We all make important decisions all the time. Some are critical and some a trivial. But all the decision you make determine your future. Based on Matthew 27. Check out the video at www.mympumc.net

1. Come Follow
Me…
Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church

2. An Uphill Faith

3. Upper Room
A place of intimacy

4. Upper Room
A place of intimacy
Gethsemane
A place of crushing

5. Meanwhile Jesus stood before the
governor, and the governor asked
him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
When he was accused by the chief
priests and the elders, he gave no
answer. Then Pilate asked him,
“Don’t you hear the testimony they
are bringing against you?” But Jesus
made no reply, not even to a single
charge—to the great amazement of
the governor.

6. Now it was the governor’s custom at
the festival to release a prisoner
chosen by the crowd. At that time
they had a well-known prisoner
whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So
when the crowd had gathered, Pilate
asked them, “Which one do you want
me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas,
or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
For he knew it was out of self-
interest that they had handed Jesus
over to him.

7. While Pilate was sitting on the
judge’s seat, his wife sent him this
message: “Don’t have anything to do
with that innocent man, for I have
suffered a great deal today in a
dream because of him.”
But the chief priests and the elders
persuaded the crowd to ask for
Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
“Which of the two do you want me
to release to you?” asked the
governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.

8. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus
who is called the Messiah?” Pilate
asked. They all answered, “Crucify
him!”
“Why? What crime has he
committed?” asked Pilate. But they
shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

9. When Pilate saw that he was getting
nowhere, but that instead an
uproar was starting, he took water
and washed his hands in front of the
crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s
blood,” he said. “It is your
responsibility!” All the people
answered, “His blood is on us and on
our children!”
Matthew 27:11-24

10. “suffered under Pontius Pilate…”

11. Pontius Pilate was the 5th Praefectus of the Roman province
of Judaea from 26 – 36 AD under Emperor Tiberius.

12. According to Rome-Jewish historian Josephus, Pilate was
ordered back to Rome after harshly suppressing a
Samaritan uprising, arriving just after the death of Tiberius in
March 37 AD. Exiled to Gaul by Caligula, committed suicide.

13. Before Pilate…
a place of Decision

14. “What then shall I do with Jesus,
who is call the Messiah?”

15. Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And
they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man
subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to
Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” Luke 23:1-2

16. We make our decision and
then our decisions MAKE US

17. Past mistakes limit FUTURE OPTIONS
Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you
let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a
king opposes Caesar.” John 19:12

18. You live either by PRESSURE or PRINCIPLES
“Wanting to satisfy the crowd”
Mark 15:15

19. “Most people are other people. Their thoughts
are someone else's opinions, their lives a
mimicry, their passions a quotation.” Oscar Wilde

20. APPEASEMENT
“I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty.
Therefore I will have him punished and then release him. Lk 23:22

21. BARGAINING
“Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus
Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Mt. 27:17

22. POLITICS
That day Herod and Pilate became friends —
before this they had been enemies. Luke 23:12

23. Courageous Decisions take PRACTICE
“He who walks with the wise becomes wise, but the
companion of fools suffers harm.” Pr 13:20

24. Life will shrink or expand in proportion to
one’s courage.

25. Can you make the courageous choice when it’s COSTLY?

26. Will you make the courageous choice when it’s COSTLY?
Will you make that courageous choice, REPEATEDLY?

27. “What then shall I do with Jesus,
who is call the Messiah?”