WEBVTT 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:05.759 Good morning, family. 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:18.719 As soon as Walter said I'm the main chef today, my thoughts immediately went to the kitchen. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:24.879 I didn't know if I promised anything to any of you and uh forgot on that promise. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:44.320 Maybe you know I'm uh I promised you that I would make pizza, but uh then it hit me what a privilege it is to be able to serve, not only in the kitchen but here, serving from the word of God. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:57.359 It is a great honor to have an opportunity to stand before you all, to open up the word of God with utmost confidence in its truthfulness and its inerrancy. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:11.840 And we've been hearing from the book of Matthew, we are coming to the end of the prolonged study of the book of Matthew and Matthew's testimony of Christ and him being the Son of God. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:21.920 And for the past two weeks, Pastor Micah presented to us the silent lamb. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:31.280 And in his sermon, he said the silent lamb, as he was going through this mocked trial before Annas and Caiaphas. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:43.680 The silent lamb is the silent priest, and silent lamb is the silent prophet, and silent lamb is the silent king. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:56.480 And his silence conveyed so much more than anything that could be uttered. 00:01:56.480 --> 00:02:06.079 And if we consider these trials, I think we will be not, I think we we will be continuing this trial of Jesus Christ. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:20.719 See, he was tried in front of the Jewish Supreme Court, and now he is in front of the Gentiles, in front of Pilate, Herod. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:32.960 And last week we heard our dear brother Kevin preach from chapter 26 and the first version of 27. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:48.479 How these two responses, one of Peter and one of Judas, and how these two responses, the contrast between them, and how Christ must hold us fast. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:52.400 What a wonderful encouragement. 00:02:52.400 --> 00:03:06.080 And from the beginning of this study, we've been concentrating on the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies in Him. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:17.120 And now we are making our way to the climactic events of the book of Matthew, where Jesus is put on another trial and will be condemned to death on a cross. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:28.560 And if we come into this courtroom of Pilate, into this praetorium, and we will see many characters here. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:37.520 And to understand, the understanding of these characters that appear in this portion of scripture is extremely important. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:43.919 This event is narrated in all of the four gospels. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:56.800 It is so important that all four gospels narrate this to a different degree of detail. 00:03:56.800 --> 00:04:07.120 And if we put all of them together, it will give us a complete picture of this trial and will shed light on the important things of this trial. 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:14.639 Before we read the portion of the scripture, let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:19.519 Heavenly Father, we bow before you this morning. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:32.720 Father, as we approach your word, Father, we pray that you would give us the presence of mine and also Father's supreme confidence in it. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:38.720 And Father, even in my weakness, Father, we pray that you would speak to your people powerfully. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:58.079 And Father, as we consider the Christ and his sufferings as he approaches the monumental event in human history, Father, we pray that you would deliver us from all cavalier attitudes. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:05.120 And Father, help our hearts to consider Christ in a new way once again. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:08.319 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:21.759 Now Jesus stood before the governor. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:34.240 While he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:40.000 Then Pilate said to him, Do you don't you hear how much they are testifying against you? 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.839 But he didn't answer him, even one on one charge. 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:47.360 So that the governor was quite amazed. 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:56.800 At the festival of the governor's custom uh at the festival, the governor's custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:06:01.199 At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:08.639 So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, Who is it you want me to release for you? 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:12.319 Barabbas or the Jesus who is called Christ? 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:17.120 For he knew it was because of the envy that they had handed him over. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:30.079 While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent to him, sent word to him, Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I have suffered terribly in a dream because of him. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:37.120 The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:42.000 The governor asked them, Which of the two do you want me to release for you? 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.399 Barabbas, they answered. 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:49.199 Pilate asked them, What should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:51.600 They all answered, Crucify him. 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:53.519 Then he said, Why? 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:55.360 What has he done wrong? 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:59.360 But he kept, but they kept shouting all the more, Crucify him. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:12.959 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that but that a royal was starting instead, he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd and said, I am innocent of this man's blood. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:15.040 See to it yourselves. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.360 All the people answered, His blood be on us and on our children. 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:29.439 Then he released Barabbas to them, and after having Jesus flogged, handed him over to be crucified. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:39.600 This incident that took place towards the end of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:42.639 In fact, this is his last day. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:48.319 And he would be crucified in merely in hours. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:58.879 And this will show us about the real tragedy with humanity, and that the real tragedy with humanity is as a result of sin. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:18.560 This is a very dramatic incident, and let us for a moment be transported to this courtroom, where this Roman praetorium, where Pilate, the Roman administrator over Judea, is presiding over this trial. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:31.120 And at the time Herod Antipas was the ruler over Galilee, these places will become important as the trial unfolds. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:37.919 This is the great trial, or should we say, mistrial of all of history. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:51.679 Many artists, if we look at ancient paintings, many artists try to portray this moment through different expressions of art and drama to capture the expressions of various characters in this particular scene. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:54.879 We may have heard of this so many times. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:09:03.360 The danger is that our hearts can be desensitized to the full gravity of what is unfolding here. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:29.120 The atoning death of Jesus Christ and the events that led to this monumental moment in human redemptive history needs our full, undivided attention and proper grasp of what went on here, and that will inform us about why Jesus, the righteous one, was rejected. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:43.279 And then, more importantly, not only then, and more importantly, why he is rejected throughout the centuries and even in our current culture and current society, current world. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:50.559 Let us consider the background of the man before whom Jesus was brought. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:10:01.600 Pilate was appointed by the Roman government to be the administrator, a governor over the conquered land of Palestine. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:08.000 Whenever the Roman government conquered territories, they would appoint a ruler over these lands. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:19.919 Pilate was fifth such governor over Palestine, and his tenure lasted from 26 AD to 37 AD, about 11 years. 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:30.159 His was the longest tenure of any of the governors, and this might make him look like a very successful governor. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:41.840 But his long tenure without any promotion indicates mediocre success or even a failure. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:52.559 He not only received receive any promotion, but he was fired by the emperor Caligula and was banished. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:58.480 And according to historians, Pilate was very stubborn and he was very cruel. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:05.200 And he was involved in several run-ins with the Jewish nation. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:09.679 And they do not like him, nor does he like them. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:23.840 And now if they perceive, see, Jewish leadership has this demand of him at this point, at this trial, and we will see that in a few in a few moments. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:36.399 And if they perceive that he will not respond the way they would like him to, they can lodge a complaint against him with Caesar, like they did several times before. 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:42.080 And here we need to see something. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:46.240 Nothing corrupts human hearts like the love of power. 00:11:46.240 --> 00:12:00.720 Because how this authority brings about prideful notions in oneself and how much one absolutely tries to preserve this influence at any cost. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:07.679 That is clearly seen in all the actors that are part of this trial. 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:15.759 Jesus Christ himself said on many occasions that the prophecies were about him in no uncertain terms. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:24.240 And in Luke 4 we read, and he was in Nazareth in the synagogue, and he reads from the book of Isaiah. 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:32.879 And he says, The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:43.679 So to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the ear of Lord's favor. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:49.120 And he then rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:57.039 And then he said, This today, as you listen, this scripture has been fulfilled. 00:12:57.039 --> 00:13:08.559 And that is the refrain that we have heard from the beginning of Matthew since we started started this Matthew study, and this has been the refrain. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:15.600 And all the prophecies and all the prophets, what they said is about Jesus Christ. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:37.360 All these actors who are standing in judgment of this righteous man would have realized just as John did if they paid close attention, and if they paid close attention to what he was saying and how he is purporting himself. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:42.480 John 1 14 it says, The word became flesh and dwelt among us. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:50.000 We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:14:02.080 But the unfortunate reality here is but in their power-hungry pursuits, all these players missed it all. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:09.840 And we will see three this message in three points. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:21.200 One is the divine irony, and the divine indictment, and the divine intent. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:29.600 While he was being accused, there's 12th and 12 through 14 verses. 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:33.519 While he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he didn't answer. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:38.000 Then Pilate said to him, Don't you hear how much they are testifying against you? 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:41.200 But he didn't answer him on even one charge. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:44.000 So the governor was quite amazed. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:52.559 Probably Pilate has seen many criminals come through his courtroom. 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:58.720 And to all the accusations, probably he heard so many things. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:07.679 They're screaming and crying that they were innocent of this, these charges, and to have mercy on them and to release them. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.240 But Jesus did not answer. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:13.360 And the governor was quite amazed. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:19.679 Here, Pilate was sitting in the judgment seat of Christ, and he thinks that he has the authority over Jesus' life. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:27.600 But as Jesus said in John, it says, He has no more authority than what was given to him by his father. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:33.200 Pilate proclaims that he does not find any fault in him. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:38.639 Yet he hands Jesus over to over to them to be crucified. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:46.240 Pilate thinks that he has the authority to set any prisoner free and did try to set Jesus free. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:56.080 But the divine Son of God, by going to the cross, he set all the prisoners free from bondage to sin. 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:59.360 As Paul says in Romans, what then? 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:03.360 Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.639 Absolutely not. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:12.480 Don't you know that if you offer yourself to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:18.720 Either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:28.399 But thank God that although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:34.639 And having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:45.200 The irony of irony is that Jesus Christ was accused that he was an insurrectionist and would be a threat to the Roman government. 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:48.720 And he was accused of being the king of the Jews. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:55.519 And he had the political ambitions and wouldn't would constitute a threat to the current power structure. 00:16:55.519 --> 00:17:06.160 Whenever you know these authorities they hear this king or where a person with ambitions to be king, they take notice. 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:11.359 And his accusers are more worried about their power and their religion. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:23.920 See, Jewish nation or Jewish leaders are bringing these false charges against Jesus so that so so as so that they can force Pilate into compliance. 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:45.279 And Pilate testifies to that fact and says that they have delivered Jesus to him because of envy. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:54.480 Everything that they did from the beginning is because of envy, because he had more following than they had. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:59.200 And he had he was more popular with the people than they ever were. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:04.480 And he did things that they could never even contemplate. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:09.119 They were confounded and confused and filled with rage. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:15.200 They were accusing Jesus thus because they wanted to get Pilate on board with their agenda. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:22.720 Because though they think Jesus must be executed, they did not have the power of capital punishment. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:32.880 Though Rome gave local power structures a level of autonomy, they did not give them the power of capital punishment. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:37.440 And Pilate did not buy their argument at all. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:57.200 But little did he know that these accusations will come true in time, albeit in a different way than one could have imagined or anticipated, because the Roman Empire was indeed conquered by the gospel of Jesus Christ not too long from that trial. 00:18:57.200 --> 00:19:06.160 Apostle Paul had Macedonian vision and he brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Roman Empire. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:22.240 And one of and one of the disciples of Christ, Thomas, in the first century came to India bringing the message of hope to the Indian subcontinent. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:42.079 When Pilate came to know that Jesus was from Galilee, you know, he saw that this is an opportunity for him to wiggle out of this burden the Jewish leaders were putting him putting on him. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:44.799 Then he then sends Jesus to Herod. 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:52.319 And he is a judge, Pilate. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:59.759 And without any just cause, he was not comfortable giving into the wishes of the Jewish leaders and the crowd. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:05.759 But he was afraid that they might complain to the emperor, and this is not the first time they did. 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:10.960 And previous times when they complained, it did not go very well with Pilate. 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:23.039 Herod examines Jesus and mockingly puts King's robe on him and returns Jesus to Pilate. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:31.200 Now things are becoming a little more difficult for Pilate because there is one more option for Pilate, the amnesty. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:41.759 Matthew tells us that there is a custom which is the in which the governor would release a prisoner of crowds' choice. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:53.279 There was a notorious prisoner named Barabbas, whose full name, according to early biblical scholars, Jesus. 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:56.559 Jesus Barabbas. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:11.119 Pilate now is in a very precarious place here because he knows that he he has failed so many times in the dealing with the Jews, he is afraid if they report him to Caesar again, this could be the final straw. 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:18.640 In John's Gospel, 19th chapter, he record John records it like this. 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:22.400 The Jews, they have reminded him of this fact. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:26.000 If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:31.279 Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:35.680 And here he is claiming to be the king. 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:37.519 That is the accusation. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:46.799 Trying to hang on to justice, he makes an appeal and he said to them, You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:55.119 And behold, having examined him before you, I found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against him. 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:59.759 Nor has Herod. 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:02.160 He sent him back to us. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:09.519 And behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:13.039 Therefore, I will punish and release him. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:15.359 Punish him for what? 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:21.920 He proclaimed his innocence, Jesus' innocence, several times already. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:23.680 Punish him for what? 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:32.000 I will punish him unjustly, illegally, and covertly, and then release him? 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:34.880 Wouldn't you be satisfied with that? 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:38.000 If I just lash him? 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:49.359 You know, no, their designs are much greater and they are much more vicious than to be satisfied with a little corporal punishment. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:58.240 The custom of the governor, as we are told, at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner of their choice. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:04.480 And this is the phase three of this trial before a Gentile court. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:11.119 The first pilot, then he was sent to Herod, and he's back in the pilot's courtroom again. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:21.039 And this amnesty is probably a way to appease the occupied people. 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:34.319 Amnesty for one prisoner of the people's choice, by the way, by the ancient sources you know, Roman governors had this. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:49.680 They have done many times these things to show or to maintain a sense of kindness. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:55.359 And he probably was thinking, these people have seen Jesus and his miracles. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:04.079 They have benefited immensely from his ministry, and not too long ago, the throngs of people were following him. 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:07.039 They witnessed Jesus as a miracle worker. 00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:13.599 Jesus was a threat to Jewish leadership, and Pilate knows that very well. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:16.079 He attacked their motives. 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.359 Jesus did. 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:23.440 And their economy and their seat of power and their religion. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:27.279 And Pilate knows that they are doing this because of envy. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:31.519 He is everything that they cannot be. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:41.279 And moreover, he is popular, and Pilate probably thought that, you know, Pilate wanted to bypass the Jewish leadership and go directly to the crowd. 00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:50.480 And he was convinced that probably people will choose Jesus because of his popularity if he gave them the choice. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:59.519 So instead of Sanhedrin, who were difficult, he went to the people. 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:08.880 And he saw what happened on Monday when Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly, his triumphal entry. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:16.880 And so many crowds were chanting, hailing him as their king. 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:31.200 So he is going to move away from the vicious, unjust leaders, and he is going to address the people who have been given the privilege on occasions like this at the Passover to choose a prisoner to be released. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:36.400 The man named Barabbas was his choice to present to them as an option. 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:43.759 He had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists and who had committed murder in the insurrection. 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:50.240 And the irony is that the Hebrew meaning of Barabbas means the son of the father. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:54.000 Bar is the son of Abbas, the father. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:26:06.640 This is the father, son of the father, offered in place of the divine son of the divine father. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:09.680 This man is a robber. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:10.960 He is a murderer. 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:12.400 He is a revolutionary. 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:20.720 He is called by Matthew a notorious prisoner, a well-known, surely headed for crucifixion. 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:25.599 Very soon, Romans did not wait in executing prisoners. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:33.839 And now, in the verse 19, there is a little incident that occurs at this time. 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:49.440 As Pilate is sitting on the bench contemplating, his wife sent a word to him, have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of him. 00:26:49.440 --> 00:27:02.799 And now, as he is contemplating his wife's request, the Jewish leadership was in the crowd. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:12.480 Sanhedrin is busy instigating the crowd, and they are stirring up the crowd, and they effectively persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death. 00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:16.559 And the governor asked them, which of the two you want me to release for you? 00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:25.920 Barabbas, they answered, have nothing to do with that righteous man, his wife's request. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:33.440 While Pilate is conversing or contemplating his wife's request, Sanhedrin is trying to move the mob. 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:41.920 And in verse 20, the chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:47.359 What an amazing turn of events. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:52.559 What did Barabbas do ever for anyone? 00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:57.359 What good was Barabbas in Luke? 00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:07.200 In the book of Luke, he describes it, the scene like this. 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:14.559 Away with this man and release Barabbas. 00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:20.319 Let the guilty live and kill the righteous one. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:23.599 Treat the guilty as innocent. 00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:27.599 And treat the innocent as guilty. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:32.000 So now they render their verdict on Jesus. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:37.839 And in reality of it, Jesus renders his verdict on them. 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:46.480 And Luke says, Pilate wanting to release Jesus, still addresses the crowd again. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:53.839 Pilate said to them, Then what shall I do with him whom you call the king of the Jews? 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:56.240 What do I do with him? 00:28:56.240 --> 00:29:02.079 And even here he asks that question in Matthew. 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:05.599 The answer is crucify him. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.720 That is the crowd. 00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:18.240 From Monday to Friday, they join the rest of the corrupt blasphemers. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:23.599 They take their place with Judas and Annas and Caiphus and Herod and Pilate and the Sen Hed. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:27.440 The question, this is the question, isn't it? 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:29.920 What do I do with Jesus? 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:33.119 What do we do with Jesus? 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:37.200 We will come to this question a bit later. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:42.079 And Pilate, still incredulous, in verse 23, said to them, Why? 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:43.519 What has he done wrong? 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:47.359 Again, another proclamation of innocence. 00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:53.759 This is an amazing Passover day. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:59.200 They were there that day to honor God with a Passover meal. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:02.720 This was the high point of worship for them. 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:10.720 They were there to bring sacrifices before God, to show their obedience to God. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:22.960 They were there to eat the commemorative meal that remembered the deliverance of God, the goodness of God, the mercy of God that has brought them out of slavery in Egypt. 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:31.759 They were remembering God and his goodness while at the same time screaming for the death of the Son of God. 00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:42.240 They were demanding the death of the one who has the power to make all their pursuits into reality. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:46.799 Give them the righteousness that is not their own, but his own. 00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:56.319 And deliver them from the true bondage and slavery that the slavery of Egypt would not even compare. 00:30:56.319 --> 00:31:01.279 That is the irony. 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:08.640 And this whole passage is dripping with irony, as Pastor Doug said last night. 00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:11.359 Now we come to the divine indictment. 00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:28.559 Matthew tells us that when Jesus was before Pilate, Pilate asked the Jewish leaders who had brought Jesus there, the question, what shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ. 00:31:28.559 --> 00:31:35.119 Pilate, being the governor in Israel, was powerful. 00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:47.039 You know, this power, and true, he was superior to many of even to Herod and all the Sanhedrin and all the leadership. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:56.559 Being in power can bring altered perceptions of authority and what authority they possess. 00:31:56.559 --> 00:32:02.319 Pilate being the governor in Israel was powerful and he didn't mind demonstrating his power. 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:05.519 When he asked the question, what shall I do with Jesus? 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:15.039 He is under the illusion that he is actually, no, he has something to do or some authority over Jesus' life. 00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:24.160 The truth is, neither him nor does anyone could do anything with Jesus on their own. 00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:34.000 No one has the power, no one has the position, and no one has the authority to determine what will be done with Jesus except God. 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:42.079 In fact, in our law in our Lord's trial before Pilate, Pilate expresses this illusion of his power with these words. 00:32:42.079 --> 00:32:54.559 He says to Jesus, according to John 19, he says, When the chief priests and the temple servants saw him, they shouted, and uh crucify, crucify, pilot responded, take him and crucify yourselves. 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:58.480 And this is another way he tried to get out of this. 00:32:58.480 --> 00:32:59.839 He said, You know what? 00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:03.839 Take him and crucify according to your law. 00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:17.599 And since I find no grounds for charging him, and they say, We have a law, and Jews replied to him, and according to that law, he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God. 00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:23.279 Now they're saying they come to the come to the reality here. 00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:32.319 When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever, and he went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, Where are you from? 00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:34.480 But Jesus did not give him an answer. 00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:37.599 So Pilate said to him, Do you refuse to speak to me? 00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:43.119 Don't you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you? 00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:52.960 And Jesus answers, You would have no authority over me at all if it had not been given to you from above. 00:33:52.960 --> 00:34:03.039 And we've been looking at this irony that exists in the midst of the betrayal of the trials of Jesus. 00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:17.280 There is a list of these corrupt characters who feel that they play a very important role and self-motivated, self-governed, self-directed role in the destiny of Jesus. 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:27.519 There is Judas who purposely puts Jesus into the hands of those who desire to kill him for money. 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:32.320 And he thinks he is acting on his own. 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:44.159 There is Annas, the very corrupt and conniving former high priest, who is the real power behind the whole, this temple system. 00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:50.320 And with all its corruption, both religiously and economically. 00:34:50.320 --> 00:34:56.639 Annas thinks that he sits in the seat of power and can determine Jesus' destiny. 00:34:56.639 --> 00:35:07.840 And now there is Caiaphas, his son-in-law, who is the current high priest, who for certain he thinks that he is the determiner of Jesus' destiny. 00:35:07.840 --> 00:35:14.000 And along with Sanhedrim, which is the Supreme Court of Israel. 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:21.679 And Pilate also thinks that he has the authority over Jesus' life. 00:35:21.679 --> 00:35:29.360 They all think Jesus is in their hands and his end is for them to decide. 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:43.519 Then the truth of the matter, however, is no matter what those people thought about their authority and their power, and they did not determine Jesus' destiny. 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:44.719 God did. 00:35:44.719 --> 00:37:03.599 By his silence, Jesus is saying here, you're not going to judge me, but I'm going to judge you. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:08.000 If you believe in me, you escape the judgment. 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:12.960 If you do not believe in me, you have been judged already because you have not believed. 00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:19.679 While Jesus, on the account of his trials, may look like, made to look like he is a criminal. 00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:22.320 In fact, he is the judge. 00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:30.559 All those who put themselves in the position to judge Jesus are the real criminals, and Jesus' destiny is not determined by them. 00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:45.440 And in John chapter 5, 24, truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:56.960 All this exercise, dear ones, is about matters of life and death, matters of eternal life and matters of eternal death. 00:37:56.960 --> 00:38:16.880 And this is the divine indictment against sinners, and all those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are under God's wrath, and those who are in him are accepted in him because they are in his beloved, and are accepted in his beloved Son. 00:38:16.880 --> 00:38:27.360 And as Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 1, blessed is the God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 00:38:27.360 --> 00:38:33.679 For he chose us in him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in love before him. 00:38:33.679 --> 00:38:45.519 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the pace of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the beloved one. 00:38:45.519 --> 00:39:00.079 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, that he richly poured out on us in all with all us with all wisdom and understanding. 00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:15.280 In reality, though these corrupt individuals think that they have power over Jesus, it is God, the Father, who has pronounced his judgment on Jesus, his beloved Son, sinless savior. 00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:18.480 Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, 20 and 21. 00:39:18.480 --> 00:39:21.280 Therefore, we are ambassadors of Christ. 00:39:21.280 --> 00:39:28.559 Since God is making his appeal through us, we plead on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:37.760 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God. 00:39:37.760 --> 00:39:54.000 That brings us to the divine intent, which is for us to be reconciled to God, and in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:39:54.000 --> 00:40:13.920 What a glorious destiny of the people who have believed in this condemned prisoner, condemned to death on a cross, not by anyone, not by a mere human agency, but by God Himself. 00:40:13.920 --> 00:40:17.599 And we are able to sing. 00:40:17.599 --> 00:40:22.159 I heard an old, old story, how a savior came from glory. 00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:27.280 And he how he gave his life on Calvary to save a wretch like me. 00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:32.000 I heard about his groaning, of his precious blood atoning. 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:35.440 Then I repented of my sins and won the victory. 00:40:35.440 --> 00:40:39.039 Oh, victory in Jesus, my savior forever. 00:40:39.039 --> 00:40:42.880 He sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood. 00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:46.800 He loved me ere I knew him, and all my love is due him. 00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:51.440 He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood. 00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:59.440 That is the divine intent behind all this that we see. 00:40:59.440 --> 00:41:08.320 And we go to the if we go to the book of Isaiah, and we see the prophecies about the suffering servant. 00:41:08.320 --> 00:41:13.599 And it starts in Isaiah 50, like this, in his it talks about the obedient servant. 00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:27.920 And in verse 6 goes on to say, I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who tore out my beard. 00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:32.320 I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting. 00:41:32.320 --> 00:41:34.800 And this is what is coming. 00:41:34.800 --> 00:41:46.639 Go when Jesus is standing before Annas. 00:41:46.639 --> 00:41:56.960 In John 18th chapter, it says, Annas asks him a question. 00:41:56.960 --> 00:42:01.199 And he says, This, I have spoken openly to the world. 00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:03.599 I did not keep anything a secret. 00:42:03.599 --> 00:42:12.480 Jesus answered him, I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple where all the Jews gather, and I haven't spoken anything in secret. 00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:14.159 Why do you question me? 00:42:14.159 --> 00:42:18.159 Question those who heard what I told them. 00:42:18.159 --> 00:42:22.719 Look, they know what I said. 00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:37.360 And listen to this, when he said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, Is this the way you answer the high priest? 00:42:37.360 --> 00:42:42.239 And this king of glory had the power to annihilate him. 00:42:42.239 --> 00:42:49.760 But he answers like this If I have spoken wrongly, Jesus answered him. 00:42:49.760 --> 00:42:56.159 Give evidence about the wrong, but if rightly, why do you hate me? 00:42:56.159 --> 00:43:08.960 You know, there has never been a more righteous man convicted of more heinous sin than this. 00:43:08.960 --> 00:43:15.599 And it is by God's decree. 00:43:15.599 --> 00:43:40.719 And the servant is obedient, and he obediently submitted himself in all this humiliation, and he says in the seventh verse of Isaiah 50, the Lord God will help me, therefore, I have not been humiliated. 00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:57.039 Therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I knew I will not be put to shame because he was about fulfilling his father's purpose. 00:43:57.039 --> 00:44:05.599 And by condemning him, they thought they condemned him. 00:44:05.599 --> 00:44:20.320 And in Matthew 24 to 27, 24 through 26, we read, when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, and he washes his hands, says, I am innocent of this man's blood. 00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:22.000 See to it yourselves. 00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:26.480 And then the people answered, His blood be on us and on our children. 00:44:26.480 --> 00:44:31.519 They pronounced condemnation on themselves. 00:44:31.519 --> 00:44:42.719 In Isaiah 53, he says, Yet he himself bore our sickness and carried our pains. 00:44:42.719 --> 00:44:51.679 And we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted, but he was pierced because of our rebellion. 00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:54.400 We all went astray like sheep. 00:44:54.400 --> 00:45:02.559 We all have turned to our own way, and God the Lord has punished him for our iniquity, iniquity of us all. 00:45:02.559 --> 00:45:13.920 He was oppressed and afflicted and did not open his mouth like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a sheep silent before his shearers, he did not open his mouth. 00:45:13.920 --> 00:45:17.199 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment. 00:45:17.199 --> 00:45:20.239 And who considers his who considered his fate? 00:45:20.239 --> 00:45:24.719 For he was cut off from the land of the living. 00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:31.360 And in tenth verse it says, Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. 00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:42.239 In this trial, as the righteous one was rejected. 00:45:42.239 --> 00:45:52.559 What do we do with Christ? 00:45:52.559 --> 00:45:55.920 There is no middle ground, there is no neutrality. 00:45:55.920 --> 00:46:08.079 You either are with him or against him, or you are either by his side or in the crowd shouting for his crucifixion. 00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:18.320 You need to answer that question because this is the most important question we will anybody will ever answer in their lifetime. 00:46:18.320 --> 00:46:25.199 Our eternal destiny depends on how we answer this question. 00:46:25.199 --> 00:46:28.400 Do I receive him or do I reject him? 00:46:28.400 --> 00:46:34.239 By rejecting him, they have pronounced divine judgment on themselves. 00:46:34.239 --> 00:46:39.199 They said, His blood be on us and on our children. 00:46:39.199 --> 00:46:45.360 Further, we need to ask this: if we reject him, why do we reject him? 00:46:45.360 --> 00:46:55.760 Take a moment to think about how the culture we live in responds to the law of Almighty God. 00:46:55.760 --> 00:47:05.039 Are willing to embrace sexual chastity and purity? 00:47:05.039 --> 00:47:11.840 Or do we revolt body and soul against the prohibition against this sin? 00:47:11.840 --> 00:47:21.519 We live in a world where people cannot express themselves without blaspheming the name of God or Christ. 00:47:21.519 --> 00:47:31.840 And the expressions of this reality were seen last week at the opening ceremony of Olympics. 00:47:31.840 --> 00:47:41.199 Christ stands as the supreme obstacle to our sin, to your sin, because he has delivered us from its power. 00:47:41.199 --> 00:47:59.679 And all this exercise and all the courtroom drama that took place and all that it is yet that all that is yet to come is because of this awesome deliverance in Christ Jesus. 00:47:59.679 --> 00:48:07.440 If you receive him, you must own up to our sin and you must fall on your face in repentance. 00:48:07.440 --> 00:48:13.280 You must beg for the forgiveness of God for the way you have violated his law. 00:48:13.280 --> 00:48:19.920 But if we can reject Jesus and reject the one who sent him, we have no hiding place. 00:48:19.920 --> 00:48:25.360 It is appointed for man wants to die and then the judgment. 00:48:25.360 --> 00:48:43.119 God has appointed the day by which he will judge the world through the one he has appointed judge, whom he has vindicated by the power of resurrection on that day, Jesus will be either your judge or your advocate. 00:48:43.119 --> 00:48:49.599 Because if you reject him now, he rejects you then. 00:48:49.599 --> 00:48:51.519 Amen.