Matthew 27:27-31

Open your Bibles to the book of Matthew 27.

We’re going to be looking at the majority of the chapter this morning, particularly

verses 1-44,

however, we’re not going to read all of that, but I do like to read verse before we start and so we will read verses Matt 27: 27-31.

Matthew 27:27–31 ESV

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

For full context though I encourage to go home and read the whole passage, even though we will look at it in detail this morning.

The greatest tragedy that the world has ever known has been the crucifixion of Jesus

And the greatest victory that the world has ever known has been the crucifixion of Jesus

The tragedy and the victory that took place on that hill called Calvary when the Son of God died for man’s sin.

I want you to come with me this morning to Calvary

I want you to consider how cruel Calvary was

I want you to consider the suffering of our Savior.

The suffering didn’t start when he was taken in the garden.

Jesus knew suffering from his youth.

Psalm 88:15 says

15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,

I suffer your terrors

This was a prophetic statement.

How many times as a youth in a carpenter's shop did he see a crossbeam?

How about the nails?

How about seeing thorns on a bush? - crown of thorns

It was In the garden that he prayed - let this cup pass from me

Intensity so great, suffering even here he sweat drops of blood.

Jesus was brought before a mock trial

Delivered to Pilate

What shall I do with this man called Jesus

Crucify Him!

Jesus, the man who healed so many, did nothing but good, led up to calvary to be crucified.

Hopefully you’re there, read with me please

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.

28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,

29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.

31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

PRAY

This morning I'd like to look not at who crucified Jesus, but rather what crucified Jesus.

When we read this chapter it’s interesting to note the attitudes that we see

And when we notice them, we need to try everything we can do to not have them in our lives.

First let’s start with...

I. The Attitude of Self-Righteousness

Look in verses 1 and 2: Matt. 27:1-2

27:1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.

Now, who are these people?

These were people who thought that they were self-righteous, that they did not need to be saved.

They didn’t need Jesus, they had the law.

- so meticulous

- if they got a tack in their shoe they would take it out before the sabbath - so not accused of carrying a burden on the sabbath.

- wouldn’t kill a fly on the Sabbath lest they be accused of hunting.

This is ridiculous, maybe like a cancel culture - just saying

It’s laughable, but that’s how religious they were.

They were full of self-righteousness.

They crucified Jesus Christ.

What would it look like to have a church full of Pharisees?

1. Would attend every service

2. All tithe

3. Would all workin the church

4. Would all be going to hell - for they cling to their self righteousness.

Are you a self-righteous person?

Have you ever truly been broken at the foot of the cross? You know, the Bible says in Gal. 2:21

Galatians 2:21 ESV

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

21 ... for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Self-righteousness crucified the Lord Jesus.

But not just self righteousness, but also...

II. The Attitude of Hypocrisy

verse 3-5 says:

3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,

4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”

5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

There’s no doubt about it:

Judas was first-class hypocrite.

Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

He was one of the twelve.

He went with them.

He was the treasurer!

You know who people make treasurer? The person in whom you are confident in.

And he betrayed Jesus.

Hypocrisy crucified the Lord Jesus.

You don’t have to betray Jesus with a kiss to have hypocrisy in your heart.

You don’t have to sell Jesus for thirty pieces of silver to have hypocrisy in your heart.

Don’t pretend you're something you're not.

For it was hypocrisy that was present when Jesus was crucified.

But not only that, there was...

III. The Attitude of Cowardliness

verse 11 says:

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.”

Now, Pilate was no fool.

Look in verse 18:

18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.

Pilate understood why these chief priests and scribes wanted Jesus crucified:

they were jealous of Him;

they were envious of Him.

That’s why they had hate in their heart.

But you don’t get to be a politician without knowing the motives of men.

He knew.

But did he stand up for the Lord?

No

Look in verse 24-26:

24 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.”

25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

What attitude is this?

It is cowardice.

Pilate knew who Jesus was.

Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent.

But Pilate was a Politician,

Politicians try to please the crowd

If Jesus was the King of the Jews, he would be in opposition to Caesar.

Pilate had rather be in league with Caesar than to stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ.

He was a coward.

He was afraid to stand up for Christ.

Let that not be said of us.

There was also ...

IV. The Attitude of Conformity

At the cross.

look in verse 20:

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

Now, who are these people? These are just people out there.

They don’t know hardly anything.

Remember, a crowd attracts a crowd

And, Pilate now is going to give the people a choice.

“Are we going to release the insurrectionist Barabbas or are we going to release Jesus Christ, who is claiming to be God, the Savior of the world?”

the chief priests and the elders get the crowd.

Saying:

Jesus is not on our side.

Jesus is the bad one.

Barabbas is the one that we need released.

We know he’s bad, but in this case this is what we’re all going to do.

What crucified the Lord Jesus here?

Conformity.

This will preach today.

The crowd conformed to the world.

They are squeezed in by public opinion.

They are persuaded to go with the multitude.

Look at it again there,

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

If you were to stop and ask people, why did you yell “crucify him?”

They would say, everyone else was doing it.

Our leader was doing it, therefore, it’s correct.

Let me remind you what Paul said in Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed ...

do you have what it takes to stand alone

do you have what it takes to stand alone no matter what everyone else is doing?

Conformity crucified Jesus.

Do you have any of that attitude in your heart?

We also find...

V. The Attitude of Hardness

Look in verse 27-31.

The verses we read at the beginning,

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.

28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,

29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.

31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

how could these soldiers do this?

they were hardhearted.

They were used to killing.

They were used to hurting.

This was their business.

They are professionals.

Hardness crucified Jesus.

Do you have a hard heart this morning?

I ask myself this question.

Do the things that break the heart of God break my heart.

While I might not hold the whip

While I might not spit in the face of Jesus,

If I have a hard heart I have an attitude that was present when they crucified Jesus.

Maybe someone here today needs to ask God to give them a tender heart.

There was also...

VI. The Attitude of Indifference

look in verse 36.

36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.

Jesus is on the cross

dying in agony

They’re not spitting on Him.

They’re not driving the nails in His hands.

They weren’t Pilate, who counted Him worthy of death. They’re just the bystanders.

they watched him there.

What is this attitude?

It is indifference.

Just spectators there, just watching.

How many like that come to a church

People that just come to come.

When the best news ever is being expounded upon, you have your mind on other things.

You are being indifferent

They sat down and watched Jesus on the cross.

Indifference—an attitude that crucifies.

And finally we see...

VII. The Attitude of Skepticism and Cynicism

look, if you will, in verse 39-40:

39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads

40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

That was the wrong question.

They should have stood in front of that tomb and said,

“If you’re the Son of God, come out.”

Instead they said,

42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

What was this attitude?

Skepticism and Cynicism.

Skepticism: “If you are the Son of God …”

Cynicism: they mocked Him.

Do you doubt the Word of God?

Do you put an if by the promises of God?

Are you cynical about spiritual things?

As we close, here’s what I know

there was one man Jesus refused to save.

Do you know who it was?

Himself.

As we look in this chapter,

As we consider these attitudes, they are terrible.

These are the kind of things that put him on the cross.

So what can we take away

Lessons

1. Check our attitudes - do we need to change?

2. If these attitudes start popping up, how are you going to adjust? It’s better to have a plan in place now then when it comes on and you're not prepared.

3. Consider the value of the gospel message.

If you consider it to be of much worth,

-it will adjust how you listen,

-it will adjust how often you read,

-it will adjust how often you pray,

-it will adjust how often you obey.

1 Th. 3:12-13 - May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.