TEXT: Mathew 27:15-25Reading: 15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.17 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?18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.19 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.20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.INTRODUCTIONMy title was taken from verse 22 of our text. Pilate was the governor who sat down and looked at the judgment of Jesus Christ. His wife warned him in verse 19. She said, \u201c19 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.\u201d One interesting thing is that, in that verse, the Bible says, \u201cHave you nothing to do with that JUST MAN\u201d You see, the unbeliever even recognizes that Jesus is a Just man, that is, He is a perfect man, with no sins, and no evil was found in Hm. He is the only perfect man, without sin in His life, no evil.At the Passover Feast, the governor was to release unto the people a prisoner of the people\u2019s choice. It was a custom at the time for the governor to release a prisoner to the crowd each year during the Passover celebration; anyone they choose to be set free. This particular year, there was a notorious criminal in the prison, a man named Barabbas. This custom is still practiced in most countries in modern days but in another form. At the end of the year, the President of a country will grant a pardon to a Prisoner, mostly the one who was given life imprisonment. Life imprisonment means He or she will die in prison, with no hope for the person to leave a free life again. Back to our passage, we learn that Pilate, the governor, is in a position to release Jesus Christ, who knows no sin. Anywhere Christ goes he was doing good. Pilate let the enemies of Jesus Christ choose whom they want to be released. Of course, they wanted to destroy Jesus Christ. When Pilate asked whom do you want me to release for you in this year\u2019s Feast, we learn in verse 22, they said unto him, we want Barabbas. Verse 22 is very interesting. The scripture says, \u201c22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.\u201d Today, I want you to see the roles of some people and their behavior, characters, and who are Christ\u2019s disciples.(1) The first person I want to talk about is PilateHe was the judge. He is to judge right, to accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour, but he rejected Him as Saviour and failed to crown Him King of kings and Lord of lords. Reject Him and go to hell, accept Him and go to heaven, there is no in-between, you crown Him, or you crucify Him. Pilate, you cannot wash your hands with water and be cleansed from the innocent and the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Pilate, you cannot ask anyone, \u201cWhat shall you do then with Jesus, which is called Christ.\u201d Mr. Pilate, you know what to do with Christ, but you purposely did not do what you know was right, you don’t want to lose your position as a Judge, or you are ashamed of your Lord. He said in Mark 8:38, \u201cWhosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.\u201d(2) Judas is the second person I want to look at in connection with his role in Jesus going to the crossJudas said I will betray Him. Why do you say you will betray your master, your Lord? Let me ask you Judas \u201cWHY\u201d, you will betray Him for money? Let me ask you people at the church service today, What will you do with Jesus? Do you also want to betray Jesus? Money has been the number one thing that preoccupies our minds today. Judas was one of the disciples of Christ, and he was the treasurer. Mark 14:3 \u201cAnd being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.\u201dA woman with an alabaster box of ointment broke it and anointed Jesus with the ointment. Judas was not happy that the woman was wasting that precious ointment. He wanted them to sell it so that the money would come to him to keep since he is the treasurer. But Jesus rebuked the disciples who were not glad that the woman did that. Judas Iscariot loved money. He betrayed Christ for money.(3) The third person I want to talk about is PeterHe says I will deny Him. What! Peter, don’t deny your master. Don’t deny your Saviour; you (Peter), who was the first among the disciples. Peter, you saw Him when he was Baptized in the River Jordan. You were there at the mountain during the Transfiguration. You witnessed many miracles of Christ, why then, would you suddenly make a U-turn by denying Him?Peter’s denial of Christ started when he was following afar off from him. He fellowshiped with the enemies of Christ. Then, lastly, he said I don’t know Him. What are you talking about? Luke 22:54, \u201cThen took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.\u201d Peter followed afar off. We cannot walk with Christ far away. We would rather need to come nearer or closer to Him. God commanded us to draw nigh to Him. James 4:8, \u201cDraw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.\u201d(4) The fourth person I want to talk about is ThomasPilate says I will reject Him, Judas said, I will betray Him, Peter said I will deny Him, and lastly, Thomas said I will doubt Him.Doubting Christ who never failed you one time. Whatever He says always comes to pass. You witnessed it several times, but Thomas, why do you decide to doubt Him this last hour?; On the resurrection that everything hangs on. When we talk about the Gospel, we are saying the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that is the Good News to all Mankind- The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thomas said I doubt if Christ resurrected. In John 20:25, \u201cThe other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.\u201d If there is something to believe, one thing I will encourage you to believe is God and His word. It might not make sense to me, the Bible says it, and I believe it. 1 Corinthians 15:1-7, \u201c1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.\u201d Christ Jesus is alive, He is our risen Saviour!CONCLUSIONPilate said, \u201cWhat shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?\u201d Calvary Independent Baptist Church may ask the same question. I will tell you to Trust Him, Believe Him, accept Him as your Lord and personal Saviour, Obey Him, and never doubt Him.You will be the person He wants you to be.Amen!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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