1. Infamy

2.  Matt. 27:1-2; 11-26  Mk. 15:1-15  Lk. 23:1-26  Jn. 18:28-40; 19:1-22 Infamy

3. I. Pilate had some Good in Him  Tried to persuade the people to let Christ go free  Better than ones who cried for Jesus’ blood  He yielded to the people

4. II. Pilate Tried and Failed He did not try hard enough We often fail because we do not try hard enough  Understand the Bible  Obey Gospel  Live the Christian Life

5. III. Why Pilate Failed 1. Preferred social standing to spiritual stability  Mk. 15:15 “gratify the crowd”  Wanted to be accepted by men rather than do what was right

6.  Do right if he did not have to pay  The person who does right only when it is easy is sure to fail “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 Jn. 2:15 III. Why Pilate Failed 2. Willing to be just, if he did not have to be poor

7.  He had to choose  He chose the earthly  Matt. 4:4 III. Why Pilate Failed 3. Valued earthly things more than spiritual things

8.  Would have released Christ if the Jews would agree to it  Justice not decided by a crowd III. Why Pilate Failed 4. Would do right if others would

9.  Numbers and noise pushed him  Romans 12:1-2  Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mold III. Why Pilate Failed 5. Refused to make his own decision, on his own convictions

10.  Sent Christ to Herod, then the priest, finally to the mob  Had just enough conscience to shake off responsibility III. Why Pilate Failed 6. Tried to shift his responsibility

11.  Agreed to scourge Jesus and let Him go  Truth cannot be compromised  Changed justice to injustice III. Why Pilate Failed 7. Tried to Compromise

12. You are not Caesar’s friend Better to do right than to have Caesar’s friendship. III. Why Pilate Failed 8. Chose worldly friendship over right

13.  Wife tried to help - Matt. 27:19  Jesus tried to help – talked to him  Fail because of lost opportunities III. Why Pilate Failed 9. Did not use the strength at hand

14.  Pharisees were prejudiced  Are you listening to prejudiced people? III. Why Pilate Failed 10. Made decision on prejudicial testimony

15.  What shall I do with Jesus?  Cannot be answered by others  You must answer 11. Had to ask others what to do about life’s most important question

16. In Christ = SAVED Baptized (Gal.3:27) Confess (Rom.10:10) Hear (Rom.10:17) Believe (Jn.8:24) Repent (Lk.13:3)