Untitled Sermon

“They wanted the bad man”

Matthew 27:15–20 KJV 1900

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

Barabbas: Crook;thief; notorious criminal, notorious robber and murderer. He was n insurectionist, and committed murder during an insurrection against the Roman government Was the reason he was imprisoned.

Isn’t it strange that te Pass over is just around the corner, the religious leaders would rather choose the bad man Barabbas instead of Jesus.

You have to be aware of those who desire to have a bad man as their favorite person.

Why would the Scribes and Pharisees desire Barbaras rather than Jesus?

a. Because wen they looked at Jesus they had to face the truth, their hearts were pricked by His Words and weighed in the balances of His Words and they were found wanting, meaning that they lacked the character and interegity to be followers of Christ.

b. They had to accept that Jesus was the Son of God, and that Calvary’s Cross was the main point of Jesus coming into the world.

c. Jesus’s death was the object of His incarnation, and He was the Lamb of God who beareth away the sins of the world.

Let’s look at why they wanted Barabbas:

They would rather have Barabbas as their leader because Barabbas being a notorious criminal, robber, inserectionist as well as a murderer, he would never be able to remind them of their real duties to God, and he couldn’t address their sins as well as their hypropcricy and their sinful pride. In fact they identified with Barabbas more than they did with Christ.

Sinners cannot correct the wrong doings of other sinners. It requires the righteousness and the Word of God.The sanheidran Councl did not want a righteous Man to be among them to remind them of their wrong doings.

Note:

Today there are still in this world, those same type of people who would rather have a bad man to lead them than a Powerful, gracious, merciful Savior able God to lead them.

These people try and redefine Jesus to make their lives, lifestyles match. Let’s see how they try to make themselves feel better.

a They find preachers who only preach about love, rather than preach God’s righteousness.

b. They seek those who ascribe to the health and wealth theories rather than seeing the giving of salvation from all by Jesus

c. They promote a Jesus who would never say anything negative about them, rather than acknowledge a Gos who warns of sins, judgments and hell.

d. They project a type of Christ that only loves them and no matter their lifestyles they are accepted by the world. Rather than projecting a Christ who was hated and still despised by many in the world today.

e. They serve their will and not God’s will. Rather than promote and exalts the Father’s will.

f. They try to promote a God who would never offend them or others, rather than acknowledge a God who will offend the world with His truth.