Do you find yourself pressured by others to do things you really don’t want to do? Do you find yourself giving in to people and becoming regretful or even resentful later? You are not alone. This Sunday we open a window into the life of Pontius Pilate to see how much giving into peer pressure cost him in “Fearing People,” part of The Gospel According to John Series.
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MESSAGE STUDY NOTES
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WARM UP
If you went in an elevator and everyone turned around, would you? How do you know?
READ
John 19:1-16; Isaiah 43:15
KEY INSIGHTS
Fear people and fail or fear God and be free
1. Compromise will not satisfy
2. Shirking authority is destructive
3. Giving in partners us with evil
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What pressures do you think Pilate faced during Jesus’ trial?
2. What might have happened if Pilate had feared God more than he feared people?
APPLICATION
How do you see Christians giving in to fear of people today? How would you disciple someone who was doing that?
FOR MENTORING
On a scale of 0-10, 10 being the most God-fearing vs. people-fearing, where would you place yourself? What do you think you should do to fear God more and people less?
