Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace

What the World Wants Part 2 of 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-12

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver continues his message on 'What the World Wants' by examining Luke 23:20-25, focusing on the trial of Jesus before Pilate. He argues that the world of the ungodly desires a society where sin goes unpunished and a religion they can control. Pilate, knowing Jesus was innocent, released Barabbas—a murderer and insurrectionist—because the religious leaders preferred a criminal who did not challenge their authority over the sinless Son of God. Weaver emphasizes that the world loves a baby in a manger or a dead Christ on a cross because these pose no threat, but they reject the living, resurrected, sovereign Lord who demands submission. The sermon concludes with applications: the world wants what it can never have—salvation without repentance—and believers should rejoice that God has translated them out of darkness and changed their desires to align with His will.

[John Weaver] Well, let's open our Bibles today. We'll get started. We're looking in our Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 23. I'm going to take a few minutes and review because I preached the first part of this message last week. And I'm going to continue. Look in Luke 23, if you would please, and we'll begin reading there with verse 20 and read through verse 25. This is the second part of the message entitled what the world wants. Notice Luke chapter 23, if you would please, beginning there with verse 20.

[John Weaver] Pilate, therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why? what evil hath he done? I found no cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified, and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

[John Weaver] And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired. But he delivered Jesus to their will." Last week, by way of introduction, when I began this message, What Does the World Want?, I took the time to distinguish for you seven different ways the word world is used in the Bible. Actually, the word world has about thirteen different meanings.

[John Weaver] If you will turn, whole Luke 23, but if you will turn to John chapter 1, just a few pages over. I used this verse last week, but let me just demonstrate it for you again. Look in John 1 and verse 10. Here the word world occurs three specific times in one sentence, And each time, the word world means something entirely different. When we think of the word world, we think of every single individual in the world.

[John Weaver] It is not like that at all. The context has to determine the meaning. So John 1 in verse 10, He was in the world, that is the earth, and the world was made by Him, that is the universe, and the world, that is the inhabitants or the men, knew Him not. So here the word world is used at least three different ways in one verse. So I pointed out the many different ways that the word world is used. I showed you from the Bible how there is a world of believers. I showed you from the Bible where there is a world of the ungodly. In fact, He said in 2 Peter, Bring the flood in upon the world of the ungodly. And our Lord said to His disciples, If the world hate you, you know that it hated Me before you. So here the believers then are set apart in distinction from the world. So, as I pointed out last week, and I'm just emphasizing this, there is a world of the godly, there is a world of the ungodly.

[John Weaver] There is also the world system, because in John 12 and verse 31, our Lord said, the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. So, there is the world of the ungodly, there is the world system. And I don't care if you talk about the world of the ungodly or the world system, each one of them are absolutely against Jesus Christ. They are against the truth of God and the Word of God. So it doesn't matter if you use the term the world of the ungodly or the world system, they are always in opposition to Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now last week we saw just two major points in the message, and I want to just refresh your mind as to what these are, because first of all I pointed out how the world, that is the world of the ungodly, wants a world without responsibility and accountability to God. We use this from the parable of the vineyard there. And you remember how they just simply stoned to death and killed all the servants that the owner, the sovereign God of heaven and earth sent to them. So they did not want to be accountable and responsible to God.

[John Weaver] In fact, that's the way it is in this day and time. No one wants to fess up or own up to anything. We always blame-shift and blame anything and everyone else for our own sins and problems. We do not want responsibility. We do not want accountability. And yet the Bible says in Romans 2 and verse 6 that God will render to every man according to his deeds. Now, if God's going to render to every man according to his deeds, that means that each one is answerable and accountable to God.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I pointed out last week in the parable of the vineyard that the scripture tells us that the world of the ungodly wants to seize the inheritance of Jesus Christ. What did they say? This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours. Well, what in the world is the inheritance of Jesus Christ? It's not just the world. It is that, but more, it is the individuals who are in the world. And basically, the world of the ungodly not only want control of the world, they want control of everyone individually in the world as well. Because they want to use us as sheep to be sheared and cannon fodder for their wars. In other words, they want absolute control over everything and over everyone.

[John Weaver] Now, these two truths were very evident in the lives of the rulers of Judah according to the book of Matthew. But they're also clearly evident today in the rules of America and of the world.

[John Weaver] Now when you look in our text today, in the book of Luke chapter 23, our text tells us about the trial of Jesus Christ, or I should say the lack thereof. There is a message that I have preached in times past just on the the illegality of the trial of Jesus Christ, the unlawfulness of it, and of course it took place at night and all kind of things there, but interestingly, as we read in Luke chapter 23, Pilate personally knew that Jesus Christ was innocent. In fact, we are told twice in the Bible, once in Matthew 27 in verse 18, once in Mark 15 in verse 10, that Pilate knew that the chief priest had delivered him, that is Christ, for envy. In other words, he knew that Christ was personally innocent. And Christ was standing before Pilate only because they were envious. Now, if you will look in your Bibles very quickly to John chapter 11. I used this passage last week, but let me reemphasize once again why they delivered Christ unto Pilate.

[John Weaver] Look in John 11. Verses 47 and 48. The Bible says, Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees of counsel, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation. Notice what they said, If we don't do something, We're going to lose our place. We're going to lose our party. We're going to lose our power. In other words, we have to do something. If we don't do something, all men are going to believe on him and we will be out. We'll lose our party. We'll lose our position. We'll lose our platform.

[John Weaver] Unhappily, politicians have not changed. You can see the thought patterns of our modern day politicians being exposed in the politician in our Lord's day. They would sell Christ and His people down the river for their personal benefit, and they will still do that today.

[John Weaver] Now, Pilate's wife, you'll remember, sent a message to Pilate in Matthew 27 and verse 19. She told Pilate, Have thou nothing to do with this just person, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. So you have to ask this question. Since Pilate knew that Jesus Christ was innocent, and since he knew that the high priest had delivered him for envy, how in the world could Pilate condemn an innocent man?

[John Weaver] The answer is very simple. Pilate was a politician. He didn't care about truth. He didn't care about principle. He did not even care about individuals. And the mere fact that Pilate, in Matthew 27 and verse 24, took water and washed his hands saying, I'm innocent of the blood of this just person, see you to it, did not release him from his condemnation. Yea, it added condemnation to him, for he did not free Christ when he knew Christ was absolutely, totally innocent.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is this. Pilate was using Christ. Pilate had already previously used Jesus Christ. You say, what do you mean, using Christ? Well, look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 23. Luke 23, and notice if you would, beginning there with verse 6. Let me show you how Pilate had previously used Christ, and of course now he's using Him again. In Luke 23, beginning there with verse 6, Watch carefully. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean.

[John Weaver] And as soon as he knew that he belonged into Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words, but he answered him nothing.

[John Weaver] And the chief priests and the scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war said of it not, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were an enmity between themselves." Now isn't that interesting? When you read, when Pilate heard that he was a Galilean, Oh, I'm glad to hear that. I'm going to send you to Herod because he's over that. Herod, he knew, had been wanting to see Jesus. And the only reason Herod wanted to see Christ was because he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. And so when he sent Christ to Herod, and Herod got to mock Christ and ridicule Him, then Pilate and Herod were made friends again. I want you to notice what Pilate did. He used Christ for political advantage.

[John Weaver] Let me say this again. Politicians have not changed. They still use Christ for political advantage. How do I say that? Well, they parade themselves as Christians. They say they stand for Christian and biblical values. but just as quickly as poor, gullible, and foolish Christians vote them into office, they immediately turn and rend Christ and Christians with their unfaithful lives, with their ungodly laws, and their unwillingness to stand for anything that's biblical and Christian. So, Pilate used Christ, and people today use Christ.

[John Weaver] By the way, it's interesting to note that the only man in the entire New Testament to whom our Lord would not even speak was King Herod. You know why? Herod hoped to have seen some miracle done by Christ. The only interest Herod had in Christ was entertainment value. That's all. He wanted to be entertained. And Christ refused to even speak to him. And the Bible said, of course, then they mocked him and sent him back to Pilate. Isn't it interesting? The same day, the Bible says that Pilate and Herod were made friends. By the way, I want you to look, if you would please, in Luke chapter 13. Notice if you would please. I want to show you how little our Lord thought of King Herod. By the way, I hope you realize that there was a group in the New Testament who were known as the Herodians, who of course were for King Herod. But notice if you would in Luke 13 and verse 31. Let me show you the subtlety of King Herod.

[John Weaver] The same day there came certain of the Pharisees saying unto him, Get thee out and depart hence, for Herod will kill thee. And he, Christ, said unto them, Go you and tell that fox, behold I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." Now notice what Christ said. You go and tell that fox. So Christ then called Herod a fox. A fox indicates a sly and crafty man. The epitaph that Christ used for Herod demonstrates his cunning and his craftiness. And Herod, shows clearly his real character when he sends these Pharisees to Christ and said, you better get out or I'm going to have you killed. And it's interesting, even later on, as you get over to Luke 23, Herod still wanted to see Christ, even though because of his superstition, he thought that Christ was John the Baptist resurrected from the dead.

[John Weaver] but yet he had no regard for him except for entertainment value. Now a fox then is an emblem of slyness, of cunning, and mischief. The word is also used in the Bible to denote a dissembler. Herod was indeed a wicked man, but that which Christ refers to when he calls Herod a fox is his cunning and the strategies that he tried to use to get to Christ. Adam Clarke in his commentary on this passage said this, a fox among the Jews appears to have been the emblem of a wicked ruler who united cunning with cruelty and was always plotting how he might aggrandize himself by spoiling the people. And of course Christ knew that. That's why Christ referred to him as a fox. So our Lord did not trust Herod. He would not even speak to Herod. Pilate and Herod were indeed enemies, but they both got together to persecute Jesus Christ, and therefore they became friends. You will find that enemies, whoever they may be, wherever they may be, will always come together to stand against that which is right and biblical and godly and holy.

[John Weaver] So Pilate then not only used Christ to get a reconciliation with Herod. He is now using Christ in Luke chapter 23 to gain popularity with the religious rulers. Go back to Luke 23 if you would and look if you would please at verse 21. Luke 23 verse 21. But they cried. Who's the they? Well, it's the chief priests, it's the religious people, and the religious leaders, and the people they've stood up.

[John Weaver] prevailed. Now, watch what Pilate did. Pilate gave the religious leaders exactly that which they wanted. Although he knew that he was wrong, and he knew that they were wrong as well. Pilate was a spineless, cowardly, and wicked man, but yet at the same time, he was a shrewd politician. When Pilate gave Jesus Christ to the religious leaders and the religious establishment of his day, he knew that from now on, they would owe him. And he would be collecting on their favors, because he has now given them what they wanted, and they're going to have to give him later on that which he wanted.

[John Weaver] Let me tell you, there is a lesson that we need to learn. We must learn that the world of the ungodly, the world system, and to those who run the world system, to all of those people, Christ is expendable. And so are His people. They will use Christ, they will use us, and discard us as rubbish. They're only interested, as you're going to see in this text, in temporary pleasure, power, and their own position.

[John Weaver] Now, I've got two additional points I want to show you today from this scripture. What does the world want? I showed you last week that the world of the ungodly want a world without accountability and responsibility. I showed you secondly how the world of the ungodly wants to seize the inheritance that belongs to Christ. Thirdly today, I want you to see that the world of the ungodly, what a society where sin is unpunished. Watch verse 25.

[John Weaver] And he, that is Pilate, released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison. Who did Pilate release? re-released a man by the name of Barabbas. In Matthew 27, you don't have to turn there, but in verse 21 we read this, And the governor or pilot said unto them, Whither the twain that I shall release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. And the Bible tells us in verse 25, He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison.

[John Weaver] And I want you to note this. Look in verse 25. And He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired. They wanted Barabbas. They desired Barabbas. The Bible in Matthew 27 and verse 16 says this, and they had a notable prisoner called Barabbas. Now I want you to note that word notable. In Mark 15 and verse 7 it goes like this, And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. In John 18 and verse 40, they cried out all again saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Now I want you to note in each of these passages, first of all, Barabbas is called a notable prisoner. That is, he was someone of note. He was someone that was famous, or as we should say today, someone who was infamous. Someone who was notorious. So Barabbas then was a thief. He was an insurrectionist. He was a murderer.

[John Weaver] He was a seditionist. And here, They desire Him. I want you to note, Barabbas deserved the death penalty on more than one charge. Murder would have been sufficient, but insurrection, sedition, those are death penalty charges as well. And Pilate asked, whether of the twain will you that I release unto you?

[John Weaver] Now, he may have faintly hoped that somehow They would have answered Jesus Christ. But the answer was Barabbas. Barabbas. We want Barabbas. Please remember, everybody knew that this man was an insurrectionist. He was a seditionist. He was a robber. He was a murderer.

[John Weaver] Now ask yourself this question. Why did the religious establishment Why did the rulers in Judea want Barabbas and not Christ whom they knew was innocent? Well, let me answer that for you. Here's why they wanted Barabbas. Barabbas did not stand in their way. Barabbas did not challenge their usurped authority. Barabbas did not confront them. Barabbas did not rebuke them. Barabbas did not seek to overthrow them. Barabbas did not shame them. He may have been guilty of murder and insurrection and sedition and theft, but what are those in comparison to establishing, to upsetting the establishment or upsetting the status quo?

[John Weaver] You see what I'm saying? What is a little sin and a little criminal activity as compared to challenging illegal, usurped, and abused authority. That's why they wanted to get rid of Christ. In fact, look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 3. Let me show you what Peter says, and he says it very plainly. Look in Acts chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Acts 3, verse 13. Look what Peter states as he's preaching.

[John Weaver] He says,"...the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he, Pilate, was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One in the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you." Well, how much plainer can you get? You desired a murderer to be granted unto you.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you, has the world changed? Think about this. Have politicians changed? You look today in our country at the political prisoners. You look at the people that are in prison today that are really in prison for challenging the system. Did you know that the United States of America has more people in prison than China. The United States basically has more people in prison than any nation in the whole wide world.

[John Weaver] Let me just point something out. You look at the murderers, the rapists, the kidnappers that are walking around free. While anyone who challenges usurped and abused authority will spend 20 years in the slammer, in a federal pen somewhere. I'll show you the mentality. I was preaching in Iowa. And the pastor said, look, there's a fellow I'd really love for you to talk to. He's a very bitter man, very bitter.

[John Weaver] And he said, but maybe if you would go with me and we could invite him to the meeting, he at least might come out and listen to the word of God. I said, sure, I'll go with you. Well, come to find out what the man was so bitter about. He had gone through a very nasty and a very ugly divorce. And evidently, he had been taken to the cleaners.

[John Weaver] I don't remember the whole story. But I'm going to tell you his exact words. I have never forgotten them. He was rehearsing all of this to me. And when he got to the end, his fists kind of clenched. He got a real grimace on his face and these were his exact words. Exact words. He said, I should have killed her. I should have killed her. I should have killed her like I started to.

[John Weaver] I could have been in and out in seven years. Those were his exact words. Because a life sentence doesn't mean a life sentence in this day and time. But that's what he said. I should have killed her. I should have killed her. I should have killed her. The point I'm trying to make is the little couplet goes like this. No one escapes when freedom fails. The best men rot in filthy jails.

[John Weaver] And those who try to appease appease are hanged by those they tried to please. And that's certainly true. The world, and I'm talking about the world of the ungodly, I'm not talking about the world of Christians. We know better. But the world of the ungodly had rather have a society where sin and criminal activity and sodomy and fornication and theft and murder abound rather than to choose Jesus Christ the Son of God. They'd rather live by their standard of sin and rebellion than to submit to the Word of God.

[John Weaver] They prefer injustice to justice, they prefer unrighteousness to righteousness, and they prefer damnation to salvation. It's that simple. Society, the world of the ungodly, prefers a society of sin and death. Do you know what the sovereign God of heaven and earth did? He allowed the Jews to choose between Christ, who is life, and Barabbas, who is death. They chose death. Do you realize that we have done exactly the same thing in America?

[John Weaver] You stop and think about that. We have chosen our own delusion. We have chosen death. Because we have chosen as a nation to have a government and a society and an economic structure that's entirely and completely contrary to God and His Word. We've chosen our own delusion. We've chosen our own destruction. And therefore, we've chosen death. And I might point out, it is an inescapable death. One of my favorite passages is found in Proverbs 8, verses 35 and 36.

[John Weaver] Let me just quote it. Our Lord said this, For whosoever findeth Me, findeth life, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now stop and think about that. I'm not through. But He said, whoever finds Me, finds life, and obtains favor of the Lord. That's true. You find Christ, you find life, you obtain favor of the Lord. But listen to verse 36. There He says this, All they that hate Me love death. All they that hate Me love death. I said it last week. I will say it again this week. The only thing the world can produce without Jesus Christ is a society of death. Look at abortion. Look at euthanasia. Look at the merciless society that we live in. All the world of the ungodly can produce is death.

[John Weaver] You remember, and the name just slipped my mind, Daniel, it's your fault. The name of the man who said, maybe it was Orwell, who said, if you want a picture of the future, Imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever. That's what society is without Christ. That's what society is without the Word of God. And notice what Pilate said. He delivered unto them whom they desired. Isn't it amazing how the world desires everything but Christ and righteousness and holiness. Isn't it amazing?

[John Weaver] You never have to teach your children how to sin. You never have to teach them how to be in rebellion. You never have to teach them how to make wrong choices. Isn't it amazing that even as adults still do the same thing without Christ, without His Word, So the world of the ungodly wants a society of sin and death. I want you to look back in Luke 23 and verse 25 again, because here is the fourth thing that the world of the ungodly wants. Notice verse 25, And He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into the prison, whom they had desired. Now watch.

[John Weaver] But he delivered Jesus to their will. What? He delivered Jesus to their will. The world of the ungodly wants a religion that they can control. They could not control Christ. They couldn't stop Christ. That's why Caiaphas said, no you, nothing at all? How is it expedient that one man should die for the nation and not the whole nation while we'll just kill Christ? We'll get rid of Him! And we'll maintain control. They want to be in control according to the world of the ungodly. Listen carefully. There is nothing wrong with religion as long as it fits into their desires and conforms to their will and they control it. They want to be the determiner of death and hell and of salvation and damnation. They want to decide what Christ can do and cannot do. They want to decide what Christ can be and cannot be. They want to decide who lives and who dies. They want a salvation where Jesus Christ does not reign and rule. They want a salvation that conforms to their thoughts and their way of thinking and their life.

[John Weaver] They want a salvation that they control. He delivered Jesus to their will. Let me point this out. Have you noticed the two most popular religious symbols in America particularly, and probably the world, you know what the two most popular religious symbols are? The nativity scene. Christ in the manger, and Christ on the cross. Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, why is the nativity scene so popular even among ungodly folks? Why is Christ on a cross so popular? I've seen people who have no idea who Christ is, wear a cross on a gold chain around their neck, Let me tell you why the nativity scene and Christ on the cross are so popular. Here we go.

[John Weaver] First, who's afraid of a baby? I'm not. I'm not afraid of a baby. I mean, they can look cute and they can make you smile. And they can make you act and talk like a fool. Because all grandparents and grandmas do, you know. We use all kind of little sweet expressions to them. But who's afraid of a baby? Who's afraid of a dead man? A dead man can't hurt you. A dead man can't harm you. They're lifeless. They're harmless.

[John Weaver] The world, the world of the ungodly, loves Christ in a manger and they love Christ on a cross because He's no threat to them. He's no threat to their persons, their positions, or their power. But you begin to proclaim a living, resurrected, ascended, enthroned, glorified Lord who rules and reigns and demands that men submit to Him Then all of a sudden, they don't like that Christ. They don't like that Lord. He's no longer the cute little cuddly baby. He's no longer the dead man hanging on the cross somewhere. He's a threat to them. He condemns their sins. He abhors their wickednesses. He punishes their iniquities. He challenges their authority. He reproves them. He rebukes them.

[John Weaver] And He threatens them with death and hell. They don't like that. But now Christ is a baby, that's fine. Or Christ dead on the cross, that's fine. But folks, let me tell you something. Jesus Christ is not dead. And Jesus Christ is not a baby. Jesus Christ is the resurrected, ascended Lord of glory, who now rules and reigns. He's the sovereign God of heaven and earth. I want to read to you what Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote in this vein. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was preaching on Matthew 20 and verse 15 where Christ said, is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? And I want you to just listen to this one paragraph. Spurgeon summarizes everything I've been trying to tell you this morning. He says this, the householder says, is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? And even so does the God of heaven and earth ask this question of you this morning. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?

[John Weaver] There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of divine sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that sovereignty hath ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought to more earnestly to contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation, the kingship of God over all of the works of His hands, the throne of God, and His right to sit upon that throne.

[John Weaver] On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a football, as the great, stupendous, and yet most certain doctrine of the sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne. They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion the worlds and to make the stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonery to dispense alms and bestow His bounties.

[John Weaver] They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving oceans. But when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth. And when we proclaim and enthrone God and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter, then it is there that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on His throne is not the God they love. They love Him anywhere better than they do when He sits upon His throne with His scepter in His hand and His crown upon His head. But it is this God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is this God upon His throne in whom we trust." Wow! Isn't that powerful? Isn't that the truth? Men will allow God to be everywhere except on the throne?

[John Weaver] I want you to look back to Luke chapter 23 and verse 25. Let me show you this. I want to emphasize this. And I want to show you the implications. In Luke 23 and verse 25 again, And he, Pilate, released unto them him, that is Barabbas, that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired, but now watch this, but he delivered Jesus, unto their will. Would you like to know what the world of the ungodly would do to Jesus Christ if they could? All you have to do is look at what they did. They laughed. They mocked. They ridiculed. They jeered. They scorned. They hated. They rejected.

[John Weaver] They scourged and crucified the Son of God. They inflicted as much humiliation, degradation, and pain upon Him as they could. They shamed Him in their treatment of Him. Let me just quote Hebrews 12 and verse 1. Listen carefully. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, listen, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. They shamed the Lord. They crucified the Lord. They stripped Him naked. They mocked Him.

[John Weaver] They put a crown of thorns on His head. They beat Him with a scepter. What happened? They had Jesus delivered under their will and that's what they did to the sinless Son of God. That's what the world will do today. Let me show you why the world loves the baby in the manger and the dead Christ on the cross. I want you to look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 2. Turn to Acts chapter 2.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there with verse 32. Peter is preaching. Acts 2 verse 32. I want you to watch carefully. Look at the testimony that is given. Acts 2, verse 32. Peter says, This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. So God's raised Him from the dead. Verse 33, Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which you now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Now wait a minute. Look at this carefully. Remember, Christ was delivered to their will.

[John Weaver] Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost. He says, let me tell you folks something. This Jesus whom you crucified, He's no longer dead. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses. And God has glorified Him. He is now the resurrected, ascended Lord. He's sitting on the right hand of God the Father. He is Lord. He is Sovereign. He is Master. He is God.

[John Weaver] He said David himself prophesied this in Psalm 110. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou in my right hand, until I make all thy foes thy footstool.

[John Weaver] Now listen to what he said. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, market them, this is truth, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom you crucified, Both the Lord and Christ. Now watch it.

[John Weaver] Now when they heard this, heard what? What did they hear that upset them? That Jesus Christ was not dead. That Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead. That Jesus Christ was Lord of glory. That Jesus Christ is the boss, the owner, the master, the sovereign. When they heard This! What happened? Look in verse 37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart. Watch this question.

[John Weaver] And they said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Wait a minute. Hang on. Who is Peter preaching to? The ones who crucified the Son of God. Let me show you what just dawned on them. Pilate delivered Jesus to our will. And we did unto Him as we pleased. Now, God has raised Jesus from the dead and resurrected Him. He's ascended. He's the glorified. He's now Lord. He's King of kings and God of gods and Lord of lords and uh-oh!

[John Weaver] We're now in His hands and He can do with us as He wills. No wonder they were upset. No wonder they were pricked in their heart because they now realize They messed with the wrong man. Look what they did to Christ. Now Christ holds their soul and their lives in His hand, and He may be with them whatsoever He pleases, whatsoever He wills. They realized that this great and glorious sovereign God could dash them in pieces if He so pleased. We've got to realize something, folks. Our God is on the throne. He has not abdicated His throne.

[John Weaver] He has not resigned His position. He's not abdicated His power. He can still crush His enemies at any moment, at any time, just as He pleases. And He shall do so because every foe will be brought under the footstool of Jesus Christ. Every individual is in God's hands. and He may now dispose of them as He pleases." The world wants a religion they can control. That's why they do not want Jesus Christ. He is uncontrollable because He's the sovereign God of heaven and earth. Now let me make just a couple of applications.

[John Weaver] The first one is this. The world wants that which they can never have. They want a Christ who will conform to their will and a salvation that they desire. You know what the world wants? The world wants to be saved from the penalty of sin so that it may continue to indulge in sin. They want the sin, they just don't want to suffer for it. And the world will treat Christ merely as a fire escape, or merely as fire insurance. They really and truly do not want repentance. They want a society where sin is unpunished, where there is no accountability, where they can sin with impunity, but no such salvation exists. The only salvation there is, is in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] and therefore he demands that men repent and submit to him. And dear friend, those who do not shall perish. It's that simple. All they that hate me love death. The second application is this. How glorious and how gracious is the salvation of our Lord who descends and condescends to save wicked, rebellious sinners. Have you ever stopped to think, as wicked as the world of the ungodly is, if God had not been merciful to you and I, we would have been in there right amongst them, in the middle of them, wanting what they want, desiring what they desired. Because we too We're sinners lost and undone. We too were rebels against Christ. But thankfully, God in His mercy has saved us. As the Bible says that God has translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. And we no longer want what the world wants. We want what God wants. I've heard it said like this, since I've been saved, I do what I want to do, because God changed my wantons.

[John Weaver] And that's a fact. God does change your wantons. The Bible tells us in 1 John 2, listen carefully, verses 15 through 17, He said, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. Now listen carefully. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you, Herod and Pilate were consummate politicians. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the chief priests were consummate politicians as well. Where are they today? The point I'm trying to make is they were willing to crucify Christ for temporary power and temporary pleasure. This world and everything in it that's wicked and contrary to Christ will pass away. Only those that do the will of God abide it forever. What the world wants, it can never have. Because the only thing that is holy and right and godly is the salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. And whatever we have in Him is not temporary, it is permanent.

[John Weaver] So that means this, folks. We need to learn our Bibles. We need to study our Bibles. We need to make sure that we want what God wants. We may be in this world, but as our Lord said in John 17, we're not off this world. And we're certainly not part of the wicked world system. We belong to the world of belief. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We are thankful that Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead, that He's ascended into heaven, that He's seated at the right hand of God, that He's the glorified Son of Man, ruling and reigning sovereignly and demanding that all men everywhere repent and believe. Father, thank You for choosing us out of the world and bringing us into the Kingdom of Thy dear Son, and demonstrating and showing and teaching us, Lord, holiness and righteousness and truth. Enable us to bring our lives into greater conformity to Your Word, and to give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

[John Weaver] In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen. Amen.

What the World Wants Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	klvHi75iQNM
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 172: What the World Wants — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	70

Formatted Transcript

Review of Part 1: The World’s Rejection of Accountability and Inheritance

Weaver reviews the first part of the message, highlighting that the world of the ungodly wants a world without responsibility to God and seeks to seize the inheritance of Jesus Christ.

Well, let's open our Bibles today. We'll get started. We're looking in our Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 23. I'm going to take a few minutes and review because I preached the first part of this message last week. And I'm going to continue. Look in Luke 23, if you would please, and we'll begin reading there with verse 20 and read through verse 25. This is the second part of the message entitled "What the World Wants." Notice Luke chapter 23, if you would please, beginning there with verse 20.

"Pilate, therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why? what evil hath he done? I found no cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified, and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required."

Scripture Reading — Luke 23:20-25

"And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired. But he delivered Jesus to their will."

Last week, by way of introduction, when I began this message, "What Does the World Want?", I took the time to distinguish for you seven different ways the word "world" is used in the Bible. Actually, the word "world" has about thirteen different meanings. If you will turn, hold Luke 23, but if you will turn to John chapter 1, just a few pages over. I used this verse last week, but let me just demonstrate it for you again. Look in John 1 and verse 10. Here the word "world" occurs three specific times in one sentence, and each time, the word "world" means something entirely different. When we think of the word "world," we think of every single individual in the world.

It is not like that at all. The context has to determine the meaning. So John 1 in verse 10,

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"He was in the world,"

that is the earth,

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"and the world was made by Him,"

that is the universe, "and the world," that is the inhabitants or the men, "knew Him not." So here the word "world" is used at least three different ways in one verse. So I pointed out the many different ways that the word "world" is used. I showed you from the Bible how there is a world of believers. I showed you from the Bible where there is a world of the ungodly. In fact, He said in 2 Peter, "Bring the flood in upon the world of the ungodly." And our Lord said to His disciples, "If the world hate you, you know that it hated Me before you." So here the believers then are set apart in distinction from the world. So, as I pointed out last week, and I'm just emphasizing this, there is a world of the godly, there is a world of the ungodly.

There is also the world system, because in John 12 and verse 31, our Lord said,

Scripture Reading — John 12:31

"the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me."

So, there is the world of the ungodly, there is the world system. And I don't care if you talk about the world of the ungodly or the world system, each one of them are absolutely against Jesus Christ. They are against the truth of God and the Word of God. So it doesn't matter if you use the term "the world of the ungodly" or "the world system," they are always in opposition to Jesus Christ.

Now last week we saw just two major points in the message, and I want to just refresh your mind as to what these are, because first of all I pointed out how the world, that is the world of the ungodly, wants a world without responsibility and accountability to God. We use this from the parable of the vineyard there. And you remember how they just simply stoned to death and killed all the servants that the owner, the sovereign God of heaven and earth sent to them. So they did not want to be accountable and responsible to God. In fact, that's the way it is in this day and time. No one wants to fess up or own up to anything. We always blame-shift and blame anything and everyone else for our own sins and problems. We do not want responsibility. We do not want accountability. And yet the Bible says in Romans 2 and verse 6 that God will render to every man according to his deeds. Now, if God's going to render to every man according to his deeds, that means that each one is answerable and accountable to God.

Secondly, I pointed out last week in the parable of the vineyard that the scripture tells us that the world of the ungodly wants to seize the inheritance of Jesus Christ. What did they say? "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours." Well, what in the world is the inheritance of Jesus Christ? It's not just the world. It is that, but more, it is the individuals who are in the world. And basically, the world of the ungodly not only want control of the world, they want control of everyone individually in the world as well. Because they want to use us as sheep to be sheared and cannon fodder for their wars. In other words, they want absolute control over everything and over everyone.

Now, these two truths were very evident in the lives of the rulers of Judah according to the book of Matthew. But they're also clearly evident today in the rules of America and of the world.

Pilate’s Political Use of Christ

Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but used Him for political advantage, sending Him to Herod to mend their relationship and later giving the religious leaders what they wanted to gain their favor.

Now when you look in our text today, in the book of Luke chapter 23, our text tells us about the trial of Jesus Christ, or I should say the lack thereof. There is a message that I have preached in times past just on the illegality of the trial of Jesus Christ, the unlawfulness of it, and of course it took place at night and all kind of things there, but interestingly, as we read in Luke chapter 23, Pilate personally knew that Jesus Christ was innocent. In fact, we are told twice in the Bible, once in Matthew 27 in verse 18, once in Mark 15 in verse 10, that Pilate knew that the chief priest had delivered him, that is Christ, for envy. In other words, he knew that Christ was personally innocent. And Christ was standing before Pilate only because they were envious. Now, if you will look in your Bibles very quickly to John chapter 11. I used this passage last week, but let me reemphasize once again why they delivered Christ unto Pilate.

Look in John 11. Verses 47 and 48. The Bible says, "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees of counsel, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation." Notice what they said, "If we don't do something, we're going to lose our place. We're going to lose our party. We're going to lose our power." In other words, we have to do something. If we don't do something, all men are going to believe on him and we will be out. We'll lose our party. We'll lose our position. We'll lose our platform.

Unhappily, politicians have not changed. You can see the thought patterns of our modern day politicians being exposed in the politician in our Lord's day. They would sell Christ and His people down the river for their personal benefit, and they will still do that today. Now, Pilate's wife, you'll remember, sent a message to Pilate in Matthew 27 and verse 19. She told Pilate, "Have thou nothing to do with this just person, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." So you have to ask this question. Since Pilate knew that Jesus Christ was innocent, and since he knew that the high priest had delivered him for envy, how in the world could Pilate condemn an innocent man? The answer is very simple. Pilate was a politician. He didn't care about truth. He didn't care about principle. He did not even care about individuals. And the mere fact that Pilate, in Matthew 27 and verse 24, took water and washed his hands saying,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 27:24

"I'm innocent of the blood of this just person, see you to it,"

did not release him from his condemnation. Yea, it added condemnation to him, for he did not free Christ when he knew Christ was absolutely, totally innocent.

Now, the interesting thing is this. Pilate was using Christ. Pilate had already previously used Jesus Christ. You say, what do you mean, using Christ? Well, look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 23. Luke 23, and notice if you would, beginning there with verse 6. Let me show you how Pilate had previously used Christ, and of course now he's using Him again. In Luke 23, beginning there with verse 6, watch carefully. "When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean."

"And as soon as he knew that he belonged into Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words, but he answered him nothing." "And the chief priests and the scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war said of it not, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were an enmity between themselves." Now isn't that interesting? When you read, when Pilate heard that he was a Galilean, "Oh, I'm glad to hear that. I'm going to send you to Herod because he's over that." Herod, he knew, had been wanting to see Jesus. And the only reason Herod wanted to see Christ was because he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. And so when he sent Christ to Herod, and Herod got to mock Christ and ridicule Him, then Pilate and Herod were made friends again. I want you to notice what Pilate did. He used Christ for political advantage.

Let me say this again. Politicians have not changed. They still use Christ for political advantage. How do I say that? Well, they parade themselves as Christians. They say they stand for Christian and biblical values. But just as quickly as poor, gullible, and foolish Christians vote them into office, they immediately turn and rend Christ and Christians with their unfaithful lives, with their ungodly laws, and their unwillingness to stand for anything that's biblical and Christian. So, Pilate used Christ, and people today use Christ.

By the way, it's interesting to note that the only man in the entire New Testament to whom our Lord would not even speak was King Herod. You know why? Herod hoped to have seen some miracle done by Christ. The only interest Herod had in Christ was entertainment value. That's all. He wanted to be entertained. And Christ refused to even speak to him. And the Bible said, of course, then they mocked him and sent him back to Pilate. Isn't it interesting? The same day, the Bible says that Pilate and Herod were made friends. By the way, I want you to look, if you would please, in Luke chapter 13. Notice if you would please. I want to show you how little our Lord thought of King Herod. By the way, I hope you realize that there was a group in the New Testament who were known as the Herodians, who of course were for King Herod. But notice if you would in Luke 13 and verse 31. Let me show you the subtlety of King Herod.

"The same day there came certain of the Pharisees saying unto him, Get thee out and depart hence, for Herod will kill thee. And he, Christ, said unto them, Go you and tell that fox, behold I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." Now notice what Christ said. "You go and tell that fox." So Christ then called Herod a fox. A fox indicates a sly and crafty man. The epitaph that Christ used for Herod demonstrates his cunning and his craftiness. And Herod shows clearly his real character when he sends these Pharisees to Christ and said, "You better get out or I'm going to have you killed." And it's interesting, even later on, as you get over to Luke 23, Herod still wanted to see Christ, even though because of his superstition, he thought that Christ was John the Baptist resurrected from the dead.

But yet he had no regard for him except for entertainment value. Now a fox then is an emblem of slyness, of cunning, and mischief. The word is also used in the Bible to denote a dissembler. Herod was indeed a wicked man, but that which Christ refers to when he calls Herod a fox is his cunning and the strategies that he tried to use to get to Christ. Adam Clarke in his commentary on this passage said this, "A fox among the Jews appears to have been the emblem of a wicked ruler who united cunning with cruelty and was always plotting how he might aggrandize himself by spoiling the people." And of course Christ knew that. That's why Christ referred to him as a fox. So our Lord did not trust Herod. He would not even speak to Herod. Pilate and Herod were indeed enemies, but they both got together to persecute Jesus Christ, and therefore they became friends. You will find that enemies, whoever they may be, wherever they may be, will always come together to stand against that which is right and biblical and godly and holy.

So Pilate then not only used Christ to get a reconciliation with Herod. He is now using Christ in Luke chapter 23 to gain popularity with the religious rulers. Go back to Luke 23 if you would and look if you would please at verse 21. Luke 23 verse 21. "But they cried." Who's the "they"? Well, it's the chief priests, it's the religious people, and the religious leaders, and the people they've stood up.

"prevailed." Now, watch what Pilate did. Pilate gave the religious leaders exactly that which they wanted. Although he knew that he was wrong, and he knew that they were wrong as well. Pilate was a spineless, cowardly, and wicked man, but yet at the same time, he was a shrewd politician. When Pilate gave Jesus Christ to the religious leaders and the religious establishment of his day, he knew that from now on, they would owe him. And he would be collecting on their favors, because he has now given them what they wanted, and they're going to have to give him later on that which he wanted. Let me tell you, there is a lesson that we need to learn. We must learn that the world of the ungodly, the world system, and to those who run the world system, to all of those people, Christ is expendable. And so are His people. They will use Christ, they will use us, and discard us as rubbish. They're only interested, as you're going to see in this text, in temporary pleasure, power, and their own position.

The World Wants a Society Where Sin Is Unpunished

The crowd chose Barabbas, a murderer and insurrectionist, over Jesus because Barabbas did not challenge their authority, illustrating that the ungodly prefer a society of sin and death.

Now, I've got two additional points I want to show you today from this scripture. What does the world want? I showed you last week that the world of the ungodly want a world without accountability and responsibility. I showed you secondly how the world of the ungodly wants to seize the inheritance that belongs to Christ. Thirdly today, I want you to see that the world of the ungodly wants a society where sin is unpunished. Watch verse 25. "And he," that is Pilate, "released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison." Who did Pilate release? He released a man by the name of Barabbas. In Matthew 27, you don't have to turn there, but in verse 21 we read this, "And the governor or pilot said unto them, Whither the twain that I shall release unto you? And they said, Barabbas." And the Bible tells us in verse 25, "He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison."

And I want you to note this. Look in verse 25. "And He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired." They wanted Barabbas. They desired Barabbas. The Bible in Matthew 27 and verse 16 says this, "and they had a notable prisoner called Barabbas." Now I want you to note that word "notable." In Mark 15 and verse 7 it goes like this, "And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection." In John 18 and verse 40, "they cried out all again saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber." Now I want you to note in each of these passages, first of all, Barabbas is called a notable prisoner. That is, he was someone of note. He was someone that was famous, or as we should say today, someone who was infamous. Someone who was notorious. So Barabbas then was a thief. He was an insurrectionist. He was a murderer.

He was a seditionist. And here, they desire Him. I want you to note, Barabbas deserved the death penalty on more than one charge. Murder would have been sufficient, but insurrection, sedition, those are death penalty charges as well. And Pilate asked, "whether of the twain will you that I release unto you?"

Now, he may have faintly hoped that somehow they would have answered Jesus Christ. But the answer was Barabbas. Barabbas. We want Barabbas. Please remember, everybody knew that this man was an insurrectionist. He was a seditionist. He was a robber. He was a murderer.

Now ask yourself this question. Why did the religious establishment, why did the rulers in Judea want Barabbas and not Christ whom they knew was innocent? Well, let me answer that for you. Here's why they wanted Barabbas. Barabbas did not stand in their way. Barabbas did not challenge their usurped authority. Barabbas did not confront them. Barabbas did not rebuke them. Barabbas did not seek to overthrow them. Barabbas did not shame them. He may have been guilty of murder and insurrection and sedition and theft, but what are those in comparison to upsetting the establishment or upsetting the status quo?

You see what I'm saying? What is a little sin and a little criminal activity as compared to challenging illegal, usurped, and abused authority. That's why they wanted to get rid of Christ. In fact, look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 3. Let me show you what Peter says, and he says it very plainly. Look in Acts chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Acts 3, verse 13. Look what Peter states as he's preaching.

He says, "...the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he, Pilate, was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One in the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you." Well, how much plainer can you get? You desired a murderer to be granted unto you. Let me ask you, has the world changed? Think about this. Have politicians changed? You look today in our country at the political prisoners. You look at the people that are in prison today that are really in prison for challenging the system. Did you know that the United States of America has more people in prison than China? The United States basically has more people in prison than any nation in the whole wide world.

Let me just point something out. You look at the murderers, the rapists, the kidnappers that are walking around free. While anyone who challenges usurped and abused authority will spend 20 years in the slammer, in a federal pen somewhere. I'll show you the mentality. I was preaching in Iowa. And the pastor said, "Look, there's a fellow I'd really love for you to talk to. He's a very bitter man, very bitter."

And he said, "But maybe if you would go with me and we could invite him to the meeting, he at least might come out and listen to the word of God." I said, "Sure, I'll go with you." Well, come to find out what the man was so bitter about. He had gone through a very nasty and a very ugly divorce. And evidently, he had been taken to the cleaners. I don't remember the whole story. But I'm going to tell you his exact words. I have never forgotten them. He was rehearsing all of this to me. And when he got to the end, his fists kind of clenched. He got a real grimace on his face and these were his exact words. Exact words. He said, "I should have killed her. I should have killed her. I should have killed her like I started to."

"I could have been in and out in seven years." Those were his exact words. Because a life sentence doesn't mean a life sentence in this day and time. But that's what he said. "I should have killed her. I should have killed her. I should have killed her." The point I'm trying to make is the little couplet goes like this: "No one escapes when freedom fails. The best men rot in filthy jails."

"And those who try to appease are hanged by those they tried to please." And that's certainly true. The world, and I'm talking about the world of the ungodly, I'm not talking about the world of Christians. We know better. But the world of the ungodly had rather have a society where sin and criminal activity and sodomy and fornication and theft and murder abound rather than to choose Jesus Christ the Son of God. They'd rather live by their standard of sin and rebellion than to submit to the Word of God. They prefer injustice to justice, they prefer unrighteousness to righteousness, and they prefer damnation to salvation. It's that simple. Society, the world of the ungodly, prefers a society of sin and death. Do you know what the sovereign God of heaven and earth did? He allowed the Jews to choose between Christ, who is life, and Barabbas, who is death. They chose death. Do you realize that we have done exactly the same thing in America?

You stop and think about that. We have chosen our own delusion. We have chosen death. Because we have chosen as a nation to have a government and a society and an economic structure that's entirely and completely contrary to God and His Word. We've chosen our own delusion. We've chosen our own destruction. And therefore, we've chosen death. And I might point out, it is an inescapable death. One of my favorite passages is found in Proverbs 8, verses 35 and 36.

Let me just quote it. Our Lord said this, "For whosoever findeth Me, findeth life, and obtaineth favor of the Lord." Now stop and think about that. I'm not through. But He said, "whoever finds Me, finds life, and obtains favor of the Lord." That's true. You find Christ, you find life, you obtain favor of the Lord. But listen to verse 36. There He says this, "All they that hate Me love death." All they that hate Me love death. I said it last week. I will say it again this week. The only thing the world can produce without Jesus Christ is a society of death. Look at abortion. Look at euthanasia. Look at the merciless society that we live in. All the world of the ungodly can produce is death.

The World Wants a Religion They Can Control

Pilate delivered Jesus to the will of the people, showing that the world wants a controllable religion. They love the baby in the manger and the dead Christ on the cross because these are non-threatening, but they hate the sovereign, resurrected Lord.

You remember, and the name just slipped my mind, Daniel, it's your fault. The name of the man who said, maybe it was Orwell, who said, "if you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever." That's what society is without Christ. That's what society is without the Word of God. And notice what Pilate said. He delivered unto them whom they desired. Isn't it amazing how the world desires everything but Christ and righteousness and holiness. Isn't it amazing?

You never have to teach your children how to sin. You never have to teach them how to be in rebellion. You never have to teach them how to make wrong choices. Isn't it amazing that even as adults still do the same thing without Christ, without His Word. So the world of the ungodly wants a society of sin and death. I want you to look back in Luke 23 and verse 25 again, because here is the fourth thing that the world of the ungodly wants. Notice verse 25, "And He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into the prison, whom they had desired." Now watch.

"But he delivered Jesus to their will." What? He delivered Jesus to their will. The world of the ungodly wants a religion that they can control. They could not control Christ. They couldn't stop Christ. That's why Caiaphas said, "know you nothing at all? How is it expedient that one man should die for the nation and not the whole nation while we'll just kill Christ? We'll get rid of Him! And we'll maintain control." They want to be in control according to the world of the ungodly. Listen carefully. There is nothing wrong with religion as long as it fits into their desires and conforms to their will and they control it. They want to be the determiner of death and hell and of salvation and damnation. They want to decide what Christ can do and cannot do. They want to decide what Christ can be and cannot be. They want to decide who lives and who dies. They want a salvation where Jesus Christ does not reign and rule. They want a salvation that conforms to their thoughts and their way of thinking and their life.

They want a salvation that they control. He delivered Jesus to their will. Let me point this out. Have you noticed the two most popular religious symbols in America particularly, and probably the world, you know what the two most popular religious symbols are? The nativity scene. Christ in the manger, and Christ on the cross. Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, why is the nativity scene so popular even among ungodly folks? Why is Christ on a cross so popular? I've seen people who have no idea who Christ is, wear a cross on a gold chain around their neck. Let me tell you why the nativity scene and Christ on the cross are so popular. Here we go.

First, who's afraid of a baby? I'm not. I'm not afraid of a baby. I mean, they can look cute and they can make you smile. And they can make you act and talk like a fool. Because all grandparents and grandmas do, you know. We use all kind of little sweet expressions to them. But who's afraid of a baby? Who's afraid of a dead man? A dead man can't hurt you. A dead man can't harm you. They're lifeless. They're harmless.

The world, the world of the ungodly, loves Christ in a manger and they love Christ on a cross because He's no threat to them. He's no threat to their persons, their positions, or their power. But you begin to proclaim a living, resurrected, ascended, enthroned, glorified Lord who rules and reigns and demands that men submit to Him, then all of a sudden, they don't like that Christ. They don't like that Lord. He's no longer the cute little cuddly baby. He's no longer the dead man hanging on the cross somewhere. He's a threat to them. He condemns their sins. He abhors their wickednesses. He punishes their iniquities. He challenges their authority. He reproves them. He rebukes them.

And He threatens them with death and hell. They don't like that. But now Christ is a baby, that's fine. Or Christ dead on the cross, that's fine. But folks, let me tell you something. Jesus Christ is not dead. And Jesus Christ is not a baby. Jesus Christ is the resurrected, ascended Lord of glory, who now rules and reigns. He's the sovereign God of heaven and earth. I want to read to you what Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote in this vein. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was preaching on Matthew 20 and verse 15 where Christ said, "is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?" And I want you to just listen to this one paragraph. Spurgeon summarizes everything I've been trying to tell you this morning. He says this, "The householder says, 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?' And even so does the God of heaven and earth ask this question of you this morning. 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?'"

"There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of divine sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that sovereignty hath ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought to more earnestly to contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation, the kingship of God over all of the works of His hands, the throne of God, and His right to sit upon that throne." "On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a football, as the great, stupendous, and yet most certain doctrine of the sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne. They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion the worlds and to make the stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonery to dispense alms and bestow His bounties."

"They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving oceans. But when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth. And when we proclaim and enthrone God and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter, then it is there that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on His throne is not the God they love. They love Him anywhere better than they do when He sits upon His throne with His scepter in His hand and His crown upon His head. But it is this God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is this God upon His throne in whom we trust." Wow! Isn't that powerful? Isn't that the truth? Men will allow God to be everywhere except on the throne?

I want you to look back to Luke chapter 23 and verse 25. Let me show you this. I want to emphasize this. And I want to show you the implications. In Luke 23 and verse 25 again, "And he, Pilate, released unto them him, that is Barabbas, that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired, but now watch this, but he delivered Jesus unto their will." Would you like to know what the world of the ungodly would do to Jesus Christ if they could? All you have to do is look at what they did. They laughed. They mocked. They ridiculed. They jeered. They scorned. They hated. They rejected.

The Resurrected Christ’s Sovereignty Terrifies the World

Peter’s sermon at Pentecost revealed that the crucified Jesus is now Lord and Christ, causing the hearers to realize they are now in His hands, which pricked their hearts with fear.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:1

They scourged and crucified the Son of God. They inflicted as much humiliation, degradation, and pain upon Him as they could. They shamed Him in their treatment of Him. Let me just quote Hebrews 12 and verse 1. Listen carefully. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." They shamed the Lord. They crucified the Lord. They stripped Him naked. They mocked Him.

They put a crown of thorns on His head. They beat Him with a scepter. What happened? They had Jesus delivered under their will and that's what they did to the sinless Son of God. That's what the world will do today. Let me show you why the world loves the baby in the manger and the dead Christ on the cross. I want you to look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 2. Turn to Acts chapter 2.

And let's begin reading there with verse 32. Peter is preaching. Acts 2 verse 32. I want you to watch carefully. Look at the testimony that is given. Acts 2, verse 32. Peter says,

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:32-37

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses."

So God's raised Him from the dead. Verse 33,

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:32-37

"Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which you now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles,

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:32-37

"Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Now wait a minute. Look at this carefully. Remember, Christ was delivered to their will.

Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost. He says, "Let me tell you folks something. This Jesus whom you crucified, He's no longer dead. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses. And God has glorified Him. He is now the resurrected, ascended Lord. He's sitting on the right hand of God the Father. He is Lord. He is Sovereign. He is Master. He is God."

He said David himself prophesied this in Psalm 110. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou in my right hand, until I make all thy foes thy footstool." Now listen to what he said. "Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly," mark it down, this is truth, "let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom you crucified, both the Lord and Christ." Now watch it.

Now when they heard this, heard what? What did they hear that upset them? That Jesus Christ was not dead. That Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead. That Jesus Christ was Lord of glory. That Jesus Christ is the boss, the owner, the master, the sovereign. When they heard this! What happened? Look in verse 37. "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart." Watch this question.

And they said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Wait a minute. Hang on. Who is Peter preaching to? The ones who crucified the Son of God. Let me show you what just dawned on them. Pilate delivered Jesus to our will. And we did unto Him as we pleased. Now, God has raised Jesus from the dead and resurrected Him. He's ascended. He's the glorified. He's now Lord. He's King of kings and God of gods and Lord of lords and uh-oh!

We're now in His hands and He can do with us as He wills. No wonder they were upset. No wonder they were pricked in their heart because they now realize they messed with the wrong man. Look what they did to Christ. Now Christ holds their soul and their lives in His hand, and He may be with them whatsoever He pleases, whatsoever He wills. They realized that this great and glorious sovereign God could dash them in pieces if He so pleased. We've got to realize something, folks. Our God is on the throne. He has not abdicated His throne.

He has not resigned His position. He's not abdicated His power. He can still crush His enemies at any moment, at any time, just as He pleases. And He shall do so because every foe will be brought under the footstool of Jesus Christ. Every individual is in God's hands. And He may now dispose of them as He pleases. The world wants a religion they can control. That's why they do not want Jesus Christ. He is uncontrollable because He's the sovereign God of heaven and earth. Now let me make just a couple of applications.

Applications: The World’s Futile Desires and the Believer’s Transformation

The world wants salvation without repentance, which does not exist. Believers should rejoice that God has changed their desires and translated them into His kingdom, and they must study the Bible to align their wants with God’s will.

The first one is this. The world wants that which they can never have. They want a Christ who will conform to their will and a salvation that they desire. You know what the world wants? The world wants to be saved from the penalty of sin so that it may continue to indulge in sin. They want the sin, they just don't want to suffer for it. And the world will treat Christ merely as a fire escape, or merely as fire insurance. They really and truly do not want repentance. They want a society where sin is unpunished, where there is no accountability, where they can sin with impunity, but no such salvation exists. The only salvation there is, is in Jesus Christ.

And therefore he demands that men repent and submit to him. And dear friend, those who do not shall perish. It's that simple. "All they that hate me love death." The second application is this. How glorious and how gracious is the salvation of our Lord who descends and condescends to save wicked, rebellious sinners. Have you ever stopped to think, as wicked as the world of the ungodly is, if God had not been merciful to you and I, we would have been in there right amongst them, in the middle of them, wanting what they want, desiring what they desired. Because we too were sinners lost and undone. We too were rebels against Christ. But thankfully, God in His mercy has saved us. As the Bible says that God has translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. And we no longer want what the world wants. We want what God wants. I've heard it said like this, "Since I've been saved, I do what I want to do, because God changed my want tos."

And that's a fact. God does change your want tos. The Bible tells us in 1 John 2, listen carefully, verses 15 through 17, He said, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world." Now listen carefully. "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." Let me ask you, Herod and Pilate were consummate politicians. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the chief priests were consummate politicians as well. Where are they today? The point I'm trying to make is they were willing to crucify Christ for temporary power and temporary pleasure. This world and everything in it that's wicked and contrary to Christ will pass away. Only those that do the will of God abide it forever. What the world wants, it can never have. Because the only thing that is holy and right and godly is the salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. And whatever we have in Him is not temporary, it is permanent.

So that means this, folks. We need to learn our Bibles. We need to study our Bibles. We need to make sure that we want what God wants. We may be in this world, but as our Lord said in John 17, we're not of this world. And we're certainly not part of the wicked world system. We belong to the world of belief. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We are thankful that Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead, that He's ascended into heaven, that He's seated at the right hand of God, that He's the glorified Son of Man, ruling and reigning sovereignly and demanding that all men everywhere repent and believe. Father, thank You for choosing us out of the world and bringing us into the Kingdom of Thy dear Son, and demonstrating and showing and teaching us, Lord, holiness and righteousness and truth. Enable us to bring our lives into greater conformity to Your Word, and to give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The World’s Rejection of Divine Authority

Summary: The world of the ungodly consistently opposes Jesus Christ and His truth, refusing accountability to God and seeking to control their own destiny.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the world of the ungodly or the world system, each one of them are absolutely against Jesus Christ. They are against the truth of God and the Word of God.'

Political Exploitation of Christ

Summary: Politicians, like Pilate, use Christ for personal and political gain, parading as Christians but ultimately betraying biblical values.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Pilate used Christ for political advantage... Politicians have not changed. They still use Christ for political advantage.'

Preference for Sin Over Righteousness

Summary: The ungodly prefer a society where sin abounds rather than submit to Christ, choosing death over life.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'the world of the ungodly had rather have a society where sin and criminal activity... abound rather than to choose Jesus Christ the Son of God.'

Desire for a Controllable Religion

Summary: The world wants a religion that conforms to its will, loving a non-threatening baby Jesus or dead Christ but rejecting the sovereign Lord.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'The world, the world of the ungodly, loves Christ in a manger and they love Christ on a cross because He's no threat to them.'

The Sovereignty of the Resurrected Christ

Summary: Jesus is not dead but is the resurrected, ascended Lord who rules and reigns, demanding submission from all.

Evidence: Weaver declares, 'Jesus Christ is not dead. And Jesus Christ is not a baby. Jesus Christ is the resurrected, ascended Lord of glory, who now rules and reigns.'

The Futility of Worldly Desires

Summary: The world wants salvation without repentance, but no such salvation exists; only those who do God’s will abide forever.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The world wants to be saved from the penalty of sin so that it may continue to indulge in sin... but no such salvation exists.'

Key Arguments

Pilate’s Guilt Despite Knowledge of Innocence

Summary: Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and delivered for envy, yet he condemned Him, adding to his own guilt rather than absolving it.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Pilate personally knew that Jesus Christ was innocent... Pilate knew that the chief priest had delivered him... for envy.'

Barabbas Chosen Because He Did Not Challenge Authority

Summary: The religious leaders preferred Barabbas, a criminal, because he did not confront their usurped authority, unlike Jesus.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Barabbas did not stand in their way. Barabbas did not challenge their usurped authority.'

The World Loves a Non-Threatening Christ

Summary: The nativity and crucifixion are popular because a baby and a dead man are harmless, but the living Lord threatens their sin and autonomy.

Evidence: Weaver argues, 'Who's afraid of a baby?... Who's afraid of a dead man?... But you begin to proclaim a living, resurrected, ascended, enthroned, glorified Lord... they don't like that Christ.'

God’s Sovereignty Is Hated by the World

Summary: Men allow God to be everywhere except on His throne, because a sovereign God demands submission and accountability.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Spurgeon: 'Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne... when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth.'

The Resurrection Reverses the Power Dynamic

Summary: Those who crucified Christ realized at Pentecost that He is now Lord, and they are in His hands to dispose of as He wills.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'We're now in His hands and He can do with us as He wills. No wonder they were upset.'

Salvation Requires Repentance and Submission

Summary: The only true salvation is in Christ, who demands repentance; those who hate Him love death.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The only salvation there is, is in Jesus Christ. And therefore he demands that men repent and submit to him.'

Scripture References

Luke 23:20-25

Context: The primary text of the sermon, describing Pilate’s release of Barabbas and delivery of Jesus to the will of the people.

John 1:10

Context: Used to illustrate the multiple meanings of 'world' in Scripture—earth, universe, and inhabitants.

John 12:31

Context: Referenced to show the existence of a world system ruled by the prince of this world.

Romans 2:6

Context: Cited to affirm that God will render to every man according to his deeds, implying accountability.

Matthew 27:18

Context: Mentioned to show Pilate knew the chief priests delivered Jesus out of envy.

Mark 15:10

Context: Parallel to Matthew 27:18, confirming Pilate’s awareness of the priests’ envy.

John 11:47-48

Context: Explains why the chief priests wanted to kill Jesus—to preserve their place and nation.

Matthew 27:19

Context: Pilate’s wife’s dream warning him to have nothing to do with that just man.

Matthew 27:24

Context: Pilate washing his hands, declaring innocence of Christ’s blood, which Weaver says added to his condemnation.

Luke 23:6-12

Context: Pilate sending Jesus to Herod, leading to their reconciliation; used to show political use of Christ.

Luke 13:31-32

Context: Jesus calling Herod a fox, indicating his cunning and craftiness.

Acts 3:13-14

Context: Peter’s accusation that the people denied the Holy One and desired a murderer.

Proverbs 8:35-36

Context: Quoted to show that those who find Christ find life, but those who hate Him love death.

Hebrews 12:1

Context: Referenced to highlight that Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame.

Acts 2:32-37

Context: Peter’s Pentecost sermon proclaiming the resurrected, exalted Lord, causing the hearers to be pricked in heart.

1 John 2:15-17

Context: Command not to love the world; the world passes away, but he who does God’s will abides forever.

John 17

Context: Alluded to when Weaver says believers are in the world but not of it.

Historical References

Adam Clarke’s Commentary

Context: Weaver quotes Clarke’s note that a fox among the Jews was an emblem of a wicked ruler who united cunning with cruelty.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Context: Weaver reads a lengthy quote from Spurgeon on God’s sovereignty, emphasizing that men hate God on His throne.

George Orwell (attributed)

Context: Weaver references a quote, possibly from Orwell, describing a future of oppression: 'a boot stamping on a human face forever.'

Important Quotes

Pilate gave the religious leaders exactly that which they wanted. Although he knew that he was wrong, and he knew that they were wrong as well.

Significance: Highlights Pilate’s cowardly political maneuvering, sacrificing justice for personal gain.

Barabbas did not stand in their way. Barabbas did not challenge their usurped authority. Barabbas did not confront them. Barabbas did not rebuke them.

Significance: Explains why the world prefers a criminal over Christ—because Christ challenges their sin and authority.

The world, the world of the ungodly, loves Christ in a manger and they love Christ on a cross because He's no threat to them.

Significance: Reveals the world’s preference for a non-threatening, controllable Jesus rather than the sovereign Lord.

Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne.

Significance: A powerful Spurgeon quote summarizing the world’s rejection of divine sovereignty.

We're now in His hands and He can do with us as He wills. No wonder they were upset.

Significance: Captures the terror of the ungodly when they realize the resurrected Christ holds their fate.

The world wants to be saved from the penalty of sin so that it may continue to indulge in sin.

Significance: Diagnoses the false hope of a salvation without repentance, which does not exist.

Since I've been saved, I do what I want to do, because God changed my want tos.

Significance: Illustrates the transformative power of salvation in aligning a believer’s desires with God’s will.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do modern politicians use Christ for political advantage, similar to Pilate?

Context: Weaver argues that politicians parade as Christians but betray biblical values once in office.

Why does the world prefer a society where sin goes unpunished, and how does this manifest today?

Context: The sermon states that the ungodly prefer injustice and sin over righteousness and Christ.

How does the world’s love for a baby in a manger or a dead Christ on a cross reflect a desire for a controllable religion?

Context: Weaver explains that these images are non-threatening, unlike the living, sovereign Lord.

What does Spurgeon’s statement 'Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne' mean for our understanding of human rebellion?

Context: The quote is used to show that people reject God’s right to rule over them.

How should the reality of Christ’s resurrection and sovereignty affect the way we live and share the gospel?

Context: The sermon emphasizes that Jesus is not dead but is the reigning Lord who demands submission.

Why is it impossible to have salvation without repentance, and how does this challenge common misconceptions?

Context: Weaver states that the world wants salvation from penalty without turning from sin, but no such salvation exists.

Applications

Recognize the World’s Futile Desires

Summary: Understand that the world wants a salvation without repentance and a controllable Christ, but these are impossible; only true salvation in Christ satisfies.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The world wants that which they can never have. They want a Christ who will conform to their will and a salvation that they desire.'

Rejoice in God’s Transforming Grace

Summary: Believers should be thankful that God has changed their desires and translated them from darkness to light, no longer wanting what the world wants.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Since I've been saved, I do what I want to do, because God changed my want tos.'

Submit to the Sovereign Lord

Summary: Acknowledge that Jesus is not a baby or a dead man but the resurrected, reigning King who demands our submission and obedience.

Evidence: Weaver declares, 'Jesus Christ is the resurrected, ascended Lord of glory, who now rules and reigns.'

Study the Bible to Align with God’s Will

Summary: We must learn and study Scripture to ensure our desires match God’s will, living as those not of this world.

Evidence: Weaver exhorts, 'We need to learn our Bibles. We need to study our Bibles. We need to make sure that we want what God wants.'

Reject Temporary Worldly Power

Summary: Like Herod and Pilate, those who pursue temporary power and pleasure will pass away; only those who do God’s will abide forever.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'They were willing to crucify Christ for temporary power and temporary pleasure. This world... will pass away.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T21:05:53Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T22:12:12Z

Clean Transcript

What the World Wants Part 2 of 2

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

Well, let's open our Bibles today. We'll get started. We're looking in our Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 23. I'm going to take a few minutes and review because I preached the first part of this message last week. And I'm going to continue. Look in Luke 23, if you would please, and we'll begin reading there with verse 20 and read through verse 25. This is the second part of the message entitled "What the World Wants." Notice Luke chapter 23, if you would please, beginning there with verse 20.
#1 | 0:16 to 0:53 | cleaned
"Pilate, therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why? what evil hath he done? I found no cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified, and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required."
#2 | 0:53 to 1:21 | cleaned
"And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired. But he delivered Jesus to their will." Last week, by way of introduction, when I began this message, "What Does the World Want?", I took the time to distinguish for you seven different ways the word "world" is used in the Bible. Actually, the word "world" has about thirteen different meanings.
#3 | 1:21 to 1:51 | cleaned
If you will turn, hold Luke 23, but if you will turn to John chapter 1, just a few pages over. I used this verse last week, but let me just demonstrate it for you again. Look in John 1 and verse 10. Here the word "world" occurs three specific times in one sentence, and each time, the word "world" means something entirely different. When we think of the word "world," we think of every single individual in the world.
#4 | 1:52 to 2:17 | cleaned
It is not like that at all. The context has to determine the meaning. So John 1 in verse 10, "He was in the world," that is the earth, "and the world was made by Him," that is the universe, "and the world," that is the inhabitants or the men, "knew Him not." So here the word "world" is used at least three different ways in one verse. So I pointed out the many different ways that the word "world" is used. I showed you from the Bible how there is a world of believers. I showed you from the Bible where there is a world of the ungodly. In fact, He said in 2 Peter, "Bring the flood in upon the world of the ungodly." And our Lord said to His disciples, "If the world hate you, you know that it hated Me before you." So here the believers then are set apart in distinction from the world. So, as I pointed out last week, and I'm just emphasizing this, there is a world of the godly, there is a world of the ungodly.
#5 | 2:17 to 3:15 | cleaned
There is also the world system, because in John 12 and verse 31, our Lord said, "the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me." So, there is the world of the ungodly, there is the world system. And I don't care if you talk about the world of the ungodly or the world system, each one of them are absolutely against Jesus Christ. They are against the truth of God and the Word of God. So it doesn't matter if you use the term "the world of the ungodly" or "the world system," they are always in opposition to Jesus Christ.
#6 | 3:15 to 3:46 | cleaned
Now last week we saw just two major points in the message, and I want to just refresh your mind as to what these are, because first of all I pointed out how the world, that is the world of the ungodly, wants a world without responsibility and accountability to God. We use this from the parable of the vineyard there. And you remember how they just simply stoned to death and killed all the servants that the owner, the sovereign God of heaven and earth sent to them. So they did not want to be accountable and responsible to God.
#7 | 3:46 to 4:22 | cleaned
In fact, that's the way it is in this day and time. No one wants to fess up or own up to anything. We always blame-shift and blame anything and everyone else for our own sins and problems. We do not want responsibility. We do not want accountability. And yet the Bible says in Romans 2 and verse 6 that God will render to every man according to his deeds. Now, if God's going to render to every man according to his deeds, that means that each one is answerable and accountable to God.
#8 | 4:22 to 4:51 | cleaned
Secondly, I pointed out last week in the parable of the vineyard that the scripture tells us that the world of the ungodly wants to seize the inheritance of Jesus Christ. What did they say? "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours." Well, what in the world is the inheritance of Jesus Christ? It's not just the world. It is that, but more, it is the individuals who are in the world. And basically, the world of the ungodly not only want control of the world, they want control of everyone individually in the world as well. Because they want to use us as sheep to be sheared and cannon fodder for their wars. In other words, they want absolute control over everything and over everyone.
#9 | 4:51 to 5:39 | cleaned
Now, these two truths were very evident in the lives of the rulers of Judah according to the book of Matthew. But they're also clearly evident today in the rules of America and of the world.
#10 | 5:39 to 5:52 | cleaned
Now when you look in our text today, in the book of Luke chapter 23, our text tells us about the trial of Jesus Christ, or I should say the lack thereof. There is a message that I have preached in times past just on the illegality of the trial of Jesus Christ, the unlawfulness of it, and of course it took place at night and all kind of things there, but interestingly, as we read in Luke chapter 23, Pilate personally knew that Jesus Christ was innocent. In fact, we are told twice in the Bible, once in Matthew 27 in verse 18, once in Mark 15 in verse 10, that Pilate knew that the chief priest had delivered him, that is Christ, for envy. In other words, he knew that Christ was personally innocent. And Christ was standing before Pilate only because they were envious. Now, if you will look in your Bibles very quickly to John chapter 11. I used this passage last week, but let me reemphasize once again why they delivered Christ unto Pilate.
#11 | 5:52 to 7:04 | cleaned
Look in John 11. Verses 47 and 48. The Bible says, "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees of counsel, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation." Notice what they said, "If we don't do something, we're going to lose our place. We're going to lose our party. We're going to lose our power." In other words, we have to do something. If we don't do something, all men are going to believe on him and we will be out. We'll lose our party. We'll lose our position. We'll lose our platform.
#12 | 7:04 to 7:49 | cleaned
Unhappily, politicians have not changed. You can see the thought patterns of our modern day politicians being exposed in the politician in our Lord's day. They would sell Christ and His people down the river for their personal benefit, and they will still do that today.
#13 | 7:50 to 8:10 | cleaned
Now, Pilate's wife, you'll remember, sent a message to Pilate in Matthew 27 and verse 19. She told Pilate, "Have thou nothing to do with this just person, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." So you have to ask this question. Since Pilate knew that Jesus Christ was innocent, and since he knew that the high priest had delivered him for envy, how in the world could Pilate condemn an innocent man?
#14 | 8:10 to 8:44 | cleaned
The answer is very simple. Pilate was a politician. He didn't care about truth. He didn't care about principle. He did not even care about individuals. And the mere fact that Pilate, in Matthew 27 and verse 24, took water and washed his hands saying, "I'm innocent of the blood of this just person, see you to it," did not release him from his condemnation. Yea, it added condemnation to him, for he did not free Christ when he knew Christ was absolutely, totally innocent.
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Now, the interesting thing is this. Pilate was using Christ. Pilate had already previously used Jesus Christ. You say, what do you mean, using Christ? Well, look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 23. Luke 23, and notice if you would, beginning there with verse 6. Let me show you how Pilate had previously used Christ, and of course now he's using Him again. In Luke 23, beginning there with verse 6, watch carefully. "When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean."
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"And as soon as he knew that he belonged into Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words, but he answered him nothing."
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"And the chief priests and the scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war said of it not, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were an enmity between themselves." Now isn't that interesting? When you read, when Pilate heard that he was a Galilean, "Oh, I'm glad to hear that. I'm going to send you to Herod because he's over that." Herod, he knew, had been wanting to see Jesus. And the only reason Herod wanted to see Christ was because he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. And so when he sent Christ to Herod, and Herod got to mock Christ and ridicule Him, then Pilate and Herod were made friends again. I want you to notice what Pilate did. He used Christ for political advantage.
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Let me say this again. Politicians have not changed. They still use Christ for political advantage. How do I say that? Well, they parade themselves as Christians. They say they stand for Christian and biblical values. But just as quickly as poor, gullible, and foolish Christians vote them into office, they immediately turn and rend Christ and Christians with their unfaithful lives, with their ungodly laws, and their unwillingness to stand for anything that's biblical and Christian. So, Pilate used Christ, and people today use Christ.
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By the way, it's interesting to note that the only man in the entire New Testament to whom our Lord would not even speak was King Herod. You know why? Herod hoped to have seen some miracle done by Christ. The only interest Herod had in Christ was entertainment value. That's all. He wanted to be entertained. And Christ refused to even speak to him. And the Bible said, of course, then they mocked him and sent him back to Pilate. Isn't it interesting? The same day, the Bible says that Pilate and Herod were made friends. By the way, I want you to look, if you would please, in Luke chapter 13. Notice if you would please. I want to show you how little our Lord thought of King Herod. By the way, I hope you realize that there was a group in the New Testament who were known as the Herodians, who of course were for King Herod. But notice if you would in Luke 13 and verse 31. Let me show you the subtlety of King Herod.
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"The same day there came certain of the Pharisees saying unto him, Get thee out and depart hence, for Herod will kill thee. And he, Christ, said unto them, Go you and tell that fox, behold I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." Now notice what Christ said. "You go and tell that fox." So Christ then called Herod a fox. A fox indicates a sly and crafty man. The epitaph that Christ used for Herod demonstrates his cunning and his craftiness. And Herod shows clearly his real character when he sends these Pharisees to Christ and said, "You better get out or I'm going to have you killed." And it's interesting, even later on, as you get over to Luke 23, Herod still wanted to see Christ, even though because of his superstition, he thought that Christ was John the Baptist resurrected from the dead.
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But yet he had no regard for him except for entertainment value. Now a fox then is an emblem of slyness, of cunning, and mischief. The word is also used in the Bible to denote a dissembler. Herod was indeed a wicked man, but that which Christ refers to when he calls Herod a fox is his cunning and the strategies that he tried to use to get to Christ. Adam Clarke in his commentary on this passage said this, "A fox among the Jews appears to have been the emblem of a wicked ruler who united cunning with cruelty and was always plotting how he might aggrandize himself by spoiling the people." And of course Christ knew that. That's why Christ referred to him as a fox. So our Lord did not trust Herod. He would not even speak to Herod. Pilate and Herod were indeed enemies, but they both got together to persecute Jesus Christ, and therefore they became friends. You will find that enemies, whoever they may be, wherever they may be, will always come together to stand against that which is right and biblical and godly and holy.
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So Pilate then not only used Christ to get a reconciliation with Herod. He is now using Christ in Luke chapter 23 to gain popularity with the religious rulers. Go back to Luke 23 if you would and look if you would please at verse 21. Luke 23 verse 21. "But they cried." Who's the "they"? Well, it's the chief priests, it's the religious people, and the religious leaders, and the people they've stood up.
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"prevailed." Now, watch what Pilate did. Pilate gave the religious leaders exactly that which they wanted. Although he knew that he was wrong, and he knew that they were wrong as well. Pilate was a spineless, cowardly, and wicked man, but yet at the same time, he was a shrewd politician. When Pilate gave Jesus Christ to the religious leaders and the religious establishment of his day, he knew that from now on, they would owe him. And he would be collecting on their favors, because he has now given them what they wanted, and they're going to have to give him later on that which he wanted.
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Let me tell you, there is a lesson that we need to learn. We must learn that the world of the ungodly, the world system, and to those who run the world system, to all of those people, Christ is expendable. And so are His people. They will use Christ, they will use us, and discard us as rubbish. They're only interested, as you're going to see in this text, in temporary pleasure, power, and their own position.
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Now, I've got two additional points I want to show you today from this scripture. What does the world want? I showed you last week that the world of the ungodly want a world without accountability and responsibility. I showed you secondly how the world of the ungodly wants to seize the inheritance that belongs to Christ. Thirdly today, I want you to see that the world of the ungodly wants a society where sin is unpunished. Watch verse 25.
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"And he," that is Pilate, "released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison." Who did Pilate release? He released a man by the name of Barabbas. In Matthew 27, you don't have to turn there, but in verse 21 we read this, "And the governor or pilot said unto them, Whither the twain that I shall release unto you? And they said, Barabbas." And the Bible tells us in verse 25, "He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison."
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And I want you to note this. Look in verse 25. "And He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired." They wanted Barabbas. They desired Barabbas. The Bible in Matthew 27 and verse 16 says this, "and they had a notable prisoner called Barabbas." Now I want you to note that word "notable." In Mark 15 and verse 7 it goes like this, "And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection." In John 18 and verse 40, "they cried out all again saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber." Now I want you to note in each of these passages, first of all, Barabbas is called a notable prisoner. That is, he was someone of note. He was someone that was famous, or as we should say today, someone who was infamous. Someone who was notorious. So Barabbas then was a thief. He was an insurrectionist. He was a murderer.
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He was a seditionist. And here, they desire Him. I want you to note, Barabbas deserved the death penalty on more than one charge. Murder would have been sufficient, but insurrection, sedition, those are death penalty charges as well. And Pilate asked, "whether of the twain will you that I release unto you?"
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Now, he may have faintly hoped that somehow they would have answered Jesus Christ. But the answer was Barabbas. Barabbas. We want Barabbas. Please remember, everybody knew that this man was an insurrectionist. He was a seditionist. He was a robber. He was a murderer.
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Now ask yourself this question. Why did the religious establishment, why did the rulers in Judea want Barabbas and not Christ whom they knew was innocent? Well, let me answer that for you. Here's why they wanted Barabbas. Barabbas did not stand in their way. Barabbas did not challenge their usurped authority. Barabbas did not confront them. Barabbas did not rebuke them. Barabbas did not seek to overthrow them. Barabbas did not shame them. He may have been guilty of murder and insurrection and sedition and theft, but what are those in comparison to upsetting the establishment or upsetting the status quo?
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You see what I'm saying? What is a little sin and a little criminal activity as compared to challenging illegal, usurped, and abused authority. That's why they wanted to get rid of Christ. In fact, look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 3. Let me show you what Peter says, and he says it very plainly. Look in Acts chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Acts 3, verse 13. Look what Peter states as he's preaching.
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He says, "...the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he, Pilate, was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One in the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you." Well, how much plainer can you get? You desired a murderer to be granted unto you.
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Let me ask you, has the world changed? Think about this. Have politicians changed? You look today in our country at the political prisoners. You look at the people that are in prison today that are really in prison for challenging the system. Did you know that the United States of America has more people in prison than China? The United States basically has more people in prison than any nation in the whole wide world.
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Let me just point something out. You look at the murderers, the rapists, the kidnappers that are walking around free. While anyone who challenges usurped and abused authority will spend 20 years in the slammer, in a federal pen somewhere. I'll show you the mentality. I was preaching in Iowa. And the pastor said, "Look, there's a fellow I'd really love for you to talk to. He's a very bitter man, very bitter."
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And he said, "But maybe if you would go with me and we could invite him to the meeting, he at least might come out and listen to the word of God." I said, "Sure, I'll go with you." Well, come to find out what the man was so bitter about. He had gone through a very nasty and a very ugly divorce. And evidently, he had been taken to the cleaners.
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I don't remember the whole story. But I'm going to tell you his exact words. I have never forgotten them. He was rehearsing all of this to me. And when he got to the end, his fists kind of clenched. He got a real grimace on his face and these were his exact words. Exact words. He said, "I should have killed her. I should have killed her. I should have killed her like I started to."
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"I could have been in and out in seven years." Those were his exact words. Because a life sentence doesn't mean a life sentence in this day and time. But that's what he said. "I should have killed her. I should have killed her. I should have killed her." The point I'm trying to make is the little couplet goes like this: "No one escapes when freedom fails. The best men rot in filthy jails."
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"And those who try to appease are hanged by those they tried to please." And that's certainly true. The world, and I'm talking about the world of the ungodly, I'm not talking about the world of Christians. We know better. But the world of the ungodly had rather have a society where sin and criminal activity and sodomy and fornication and theft and murder abound rather than to choose Jesus Christ the Son of God. They'd rather live by their standard of sin and rebellion than to submit to the Word of God.
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They prefer injustice to justice, they prefer unrighteousness to righteousness, and they prefer damnation to salvation. It's that simple. Society, the world of the ungodly, prefers a society of sin and death. Do you know what the sovereign God of heaven and earth did? He allowed the Jews to choose between Christ, who is life, and Barabbas, who is death. They chose death. Do you realize that we have done exactly the same thing in America?
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You stop and think about that. We have chosen our own delusion. We have chosen death. Because we have chosen as a nation to have a government and a society and an economic structure that's entirely and completely contrary to God and His Word. We've chosen our own delusion. We've chosen our own destruction. And therefore, we've chosen death. And I might point out, it is an inescapable death. One of my favorite passages is found in Proverbs 8, verses 35 and 36.
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Let me just quote it. Our Lord said this, "For whosoever findeth Me, findeth life, and obtaineth favor of the Lord."
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Now stop and think about that. I'm not through. But He said, "whoever finds Me, finds life, and obtains favor of the Lord." That's true. You find Christ, you find life, you obtain favor of the Lord. But listen to verse 36. There He says this, "All they that hate Me love death." All they that hate Me love death. I said it last week. I will say it again this week. The only thing the world can produce without Jesus Christ is a society of death. Look at abortion. Look at euthanasia. Look at the merciless society that we live in. All the world of the ungodly can produce is death.
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You remember, and the name just slipped my mind, Daniel, it's your fault. The name of the man who said, maybe it was Orwell, who said, "if you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever." That's what society is without Christ. That's what society is without the Word of God. And notice what Pilate said. He delivered unto them whom they desired. Isn't it amazing how the world desires everything but Christ and righteousness and holiness. Isn't it amazing?
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You never have to teach your children how to sin. You never have to teach them how to be in rebellion. You never have to teach them how to make wrong choices. Isn't it amazing that even as adults still do the same thing without Christ, without His Word. So the world of the ungodly wants a society of sin and death. I want you to look back in Luke 23 and verse 25 again, because here is the fourth thing that the world of the ungodly wants. Notice verse 25, "And He released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into the prison, whom they had desired." Now watch.
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"But he delivered Jesus to their will." What? He delivered Jesus to their will. The world of the ungodly wants a religion that they can control. They could not control Christ. They couldn't stop Christ. That's why Caiaphas said, "know you nothing at all? How is it expedient that one man should die for the nation and not the whole nation while we'll just kill Christ? We'll get rid of Him! And we'll maintain control." They want to be in control according to the world of the ungodly. Listen carefully. There is nothing wrong with religion as long as it fits into their desires and conforms to their will and they control it. They want to be the determiner of death and hell and of salvation and damnation. They want to decide what Christ can do and cannot do. They want to decide what Christ can be and cannot be. They want to decide who lives and who dies. They want a salvation where Jesus Christ does not reign and rule. They want a salvation that conforms to their thoughts and their way of thinking and their life.
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They want a salvation that they control. He delivered Jesus to their will. Let me point this out. Have you noticed the two most popular religious symbols in America particularly, and probably the world, you know what the two most popular religious symbols are? The nativity scene. Christ in the manger, and Christ on the cross. Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, why is the nativity scene so popular even among ungodly folks? Why is Christ on a cross so popular? I've seen people who have no idea who Christ is, wear a cross on a gold chain around their neck. Let me tell you why the nativity scene and Christ on the cross are so popular. Here we go.
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First, who's afraid of a baby? I'm not. I'm not afraid of a baby. I mean, they can look cute and they can make you smile. And they can make you act and talk like a fool. Because all grandparents and grandmas do, you know. We use all kind of little sweet expressions to them. But who's afraid of a baby? Who's afraid of a dead man? A dead man can't hurt you. A dead man can't harm you. They're lifeless. They're harmless.
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The world, the world of the ungodly, loves Christ in a manger and they love Christ on a cross because He's no threat to them. He's no threat to their persons, their positions, or their power. But you begin to proclaim a living, resurrected, ascended, enthroned, glorified Lord who rules and reigns and demands that men submit to Him, then all of a sudden, they don't like that Christ. They don't like that Lord. He's no longer the cute little cuddly baby. He's no longer the dead man hanging on the cross somewhere. He's a threat to them. He condemns their sins. He abhors their wickednesses. He punishes their iniquities. He challenges their authority. He reproves them. He rebukes them.
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And He threatens them with death and hell. They don't like that. But now Christ is a baby, that's fine. Or Christ dead on the cross, that's fine. But folks, let me tell you something. Jesus Christ is not dead. And Jesus Christ is not a baby. Jesus Christ is the resurrected, ascended Lord of glory, who now rules and reigns. He's the sovereign God of heaven and earth. I want to read to you what Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote in this vein. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was preaching on Matthew 20 and verse 15 where Christ said, "is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?" And I want you to just listen to this one paragraph. Spurgeon summarizes everything I've been trying to tell you this morning. He says this, "The householder says, 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?' And even so does the God of heaven and earth ask this question of you this morning. 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?'"
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"There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of divine sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that sovereignty hath ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought to more earnestly to contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation, the kingship of God over all of the works of His hands, the throne of God, and His right to sit upon that throne."
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"On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a football, as the great, stupendous, and yet most certain doctrine of the sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne. They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion the worlds and to make the stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonery to dispense alms and bestow His bounties."
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"They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving oceans. But when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth. And when we proclaim and enthrone God and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter, then it is there that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on His throne is not the God they love. They love Him anywhere better than they do when He sits upon His throne with His scepter in His hand and His crown upon His head. But it is this God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is this God upon His throne in whom we trust." Wow! Isn't that powerful? Isn't that the truth? Men will allow God to be everywhere except on the throne?
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I want you to look back to Luke chapter 23 and verse 25. Let me show you this. I want to emphasize this. And I want to show you the implications. In Luke 23 and verse 25 again, "And he, Pilate, released unto them him, that is Barabbas, that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired, but now watch this, but he delivered Jesus unto their will." Would you like to know what the world of the ungodly would do to Jesus Christ if they could? All you have to do is look at what they did. They laughed. They mocked. They ridiculed. They jeered. They scorned. They hated. They rejected.
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They scourged and crucified the Son of God. They inflicted as much humiliation, degradation, and pain upon Him as they could. They shamed Him in their treatment of Him. Let me just quote Hebrews 12 and verse 1. Listen carefully. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." They shamed the Lord. They crucified the Lord. They stripped Him naked. They mocked Him.
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They put a crown of thorns on His head. They beat Him with a scepter. What happened? They had Jesus delivered under their will and that's what they did to the sinless Son of God. That's what the world will do today. Let me show you why the world loves the baby in the manger and the dead Christ on the cross. I want you to look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 2. Turn to Acts chapter 2.
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And let's begin reading there with verse 32. Peter is preaching. Acts 2 verse 32. I want you to watch carefully. Look at the testimony that is given. Acts 2, verse 32. Peter says, "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses." So God's raised Him from the dead. Verse 33, "Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which you now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Now wait a minute. Look at this carefully. Remember, Christ was delivered to their will.
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Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost. He says, "Let me tell you folks something. This Jesus whom you crucified, He's no longer dead. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses. And God has glorified Him. He is now the resurrected, ascended Lord. He's sitting on the right hand of God the Father. He is Lord. He is Sovereign. He is Master. He is God."
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He said David himself prophesied this in Psalm 110. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou in my right hand, until I make all thy foes thy footstool."
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Now listen to what he said. "Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly," mark it down, this is truth, "let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom you crucified, both the Lord and Christ." Now watch it.
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Now when they heard this, heard what? What did they hear that upset them? That Jesus Christ was not dead. That Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead. That Jesus Christ was Lord of glory. That Jesus Christ is the boss, the owner, the master, the sovereign. When they heard this! What happened? Look in verse 37. "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart." Watch this question.
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And they said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Wait a minute. Hang on. Who is Peter preaching to? The ones who crucified the Son of God. Let me show you what just dawned on them. Pilate delivered Jesus to our will. And we did unto Him as we pleased. Now, God has raised Jesus from the dead and resurrected Him. He's ascended. He's the glorified. He's now Lord. He's King of kings and God of gods and Lord of lords and uh-oh!
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We're now in His hands and He can do with us as He wills. No wonder they were upset. No wonder they were pricked in their heart because they now realize they messed with the wrong man. Look what they did to Christ. Now Christ holds their soul and their lives in His hand, and He may be with them whatsoever He pleases, whatsoever He wills. They realized that this great and glorious sovereign God could dash them in pieces if He so pleased. We've got to realize something, folks. Our God is on the throne. He has not abdicated His throne.
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He has not resigned His position. He's not abdicated His power. He can still crush His enemies at any moment, at any time, just as He pleases. And He shall do so because every foe will be brought under the footstool of Jesus Christ. Every individual is in God's hands. And He may now dispose of them as He pleases. The world wants a religion they can control. That's why they do not want Jesus Christ. He is uncontrollable because He's the sovereign God of heaven and earth. Now let me make just a couple of applications.
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The first one is this. The world wants that which they can never have. They want a Christ who will conform to their will and a salvation that they desire. You know what the world wants? The world wants to be saved from the penalty of sin so that it may continue to indulge in sin. They want the sin, they just don't want to suffer for it. And the world will treat Christ merely as a fire escape, or merely as fire insurance. They really and truly do not want repentance. They want a society where sin is unpunished, where there is no accountability, where they can sin with impunity, but no such salvation exists. The only salvation there is, is in Jesus Christ.
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And therefore he demands that men repent and submit to him. And dear friend, those who do not shall perish. It's that simple. "All they that hate me love death." The second application is this. How glorious and how gracious is the salvation of our Lord who descends and condescends to save wicked, rebellious sinners. Have you ever stopped to think, as wicked as the world of the ungodly is, if God had not been merciful to you and I, we would have been in there right amongst them, in the middle of them, wanting what they want, desiring what they desired. Because we too were sinners lost and undone. We too were rebels against Christ. But thankfully, God in His mercy has saved us. As the Bible says that God has translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. And we no longer want what the world wants. We want what God wants. I've heard it said like this, "Since I've been saved, I do what I want to do, because God changed my want tos."
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And that's a fact. God does change your want tos. The Bible tells us in 1 John 2, listen carefully, verses 15 through 17, He said, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world." Now listen carefully. "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."
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Let me ask you, Herod and Pilate were consummate politicians. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the chief priests were consummate politicians as well. Where are they today? The point I'm trying to make is they were willing to crucify Christ for temporary power and temporary pleasure. This world and everything in it that's wicked and contrary to Christ will pass away. Only those that do the will of God abide it forever. What the world wants, it can never have. Because the only thing that is holy and right and godly is the salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. And whatever we have in Him is not temporary, it is permanent.
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So that means this, folks. We need to learn our Bibles. We need to study our Bibles. We need to make sure that we want what God wants. We may be in this world, but as our Lord said in John 17, we're not of this world. And we're certainly not part of the wicked world system. We belong to the world of belief. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We are thankful that Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead, that He's ascended into heaven, that He's seated at the right hand of God, that He's the glorified Son of Man, ruling and reigning sovereignly and demanding that all men everywhere repent and believe. Father, thank You for choosing us out of the world and bringing us into the Kingdom of Thy dear Son, and demonstrating and showing and teaching us, Lord, holiness and righteousness and truth. Enable us to bring our lives into greater conformity to Your Word, and to give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
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In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T21:05:53Z

What the World Wants Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver continues his message on 'What the World Wants' by examining Luke 23:20-25, focusing on the trial of Jesus before Pilate. He argues that the world of the ungodly desires a society where sin goes unpunished and a religion they can control. Pilate, knowing Jesus was innocent, released Barabbas—a murderer and insurrectionist—because the religious leaders preferred a criminal who did not challenge their authority over the sinless Son of God. Weaver emphasizes that the world loves a baby in a manger or a dead Christ on a cross because these pose no threat, but they reject the living, resurrected, sovereign Lord who demands submission. The sermon concludes with applications: the world wants what it can never have—salvation without repentance—and believers should rejoice that God has translated them out of darkness and changed their desires to align with His will.

Review of Part 1: The World’s Rejection of Accountability and Inheritance

Weaver reviews the first part of the message, highlighting that the world of the ungodly wants a world without responsibility to God and seeks to seize the inheritance of Jesus Christ.

Scripture Reading — Luke 23:20-25

"And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired. But he delivered Jesus to their will."

It is not like that at all. The context has to determine the meaning. So John 1 in verse 10,

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"He was in the world,"

that is the earth,

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"and the world was made by Him,"

There is also the world system, because in John 12 and verse 31, our Lord said,

Scripture Reading — John 12:31

"the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me."

Now, these two truths were very evident in the lives of the rulers of Judah according to the book of Matthew. But they're also clearly evident today in the rules of America and of the world.

Pilate’s Political Use of Christ

Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but used Him for political advantage, sending Him to Herod to mend their relationship and later giving the religious leaders what they wanted to gain their favor.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 27:24

"I'm innocent of the blood of this just person, see you to it,"

did not release him from his condemnation. Yea, it added condemnation to him, for he did not free Christ when he knew Christ was absolutely, totally innocent.

The World Wants a Society Where Sin Is Unpunished

The crowd chose Barabbas, a murderer and insurrectionist, over Jesus because Barabbas did not challenge their authority, illustrating that the ungodly prefer a society of sin and death.

The World Wants a Religion They Can Control

The Resurrected Christ’s Sovereignty Terrifies the World

Peter’s sermon at Pentecost revealed that the crucified Jesus is now Lord and Christ, causing the hearers to realize they are now in His hands, which pricked their hearts with fear.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:1

They scourged and crucified the Son of God. They inflicted as much humiliation, degradation, and pain upon Him as they could. They shamed Him in their treatment of Him. Let me just quote Hebrews 12 and verse 1. Listen carefully. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." They shamed the Lord. They crucified the Lord. They stripped Him naked. They mocked Him.

And let's begin reading there with verse 32. Peter is preaching. Acts 2 verse 32. I want you to watch carefully. Look at the testimony that is given. Acts 2, verse 32. Peter says,

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:32-37

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses."

So God's raised Him from the dead. Verse 33,

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:32-37

"Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which you now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles,

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:32-37

"Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Now wait a minute. Look at this carefully. Remember, Christ was delivered to their will.

Applications: The World’s Futile Desires and the Believer’s Transformation

In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen. Amen.

What the World Wants Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	klvHi75iQNM
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 172: What the World Wants — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	70

Lecture Guide

Outline

Review of Part 1: The World’s Rejection of Accountability and Inheritance: Weaver reviews the first part of the message, highlighting that the world of the ungodly wants a world without responsibility to God and seeks to seize the inheritance of Jesus Christ.
Pilate’s Political Use of Christ: Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but used Him for political advantage, sending Him to Herod to mend their relationship and later giving the religious leaders what they wanted to gain their favor.
The World Wants a Society Where Sin Is Unpunished: The crowd chose Barabbas, a murderer and insurrectionist, over Jesus because Barabbas did not challenge their authority, illustrating that the ungodly prefer a society of sin and death.
The World Wants a Religion They Can Control: Pilate delivered Jesus to the will of the people, showing that the world wants a controllable religion. They love the baby in the manger and the dead Christ on the cross because these are non-threatening, but they hate the sovereign, resurrected Lord.
The Resurrected Christ’s Sovereignty Terrifies the World: Peter’s sermon at Pentecost revealed that the crucified Jesus is now Lord and Christ, causing the hearers to realize they are now in His hands, which pricked their hearts with fear.
Applications: The World’s Futile Desires and the Believer’s Transformation: The world wants salvation without repentance, which does not exist. Believers should rejoice that God has changed their desires and translated them into His kingdom, and they must study the Bible to align their wants with God’s will.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Pilate’s Guilt Despite Knowledge of Innocence

Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and delivered for envy, yet he condemned Him, adding to his own guilt rather than absolving it.

Weaver says, 'Pilate personally knew that Jesus Christ was innocent... Pilate knew that the chief priest had delivered him... for envy.'

Barabbas Chosen Because He Did Not Challenge Authority

The religious leaders preferred Barabbas, a criminal, because he did not confront their usurped authority, unlike Jesus.

Weaver explains, 'Barabbas did not stand in their way. Barabbas did not challenge their usurped authority.'

The World Loves a Non-Threatening Christ

The nativity and crucifixion are popular because a baby and a dead man are harmless, but the living Lord threatens their sin and autonomy.

Weaver argues, 'Who's afraid of a baby?... Who's afraid of a dead man?... But you begin to proclaim a living, resurrected, ascended, enthroned, glorified Lord... they don't like that Christ.'

God’s Sovereignty Is Hated by the World

Men allow God to be everywhere except on His throne, because a sovereign God demands submission and accountability.

Weaver quotes Spurgeon: 'Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne... when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth.'

The Resurrection Reverses the Power Dynamic

Those who crucified Christ realized at Pentecost that He is now Lord, and they are in His hands to dispose of as He wills.

Weaver states, 'We're now in His hands and He can do with us as He wills. No wonder they were upset.'

Salvation Requires Repentance and Submission

The only true salvation is in Christ, who demands repentance; those who hate Him love death.

Weaver says, 'The only salvation there is, is in Jesus Christ. And therefore he demands that men repent and submit to him.'

Scripture References

Luke 23:20-25: The primary text of the sermon, describing Pilate’s release of Barabbas and delivery of Jesus to the will of the people.
John 1:10: Used to illustrate the multiple meanings of 'world' in Scripture—earth, universe, and inhabitants.
John 12:31: Referenced to show the existence of a world system ruled by the prince of this world.
Romans 2:6: Cited to affirm that God will render to every man according to his deeds, implying accountability.
Matthew 27:18: Mentioned to show Pilate knew the chief priests delivered Jesus out of envy.
Mark 15:10: Parallel to Matthew 27:18, confirming Pilate’s awareness of the priests’ envy.
John 11:47-48: Explains why the chief priests wanted to kill Jesus—to preserve their place and nation.
Matthew 27:19: Pilate’s wife’s dream warning him to have nothing to do with that just man.
Matthew 27:24: Pilate washing his hands, declaring innocence of Christ’s blood, which Weaver says added to his condemnation.
Luke 23:6-12: Pilate sending Jesus to Herod, leading to their reconciliation; used to show political use of Christ.
Luke 13:31-32: Jesus calling Herod a fox, indicating his cunning and craftiness.
Acts 3:13-14: Peter’s accusation that the people denied the Holy One and desired a murderer.
Proverbs 8:35-36: Quoted to show that those who find Christ find life, but those who hate Him love death.
Hebrews 12:1: Referenced to highlight that Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame.
Acts 2:32-37: Peter’s Pentecost sermon proclaiming the resurrected, exalted Lord, causing the hearers to be pricked in heart.
1 John 2:15-17: Command not to love the world; the world passes away, but he who does God’s will abides forever.
John 17: Alluded to when Weaver says believers are in the world but not of it.

Historical References

Adam Clarke’s Commentary: Weaver quotes Clarke’s note that a fox among the Jews was an emblem of a wicked ruler who united cunning with cruelty.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon: Weaver reads a lengthy quote from Spurgeon on God’s sovereignty, emphasizing that men hate God on His throne.
George Orwell (attributed): Weaver references a quote, possibly from Orwell, describing a future of oppression: 'a boot stamping on a human face forever.'

Important Quotes

Pilate gave the religious leaders exactly that which they wanted. Although he knew that he was wrong, and he knew that they were wrong as well.

Highlights Pilate’s cowardly political maneuvering, sacrificing justice for personal gain.

Barabbas did not stand in their way. Barabbas did not challenge their usurped authority. Barabbas did not confront them. Barabbas did not rebuke them.

Explains why the world prefers a criminal over Christ—because Christ challenges their sin and authority.

The world, the world of the ungodly, loves Christ in a manger and they love Christ on a cross because He's no threat to them.

Reveals the world’s preference for a non-threatening, controllable Jesus rather than the sovereign Lord.

Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne.

A powerful Spurgeon quote summarizing the world’s rejection of divine sovereignty.

We're now in His hands and He can do with us as He wills. No wonder they were upset.

Captures the terror of the ungodly when they realize the resurrected Christ holds their fate.

The world wants to be saved from the penalty of sin so that it may continue to indulge in sin.

Diagnoses the false hope of a salvation without repentance, which does not exist.

Since I've been saved, I do what I want to do, because God changed my want tos.

Illustrates the transformative power of salvation in aligning a believer’s desires with God’s will.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways do modern politicians use Christ for political advantage, similar to Pilate?

[Context]

Weaver argues that politicians parade as Christians but betray biblical values once in office.

[Question]

Why does the world prefer a society where sin goes unpunished, and how does this manifest today?

[Context]

The sermon states that the ungodly prefer injustice and sin over righteousness and Christ.

[Question]

How does the world’s love for a baby in a manger or a dead Christ on a cross reflect a desire for a controllable religion?

[Context]

Weaver explains that these images are non-threatening, unlike the living, sovereign Lord.

[Question]

What does Spurgeon’s statement 'Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne' mean for our understanding of human rebellion?

[Context]

The quote is used to show that people reject God’s right to rule over them.

[Question]

How should the reality of Christ’s resurrection and sovereignty affect the way we live and share the gospel?

[Context]

The sermon emphasizes that Jesus is not dead but is the reigning Lord who demands submission.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to have salvation without repentance, and how does this challenge common misconceptions?

[Context]

Weaver states that the world wants salvation from penalty without turning from sin, but no such salvation exists.

Applications

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