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 Sermon on Behold the Man

By Brian Pepper

 

I would like you to turn to John 19:4,5: "Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate said unto them, Behold the man!" What a picture of the Son of God, standing in mockery and ridicule before the jeering throng. They plaited a crown of thorns and put it upon his head. They put a purple robe on him and mockingly proclaimed, "Hail, King of the Jews" and they smote him with their hands.

 

Pilate says, Behold the man

Verse 4-5 says, "Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you that you may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man."

Thus, He was officially presented to the world by the Roman ruler Pilate. He had examined Him, he had checked Him on every point, and yet could not find a fault in Him. And yet he resisted Him. He was willing to surrender Him to the angry preachers and priests and Rabbis and to the rabble rather to take a stand for Him. It says in another place that he washed his hands of the Master.


 

 

Are we also guilty of crucifying our Lord?

How many individuals are crucifying their Lord? How many are betraying their Master by refusing or neglecting to come out boldly before the world to take their stand for Him?

I think you will agree that a large part of the people in this world do not take their stand for Jesus simply because they are afraid of what people will think about them. Pilate came out and admitted publicly that he realised that this must be right, "I find no fault in him." And then he presents Him to the world, "Behold the man."

It is very important to talk about the divinity of Christ the Lord and we should lift up His divinity. But I want to talk for a little while about the human side of Christ today.

 

Christ the man

In Hebrews 4:15 the apostle Paul says, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched by the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Now isn’t that a wonderful text! Yes, He had a body with every tendency toward sin even as we have, but He stood out and resisted. "Tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin."
 


Christ has provided an escape from temptation

There may be someone here today who is finding it difficult to overcome and live the Christian life. The wonderful thing is that Jesus has provided a way of escape and can bring victory to every soul. There are no exceptions, for every soul there is an avenue of escape. The apostle Paul says, "The Lord has with every temptation provided a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it."

Now isn’t that wonderful! That should bring encouragement to each one of us. But everybody has a good excuse, that is the extraordinary thing about it. Satan has studied this thing of deceiving souls for nearly 6,000 years and he has a special trap for every soul in this world today. He suggests, "Why not put it off for a more convenient season? Why rush into it? Why not wait?" Yes! Satan is very experienced and he has a remarkable way of making his cause and his way look a little easier, and a little more attractive than God’s way.

 

Christ the man at the Last Supper

And now let us take a look at Christ the man at the ‘last supper’. The Scripture says that Judas arose and went out. Jesus bade him goodbye saying, "Judas what thou doest, do quickly."

Oh, what a awful hour. Judas went out, it says. And it was night. It was night in his soul as well as outside in Jerusalem. Judas did not stay for the best part of that meeting, for after he had gone the Master told the disciples those famous words, "Let not you heart be troubled … you believe in God… I will come again." Judas never heard that.

 

Jesus overcome by anguish

Jesus suddenly seemed to be overcome by some indescribable anguish. The disciples could not understand it. Always before, He had faced the adversary courageously, coolly, calmly. He turned to his disciples and said "Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." (Matthew 26:46)

Oh! that awful hour of darkness when the battle of the universe was to be fought out in His lonely life. The disciples now followed in silence. They had been arguing, who was to be the greatest and so on.

 

Jesus the man in the Garden of Gethsemane

They now followed on silently as they went out the East gate, down through the little Kidron valley, and out the East Side of Jerusalem. Jesus began the ascent up the slopes of the Mount of Olives. He turned into the Garden of Gethsemane.

The disciples one by one, began to find stones to rest on. One by one they found an easy place to spend the night as they had done quite often before when Jesus had gone apart to pray.

 

Asking His disciples to watch and pray

But now! Jesus turns to those three closest friends, the ones that He could usually count on if He could count on anyone. He said, "Would you mind going into the garden just a little further with me?" "Oh no, we will be glad to go."

The mouth can give easy consent. So they followed deeper into the garden little realising the agony that Christ was to experience, little realising that in those next few moments, in the next few hours the battle of the ages would be fought. The great controversy between Christ and Satan was being settled right there in the garden of Gethsemane, in that awful struggle which Christ must fight out alone.

He turned to the disciples as they followed him into the garden a little deeper saying, "Tarry here and watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." (Matthew 26:41)

The disciples began to pray. Jesus went in a little further: He must have gone quite a fair way into the garden for it says that He went about a stone’s throw from there. Far enough so that they could see him there.

 

Jesus in agony pleaded with His Father

The Passover moon was shining full at that time of the year. Jesus went back deep into the garden alone. He experienced that awful agony of facing the battle alone. The last awful hour of struggle had come. And there He cried out in agony pleading with His Father. The weight of a lost world was crushing down upon his heart. There He cried in agony as the Passover moon shone full upon his prostate form as the dew settled on the trees. What a sight for the angels to behold! as they witnessed their Master, their Maker, in His agony in Gethsemane. The Father had forbade them to help Him. He must struggle on alone: pay that desperate price for sin alone.
 


Jesus felt cut off from His Father

Christ felt alone too. He kept praying, but it seemed as if the Father did not hear as He had on other nights. Jesus felt strangely cut off. In desperate agony He pleaded, "O my Father, if it be possible, if there is any way Father, let this cup pass from me."

He hated the thought that some sin might steal into His life: That some slip might come from His lips. He could not bear the thought that He might be separated from the Father. In desperation He pleads, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."

 

Seeking encouragement from his disciples

He felt that He could bear it no longer so He decided, "I will go back to my disciples for a word of encouragement and a word of cheer." Do you know what He found? He found them asleep. He shook the sleeping disciples and spake to them kindly and sympathetically, "Couldn’t you watch with me just one hour? I know the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."

He was kind even then. He tried to excuse them even in their weakness. And then He urged, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." Pray for me and pray for yourselves.


Satan's temptations

Once more He went back yet deeper into the garden. Then He knelt down on the grass beneath the old olive tree, close by the palm trees, as they glistened in the moonlight. Then Satan whispered his most insidious temptations to him. He whispered, "Do You think that You could be right and all the religious leaders, those educated men, wrong? That only Your cause is right? Do you think that anyone is going to believe on Your name? "Why, You know that Judas is waiting to betray You. You know that Your disciples are out there asleep, the ones You trusted most. That will give You an idea of how people care! Do you mean to say that if You go and die as a criminal on the cross tomorrow, that anyone will believe on You? Despised by Your own church as an outcast, do You think that You will save the world like that?"
 


Disciples asleep when needed most

All of these hideous taunts Satan hurled at the Master as He agonised in Gethsemane alone. He said, "I must go back to my disciples to get some word of encouragement", for He had taken about all He could bear. But do you know what He found? He found them asleep. Somehow Christians often do sleep right when they are needed most. On the very hour of eternity, the hour of destiny, Christians will sleep and linger in their lethargy.



More agonising pleas to His Father

He went back into the garden, deeper still. It seemed as if what Satan had suggested was true, nobody cares. And for the third time, He cries out in desperate agony, "Oh, my Father, my Father; if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."



Could Jesus have expected encouragement from us?

Now I want to ask you, had you seen Him there, struggling alone that sad evening. If you heard Satan suggesting, "Nobody will believe on Your name. People will not be willing to give up their jobs, their church ties, and all the rest that ties men; they will not be ready to sacrifice for You." I want to ask you, had you seen Him there going through that dreadful struggle, would you have been willing to look in His face and say to him, "Jesus, all men may forsake You, You may feel that this is in vain. But there is one thing that I want you to know, If you are willing to go through that much for me, I am willing to go through anything for you. I will give You my heart today."

Would you have done it then? If you would have done it then, you will do it today. May each one here today re-dedicate our hearts and lives to the Saviour and thank Him for what He did for us on Calvary.

 

 

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Click image for sample. The Complete Sermon Collection is available at the Store Page. It includes 169 sermons which are listed on the Sermons Page, plus several audio visual sermonettes and a number of incomplete sermons. Original typed sermon notes have been scanned in PDF files on a DVD.

 

 
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Easy access to all the uploaded Revelation Bible Commentaries written by Brian Pepper. Also a CD of the complete Book of Revelation consisting of 22 PDF files scanned from original typed documents. These files can be downloaded by Adobe Acrobat to view on computer screen, or printed in booklet or other format.

 

 
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Bible in Song Sermons and Commentaries pages have exposed flaws in the "2300 day" prophecy chart most notably used by Seventh-day Adventists. Seventh-day Adventists in their biblical interpretation have favored the tradition of their founding fathers over Scripture and the "divine revelation" of their own prophet Ellen White. Read more.

 

 
 
  Testimonials
Thank you for posting some of (Brian Pepper's) sermons. It's like reading the very words Jesus has spoken to me and is a great encouragement. I cannot say that about many Pastors but I can say that about (Pr Pepper). Thank you. Robert @yeshuaskingdom.org (USA) ... more testimonials.

 

 
 

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