Why Did They Crucify Jesus?

PASTOR CHILDS

TEXT: JOHN 5:15-16

TITLE:  WHY DID THEY CRUCIFY JESUS?

INTRODUCTION

A.  Why would someone kill an innocent child?

B.   They crucified Jesus because people believed in Jesus

C.   When We Believe In And Obey Jesus, We Break The Rules  

D.   Luke 9:23, “Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after 

Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

BREAKING THE RULES, GETTING INTO TROUBLE

1. Jesus healed a man at the Pool of Bethesda
2. The man was lame for 38 years
3. Jesus, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
4. The man obeyed Jesus. He rose, took up his bed and walked

B.   The Jewish Leaders confront the man

1. “It is not lawful for you to carry your bed on the Sabbath.”
2. The man obeyed Jesus, broke the rules, and was in trouble for
3. doing exactly what Jesus told him to do

BREAKING THE RULES, GETTING INTO TROUBLE FOR JESUS

A.  The Lame Man’s Perspective

1. Breaking the rules means getting into trouble for Jesus
2. The question is, “Whose rules?”
3. Congressman John Lewis, “Get into necessary trouble to reach back and help those who are less fortunate.”
4. Obeying God means breaking the rules – getting into trouble

Acts 4:13-31, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”  (20)

Acts 5:12-42, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (29)

Acts 16:20, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city…”

Acts 17:6, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here to”

5.  When was the last time you broke the rules and got into trouble?

B.  The Jewish Leaders’ Perspective

BREAKING THE RULES VERSUS OBEYING GOD’S RULES

A.  If we are not breaking the rule for Him, are we His? (Mt 10:38; Lk 14:27)

B.  Jesus, “If you love me, keep My commandments…”  (John 14:15)

CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK: THAT I WILL OBEY JESUS, EVEN IF IT MEANS BREAKING THE RULES AND GETTING INTO TROUBLE