Infamy

Matt. 27:1-2 and 11-26

Mark 15:1-15

Luke 23:1-26

John 18:28-40 and John 19:1-22

I. Pilate had some Good in Him

Tried to persuade the people to let Christ go free.

Better than ones who cried for his blood.

He yielded to the people.

II. Pilate Tried and Failed

He did not try hard enough.

We often fail because we do not try hard enough.

Understand the Bible

Obey Gospel

Live the Christian Life

III. Why Pilate Failed

1. Preferred social standing to spiritual stability

Mark 15:15 “gratify the crowd”

Wanted to be accepted by men rather than do what was right.

III. Why Pilate Failed

2. Willing to be just if he did not have to be poor

Do right if he did not have to pay

The person who does right only when it is easy is sure to fail.

III. Why Pilate Failed

3. Valued earthly things more than spiritual things

He had to choose

He chose the earthly

Matt. 4:4

III. Why Pilate Failed

4. Would do right if others would

Would have released Christ if the Jews would agree to it.

Justice not decided by a crowd

III. Why Pilate Failed

5. Refused to make his own decision on his own convictions.

Numbers and noise pushed him

Romans 12:1-2

Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mold

III. Why Pilate Failed

6. Pilate tried to shift his responsibility

Sent Christ to Herod, then the priest, finally to the mob.

Had just enough conscience to shake off responsibility

III. Why Pilate Failed

7. Tried to Compromise

Agreed to scourge Jesus and let Him go.

Truth cannot be compromised

Changed justice to injustice

III. Why Pilate Failed

8. Chose worldly friendship over right

You are not Caesar’s friend

Better to do right than to have Caesar’s friendship.

III. Why Pilate Failed

9. Did not use the strength at hand

Wife tried to help - Matt. 27:19

Jesus tried to help – talked to him

Fail because of lost opportunities

III. Why Pilate Failed

10. Made decision on prejudicial testimony

Pharisees were prejudiced

Are you listening to prejudiced people ?

III. Why Pilate Failed

11. Failed to be true to the light and light was turned into darkness.

Can learn right when we are determined to do right.

Must have a single eye – Mt.6:22,23

III. Why Pilate Failed

12. Had to ask others what to do about life’s most important question.

What shall I do with Jesus ?

Cannot be answered by others

You must answer

Sermon by Arthur Pigman

Evans Church of Christ

515 Gibbs Road

Evans, Ga. 30809

706-855-1249

evanscoc@bellsouth.netevanscoc@bellsouth.net

www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org

Sunday Evening July 5, 2009