is, why did the Jews crucify Christ? Why was He crucified?

Why Did the Jews Crucify Christ?

Weaver explains that while Christ's death was foreordained by God, the Jews acted in rebellion, hating Him without cause, and were responsible for His death.

Now, we understand and know that every detail of the life and the death of Jesus Christ was foreordained by God. In fact, if you look back in your Bibles to Acts chapter 2 and then we'll go to Acts chapter 4, look in Acts chapter 2. And notice, if you would please, verse 22 again—I read it just a few minutes earlier, but let me emphasize something different on this point. "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know." Now look: "Him," that is Christ,

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:23

"being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."

So God then determined beforehand everything that was to happen to Jesus Christ down to the letter. In fact, if you look at Acts chapter 4, here is a confession of that fact. Acts chapter 4, beginning there with verse 26. Once again, the Word of God says: "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ."

Now watch: "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." So let me just spell it out for you. There was not one thing done to Jesus Christ that was not already foreordained before the foundation of the world. His scourging, His crucifixion, His mocking, everything down to the nth degree, had been predestinated and foreordained by God. God left nothing to chance, nothing to fate, nothing to fortune. Everything was predetermined by God. Nothing could happen outside of God's will because God was in absolute, total, sovereign control. Please remember, nothing happens by accident when it comes to God. And you can't slip up on God's blind side because He doesn't have one. God is the omniscient sovereign of heaven and earth.

Now, here's what the Scripture teaches. Although everything about the death of Jesus Christ was foreordained from before the foundation of the world—and you do remember that He's referred to as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world—since everything was foreordained by God concerning Christ, you've got to know this: that those who crucified Christ did not do so in obedience to God, but in rebellion to God. In fact, the Bible says the kings of the earth did not even understand what they were doing. But they were in rebellion. They were not doing anything in obedience to Jesus Christ. They hated Jesus Christ. They were refusing Him as the Messiah. And here's what our Lord said in John 15 and verse 25. Now listen carefully. John 15, verse 25. Our Lord said,

Scripture Reading — John 15:25

"But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause."

What does that mean? Here's what it means. They hated Him freely. You remember that passage in Romans 3, where the Bible says, "being justified freely by his grace." That means this: there was nothing in the sinner that merited, earned, or drew forth the grace of God. It was free. When the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — John 15:25

"They hated me without a cause,"

it is the same Greek word—they hated Me freely. That means this: there was nothing in Jesus Christ that earned or merited or drew forth their hatred. They hated Him just simply because they hated Him.

And therefore, they were in rebellion to God, and they were responsible for His death. Why did they crucify Him? Because they hated Him, they refused Him, and they rejected Him. But why did they do that? When you look in Daniel—and don't turn there—but when you look in Daniel 9, verses 25 and 26, you're going to find the word "Messiah." And we all have heard and have said that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. The Hebrew word for Messiah is "Mashiach." That word is only translated twice in our Bibles as "Messiah." However, it is translated 37 times as "anointed." The word Messiah literally means "the Anointed One.

Scripture Reading — Daniel 9:25-26

" Hence then, it refers to Jesus as the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Prince, the King of Israel.

Jesus Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King

Weaver teaches that Jesus is one person with two natures (God and man) and three offices (prophet, priest, king). Denying any office destroys salvation.

Now, I want you to stop and think just for a moment because I'm going to build the message tonight around this truth. We talk about Jesus Christ. Sometimes we read in the Scripture "Jesus the Christ." And oftentimes we say "Jesus Christ" without even thinking—it's like saying "John Weaver." I've got a first name. I've got a last name. And when we say "Jesus Christ," we never even stop and think about what we're saying. The Greek word for Jesus is the word "Iēsous," which literally means "Savior." The Hebrew word, of course, is "Yeshua." That is also where we get the word "Joshua" from. "Yeshua," which is translated in our Bibles as "Jesus" and occasionally as "Joshua," both of those words mean "Savior." So when you use the word "Jesus," that is our Lord's human name, the name actually means "Savior." And when you say "Christ," it is from the Greek word "Christos," which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word "Messiah," and the word "Christos" just literally means "the Anointed One"

or "anointed." So when you say "Jesus Christ," what you're saying is "Jesus the Savior, the Anointed One," that is the Messiah, the One who has been sent by God the Father, He is the God-Man, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. So when you say "Jesus Christ," you are confessing and acknowledging that Jesus is not only the Savior, He is the Messiah that God the Father sent. So Jesus Christ is literally the Messiah. He is the Anointed One of God.

Now, stop and think about this with me. As you read through the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, you find that prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Now, prophets were not necessarily anointed in the same exact way that the priests and the kings were, but they too were anointed. For instance, if you look back in your Bibles—hold John 19—but if you look back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18, Deuteronomy 18, and let's begin reading there at verse 18. And Moses is talking about the fact that God is going to raise up a prophet like unto himself. And, of course, that prophet is none other than Jesus Christ. So look in Deuteronomy chapter 18 and verse 18. Here's what God says:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 18:18-19

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee,"

that is, like unto Moses,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 18:18-19

"and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

Now, here is how those prophets were anointed. They were anointed in the sense that God placed His words in their mouths. Last night, we read from 2 Chronicles 36, verses 15 and 16, where God had mercy upon His people and He sent them His messengers and His prophets. But when you get to verse 16, He says this: "They would not listen to his messengers, and they despised his words." "His" is singular. It was not the words of the messengers they were despising. They were despising God's word who sent the messengers. And so God had placed His word in their mouths.

Now, let's stop and think about Jesus Christ for a little bit tonight. Because the topic of this message is "Committing the Sins of the Jews." I'm trying to show you and lay the foundation how we today are doing exactly the same things the Jews did in their rejection of Jesus Christ. Now, we know that Jesus Christ is the God-Man. Let me put it like this: He is one person with two natures. He is God, and He is man. The Bible makes it exceedingly clear.

Scripture Reading — John 1:1-3, 14

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

John 1:1-3. When you come down to verse 14, it says this:

Scripture Reading — John 1:1-3, 14

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

When you get to 1 Timothy 3, verse 16, the Bible says, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." What's that mean?

It means Jesus Christ is one person, but He has two natures. He is perfect God, and He is perfect man. Now, let me just show you the absolute importance of this. If you deny either one of those natures—He's divine or He's human—if you deny the fact that He's God, you destroy salvation. If you deny the fact that He's man, you destroy salvation. Jesus Christ has to be both God and man in order for salvation to be. He has to be God in order to be able to expiate, that is to wash away and to pay for and to take care of our sins. And He has to be man to be our substitute because it was in our nature that we sinned against God. So if you turn around and say, "Well, Jesus Christ is not God," then you've destroyed salvation. If you try to turn around and say, "Well, He may be God, but He was not a real man. He was just a mirage," then you've destroyed salvation. He has to be God and man in order to have salvation. But now watch this. Jesus Christ is not only just one person with two natures.

Jesus Christ is one person with three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. What did the prophet do? The prophet declares the word of God. Well, we just read that in Deuteronomy 18. God said, "I'm going to raise up a prophet like unto Moses. I'm going to put my words in his mouth." So Jesus Christ is our prophet to declare unto us the word of God. Jesus Christ is our priest, not only to make atonement for us, but also to make intercession for us. Jesus Christ is also our king to rule over us. Now, just like Jesus Christ is one person with two natures, if you deny either one of those natures, you've destroyed salvation. Jesus Christ is also prophet, priest, and king. He holds all three offices. If you deny either one of those offices, you have likewise destroyed salvation. Salvation hinges upon, it is based upon, it is founded upon Christ as the God-Man and Christ as prophet, priest, and king.

Now, let me explain the importance of what I'm trying to tell you. There are some today who try to say, "Well, you know, you can pick whichever offices of Christ that you want to believe in and bow to." What are they saying? Here's what they're saying: "Well, you can receive Christ as your prophet to declare unto you the Word of God. And you can receive Christ as your priest to make atonement for your sins and to make intercession for you. But you don't have to bow to Him as king. You don't have to bow to Him as Lord." No, no, no. Christ is one person in three offices. Just like you cannot divide the two natures of Christ without destroying salvation, you cannot divide the offices of Christ without destroying salvation. There is no such thing as one-half being saved or one-third being saved. Jesus Christ is either prophet, priest, and king, or He is nothing. He is what God ordained Him to be. And when someone says, "Well, you can just pick and choose"—

No, you can't do that. He is prophet, priest, and king. If you receive Him as your prophet and as your priest, you must also receive Him as king. I'm going to say this again before I close. The only Savior that exists, the only one who exists is Jesus Christ, and He is prophet, priest, and king. He holds all three offices.

The Exaltation of Christ as Lord and Messiah

Weaver examines Acts 2:36 and Acts 5:31, showing that God made Jesus both Lord and Christ, emphasizing His sovereign authority and the necessity of bowing to Him.

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 2. I want you to turn there. Let me show you why I'm emphasizing this truth. Look at Acts chapter 2. Notice verse 36. Acts 2, verse 36. Watch carefully. Acts 2, verse 36. Peter is preaching and he says this:

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:36

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Look what he said.

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:36

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

I hear preachers sometimes ask people, "Well, won't you make Christ the Lord of your life?" And I always want to scream, "You can't do that!"

God's already beat you to it. He made Him Lord and Christ. He already is Lord. But He's not only Lord, He is Christ. He is the Anointed One. He is Messiah.

Now, I want you to look at the word "assuredly." "Therefore let the house of Israel know assuredly..." Wow! Let me tell you about the word "assuredly." It is the Greek word "asphalōs," and it is not only translated as "assuredly" in our Bibles, it is also translated as "safely." I'm going to show you two passages. And when you see the word "safely," it doesn't mean "without harm." It means "securely." For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Mark—hold Acts—look in your Bibles to the book of Mark, chapter 14. And notice, if you would please, verse 44. Judas has betrayed Christ. Mark 14, verse 44. And look what the Bible says concerning Judas. Mark 14, verse 44: "And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely."

Now, once again, the word "safely" does not mean "without harm." It means "securely." I'm going to show you that in just a moment. It means "don't let him escape. Don't let him get away." Now, if you look at it in your Bibles, Acts chapter 16, you'll see exactly how that same word is translated "safely" again. You remember that Paul and Silas have been beaten. They've been thrown into the dungeon. You remember how Paul had delivered this demon-possessed girl. And so in Acts 16 and verse 23, look what the Bible says: "And when they had laid many stripes upon them," that is, Paul and Silas, "they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely." Now, the word "safely" there doesn't mean "without harm." I mean, they'd already beaten the living daylights out of them. They'd laid many stripes upon them. They threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them securely.

"Don't you let them escape. Don't you let them get out of here." Now, listen to what Peter said: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly." That is, let all the house of Israel know securely. This is a fact that is beyond escape. You cannot get away from it. "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." That is, Jesus Christ fills every office that God the Father ordained for Him. He is prophet, priest, and king.

Now, let me give you two quotes based upon what I've just told you. Here are two commentators to show you I'm not just making this up. This is not an original interpretation, but here's Albert Barnes and he says this: "The word 'Lord' properly denotes proprietor, master, or sovereign. Here it means clearly that God had exalted him to be king as so long expected, and that he had given him dominion in the heavens, or as we should say, ruler of all things. The extent of this dominion may be seen in John 17, Ephesians 1, etc." "In the exercise of this office, he now rules in heaven and on earth, and will yet come to judge the world. The truth was particularly fitted to excite their fear. They had murdered their sovereign, now shown to be raised from the dead and entrusted with infinite power. They had reason, therefore, to fear that he would come forth in vengeance and punish them for their crimes. Sinners opposing the Savior are at war with their living and mighty sovereign and Lord. He has all power, and it is not safe to contend with the judge of the living and the dead."

Now what was Albert Barnes saying on Acts 2 and verse 36? That Jesus Christ now has all power. He fills every office that God the Father ordained for Him. And then the Baptist John Gill said this: "God the Father had not only constituted and appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, the Lord of lords and King of kings, and had invested him with that office, power, and authority, but he had made him manifest to be so by the Holy Spirit whom he had received and now poured forth the same. And not another, even him whom they have rejected with so much contempt, whom they had treated in such a scornful and brutish manner, has stood upon and buffeted and scourged, and at last crucified. Yet now had he all power in heaven and earth given unto him, he was exalted above every name, that in his name every knee should bow."

Now when Peter said, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly," let them know securely, that God has made Jesus Christ the sovereign Lord, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Therefore, He is prophet, priest, and king. Now, if you look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31, here Christ is called a Prince. I'll tell you why. Look in Acts 5, verse 31. The Bible says: "Him," that is Christ, "hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

Scripture Reading — Acts 5:31

Now the word "Prince" is the Greek word "archēgos," which means prince or captain or author, one who takes the lead in anything and thus affords an example, such as a predecessor. In Acts 3 and verse 15, Jesus Christ is again called Prince, but this time He's called the Prince of life. When the word "Prince" or "archēgos" is used of Jesus Christ, it means that Christ is in the actual exercise of His office. He not only holds that office, He's fulfilling that office. He's exercising that office. It denotes the fact that Jesus Christ has power and dominion. That's why in Matthew 28 and verse 18 He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

Now ask yourself a question. And I've just showed you a few passages. But ask yourself this question: Why is it that the apostles over and over preached on the resurrection and the exaltation of Jesus Christ? Why is it that over and over they pointed out the fact that Christ was the Messiah? Why did they point out over and over that Jesus had been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God? Is there a reason?

Believing Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God

Weaver explains from John 20:31 and Romans 1:4 that believing Jesus is the Messiah means acknowledging Him as the Son of God, with all power and authority.

And the answer is yes. Is there an important reason? And the answer is still yes. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 20, and let's look at verses 30 and 31. John 20, verses 30 and 31.

Now, in order to commit the sins of the Jews, in order to see how we're doing it, you've got to understand who Jesus Christ is. You've got to understand His position. You've got to understand He is prophet, priest, and king. He's the Messiah. He's King of kings and Lord of lords. So look in John 20, verses 30 and 31. John writes:

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book."

That is the book of John.

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"But these are written."

That is, this is why he put all of these facts in the Gospel of John.

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Now, I want you to go back and look at verse 31. Watch this. Here's what he's saying now:

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Now let me show you John's argument. The argument is very simple. If Jesus is the Messiah, if He's the Anointed One that was foreordained and predestinated in the Old Testament, then as the Messiah, He fills those three offices of prophet, priest, and king. Now watch this. If Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and if Jesus Christ fills the office of prophet, priest, and king, it also means that He is the Son of God. Look what he said: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God." So if Jesus Christ is Messiah, He's the Son of God. What does that mean? That means He's King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods. Now John says very simply, "I want you to believe that Jesus is Messiah. If you ever believe that Jesus is Messiah, you must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

Now, the point I'm trying to make is what I said earlier. You cannot deny nor divide the person of Jesus Christ without destroying salvation. Neither can you deny or divide either one of these offices—prophet, priest, and king—without destroying and denying salvation. If you look in your Bibles, Romans chapter 1, verse 4, let me show you what openly declared Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. I asked you a question earlier: Why did the disciples always emphasize the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Why did they emphasize the exaltation of Christ? Here's why. Look in Romans 1 in verse 4:

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:4

"And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."

It was the resurrection from the dead that pointed out, that singled out, that manifested, that declared that Jesus the Messiah was indeed the Son of God. Now, the emphasis in the New Testament is not only that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, but He is prophet, priest, and king. And consequently, He is the Son of God.

If He is the Son of God, He has all power and all authority. Now listen to me very carefully. I want you to understand something. We do not have a Savior who is not king. We do not have a priest who is not king. You remember Melchizedek, translated "King of Salem," "King of Peace," "King of Righteousness." Here's Melchizedek, who was a priest, who was also king, who is a type of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not just a prophet. He's the prophet-king. He's not just the priest. He's a priest-king. Jesus Christ, since He is the Son of God, is King of kings and Lord of lords.

One must bow to Him in order to be saved. Let me put it to you like this: The only Savior that exists is the Savior who is prophet, priest, and king. I've had people say to me in times past, "Well, I believe in God, but I don't believe that Jesus Christ is God." And I tell them, "Then, therefore, you don't believe in God, for the only God that exists is the God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ." And if you read John chapter 5, He'll say, "He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father." So the only Savior that exists is the one who is the Messiah, who is prophet, priest, and king, and that Messiah is the Son of God. Now, now that I've established one simple truth—Jesus Christ is the Messiah, He's the Son of God—

Rejecting God's Kingship in 1 Samuel 8

Weaver draws a parallel between Israel's rejection of God as king in 1 Samuel 8 and the Jews' rejection of Christ, showing that rejecting kingship is rejecting God's person and leads to idolatry.

Now, how do we commit the sins of the Jews? Look in your Bibles, 1 Samuel, chapter 8. I'm going to come back to John 18 and 19. I have not forgotten that. That is the text. And I'm going to explain it just momentarily. Look in your Bibles, if you would please, 1 Samuel, chapter 8. I hope you know the story in 1 Samuel chapter 8.

In this passage, the children of Israel refuse God as their king. And they want a man to be their king. But I want you to note what the Scripture says. I want you to know what God says concerning this. Look in 1 Samuel 8, verse 4: "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways." "Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." We want a king. We want to be just like the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites. We want a king. Verse 6: "But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord." Now look at what the Lord said: "And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee." Watch this: "For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." Now, listen carefully.

When there is a rejection of the kingship of God, there is rejection of His person. What did He say? "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." So rejection of God's kingship is a rejection of God's person, and to show you that that interpretation is correct, He now, in the next verse, charges them with idolatry. Look in verse 8: "According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even unto this day," that is, when they're rejecting His kingship and Himself, "wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee." Wow. Wow. Did you get that? God said when they rejected His kingship, they were rejecting His person and they were going into idolatry. In fact, look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12. Samuel points out the fact that God was indeed, and in fact, their king before they rejected Him. In 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 12: "And when ye saw Nahash the king of the children of Ammon come against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king."

Why do you want a man when you have God as your king? Without taking the time to look at it, in verse 20 of the same chapter, he calls it wickedness. That is sin, iniquity, and revolt. He said, "You're rejecting God. You have God as your king and you want a man? You're rejecting God's kingship. You're rejecting God's person for a man."

Now, go back in your Bibles, John 19, and let me start preaching my message, OK? Watch this in John chapter 19. Remember now, the Jews have delivered up Jesus Christ to be crucified. And they make an astounding statement in verse 15. After Pilate says to the Jews in verse 14, "Behold your king," note: "But they cried out, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar." Wow. Before I explain that, I want you to look in verse 15. They said, "We have no king but Caesar." The word "have"

Implications of 'We Have No King but Caesar'

Weaver outlines four implications: denial of theological salvation, desire for political salvation, trading God's law for man's law, and the consequences of rejecting Christ's kingship.

is the little Greek verb "echō." And it is in the present tense. Here's what they're saying: "We are not having. We're not wanting, we're not desiring any other king but Caesar." Hold on. The Greek word "echō," that verb, is also translated in our Bible sometimes as "need." So they are saying as well, "We are not needing any king but Caesar. Caesar will suffice us. We don't want the kingship of Christ. We're not having this man to reign over us." No, no, no. Remember, when you reject the kingship, you reject the person.

That's what 1 Samuel 8 said. Now, let's stop and think just a little while tonight of the implications of this statement. They said, "We're not having, we're not needing, we're not wanting, we're not desiring any king but Caesar." What are the implications of that statement? I want to give you four of them. First of all, the first implication is that here is a declaration of a denial of theological salvation. And when I say theological, I'm talking about that which is of God. Here is an outright denial of God's salvation. In Jonah 2, verse 9, the Bible says undeniably that "salvation is of the Lord." You remember that God had promised salvation back in Genesis 3:15, the protevangelium, the first promise of the Messiah, all through the Bible.

He entered into the covenant with Abraham. He promised salvation. He promised deliverance. And now here in one fell swoop, in one simple sentence, they are denying God's salvation. They're saying, "We don't need God. We don't need God's salvation. We have Caesar." Do you remember how Paul talked about the hope of Israel? What happened to all of the salvation that had been promised down through the Scriptures? In one simple statement, they are rejecting not only the kingship of Christ, but the salvation of Christ. He who does not need Jesus Christ as king does not want Jesus Christ to be God. The only salvation that exists, folks, is the salvation that exists where Jesus Christ is King. Let me give you a statement that was written by John Calvin on this verse.

Here's what he said very eloquently. He says, based upon this verse, "We have no king but Caesar." "This is a display of shocking madness, that the priests, who ought to have been well acquainted with the law, reject Christ, in whom the salvation of the people was wholly contained, on whom all the promises depended, and on whom the whole of their religion was founded, and indeed, by rejecting Christ, they deprived themselves of the grace of God and every blessing." When they said, "We have no king but Caesar," "we're not needing anything, we're not wanting anything, but Caesar," they're saying—and I'm paraphrasing this—"Christ, God, as far as your salvation goes, I don't need it. I don't want it. Don't bother me." There's a denial of the kingship of Christ, a denial of His person, and consequently, a denial of His work.

But here's the second implication. I want you to think through this one with me, because when those Jews said in John 19 and verse 15, "We are not having, we're not wanting, we're not desiring, we're not needing anything but Caesar," here's the second implication: Here is a declaration that they now only have a desire and a satisfaction for a political salvation. A political salvation. Here's what they said: "Caesar will do for us. Caesar will save us." We'll look to the emperor for bread and circuses. Now, let me tell you something in case you're unaware of it. In Acts 4 and verse 12, Peter was preaching before the Sanhedrin and Peter issued a declaration of war against Caesar. What did he say? Acts 4, verse 12, here's what he said: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Now, you say, "How in the world could that be a declaration of war against Caesar?" Well, because what Peter said in Acts 4 and verse 12 directly contradicted the words of Caesar Augustus. You see, in 17 B.C., when a strange star shone in the heavens, Caesar Augustus had proclaimed throughout the entire Roman Empire this saying: "Salvation is to be found in none other save Augustus, and there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved." Wow. And so what Peter did, he took that prominent saying from Caesar Augustus and applied it to Jesus Christ and said, "Oh, no, no, no.

Caesar Augustus is not King of kings and Lord of lords. He is not prophet, priest, and king. Jesus Christ is." And what Peter was doing in Acts 4, verse 12, he was going head to head with the Roman Empire. He was denying their authority. He was denying their godhood. Would to God that we had preachers today who were as bold as Peter! But you see, on January the 1st, 42 B.C., the Roman Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity, as a god. In fact, they proclaimed him "Divus Iulius," that is, Julius the Divine, Julius the God. Octavian, who took the name of Augustus, who was his successor, went further, and he took the title "Divi Filius," that is, the Son of God. Augustus was claiming to be the Son of God. He was claiming to be God. He had proclaimed throughout his empire, "There's none other name under heaven given among men whereby you must be saved other than the name of Caesar Augustus." Caesar Augustus referred to himself as Lord, God, and Savior. He referred to himself as the just and holy one.

He also called himself King of kings and Lord of lords. What was Augustus Caesar doing? He was claiming divinity for himself. You see, in the Roman Empire, there was a pagan cult. There was a pagan religion. There was the worship of a false god, and that false god was Rome itself with the Caesar on the throne being the head god. And, of course, the priesthood in that Roman religion were those senators and those consuls who ruled Rome supposedly wisely. They were regarded as the loyal leaders and they were looked upon as semi-saviors because they were continually looking out after the best interest of the Roman people.

Now, does that sound familiar? "We're just looking out for your good. We're trying to protect your health. We're looking out for your welfare." This was exactly the attitude that the senators and the consuls had. "We're doing what's best for you. We're only thinking of you." And of course, the taxes in the Roman Empire kept getting higher and higher and higher because those consuls, those senators, and those governors and those provincial leaders were now wanting to live a lavish lifestyle because they were claiming semi-deity themselves. And poverty and corruption increased in the Roman Empire. In fact, the pagan cult of Rome increased to such a degree that many of the emperors proclaimed that they were not only God, but they had superhuman power.

What got started under Julius Caesar really snowballed under Augustus Caesar. In fact, it was Augustus who revived the old pagan religion. He was rebuilding the old temples. In fact, eventually, the future Caesars, after Augustus, would be worshipped as—here's the title—"dominus et deus," that is, Lord and God. It was Domitian who ruled from 86 to 96 A.D. who actually demanded that the Roman people worship him as a god. The violent persecution of Christians under his reign was from the fact that those Christians would not recognize him as God. It is said that Emperor Tiberius did not want to be worshipped as God. And in a speech before the Roman Senate, he said this: "I am a mortal and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind." Now, Augustus, as I pointed out, referred to himself as the Son of God. In fact, he had that inscription on his coinage: "Augustus Divi Filius," the Son of God. Now, here's what I want you to see. In the first century, there was a war between Christ and Caesar.

Here was the issue: Who is Lord? Who is King? Who is God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords? Who is it that fills the office of prophet, priest, and king?

Now, please listen to this. Christians were not persecuted and slain in the Roman Empire just because they were Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to believe in Zeus, have at it. If you wanted to worship Aphrodite, go for it. If you wanted to worship Apollos, they could care less. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, wonderful! They could care less. Just so once a year, you raised your hand and you swore by the genius of Caesar and you said, "Caesar is Lord." That is, Caesar gives me the right to believe in whomever I want to believe. And the early Christians would not do that, and they were put to death not just because they were Christians, but because they were counted as traitors and treasonous to the Roman Empire and the Roman pagan religion.

Now you say, "But pastor, I understand what you're saying, huh? But we live in 2007 and we're not living in the Roman Empire." I understand that. But I do hope you realize that we still have the same state religion of political correctness, the same attitude of infallibility of government, the same demands for total, unlimited submission to government. The same confiscation of personal wealth for the benefit of government still exists, and it's still the same old pagan religion. Let me demonstrate it. Look at Katrina. Look at Andrew.

To whom did the people of America cry for help? Did they cry to the One True and Living God who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ? Or did they cry to the federal government? What about the tornadoes out in Kansas? To whom did they cry? What about our droughts? What about our floods? To whom do we cry? Not to the One True and Living God. Let me tell you something. Nationally speaking, nationally speaking, we've committed exactly the same sin today that the Jews did when they crucified Christ, because we've traded Christ for Caesar. We traded God for a man. We traded God's law for man's law.

And we would rather have our sins than repent. And we'd rather lose our souls as a nation than take personal responsibility for our actions. When those Jews cried, "We're having no king but Caesar," they were not only denying God's salvation, but they were saying, "We'll be satisfied with a political salvation." Here's a third implication. And you've got to remember this: A king rules by his law. When they said, "We have no king but Caesar," what were they doing? They were trading God's law for man's law. I'm going to show you that in just a moment. Think about that. Let me ask you a question: Who is your king? And I know what you're saying, you're answering yourself, "Well, Jesus Christ is my king." Well, I pray that is true, but let me ask you another question: Whose law do you obey? You see, a king rules by his law. And our king is, in reality, the one whose law that we obey. Who is paramount in your life, Christ or Caesar? If there is a showdown and you have to choose between Christ or Caesar, who would you choose? If you cannot obey both and you only have to obey one, which one would you obey? Well, Peter and the other disciples answered that for us very clearly in Acts 5 and verse 29, when they simply said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." But may I just quote a few scriptures for you? Don't you think about this. Our Lord said in John 14, verse 21, "He that loveth me keepeth my commandments."

Verse 24: "He that hath not my commandments, or keepeth not my commandments, loveth me not." You remember what He said in 1 John 5 and verse 3: "And this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." How about this passage in 1 John 2 in verse 4? The Bible says, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." All I'm trying to show you is the war still exists between Christ and Caesar. Each one is claiming lordship. Each one is claiming divinity. Each one is claiming kingship. Each one is claiming the right to rule and the one who brings salvation. The question is, which one do we obey? Let me give you the fourth implication, then I want to tie it all together for you. The fourth one is this.

We must always remember that there are consequences to our actions. Here are these Jews standing before Pilate. Pilate says, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ, who is called the Messiah?" And they cry out, "Crucify him, crucify him, away with him." They were rejecting God's salvation. They were choosing the salvation of Caesar. They were wanting that, they were content with that, which meant now they're going to be under Caesar's law. They're going to abide by his law, his rules. But they've also forgotten there are consequences for rejecting the kingship of God and the kingship of Christ. When wicked men refuse Christ and His law, they rush headlong into the arms of tyrants.

They just simply bring misery upon themselves and their posterity. You've got to remember this, folks. We're either going to be ruled by God or by man, and we're going to find this out, that the severity of God is milder than the tender mercies of tyrants. Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles before I make some applications and look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. This is the passage where they have rejected God as king. I told you that a king rules by his law. When they rejected God as king, they were not only rejecting His person, they were rejecting His law. So once they have a human king, they're now going to be ruled by a human law. So look what God says. 1 Samuel chapter 8 and verse 7: "And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee." Now look what he says: "Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."

In other words, show them the consequences of their actions and of their choice. "And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king."

Consequences of Rejecting God's Kingship

Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8:7-18 to show the severe consequences of choosing a human king over God, including tyranny and oppression.

Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles before I make some applications and look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. This is the passage where they have rejected God as king. I told you that a king rules by his law. When they rejected God as king, they were not only rejecting His person, they were rejecting His law. So once they have a human king, they're now going to be ruled by a human law. So look what God says. 1 Samuel chapter 8 and verse 7: "And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee." Now look what he says: "Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."

In other words, show them the consequences of their actions and of their choice. "And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king." Now, listen. I'm going to emphasize one word with my voice. Here it is: "And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants."

Let me stop there just for a moment. God said, "You didn't want to serve Me? Fine. You'll serve him. You didn't like My law? Fine. You can have his law. You didn't like My mercies? Fine. You can have his severity." And then He says in verse 18: "And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day."

There's a price, dear friend, for rejecting the kingship of Jesus Christ. Those Jews cried out, "We are having no king but Caesar. We're not wanting any king but Caesar. We're rejecting Christ. We're rejecting Him as Messiah. We're rejecting Him as prophet, priest, and king. We'll not have this man reign over us. Caesar will take care of us. We'll be satisfied with Caesar." And guess what? Guess what? Caesar showed them how merciful he could be in 70 A.D.

National and Personal Application

Weaver applies the message nationally (America trading Christ for Caesar) and personally (believers rejecting Christ's reign in daily life), urging full submission to Christ's kingship.

when he tore down and destroyed Jerusalem and literally murdered millions of them. The Word of God says even the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. How much more the cruelty. Our Lord says it so accurately in Proverbs 8 and verse 36 when He says this: "He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death." Those who trust in Caesar keep crying out, "Give us better government. Give us better government." Do you realize that all Caesar can do is to create more bureaucracies and more little tyrants? He cannot save us because he is not God. Only Jesus Christ can save us, for Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords.

Did you know that on August the 2nd, 1776, when the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence was being signed—yes, I know, two signed it on July the 4th, but most of them signed later on August the 2nd—but when our Founding Fathers were signing the Declaration of Independence, August 2, 1776, Samuel Adams said this. Listen. Samuel Adams said, "We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun. Let His kingdom come." Our founding fathers said, "We have this day restored the rightful Sovereign." Not King George, but King Jesus. Who is your sovereign? Who is your savior?

Now, let me show you something. Committing the sins of the Jews. We can commit those sins nationally. And we can commit those sins individually. Nationally, what we have done as a professing Christendom is we've traded Christ for man, we've traded God's law for man's law. But do you realize we do that personally as well? Now, let me tell you what the Jews wanted when our Lord came. What the Jews wanted was not a meek and lowly Savior who would make atonement for their sins and save them. What they wanted was a deliverer who would come riding in on a white charger and deliver them from the Roman Empire.

Even our Lord's disciples in Acts chapter 1 in verse 6 ask this question: "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" They were expecting Christ to come in on that white charger and restore the kingdom to Israel. Now watch this: where the Jews messed up—they wanted a political deliverer, but they did not want a personal deliverer. Where we mess up today in 2007, we're willing to receive Christ as a personal deliverer, but not as a political deliverer, not as King of kings and Lord of lords. Now, when I say we're willing to receive Him as a personal deliverer, what I mean by that is this: Who wants to go to hell? Nobody. Why? Everybody's willing to be a Christian in the sense that we want to be saved from the penalty of our sins so that we can enjoy the pleasure of our sins. That's what we want. We want to be delivered from that penalty so that we will not be judged and destroyed. But at the same time, we do not want Jesus Christ to reign over us.

What we're saying is this: "Oh, I'll bow to Your priesthood and I'll bow to Your prophethood, but Lord, don't be a king in my life. Don't tell me how to live. Don't tell me how to act. Don't tell me how to walk and talk and how to dress and how to treat my parents and treat my friends and treat my husband and treat my mother. Don't tell me." Oh, yes, dear friend. If He is your prophet, if He is your priest, He is also your king, which means He has the sovereign right to reign over you and tell you everything. He's King of kings and Lord of lords.

Let me show you one thing. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 1, last scripture. Luke 1. Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist. I want you to note the prophecy, the words, the admiration that Zacharias gave. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 1, verse 67: "And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying," I want you to watch this carefully. He's talking about the first coming of Christ. He's talking about the birth of Christ. "He was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." May I point out that Zacharias' prophecy was not talking about the second coming of Christ, but the first coming of Christ. Christ now is quite able to deliver us from our enemies. He is now quite able to give us complete and total and absolute deliverance politically, nationally, any way whatsoever. But what is required is a bowing to His kingship. Salvation does not come just any old way. It only comes God's way. The other verse does not come any old way. It only comes God's way. Are you listening? And on God's terms. What did those wicked people say about Christ in Luke 19 and verse 14?

They said, "We will not have this man to reign over us." You know what Christians are saying in this day and time? Personally, individually, by their actions, "We'll not have this man to reign over us." But I've got news for you, folks. Whether you admit it, whether you acknowledge it, whether you confess it, whether you believe it, He is still King of kings and Lord of lords. And He has all power and all authority. And you will bow sooner or later. Because every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Do not commit the sins of the Jews. You bow to Christ in your personal life. You bow to Christ in your family life. You bow to Christ in your church life. You bow to Christ in your business life. You bow to Christ in your political life. You bow in every area. For Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the God-Man, the Son of God, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, prophet, priest, and king. Let's pray. Father, we do ask You to teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, help us to see, Lord, the absolute importance of the kingship of Jesus Christ, how it affects all of our life every day. And Lord, may we not say with those wicked people, "We'll not have this man to reign over us."

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver concludes by warning that every knee will bow to Christ, urging believers to bow now in every area of life, and closes in prayer.

And you will bow sooner or later. Because every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Do not commit the sins of the Jews. You bow to Christ in your personal life. You bow to Christ in your family life. You bow to Christ in your church life. You bow to Christ in your business life. You bow to Christ in your political life. You bow in every area. For Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the God-Man, the Son of God, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, prophet, priest, and king. Let's pray. Father, we do ask You to teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, help us to see, Lord, the absolute importance of the kingship of Jesus Christ, how it affects all of our life every day. And Lord, may we not say with those wicked people, "We'll not have this man to reign over us."

May we not say, "We're only needing and wanting and having Caesar." May we say, "We're only needing and wanting and having Jesus Christ, who is the true King, the true Lord, and the true Savior." In His name we pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Rejection of Christ's Kingship

Summary: The central sin of the Jews was rejecting Jesus as king, and modern Christians and society commit the same sin by refusing His reign.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'We have no king but Caesar' (John 19:15) and applies it to today: 'We've traded Christ for Caesar.'

Christ's Three Offices

Summary: Jesus is prophet, priest, and king; denying any office destroys salvation, and one cannot accept Him as Savior without accepting Him as Lord.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'You cannot divide the offices of Christ without destroying salvation.'

God's Sovereignty and Foreordination

Summary: Every detail of Christ's death was foreordained by God, yet the Jews acted in rebellion and were responsible.

Evidence: Weaver cites Acts 2:23 and Acts 4:27-28, saying, 'There was not one thing done to Jesus Christ that was not already foreordained.'

Political Salvation vs. Divine Salvation

Summary: The Jews sought a political deliverer in Caesar, rejecting God's salvation; today, people look to government instead of God.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'They were saying, "We'll be satisfied with a political salvation."'

Obedience to God's Law vs. Man's Law

Summary: Rejecting Christ's kingship means trading God's law for man's law, and a king rules by his law.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'Whose law do you obey?' and cites 1 John 2:4.

Consequences of Rejecting God

Summary: Rejecting God's rule leads to tyranny and misery, as seen in 1 Samuel 8 and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Evidence: Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8:7-18 and references the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.

Personal and National Idolatry

Summary: Rejecting God's kingship is idolatry, whether nationally (trusting government) or personally (refusing Christ's reign in daily life).

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We've traded God for a man. We traded God's law for man's law.'

The Necessity of Bowing to Christ

Summary: Every knee will bow to Christ; believers must bow now in every area of life, acknowledging His lordship.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'You will bow sooner or later... Do not commit the sins of the Jews.'

Key Arguments

The Jews crucified Christ, not all humanity collectively.

Summary: Weaver argues that Scripture specifically charges the Jews with crucifying Christ, contrary to politically correct notions.

Evidence: Weaver cites John 5:16-18, Acts 2:23, Acts 4:10, Acts 10:39, and Acts 7:52.

Christ's death was foreordained, but the Jews acted in rebellion.

Summary: God predetermined Christ's death, but the Jews hated Him freely and were responsible for their sin.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'They hated me without a cause' (John 15:25) and explains the Greek word for 'freely.'

Jesus must be acknowledged as prophet, priest, and king for salvation.

Summary: Denying any of Christ's offices destroys salvation; He is one person with three inseparable offices.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'If you deny either one of those offices, you have likewise destroyed salvation.'

Rejecting Christ's kingship is rejecting God Himself.

Summary: Drawing from 1 Samuel 8, Weaver argues that rejecting God's reign is rejecting His person and leads to idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver quotes 1 Samuel 8:7: 'They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.'

The cry 'We have no king but Caesar' denies theological salvation.

Summary: The Jews' statement was a rejection of God's salvation, choosing Caesar instead.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'They are denying God's salvation. They're saying, "We don't need God."'

Modern society looks to government for salvation instead of God.

Summary: Weaver compares the Jews' trust in Caesar to modern Americans crying to the federal government during disasters.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'To whom did the people of America cry for help? ... Did they cry to the One True and Living God?'

Rejecting God's law leads to tyranny.

Summary: When people reject God's rule, they fall under oppressive human rule, as warned in 1 Samuel 8.

Evidence: Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8:11-18 and says, 'The severity of God is milder than the tender mercies of tyrants.'

Personal rejection of Christ's kingship is common among professing Christians.

Summary: Many want Christ as Savior from hell but not as Lord over their lives, which is impossible.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We want to be delivered from that penalty so that we will not be judged... but we do not want Jesus Christ to reign over us.'

Scripture References

John 18:36-37

Context: Jesus declares His kingdom is not of this world and that He came to bear witness to the truth.

John 19:14-15

Context: The Jews cry out for Jesus' crucifixion and declare they have no king but Caesar.

John 19:19-22

Context: Pilate writes 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews' on the cross, and the chief priests object.

John 5:16, 18

Context: The Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him for healing on the Sabbath and claiming equality with God.

John 19:10-11

Context: Jesus tells Pilate that the one who delivered Him has the greater sin, referring to the Jews.

Acts 2:22-23

Context: Peter charges the men of Israel with crucifying Jesus by wicked hands.

Acts 4:10

Context: Peter tells the leaders of Israel that they crucified Jesus, whom God raised from the dead.

Acts 10:39

Context: Peter testifies that the Jews slew Jesus and hanged Him on a tree.

Acts 7:51-52

Context: Stephen accuses the Jewish leaders of being betrayers and murderers of the Just One.

Acts 2:23

Context: Christ was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.

Acts 4:26-28

Context: Herod, Pilate, Gentiles, and Israel gathered to do what God's hand and counsel determined before.

John 15:25

Context: Jesus says the Jews hated Him without a cause, fulfilling the law.

Daniel 9:25-26

Context: Reference to the Messiah the Prince, though not read directly.

Deuteronomy 18:18-19

Context: God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses and put His words in his mouth.

John 1:1-3, 14

Context: The Word was God and became flesh, dwelling among us.

1 Timothy 3:16

Context: God was manifest in the flesh, the mystery of godliness.

Acts 2:36

Context: God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, whom the Jews crucified.

Acts 5:31

Context: God exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness.

John 20:30-31

Context: These are written that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life.

Romans 1:4

Context: Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.

Historical References

Caesar Augustus claimed divinity and salvation

Context: Weaver explains that Augustus proclaimed 'Salvation is to be found in none other save Augustus' and called himself 'Divi Filius' (Son of God).

Roman Senate deified Julius Caesar in 42 B.C.

Context: The Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity, proclaiming him 'Divus Iulius.'

Emperor Domitian demanded worship as 'dominus et deus'

Context: Domitian (86-96 A.D.) demanded worship as Lord and God, persecuting Christians who refused.

Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Context: Weaver references the Roman destruction of Jerusalem as a consequence of rejecting Christ's kingship.

Samuel Adams' statement on August 2, 1776

Context: At the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Samuel Adams said, 'We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient.'

Augustus revived old pagan religion and built temples

Context: Weaver notes that Augustus revived pagan religion and rebuilt temples, and later emperors were worshipped as gods.

Emperor Tiberius' speech before the Senate

Context: Tiberius said he was mortal and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind.

Early Christians persecuted for refusing to say 'Caesar is Lord'

Context: Christians were executed as traitors for not swearing by the genius of Caesar and acknowledging his lordship.

Katrina and Andrew hurricanes as examples of crying to government

Context: Weaver uses recent disasters to illustrate Americans looking to federal government instead of God.

Albert Barnes' commentary on Acts 2:36

Context: Barnes explains that 'Lord' means proprietor, master, or sovereign, and that Jesus was exalted as king.

Important Quotes

We have no king but Caesar.

Significance: The Jews' declaration rejecting Christ's kingship, which Weaver uses as the central example of their sin and a pattern for modern rejection.

They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Significance: God's words in 1 Samuel 8:7 showing that rejecting His kingship is rejecting His person, a key parallel to the Jews' sin.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Significance: Peter's declaration in Acts 2:36 that Jesus is both Lord and Messiah, emphasizing His sovereign authority.

He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Significance: Proverbs 8:36 quoted to show the self-destructive consequences of rejecting Christ.

We will not have this man to reign over us.

Significance: Luke 19:14 quoted to show the rebellious attitude of those rejecting Christ's reign, applied to modern Christians.

The severity of God is milder than the tender mercies of tyrants.

Significance: Weaver's summary of the consequences of rejecting God's rule, leading to oppressive human government.

Salvation is to be found in none other save Augustus, and there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved.

Significance: The proclamation of Caesar Augustus, which Peter directly contradicted in Acts 4:12, highlighting the conflict between Christ and Caesar.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do modern Christians, like the Jews, reject Christ's kingship while still wanting His salvation?

Context: Weaver argues that many want Christ as personal Savior but not as Lord over their lives.

How does the statement 'We have no king but Caesar' manifest in our culture today?

Context: Weaver points to reliance on government rather than God during crises.

Why is it impossible to accept Christ as Savior without accepting Him as Lord?

Context: Weaver teaches that Christ's offices of prophet, priest, and king are inseparable.

What are the consequences of a nation rejecting God's law for man's law?

Context: Weaver uses 1 Samuel 8 to show that rejecting God's rule leads to tyranny.

How should the kingship of Christ affect our daily decisions and priorities?

Context: Weaver calls for bowing to Christ in personal, family, church, business, and political life.

What does it mean that the Jews hated Christ 'without a cause'?

Context: Weaver explains the Greek word for 'freely,' meaning there was nothing in Christ that merited their hatred.

How did the early Christians' refusal to say 'Caesar is Lord' demonstrate their allegiance to Christ's kingship?

Context: Weaver describes the persecution of Christians for not swearing by Caesar's genius.

In what areas of your life are you most tempted to say, 'We will not have this man to reign over us'?

Context: Weaver challenges believers to examine areas where they resist Christ's authority.

Applications

Submit to Christ's kingship in every area of life

Summary: Believers must bow to Christ not only as Savior but as Lord, allowing Him to reign over personal, family, church, business, and political life.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'You bow to Christ in your personal life. You bow to Christ in your family life... in every area.'

Reject political salvation and trust God alone

Summary: Instead of looking to government or human leaders for salvation and security, trust in Jesus Christ as the true King and Savior.

Evidence: Weaver warns against crying to the federal government during disasters instead of God.

Obey God's law over man's law when they conflict

Summary: When faced with a choice between obeying Christ or Caesar, believers must obey God, as Peter did in Acts 5:29.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'If there is a showdown and you have to choose between Christ or Caesar, who would you choose?'

Acknowledge Christ's full identity for salvation

Summary: Salvation requires believing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and accepting Him as prophet, priest, and king.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'If you deny either one of those offices, you have likewise destroyed salvation.'

Repent of national and personal idolatry

Summary: Recognize and turn from the idolatry of trusting in human institutions and rejecting God's reign.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We've traded God for a man. We traded God's law for man's law.'

Understand the consequences of rejecting God's rule

Summary: Rejecting God's kingship leads to tyranny and misery, as seen in 1 Samuel 8 and history.

Evidence: Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8:11-18 and references the destruction of Jerusalem.

Proclaim Christ's lordship boldly

Summary: Like Peter and the early Christians, believers should boldly declare that Jesus is Lord, even in the face of cultural or political pressure.

Evidence: Weaver praises Peter's boldness in Acts 4:12 and the early Christians' refusal to say 'Caesar is Lord.'

Examine your obedience to Christ's commandments

Summary: True love for Christ is demonstrated by keeping His commandments; disobedience reveals a lack of love.

Evidence: Weaver quotes John 14:21, 24 and 1 John 2:4.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T04:33:38Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:49:02Z

Clean Transcript

Committing the Sin of the Jews

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Well, I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to John chapter 18 and John chapter 19. John chapter 18, John chapter 19. I brought the message last night, "The Sin That Every Christian Commits, and Especially on Sunday." Tonight, I want to bring a message which I've entitled "Committing the Sins of the Jews." And then, Lord willing, tomorrow night, I'm going to be bringing a message on why God does not answer most prayers.
#1 | 0:00 to 0:29 | cleaned
So I hope that you will be able to be here. But look in your Bible to John chapter 18, and we're going to read two verses there, verses 36 and 37, and then we're going to chapter 19. John chapter 18, verse 36: "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence."
#2 | 0:30 to 0:57 | cleaned
"Pilate therefore said of him, Art thou then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of truth heareth my voice."
#3 | 0:58 to 1:10 | cleaned
Now skip down to chapter 19, if you would, verses 14 and 15. John 19, verse 14: "And it was the preparation of the Passover at about the sixth hour, and he said to the Jews, Behold your king. And they cried out, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar." Now skip down to verse 19: "Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross, and the writing was Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city."
#4 | 1:11 to 1:51 | cleaned
"It was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not the King of the Jews, but that he said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written." Committing the sins of the Jews. It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well, that may be true in certain aspects, but it's certainly not true when it comes to sin, rebellion, and wickedness.
#5 | 1:51 to 2:21 | cleaned
And I want to demonstrate something for you tonight from Scripture, something that you probably never really even thought about. And that is how today we are duplicating exactly the sins of the Jews. In fact, we're duplicating that sin when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Now, I know that it's not politically correct to refer to the scriptural fact that the Jews crucified Christ. But it is a scriptural fact which I'm going to show you. Many Christians try to water down that subject and they say, well, you know, we kind of all crucified Him—He died for the sins of His people. And if we're believers, our sins were placed upon Him. And so we kind of all crucified Him. I understand that you can say that, and I certainly understand that thought.
#6 | 2:22 to 3:12 | cleaned
But the Scriptures are very specific. And I want you to know how over and over they tell us that it was the Jews who crucified Christ. In fact, in John chapter 18, our Lord said, if His kingdom were of this world, then would His disciples fight that He might not be delivered unto the Jews. It was the Jews who hated Him. It was the Jews who sought His life. It was the Jews who delivered Him up unto Pilate. It was the Jews who demanded that He be crucified. Listen, if you would, as I read John chapter 5, verse 16 and then verse 18. Here's what it says: "And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath day." When you get to verse 18, the Bible says this: "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he had not only broken the Sabbath, but also said that God was his father, making himself equal with God." Over and over, you read in the Bible how the Jews persecuted Christ.
#7 | 3:13 to 4:18 | cleaned
And if you look back at John 19 and verse 11, look what Christ told Pilate. Pilate had asked our Lord, or said to him, "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?" in verse 10. Our Lord answers in verse 11: "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." And of course, we realize it was the Jews who delivered Jesus Christ up unto Pilate. Now, on the day of Pentecost, Peter specifically charged the Jews with the crucifixion of Christ. If you would hold John 19, but look in your Bibles, first of all, to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2. And look at verse 23. Peter is preaching. Acts chapter 2, verse 23, and the Bible says, "Him," that is Christ—in fact, we can go back and look at verse 22.
#8 | 4:19 to 5:19 | cleaned
"Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." So once again, Peter, on the day of Pentecost, is specifically charging the Jews with crucifying Christ.
#9 | 5:21 to 5:52 | cleaned
If you would look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 4 and verse 10. Acts 4, verse 10. Once again, Peter is preaching to the leaders and he says this: "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole." So Peter, once again, is preaching. He's preaching to the Jews and he says, "You crucified Christ." Now, if you would turn right over to Acts chapter 10. Acts chapter 10. And notice, if you would please, verse 39. In this passage, the Word of God tells us very specifically, Acts 10, verse 39: "And we are witnesses of all these things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem." Now look: "whom they slew and hanged on a tree." Now, once again, the Bible is specifically saying that it was the Jews who crucified Christ. Now, if you will go back to Acts chapter 7, Stephen is giving his testimony before he is stoned to death.
#10 | 5:53 to 7:04 | cleaned
And look what he says in Acts chapter 7 in verse 52. In fact, he says this to them in verse 51: "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." Now, look what he says: "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers." So once again, even Stephen says it was the Jews who betrayed and murdered Christ. Now, I realize it is not politically correct in this day and time to say that the Jews crucified Christ, but it is scripturally correct to do so because the Bible repeats that truth over and over. So you may believe the politically correct version or you may believe the scriptural version. And as for me and my house, I want to believe the Word of God. Now, the question that must be asked is not who crucified Christ. The Bible is exceedingly plain upon that subject.
#11 | 7:05 to 8:10 | cleaned
But the question that has to be asked is, why did the Jews crucify Christ? Why was He crucified?
#12 | 8:12 to 8:20 | cleaned
Now, we understand and know that every detail of the life and the death of Jesus Christ was foreordained by God. In fact, if you look back in your Bibles to Acts chapter 2 and then we'll go to Acts chapter 4, look in Acts chapter 2. And notice, if you would please, verse 22 again—I read it just a few minutes earlier, but let me emphasize something different on this point. "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know." Now look: "Him," that is Christ, "being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God." So God then determined beforehand everything that was to happen to Jesus Christ down to the letter. In fact, if you look at Acts chapter 4, here is a confession of that fact. Acts chapter 4, beginning there with verse 26. Once again, the Word of God says: "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ."
#13 | 8:21 to 9:38 | cleaned
Now watch: "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." So let me just spell it out for you. There was not one thing done to Jesus Christ that was not already foreordained before the foundation of the world. His scourging, His crucifixion, His mocking, everything down to the nth degree, had been predestinated and foreordained by God. God left nothing to chance, nothing to fate, nothing to fortune. Everything was predetermined by God. Nothing could happen outside of God's will because God was in absolute, total, sovereign control. Please remember, nothing happens by accident when it comes to God. And you can't slip up on God's blind side because He doesn't have one. God is the omniscient sovereign of heaven and earth.
#14 | 9:38 to 10:48 | cleaned
Now, here's what the Scripture teaches. Although everything about the death of Jesus Christ was foreordained from before the foundation of the world—and you do remember that He's referred to as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world—since everything was foreordained by God concerning Christ, you've got to know this: that those who crucified Christ did not do so in obedience to God, but in rebellion to God.
#15 | 10:48 to 11:19 | cleaned
In fact, the Bible says the kings of the earth did not even understand what they were doing. But they were in rebellion. They were not doing anything in obedience to Jesus Christ. They hated Jesus Christ. They were refusing Him as the Messiah. And here's what our Lord said in John 15 and verse 25. Now listen carefully. John 15, verse 25. Our Lord said, "But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." What does that mean? Here's what it means. They hated Him freely. You remember that passage in Romans 3, where the Bible says, "being justified freely by his grace." That means this: there was nothing in the sinner that merited, earned, or drew forth the grace of God. It was free. When the Bible says, "They hated me without a cause," it is the same Greek word—they hated Me freely. That means this: there was nothing in Jesus Christ that earned or merited or drew forth their hatred. They hated Him just simply because they hated Him.
#16 | 11:20 to 12:39 | cleaned
And therefore, they were in rebellion to God, and they were responsible for His death. Why did they crucify Him? Because they hated Him, they refused Him, and they rejected Him. But why did they do that? When you look in Daniel—and don't turn there—but when you look in Daniel 9, verses 25 and 26, you're going to find the word "Messiah." And we all have heard and have said that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. The Hebrew word for Messiah is "Mashiach." That word is only translated twice in our Bibles as "Messiah." However, it is translated 37 times as "anointed." The word Messiah literally means "the Anointed One." Hence then, it refers to Jesus as the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Prince, the King of Israel.
#17 | 12:40 to 13:52 | cleaned
Now, I want you to stop and think just for a moment because I'm going to build the message tonight around this truth. We talk about Jesus Christ. Sometimes we read in the Scripture "Jesus the Christ." And oftentimes we say "Jesus Christ" without even thinking—it's like saying "John Weaver." I've got a first name. I've got a last name. And when we say "Jesus Christ," we never even stop and think about what we're saying. The Greek word for Jesus is the word "Iēsous," which literally means "Savior." The Hebrew word, of course, is "Yeshua." That is also where we get the word "Joshua" from. "Yeshua," which is translated in our Bibles as "Jesus" and occasionally as "Joshua," both of those words mean "Savior." So when you use the word "Jesus," that is our Lord's human name, the name actually means "Savior." And when you say "Christ," it is from the Greek word "Christos," which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word "Messiah," and the word "Christos" just literally means "the Anointed One"
#18 | 13:53 to 15:18 | cleaned
or "anointed." So when you say "Jesus Christ," what you're saying is "Jesus the Savior, the Anointed One," that is the Messiah, the One who has been sent by God the Father, He is the God-Man, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. So when you say "Jesus Christ," you are confessing and acknowledging that Jesus is not only the Savior, He is the Messiah that God the Father sent. So Jesus Christ is literally the Messiah. He is the Anointed One of God.
#19 | 15:18 to 15:52 | cleaned
Now, stop and think about this with me. As you read through the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, you find that prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Now, prophets were not necessarily anointed in the same exact way that the priests and the kings were, but they too were anointed. For instance, if you look back in your Bibles—hold John 19—but if you look back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18, Deuteronomy 18, and let's begin reading there at verse 18.
#20 | 15:53 to 16:30 | cleaned
And Moses is talking about the fact that God is going to raise up a prophet like unto himself. And, of course, that prophet is none other than Jesus Christ. So look in Deuteronomy chapter 18 and verse 18. Here's what God says: "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee," that is, like unto Moses, "and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."
#21 | 16:30 to 17:08 | cleaned
Now, here is how those prophets were anointed. They were anointed in the sense that God placed His words in their mouths. Last night, we read from 2 Chronicles 36, verses 15 and 16, where God had mercy upon His people and He sent them His messengers and His prophets. But when you get to verse 16, He says this: "They would not listen to his messengers, and they despised his words." "His" is singular. It was not the words of the messengers they were despising. They were despising God's word who sent the messengers. And so God had placed His word in their mouths.
#22 | 17:09 to 17:58 | cleaned
Now, let's stop and think about Jesus Christ for a little bit tonight. Because the topic of this message is "Committing the Sins of the Jews." I'm trying to show you and lay the foundation how we today are doing exactly the same things the Jews did in their rejection of Jesus Christ. Now, we know that Jesus Christ is the God-Man. Let me put it like this: He is one person with two natures. He is God, and He is man.
#23 | 17:59 to 18:34 | cleaned
The Bible makes it exceedingly clear. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:1-3. When you come down to verse 14, it says this: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." When you get to 1 Timothy 3, verse 16, the Bible says, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." What's that mean?
#24 | 18:35 to 19:12 | cleaned
It means Jesus Christ is one person, but He has two natures. He is perfect God, and He is perfect man.
#25 | 19:12 to 19:20 | cleaned
Now, let me just show you the absolute importance of this. If you deny either one of those natures—He's divine or He's human—if you deny the fact that He's God, you destroy salvation. If you deny the fact that He's man, you destroy salvation. Jesus Christ has to be both God and man in order for salvation to be. He has to be God in order to be able to expiate, that is to wash away and to pay for and to take care of our sins. And He has to be man to be our substitute because it was in our nature that we sinned against God. So if you turn around and say, "Well, Jesus Christ is not God," then you've destroyed salvation. If you try to turn around and say, "Well, He may be God, but He was not a real man. He was just a mirage," then you've destroyed salvation. He has to be God and man in order to have salvation. But now watch this. Jesus Christ is not only just one person with two natures.
#26 | 19:20 to 20:21 | cleaned
Jesus Christ is one person with three offices. He is prophet, priest, and king. What did the prophet do? The prophet declares the word of God. Well, we just read that in Deuteronomy 18. God said, "I'm going to raise up a prophet like unto Moses. I'm going to put my words in his mouth." So Jesus Christ is our prophet to declare unto us the word of God. Jesus Christ is our priest, not only to make atonement for us, but also to make intercession for us. Jesus Christ is also our king to rule over us. Now, just like Jesus Christ is one person with two natures, if you deny either one of those natures, you've destroyed salvation. Jesus Christ is also prophet, priest, and king. He holds all three offices. If you deny either one of those offices, you have likewise destroyed salvation. Salvation hinges upon, it is based upon, it is founded upon Christ as the God-Man and Christ as prophet, priest, and king.
#27 | 20:23 to 21:42 | cleaned
Now, let me explain the importance of what I'm trying to tell you. There are some today who try to say, "Well, you know, you can pick whichever offices of Christ that you want to believe in and bow to." What are they saying? Here's what they're saying: "Well, you can receive Christ as your prophet to declare unto you the Word of God. And you can receive Christ as your priest to make atonement for your sins and to make intercession for you. But you don't have to bow to Him as king. You don't have to bow to Him as Lord." No, no, no. Christ is one person in three offices. Just like you cannot divide the two natures of Christ without destroying salvation, you cannot divide the offices of Christ without destroying salvation. There is no such thing as one-half being saved or one-third being saved. Jesus Christ is either prophet, priest, and king, or He is nothing. He is what God ordained Him to be. And when someone says, "Well, you can just pick and choose"—
#28 | 21:43 to 23:02 | cleaned
No, you can't do that. He is prophet, priest, and king. If you receive Him as your prophet and as your priest, you must also receive Him as king. I'm going to say this again before I close. The only Savior that exists, the only one who exists is Jesus Christ, and He is prophet, priest, and king. He holds all three offices.
#29 | 23:02 to 23:27 | cleaned
Now, I want you to look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 2. I want you to turn there. Let me show you why I'm emphasizing this truth. Look at Acts chapter 2. Notice verse 36. Acts 2, verse 36. Watch carefully. Acts 2, verse 36. Peter is preaching and he says this: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Look what he said. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." I hear preachers sometimes ask people, "Well, won't you make Christ the Lord of your life?" And I always want to scream, "You can't do that!"
#30 | 23:27 to 24:26 | cleaned
God's already beat you to it. He made Him Lord and Christ. He already is Lord. But He's not only Lord, He is Christ. He is the Anointed One. He is Messiah.
#31 | 24:27 to 24:39 | cleaned
Now, I want you to look at the word "assuredly." "Therefore let the house of Israel know assuredly..." Wow! Let me tell you about the word "assuredly." It is the Greek word "asphalōs," and it is not only translated as "assuredly" in our Bibles, it is also translated as "safely." I'm going to show you two passages. And when you see the word "safely," it doesn't mean "without harm." It means "securely." For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Mark—hold Acts—look in your Bibles to the book of Mark, chapter 14.
#32 | 24:40 to 25:28 | cleaned
And notice, if you would please, verse 44. Judas has betrayed Christ. Mark 14, verse 44. And look what the Bible says concerning Judas. Mark 14, verse 44: "And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely."
#33 | 25:28 to 25:53 | cleaned
Now, once again, the word "safely" does not mean "without harm." It means "securely." I'm going to show you that in just a moment. It means "don't let him escape. Don't let him get away."
#34 | 25:55 to 26:08 | cleaned
Now, if you look at it in your Bibles, Acts chapter 16, you'll see exactly how that same word is translated "safely" again. You remember that Paul and Silas have been beaten. They've been thrown into the dungeon. You remember how Paul had delivered this demon-possessed girl. And so in Acts 16 and verse 23, look what the Bible says: "And when they had laid many stripes upon them," that is, Paul and Silas, "they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely." Now, the word "safely" there doesn't mean "without harm." I mean, they'd already beaten the living daylights out of them. They'd laid many stripes upon them. They threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them securely.
#35 | 26:08 to 26:53 | cleaned
"Don't you let them escape. Don't you let them get out of here."
#36 | 26:53 to 26:56 | cleaned
Now, listen to what Peter said: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly." That is, let all the house of Israel know securely. This is a fact that is beyond escape. You cannot get away from it. "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." That is, Jesus Christ fills every office that God the Father ordained for Him. He is prophet, priest, and king.
#37 | 26:57 to 27:39 | cleaned
Now, let me give you two quotes based upon what I've just told you. Here are two commentators to show you I'm not just making this up. This is not an original interpretation, but here's Albert Barnes and he says this: "The word 'Lord' properly denotes proprietor, master, or sovereign. Here it means clearly that God had exalted him to be king as so long expected, and that he had given him dominion in the heavens, or as we should say, ruler of all things. The extent of this dominion may be seen in John 17, Ephesians 1, etc."
#38 | 27:40 to 28:21 | cleaned
"In the exercise of this office, he now rules in heaven and on earth, and will yet come to judge the world. The truth was particularly fitted to excite their fear. They had murdered their sovereign, now shown to be raised from the dead and entrusted with infinite power. They had reason, therefore, to fear that he would come forth in vengeance and punish them for their crimes. Sinners opposing the Savior are at war with their living and mighty sovereign and Lord. He has all power, and it is not safe to contend with the judge of the living and the dead."
#39 | 28:21 to 28:57 | cleaned
Now what was Albert Barnes saying on Acts 2 and verse 36? That Jesus Christ now has all power. He fills every office that God the Father ordained for Him. And then the Baptist John Gill said this: "God the Father had not only constituted and appointed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah, the Lord of lords and King of kings, and had invested him with that office, power, and authority, but he had made him manifest to be so by the Holy
#40 | 28:58 to 29:25 | cleaned
Spirit whom he had received and now poured forth the same. And not another, even him whom they have rejected with so much contempt, whom they had treated in such a scornful and brutish manner, has stood upon and buffeted and scourged, and at last crucified. Yet now had he all power in heaven and earth given unto him, he was exalted above every name, that in his name every knee should bow."
#41 | 29:25 to 29:49 | cleaned
Now when Peter said, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly," let them know securely, that God has made Jesus Christ the sovereign Lord, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Therefore, He is prophet, priest, and king.
#42 | 29:49 to 30:11 | cleaned
Now, if you look in your Bibles, Acts 5, verse 31, here Christ is called a Prince. I'll tell you why. Look in Acts 5, verse 31. The Bible says: "Him," that is Christ, "hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."
#43 | 30:11 to 30:40 | cleaned
Now the word "Prince" is the Greek word "archēgos," which means prince or captain or author, one who takes the lead in anything and thus affords an example, such as a predecessor. In Acts 3 and verse 15, Jesus Christ is again called Prince, but this time He's called the Prince of life. When the word "Prince" or "archēgos" is used of Jesus Christ, it means that Christ is in the actual exercise of His office. He not only holds that office, He's fulfilling that office. He's exercising that office. It denotes the fact that Jesus Christ has power and dominion. That's why in Matthew 28 and verse 18 He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
#44 | 30:40 to 31:36 | cleaned
Now ask yourself a question. And I've just showed you a few passages. But ask yourself this question: Why is it that the apostles over and over preached on the resurrection and the exaltation of Jesus Christ? Why is it that over and over they pointed out the fact that Christ was the Messiah? Why did they point out over and over that Jesus had been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God? Is there a reason?
#45 | 31:37 to 32:14 | cleaned
And the answer is yes. Is there an important reason? And the answer is still yes. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 20, and let's look at verses 30 and 31. John 20, verses 30 and 31.
#46 | 32:15 to 32:31 | cleaned
Now, in order to commit the sins of the Jews, in order to see how we're doing it, you've got to understand who Jesus Christ is. You've got to understand His position. You've got to understand He is prophet, priest, and king. He's the Messiah. He's King of kings and Lord of lords. So look in John 20, verses 30 and 31. John writes: "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book." That is the book of John. "But these are written." That is, this is why he put all of these facts in the Gospel of John. "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." Now, I want you to go back and look at verse 31. Watch this. Here's what he's saying now: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name."
#47 | 32:31 to 33:44 | cleaned
Now let me show you John's argument. The argument is very simple. If Jesus is the Messiah, if He's the Anointed One that was foreordained and predestinated in the Old Testament, then as the Messiah, He fills those three offices of prophet, priest, and king. Now watch this. If Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and if Jesus Christ fills the office of prophet, priest, and king, it also means that He is the Son of God. Look what he said: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God." So if Jesus Christ is Messiah, He's the Son of God. What does that mean? That means He's King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods. Now John says very simply, "I want you to believe that Jesus is Messiah. If you ever believe that Jesus is Messiah, you must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
#48 | 33:45 to 34:46 | cleaned
Now, the point I'm trying to make is what I said earlier. You cannot deny nor divide the person of Jesus Christ without destroying salvation. Neither can you deny or divide either one of these offices—prophet, priest, and king—without destroying and denying salvation. If you look in your Bibles, Romans chapter 1, verse 4, let me show you what openly declared Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. I asked you a question earlier: Why did the disciples always emphasize the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Why did they emphasize the exaltation of Christ? Here's why. Look in Romans 1 in verse 4: "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." It was the resurrection from the dead that pointed out, that singled out, that manifested, that declared that Jesus the Messiah was indeed the Son of God. Now, the emphasis in the New Testament is not only that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, but He is prophet, priest, and king. And consequently, He is the Son of God.
#49 | 34:46 to 36:08 | cleaned
If He is the Son of God, He has all power and all authority. Now listen to me very carefully. I want you to understand something. We do not have a Savior who is not king. We do not have a priest who is not king. You remember Melchizedek, translated "King of Salem," "King of Peace," "King of Righteousness." Here's Melchizedek, who was a priest, who was also king, who is a type of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not just a prophet. He's the prophet-king. He's not just the priest. He's a priest-king. Jesus Christ, since He is the Son of God, is King of kings and Lord of lords.
#50 | 36:09 to 37:01 | cleaned
One must bow to Him in order to be saved. Let me put it to you like this: The only Savior that exists is the Savior who is prophet, priest, and king. I've had people say to me in times past, "Well, I believe in God, but I don't believe that Jesus Christ is God." And I tell them, "Then, therefore, you don't believe in God, for the only God that exists is the God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ." And if you read John chapter 5, He'll say, "He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father." So the only Savior that exists is the one who is the Messiah, who is prophet, priest, and king, and that Messiah is the Son of God. Now, now that I've established one simple truth—Jesus Christ is the Messiah, He's the Son of God—
#51 | 37:02 to 38:09 | cleaned
Now, how do we commit the sins of the Jews? Look in your Bibles, 1 Samuel, chapter 8. I'm going to come back to John 18 and 19. I have not forgotten that. That is the text. And I'm going to explain it just momentarily. Look in your Bibles, if you would please, 1 Samuel, chapter 8. I hope you know the story in 1 Samuel chapter 8.
#52 | 38:11 to 38:42 | cleaned
In this passage, the children of Israel refuse God as their king. And they want a man to be their king. But I want you to note what the Scripture says. I want you to know what God says concerning this. Look in 1 Samuel 8, verse 4: "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways."
#53 | 38:42 to 39:15 | cleaned
"Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." We want a king. We want to be just like the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites. We want a king. Verse 6: "But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord." Now look at what the Lord said: "And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee." Watch this: "For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." Now, listen carefully.
#54 | 39:16 to 39:55 | cleaned
When there is a rejection of the kingship of God, there is rejection of His person. What did He say? "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." So rejection of God's kingship is a rejection of God's person, and to show you that that interpretation is correct, He now, in the next verse, charges them with idolatry. Look in verse 8: "According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even unto this day," that is, when they're rejecting His kingship and Himself, "wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee." Wow. Wow. Did you get that? God said when they rejected His kingship, they were rejecting His person and they were going into idolatry. In fact, look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12. Samuel points out the fact that God was indeed, and in fact, their king before they rejected Him. In 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 12: "And when ye saw Nahash the king of the children of Ammon come against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king."
#55 | 39:56 to 41:28 | cleaned
Why do you want a man when you have God as your king? Without taking the time to look at it, in verse 20 of the same chapter, he calls it wickedness. That is sin, iniquity, and revolt. He said, "You're rejecting God. You have God as your king and you want a man? You're rejecting God's kingship. You're rejecting God's person for a man."
#56 | 41:31 to 41:54 | cleaned
Now, go back in your Bibles, John 19, and let me start preaching my message, OK? Watch this in John chapter 19. Remember now, the Jews have delivered up Jesus Christ to be crucified. And they make an astounding statement in verse 15. After Pilate says to the Jews in verse 14, "Behold your king," note: "But they cried out, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar." Wow. Before I explain that, I want you to look in verse 15. They said, "We have no king but Caesar." The word "have"
#57 | 41:54 to 42:58 | cleaned
is the little Greek verb "echō." And it is in the present tense. Here's what they're saying: "We are not having. We're not wanting, we're not desiring any other king but Caesar." Hold on. The Greek word "echō," that verb, is also translated in our Bible sometimes as "need." So they are saying as well, "We are not needing any king but Caesar. Caesar will suffice us. We don't want the kingship of Christ. We're not having this man to reign over us." No, no, no. Remember, when you reject the kingship, you reject the person.
#58 | 43:00 to 43:53 | cleaned
That's what 1 Samuel 8 said. Now, let's stop and think just a little while tonight of the implications of this statement. They said, "We're not having, we're not needing, we're not wanting, we're not desiring any king but Caesar." What are the implications of that statement? I want to give you four of them. First of all, the first implication is that here is a declaration of a denial of theological salvation. And when I say theological, I'm talking about that which is of God. Here is an outright denial of God's salvation. In Jonah 2, verse 9, the Bible says undeniably that "salvation is of the Lord." You remember that God had promised salvation back in Genesis 3:15, the protevangelium, the first promise of the Messiah, all through the Bible.
#59 | 43:53 to 44:54 | cleaned
He entered into the covenant with Abraham. He promised salvation. He promised deliverance. And now here in one fell swoop, in one simple sentence, they are denying God's salvation. They're saying, "We don't need God. We don't need God's salvation. We have Caesar." Do you remember how Paul talked about the hope of Israel? What happened to all of the salvation that had been promised down through the Scriptures? In one simple statement, they are rejecting not only the kingship of Christ, but the salvation of Christ. He who does not need Jesus Christ as king does not want Jesus Christ to be God. The only salvation that exists, folks, is the salvation that exists where Jesus Christ is King. Let me give you a statement that was written by John Calvin on this verse.
#60 | 44:54 to 46:06 | cleaned
Here's what he said very eloquently. He says, based upon this verse, "We have no king but Caesar." "This is a display of shocking madness, that the priests, who ought to have been well acquainted with the law, reject Christ, in whom the salvation of the people was wholly contained, on whom all the promises depended, and on whom the whole of their religion was founded, and indeed, by rejecting Christ, they deprived
#61 | 46:06 to 46:34 | cleaned
themselves of the grace of God and every blessing." When they said, "We have no king but Caesar," "we're not needing anything, we're not wanting anything, but Caesar," they're saying—and I'm paraphrasing this—"Christ, God, as far as your salvation goes, I don't need it. I don't want it. Don't bother me." There's a denial of the kingship of Christ, a denial of His person, and consequently, a denial of His work.
#62 | 46:34 to 47:14 | cleaned
But here's the second implication. I want you to think through this one with me, because when those Jews said in John 19 and verse 15, "We are not having, we're not wanting, we're not desiring, we're not needing anything but Caesar," here's the second implication: Here is a declaration that they now only have a desire and a satisfaction for a political salvation. A political salvation. Here's what they said: "Caesar will do for us. Caesar will save us."
#63 | 47:16 to 47:59 | cleaned
We'll look to the emperor for bread and circuses. Now, let me tell you something in case you're unaware of it. In Acts 4 and verse 12, Peter was preaching before the Sanhedrin and Peter issued a declaration of war against Caesar. What did he say? Acts 4, verse 12, here's what he said: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Now, you say, "How in the world could that be a declaration of war against Caesar?" Well, because what Peter said in Acts 4 and verse 12 directly contradicted the words of Caesar Augustus. You see, in 17 B.C., when a strange star shone in the heavens, Caesar Augustus had proclaimed throughout the entire Roman Empire this saying: "Salvation is to be found in none other save Augustus, and there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved." Wow. And so what Peter did, he took that prominent saying from Caesar Augustus and applied it to Jesus Christ and said, "Oh, no, no, no.
#64 | 48:01 to 49:32 | cleaned
Caesar Augustus is not King of kings and Lord of lords. He is not prophet, priest, and king. Jesus Christ is." And what Peter was doing in Acts 4, verse 12, he was going head to head with the Roman Empire. He was denying their authority. He was denying their godhood. Would to God that we had preachers today who were as bold as Peter! But you see, on January the 1st, 42 B.C., the Roman Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity, as a god. In fact, they proclaimed him "Divus Iulius," that is, Julius the Divine, Julius the God. Octavian, who took the name of Augustus, who was his successor, went further, and he took the title "Divi Filius," that is, the Son of God. Augustus was claiming to be the Son of God. He was claiming to be God. He had proclaimed throughout his empire, "There's none other name under heaven given among men whereby you must be saved other than the name of Caesar Augustus." Caesar Augustus referred to himself as Lord, God, and Savior. He referred to himself as the just and holy one.
#65 | 49:33 to 50:51 | cleaned
He also called himself King of kings and Lord of lords. What was Augustus Caesar doing? He was claiming divinity for himself. You see, in the Roman Empire, there was a pagan cult. There was a pagan religion. There was the worship of a false god, and that false god was Rome itself with the Caesar on the throne being the head god. And, of course, the priesthood in that Roman religion were those senators and those consuls who ruled Rome supposedly wisely. They were regarded as the loyal leaders and they were looked upon as semi-saviors because they were continually looking out after the best interest of the Roman people.
#66 | 50:51 to 51:47 | cleaned
Now, does that sound familiar? "We're just looking out for your good. We're trying to protect your health. We're looking out for your welfare." This was exactly the attitude that the senators and the consuls had. "We're doing what's best for you. We're only thinking of you." And of course, the taxes in the Roman Empire kept getting higher and higher and higher because those consuls, those senators, and those governors and those provincial leaders were now wanting to live a lavish lifestyle because they were claiming semi-deity themselves. And poverty and corruption increased in the Roman Empire. In fact, the pagan cult of Rome increased to such a degree that many of the emperors proclaimed that they were not only God, but they had superhuman power.
#67 | 51:49 to 52:54 | cleaned
What got started under Julius Caesar really snowballed under Augustus Caesar. In fact, it was Augustus who revived the old pagan religion. He was rebuilding the old temples. In fact, eventually, the future Caesars, after Augustus, would be worshipped as—here's the title—"dominus et deus," that is, Lord and God. It was Domitian who ruled from 86 to 96 A.D. who actually demanded that the Roman people worship him as a god. The violent persecution of Christians under his reign was from the fact that those Christians would not recognize him as God. It is said that Emperor Tiberius did not want to be worshipped as God. And in a speech before the Roman Senate, he said this: "I am a mortal and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind." Now, Augustus, as I pointed out, referred to himself as the Son of God. In fact, he had that inscription on his coinage: "Augustus Divi Filius," the Son of God. Now, here's what I want you to see. In the first century, there was a war between Christ and Caesar.
#68 | 52:54 to 54:33 | cleaned
Here was the issue: Who is Lord? Who is King? Who is God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords? Who is it that fills the office of prophet, priest, and king?
#69 | 54:34 to 54:51 | cleaned
Now, please listen to this. Christians were not persecuted and slain in the Roman Empire just because they were Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to believe in Zeus, have at it. If you wanted to worship Aphrodite, go for it. If you wanted to worship Apollos, they could care less. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, wonderful! They could care less. Just so once a year, you raised your hand and you swore by the genius of Caesar and you said, "Caesar is Lord." That is, Caesar gives me the right to believe in whomever I want to believe. And the early Christians would not do that, and they were put to death not just because they were Christians, but because they were counted as traitors and treasonous to the Roman Empire and the Roman pagan religion.
#70 | 54:51 to 55:48 | cleaned
Now you say, "But pastor, I understand what you're saying, huh? But we live in 2007 and we're not living in the Roman Empire." I understand that. But I do hope you realize that we still have the same state religion of political correctness, the same attitude of infallibility of government, the same demands for total, unlimited submission to government. The same confiscation of personal wealth for the benefit of government still exists, and it's still the same old pagan religion. Let me demonstrate it. Look at Katrina. Look at Andrew.
#71 | 55:50 to 56:43 | cleaned
To whom did the people of America cry for help? Did they cry to the One True and Living God who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ? Or did they cry to the federal government? What about the tornadoes out in Kansas? To whom did they cry? What about our droughts? What about our floods? To whom do we cry? Not to the One True and Living God. Let me tell you something. Nationally speaking, nationally speaking, we've committed exactly the same sin today that the Jews did when they crucified Christ, because we've traded Christ for Caesar. We traded God for a man. We traded God's law for man's law.
#72 | 56:45 to 57:39 | cleaned
And we would rather have our sins than repent. And we'd rather lose our souls as a nation than take personal responsibility for our actions. When those Jews cried, "We're having no king but Caesar," they were not only denying God's salvation, but they were saying, "We'll be satisfied with a political salvation." Here's a third implication. And you've got to remember this: A king rules by his law. When they said, "We have no king but Caesar," what were they doing? They were trading God's law for man's law.
#73 | 57:40 to 58:22 | cleaned
I'm going to show you that in just a moment. Think about that. Let me ask you a question: Who is your king? And I know what you're saying, you're answering yourself, "Well, Jesus Christ is my king." Well, I pray that is true, but let me ask you another question: Whose law do you obey? You see, a king rules by his law. And our king is, in reality, the one whose law that we obey. Who is paramount in your life, Christ or Caesar? If there is a showdown and you have to choose between Christ or Caesar, who would you choose? If you cannot obey both and you only have to obey one, which one would you obey? Well, Peter and the other disciples answered that for us very clearly in Acts 5 and verse 29, when they simply said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." But may I just quote a few scriptures for you? Don't you think about this. Our Lord said in John 14, verse 21, "He that loveth me keepeth my commandments."
#74 | 58:22 to 59:50 | cleaned
Verse 24: "He that hath not my commandments, or keepeth not my commandments, loveth me not." You remember what He said in 1 John 5 and verse 3: "And this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." How about this passage in 1 John 2 in verse 4? The Bible says, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
#75 | 59:51 to 1:00:20 | cleaned
All I'm trying to show you is the war still exists between Christ and Caesar. Each one is claiming lordship. Each one is claiming divinity. Each one is claiming kingship. Each one is claiming the right to rule and the one who brings salvation. The question is, which one do we obey? Let me give you the fourth implication, then I want to tie it all together for you. The fourth one is this.
#76 | 1:00:21 to 1:00:51 | cleaned
We must always remember that there are consequences to our actions. Here are these Jews standing before Pilate. Pilate says, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ, who is called the Messiah?" And they cry out, "Crucify him, crucify him, away with him." They were rejecting God's salvation. They were choosing the salvation of Caesar. They were wanting that, they were content with that, which meant now they're going to be under Caesar's law. They're going to abide by his law, his rules. But they've also forgotten there are consequences for rejecting the kingship of God and the kingship of Christ. When wicked men refuse Christ and His law, they rush headlong into the arms of tyrants.
#77 | 1:00:53 to 1:01:55 | cleaned
They just simply bring misery upon themselves and their posterity. You've got to remember this, folks. We're either going to be ruled by God or by man, and we're going to find this out, that the severity of God is milder than the tender mercies of tyrants.
#78 | 1:01:56 to 1:02:13 | cleaned
Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles before I make some applications and look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 8. This is the passage where they have rejected God as king. I told you that a king rules by his law. When they rejected God as king, they were not only rejecting His person, they were rejecting His law. So once they have a human king, they're now going to be ruled by a human law. So look what God says. 1 Samuel chapter 8 and verse 7: "And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee." Now look what he says: "Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."
#79 | 1:02:15 to 1:03:29 | cleaned
In other words, show them the consequences of their actions and of their choice. "And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king."
#80 | 1:03:29 to 1:03:40 | cleaned
Now, listen. I'm going to emphasize one word with my voice. Here it is: "And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants."
#81 | 1:03:40 to 1:04:27 | cleaned
Let me stop there just for a moment. God said, "You didn't want to serve Me? Fine. You'll serve him. You didn't like My law? Fine. You can have his law. You didn't like My mercies? Fine. You can have his severity." And then He says in verse 18: "And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day."
#82 | 1:04:27 to 1:04:58 | cleaned
There's a price, dear friend, for rejecting the kingship of Jesus Christ. Those Jews cried out, "We are having no king but Caesar. We're not wanting any king but Caesar. We're rejecting Christ. We're rejecting Him as Messiah. We're rejecting Him as prophet, priest, and king. We'll not have this man reign over us. Caesar will take care of us. We'll be satisfied with Caesar." And guess what? Guess what? Caesar showed them how merciful he could be in 70 A.D.
#83 | 1:05:00 to 1:05:36 | cleaned
when he tore down and destroyed Jerusalem and literally murdered millions of them. The Word of God says even the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. How much more the cruelty. Our Lord says it so accurately in Proverbs 8 and verse 36 when He says this: "He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death." Those who trust in Caesar keep crying out, "Give us better government. Give us better government." Do you realize that all Caesar can do is to create more bureaucracies and more little tyrants? He cannot save us because he is not God. Only Jesus Christ can save us, for Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords.
#84 | 1:05:36 to 1:06:46 | cleaned
Did you know that on August the 2nd, 1776, when the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence was being signed—yes, I know, two signed it on July the 4th, but most of them signed later on August the 2nd—but when our Founding Fathers were signing the Declaration of Independence, August 2, 1776, Samuel Adams said this. Listen. Samuel Adams said, "We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient.
#85 | 1:06:48 to 1:07:25 | cleaned
He reigns in heaven from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun. Let His kingdom come." Our founding fathers said, "We have this day restored the rightful Sovereign." Not King George, but King Jesus. Who is your sovereign? Who is your savior?
#86 | 1:07:26 to 1:07:51 | cleaned
Now, let me show you something. Committing the sins of the Jews. We can commit those sins nationally. And we can commit those sins individually. Nationally, what we have done as a professing Christendom is we've traded Christ for man, we've traded God's law for man's law. But do you realize we do that personally as well? Now, let me tell you what the Jews wanted when our Lord came. What the Jews wanted was not a meek and lowly Savior who would make atonement for their sins and save them. What they wanted was a deliverer who would come riding in on a white charger and deliver them from the Roman Empire.
#87 | 1:07:51 to 1:08:48 | cleaned
Even our Lord's disciples in Acts chapter 1 in verse 6 ask this question: "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" They were expecting Christ to come in on that white charger and restore the kingdom to Israel. Now watch this: where the Jews messed up—they wanted a political deliverer, but they did not want a personal deliverer. Where we mess up today in 2007, we're willing to receive Christ as a personal deliverer, but not as a political deliverer, not as King of kings and Lord of lords. Now, when I say we're willing to receive Him as a personal deliverer,
#88 | 1:08:50 to 1:09:41 | cleaned
what I mean by that is this: Who wants to go to hell? Nobody. Why? Everybody's willing to be a Christian in the sense that we want to be saved from the penalty of our sins so that we can enjoy the pleasure of our sins. That's what we want. We want to be delivered from that penalty so that we will not be judged and destroyed. But at the same time, we do not want Jesus Christ to reign over us.
#89 | 1:09:41 to 1:10:11 | cleaned
What we're saying is this: "Oh, I'll bow to Your priesthood and I'll bow to Your prophethood, but Lord, don't be a king in my life. Don't tell me how to live. Don't tell me how to act. Don't tell me how to walk and talk and how to dress and how to treat my parents and treat my friends and treat my husband and treat my mother. Don't tell me." Oh, yes, dear friend. If He is your prophet, if He is your priest, He is also your king, which means He has the sovereign right to reign over you and tell you everything. He's King of kings and Lord of lords.
#90 | 1:10:12 to 1:10:48 | cleaned
Let me show you one thing. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 1, last scripture. Luke 1. Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist. I want you to note the prophecy, the words, the admiration that Zacharias gave. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 1, verse 67: "And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying," I want you to watch this carefully. He's talking about the first coming of Christ. He's talking about the birth of Christ. "He was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
#91 | 1:10:49 to 1:11:43 | cleaned
and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in
#92 | 1:11:44 to 1:12:16 | cleaned
holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." May I point out that Zacharias' prophecy was not talking about the second coming of Christ, but the first coming of Christ. Christ now is quite able to deliver us from our enemies. He is now quite able to give us complete and total and absolute deliverance politically, nationally, any way whatsoever. But what is required is a bowing to His kingship. Salvation does not come just any old way. It only comes God's way. The other verse does not come any old way. It only comes God's way. Are you listening? And on God's terms. What did those wicked people say about Christ in Luke 19 and verse 14?
#93 | 1:12:16 to 1:13:26 | cleaned
They said, "We will not have this man to reign over us." You know what Christians are saying in this day and time? Personally, individually, by their actions, "We'll not have this man to reign over us." But I've got news for you, folks. Whether you admit it, whether you acknowledge it, whether you confess it, whether you believe it, He is still King of kings and Lord of lords. And He has all power and all authority.
#94 | 1:13:26 to 1:13:55 | cleaned
And you will bow sooner or later. Because every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Do not commit the sins of the Jews. You bow to Christ in your personal life. You bow to Christ in your family life. You bow to Christ in your church life. You bow to Christ in your business life. You bow to Christ in your political life. You bow in every area. For Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the God-Man, the Son of God, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, prophet, priest, and king. Let's pray. Father, we do ask You to teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, help us to see, Lord, the absolute importance of the kingship of Jesus Christ, how it affects all of our life every day. And Lord, may we not say with those wicked people, "We'll not have this man to reign over us."
#95 | 1:13:55 to 1:15:12 | cleaned
May we not say, "We're only needing and wanting and having Caesar." May we say, "We're only needing and wanting and having Jesus Christ, who is the true King, the true Lord, and the true Savior." In His name we pray. Amen.
#96 | 1:15:14 to 1:15:30 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T04:33:38Z

Committing the Sin of the Jews

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver argues that modern Christians and society are replicating the sins of the Jews who crucified Christ by rejecting His kingship. He establishes that Jesus is the Messiah, holding the three offices of prophet, priest, and king, and that denying any office destroys salvation. The Jews' cry, 'We have no king but Caesar,' represents a rejection of God's salvation and law in favor of political salvation and human rule. Weaver applies this to both national and personal levels, urging believers to bow to Christ's kingship in every area of life.

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message and reads John 18:36-37 and John 19:14-15, 19-22, highlighting Jesus' kingship and the Jews' rejection.

Scripture Reading — John 18:36-37

"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence."

Now skip down to chapter 19, if you would, verses 14 and 15. John 19, verse 14:

Scripture Reading — John 19:14-15

"And it was the preparation of the Passover at about the sixth hour, and he said to the Jews, Behold your king. And they cried out, Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar."

The Jews Crucified Christ

Weaver asserts that Scripture repeatedly states the Jews crucified Christ, citing John 5:16-18, Acts 2:23, Acts 4:10, Acts 10:39, and Acts 7:52.

Scripture Reading — John 5:16, 18

And if you look back at John 19 and verse 11, look what Christ told Pilate. Pilate had asked our Lord, or said to him, "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?" in verse 10. Our Lord answers in verse 11: "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." And of course, we realize it was the Jews who delivered Jesus Christ up unto Pilate. Now, on the day of Pentecost, Peter specifically charged the Jews with the crucifixion of Christ. If you would hold John 19, but look in your Bibles, first of all, to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2. And look at verse 23. Peter is preaching. Acts chapter 2, verse 23, and the Bible says, "Him," that is Christ—in fact, we can go back and look at verse 22.

Scripture Reading — Acts 4:10

"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole."

And look what he says in Acts chapter 7 in verse 52. In fact, he says this to them in verse 51:

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:51-52

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye."

Now, look what he says:

Scripture Reading — Acts 7:51-52

"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers."

But the question that has to be asked is, why did the Jews crucify Christ? Why was He crucified?

Why Did the Jews Crucify Christ?

Weaver explains that while Christ's death was foreordained by God, the Jews acted in rebellion, hating Him without cause, and were responsible for His death.

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:23

"being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."

Scripture Reading — John 15:25

"But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause."

Scripture Reading — John 15:25

"They hated me without a cause,"

Scripture Reading — Daniel 9:25-26

" Hence then, it refers to Jesus as the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Prince, the King of Israel.

Jesus Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King

Weaver teaches that Jesus is one person with two natures (God and man) and three offices (prophet, priest, king). Denying any office destroys salvation.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 18:18-19

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee,"

that is, like unto Moses,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 18:18-19

"and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

Scripture Reading — John 1:1-3, 14

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

John 1:1-3. When you come down to verse 14, it says this:

Scripture Reading — John 1:1-3, 14

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

When you get to 1 Timothy 3, verse 16, the Bible says, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." What's that mean?

The Exaltation of Christ as Lord and Messiah

Weaver examines Acts 2:36 and Acts 5:31, showing that God made Jesus both Lord and Christ, emphasizing His sovereign authority and the necessity of bowing to Him.

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:36

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Look what he said.

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:36

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

I hear preachers sometimes ask people, "Well, won't you make Christ the Lord of your life?" And I always want to scream, "You can't do that!"

God's already beat you to it. He made Him Lord and Christ. He already is Lord. But He's not only Lord, He is Christ. He is the Anointed One. He is Messiah.

Scripture Reading — Acts 5:31

Now the word "Prince" is the Greek word "archēgos," which means prince or captain or author, one who takes the lead in anything and thus affords an example, such as a predecessor. In Acts 3 and verse 15, Jesus Christ is again called Prince, but this time He's called the Prince of life. When the word "Prince" or "archēgos" is used of Jesus Christ, it means that Christ is in the actual exercise of His office. He not only holds that office, He's fulfilling that office. He's exercising that office. It denotes the fact that Jesus Christ has power and dominion. That's why in Matthew 28 and verse 18 He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

Believing Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God

Weaver explains from John 20:31 and Romans 1:4 that believing Jesus is the Messiah means acknowledging Him as the Son of God, with all power and authority.

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book."

That is the book of John.

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"But these are written."

That is, this is why he put all of these facts in the Gospel of John.

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Now, I want you to go back and look at verse 31. Watch this. Here's what he's saying now:

Scripture Reading — John 20:30-31

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:4

"And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."

Rejecting God's Kingship in 1 Samuel 8

Weaver draws a parallel between Israel's rejection of God as king in 1 Samuel 8 and the Jews' rejection of Christ, showing that rejecting kingship is rejecting God's person and leads to idolatry.

Implications of 'We Have No King but Caesar'

Weaver outlines four implications: denial of theological salvation, desire for political salvation, trading God's law for man's law, and the consequences of rejecting Christ's kingship.

Here was the issue: Who is Lord? Who is King? Who is God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords? Who is it that fills the office of prophet, priest, and king?

In other words, show them the consequences of their actions and of their choice. "And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king."

Consequences of Rejecting God's Kingship

Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8:7-18 to show the severe consequences of choosing a human king over God, including tyranny and oppression.

National and Personal Application

Weaver applies the message nationally (America trading Christ for Caesar) and personally (believers rejecting Christ's reign in daily life), urging full submission to Christ's kingship.

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver concludes by warning that every knee will bow to Christ, urging believers to bow now in every area of life, and closes in prayer.

Committing the Sin of the Jews

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	920071615223
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2007-09-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 134: Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification - Volume 1 — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	96

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Scripture Reading: Weaver introduces the message and reads John 18:36-37 and John 19:14-15, 19-22, highlighting Jesus' kingship and the Jews' rejection.
The Jews Crucified Christ: Weaver asserts that Scripture repeatedly states the Jews crucified Christ, citing John 5:16-18, Acts 2:23, Acts 4:10, Acts 10:39, and Acts 7:52.
Why Did the Jews Crucify Christ?: Weaver explains that while Christ's death was foreordained by God, the Jews acted in rebellion, hating Him without cause, and were responsible for His death.
Jesus Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King: Weaver teaches that Jesus is one person with two natures (God and man) and three offices (prophet, priest, king). Denying any office destroys salvation.
The Exaltation of Christ as Lord and Messiah: Weaver examines Acts 2:36 and Acts 5:31, showing that God made Jesus both Lord and Christ, emphasizing His sovereign authority and the necessity of bowing to Him.
Believing Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God: Weaver explains from John 20:31 and Romans 1:4 that believing Jesus is the Messiah means acknowledging Him as the Son of God, with all power and authority.
Rejecting God's Kingship in 1 Samuel 8: Weaver draws a parallel between Israel's rejection of God as king in 1 Samuel 8 and the Jews' rejection of Christ, showing that rejecting kingship is rejecting God's person and leads to idolatry.
Implications of 'We Have No King but Caesar': Weaver outlines four implications: denial of theological salvation, desire for political salvation, trading God's law for man's law, and the consequences of rejecting Christ's kingship.
Consequences of Rejecting God's Kingship: Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8:7-18 to show the severe consequences of choosing a human king over God, including tyranny and oppression.
National and Personal Application: Weaver applies the message nationally (America trading Christ for Caesar) and personally (believers rejecting Christ's reign in daily life), urging full submission to Christ's kingship.
Conclusion and Prayer: Weaver concludes by warning that every knee will bow to Christ, urging believers to bow now in every area of life, and closes in prayer.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

The Jews crucified Christ, not all humanity collectively.

Weaver argues that Scripture specifically charges the Jews with crucifying Christ, contrary to politically correct notions.

Weaver cites John 5:16-18, Acts 2:23, Acts 4:10, Acts 10:39, and Acts 7:52.

Christ's death was foreordained, but the Jews acted in rebellion.

God predetermined Christ's death, but the Jews hated Him freely and were responsible for their sin.

Weaver says, 'They hated me without a cause' (John 15:25) and explains the Greek word for 'freely.'

Jesus must be acknowledged as prophet, priest, and king for salvation.

Denying any of Christ's offices destroys salvation; He is one person with three inseparable offices.

Weaver states, 'If you deny either one of those offices, you have likewise destroyed salvation.'

Rejecting Christ's kingship is rejecting God Himself.

Drawing from 1 Samuel 8, Weaver argues that rejecting God's reign is rejecting His person and leads to idolatry.

Weaver quotes 1 Samuel 8:7: 'They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.'

The cry 'We have no king but Caesar' denies theological salvation.

The Jews' statement was a rejection of God's salvation, choosing Caesar instead.

Weaver says, 'They are denying God's salvation. They're saying, "We don't need God."'

Modern society looks to government for salvation instead of God.

Weaver compares the Jews' trust in Caesar to modern Americans crying to the federal government during disasters.

Weaver asks, 'To whom did the people of America cry for help? ... Did they cry to the One True and Living God?'

Rejecting God's law leads to tyranny.

When people reject God's rule, they fall under oppressive human rule, as warned in 1 Samuel 8.

Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8:11-18 and says, 'The severity of God is milder than the tender mercies of tyrants.'

Personal rejection of Christ's kingship is common among professing Christians.

Many want Christ as Savior from hell but not as Lord over their lives, which is impossible.

Weaver says, 'We want to be delivered from that penalty so that we will not be judged... but we do not want Jesus Christ to reign over us.'

Scripture References

John 18:36-37: Jesus declares His kingdom is not of this world and that He came to bear witness to the truth.
John 19:14-15: The Jews cry out for Jesus' crucifixion and declare they have no king but Caesar.
John 19:19-22: Pilate writes 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews' on the cross, and the chief priests object.
John 5:16, 18: The Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him for healing on the Sabbath and claiming equality with God.
John 19:10-11: Jesus tells Pilate that the one who delivered Him has the greater sin, referring to the Jews.
Acts 2:22-23: Peter charges the men of Israel with crucifying Jesus by wicked hands.
Acts 4:10: Peter tells the leaders of Israel that they crucified Jesus, whom God raised from the dead.
Acts 10:39: Peter testifies that the Jews slew Jesus and hanged Him on a tree.
Acts 7:51-52: Stephen accuses the Jewish leaders of being betrayers and murderers of the Just One.
Acts 2:23: Christ was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.
Acts 4:26-28: Herod, Pilate, Gentiles, and Israel gathered to do what God's hand and counsel determined before.
John 15:25: Jesus says the Jews hated Him without a cause, fulfilling the law.
Daniel 9:25-26: Reference to the Messiah the Prince, though not read directly.
Deuteronomy 18:18-19: God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses and put His words in his mouth.
John 1:1-3, 14: The Word was God and became flesh, dwelling among us.
1 Timothy 3:16: God was manifest in the flesh, the mystery of godliness.
Acts 2:36: God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, whom the Jews crucified.
Acts 5:31: God exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness.
John 20:30-31: These are written that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life.
Romans 1:4: Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.

Historical References

Caesar Augustus claimed divinity and salvation: Weaver explains that Augustus proclaimed 'Salvation is to be found in none other save Augustus' and called himself 'Divi Filius' (Son of God).
Roman Senate deified Julius Caesar in 42 B.C.: The Senate recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity, proclaiming him 'Divus Iulius.'
Emperor Domitian demanded worship as 'dominus et deus': Domitian (86-96 A.D.) demanded worship as Lord and God, persecuting Christians who refused.
Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.: Weaver references the Roman destruction of Jerusalem as a consequence of rejecting Christ's kingship.
Samuel Adams' statement on August 2, 1776: At the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Samuel Adams said, 'We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient.'
Augustus revived old pagan religion and built temples: Weaver notes that Augustus revived pagan religion and rebuilt temples, and later emperors were worshipped as gods.
Emperor Tiberius' speech before the Senate: Tiberius said he was mortal and divine honors belong only to Augustus, the real savior of mankind.
Early Christians persecuted for refusing to say 'Caesar is Lord': Christians were executed as traitors for not swearing by the genius of Caesar and acknowledging his lordship.
Katrina and Andrew hurricanes as examples of crying to government: Weaver uses recent disasters to illustrate Americans looking to federal government instead of God.
Albert Barnes' commentary on Acts 2:36: Barnes explains that 'Lord' means proprietor, master, or sovereign, and that Jesus was exalted as king.

Important Quotes

We have no king but Caesar.

The Jews' declaration rejecting Christ's kingship, which Weaver uses as the central example of their sin and a pattern for modern rejection.

They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

God's words in 1 Samuel 8:7 showing that rejecting His kingship is rejecting His person, a key parallel to the Jews' sin.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Peter's declaration in Acts 2:36 that Jesus is both Lord and Messiah, emphasizing His sovereign authority.

He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Proverbs 8:36 quoted to show the self-destructive consequences of rejecting Christ.

We will not have this man to reign over us.

Luke 19:14 quoted to show the rebellious attitude of those rejecting Christ's reign, applied to modern Christians.

The severity of God is milder than the tender mercies of tyrants.

Weaver's summary of the consequences of rejecting God's rule, leading to oppressive human government.

Salvation is to be found in none other save Augustus, and there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved.

The proclamation of Caesar Augustus, which Peter directly contradicted in Acts 4:12, highlighting the conflict between Christ and Caesar.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways do modern Christians, like the Jews, reject Christ's kingship while still wanting His salvation?

[Context]

Weaver argues that many want Christ as personal Savior but not as Lord over their lives.

[Question]

How does the statement 'We have no king but Caesar' manifest in our culture today?

[Context]

Weaver points to reliance on government rather than God during crises.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to accept Christ as Savior without accepting Him as Lord?

[Context]

Weaver teaches that Christ's offices of prophet, priest, and king are inseparable.

[Question]

What are the consequences of a nation rejecting God's law for man's law?

[Context]

Weaver uses 1 Samuel 8 to show that rejecting God's rule leads to tyranny.

[Question]

How should the kingship of Christ affect our daily decisions and priorities?

[Context]

Weaver calls for bowing to Christ in personal, family, church, business, and political life.

[Question]

What does it mean that the Jews hated Christ 'without a cause'?

[Context]

Weaver explains the Greek word for 'freely,' meaning there was nothing in Christ that merited their hatred.

[Question]

How did the early Christians' refusal to say 'Caesar is Lord' demonstrate their allegiance to Christ's kingship?

[Context]

Weaver describes the persecution of Christians for not swearing by Caesar's genius.

[Question]

In what areas of your life are you most tempted to say, 'We will not have this man to reign over us'?

[Context]

Weaver challenges believers to examine areas where they resist Christ's authority.

Applications

Format deepseek deepseek-v4-pro structured study JSON | Source Commentary.net transcript enrichment

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:49:02Z