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Decision Day · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Mark chapter 15 and verse 15.
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So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas.
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!
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If you follow the news at all, you'll be familiar with the idea of prisoner swaps, where two
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sides come together and they exchange prisoners that they've been holding.
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Sometimes they are one for one, at other times one prisoner is exchanged for many.
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They don't always seem fair or balanced, but those involved think the exchange is worth
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making.
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And we're going to go back 2,000 years to witness the most famous, the most important
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and the most unequal prisoner swap in history.
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It takes place on a day of a momentous decision in Jerusalem.
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And it's a decision that still confronts you and me today.
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We're going to think about this decision, this decision day from the perspectives of three
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main characters mentioned in the first few words of verse 15.
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The crowd, Pilate and Barabbas.
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And I hope we'll see that everything they do is ultimately connected to Jesus, who is the
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central character in the narrative and who is the subject of the decision being made.
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So first of all, we've got the crowd.
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Here we are at the Passover in Jerusalem, where we meet this crowd of Jews who are in the city
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for the feast.
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And they're here when Jesus is on trial before Pilate, charged with treason against the Roman
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emperor.
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Now notice a couple of things about the crowd.
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Firstly, different words are used to describe them in our English Bibles.
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Depending on what version you read, you'll find different words.
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But apparently it's only one Greek word.
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And it's not a word that means a crowd, like a peaceful crowd.
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We might say there's a crowd in here today.
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It's a crowd, it's a word that means a mob or a rabble.
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There's a quality, a negative quality to the word describing this crowd.
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There's something menacing.
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There's something dangerous, threatening, dark about this crowd.
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It mirrors the language from Psalm 22, verse 16, which we read,
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Dogs encompass me.
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A company of evildoers encircles me.
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Save me from the mouth of the lion, from the horns of the wild oxen.
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Then notice what they say, and in particular, how they say it.
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They know that there's a tradition where the Romans release a Jewish prisoner at Passover,
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so they're going to make sure the Roman decision makers are crystal clear about what they want.
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They want this man, Barabbas, to be the prisoner who is freed,
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and they want Jesus to be put to death.
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In verse 8, we read that they're getting their message across by crying aloud.
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They're shouting and yelling at the top of their voices.
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Then in verses 13 and 14, we're told that they're shouting and crying out.
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And again, apparently it's the same Greek word used in each verse,
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and it's not just shouting, it's a word that means screaming, screeching.
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This isn't chanting or singing like you might hear at a football match.
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This is a crowd that is almost out of control, furious, desperate to get its own way.
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You might remember, for those of you who have read it,
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and if you haven't, I really would encourage you to do so,
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the part in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
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where C.S. Lewis describes the scene leading up to Aslan's death,
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when the witch has gathered her followers around.
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If you don't know the story, Aslan is a lion who represents Jesus,
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the witch represents the devil.
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And in this scene in the book, there's anger and there's hatred,
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and there's even a bit of celebration in the air.
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And this is how C.S. Lewis puts it.
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A great crowd of people were standing all round the stone table,
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and though the moon was shining, many of them carried torches,
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which burned with evil-looking red flames and black smoke.
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But such people, ogres with monstrous teeth,
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and wolves and bull-headed men,
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spirits of evil trees and poisonous plants,
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and other creatures whom I won't describe.
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Now, Lewis was writing a story for children.
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And for children, the picture he paints is a horrible one.
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But it's a reflection of the hearts and minds of the people
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forming this mob, forming this crowd here in Jerusalem,
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as they're baying for the blood of Jesus.
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And the crowd is being encouraged by the chief priests.
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These religious leaders, they're not passive.
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They're not trying to keep the peace.
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They're stirring the mob up.
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And the crowd does exactly what the chief priests want them to do.
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Pilate comes out.
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He asks them,
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What evil Jesus has done?
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Why do you want him punished?
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But this just makes the mob angrier.
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They shouted,
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All the more,
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Crucify him.
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In Matthew's account of this incident,
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he tells us that a riot was starting.
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Friends, this is a scene of violence,
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of hatred,
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of complete and utter chaos.
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Notice as well how they keep going
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until they get their way.
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In verse 13,
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They cried out again.
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Now we read this,
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and we probably picture an almost polite scene,
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where the crowd shouts to say what they want,
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and Pilate, probably up on his balcony,
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coming out from his palace,
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has his say.
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The crowd's gone quiet.
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And then the crowd says something again,
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and then they go quiet,
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and they let Pilate speak.
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But the Greek,
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talking about the Greek,
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I don't know Greek,
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but reading about those who do,
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the Greek puts a different light on it.
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Because the word used here to say,
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they cried out again,
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isn't just they cried out for a second time.
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It's saying about something that's going on,
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and on,
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and on,
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and on,
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and on.
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It's not just once or twice that they're shouting,
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crucify him,
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but time and again,
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keeping going for as long as it takes,
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until they get their own way.
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Think about that.
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It's appalling enough,
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isn't it,
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to say these words once,
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about the Son of God,
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crucify him.
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How much more horrendous,
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friends,
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to keep repeating them
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over and over and over again,
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until they get what they want.
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This crowd hates the Romans.
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They hate Jesus.
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They display hatred
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towards God
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who delivered their forefathers from Egypt,
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the God who gave them the Passover.
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They're in Jerusalem to celebrate.
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It's a frightening,
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dark,
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barbaric,
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evil scene
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in Jerusalem
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2,000 years ago.
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But I want you to imagine,
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just now,
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imagine that you could hear
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the sound of a crowd
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screaming,
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shouting,
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chanting,
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somewhere outside the church,
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somewhere in the town.
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Imagine you went out,
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and you followed the sound,
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and you turn onto Cromwell Street,
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and you come across an angry,
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hate-filled crowd of men,
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women,
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and children,
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screaming,
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crucify him,
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crucify him,
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about the Lord Jesus.
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You'd see the crowd,
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and you'd hear their shouts,
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and you'd feel the animosity,
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and the hatred,
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and you'd stop in your tracks,
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and you'd want nothing to do with them,
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and you'd turn and run away
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as fast as you could.
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Or would you join them?
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Would you join that crowd today?
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Would you join them in their shouting,
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and screaming,
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and hatred?
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Would you add your voice
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to the voices shouting,
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crucify him?
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Well, the crowd in Jerusalem
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has made their decision,
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and they're not backing down.
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What about you?
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Well, you may never say,
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crucify him with your mouth,
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but friend,
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if you're rejecting Jesus,
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you're saying that you don't care about him.
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You're saying that he means nothing to you.
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You're saying that you have no need of him.
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You're saying that it's no odds to you
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whether he lives or dies.
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Is that you today?
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I'm sure some of you will have seen
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the film Gladiator.
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It came out quite a while ago now.
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There's a scene in that film
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that it reminds me of,
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or at least in my mind's eye,
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it's kind of how I picture this scene
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in Jerusalem.
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And in the scene of the movie,
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there's thousands of spectators
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crammed into an arena
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to see gladiators
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fighting against warriors
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they're paying for blood.
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They're looking for entertainment.
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They've paid to go there
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and be entertained.
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It's the same sort of crowd, isn't it?
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And in this scene,
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the gladiator,
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the hero of the movie,
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is up against five men.
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And of course,
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the idea is that he puts up
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a valiant fight
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and eventually he loses.
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Either he's badly injured
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or he's killed.
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But this gladiator
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is no ordinary gladiator.
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He's a skilled soldier.
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And within about 20 seconds,
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he's killed these five men
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who are facing him.
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And when he stops,
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the crowd,
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which was in a frenzy moment
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before,
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is absolutely silent.
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And the gladiator looks around
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and says,
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are you not entertained?
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This is what you came for.
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You came for violence.
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You came for blood.
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You came for death.
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And now you're quiet.
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You got what you came for.
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They'd come for entertainment,
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friends,
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but they're shocked
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by what they actually see.
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They came expecting
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to see death
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and violence
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and bloodshed,
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but they wanted to see it
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on their terms
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and on their terms only.
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And maybe when they don't see it
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on their terms,
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maybe they're appalled.
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Maybe they realize
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that what they call entertainment
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is actually a matter
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of life or death.
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Well, this mob in Jerusalem,
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they want to be entertained.
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That's part of what
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a crucifixion is to them.
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I wonder how many of them
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would look back
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at this so-called entertainment
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in days and weeks
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and months and years to come
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and be absolutely appalled
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that this is what
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they were calling for.
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Pilate asked the crowd
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what he should do with Jesus.
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Rightly or wrongly,
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he gave them a decision to make.
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The crowd looked to those
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who should know best,
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the religious leaders,
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for a steer,
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and they steered them
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even deeper
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into an anti-Jesus attitude.
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Those in the crowd
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that day made their decision
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about what should be done
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with Jesus.
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Well, you're not part
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of a crowd
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being for blood today.
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But friends,
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you still have the same
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decision to make.
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What will you do
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with the man
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they call the King of the Jews?
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Then we come to Pilate.
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Pilate was a prefect
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or a governor
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representing the Roman emperor
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in Judea for 10 years.
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Historians who lived
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during or just after
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Pilate's rule
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tell us
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that he was a harsh,
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cruel,
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inflexible,
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and corrupt ruler.
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He was quick
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to use violence
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to suppress unrest.
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He ignored
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the religious sensibilities
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of the Jews
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and he cared very little
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about offending them.
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He was confident
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in his position
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as the emperor's man
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in Judea,
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knowing that he was
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the authority
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in the land
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with hundreds of soldiers
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at his disposal.
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other than the emperor
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himself,
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Pilate feared nobody.
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But that's not
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the picture we have
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of Pilate here,
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is it?
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He doesn't seem
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strong
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or confident
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or powerful
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in this account.
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Why not?
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What's different?
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Well, the difference
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is that on this day,
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whether Pilate
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ever really understood
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this or not,
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he isn't dealing
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with an ordinary prisoner
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or even with
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an ordinary man
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but he's dealing
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with the son of God.
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There's something
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about this man
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that is unique.
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There's something
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about him
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that makes Pilate
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hesitate.
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There's something
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going on here
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that makes Pilate
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for all his corruption,
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for all his cruelty,
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understand that this man
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is completely innocent
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of all the charges
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brought against him
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and he should be set free.
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Indeed,
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Pilate tries to free Jesus
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more than once.
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He's got the measure
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of the Jews.
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Verse 10,
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he perceived
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that it was
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out of envy
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that the chief priests
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had delivered him up.
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He tells the crowd
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three different times
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that Jesus
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is innocent.
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In Luke's account
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of this,
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he says,
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I find no guilt
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in this man.
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After examining him
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before you,
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behold,
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I did not find
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this man guilty
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of any of your charges
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against him.
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Neither did Herod,
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for he sent him
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back to us.
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Look,
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nothing deserving
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death has been done
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by him.
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The German
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theologian
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F.W.
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Krumacher,
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he picks up
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on something
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very interesting
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connected to
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Pilate's
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public declaration
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that Jesus
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is innocent.
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This is what he says.
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He says,
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however strange
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it may sound,
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Pilate becomes
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our advocate.
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He legally absolves
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Jesus from all
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criminality
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and in him
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his followers
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also.
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Not only is Jesus
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innocent in God's sight,
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he's innocent
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according to the law
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of the land
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and Pilate
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makes that
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crystal clear.
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He wants to
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release Jesus
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and I think he
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believes that
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when he gives
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the crowd
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the choice of
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Jesus or this
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other infamous
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criminal,
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that they'll
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choose Jesus.
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But the crowd
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has an ace
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up its sleeve.
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In John 19
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we see,
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we read an implied
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threat,
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a threat that
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the crowd
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will get word
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to Caesar
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that Pilate
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has allowed
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treason against
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the emperor
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to go unpunished.
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Oh,
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Pilate can't
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have that.
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He can't make
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an enemy
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of the emperor.
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So,
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as we see,
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he tries,
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in Luke
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particular,
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Luke 23,
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he tries to
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reach a compromise
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with the Jews.
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He offers to
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punish Jesus
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and then
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release him,
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even though he
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hasn't done
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anything wrong.
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And even this
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little detail,
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which we only
15:47
find, I think,
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in Luke,
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provides an
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incredible insight
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into Pilate
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and into the
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crowd.
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Here's this
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governor with
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all the authority
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of Rome,
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a man he knows
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to be innocent
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in his court,
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but he's so
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desperate to
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satisfy the mob
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that he doesn't
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have the courage
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to set him
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free.
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He's come up
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with this
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great plan,
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though.
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And that's
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going to,
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it's a plan
16:10
that's going
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to ease
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his conscience
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and surely
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satisfy the
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Jews.
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He's going
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to punish
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Jesus.
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Now,
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when we read
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that,
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it probably
16:19
doesn't sound
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like a big
16:20
deal,
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but commentators
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believe that
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the punishment
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Pilate is
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proposing
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is scourging
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a violent,
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agonizing,
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brutal punishment
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that in and of
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itself often
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led to death.
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it's not a
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slap on the
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wrist Pilate's
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offering as a
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compromise.
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It's what the
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Romans meted out
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to a convicted
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criminal just
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before he was
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crucified.
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And still,
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despite being
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offered the
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next best thing
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to Jesus as
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being crucified,
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the crowd says,
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that's not enough.
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You've got to go
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even further.
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And at the end
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of the day,
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it's more important
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to Pilate to
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keep the mob
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happy than it is
17:05
to do the right
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thing.
17:06
William Hendrickson
17:08
puts it like
17:08
this.
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Pilate tried
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again and
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again to
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bypass Jesus.
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He discovered
17:14
that this was
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entirely impossible.
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He was
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forced to
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take a
17:18
stand,
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and he
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took the
17:20
wrong stand.
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Pilate
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could have
17:25
freed Jesus.
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He had an
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excuse to do
17:29
so because of
17:29
the tradition
17:30
of releasing
17:30
a prisoner
17:31
at the
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Passover.
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He had the
17:33
law on his
17:34
side because
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every court
17:36
on the
17:36
land had
17:37
found Jesus
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innocent.
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It should
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have been
17:40
easy for
17:40
him.
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But nobody
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can choose
17:44
to ignore
17:45
Jesus.
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Nobody can
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bypass Jesus
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in life.
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Nobody can
17:51
opt out of
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taking a
17:52
stand about
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Jesus.
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What's your
17:56
stand today?
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Are you for
17:59
him or
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against him?
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We've got
18:06
the crowd,
18:07
we've got
18:08
Pilate,
18:08
and then
18:09
thirdly,
18:09
we've got
18:09
Barabbas.
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Why is the
18:17
mob shouting
18:18
for Barabbas?
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He's a
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murderer,
18:22
he's a
18:23
troublemaker,
18:24
he's a
18:25
thief.
18:26
If he was
18:27
alive today,
18:28
he'd be known
18:28
as a
18:29
terrorist.
18:30
So why
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are the
18:31
Jews shouting
18:31
for him
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in particular
18:33
to be
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released?
18:36
Well, we
18:36
know that he's
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guilty of
18:37
committing crimes,
18:38
and according
18:39
to the
18:40
Roman law,
18:40
the law of
18:40
the time,
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he deserves
18:41
to be put
18:42
to death
18:42
for those
18:43
crimes.
18:43
I think
18:45
the reason
18:45
the Jews
18:45
want him
18:46
in particular
18:47
to be
18:47
released is
18:48
in verse
18:49
7,
18:49
where it
18:49
says,
18:50
Barabbas is
18:51
among the
18:52
rebels in
18:52
prison who
18:53
had committed
18:54
murder in
18:55
the insurrection.
18:57
The insurrection
18:57
is rebelling
18:59
against the
18:59
rulers.
19:01
Why do they
19:02
want him?
19:02
What's going
19:03
on here?
19:05
A lot of
19:06
commentators
19:06
believe that
19:08
Barabbas
19:09
wasn't just
19:10
involved in
19:11
supporting the
19:12
rebellion,
19:13
the uprising,
19:14
the insurrection
19:14
against the
19:15
Roman rulers,
19:16
that he was
19:17
one of the
19:17
ones who
19:18
started it.
19:19
And because
19:19
of this,
19:20
he was famous
19:20
amongst the
19:21
Jews.
19:22
He was seen
19:22
as a sort
19:23
of freedom
19:23
fighter,
19:24
a William
19:25
Wallace,
19:25
Braveheart
19:26
sort of
19:26
character.
19:28
In the
19:28
eyes of
19:28
the mob,
19:30
Barabbas
19:30
deserves to
19:31
go free
19:31
because he's
19:32
been fighting
19:32
to free
19:33
the Jews
19:33
from the
19:34
tyranny
19:34
of the
19:35
Romans.
19:37
Well,
19:37
isn't it
19:37
ironic,
19:38
though,
19:38
friends,
19:39
that they
19:40
would prefer
19:40
Barabbas,
19:41
who was trying
19:41
to free
19:42
them from
19:42
the
19:42
Romans,
19:43
to Jesus,
19:45
who was
19:46
offering
19:46
freedom from
19:47
sin and
19:48
God's
19:49
judgment.
19:51
I wonder
19:52
if you've
19:53
ever thought
19:53
about
19:54
Barabbas'
19:55
name.
19:57
The word,
19:57
the first part,
19:58
Bar,
19:58
means son.
20:00
Abbas
20:01
means father.
20:03
His name
20:04
means son
20:05
of father.
20:05
father.
20:08
So here
20:08
we are,
20:08
we've got
20:08
two men
20:09
accused of
20:09
treason
20:10
against
20:11
Rome,
20:11
one guilty,
20:12
the other
20:12
innocent.
20:13
They're both
20:14
Jews,
20:15
they're both
20:15
fighting against
20:16
an enemy,
20:17
they're both
20:17
fighting for
20:18
the sake of
20:18
others.
20:19
The mob
20:20
wants one,
20:21
hates the
20:21
other,
20:22
and they
20:22
have effectively
20:23
the same
20:24
name.
20:25
Here is
20:26
son of
20:27
our father
20:28
on one
20:28
hand,
20:29
and the
20:29
son of
20:30
the heavenly
20:32
father on
20:33
the other.
20:34
Even
20:35
Barabbas'
20:35
name should
20:37
be a
20:37
reminder to
20:38
the crowd
20:38
here in
20:38
Jerusalem of
20:39
what Jesus
20:40
has said
20:41
about the
20:41
relationship he
20:42
has with
20:43
God the
20:43
father.
20:45
They want
20:45
to welcome
20:46
the murderous
20:47
son of
20:48
our father
20:48
into their
20:49
midst,
20:50
and they
20:50
want to
20:51
crucify the
20:52
perfect son
20:52
of the
20:53
father.
20:56
Barabbas
20:57
and Jesus
20:57
are accused
20:58
of the same
20:58
crime,
20:59
they appear
20:59
before the
21:00
same judge.
21:01
Barabbas'
21:02
name is a
21:02
reminder of
21:03
Jesus'
21:04
divinity.
21:06
Barabbas is
21:06
seen as a
21:07
deliverer by
21:07
the Jews,
21:08
whilst Jesus,
21:09
the true
21:09
deliverer,
21:11
is rejected
21:12
by the
21:14
Jews.
21:14
There are
21:14
so many
21:14
parallels
21:15
between
21:15
them.
21:18
I wonder,
21:20
was
21:21
Barabbas
21:21
saved?
21:23
Did he
21:24
become a
21:24
Christian?
21:26
You might
21:27
think that's
21:27
a senseless
21:28
question,
21:29
but Jesus
21:30
takes the
21:31
place of
21:32
sinners,
21:32
and he
21:32
took
21:33
Barabbas'
21:33
place,
21:34
didn't
21:34
he?
21:36
Crumacker
21:37
again,
21:37
he says,
21:38
Barabbas and
21:38
Jesus
21:38
changed
21:39
places.
21:40
The
21:40
murderer's
21:41
curse,
21:41
disgrace,
21:42
and agony
21:42
are
21:42
transferred
21:43
to the
21:43
righteous
21:43
Jesus,
21:45
while the
21:45
liberty,
21:46
innocence,
21:47
safety,
21:47
and well-being
21:48
of the
21:48
Lord become
21:49
the lot
21:50
of the
21:50
murderer.
21:52
He took
21:53
Barabbas'
21:53
place
21:54
literally.
21:56
Barabbas was
21:57
guilty,
21:57
and according
21:57
to the law,
21:58
his punishment
21:58
should have
21:59
been death.
22:00
Pilate freed
22:01
him, and
22:03
when Pilate
22:04
freed him,
22:05
all the
22:05
charges that
22:06
were made
22:06
against him
22:07
disappeared,
22:08
never to be
22:08
brought against
22:09
him again.
22:11
He is
22:11
completely
22:12
free in
22:13
the eyes of
22:14
the law.
22:14
Nobody can
22:15
accuse him of
22:15
these crimes
22:16
again.
22:17
Who's that
22:18
like?
22:19
Who's that
22:20
like?
22:22
Isn't the
22:22
same thing
22:23
true of you
22:23
if you're a
22:24
Christian?
22:24
Jesus has
22:26
taken your
22:26
place,
22:27
the judge
22:27
has set
22:28
you free,
22:28
and nobody
22:29
can accuse
22:30
you again.
22:31
The law
22:31
of God
22:32
can't condemn
22:33
you because
22:33
God himself
22:34
has set
22:35
you free.
22:35
Friends,
22:35
isn't it
22:36
incredible
22:36
that the
22:37
innocent
22:38
would suffer
22:38
and die
22:39
instead of
22:39
and for
22:40
the sake
22:40
of the
22:41
guilty,
22:41
for you
22:42
and I?
22:45
Someone
22:46
talking about
22:47
this incident
22:48
said,
22:49
I am
22:50
Barabbas,
22:51
and there's
22:51
a sense in
22:52
which that's
22:53
true for
22:53
everyone,
22:55
because like
22:55
him,
22:55
you and
22:56
I are,
22:57
as a result
22:57
of our
22:58
sinful
22:58
natures,
22:59
rebels.
23:00
We're
23:01
guilty of
23:01
breaking
23:02
God's
23:03
law.
23:04
And
23:04
Barabbas is
23:05
a metaphor
23:05
for every
23:06
Christian,
23:07
because just
23:07
as Jesus
23:08
took Barabbas'
23:09
place and
23:09
suffered
23:10
Barabbas'
23:11
penalty,
23:12
he does
23:12
the same
23:12
thing for
23:13
you and
23:13
for me.
23:15
Friends,
23:16
it's important
23:16
that you
23:17
see yourself
23:18
in what
23:19
is taking
23:19
place here
23:21
in Jerusalem
23:23
2,000
23:24
years ago,
23:25
just as
23:26
relevant,
23:27
just as
23:27
fresh,
23:28
just as
23:29
important
23:29
today as
23:30
it was,
23:31
as it
23:31
took place.
23:34
We'll
23:35
try to
23:35
picture
23:35
Barabbas
23:36
sitting in
23:38
his prison
23:38
cell in
23:39
the darkness
23:40
beneath
23:40
Pilate's
23:41
palace.
23:45
He can
23:46
hear the
23:46
noise of
23:47
a mob,
23:47
he can
23:48
hear shouting
23:48
and chanting
23:50
and screaming,
23:52
he can't
23:52
hear what
23:52
they're
23:52
saying,
23:53
but he
23:53
knows that
23:53
something is
23:54
happening,
23:55
something big
23:55
is going
23:56
on.
23:58
He knows
23:58
that he's
23:59
been sentenced
23:59
to death,
24:01
he knows
24:01
that this is
24:02
the time
24:02
where there's
24:03
going to be
24:03
at least
24:04
one crucifixion,
24:07
he can feel
24:07
the tension,
24:08
he can feel
24:08
the hatred
24:09
that's
24:10
surrounding
24:11
Pilate's
24:12
palace,
24:14
he can feel
24:14
the malice
24:15
in the air,
24:17
and he
24:17
hears a
24:18
door opening
24:18
up the
24:19
corridor,
24:20
and he
24:20
hears guards
24:21
coming along
24:22
the corridor,
24:23
their feet
24:23
are stamping,
24:24
their keys
24:24
and their
24:25
arm are
24:25
jangling,
24:26
he breaks
24:26
out into
24:26
a sweat,
24:27
his mouth
24:27
goes dry,
24:28
are they
24:28
coming for
24:29
me?
24:30
Are these
24:31
the last
24:31
moments of
24:32
my life
24:32
before I
24:32
get nailed
24:34
to a
24:34
tree?
24:36
Where are
24:36
they headed?
24:37
Where are
24:37
they going
24:38
to stop?
24:39
And they
24:40
stop outside
24:41
his cell,
24:42
and they
24:43
open his
24:44
door,
24:46
and Barabbas
24:47
thinks,
24:47
that's it,
24:49
no hope,
24:50
and the
24:52
guard says,
24:53
get up
24:53
Barabbas,
24:54
on you
24:55
go,
24:56
you're
24:56
free.
24:59
You
25:00
could
25:00
believe it,
25:02
he's
25:02
gone from
25:03
death to
25:03
life,
25:04
unexpectedly,
25:05
in the
25:06
blink of
25:06
an eye.
25:07
What a
25:07
moment that
25:09
is for
25:09
Barabbas.
25:12
What a
25:12
moment that
25:13
is for
25:13
every
25:14
Christian,
25:14
God's
25:15
love.
25:16
You
25:16
you are
25:17
free from
25:17
the guilt
25:18
of sin.
25:21
Well,
25:22
of course,
25:22
we don't
25:22
know if
25:23
Barabbas was
25:23
saved or
25:24
not,
25:25
but he is
25:26
an example
25:26
of anyone
25:27
who has
25:27
believed in
25:29
Jesus.
25:30
Every one
25:31
of us is
25:31
guilty of
25:32
rebelling
25:33
against God.
25:33
we have
25:35
by our
25:35
sins killed
25:36
the Son
25:37
of God,
25:38
guilty of
25:38
murder like
25:39
he was.
25:40
We've robbed
25:41
God of
25:41
time and
25:42
abilities and
25:43
honor and
25:43
praise and
25:44
glory, a
25:46
robber like
25:46
he was.
25:48
But friends,
25:49
because Jesus
25:49
took your
25:50
place and
25:50
mine, we
25:51
are set
25:52
free and
25:53
will be
25:53
free for
25:53
eternity.
25:56
What would
25:57
Barabbas have
25:58
thought of
25:58
this man,
25:59
Jesus,
26:00
for the rest
26:01
of his life?
26:03
I wonder
26:03
how often
26:04
he thought
26:05
of the
26:05
man who
26:05
died instead
26:06
of him.
26:07
I wonder
26:08
if when he
26:08
left his
26:09
cell, he
26:10
followed the
26:11
crowd to
26:11
Calvary to
26:12
witness the
26:13
death of
26:14
the man who
26:16
was on
26:16
his cross.
26:18
I wonder
26:19
if he
26:19
noticed that
26:20
the two
26:20
criminals on
26:21
either side
26:22
of Jesus
26:22
were robbers.
26:25
In John's
26:25
account, he
26:26
adds this
26:26
detail.
26:27
He says,
26:27
now Barabbas
26:28
was a
26:29
robber.
26:30
I wonder
26:31
if the plan
26:31
was to have
26:32
three robbers
26:32
crucified.
26:33
that day.
26:35
I wonder
26:35
if Barabbas
26:36
looked at
26:36
that middle
26:37
cross and
26:37
said, that
26:38
should be
26:38
me.
26:41
Well, as
26:41
we said at
26:42
the outset,
26:44
Jesus is at
26:44
the center of
26:45
everything that
26:46
happens here.
26:47
And it's
26:48
all in God's
26:49
plan to
26:50
save people.
26:51
In God's
26:51
plan, Pilate
26:52
is the
26:53
governor of
26:53
Judea.
26:54
In God's
26:55
plan, Barabbas
26:56
is in prison
26:57
at this exact
26:58
moment.
26:59
In God's
27:00
plan, Jesus
27:00
is willing to
27:01
take his
27:02
people's sins
27:03
and pay the
27:03
penalty for
27:05
them.
27:07
The characters
27:08
here come
27:10
face to
27:10
face with
27:11
Jesus and
27:12
with what he
27:13
has done,
27:14
and they
27:14
have to
27:15
make a
27:15
decision for
27:16
themselves.
27:18
You Jews and
27:19
chief priests,
27:20
do you want
27:21
Jesus?
27:22
Do you want
27:22
him back,
27:23
the one who's
27:23
completely innocent?
27:24
innocent, or
27:25
would you
27:26
prefer the
27:26
terrorist, the
27:28
murderer?
27:29
Who's more
27:29
important to
27:30
you?
27:32
Pilate, you're
27:33
a ruler with
27:34
all the power
27:35
and authority of
27:36
Rome behind
27:36
you.
27:37
You've got
27:37
hundreds of
27:38
soldiers at
27:38
your back and
27:39
call.
27:39
You've got no
27:40
reason to be
27:40
afraid of these
27:41
Jews.
27:42
You and
27:43
Herod have
27:43
grilled Jesus
27:44
and examined
27:45
the case against
27:46
him, and
27:46
you've both
27:47
found him to
27:48
be innocent.
27:49
Even your
27:49
wife has
27:50
sent word.
27:51
She's certain
27:52
of his
27:52
innocence too.
27:52
She doesn't
27:53
want you to
27:53
be responsible
27:54
for the
27:54
death of
27:54
this man.
27:55
What are
27:56
you going
27:56
to do,
27:56
Pilate?
27:59
Barabbas,
28:00
what a story
28:01
you've got to
28:02
tell.
28:03
You're a
28:03
criminal.
28:05
You're on
28:05
the way to
28:05
the cross
28:06
with no
28:06
hope of
28:07
escape,
28:08
and now
28:09
you're free.
28:11
Free and
28:12
innocent.
28:13
What do you
28:14
think of the
28:15
man who took
28:16
your place?
28:17
Will you
28:17
thank him?
28:18
Will you
28:19
give yourself
28:19
to him?
28:20
Will you
28:21
go to him
28:21
for spiritual
28:22
freedom as
28:23
well for
28:23
salvation?
28:25
Barabbas,
28:26
what will
28:26
you do
28:26
with Jesus?
28:32
What about
28:32
you today?
28:35
Are you
28:36
in the
28:37
mob shouting
28:38
crucify him?
28:40
Are you
28:41
hiding behind
28:42
Pilate thinking
28:43
like he did
28:44
that it's
28:45
more important
28:45
to do what
28:46
will make the
28:47
crowd happy
28:48
than what
28:49
God wants?
28:51
Are you
28:51
looking for
28:51
compromise?
28:52
Are you
28:54
trying to
28:54
bargain your
28:55
way into
28:55
heaven?
28:58
I am
28:59
Barabbas.
29:00
You are
29:01
Barabbas.
29:03
Friend,
29:04
your situation
29:04
is just as
29:05
dire as
29:06
his was
29:06
if you
29:07
don't have
29:08
Jesus in
29:09
your life.
29:10
You can
29:11
benefit from
29:13
this prisoner
29:14
swap too,
29:15
just as much
29:16
as Barabbas,
29:17
even more
29:18
than Barabbas
29:19
if he
29:19
didn't come
29:20
to know
29:20
Christ as
29:21
his saviour.
29:22
This isn't
29:22
just a
29:23
short-term
29:23
fix.
29:24
It's an
29:25
eternal
29:25
fix.
29:27
If you
29:28
ask him to
29:28
forgive your
29:29
sins and
29:29
you put
29:30
your trust
29:30
in him.
29:31
So how
29:32
will you
29:33
respond to
29:34
Jesus
29:34
today?
29:36
What's your
29:37
decision?
29:38
Are you
29:39
going to
29:39
accept him?
29:40
Or are
29:42
you going
29:42
to turn
29:42
your back
29:43
on him,
29:44
walk away,
29:45
and say
29:45
you just
29:46
don't
29:47
care?
29:51
Let's
29:51
pray.
29:56
Lord, we
29:57
ask that
29:57
you would
29:58
speak to
29:59
us through
30:01
the passage
30:01
we've been
30:02
thinking about,
30:04
and that
30:05
you would
30:05
help us if
30:06
we've never
30:06
realised before
30:07
to realise
30:07
the seriousness
30:09
of a
30:10
life as
30:11
a sinner,
30:12
who has
30:14
not been
30:15
saved.
30:16
To realise
30:16
the seriousness
30:17
of the
30:17
offer of
30:19
salvation
30:19
that was
30:20
achieved by
30:21
that incredible
30:22
prisoner swap
30:23
in Jerusalem
30:24
2,000 odd
30:25
years ago.
30:28
Give thanks
30:28
that in your
30:28
grace it's
30:29
not just
30:30
Barabbas
30:30
who benefited,
30:32
but that you
30:32
offer the
30:33
benefits of
30:33
that to
30:34
each and
30:34
every one
30:35
of us.
30:36
If we
30:37
come to
30:37
you seeking
30:38
forgiveness,
30:39
for our
30:39
sins, and
30:40
believe on
30:41
the Lord
30:42
Jesus Christ,
30:44
help us
30:44
all to do
30:45
so.
30:46
In his
30:46
name and
30:47
for his
30:47
sake.
30:48
Amen.
30:48
Amen.
30:59
The final
31:00
singing is in
31:00
Psalm 118.
31:03
It's a
31:04
Scottish
31:04
Psalter version,
31:05
so you'll
31:06
find this on
31:07
page 3.
31:09
9-9
31:10
of the
31:12
psalm book.
31:14
Psalm 118,
31:16
I'm going to
31:16
sing from
31:17
verse 20
31:17
to 26.
31:19
The tune is
31:20
Coalsill.
31:21
this is the
31:22
gate of God
31:23
by it
31:23
the just
31:24
shall enter
31:24
in.
31:25
Thee will
31:26
I praise
31:26
for thou
31:26
may
31:27
hurtst
31:27
and
31:27
hast
31:28
my
31:28
safety
31:28
been.
31:28
That stone
31:30
is made
31:30
head
31:31
cornerstone
31:31
which builders
31:33
did despise.
31:34
This is the
31:35
doing of the
31:35
Lord and
31:36
wondrous
31:36
in our
31:38
eyes.
31:38
This is the
31:39
day God
31:39
made and
31:39
it will
31:40
joy
31:40
triumphantly.
31:42
Save now,
31:42
I pray thee,
31:43
Lord,
31:43
I pray,
31:44
send now
31:44
prosperity.
31:46
Blessed is
31:46
he in
31:47
God's
31:48
great name.
31:48
that cometh
31:50
us to
31:50
save,
31:51
we from
31:52
the house
31:52
which to
31:53
the Lord
31:53
pertains,
31:54
you blessed
31:55
have.
31:55
These verses
31:56
of Psalm
31:57
118 from
31:58
verse 20
31:58
to 26
31:59
to God's
31:59
praise.
32:00
This is
32:00
the gate
32:00
of God.
32:05
This is
32:08
the gate
32:10
of God
32:13
by it
32:15
the
32:15
church
32:18
shall
32:19
enter.
32:21
The
32:23
will
32:25
I
32:26
praise
32:27
for
32:28
love
32:30
me
32:30
hers
32:32
and
32:33
hath
32:34
my
32:35
safety
32:37
been
32:39
that
32:42
stone
32:43
is
32:44
made
32:45
!
32:46
The
32:46
corner
32:47
stone
32:48
which
32:51
build
32:52
her
32:54
dead
32:55
He
32:55
is
32:56
by
32:57
this
32:59
is
33:01
the
33:02
doing
33:03
of
33:05
the
33:06
Lord
33:07
!
33:08
will
33:09
!
33:09
He
33:10
will
33:11
!
33:11
He
33:12
will
33:12
!
33:13
!
33:13
!
33:13
He
33:14
!
33:15
He
33:15
!
33:16
He
33:17
will
33:18
be
33:20
!
33:20
will
33:21
He
33:21
will
33:22
be
33:23
He
33:23
will
33:24
!
33:25
will
33:27
joy
33:28
triumph
33:29
triumph
33:31
and
33:32
lead
33:34
save
33:35
now
33:36
I
33:37
pray
33:38
Thee
33:39
Lord
33:40
I
33:41
pray
33:42
send
33:44
prosperity
33:46
!
33:48
He
33:49
blessed
33:53
is
33:54
he
33:55
in
33:56
great
33:57
that
33:59
cometh
34:01
us
34:02
to
34:03
from
34:04
the
34:05
house
34:06
who
34:07
come
34:08
to
34:09
we
34:11
from
34:12
the
34:13
house
34:14
which
34:16
to
34:17
the
34:18
Lord
34:19
pertains
34:22
you
34:23
blessed
34:25
heart
34:27
conclude
34:30
prayer
34:31
we
34:32
would
34:33
worship
34:34
accept
34:35
the
34:36
from our
34:37
that
34:38
your
34:38
word
34:39
with us
34:40
anything
34:41
said or
34:42
and
34:42
must be
34:43
for
34:45
the
34:46
remainder
34:47
day
34:48
bless
34:49
your
34:50
servant
34:51
as he
34:53
preaches
34:54
here
34:55
evening
34:56
as
34:57
preaches
34:58
this
34:59
as
35:00
and
35:01
pardon
35:02
Jesus
35:03
Amen
35:04
Amen
35:13
may
35:15
may