Dear Christian friends:

Tonight we consider another question found in the history of Jesus' suffering and death. It is a most important question. The Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, asked Jesus that question when the Jewish Council brought Jesus to him and said He must die.

Many others have asked that same question: "What wrong did Jesus do? Why did they condemn Jesus to die on the cross? Jesus was a nice, kind and good man; why did they kill him?


We Christians know that Jesus did no wrong. We know that Jesus was a good, holy, kind, perfect man and the Son of God.

The Jewish Council, as we learned last Wednesday, condemned Jesus to die because He said He was the Son of God, the Christ, the Savior God promised. They did not believe Him. They said He lies and mocks God, and therefore must die. They tore their clothes and all agreed to condemn Him to death. And they did this although Jesus had fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament.

He had opened a blind man's eyes! He had opened a deaf man's ears! He had healed the sick and had raised the dead exactly as Isaiah had prophesied.

But the Jewish Council did not have authority to kill a law-breaker. Only the Roman Governor could do that. That is why they then took Jesus bound to Pontius Pilate early on Friday morning and asked him to condemn Jesus to death. But now they changed the charge against Jesus. They do not say that He mocks God. They say He says He is a King and He is urging the people to rebel against Caesar. They knew Pilate would be interested in that charge because many Jews before had tried leading rebellions against Roman rule, and had made much trouble for him.

But when Pilate examines Jesus, he finds no proof that Jesus is leading a rebellion against Rome. Pilate comes out to the Jewish Council and says, "I find no basis for a charge against him. (verse 38)

Jesus did not mock God and Jesus did not lead a rebellion against Rome. Really Jesus did no wrong at anytime or in any place. Jesus perfectly kept and obeyed all laws: man's laws and God's laws! What has Jesus done? That's an important question. If Jesus has done something wrong, then He is not our Savior. If He has done something wrong He is not the spotless Lamb of God.

If Jesus has done something wrong, then He is the same as we, and Himself needs a Savior. If Jesus has broken only one Commandment, He is not God's Son and we are not saved!

What has Jesus done? With Pilate we wait for Jesus' answer.

When Jesus answers that question He confesses no wrong or sin. He says, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But my kingdom is from another place." (verse 36) "Then you are a king!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." (verse 37)

Jesus has answered the question and it is a beautiful answer. The Jewish Council had accused Him of being a king in competition with Pilate and Rome. By saying that His kingdom is not of this world, Jesus lets Pilate know that He is not an earthly king with soldiers, police and servants. Jesus' kingdom is a spiritual kingdom and His power is the truth. Jesus says He came to tell the truth. The truth about man's sin and the truth about salvation from sin. What is the truth about man's sin?

The truth is that Jesus has done no sin, but He agreed to accept man's sin and to be condemned to death instead of men.

We are the sinners, not Jesus! If Pilate would ask us, "What is it you have done?" we would all turn red and blush with shame. We must confess that we have done wrong in our thinking, speaking and deeds.

In September 1895 a boy wrote a letter to President Cleveland. In the letter the boy writes: To His Majesty, President Cleveland: Dear President, I am very afraid and worried; and I thought I should write to you and confess all. About two years ago, as I remember, I used two postage stamps that had been used before on other letters, perhaps more than twice. I did not feel guilty until now. Now my mind is always thinking and worrying about my sin. I think about it day and night. Now, dear President, will you please forgive me? And I promise I will never do it again. Enclosed find money for three stamps, and please forgive me, because I was only thirteen years old when I did it. In my heart I am sorry for what I have done. From one of your subjects."

Not everyone feels as guilty as this boy. The IRS received this letter from one man. The man wrote: "I can't sleep, my conscience is bothering me. Enclosed find a check for $50.00. If later I still can't sleep, I will send you all the money I owe!"

What is it you have done? If a judge asked me that question I must confess many sins against man and God. I think you also must confess many sins. The Bible is right! The Bible says, "There is no man on earth that does good and sins not." And because we are sinners and sin much we deserve temporal death, spiritual death, and eternal death.

That is why this question which Pilate asked Jesus is so important: "What is it you have done?" Jesus has saved us! That's what He has done!

That is why He was willing to stand before Pilate and let Pilate condemn Him to death, not for His own sins, but for our sins and for the world's sins. "God hath made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

We rejoice that God's love is so large that He sends His Son to accept our sin and die for us. We rejoice because our sins are taken away. We rejoice that we belong to Jesus' Kingdom which is an everlasting kingdom. Although we die we will live forever in His heavenly kingdom!

We pray that the Holy Spirit will control our lives in the future so that we will attend to the King's business more and more.

We respond to Jesus' love so that others may see Jesus in us, and so that we can win others to join His eternal Kingdom. God help us!

Amen.