Firstly, I want to welcome everyone here this morning. Today is a very special day for Christians, probably THE day that is the single most important to our faith. Yes, all the events in the life of Jesus were important...the conception, the baptism, the ministry, the miracles, and yes, even Jesus’ death are major events for us Christians. But as I pondered this week, I believe that even those events, as important as they were, would really be meaningless to us today if it were not for the fact that our Saviour arose! The tomb of Jesus is empty, and contrary to what the world would have you to believe, there are not even bones there for HE has risen and defeated death for you and me!
As I began to study the Bible and search the scriptures for the message this AM, I realized that just one small bit of text will not suffice, so today we will be reading quite a bit of scripture.....so keep your Bibles handy! Open with me to MAT 27:15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.19While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." 20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. 22 "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.They all answered, "Crucify him!" 23"Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" 24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man’s blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!" 25All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" 26Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. (PRAYER)
I would like to go over this text and point out a few things to you. Firstly, we know that the whole reason for Jesus being in Jerusalem was because it was what week? The week of Passover, where the Jews celebrated their release from Egyptian slavery. They still celebrate it today.....but we Christians are celebrating something different than they are. We are celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. Unfortunately, the Jews are still waiting for their Messiah....even though He is right there for them! They even rejected Jesus in this text, didn’t they? Pilate would have set Jesus free, but they chose Barabbas, a convicted murderer!
It wasn’t the first time Christ was rejected, and to this day people are still rejecting Him. What bothers me the most I think, is that these Jews weren’t convinced that Jesus actually WAS the Son of God. Today, there are people who KNOW who Christ is and yet still reject Him. Even Christ prayed to God during the crucifixion "Father, forgive them....they know not what they do....". I read that 75% of people who aren’t born-again actually DO believe in the resurrection of Jesus. How can they believe in the resurrection and yet still not accept Jesus into their lives? It makes me pray "Father, forgive them......even though they KNOW what they do!"
And by the way, it ain’t as easy as washing your hands of it like Pilate tried to do. Today, we KNOW who Jesus is and we will answer for either accepting Him (eternal life) or rejecting Him (eternal torment). These Jews in vs 25 actually put a curse on themselves, didn’t they? "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" And the Jews have certainly had a hard time ever since, haven’t they? Listen, if you reject Jesus, expect a hard time in your life, too! Let’s move on, I have a lot to get to this morning......
MAT 27:35When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" 41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42"He saved others," they said, "but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ’I am the Son of God.’ " 44In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. Some of your Bibles even say the "reviled" Him. I want to tell you this morning that there are a lot of people heaping insults and reviling Jesus! The persecution of Christians even in this very great country of ours is relentless. Certain groups and false religions do everything they can to dis-credit and discount the importance of Jesus Christ....to the point of "reviling" His holy name....showing nothing but contempt for the love of our Saviour. They are questioning Jesus..."hey, why don’t you do something if you’re who you say you are?" These same people had heard of the miracles that Christ performed, and I’m sure some of them had even witnessed some of them! Today people are questioning Him as well.....even though everybody that I know of has personally seen a miracle either in their lives or in a loved ones life. They KNOW that God did something special, yet continue like the thief on the cross AND the ones mentioned in vs 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. Mockers of Jesus! And He is still being mocked today! In the next verse they say Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. Tempting God, taunting the Saviour. People are doing that today, too. Making deals with God....GAL 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
MAT 27:45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He’s calling Elijah." 48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him." 50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
What did Jesus mean "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Did God forsake Jesus on the cross? Of course not! Let me show you something 2 COR 5:21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. You see, Jesus was sinless......but it was necessary to be our sacrifice that He take on ALL the sin of the world. I can only imagine how that perfect man, that man who had never known sin in His life, how He must of felt at that precise moment that He bore our sins for us. The grief and agony! Listen, when you sin or do something wrong doesn’t it bother you? Sometimes for days or weeks or even years you can carry that burden. Jesus assumed ALL of our sin, all of our burdens at that moment. It must have been awful for Him! At that moment, God was unable to look at Jesus, for God cannot look upon sin...and Jesus bore ALL sins. How God must love us to allow His only begotten Son to go through that terrible sacrifice!
What would it take for you to allow your son to be sacrificed? Would you allow your son to die for people who didn’t even know you or him and hated and reviled him? That’s the kind of love that surpasses all our understanding!
Let’s read on... MAT 27:51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. There are two VERY important things here I want to show you. Verse 52 tells us that the resurrection of Christ was so powerful, so strong that even people who had been dead for a while were raised to life! Listen, it wasn’t life in a glorified body like Christ had....no one receives that until the rapture....but I would imagine that these people, once dead, came back to life and lived out their normal life span. Hey, look! It’s uncle Harry! Oh , man....I still owe him money!!! What POWER! Let me show you something in ROMANS 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Do you understand the power that we have been given? The power that raised Christ from the dead....that was so powerful that others even were raised. The power that enabled Christ to not only live sinless, but to take on all of our sins. It’s that same Spirit! God’s Holy Spirit that you and I can receive and have inside us!
You see, this morning is not about dying....it’s about living! Living your life with that Spirit that God grants so freely to us today. When you think of this power that God has given you through His Spirit it isn’t hard to believe in PHIL 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Listen, it’s time to quit being a quitter. It’s time to grab hold of the power that our Lord has given us through Christ. It’s time to quit thinking "oh, I’ve got plenty of time to get right with God....I’ll do it someday"....It’s time to quit mocking God...and start living your life to please Him. It’s later than it’s ever been. I want to show you one more thing....vs 51 says At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
What does that mean? What does it mean to you and me? Before Christ made this sacrifice for you and I, the only ones who could approach God were the High Priests. You had to hope and pray that the priest was good and right with God, because he is the one who brought your sins to God. If he wasn’t right when he went into the Holy of Holies, he would be struck down! God cannot look upon sin and that curtain the Bible speaks of is what separated Him from it. The moment Christ died, the very bowels of the Earth were rocked......and the veil split open! We have a High Priest that can take our sins to God! HEB 9:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Are you giving your sins to Jesus this morning? Are you allowing Jesus to take your sins before God for forgiveness? Let me show you one more thing HEB 10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Do you believe that you see the day approaching? Look around you at the world today. You have a High Priest who pleads for you before the Father....one who died for you......not only that, He lives for you and through you. Allow Him into your life today!! Draw near Him with a true heart....it’s time to quit playing. None of us are promised tomorrow, but it is appointed unto all men to die once and then be judged...and for some to die that second death. Please....don’t reject Him today!
