Eight Questions That Change Everything

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 30

Psalm 30 ESV

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:10-12

Isaiah 53:10–12 ESV

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Sermon:

Good morning Church! I was Glad when they said to me let us go and worship in the house of the Lord!

Well once again and as always good morning church, i was glad when they said to me let us go and worship in the house of the lord. Well, today we will be moving on in chapter 27. Of matthew. Of the book of matthew rather. We will be looking at. Jesus standing before pilot standing trial. We'll wrestle with and deal with. The interaction between jesus. And pilot. At the end of our passage for today. Jesus will be delivered over to be crucified. We are nearing the end. Of the book of matthew. And as we approach this passage. What we will see in this passage. Is there's a whole lot of questions. I was listening to a sermon or reading rather a sermon on this. Text and they titled their sermon “Why”. Because there's a whole lot of questions asked in the text and all of them leave us wondering. Well, why? Why this trial? why was jesus handed over before pilot? Why did pilot do what he did? Why di the people… So, enraged against him, why did they release Barabas and not jesus? Why did jesus have to suffer these things? This is a main question that we have to wrestle with. But the way i would like to approach this passage today is by looking at the questions that are asked in this text. Because i believe if we understand and we see what exactly is going on. How, how is this happening. We we see how everything changes and we can get to the answer. Of the, “why?” Our passage for today. Again, matthew chapter 27 will be looking at verses 11 through 26 this morning, Instead of reading it all at once, we'll break it into chunks. We'll be looking at these questions that occur in this text in groups. So before we dive in, let's open with a word of prayer.

Our father in heaven. We do thank you for today. We thank you for your grace and mercy. For though, we are wretched. Vile sinners. You save us. Though, we were dead in our sin and trespasses you make us alive together with christ though. We were rebels. You call them, made us your own Thank you for the precious gift of salvation. Thank you for our savior. We thank you for the spirit of work within us. Maybe live lives, worthy of the calling we have received. Pray that you would use this time to conform us into the image of your son. May we grow? Knowledge and adoration of him as we see your word today. It's in jesus name, we pray. Amen. And amen.

The first questions arise will start at the beginning versus 11 through 14.

Matthew 27:11–14 ESV

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Our first two questions center on jesus and pilot.

JESUS AND PILATE

We read them here in the text. First, jesus, and if we remember the context, jesus stood before the high council, he stood before the Sanhedrin and they wanted to pronounce... Well, they did pronounce. “He deserves death.” But if you're the Sanhedrin to make that pronouncement, you have a problem. Because though, he may deserve death and though you may think you can make that judgment, you do not have the power. To go forward with that consequence with that judgment that verdict. So they say he deserves death and what do they do? Well, they have to deliver him to someone who can kill him for you. Chapter 27, verse 2, they bound him. Led him away and delivered him over to pilot the governor. The issue the sanhedrin has though. Is that pilot is not going to crucify someone for blasphemy. Pilot was the religious leader of the time. He worked for Rome, he could care less about what the Jewish, messiah claimed or said or did. And so, if you notice what pilot's question is is not one of Well, did youblasphme? Did you claim to be the son of man? He cares about a political issue. Are you the king of the jews? Are you setting yourself up to rally these people to go take on Rome? Do i pilot, as the roman representative here, tasked with keeping law and order, and people loyal to Rome in this area... and maybe if not loyal to Rome, that would be asking too much... subservient and under the thumb of Rome. Do i need to worry about what you're going to do? And again, jesus gives the answer he said, multiple times in this passion narrative: It's what you said. Your words. Are you the king of the jews? Claim to be the son of man. I can only be a lot of things. In fact, he claims to be the high king of heaven. But if you want to say king of the jews, those are your words. He doesn't give pilot any ground to say. See he's a rabble rouser. Usurper rebel. We need to crucify him. “You've said, so”, But the high priests and elders, they begin to think. This isn't going to work if he doesn't incriminate himself like he did for us. Right? If we remember back, the incriminating thing wasn't the testimony of the two false witnesses in jesus trial. The incriminating thing is when he said i'm about to, come on the clouds of power. I'll be seated at the right hand of god. That's the next time you'll see me. We got to get jesus to trip up again. So, they begin over and over again. He's accused by the chief priest and the elders. And again, he gives no answer.

So, pilot asks in the second question. Do you not hear what they're saying? They're saying a lot of stuff about you. There's a few things going on here, part of it is as we noted before the fulfillment of Isaiah. Isaiah, the servant song that we've been reading on Sunday mornings like a sheep led before the slaughter. He opened not his mouth. But there's also a thought of why should i justify and give credence to their false claims if i say something. It's giving them more credit than they deserve. So pilot asked him, do you not hear? Do you not hear all of these things, they're testifying against you. And when we get to, the end of this, passage of jesus does not answer and pilot Pilate stands. Amazed. This is how Matthew ends this, in verse 14, we read it. He gave them no answer, not even to a single charge. I'm not going to even Give credence to them by giving you an answer, it's not worth my time. And the governor here, stands amazed. So the thing that I would like us to see today is that These questions get pilot to try to get to the bottom of who jesus is.

Well, are you the king? Are you one who will respond to you feel the need to defend yourselves? Who are you? As these questions get asked, they begin to change everything because we begin to see even more clearly who jesus is. He truly is the king of the Jews because he's the king of all people, king of kings and lord of lords. But he doesn't hold this title in a way that he feels the need to defend It. he will be vindicated himself. As people bring charges against him as people say all sorts of things against him, he opens not his mouth. And pilot. Is amazed. That's a good first step. But pilot didn't get the where he should have been... It's not amazement. Though, jesus is amazing. Pilot as you stand here, judging the judge of all mankind. You should be filled with all and wonder reverence and worship. Not just amazement. As we wrestle with, who jesus is... finding a way to answer that. Should give us more than just mere amazement. That's how these questions can change everything. But then the scene shifts. Now at the feast verse 15, the governor was accustomed to release for the clouds. Anyone prisoner whom they wanted,

Merry Christmas, (i guess merry passover feast…) some prisoner that was sentenced to death. Congratulations. I’ll free him. Now.. we're still going to kill a lot of them, but Aren't you so grateful of the generosity of Rome? We will let you have one of your prisoners back. And so we get to this point and pilot has on his hands four prisoners, really. There's the three people who are going to be crucified. Tow of which, We don't know their names. The thieves on the cross. One man named barabas. And here's jesus. And one of these things is not like the other. In fact, i would say two of these things are not like the other one is jesus. And the other verse 16 is a notorious prisoner. Called barabas.

Matthew 27:17–21 ESV

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”

These next questions questions three and four deal with jesus and Barabbas

JESUS AND BARABBAS

ultimately they end up being the same question ask twice by pilot Verse 17. Whom do you want me to release? You guys know you get one prisoner. And in effect he's asking we have one a righteous man who the only sin. He has committed and pilot admits this in the passage. The only sin he committed is you are jealous of him. On the other hand, i have the worst criminal we've ever arrested. A notorious man named barabas. So he asked the question again? The christ. Or the criminal. Which of the two. Do you want? The crowd. Over and over again because the chief present the elders. Probably just started a chant and once you start a chant with a crowd, everyone's going to follow along: barabas. These questions drive us to see some very important things.

Something we might not know. Barabas is actually a very interesting name. In english. You know, you might meet someone who's last name. Thompson. Johnson. What are these names mean? Well, back in the day, some people get their last name by what their job was. Maybe they were a smith. A thatcher. These are last names we've all heard before. But other times, you would get your name based on who your dad was because cities weren't as big, you didn't know as many people so maybe you would know, two davids. But do you know the difference between david, who's david's, son and david? Who's johnson? So you'd have david johnson. David thompson, david, whoever else? In. Hebrew. You would have the same thing. Though, the name would be a little different. If we remember back to matthew 16, Jesus was questioned or he questioned peter. Who are you? Peter said you were the crisis on the living? God. Jesus said this in verse 17, jesus answered him. Blessed. Are you simon bar jonah? We now know the name of peter's dad, because bar means the son of And jonah was his dad's name. So, peter Was peter. Son of jonah. Bar- measn son of and abbas… means father. So Barabbas. Means the son of a father. Basically. He's a generic man. When pilot asked the crowd, who do you want me to release to you barabas? The son of A man, Or jesus. The son of MAN.

We now have the reason these questions change everything. Barabas was some man. A notorious, man, a wretched, man, a criminal. Sure. But just like all of us. He had a father, an earthly father. Jesus. Was much different. When we ask these questions in one sense, pilot is putting before them, he's showing them their heart. By saying, i know you're just envious, but who do you want? You guys can really release any prisoner. all four of these men don't have to die. You know, we only had three crosses anyway. Who do you want me to release?

But there is a beauty here. Whats more is that The way Matthew writes. This he's asking. Do you want some man? Well, the son of man. Do you want the son of some father? Or do you want? l pilot doesn't know He's asking this but Matthew does: the high king of heaven. We have to wrestle through these same questions. Do you want just some person when you look for a savior? Do you want just some person? Who do you want? Which of the two do you want? Some familiar thing that we're all used to, and we know, or Jesus. Questions, three and four when we read them together. Force us to ask what kind of messiah what kind of savior Are we looking for? So we ask, who is this jesus? And as we wrestle with it, then we ask is that what we want? The crowd. Surely knew that they didn't. So pilot looks to them. Now, we'll get to questions five and six.

Matthew 27:22–23 ESV

Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

There's a lot here, but i'd like to look at it in terms of specifically pilot in the crowd.

PILATE AND THE CROWD

The two questions here. Pilot looks And he asked the crowd. Okay, you want barabas release fine. Now, what do i do with jesus? Kill him. Crucify him. You want me to crucify him? What? Evil has he done? What is this man's crime? What has he done here? Pilot asks a very important question. Why? What evil has he done? the answer to that Question is none! He lived a perfect sinless life. Never uttering. Any sinful thoughts? Any sinful words What has he done? Nothing. But they shouted. All the more. Let him be crucified. We could get to a lot of who jesus is here. There's a lot going on here but I think what we need to understand here. The world. The crowd. They're gonna hate jesus.

John tells us why they love the darkness rather than the light. He came to his own. His own would not receive him. We could get into all the theological reasons Why. but It also does not have to be that hard. here's the truth. The world hates jesus, the crowd hates jesus. So as pilot is asking these questions, he's coming face to face with one of the more fundamental issues that we all must wrestle with and deal with What do we care about more? What the world says. Or who jesus is. We know the answer is the world will give. Well, what do i do with christ: reject him, don't follow him, don't have anything to do with him. That's just stupid, religion. You don't need that. There's a whole bunch of things. The world will say when we say, what shall i would do with jesus. But then we ask well, what has he done? Doesn't he deserve our loyalty? Praise and affection, they will just shout all the more crucify him. But asking these questions gets us to the truth. And we're forced to make a decision. In the first two questions, pilot wrestle with who really is this jesus He was amazed. But amazed isn't enough! In questions, three and four pilot wrestles through this. You're just jealous of jesus, this man's a criminal, but who do you guys really want? Maybe i'm just reading this situation wrong. That we want barabas. Is that what people really want? Well pilot finds out it is. So he looks to the crowd. Seeking their approval. In all honesty, he's in a difficult spot because he is tasked with making sure that they don't rebel, there's no uprising. And with the crowd gets this whipped up in fury and anger, there's not much someone like pilot can do But what evil has he done? Okay. Pilot. You can do the right thing or you listen to your wife even, You can listen to this crowd. in our last question, pilots going to wrestle with his conscience.

PILATE AND HIS CONSCIENCE

Matthew 27:24–26 ESV

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

And all honestly, i'm cheating here, a little bit with this question. Because though he doesn't ask a question, he's answered. So what this is again, my question seven question mark here, He looks to the crowd, that's being whipped up into a riotous frenzy. Pilot says. I'm washing my hands of this. I am innocent of this man's blood. And this is why i'm willing to call this a quote unquote question. Verse 25, all the people answer. No, you're not pile. You're not, you're not innocent of this man's blood, you had a chance to do the right thing. You knew he was innocent. And now you're just trying to get out of it, but he washes, his hands. And the people say, His blood beyond us and in our children, There's a lot we could deal with this here. This is what i would say. The people who said that. They're only hope is that it's true.

Pilot tries to get out of this. Washing his hands by going through this sort of thing where he's like, well it's not my problem, it's yours, you do what you want. But the bible's very clear on this: for him. Who knows? What is right? And does not do it for him. This is sin. Pilot knows is not right to kill an innocent man. He does not right. Just to give into the crowd. I'm sure he even knew what Peer pressure was though, they might not have had those words for it. He doesn't do what's right. So wash your hands all you want. pilots guilty. These people are guilty. We're all guilty. The only hope is to be washed by the cleansing blood of jesus.

Pilot, asks, why? The sermon I was listening to earlier this week, they asked why This is why. We often sing a song. What can wash away my sin? Nothing. But the blood Jesus. So, while these people answered, In rage. They answered. In sin, but truly they answer the only the only thing that could help them. They would be washed by the precious blood of jesus. We're getting here, our verse ends. He releases the passage ends, he releases barabas. A scoured. They scourged, jesus. In the deliver him over. To be crucified. Here, they whipped. The flesh from his back. Knowing he was innocent. Knowing it was out of jealousy. Pilot allowed this to happen. But By his stripes, we are healed. Those are the seven questions in the text. I would like to end with one final question. Deals with jesus and you

JESUS AND YOU

The reason i called these this sermon eight questions that change everything is because we all have to wrestle through. What are we gonna do with all of these questions? The final question is, what does all of this mean to you? We have to go through this same process. Every person will Questions. One or two. Are you the king of the jews? Do you not hear what they testify? Ultiamtly, Who are you Jesus? we all must come to jesus and wonder. In awe and wonder. Who is this? Jesus.

Questions, three and four dealing with jesus and barabas. Who do you want? This is the same question, we must ask. Who do you want? Do you want, man? And we can insert a whole bunch of man things here. Your own strength, your own, might your own goodness, your own ability, some other savior, some other thought, something someone else says, or do you want jesus? But i stand before you today and tell you, there's only one name under heaven and earth by which you can be saved and it's not some man. It's only by jesus. But then, like pilot in questions, five and six, we must wrestle. With what the world is going to say. Jesus has been preparing his disciples for this. Blessed, are you and people persecute you hate, you and revile you, for my name's sake. He came. Not to make all things peaceable all the time, but his name in serving and knowing his name will cause strife and division, the world doesn't want you to follow him, but will you? Or will you follow the crowd? And will you seek to like pilot wash your hands in your own strength or might or will you Be covered by the blood of jesus. These are questions. Impact your everything. They change. Everything, let's pray.