A POWER IN SILENCE | MATTHEW 27:11-14 | PHILIP ANTHONY MITCHELL

We see... If you are, guess we want to welcome you to 28-19 church or these sacred holy gatherings of 28-19 church, a global family who is serious about the spread of the gospel and the multiplying of disciples as we believe that we are living in the last days. So all of our digital disciples watching live right now across the country and around the world, we welcome you to this sacred gathering. We want you to know that we love you. We appreciate you. You are our family all across America, all across the continents of the entire globe. You are our family. You are covered in prayer. We pray for you. We think about you. We are preparing things for you. By God's grace, we are coming to you. We are starting with London at the end of this month. We are coming to you physically. And we love you. To all of our brothers and sisters watching me live right now in prisons across America, we see you and we love you. We thank you for all of you tapped into the pondo app watching us live right now in prisons all across America. I want you to know that where you are, you are more freed and some of us out here. You are more freed and some of us out here. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. And ministry exists any way you are, whether on the outside or the inside, right where you are, ministry exists, and there is purpose right where you are. Despite not where you sit, but do something where you sit. We want you to know we see you. We pray over your letters and your DMs and your emails. You are not ignored nor you in significant. You are not invisible. We see you. And if you are under the sun and my voice watching right now in this room, one of our two overflows and the basement, wherever you are, and you are not a follower of Jesus Christ, we know that you are in here. We know that you are in the chat. I know you came in to critique me to death, but our prayer is that by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the middle of your mockery, in the middle of your criticism, in the middle of your confusion, in the middle of your skepticism, you might hear something that draws you close to the Lord and be brought into the kingdom of light before time has run out on you. We are coming down to the end of our series through Matthew and our final teaching series called Cross to Commission. These final three chapters, Matthew 26, 27, and 28, are we are looking at the final moments of the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? We are in the last two chapters of Matthew and we will be headed into another letter in the New Testament after Matthew. Our text today is coming from Matthew 27 verses 11 through 14. I want to say to you before I dive into this message, one of the things I pray for you almost every week and tears that we would bear all of the stinktives of the early church in the Acts. We will be a people that love the Scriptures and not entertainment. I'm serious about that. You would not come together and looking to be entertained but actually to learn and to grow and you will find joy and just opening God's word. And men, anybody, the spirit of the living God, speak to us. From the pages of these eternal word, we are fasted, we have consecrated, we have sought your face and now fill us with the bread of life, even in our physical weakness. Asking the mighty and the majestic and the matchless name of our soon-coming King, the Lord Jesus Christ and all of God's people said, Amen, and Amen, and Amen. Our family, it was just a few weeks ago. Our entire nation was gripped by a very sensational trial that captured the attention of the entire nation, involving a very famous music mogul who was facing a myriad of very serious charges. It was on every news outlet. So all across our social media feed, you could not swipe up or down and not bump into the seriousness of that trial. There is something about trials that are very sensational, or serious, especially when very important figures may be at the center of that trial. Our nation being gripped by trials is not a new phenomenon. For so, the history of our nation, there have been different points and different generations where our nation has been gripped by a sense of a sensational trial. I think of three in particular, like the Salem Witch Trials that gripped our nation, or I think about the trials of, like, Derek Chauvin around George Floyd around the pandemic that gripped our nation. I think about trials like the O.J. Simpson trial that also gripped our nation. And there is something about trials, especially when there was a key figure at the center of that trial that invokes all of this type of emotion as we stare at that trial, that it evokes all men of opinions from various sides and perspectives when we are gripped by a sensational trial. It's something that our nature has drawn to that for whatever reason. My family, what we come to right now in this text this morning, what we come to really for the remainder of the teachings in the book of Matthew, what we approach is the most sensational trial of all of human history. And at the center of this trial is the most famous and significant person in all of human history. What we approach in this text this morning and for the remainder of Matthew is a trial of injustice, a trial that is marked by severe charges, a trial that carries on through the book of Matthew from 27 to 28, a trial that had impact on your life and mind. It is one of the most important scriptures in all of Matthew's hospitals, these final series of messages coming out. This is just the beginning of our brief look at the trial. This trial will take us all the way into Matthew, chapter 28. We will enter into the text like jurors of sorts over the next couple of weeks as we sit in the stands and watch this trial unfold before our eyes. Matthew, the eyewitness of the life of Christ, writes about this trial, going back verse 1 and 2 in Matthew chapter 27, Matthew writes this, he says, when morning came, no all of the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put them to death, and they bound him, it's very strong language, and they led him away and delivered him over to a man named Pilate, the governor. Now family, you do recall that on a Thursday night the Lord was in a room in Jerusalem with his followers giving to them everything we read in John 14, 15, 16, and 17. That night he institutes the Lord's supper, he washes their feet that night. His betrayer goes out in the room that night, a man named Judas, who would betray the Lord Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver. The scripture was called that blood money. It was on that Thursday night our Lord had to deal with not only the betrayal of Judas, but the abandonment of men he called his closest friends. It was on that night he went across the Kedren Valley into a small garden called the Garden of Gethsemane. It was in that garden he prayed unto the Father that if it was possible, when he was about to endure this trial and what was going to come at the end of this trial, he would be able to circumvent that Lord if there was any other way, let this cup pass from me. It was that night the scripture tells us he prayed with so much agony that the scripture recores his capillaries burst, and not only the sweat come from his forehead, but blood came from his forehead. None of you have felt stress at that level. It is a medical condition where you believe from your forehead, but none of you have ever felt stress at that level. This ain't just something supernatural. No, his capillaries burst from what he was about to endure. It was that night he saw torches coming into that garden, and at the forefront of that mob was the man he loved Judas and Roman soldiers who came and they bound him and they took him in and it was on this night that Jesus went through six illegal trials in one night. Not two, not four. The Lord and God hear me. Six illegal trials between Thursday night and Friday morning, the Lord went through six illegal trials that night, all led by the religious leaders, the spiritual leaders of Israel. They put him through these six illegal trials at night because they were cowards and they were breaking their own laws and they did not want to try Jesus in public because they did not have sufficient evidence against him. So they ring him through six illegal trials at night, and the scripture says when the morning came, they gathered together with a decision by the end of these six trials. We're sick of this man's teaching. We see how he's bringing revival to the nation and if we don't stop him, everybody's going to believe what he's saying. This is all written in scriptures. The only thing we're going to do with Jesus is put him to death. And by the time the morning comes, they have rallied together with one decision. He is taking away our influence. They are evil. They are full of jealousy and envy. Envy is a dangerous sin. And if Satan could find an envious heart, he could find a slanderous mouth. There's some people that trash others not because you did anything wrong, but because they full of jealousy and envy. And instead of worrying about their own business, they spend all their time trying to put somebody else down and attempt to prop themselves up. You like their posts and you go to their conference and you buy their books. They are full of the devil and they're full of envy and real men and women of God. So these men are full of envy. And instead of getting their own hearts right, they make a decision. Christ must die. This man called Jesus a Nazareth. He must be put to death. Now the scripture says they bound him and they delivered him over to a man named Pilate. It's very important this word deliver because in the Jewish law, they did not have the justice system to put people to death. They could not enforce capital punishment. Only Rome can enforce capital punishment. So they had to bring Jesus to the Roman authority in order for him to be executed. And who do they bring him to? They bring him to a man named Pilate. Who is Pilate? Pilate is one of the most famous people in the history of the world. In fact, his name is Jews almost as often as Jesus' name. For some of you you've been around Catholicism like I was when I was a young child. You may have been familiar with your apostles' creed. You've heard Pilate's name before. I believe in God our Father Almighty, creative heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ's only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Facts born of the Virgin Mary. Facts. What's that, Mom? Born of the Virgin Mary, suffered on the punctures Pilate. Once crucified, died and buried. Pilate's name is encapsulated in a Christian creed. Pilate was a prefect of Judea, a Roman governor. He reigned from AD 26 to 36. He was not popular with the Jews because he did not respect their religious laws. He was a blasphemous man. He put many Jews to death. He was even convicted of embezzling money from their treasury to build an aqueduct. I think that aqueduct might still be standing today. It's somewhere in Cessaria. I believe I'm not sure about that. But he embezzled money from the Jewish temple to build an aqueduct. He was a coward. And he was a phony politician who did whatever was expedient for his own political gain. Right? He was a man full of compromise. But he was a historical figure. Pilate would always be remembered, punches Pilate as the man who ordered the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And for people who claim all the Bible is full of lies and fairy tales and none of those things are not true. Okay. No archaeological find in history has ever disproved anything in the scriptures. But in fact, archaeology has continued to prove that everything we read in the scriptures are not fairy tales but historical facts. Give me my picture, Control Room. Give me my picture, Control Room. This stone was found in Palestine. Buried in sand. I know you can't read the inscription because you don't speak that language. But there is a name inscribed on that stone. Punches Pilate. They found that stone with his name on it, confirming that he was a historical figure outside of the scriptures which just helps to confirm that the things we read in the scriptures are historically accurate. That's why you can stand on business when you open God's word. I'm trying to help somebody not be cowards. I said, you can stand on business when you open God's word. That's why they even found the bones of horses and men and chariot wheels at the bottom of the red sea. We read in fairy tales. We read in about biblical history, about a God that exists, that anointed a people for himself. And dear, right there on that stone is the name of punches Pilate, the man who ordered the death of your savior in mind. So we know if punches existed. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. And so they bring Jesus to this man, scribed on his stone, punches Pilate because Pilate had the authority to put Christ to death. And then what we read from verse 3 through 11 was already taught by one of our elders. This is happening at the same time. Judas will betray them, goes out and he commits suicide. And then we pick up the account in verse 3. Then when Judas, his betrayer saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the silver and he went and committed suicide. And now we go to Matthew chapter 27 and let's go to verse number 11. Now Jesus stood before the governor who was Pilate and the governor asked him a question, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus says you have said so. Now stop. This question right here is the most important question in the trial. This is the most important question in the trial. Are you the king of the Jews? Now Matthew omits the details of the trial. But if you don't understand the origin of this question, you will not understand the rest of what we're going to read in this trial. And this day and the message is to follow, you won't understand. There are four writers who gave us a narrative of the life of Christ, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Two of them were eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus, Matthew and John. They followed him. Mark was a companion of Peter, Luke was a doctor and a physician. They gathered that information for themselves. And if you read the gospel writers of John and Luke, they give us details about the trial. Now what I want to rule, what I want to do is read to you the details of the trial. So when we come back to this question, I only got two more verses. And then we will be done. Take my time. I love y'all. I love y'all. I love y'all. I love God. Anybody love God's word? Don't lie. No, I'm serious. Does anybody love the scriptures? Okay. I'm just trying to help you learn. So I want to read to you the details of the trial. And then we'll come back to verse 11 so you can understand why Pilate asked in this question. Does that make sense to you? Let's look at John's account of the trial. John chapter 18, verse 28 through 40. I'm going to do my best not to preach through this, but stuff been jumping off the page at me. Because it's not our main text. I'm not supposed to be preaching it to you. I'm supposed to just be reading it to you, but it's so pregnant. I feel like a midwife staring at a big bellies. It'd be tempting me when I come to these scriptures. It'd be calling me, Tracy. It'd be calling me. It's all right. It's great. John chapter 18, verse 28, look at John's account of the details of the trial. Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas. This is happening early in the morning to the governor's headquarters. This is Pilate's house who had a second house in Jerusalem. And outside his house there was a court for trial. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters so that they would not be defiled. So because they are Jews, they don't want to go into the house of a Gentile, a non-Jew, because according to their laws, if they go into the house of a non-Jew, they will be quote, defiled. So they stay outside and they shout to Pilate from his porch. I just find it interesting in the text, Lord help me. That they don't want to be defiled. You don't want to be defiled by going into a man's house, but your heart is defiled because you're persecuting the son of glory. This reminds me of people who are hyper-religious, but you have no love in your heart. Hyper-religious and have no discernment in your heart. You got all of the trappings of outside Piety, holy on the inside, full of the devil on the inside. And the only people you got deceived are people with no discernment. So they don't go inside to defile themselves so they can eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and he shouted down to them. What accusations do you bring against this man who's on the inside now of Pilate's house, the Lord Jesus? They're on the outside, Jesus on the inside, early morning, there were the Pharisees, scribes, and hypocrites, and a mob of people on the outside. This is the scene you've seen in the Passion of the Christ. What accusations do you bring against this man? They answer them, if this man were not doing evil, lies. Lies in the trial. We would not have delivered them to you. So they lie and say the Lord was doing evil. That's why we bring them to you. There's lies in the court case. First, 31, Pilate said to them, you taken for yourselves and you judged him by your own law. Did you shout it back to Pilate? It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he would die. He would die on a cross and Jews cannot do that. Verse 33. So Pilate entered into his headquarters. He goes back inside and he called to Jesus. Come over here. He looked in his eyes and he asked him a question, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered, do you say this of your own accord or did others say this to you about me? Pilate answered him, am I a Jew? Your own nation that come in and people was against the Lord. Your own nation and the chief priest, they've delivered you over to me. What have you done to deserve this? It's a mob outside. What have you done to deserve this? Jesus said to him, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom was of this world, my servants would have been fighting for me. That I might not be delivered over to the Jews, but my kingdom, Jesus said in the trial, is not from this world. Why is he saying that? Because they're trying to accuse Jesus of something that rises to the level of treason. And they're six Jewish trials. The only thing they found them guilty of was blasphemy, claiming to be the son of God. Not enough for death, but they had to find something that rise to the level of threatened and wrong. And wrong did not tolerate people who try to be kings. Roned did not tolerate people who came against Caesar. So they said this man claimed to be the king of the Jews. Now you have a reason to put them to death. But Jesus has slowed down pilot. I'm not a political king. And I'm not a military king. Watch, watch, watch. I am no threat to Rome. My kingdom is above you. My kingdom is in the hearts of men. Who's in the kingdom under the sound of my voice? My kingdom is in the hearts of men. Then pilot said to him in verse 37, so you all king. Jesus answered him, you say that I'm a king. For this purpose was I born and hold on. The Lord said for this purpose was I born. Testifying that he existed. Testifying that he's not some ethereal spook. Testifying that he can't do a birth canal just like you or not. Testifying of his humanity. Testifying his ability to understand everything that you and I are going through right now. For this reason was Jesus born. Testifying of his incarnation. For this reason was I born. And for this purpose I have come. Stop right there. He said for this purpose I have come. Testifying that he always existed. That he was not a created being. That he was not created by God. He always existed in eternity. He came from heaven through a womb. That he can identify with you or not. And fulfill the purpose for which the Father sent him. That's so much theology in this. God. I'm going to leave some of these babies in the womb. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I came into the world to bear witness to watch this word the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to whose voice. My voice. Now watch. Fill up Anthony Mitchell did not say. The Lord Jesus says that I came into the purpose of this world to give my life. The truth. And anyone who listens to my voice they are led by the truth. Definitive article meaning there is no other truth other than the truth that Jesus has gave us. You can't tell me you live by your truth or they are going to live by their truth. That is a demonic statement. You don't have a truth. The only truth that exists has come from Christ. And if it has not come from his doctrines then the opposite is true. That means if it has not come from his doctrine it is not true. This condemns or sages. It condemns every other prophet who is not of Christ. It condemns the progenitor of every religion. It condemns any belief in the history of the world outside of Christianity. I said that. Because Christ said that. If it has not come from Christ it is a lie manufactured by the devil, masked and religion and used to lead people away from God. Okay let me repeat this to you one more time. I said based on what he said. Listen carefully. If it has not come from Christ it is a false religion. Masked with false doctrines and was engineered by Satan through men to lead people away from God. You know one is the best way to keep people away from God and introduce them to a false religion. So everything outside of Christ is false. Because he said to watch definitive article the truth. Pilate said to him what is truth? More people should ask that question. What is truth? After he has said this he went back outside to the Jews and he shouted back down. I find no guilt in him. This is so powerful. I find nothing guilty about Christ. But you have a custom that I should release one man to you at the Passover. Do you want me to release the King of the Jews? And they cried out not this man but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber and a murderer and we will get to him next week. Now I want you to look at the rest of the details of the text and then we will finish up our two verses. Go to Luke chapter 23. Anybody mad that I am reading to you the word of God? I mean all of the jurors so we are going through the trial. Verse 23 of Luke. Look at the rest of the details of the trial and then we will finish up our two verses and Matthew. Then the whole company of them arose and brought him to Pilate. And they began to accuse him saying we found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us from the trial. And forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar and saying that he himself is Christ the King. Lies, lies, lies. Jesus was misleading the nation, lies. Jesus telling people not to pay taxes. Did he tell Peter go fishing? Get that coin. Pay your tax and pay mine. This is called watch injustice. I like this because I have a criminal justice degree. So I lean into stuff like this. Lies. And he himself called himself the Christ the King. And Pilate asked him, are you the king of the Jews and he answered them, you have said so. Then Pilate said to the chief priest and the crowds, I find no guilt in this man. But they were urging saying he stirs up the people teaching throughout all of Judea from Galilee even to this place. And when Pilate heard this, he asked whether this man was a Galilean. Now Pilate is trapped. He's in a jam. He got a mobile people outside his window saying put this man to death. But Pilate realizes that this man is innocent. Now he's trapped between doing what is morally right and appease in people. Oh my God, Lord help us. Lord help us. His trap between doing what is morally right and this is a real temptation for anybody who has power and authority. That you will always be tempted between doing what is morally right or appease in people. Doing what is morally right or lying to get out of a circumstance. When we have character, we do what is morally right, even if it costs us something. When our characters weak, we weasel our way out of things. Pilate is in a jam. A mobile people outside. A innocent man on the inside. They're crying for death. He realizes going on. This man is innocent. You want me to put the death of innocent men. But Pilate over Judea has to keep peace in the region. So he's in a jam. There's a mob outside. And if he don't take care of the situation, he's going to lose his office. God help our politicians. Pilate is looking for an escape from dealing with Jesus. He finds an escape when he realizes he's a Galilean. Watch what he does to get out. When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Harrod's jurisdiction who was a pawn king in Rome, he said, Send him over to Harrod. Who was himself in Jerusalem at the time. So he says, yes. I'ma send Jesus over to Harrod. I wash my hands at his circumstance. When Harrod saw Jesus, he was very glad. He had heard long desire to see him because he had heard about him. And he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him for some length, but he made no answer. The chief priest in the scribe stood by vehemently accusing him. Did you see that detail in the text? First, it was at Pilate's house. Not it with Harrod. When you know what that means, they follow Jesus to the next place. Pay attention to people that follow servants around. Trying to accuse them and condemn them. This is phariseoical behavior. Oh my God. This is satanic behavior. Oh my God. To follow men and women of God. Trying to protest them all the time. That is satanic and phariseoical behavior. Mark people that do that as non-believers and pray for them. Yes. Wow. Jesus. Jesus. Only the Pharisees and the scriptures was following Christ around. Showing up everywhere he goes to protest everything he does. Godly people don't do that. We wage war on our knees. Yes. Yes. We raise war on our knees. Verse 11. And Harrod with his soldiers, they treated him with contempt and they mocked him. Then a rang him with splendid garments. He sent him back to Pilate. And Harrod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day. Before this they had been at enmity with each other. They had beefed. But a common enemy made them friends. As we see people teaming up on one person on social media. How common jealous enemies become friends. As you focus on one man instead of focus on your own ministry. Verse 13. Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers of the people. And he said to them, you brought this man as one who was misleading the people. Nah, I don't believe you. After examining him before and behold, I do not find this man guilty of anything you have charged him. Harrod said, I find no fault in Jesus. I cannot condemn him. I find no fault in him. He is an innocent man. And neither did Harrod find any fault in him. So he sent them back. Look, nothing deserving of death has been done by him. I will therefore punish him and release him. Now, before I go back to Matthew and land a plane, I just want to repeat that to you again. I believe we're set about Jesus. Nothing deserving of death is found in him. Nothing deserving in death is found in him. So an innocent man died for all of us guilty people. Come on, man. No professor or no college campus in America. No force religion. No non-believer. No atheist or agnostic. No one can bring a charge against Christ because no evil was found in him. No fault was found in him. No prophet is faultless, blameless, perfect, spotless, lamb of the living God. And no person, no professor, no prophet, no religion can say anything negative about Jesus Christ. We serve the perfect son of God. I think we could be thankful for that. Now, let's go back to Matthew and finish up. It's just the scriptures, right? I want to suggest love the Word of God without entertainment. Verse 11. Part B, are you the king of the Jews? Now you know why Herod is asking this because this was one of his charges. This is the charge that will send Jesus to the cross because if he's the king of the Jews, he's a threat to Rome. Jesus said, you have said so. Right? Now Jesus need to confirm or deny he was the king of the Jews so intelligent and wise. He did not say, yes, I am. Why didn't he just answer straight up? Yes, I am. If Jesus would have said, yes, I am the king of the Jews, and Herod would have saw his kingdom as political, and immediately would have sent him away to be persecuted. But then if he would have said, no, I'm not the king of the Jews, he would have denied his own identity as the king. So the Lord need to confirm, no denies anything. He just knows exactly what to say in this moment. He said, you have said so. And I just want to point this out in the text that a pagan unbeliever unbeknownst to him, announces the identity of Christ as the king of the Jews. So he neither says nothing. Watch. He doesn't say anything. Verse 12. But when he was accused by the chief priest and the elders, he gave no answer. And I just watched. So they are outside the window yelling all these lies about him. And he hears them testifying all these lies. And the scripture says, Jesus gave them no answer. He remained silent. Now everybody, look at me, Kifri. This is powerful in the text. They are shouting lies at him, and he does not respond. Listen to me, man. I'm going to help some of you in your personal life. They are lying about him, and he does not respond. They are lying about him, and he does not respond. Now watch the details in the text. Some revelation inside judiciously. There was no need for him to respond, because he knows that he's innocent. And he knows he's dealing with men who does not want to learn. They don't want to hear him. He's not going to waste his words on people he cannot change. I'm about to help some of y'all. He's not going to waste his words on a person that does not want to learn. This is us wasting our time arguing with people that don't want to hear what you got to say. The only thing they're worried about is not justice, but murder. So he's not going to say anything to them judiciously. Profitically, he's not going to say anything to them why. Because Isaiah chapter 53, do I have time to read it real quick? Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God. Isaiah chapter 53, verse 7, 700 years before Jesus was born, a prophet, Isaiah said this about the Lord, he was oppressed and was afflicted, talking about this moment in his life. Watch the rest of the verse, yet he opened not his mouth. Like a land that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep before a serious silent, so he opened not his mouth. So prophetically, the Lord did not speak why, because he knew what the word of God said about him. If he speaks in that moment, he breaks the word of God. Watch, so he's silent to obey the scriptures. I just point that out to you in the text, because you and I at some point in time in our Christian walk, look at me, you have to learn for the scriptures to govern the way that you talk and the way that you move. We can't just keep living life guided by our misguided emotions and our misguided opinions. You find yourself in a jam and you just go off in a rage or you act in a way that gets yourself in trouble. At some point in time, you got to get to the point where the word governs how you talk and governs how you act so you don't make a fool out of yourself and you don't damage things unnecessarily. The Lord knows the scriptures so he opens not his mouth. This is like a husband or wife who are beefing and no one in the scripture says, don't let the son go down on your wrath. So you make an effort to make peace by the time the night comes. Don't nobody want to hear that? This is you putting yourself in contact with God's word often enough that you're so full of God's word that when you find yourself in a jam, the word comes back to you in that moment. Man, come on, man. That's something the best advice you would ever hand your life to be so full of God's word that when you find yourself in jams, the word comes back to you in the moment. You being your job, you being your home, you about to make a bit, you'll be so full of the word that admit you about to do something and you hear God's word come up in your heart and then immediately you know what to do. That's why you should thank God for biblical teachers. You should thank God when you have access to his word. You should thank God you're not in the church that like to play games, have entertainment. You should thank God no matter who's on the platform. The scripture is going to be preached to you. Jesus knew the word so he did not open his mouth. And we got to learn to do the same thing. He shows us that watch. You got to have enough wisdom and poise to know when to talk. And when to keep quiet. Some of us would have skipped things that brought pain to our life if we would just kept our mouth shut. I'm about to offend some of you. Some of you would have a relationship right now you're supposed to have if you would have just kept your mouth shut. Some of you have ruined other people's marriages because you did not keep your mouth shut. Some of you have destroyed friendships because you couldn't keep your mouth shut. You gossip, you slander, you're saying stuff in the dark, you're deceitful. There's a lot of us right now have caused damage to other people because we did not know to keep our mouth shut. And there's a lot of you got yourself in trouble because you're trying to defend yourself with people that is not worthy of your words. So Pastor why don't you fight people back on social media. Not worthy? Not worthy of my words. The Lord knows who's real and fake. We'll see in the judgment who was real and who was fake. All right let's finish the text and I'm going to pray for you. I know you're ready to get to here. I know today you want to get to your restaurant. I know this is not enough to satisfy you. I already know. Never mind Jesus said man should not live by bread alone but everywhere. You know that but now this ain't good enough. You already got reservations and I do too. I'm just clocking all your tea. I already know you where you're going to eat. Anybody got plans besides me? I got a reservation. I got a reservation. No no no. They're going to be the first people to eat today. They're ready to go. All right really quickly. Look. Verse 13, then Pilate said to him, do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you? Now I just want to look at this. Here is our Roman governor. Saying to Jesus, you hear these people shouting all these things about you outside? Why are you not defending yourself? Now everybody watch. Pilate has seen many guilty people come before him before. And anybody that stood before Pilate with charges that were leading to death, they would have been trying to defend themselves from son up to son down. They do not want to die. But Pilate is confused how this man who is facing capital punishment is not defending himself. Pilate does not know that for the Lord to defend himself will be to go against the perfect will of God. Pilate is so confused. Like dude, they are shouting to you things that's going to send you to, I'm about to sentence you to death. Don't you want to defend yourself? It's almost like Pilate was so overwhelmed by the presence of Christ. Pilate got rised up by Christ. Pilate got so rised up by Christ that he is now fighting for Christ. I'm about to point out, Jesus' witness is so strong that an unbeliever is fighting for him. What about your witness? Your words, your actions, your ways, as your witness strong enough that people will see people talking about you will not. Don't talk about Rhonda like that. You don't know her. Don't talk about Milton like that. You said what about Eric? I hope somebody on social media like don't talk about Milton like that. Don't talk about Philip Andy. Don't talk about Pam like that. You don't know him. We know him. Pilate is so overwhelmed by the presence of Christ. He's trying to defend Jesus. Man, aren't you going to say something back to these people? Pilate is so overwhelmed he interjects his own question. Why aren't you defending yourself? I'm not defending myself. I'm not defending myself. But the Lord remains silent because watch. He's demonstrating for us what Godly submission looks like. God. I'm about to help some of you right now. They are lying about him outside. He's showing us what Godly submission looks like. This was the man just a few hours ago in the garden saying, Lord, if there's any other way to get around this, let this cup pass for me. But now in the moment that he's standing trial, he shows you and I what it looks like to submit your will. For the fathers will even if it cost you something. Yes. In verse 14, he gave him no answer, not even a single charge. And the governor was what greatly amazed at Jesus. Now everybody look at me. The enemies of Christ are on the outside lying about him. And yet he does not respond to their lives, instead he submits to the father. And just two things I want to just say to you and I'ma let you go. Listen to me, man. The enemy lying on him, the chief priest, but he's standing up to the enemy in his silence. He is not moved by the lies. He is going to go to the cross. He is going to endure this trial, although he is an innocent man. And then he demonstrates for us what submission to the father looks like. Now what I'm about to say to you is not going to feel good all of it, but I just want to tell you because I love you. I want everybody to look directly at me. Listen to me, man. This is the serious thing I'm going to tell you. Three things I want to tell you that's very important. And the same way Jesus stood up to the lies of these men, you also got to stand up to the lies of the adversary. You got to know that you have an enemy who is constantly accusing you all the time. Like he was constantly accusing you on, and you feel that sometimes in your soul. You feel things in your soul that make you feel unworthy of God's love, or unworthy to be heard. You're being constantly reminded of your past, or some mistake that you made, or some season that you failed, or some abortion that you had. You're being constantly reminded of some marriage you blew up, or some failure you had. And every now and then it comes up in your mind, or it comes up in your heart, or it comes up in your spirit. And what this is is the devil constantly reminding you of things that condemn you. Because the scripture says, the Lord does not do that. If there's no confirmation for those who are in Christ, then the Spirit of God is not the one always reminding you about your mistakes. And they are made of us under the sound of my voice. Under the tyranny of the enemy that constantly keeps accusing you. He failed. He lied. He cheated. He blew up that marriage. He did this. He did that. And there are people dealing with those tears every day. And you've got to have the courage to stand up against those lies, to know how to be silent, and understand that Christ has paid the price for you. And that the Father's not the one condemning you. He loves you, and you're not forsaken or forgotten. And you've got to know in your heart how to come against those lies. You've got to come against the lies of condemnation. But you also got to come against the lies of exaltation. You are not that nice. You're not that awesome, and you're not a bag of chips. You are wretched Savior, saved by the blood of Christ. No more, no less. You have nothing apart from Jesus. You can make no boast in your talents. You're anointed in your gift. This is why I'm going to, listen, I'm going to rebuke the mess out of all of you. Stop boasting in your title. Don't nobody care you're an apostle. Don't nobody care that you some prophet. Don't nobody care that you're a pastor. Stop boasting in your title. Stop boasting in your gifts. Stop boasting in your acumen. Paul said, I boast all the more in my weaknesses that the power of Christ can't be disliked. Stop boasting in titles. Don't nobody care that you're an apostle. Don't care. You might care you in a vangerous or a prophet. You need to stop boasting in titles. Stop boasting in your gifts. Stop boasting in your talents. Stop boasting in money. Stop boasting all the things that you have only by the grace of God instead. Bost in your weaknesses that the power of Christ can be displayed in you. He bump into me and no airport. I'm past the apostle that's son. I'm Philip. You a great preach of God. Man, I'm the donkey that Jesus is riding on. Ain't nobody throwing a palm branches at my feet. Them branches are for the one working through me. So we eat the fruit and stay away from the glory. And last thing before you go, Christ demonstrated for you the most galleous gangster. No one that in his submission. He's headed to be beaten. He's headed to the cross. Listen to me. Everyone understands my voice. You got a will. And your will has been infected by sin. Because you have thoughts, desires, ambitions, plans, goals, visions. I'm telling you today. If you grow in faith and maturity. maturity you have to learn to subject your will to the will of God. This is the Lord. This is what I want, but this is what you're saying. This is what I put on my vision, Lord, but this is what you're saying. This is what I desire, but this is what you're saying. I don't want to forgive them, but you told me to forgive. This is you reading things in the scriptures and saying, I don't like that, but I will. You can't keep calling yourself a Christian and talk how you want, live how you want, do how you want. This is you saying I will bring my mouth under subjection. I will bring my heart under subjection. I'll bring my mind under subjection. I will bring my life under subjection. I don't know his will. You are liar. You got over thousand pages of his will. The problem is every time you bump into it, you flip the page because it's not it's not expedient for you. And if you're going to see the best of what God has for you, you have to learn to subject your will to his will. This is you saying, I don't want to do this, but because you said it, I will. I got to forgive this person because I have to love this person because I got to stop God's temper because I got to stop causing division because I got to stop being rebellion because I don't care about your feelings. Your feelings have to come under subjection to God's will. And what you experience on the other side of that submission is the absolute best life that Christ has for you because he's the author and the finisher of your faith. So eternal God and of a wise father. Lord, I know this word is heavy. As we look upon the greatest trial the world has ever known. But Lord, some way somehow in this moment, I don't know how by the power of spirit, I pray you would capture our hearts. First Lord, strengthen us to stand up against the condemnation of the devil and the lives of the enemy. The liver was from pride and arrogance and high horses. And God, I am asking you please for all of these who you love and desire to show them the best that you have for them, teach them to be completely submitted to your will, even if it hurts or cost them. Let us learn from the example of our Savior that we may endure all of our trials of life in the manner in which Christ endured his trial. I pray this over them in the mighty and the majestic and the mattress name of our soon coming King, the Lord Jesus Christ. And all God's people said, Amen, amen, amen. Put your hands together.