You- have No Power

To know oneself, is above all, to know what one lacks. It is to measure oneself against the Truth and not the other way around. Flannery O'Connor, The Fiction Writer and His Country.

Dr Timothy Keller www.Redeemer.com
John 18:33-38. 19:8-11
2nd sermon St John's Passion

The Confrontation of Pilate and Jesus teaches us about
the Sovereignty of God. God is completely in charge but the more deliberate your sin the more guilty you are.
The story is about Jesus and Politics
1. Limit of Power
2. Problem of Power
3. Transformation Of Power

1. Limit of Power
Pilate asked - Are you a political leader?
No
Politics is about legislating to make and enforce laws: making people behave
Jesus's Kingdom is not a earthly. No one should force people to do anything in the name of Christ.
Only one place - Europe Christianity is fading. They forced got Christianity on the population. Christendom does not work. No human government should be identified as the City of God on earth.
In 1908 women were terrorized. You could not change that with laws.
For the first 3oo years Christians had no political power. They changed their communities. Female infanticide was banned in Christian Communities. Before that there were 140/1 men/women. Christians said- No sex outside of marriage. That made the church become strong. Women were protected. Families became strong. Charities created a new counter-culture. The church said all people are created equal. That made a more attractive culture. Constantine chose to accept what had already changed and become the favoured culture. Enduring charge only happens when culture changes.

2 . Problem of Power
Everyone listens to Jesus. Pilate wanted to know if Jesus was a political threat. What is truth? Pilate didn't care. His question was - Are you a threat?
Voakoff Hevel delivered a Political Power speech. Google it. He said every politician has 2 motives: 1. To achieve power in the service of truth. 2. Power as an end in itself to meet deep inner needs. For self affirmation. Those 2 motives are always there. But once you get power you gotta hang on to power as long as you can and the second need takes over. But no politician would ever admit to that. They become conceited.
Conceited means glory vacuum. Only God can fulfil your glory Vacuums.

Jesus came from elsewhere to bear witness to the truth.
John 17 The Trinity has been glorifying each other. Give glory to others.
Sin is self centeredness. I'm as good as you.

3. Transformation Of Power
Giving away his power. In self giving we touch heaven. C.S. Lewis
Jesus dying on the cross assures you that he delights in you.

Live - changed by the truth. Jesus says I'll bring down the Roman empire through my suffering. And he did.