READING: ACTS 4:1-28 TEXT: v27-28
For of a truth
against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and
Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were
gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel
determined before to be done.
Message: prompted by Jewish response to Mel Gibson's film: The Passion of Christ. A few things about the film first.
[i] I have not seen the film. No intentions of going. There was a day
when cinemas were frowned upon by Christians. Billy Sunday was very
scathing about them. Same league as public houses & worse! Has
Hollywood so reformed itself as to make that judgement now obsolete?
Probably a can of worms here somewhere, but I think I'll err/side:
caution.
[ii] Is it right to have a human sinful actor play the part of Jesus Christ? Who would dare take on the role?
[iii] In a day when art flourished etc., God kept any revelation of
Himself to the words/scripture. No extant pictures in whatever form of
Jesus Christ. You will learn all you need to know about the graphic
scenes of the crucifixion from Psalm 22/Isaiah 53/Gospel records. Who
will argue that Hollywood can do a better job than the Holy Spirit? Not
me.
[iv] Danger: Those who see this most graphic picture will always
remember the human actor's face when they think of Christ. See
Hollywood's Jesus when they break the bread etc., Of course, we have
all been exposed to pictures/Christ before this film…but never
in such graphic detail and for so long undisturbed. Not far from
idolatry.
[v] Evangelical reviews of this film tell me it is a very lopsided film
which (surprise! surprise!) gives an inordinate place to Mary in the
sufferings/Christ. Bible only mentions her once in the last 12 hours.
Mel Gibson is a conservative RC & Rome just cannot let Christ do
anything on His own for our salvation without intruding Mary into the
work. Roman theology has elevated Mary to co-Redemptorist. What
blasphemy! Film itself is heavily influenced by the visions of an 18th
century RC mystic.
It was not so much the film/prompted the message but the Jewish
response. Cries: Anti Semitism. Chief Rabbi/Ireland (Mr Pearlman) wants
the RC Church to condemn it. Whole thrust of Jewish objection lies in
the idea that they alone have been left to carry the can for the
crucifixion of Christ. Reviving/scenes from the past when Jews were
horribly persecuted/murdered & branded as "Christ killers" and it
is this which has spurred on this message.
1) BOTH JEWS/GENTILES ARE EQUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST:
Text/plain: Herod/Pilate… Gentiles/People of Israel.
A/ Long foretold in the OT. (Jews accept the OT as the word/God: It's why they exist as a distinct religious group)
[i] Text quotes from Psalm 2 where both Jew/Gentile are seen to oppose Christ.
Key word: Rulers which history now records may be applied to the Jewish Sanhedrin.
This whole incident (Acts 4) flowed from Peter's words where he indicted the Jewish rulers (3:17)
Gospel record bears it out: Luke 23:13/35 & again: 24:20
[ii] Earlier prophecy: Genesis 49:10 & this was fulfilled also. Sceptre had departed from Israel. Under Roman rule.
Seen specifically at Christ's death: John 18:31 & so it took a Gentile to have the final word in this crucifixion.
B/ Presence of the opposite group in the final "go ahead" does not in any way excuse the other.
Shared guilt does not mean shared punishment.
Not 50% each in the punishment ratings.
100% each.
If 2 men murder, they don't get half a life sentence each.
Both get life. Both are 100% guilty before the law/land. So here.
[i] Worth noting (Jewish discomfit) the words of the Jews at that time.
So callous were they in the death of Jesus/Nazareth: Then answered all the people, & said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25)
No warrant for any anti Semitic feelings.
Not excuse any Gentile from the blood thirsty pogroms and the hate
filled cries of "Christ killers" but they are significant words also.
Self condemning words.
It is not advantageous to the Jews to either deny these words or try/explain them away.
There is guilt there. Responsibility is written all over them.
Better to face this issue squarely than to raise other concerns, no matter how legitimate they may be.
[ii] Furthermore, without excusing we Gentiles in any way, the Jews in this matter sinned against the greater light.
They had the Christ revealing Scriptures…great
miracles…they had the very Christ Himself in their
midst…indeed of these same rulers: John 12: 42 Nevertheless
among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the
Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue.
This is why the Lord Jesus could say to Pilate: … he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (Jon 19:11)
C/ Re: Gentile sin: Pilate condemned himself: least 3 accounts.
[i] Ignored his wife's strange dream (Matthew 27:19)
[ii] He acted against his conscience: Knew Christ was innocent &
indeed "was determined to let him go" (Acts 3:13) & when he caved
in, it was against a screaming conscience.
[iii] Placed his political career in front of justice (John 19:12)
D/ Furthermore: Gentiles today have the word/God.
Bible in a bookstore near you.
It is the Jews who seem now to be in the greater darkness.
We have the NT and if the light that is in us be darkness…how great is that darkness.
Sum up: Both Jew/Gentile are responsible for Christ's death.
2) WHY DID JESUS CHRIST DIE?
A/ The "How" is pretty straightforward. Crucified.
Route to this most barbaric death lay through betrayal of Judas, the
handing over by the Jews to the Gentiles and the Cross etc.,
B/ The "Why" runs a lot deeper though.
Humanly speaking, the "why" settles on man's depravity in its various symptoms.
We may attribute greed to Judas. (John 12:3-6) Pilate himself attributed envy to the chief priests (Matthew 27:18)
We have already seen Pilate being consumed by ambition.
C/ But the Cross goes a lot deeper than merely the human side.
Our text (Acts 4:27-28) tells us that the 2 great divisions of lost
sinful humanity (Jew/Gentile) came freely together to do whatsoever thy
hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Brings us into the somewhat deep waters of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility.
This verse is telling us a few things:
[i] The Cross was planned by God. In a past eternity.
[ii] Participants/Crucifixion were, therefore, carrying out a predetermined plan that simply had to happen.
[iii] Along with Acts 2:23…we learn they were still sinning in their actions:
Him, being delivered by the
determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by
wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Note the indictment. Here is an event ordained of God and yet those
Jews/Gentiles who carried it out are held as totally responsible/guilty
parties.
Why? They had a different agenda than God, although the event was still one/same.
D/ God had a different purpose in the Cross.
Was not driven by greed/envy/ambition…He was driven by LOVE. Love for a lost guilty world.
Driven by JUSTICE for the sinner could not be saved without a sufficient atonement being made for his sins.
Driven by WISDOM for the Cross provides an argument that all/brains of
hell cannot refute and He sent His Son to die in order that our guilt
might be atoned for and removed out of sight forever.
Cannot be forgiveness in God's Book without sacrificial blood being shed.
Every Jew is familiar with this concept. Passover centred round the blood (Exodus 12:13) NT declares: 1 Corinthians 5:7
E/ Why did He die? In order for God to bring hell deserving sinners into place/cleansing and fellowship with Himself.
3) HOW SHOULD JEWS AND GENTILES RESPOND TO CHRIST'S DEATH?
A/ Pilate's question is pertinent: Matthew 27:22 You can ignore the movie and no judgement will follow.
Movie is irrelevant. But its theme is not.
Passion of Christ as revealed/Bible is the basis on which the great division of mankind/Judgement takes place.
B/ Even at the Cross itself…Christ prayed for His Jewish/Gentile murders (Luke 23:34)
What is that telling us? That He was eaten with vengeance on His murderers?
Or does it reveal His great heart/love for the ungodly?
Is there mercy/pardon for the sinner?
Look at the Cross. Is there hope/sinner? Look at the Cross.
Would all knowing God send His Son to die if even such a death could
not lift sinners & make them new creatures in Christ Jesus?
Evidence is overwhelming.
The Cross can save the sinner from all the wickedness of his sin and give Him a right standing/God.
C/ Only one gospel both for Jew/Gentile. Romans 1:16
Only one way to be saved.
We do not come to God as Jews/Gentiles (or as Protestants/RC's)
We come simply as sinners (Luke 5:32) Appeal.