On the Road to Calvary
Pilate on the Road to Calvary
March 5 & 6; Scott Chapman
SERIES OVERVIEW(Read or Summarize)
Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus began the long walk towards Jerusalem. That moment marked a transition from three years of a powerful public ministry that had yielded thousands of followers to a single week in which Jesus would find himself increasingly alone as he moved closer to his own execution. It was the moment in which Jesus embraced the highest calling on his life, the very reason for which he had been born - the time had come for Him to die. The road to Calvary was Jesus’ journey towards death. And not just any death, but the kind of shameful way of dying reserved for the most despised elements of his society. Jesus willingly embraced humiliation and torture, giving his very life away, that the world might be saved through his sacrifice
MESSAGE REFLECTION(Read or Summarize)
Moments, Choices, Decisions
The relationship between moments, choices and decisions is complex, yet profoundly simple. A moment is a measurement of time; collectively, our moments become our story. Within our life-catalog of both active and passive moments lays a cacophony of choices. Some choices are substantial, some are mundane, but all lead to the same outcome: decisions. All decisions, whether easy or difficult, require participation on our part. Sometimes the relationship between a choice, a decision, and the outcome are completely proportionate. But then there are those decisions that have a disproportionate impact on our lives, for the better or for the worse.
Pontius Pilate was a brutal social climber; the Bible records him as one of the most famous Roman governors because of his role in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. At a dirty outpost in Judea, Pontius Pilate was given a choice, and he made a decision that would lead to the most powerful and disproportionate moment in all history.
Question: What is the most important decision you’ve made in life? What is the most significant moment in your life? Discuss. What relationship has choices, decisions and moments had in your life? How would you have answered this question before you met Jesus? Explain.
MESSAGE REFLECTION continued... (Read or Summarize)
What is Truth?
In the middle of a tense and upsetting scene between Pilate and Jesus (read John 18:33-38) we see Jesus creating a moment to draw Pilate out of the firmament of earth and into the realm of Heaven. Focus in on verse 37b-38, where Jesus says to Pilate, “You say that I’m a king…I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” “What is truth?” asked Pilate. At this point, Pilate is cynical…he is unable to see what is standing right in front of him. But, he does not rush into a decision. Instead, Pilate wrestles with the chief priests and attempts to reason with them. Eventually, Pilate succumbs to the pressures of crowd and the temptation of losing his status and decides to “wash his hands” of this event. Pilate ultimately gives Jesus over to be crucified but in a curious turn of events we see Pilate also become a tool of prophecy in in John 19:21-22. Pilate stated, “What I have written, I have written”. Whether moved by his moments with Jesus or frustrated by his dealings with the priests, in Mark 8:29 – Pilate affirms Jesus’ identity.
Question: Do you think that Pilate was unraveled by his own question in John 18:38? Can you relate to Pilate in any way? Do you have sympathy for him? Explain. Pilate was drawn to Jesus: He was a good man, an innocent man, a different man…what draws you to Jesus? Discuss.
MESSAGE REFLECTION continued... (Read or Summarize)
Pilate’s Crossroad / Our Crossroad
We live in a culture that has a huge pull. Our culture tells us that we need to pursue wealth, pleasure, accomplishments and self-sufficiency to achieve happiness. Pilate’s reluctance to send Jesus to his death indicates that a tension existed between what he knew in his head to what he knew in his heart. His head (the logical part of him) told him that he needed to secure his position (John 19:12) but his heart (the spiritual side of him) prompted him to rally for Jesus; at one point in John 19:7-9, he was even afraid (maybe because the truth was starting to sink in?). Pilate came to a crossroads and made a decision to wash his hands (read Matthew 27:24-26) – to have the best of both worlds. Pilate could choose his security but not take responsibility for his decision.
Question: Rome and America bear a striking resemblance in position, hubris, influence and society – can you relate to Pilate’s temptation to claim the best of both worlds? Explain. How often do you highlight the things that don’t conflict with Christ and minimize the things that do conflict with Christ? Has choosing Jesus ever cost you something? Discuss.
MESSAGE REFLECTION continued... (Read or Summarize)
Jesus the Ask-er
According to Rev. Martin Copenhaver’s book, Jesus Is the Question, Jesus asked 307 questions during his ministry. And of the 183 that were asked of Him, only 3 were given direct answers. So many of us approach Jesus with questions, requests, petitions – and these are not bad things. In fact, in John 14:13-14 Jesus tells us, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” In addition, the Lord’s Prayer (read Matthew 6:9-13), the very model of prayer, even features a request or two. So again, asking of the Lord is not wrong – only going to the Lord to ask…that is where road diverges. America has established a type of Consumer Christianity that heralds a prosperity gospel and encourages its followers to find the best life possible. This type of faith asserts that God will freely give no matter how you live; that the sole purpose of a loving God is to give. And while it’s true that God did give it all, He also asked something of His followers. In Luke 9:23-25 we see that Jesus has a very different plan than the American church – Jesus does not want to join our life, He wants us to join His. The Kingdom of God is not a subculture of the American Church – it is a counterculture of the world.
Question: How have you postured yourself toward Jesus? Read Matthew 6:31-33. What does this verse tell you about God? Explain. Has God ever asked anything of you that made you uncomfortable? How do you define the counterculture of Jesus? Discuss.
MESSAGE REFLECTION continued... (Read or Summarize)
Pilate’s Prophecy: Is Jesus Your King?
When I think back to John 19:22 I am struck by a hard truth. We can claim to know who Jesus is and not follow Him. We can go through life asking God to make our lives better, and yet miss out on the transformation that only comes from doing what He asks of us. God has our backs; He will always take care of us because He is a good father (read Matthew 6:26). Do you believe He is who He says He is? Do you trust Him? Have you made Jesus your King? Have you pledged loyalty to Him, forsaking all others – forsaking every thing that would set itself up against Him? For those of you who have been walking with God for a long time, it may be time to take a spiritual inventory and identify the strongholds that have kept you from selling out to Jesus. If this is a new idea, consider challenging yourself. Let the truth unravel you and take the path that leads you away from the pressure of culture and into the presence of God. First, Know Him: spend one hour a day with the Lord…seek His face, read His Word. Second, Relinquish Control: tithe the first 10% of your income to the church or ministry that God has placed on your heart (money is often the last fortress to go – get the hard one out of the way first). Third: Love others and consider your family before yourself. Practice putting others first – learn how to live for someone else. Following Jesus is hard work, but His burden is light. You must do the work of setting yourself aside so that He can do His work in you. Moment by moment, you must decide to know Him, follow Him, and show Him (to others) – once you do, you will find that the kingdom is real and the world doesn’t have to define you;your fear and anxiety will go down, your joy and peace will go up, and you will know your identity - who you are and whose you are.
Question: How much time do you spend with God during the day? What would it take to spend more? Explain. What controls your decisions? Is it finances? What would it look like if you tithed? What freedom could you experience? Explain. How often do you put yourself (Your calendar, your to-do list, your “me” time) before others? How could you serve others more?
NEXT STEPS:
ACCOUNTABILITY:Throughout this series, think about what will lead you to revival. Make a list, and continue to add to it, comparing yourselves to each person discussed. Ask yourselves, “How am I like this person? What needs to change?” Pray for each other continually and after Easter, review the list and look for God moments – specific things God has changed in your life. Then ask each other if you are living that inner circle.
DEVOTIONAL:As a small group, access the Weekly Devotional by going to go to the GROW link at the top of the page and select WEEKLY DEVOTIONALS from the dropdown and then select ON THE ROAD TO CALVARY: WEEK 3.
PROVIDE US WITH FEEDBACK
We are excited about the potential these studies have to help each of us process the weekend message at a deeper level, and to see God change our lives in significant ways. In order to make these guides as helpful as possible, we would love to hear which elements are most helpful, which are least helpful, as well as any other comments, questions or suggestions. Feel free to send your feedback directly to Jon Holmberg at .