In 1st century Palestine, the Roman governor pilot had the authority to rule that Jesus

was guilty of insurrection, wanting to overthrow Rome, but he couldn't find any basis for a criminal charge.

So why didn't he do the right thing and set him free? On truth for life weekend, we're

concluding a message titled Pilate's dilemma, Alistair Begg is teaching from chapter 19 of John's Gospel.

As soon as the chief priest and their officials saw him look at the look at the nature of these people.

They shouted crucify, crucify. It's amazing isn't it? And there's not a modicum of sympathy or empathy in any one of these hard-hearted

religiousists. So secure behind their robes, so settled in their convictions, so convinced that they are right and so dreadfully wrong.

And instead of the spectacle inducing in them, a lump in their throats and a sense of absolute shame whereby they fell before him and said,

it was ever soar like this. They simply rehearse their cry again. Okay, that's good so far, Pilate, but let's not grow weary here, let's not stop, let's go the whole way and let's get him crucified.

And again, you will notice, Pilate replies, I think in a spirit of frustration here, you take him and crucify him.

You want a crucifixion? You do the crucifixion because after all, and here he goes again, I find no basis for a charge against him, we'll let him go violent.

Have the courage of your convictions, man. Stand up to the crowd. Is that your problem tonight? As a young person?

Knowing your heart of heart, you know exactly why Jesus came. You know exactly what it means that you would follow him and love him and serve him, but somehow or another, the pressure of all the circumstances around you.

Makes you vacillate one day or here and another day or there. I understand that perfectly. I live my life like that for a while.

I find no basis of a charge against him, you go ahead. They are fury, produces his frustration and the monotonous refrain, the ominous chant, crucify, crucify, crucify, crucify,

rings in his ears.

And so then, laying in passing in all of this, the plan and purpose of God from all of eternity was being fulfilled,

was Pilate an automata, was Pilate exercising his prerogative as a Roman governor? Yes. Was Pilate making wrong decisions all in his own? Yes.

Was Pilate pre-programmed to make these decisions? No. Was Pilate by his perversity fulfilling the plan whereby it was the will of God as Isaiah 53 says to bruise him that, according later on, his Peter preaches on the day of pentecost, it was according to the four knowledge of God that cruel men delivered him up.

Yes.

And so the Jews come back forcefully, verse seven, we've got a law, and according to that law, Jesus has to die.

They're not careful to play their ace just yet, it's coming, but they want to do enough just to keep Pilate on track.

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