We know according to scripture
that the Lord Jesus, this is in Acts 2, was delivered by the
determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. And he was taken, the scripture
says, by wicked hands Crucified and slain. Now, Almighty God
is absolutely sovereign. He's ruling. He's reigning. And what was done to the Lord
Jesus Christ, we're going to look at in a few minutes, was
done Absolutely. By wicked men. And they did exactly what the
Lord's hand and counsel determined before to be done. Nothing happens apart from God's
will. Now that's just, well, if we
could ever learn that. If I could learn that. What God
Almighty is doing, He's doing on purpose. And the wrath of man is going
to praise Him. That's what Scripture says. I
mean, you take exactly what's being done against God's people,
the hatred and animosity and resentment toward God's blessed
gospel, His Word, And I'm telling you, that wrath is going to praise
God. His justice is going to be shown.
God Almighty is going to do that which is right. When the Lord stood before Pilate,
were his accusers, because they were accomplishing the will of
God, were they blameless? No. They were not without guilt. They were doing God's will and
were totally answerable for their actions. The carnal mind says, well then that's just not fair. That doesn't make sense. I don't
understand. What do you mean? Let me tell
you the way things are. The way God says they are. That's
the way they are. Is God sovereign? Yes. Is man
responsible for his rebellion? Yes. Is God going to show mercy
to His people that He has everlastingly loved in Christ? Yes. Is He going
to allow the vast majority of people to go on in their rebellion
and do what they want to do and then judge them and put them
in hell? Yes. Why? Because it pleased Him to
do so. It just answers it. It just answers
it. You say, well I don't understand
that. Well, when you become a parent,
you will. Have you ever told your child
when they said, well, why did you, because I said so. Because
I said so. I want to go over to so and so.
No, you can't go. Why? Because I said you could. Things are as God Almighty says
they are. If a man rejects Christ, he rejects
the Lord Jesus Christ because he wants to. If on the other
hand, you find a sinner that comes to Christ broken, saying,
Lord, I am as you say I am. Lord, I have
rebelled against you. I fought against your gospel. I fought against Christ revealed
in the gospel. I didn't believe you. You said
you'd chosen a people before the foundation of the world,
and I thought that was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard
in my life. Lord, you said you laid down your life for the sheep.
You said you died for your people, the one that were given to you
by the Father from before the foundation of the world. and
were given to Christ, and you laid down your life, you finished
the work of redemption. The Spirit of God calls out all
that the Father has given the Son, and I resisted that. And Lord, in the day of Your
power, You gave me a new heart to believe You, and I believe
You. As I've said before, it's a man's
rejection of the revealed Word of God Is he going to change
the Word of God? No. What's he going to do? He's going to stand before God
and the Lord Jesus Christ said, the very Word that I say unto
you is going to be your judge. I would say to myself, I'd say
to you, Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, give me a heart to believe
this. Rest in this. Now, let's consider this passage
of Scripture. And I'll actually be dealing
with verses 1 to 5. Now realize this. God's
will is being done. The Lord is going to finish the
work. Well, to finish the work, He's
going to be crucified. To be crucified, He's going to
be condemned by Pilate. Men are doing exactly what they
want to do, and they're going to stand before God and answer
for it. and they're going to accomplish the will of God, or
God's going to accomplish His will through them. But now let's
consider it. Now, I want us to behold, I want
you to look at the picture of a double-minded man. Now listen to this, verse 1,
chapter 19. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus
and scourged Him. Five times, at least five times,
it's recorded that Pilate said, I find no fault in him. He's going to say it again in
just a few minutes right here. Luke 23.20 said he sought to
release him. Matthew 27.19 declares that Pilate's
wife urged him to not have anything to do with this just man. Pilate kept telling them, I find
no fault with him. I find no fault with him. And the Scripture says, then
Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged Him. Why? Because Pilate was what is referred
to in the Scriptures as a double-minded man. James 1.8 says this, A double-minded man is unstable
in all his ways. Now, you look up the definition
of double-minded. Now, here's the definition of
a double-minded man. Two souls. You say, well, a believer's got
two souls. different natures in him. That's
right. A believer has two natures, old man and new man. But that's
not what double-minded is referring to. Double-minded, when it's
talking about two souls, it means whatever I have to do at the
moment that's best for me, you know, that's the way I'm going
to go. That's the way I'm going. Double-minded
man. This may be a bad example, but
I just thought of it and I'm going to share it with you. There
was a movie that came out a few years ago called The Outlaw Josie
Wales. And in that movie, there was
a Josie, the way Clint Eastwood and his buddy was going to have
to get across this river. And there was a guy and he had
a ferry. The fella that operated the ferry
pulled the rope and pulled him across. Well, if it was a confederate
there that was wanting to go across, he sang Dixie. He started going across and there
were some federal troops that were coming from the other side
that wanted to and he started coming back and singing Dixie
about halfway down and he started singing the battle hymn of the
republic. Whichever way you have to go
at the moment. Pilate said, I find no fault
in this man. But because the Jews wanted him
crucified, that's what they just said. Verse 40 of chapter 18,
they cried again, not this man but Barabbas, crucify him, crucify
him. So he had him scourged. But a
double-minded man, one that goes one way or the other, is unstable
in all of his ways. A double-minded man is an unbeliever. A believer has two natures about
him, but there's one nature about him that cannot do anything but
sin, that's flesh, and there's a new nature that does not sin. That's what John said, that which
is born of God sinneth not. A believer is just going to have
to believe that. You ask a believer, you said,
do you ever see anything in you that never sins? No. God said
the nature's there. You believe God. But I tell you
this, a new man, two natures. A double-minded man, he's unstable
in all of his ways. He's just whichever way he has
to go. Pilate allowed the Lord to be
beaten and ridiculed. Listen, verse 2 and 3. The soldiers
plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they
put on him a purple robe and said, Hail, King of the Jews. And they smote him with their
hands. I want you to hold your place.
Turn to Matthew 27. Matthew 27, 29. Matthew 27, verse
29 to 30. Matthew 27, 29, And when they
had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and
a reed in his right hand, and they bowed the knee before him,
and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit
upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head." I read that and I thought, disrespect, but do you know that apart from
the grace of God, that's my attitude toward Him? That's what I think. And sad
to say, and I'll admit it, and you that know it will admit it
too, there's an old man in us that still thinks this. That which is flesh is flesh.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. It never changes. In regeneration, there's not
a renewing, a cleaning up of the old man. The old man is still
there and he's just as rebellious as he ever has been. There's
just a new nature there that wars against it now. And the
Lord in mercy has taken that old stony heart of flesh and
dethroned it. When He said, I'll take out the
stony heart and give you a heart of flesh, He's dethroned it.
Sin doesn't have dominion over us. But that old man is still
there. Scripture says in Pilate verse
4, Went forth again and said unto them, Behold, I bring him
forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him."
What hypocrisy! As I said a moment ago, before
we jump all over Pilate, remember, we're just like this. We've got
an old man just like this. But here's the natural man, that
possesses a conscience, that's often afraid not to acknowledge
the Lord's innocence, but there's no heart to bow to His Lordship. I find no fault in him. Verse
1, He had just taken him and whipped him. Just had him beaten. I don't find any fault in this
man. That double-minded, unsure, divided,
uncertain, no interest in Christ, man is unstable in all of his
ways. But then I want you to notice
the downward spiral, that open manifestation of hatred. Look at verse 5 and 6. Then came
Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold
the man. And when the chief priest, therefore,
and officer saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify
him. Pilate saith unto them, Take
ye him, and crucify him, for I find no fault in him." Pilate is the governor. He's
got the authority to say, this man is not found to be guilty. Release him. Divine providence
is going to allow Pilate to do exactly what Pilate wants to
do and the Jews to do all the while, accomplishing the will
of God. I want you to notice the wickedness
of the unbelieving Jews Pilate still tries to put forth that
caring attitude. I don't have anything that I've
seen here. No evidence has been brought
forth that shows me anything about this man that merits him
being accused. But go ahead and take him. Go
ahead and take him and crucify him. I can tell you this, I'm
not going to be the one that's held accountable for this blatant
rebellion against Him. I was willing to defend Him.
I wanted to let Him go. But y'all go ahead and do what
y'all want to do. Whatever you want to do. If you want to do
it wrong, you go ahead and do it. And He just allowed them
to do just exactly what He wanted to do and what God Almighty purposed. But the Lord proclaimed Even
though Pilate would say, I don't find any fault in this man. I'm
not against him. That's the lie of the natural
heart. You know that heart that's unstable
in all of its ways, it lies. There's nothing that is more
untruthful than the carnal heart. Here's what the Lord said, Matthew
12, 30. He that is not with me is against me. Somebody said,
well, I'm not really... I know what you're preaching.
I understand what you're saying. I see it in the Word of God.
I understand it. But I'm just not ready. I'm just not willing to bow to
that. He that is not with me is against
me. He that gathereth not with me
scattereth abroad." What does that mean? How are the sheep
of God gathered? Through the preaching of the
gospel. Through the preaching of the gospel. This gospel of
God's sovereign, saving grace. This gospel that we've said and
looked at and considered, Romans 116, the gospel that Paul said,
I'm not ashamed of. It's the power of God unto salvation. Is there any other message that
God blesses to the salvation of His elect according to the
Word of God? No. Paul said, I'm not ashamed. It. It. But what about another message
that doesn't say this right here? Then it's not the gospel. It's
not, he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. So that
fence straddling attitude. Here's Pilate, right here. Let
me ask you this. You think like that rich man
that lifted up his eyes out of hell, you know, and Father Abraham,
would you have Lazarus come, dip his finger? He said, no,
son, remember, remember. You think just as, Something
that Pilate's ever remembered? You think this trial, you think
this date right here ever comes back up? Oh, every time, as we've
said before, every time you've ever heard the gospel of God's
grace, He'd leave this world without Christ, you will never,
ever, ever forget every time you ever heard it. No. You take
Him. You take Him. You discourage
Him. I don't find anything wrong. You take Him. You take Him. But
I want us to notice in closing, beholding the Lamb of God. In
verse 5, the Scripture says, Then came Jesus forth, wearing
the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and Pilate saith unto them,
Behold the man. In your Bibles, if you've got
a Bible that it writes in words that were added by the translators
to try to help, it'll be in italics. I want you to look in that verse.
What word is in italics? The word pilot. The name pilot
is in there. It was added and I truly appreciate
Translators, I believe that they truly were desiring to do the
right thing. But these words are not the words
of Pilate. I want you to read this verse
without that italicized word that was added. It wasn't part
of the original. It was added. Then came Jesus
forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and saith
unto them, Behold the man. These are the words of the Lord.
The Lord said this, not Pilate. The Lord Jesus Christ made these
words. Now listen. Behold the man before the foundation of the
world, Almighty God, who everlastingly loved His people and chose them
in Christ, gave them unto Him who is the surety who knew before
they were ever created that they were going to fall. But Almighty
God who loved the order of man, for God so loved the world again,
I challenge you, look this up if you think I'm not telling
you so, the arrangement. God Almighty who loved the arrangement
of man, mankind. purposed that mankind, because
God's just, was not going to perish under His judgment. And God Almighty is just. The
soul of sin is going to die. God saw before they ever were
created that man would fall. What does man that's going to
fall? In the day you eat thereof, Adam,
in the day you eat, you're going to die. And die He did. And Almighty God in His infinite
wisdom and mercy and compassion, before the foundation of the
world, chose His people in the one who would come into this
world as their representative, the man himself. The man that has fallen in Adam
needs a mediator, a priest before God, one to represent him, one
that is accepted By God. I need, I need a man. Because I'm a man. And man fell
before God. And I need a man to represent
me. One to suffer in my stead. One that can bear all of my guilt
and all of my burdens. And bear the debt of my iniquity. Before God Almighty that God
might be just. in putting away the guilt of
my sin. And I need for a man to establish
righteousness for me. I need a man that can stand before
God, a man that God Almighty will say, this is my beloved
Son, the man, Christ Jesus. and whom I'm well pleased. You
hear Him. I need for that man to walk before
God Almighty and live before God Almighty and obey and honor
God's law and establish righteousness as a man. And then charge me
with that and give me righteousness before God I need for a man to
answer for me. I need a man who is the mediator. I need a high priest. I need a man who is a high priest. The Lord said, Behold the man. Behold the man. Isaiah 42, 1 says, Behold My
servant, whom I uphold, Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth.
I have put My Spirit upon him. He shall bring forth judgment
to the Gentiles. Turn with me, closing to Isaiah
53. Isaiah 53. Listen to this. Here's the Lord speaking. Prophetically, hundreds and hundreds
of years before the Word was ever made flesh. Listen to Isaiah
53 verse 3. He is despised and rejected of
men. I want you to notice, it's not
speaking in the future. It's speaking right now. This
is how God Almighty sees him. Eternal. He is despised and rejected
of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we
hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was despised and we esteemed
Him not. Turn back to Isaiah 50, verse
5 and 6. Isaiah 50, verse 5 and 6. Here's His obedience. What would He do? The man. Behold the man. Isaiah
50 verse 5. The Lord God hath opened mine
ear. You know, remember when a servant came and he served
his duty, his master as a slave, and he didn't want to leave because
he loved his master, and he'd go and bore a hole, you know,
in his ear right there, take an awl and bore it. That was
a sign of obedience. The Lord hath opened mine ear.
I was not rebellious, neither turned away my back. I gave my
back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the
hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Behold the
man who has suffered the hatred and resentment of men and placed
himself in absolute obedience under the judgment of God Almighty
and bore the wrath of God Almighty. He says in Isaiah 65, verse 1,
I am sought of them that ask not for Me. I am found of them
that sought Me not. I said, Behold Me! Behold Me! Unto a nation that was not called
by My name. Here was the eternal God. The
Word made flesh. The Word Himself who was ever
before Him. Go back and read Proverbs 8.
He said, I was daily his delight. I was one brought up with him.
Behold, the man. Isaiah 42 verse 4 says, He shall
not fail nor be discouraged, that is broken, till he have
set judgment in the earth. There's one man, one man in whom
God is well pleased. You behold Him. Look to Him. Trust Him. Cast yourself upon
Him. Him in whom alone is life. Not in yourself. Not in yourself. Well, I've done so and so. Not
by works of righteousness that we've done, but according to
His mercy. Look to the man who said of himself as Moses, Lifted
up the serpent in the wilderness on that pole. Do you remember
the brass serpent? Moses held it up. Brass serpent made in
the form of those snakes that were biting. Picture of sin.
He who has made sin. You look to him and you lift. Look unto the man. Behold the
man. That means don't look at yourself. I'm going to say that one more
time. Don't look at... These filthy, filthy works of
righteousness, self-righteousness that we've done. You look at
yourself or you think yourself to have merited salvation before
God or improved upon, that's what we're talking about, Brother
Frank. Approved upon, is that what you think? You've proved
upon that which God has done. The Lord said it's finished.
It's finished. Behold the man, Christ Jesus,
for His honor and His glory and His praise and for our eternal
good.