Accused for Me

Introduction

a. Ruben Cantu

Texas — Convicted: 1985; Executed: 1993

There are many stories throughout history where people were wrongly accused and executed for crimes they did not commit. For example, in 1993 a Texas man was executed for a crime that later was discovered he did not commit. Ruben Cantu had persistently proclaimed his innocence and was only 17 when he was charged with capital murder for the shooting death of a San Antonio man during an attempted robbery. Juan Moreno, a key witness who was wounded during the attempted robbery, felt pressured by the authorities to say that he saw Cantu commit the murder. Later, he admitted that he falsely accused Cantu.Morenao told the Chronicle,“The police were sure it was (Cantu) because he had hurt a police officer. They told me they were certain it was him, and that’s why I testified… . That was bad to blame someone that was not there.”

In addition, David Garza, Cantu’s co-defendant during his 1985 trial, recently signed a sworn affidavit saying that he allowed Cantu to be accused and executed even though he wasn’t with him on the night of the killing. Garza stated, “Part of me died when he died. You’ve got a 17-year-old who went to his grave for something he did not do. Texas murdered an innocent person.”

a. Have you ever been accused of something you did not do? Did you suffer the consequences of those accusations?

b. Today we are going to look at the false accusations given towards Jesus after the night He was betrayed and the consequences they had not only for Him but for you and for me as well.

b. Summary

1. Betrayed by me (just like Judas, we all have betrayed Jesus) - we were all at one time enemies of Christ (either an enemy or a friend)

2. Forsaken for me (Jesus was gradually forsaken by the father because of the sins that were placed upon Him. God could not look on all that sin. “my God. My God. Why have you forsaken me?”)

3. Accused for me (God the Father pointed His finger at Jesus in accusation, but it was not His sin that He was accused of, it was our sin)

c. Jesus. In. My. Place.

Jesus was forsaken by the Father so that we never have to be forsaken by God

Jesus was accused and condemned for us, so that we never have to be condemned. (God has separated us from our sins as far as the east is from the west)

As we look at Jesus’ unjust accusation let us turn to Matthew 27 and read verses 11-31 where Matthew describes this kangaroo court that hastened Jesus’ crucifixion and brought salvation for you and me.

Body

Jesus’ Unjust Trial and Condemnation

Six injustices (JD Greear)

Convened at night with no advanced notice

Judges were not impartial

The witnesses revealed to be liars, but accepted anyway

Jesus’s defenders (Nicodemus) were ignored

The sentencing was heavy-handed (the punishment did not fit the crime)

The procurement from Rome was coerced (threatened with riots)

Yet, through it all Jesus did not defend Himself.

The creator of the world

The perfect Son of God

The one who knew no sin, yet was made sin for us, to be accused in our place. WHY?

Our Response

Illustration: Friend who went through an unjust trial

A cow and a chicken were framed and thrown into prison. They knew they had to get out to bring the criminals to justice so they spent weeks designing escape plans. Finally, a month after they had been thrown in, they escaped in the middle of the night. However, they weren't silent enough and they had to flee from the prison guards…Finally they came to a road. "This is it," said the cow. "Once we're on the other side we'll be across the border and free from the guards". The chicken looks sadly at the road and replies "You go on ahead" The cow stares at him. "Why are you giving up now after all the time we've spent planning?" The chicken replied, "If I cross that road, they'll never stop asking questions."

Jesus Crossed a road so to speak to bring criminals to justice. But the road He crossed lead to the cross. The accusations He endured ended up in His traveling on the road to Golgotha, the place where he would suffer for those accusations so that we don’t have to.

If you do not know Christ as your Savior, you will be guilty of one thing: Disobedience to a holy and righteous God who created you and loves you.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God when they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which resulted in physical and spiritual death

Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, died a second death so that we can have spiritual life for all eternity

The important thing to know about the cross is that Jesus was being judged for our sins (the Father was pointing His finger of guilt at Jesus)

The second most important thing to know is that through faith in Christ you can obtain forgiveness for your sins

JD Greer talks about three groups of people in this world

The proud (Sanhedrin, Jewish leaders) - they were in charge of their lives, sitting on their own thrown

The distracted - (Pilate) they neither believe or not believe in the truth of the Cross because they never took the time to consider it

“Distraction sends far more people to hell than disbelief” (Greear)

The Spared (Barabbas)

Barabbas - He was spared the cross in place of Jesus

Barabbas represents those who have placed their faith in Christ

What group do you fall in?

Not to decide is to decide

Are you among the spared?

Conclusion

The Spared

You should have a desire to share Christ with others

Two disciples talking with Jesus after his resurrection (Luke 24:32-35)

“Did not our hearts burn within us when He opened to us the scriptures? And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.