Sermon Tone Analysis

In our study of the Gospel of Luke we find ourselves as spectators at the most unjust trial of all time.

Our prison system today is filled with people who claim they are innocent of the crime they have been incarcerated for but in actuality the only true Innocent One who was tried unjustly was Jesus Christ.

We have the privilege of having His trial recorded for us and we are able to see for ourselves what happened and how people were affected by their encounter with Jesus at His trial.

We saw last week how the religious leaders, who were driven by their pride and jealousy to bring Jesus before the Roman courts to have Jesus taken out of their way.

Jesus had interfered with the Jewish leaders way of life and they found an opportunity and seized it.

The problem with their bringing Jesus before the Roman courts was they had no evidence and all the charges they brought before Pilate were either lies or misinformation.

The religious leaders guilt was being exposed by their encounter with Jesus and in fact even before Pilate, Pilate himself was seeing the guilt of the religious leaders over the innocents of Jesus.

When a person Encounters The Innocent One it causes an examination of the Innocent One.

The religious leaders examination of Jesus caused them to convict Jesus of being a blasphemer.

Pilate’s examination of Jesus caused him to see Jesus as an innocent man.

Pilate didn’t realize how Innocent Jesus is but he knows well enough that Jesus is no threat to the Roman Government.

This kangaroo court continues this morning and as we continue to examine Jesus and His trial for ourselves we need to keep in mind of one important fact everyone encounters the Innocent One at some point in their lives and but not everyone will encounter the Innocent with the right motive for Encountering The Innocent One and we will find that the wrong motive leads to being manipulated and eventually you become malicious toward him.

Let’s go ahead and turn to our text in Luke this morning; Luke 23:6-12.

The religious leaders insisted that Jesus was guilty of stirring up the people of the nation of Israel.

They were so adamant in convincing Pilate of Jesus’ rebellious behavior and teaching they pushed the point by telling Pilate this is not just an isolated teaching but look He has taught this “all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place.”

They wanted to paint Jesus as an extremely dangerous man who is influencing Pilate’s entire jurisdiction.

As far north as Galilee even down to here in Jerusalem.

The religious leaders figured ‘oh we have him on this one.

There is no way Pilate will let this go because Pilate wouldn’t want to be on Caesars bad side.

So they push a political play on Pilate.

Which backfires on the religious leaders but it gave Pilate an out.

Pilate saw no evidence to put Jesus to death and he knew these men were going to keep pushing so once the religious leaders mentioned Galilee a light went on in Pilates head.

Look with me at what Luke writes in verse 6 and 7.

Once Pilate heard Galilee he wanted to know if that is where Jesus is from.

Once he found out the truth he sent Jesus to Herod who was a tetrarch over the Galilee.

Now don’t think that Pilate had to do this, Pilate was well within his right to try Jesus on his own.

It could be Pilate was trying to be nice to Herod but I really don’t think so.

They were not on very good terms, Pilate and Herod, but I don’t think this has anything to do with Pilate sending Jesus to him.

I really do think Pilate wanted nothing to do with this because there was no evidence and he knew this was only a witch hunt by the religious leaders.

So now keep in mind this is early Friday Morning.

Jesus has been up all night.

It began with a passover meal with His disciples, then they moved on to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus spent three hours in deep agonizing communion with the Father.

After His time with the Father He was arrested, betrayed with a kiss which lead Him to the High Priests home and landed Him at the mercy of the high priests guards and the mob who beat Him and mocked Him.

And keep in mind all the time He is being tried at night which is illegal going back and forth from Caiaphas house to Ananias house.

Jesus more than likely had no sleep and now He has been brought before Pilate and now moving to where Herod was staying.

Just the lack of sleep would be enough to cause someone to collapse from sheer exhaustion, but Jesus is still going.

So they bring Him to Herod’s home and as we are about to see here in this amazing Encounter with The Innocent One that we need to be careful as to what it is that motivates us in our Encounter.

Misguided Motivation

Misguided Motivation

As we look at verse 8 Luke writes, “Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time.”

So Herod has been wanting to see Jesus for a long time.

In fact we have this account written for us in Luke 9:7-9 which was in hindsight a foreshadow to this very event here.

Listen to what Luke writes,

So Herod heard about all that Jesus was doing through out all of Judea, and he kept trying to see Him.

Now I am not sure exactly how he was trying to see Jesus but never-the-less here is Herod’s moment has grand opportunity to see this man who has perplexed him for so long.

I also find it kind of funny because of the situation and the circumstance as to why Herod is finally able to see Jesus.

It is because charges have been brought against Him.

Herod has to sit as a judge over Jesus.

It is a strange encounter to say the lest.

Well as we continue to look at verse 8 we find why Herod is glad even though he is presiding as judge over the case against Jesus.

Luke continues; “because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him.” Did you catch that, Herod heard about all that Jesus was doing and Herod was looking for some sign from Jesus.

The word there for sign can also mean to an attesting miracle, a proof.

Herod had heard about the miracles Jesus had performed, the blind receiving sight, the lame walking and the death hearing once again.

So now that he has finally had the opportunity to see Jesus he didn’t really care to much about this case he only wanted to see Jesus perform some trick.

Herod had wanted an audience with Jesus for some time but Jesus is no showmen, these aren't parlor tricks done for the amusement of King and Noblemen.

He is God and He isn't about to put on a show for anyone.

Herod obviously misunderstood who Jesus is and what Jesus does and why He does what He does.

So when Herod saw Jesus he was very glad because he figured he would finally see these miracles.

This says two things about Herod, first, Herod knows more about Jesus then Pilate.

Pilate doesn't seem to have heard anything about Jesus at all.

Herod on the other hand has heard about Jesus and wanting to see Him perform these wonderful gifts.

Second, Herod demonstrates that He may know something about Jesus but He desire to only see Jesus perform miracles demonstrates that he neither knows anything about Jesus and his encounter with Him is all about what Herod wants and not about who Jesus is.

This sadly is how people encounter Jesus.

They want Jesus to do what they want Jesus to do.

How often do people want Jesus to do something for them, as though He is some magic genie in a bottle.

You do this and I'll believe.

You do this and I'll obey.

That is not an appropriate encounter with Jesus, that is our own selfish encounter with Jesus.

Encountering Jesus is never on our terms it is always on His.

The nation of Israel should have understood this quite clearly because the knew their history.

In fact they are all gathered together right now in Jerusalem to look back on their history.

It is Friday, the day of Passover.

While this event we are looking at is going on the priests are preparing themselves for what they will do in a few hours, slaughter the lambs for the passover meal.

This is a time of looking back in Israels history when God called His people out of slavery to the nation of Egypt.

The nation saw God perform many miracles and glorious signs before their eyes.

Things we today read about and think “oh if I saw that I wouldn’t forget.”

Israel is the reality of what happens in the human heart, we all have short term memory lose.

We forget the wonderful things God has done and just like Israel and even like Herod here, we then come to God and ask for another miracle.

This is the God of Grace and Mercy we are coming to.

When we encounter God it is not we are coming into His presence and we can’t see Him as some Genie in a bottle.

We think we can just come to Jesus and ask Him to just reveal His power to us so that we can believe or just to see Him work a miracle well then your motive is not the right motive it is a misguided motive.

Mankind needs concrete evidence of God’s power in your life but the truth is even if He were to show you would you believe based on that miracle or that sign.

Jesus said Himself to Thomas when he doubt Jesus’ resurrection.

Look at that a desire for concrete evidence and Jesus provided it, but what does He say.

“Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

That is true faith, true faith is not seeing it but believing that it has happened and that it will happen.

Thomas’ motive was selfish and in all honesty when we encounter Jesus on our terms and not on His it is selfish.

We aren’t in control He is and in fact even in this entire event before Herod Jesus is in control and His authority is so powerful in the fact that He doesn’t even speak.

Look when we have misguided motivation in out encounter with the Innocent One what will more then likely happen is you wont hear from Jesus what you want you will receive silence.

Verse 9 Luke continues and tells us that Herod “questioned Him at some length,” so Herod kept going kept wanting to see some parlor tricks from the God of the Universe, he wanted Him to put on a show for Him which is what people do when they come to Jesus with if You give me this then I will believe.

If I get that knew car or if that person I like likes me or if I get healed from this disease.

Then I will know you are real and I will believe.

It doesn’t work that way, can He do all those things sure but then you aren’t believing in a God who is all powerful and seeking your own good which can be very different then what you think you are only seeking what the world says is good.

Herod after speaking to Jesus and questioning Him at length received his reply, silence.

That is what we receive.

When we Encounter the Innocent One with our own preconceived notion of who is motivated by our misguided understanding then it becomes very easy for the World to Manipulate our perception of Him.

Worldly Manipulation

Worldly Manipulation

Look with me at verse 10.

Luke continues and tells us how the religious leaders handled this situation.