The Greatest Question  

In Matthew 27:22 the Roman Governor Pilate called out to the crowd gathered before him and he asked them a question.  A question that EVERYONE will have to answer someday.  “What shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”  This is the question that confronts every human being.  How you answer and what you do with Jesus will determine your eternal destiny as well as your life here and now.    

It must be answered – it cannot be ignored.  

Everyone MUST answer the question and there is no such thing as a neutral position concerning your relationship to Jesus.  The crowd gathered before Pilate was yelling for Jesus’ death.  They had already answered the question with their rejection of Christ.  If you refuse to answer, you’re joining right in with those people who rejected Christ and yelled, “Away with Him, Crucify Him!”  There is no excuse. To refuse to answer the question is to be against Him.  It is Jesus Himself who said, “He who is not with Me is against Me…” (Matthew 12:30)  The Bible also says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…” (Psalm 107:2)  You are either with Jesus or you are against Him.  Sadly, to be against Him here, demands that He will be against you there.  “Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”  (Matthew 10:32-33)

It must be answered - understanding who Jesus is.

    

Many people say they “believe” in Jesus and “accept” Him.  A person must understand and believe in the God Scripture reveals in order to have a true saving faith or belief in Jesus.  The Bible says, "I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me." (Isaiah 45:5)  We also read, "...for he that comes to God must believe that He is..." (Hebrews 11:6)  The emphasis  here is on "HE," the true God.  Genuine faith believes that the God of Scripture is the only real and true God who exists.  We see God's supreme revelation and understand Him correctly through His revealed Word.  (Hebrews 1:1-3)  So what does His Word say?  

JESUS IS GOD

He said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)  Jesus Christ claimed that He was Almighty God in human flesh.  The religious leaders of His day understood His claim to deity.  They attempted repeatedly to kill Him and eventually they had Him crucified because of their rejection of His claim. 

JESUS IS PERFECT & HOLY

Colossians 2:9 tells us, “In Him (Jesus Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form.”  Jesus was God in the flesh and therefore He was holy and perfectly sinless.  Hebrews 4:15 says He was “In all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”  Unlike Christ Jesus, we are sinful.  We are born into this world as sinful human beings.  Anyone would have to admit that.  We don’t have to teach our children or ourselves to do wrong, it just comes naturally.  The truth is we are born into this world, “…dead in trespasses and sins….”, and we are “…by nature children of wrath.”  (Ephesians 2:1, 3)  We cannot of ourselves obey or please God because we don’t naturally have the desire or ability to do so.  There are no exceptions either.  “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God; They have all turned aside…” & “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10-12, 23)  Because God is holy and perfect He demands that sin be punished.  We then as sinful people are in danger of eternal punishment in hell.  “…those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  These shall be punished with everlasting destruction….” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9) "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."  (Revelation 20:15)  We see that is a dark, horrifying picture for sinful mankind.  But, there is “good news” – the gospel of Jesus Christ.

JESUS IS THE SAVIOUR

Part of the good news is that although no man seeks after God, God has said in His word that He will seek after and gather His Sheep.  "For thus says the Lord God: Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.  As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out My sheep and deliver them..."  (Ezekiel 34:11-12)  And it was Jesus who said, "...for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)  So, even though we are sinners and God’s justice demands death and punishment for sin, God, in love provided a Saviour for sinners.  Jesus paid the penalty and died for sinners.  “But God demonstrates His love own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)  “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18) 

 

JESUS IS THE SUBSTITUTE

The Bible tells us clearly that Jesus became the substitute for those who would believe in Him, and He paid the penalty to God the Father for their sin.  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) 

 

JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY

You can’t escape God’s wrath for sin on your own.  You could never be good enough.  Church attendance, membership, baptism, living a “good” life, and all your good works won’t cut it.  “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)  So we see that it is Jesus, not our goodness that is the only way.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by Me.” (John 14:6)   It is by His merit we can be saved, through His grace and mercy upon us.

JESUS IS LORD

As the previous verse from Titus 3 told us, if a person is truly saved, there is a “washing of regeneration”  and a ”renewing” by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  That person’s life will now be different.  The Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)  A Christian lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is Lord of all. He created everything (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16), and He owns and rules everything. (Psalm 103:19) So the life of a believer in Christ will be one that is submissive and obedient to His Lordship.  Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Saved people submit to Jesus as Lord.  Many say they “believe” in Him but they don’t obey Him.  That type of “faith” won’t save anyone.  God calls that “dead” faith and also says, even the demons “believe”. (James 2:17, 19)  It was Christ who said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)  “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” (John 8:31) 

It must be answered – now. 

We have seen the Bible is very clear in telling us who Jesus is and how we can be saved from sin.  What decision will you make?  You will have to answer the question one day.  Pilate, who God had appointed as judge for a specific time asked the question.  But one day both Pilate, the jeering crowd of that day, and YOU will be asked what you did with Jesus. 

JESUS IS THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE

Jesus is the judge for all time.  “…God now commands men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the man He has ordained.  He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)  Jesus will be your judge one day.  He lived a sinless life, He took upon Himself God’s wrath and paid the penalty for sin for those who would believe in Him and turn in repentance and faith to Him for salvation.  He then rose from the dead to prove His power over death and that He is who He claimed to be –God. One day, as The Righteous Judge, He will hear your answer to the greatest question.  Will you repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today?  “Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) 

What will you do with Jesus, who is called Christ?