Sermon Response Guide

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE: 
John 19:1-16 ESV

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” 

12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

Key Points

• We all need forgiveness.
• We have all trusted in something or someone else besides Jesus to rule and guide our lives.
• Jesus suffered and died in our place to forgive us of our rebellion.

Memory Verse

Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“They cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’”
- John 19:15 ESV

Questions for Reflection

Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:

1:Review this week’s memory verse (John 19:15) and answer the questions that follow.

• What’s another way of saying, “We have no king but Caesar,” in today’s language?
• How do you see yourself in what is unfolding in John 19:15?
• Jesus was accused of blasphemy, but in reality, his accusers were the ones blaspheming God. What effect does that irony have on you?

2: Read 1 Samuel 10:17-19 and answer the questions that follow.

• What is the relationship between this passage and our primary Scripture in John 19?
• Based on this passage, how would you describe God?
• How have you rejected God (or been tempted to reject God) lately?

3: Read Daniel 9:9-10, 17-19 and answer the questions that follow.

• What does Daniel confess before God in these verses?
• What does Daniel ascribe to God in these verses?
• What does Daniel ask of God in these verses?
•   What stands out to you about Daniel’s pattern of prayer?

4: In Daniel 9:18, Daniel prays, “For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.”

• How does this declaration of faith affect your own perspective in prayer?

5: What is the primary truth God revealed to you today?

• How will you respond?
• Who do you know who you can encourage with the truth this week?

Pray

Lord, we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. We confess we have chosen other kings besides you, and we need your forgiveness. Thank you for being slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and filled with compassion. Thank you for being faithful to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness whenever we come before you in confession like today. Thank you for the freedom of your forgiveness. Lord, we are quick to reject your word, your ways, and your will. Help us to hunger for your word, walk in your way, and surrender to your will. We need no king but you.