John 19:6-7

What Is Your Verdict?

Introduction:

In book, “Quotable Lewis” selected quotes from all his published works, he writes  about Jesus the Son of God: “There was a man born among the Jews who claimed to be, or to be the son of, or to be “one with” the Something which is at once the awful haunter of nature and the giver of moral law.  The claim is so shocking – a paradox, and even a horror, which we may easily be lulled into taking too lightly- that only two views of this man are possible.  Either he was a raving lunatic of an unusually abominable type, or else He was, and is, precisely what He said. There is no middle way. If the records make the first hypothesis unacceptable, you must submit to the second.  And if you do that, all else that is claimed by Christians becomes credible- that this Man, having been killed, was yet alive, and that His death in some manner incomprehensible to human thought, has effected a real change in our relations to the “awful” and “righteous” Lord and a change in our Savior.”

Rom. 1:4 is the Apostle Paul’s verdict …

I. DENYING JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD

A. False charges against the Lord Jesus

1. He was charged with threatening to destroy the temple – Matt.26:61

2. He was charged with forbidding the Jews to pay taxes to Caesar –

   Luke 23:1-5 Turn To: Matthew 17:24-27 (Rom.13:1-3)

3. He was charged with insurrection by making Himself King – John 18:36-37

4. He was charged with claiming to be the Son of God –v.7

B. Pilate is faced with this statement: Is Jesus the Son of God? V.8

II. MAINTAINING JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD

A. Credible witnesses – Deut 17:; 19:15

1. Church discipline – Matt.18:16

2. Facts must be confirmed by two or three witnesses – II Cor.13:1

3. Accusations against an Elder – I Tim. 5:119; (Heb.10:28; Rev.11:3)

B. Divine Witnesses

1. God Himself – Matt.3:17

2. Jesus Himself – John 8:58; 10:30; 14:9; Matt.14:61-62

3. Holy Spirit – John 15:26

C. Angels Witnesses

1.  Gabriel appeared to Mary – Luke 1:31-32

2. Angels appeared to the Shepherds in the fields – Luke 2:10-11

D. Demonic Witnesses

1. The demons who possessed a man confessed that Jesus was the Son of God – Matt.8:9

2. The demons fell down before Jesus acknowledging that Jesus was the Son of God – Mk. 3:11

E. Human Witnesses

1. The witness of the Gospel writers who were inspired historians

Matt. 1:23; cf. Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:32, 35; 2:11; Turn To: John 1:1-4; John 20:30-31

2. At the Cross – The Thief – Luke 23:39-43

3. Saul converted on the Damascus Road – Act 9:5,20

Conclusion:

What is your verdict? If you affirm Jesus is the Son of God then He calls you must obey and follow Him in obedience, into Baptism, join His Church and come to His communion table and fellowship with Him.

Pastor Nick Iamaio

Reformed Presbyterian Church

207 South First Street, Fulton, NY 13069

Web Site fultonrpc.org

11/4/2007