John 18:37

1. John 18:37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, So You are a king? Jesus answered, You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.

2. Jesus “Campaigning” As – • The Promised Messiah • The Son Of God • The Saviour Of The World • The King Of The Kingdom Of God

3. Political Campaigns • Designed to Win “Hearts And Minds” • To Say “Good Things” • Promise What The People Want • Do Those Things That Make One Popular • “Whatever It Takes” To Get Elected!

4. The Current Campaign

5. The Current Campaign

6. Strategy to Win the People

7. Strategy to Win the People

8. Strategy to Win the People

9. Strategy to Win the People

10. Strategy to Win the People

11. Strategy to Win the People

12. If Jesus Had Such An Organization,

13. What Would They Have Advised? • Strategy #1 –Maximize His Image • His Background • His Education • His Family • His Accomplishments • His Appearance

14. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Came In Human Form Philippians 2:5-8 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

15. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Not Particularly “Good-looking” Isaiah 53:2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

16. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Part Of A Despised Race Jeremiah 29:17-19 thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. ‘I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach

17. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Part Of A Despised Race among all the nations where I have driven them, because they have not listened to My words,’ declares the Lord, ‘which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,’ declares the Lord.

18. His “Campaign” Quite Different • A Nazarene Carpenter John 1:45-46 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.

19. His “Campaign” Quite Different • A Nazarene Carpenter Matthew 13:54-57 He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this

20. His “Campaign” Quite Different • A Nazarene Carpenter man get all these things? And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.

21. What Would They Have Advised? • Strategy #2–Powerful Companions • Wealthy • Impressive Credentials • Well-Educated • Experienced • Politically Powerful • Object: Make Jesus “Look Good”

22. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Disciples Were Inexperienced, Unlearned and Controversial • Uneducated Galilean Fishermen • A Despised “Tax Gatherer” • A “Politically Incorrect” Zealot • No Priests • No Scholars

23. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Disciples So Flawed, That • Argued as to Who Was Greatest • Two Got Mom to Ask Favors • Same Two Wanted To Destroy a City • One Prone to Rash Words & Deeds • One Was a Doubter • One Was a Thief!

24. What Would They Have Advised? • Strategy #3 –Offer Instant Rewards • Tangible Rewards • “Chicken in Every Pot” • Reduced Taxes • An “Easier Life” • Physical Safety

25. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Instead, He Predicted Hardship! Matthew 10:34-38 Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves

26. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Instead, He Predicted Hardship! son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

27. What Would They Have Advised? • Strategy #4 –Don’t Offend People • Be Careful What You Say! • Be Very Diplomatic! • Find The “Middle Of The Road” • Don’t Put Down Popular Leaders • “Go With The Flow”

28. His “Campaign” Quite Different • “Scandalous” Statements! John 12:5-8 Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people? Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.

29. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Offensive Remarks Matthew 15:7-14 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, Hear and understand. It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man. Then the disciples

30. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Offensive Remarks came and said to Him, Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement? But He answered and said, Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.

31. His “Campaign” Quite Different • Offensive Remarks Matthew 23:27-28 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

32. What Would They Have Advised? • Strategy #5 –Pander To Wealthy • Support Of Powerful & Rich Needed • Careful Not To Offend Such People • Do Things To Solicit Their Favor

33. His “Campaign” Quite Different Luke 18:18-19; 22-23 A ruler questioned Him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.... When Jesus heard this, He said to him, One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

34. Yet, His “Campaign” Succeeded! • Name of Jesus Known Everywhere • Course of History Changed • Laws of Civilized Nations Changed • Millions Willing to Die for His Cause • Even Our Calendars Affirm His Life

35. Why Did He Succeed? • Had A Heavenly Campaign Manager John 8:28 So Jesus said, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

36. Why Did He Succeed? • Had A Heavenly Campaign Manager John 12:49-50 For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.