WEBVTT 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:07.160 Good morning. Today's passage continues the story of Good Friday, leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. 00:00:07.820 --> 00:00:13.000 It comes from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 27, verses 1 to 26. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:15.839 Starting in verse 1, we read. 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:23.519 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 00:00:23.940 --> 00:00:29.519 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. 00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:44.880 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:49.539 They said, what is that to us? See to it yourself. 00:00:50.460 --> 00:00:57.200 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed and he went and hanged himself. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:06.460 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, it is not lawful to put them into the treasury since it is blood money. 00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:13.079 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 00:01:14.099 --> 00:01:17.980 Therefore, that field has been called the field of blood to this day. 00:01:17.980 --> 00:01:30.079 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, and they took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel. 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:34.580 And they gave them for the potter's field as the Lord directed me. 00:01:34.579 --> 00:01:42.060 Now Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, are you the king of the Jews? 00:01:42.939 --> 00:01:45.159 Jesus said, you have said so. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:50.019 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 00:01:50.019 --> 00:01:57.039 Then Pilate said to him, do you not hear how many things they testify against you? 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:04.439 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 00:02:05.259 --> 00:02:11.879 Now at the feast, the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 00:02:12.500 --> 00:02:16.340 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:26.800 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called the Christ? 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:32.120 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 00:02:33.240 --> 00:02:43.080 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. 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:50.740 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 00:02:51.180 --> 00:02:56.820 The governor again said to them, which of the two do you want me to release for you? 00:02:57.060 --> 00:02:58.520 And they said, Barabbas. 00:02:59.220 --> 00:03:03.900 Pilate said to them, then what shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Christ? 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:06.100 They all said, let him be crucified. 00:03:06.939 --> 00:03:08.580 And he said, why? 00:03:08.939 --> 00:03:10.220 What evil has he done? 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:13.400 But they shouted all the more, let him be crucified. 00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:27.079 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. 00:03:27.819 --> 00:03:28.879 See to it yourselves. 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:34.079 And all the people answered, his blood be on us and on our children. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:41.080 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. 00:03:41.820 --> 00:03:43.060 This is the word of God. 00:03:46.300 --> 00:03:47.040 Let's see. 00:03:47.220 --> 00:03:48.100 Okay, great. 00:03:48.200 --> 00:03:50.700 Thank you, Karen and Pui, for reading. 00:03:50.760 --> 00:03:54.500 Let's pray together as we come and look at this passage. 00:03:54.500 --> 00:04:01.099 Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, we come to your word this morning. 00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:06.759 As we build up towards Easter, we want to find out again. 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:10.800 We want to be freshly reminded of the wonder of the story of the cross. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:18.819 God, as we think about Easter this coming week, we want to know and see you, Jesus, on Calvary again. 00:04:18.939 --> 00:04:20.379 So, Lord, we pray as we look at this. 00:04:20.460 --> 00:04:22.900 Won't you open the eyes of our hearts, God? 00:04:22.939 --> 00:04:24.420 Won't you speak to us, Holy Spirit? 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:30.480 Won't you be in our midst and come and help us to see Jesus and to see what you've done for us? 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:33.319 We pray this in your great and gracious name. 00:04:33.939 --> 00:04:34.220 Amen. 00:04:34.220 --> 00:04:34.420 Amen. 00:04:35.980 --> 00:04:48.120 In 1908, 115 years ago, the London Times wrote to a number of prominent authors and moral philosophers of their day, 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:55.720 and they asked them to each contribute an article, to a series of articles, answering the question, 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:57.840 what's wrong with the world? 00:04:58.780 --> 00:05:00.480 What's wrong with the world? 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:04.400 It's an amazing question to think and ponder. 00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:07.220 What's wrong with our world? 00:05:08.340 --> 00:05:16.980 I'm sure that if we took some time to talk about that today, we could come with a whole plethora of answers to that question. 00:05:17.620 --> 00:05:27.200 Certainly, we could come up with answers such as corporate greed, morally bankrupt governments, myopic education systems. 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:35.300 Maybe these days, we think one of the main problems is the prevalence of fake news and misinformation that's spread on the internet, 00:05:35.579 --> 00:05:39.219 and AI might help that or might not help that. 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:47.399 Celebrity culture, the breakdown of the family unit, morals in society, all sorts of things that are wrong with our world. 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:54.659 And in some ways, trying to answer that question, what's wrong with our world, is like peering into a deep abyss. 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:59.379 It's just this endless answers that you could come up with to that question. 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:02.959 Sometimes it feels like, where's the floor? 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:03.799 Where's the foundation? 00:06:04.379 --> 00:06:06.159 Could you ever find the root cause? 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:14.040 Well, Jesus Christ and Christianity actually come up with a fundamental answer to that question. 00:06:14.660 --> 00:06:20.080 A question that's kind of an answer that's below all the other answers that we might be tempted to give. 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:30.140 Jesus comes up with an answer that he says spans across cultures and generations, ethnicities, language barriers. 00:06:30.139 --> 00:06:42.759 An answer to the question of what's wrong with the world, no matter whether you're in 21st century Hong Kong, 20th century London, or 2,000 years ago, 1st century Jerusalem. 00:06:43.899 --> 00:06:53.159 Christianity tells us that what's wrong with the world is not simply the government or the education system or big business or social media. 00:06:53.579 --> 00:06:59.439 It's actually the innate self-centeredness of the human heart. 00:07:00.139 --> 00:07:07.659 It's the fact that as human beings we are bent, fixated on living for our own world and our own agenda. 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:18.199 It's this self-orientation of our hearts that causes so much of our behavior, so much of our decisions, and causes so much pain and heartache in the world in which we live. 00:07:19.539 --> 00:07:28.459 And one of the obvious ways that this self-centeredness plays itself out is in the way that people jostle and climb over one another to get ahead of others in the world. 00:07:28.459 --> 00:07:44.419 I'm sure we've all seen this in our workplaces, in our colleagues, neighbors, taking the credit for work that they haven't done, throwing other people under the bus, trying to climb on top of one another to promote their careers in advance and get ahead of others. 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:47.399 We all see this, I'm sure, in multiple ways. 00:07:47.399 --> 00:08:03.500 But a far less obvious way that we see this kind of self-centeredness in the human heart is not just in the way that people claim praise for things gone well, but actually in the way that people dodge responsibility when things go wrong. 00:08:03.500 --> 00:08:12.680 How many of us have seen that in the marketplace, that when things go well, when a project progresses, everybody's clamoring for praise and to get the recognition? 00:08:13.180 --> 00:08:16.660 But when things go wrong, there are a myriad of excuses. 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:18.300 Blame shifting. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:24.319 People trying to find reasons why they're not responsible for what's gone wrong. 00:08:25.480 --> 00:08:26.639 Avoiding responsibility. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:38.720 We live in a world in which it's endemic to make excuses for mistakes, blame others for our actions, or see ourselves as victims of a system when things don't go right. 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:40.100 Anybody? 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:42.960 Does that sound familiar to anybody? 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:45.699 Okay, one or two nodded heads. 00:08:45.700 --> 00:08:52.300 In the passage that we're going to look at today, we see this exact thing play out. 00:08:52.400 --> 00:09:00.540 The passage that Karen and Priya read to us, there's a ton of activity, hustle and bustle and all sorts of things going on. 00:09:01.060 --> 00:09:09.440 And yet behind all the activity is negotiating, bargaining, ducking and diving, avoiding of responsibility. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:21.660 A whole bunch of people trying to work out a way to exonerate themselves, shift the blame, and find a reason why they're not responsible for the things that have gone wrong. 00:09:22.820 --> 00:09:29.180 We're in Matthew 27, and we're witnessing the final hours of Jesus' life before he's crucified on Calvary. 00:09:29.780 --> 00:09:34.760 And I hope you join us this Friday and this Sunday as we consider the Easter weekend. 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:42.620 But the scene just before this, Neil shared it last week, Jesus is arrested at night in the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:09:43.139 --> 00:09:46.980 He's held to this kind of sham trial, this mock trial throughout the night. 00:09:47.259 --> 00:09:53.779 And he's found guilty by the religious leaders, the chief priests, the Pharisees, the scribes. 00:09:54.139 --> 00:10:00.700 And they want to sentence him to death because Jesus is a sword in their side, a thorn in their flesh. 00:10:00.700 --> 00:10:06.280 But the problem is, the Roman law said that the Jews couldn't put anyone to death. 00:10:06.780 --> 00:10:09.379 Only Romans could put somebody to death. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:15.520 And so the Jews have found him guilty, but now they need the Roman governor to sentence him to death. 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:18.320 And so they make their way over to Pilate. 00:10:18.420 --> 00:10:21.460 And we pick it up in verse 1. Read with me verse 1. 00:10:21.460 --> 00:10:22.100 It says, 00:10:22.100 --> 00:10:43.200 Now, before we find out what happened with Jesus before Pilate, Matthew interrupts his report to give us another scene. 00:10:44.220 --> 00:10:49.660 Judas Iscariot has been hanging around the scenes, around the fringes of what's happening here. 00:10:49.659 --> 00:10:54.219 He's been watching the trial, and he sees what happens. 00:10:55.199 --> 00:11:02.100 And Judas, his decision to betray Jesus, his guilt weighs heavy on his heart. 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:02.879 Verse 3. 00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:08.620 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind. 00:11:09.219 --> 00:11:13.799 And he brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:18.100 I have sinned. I've betrayed innocent blood. 00:11:18.100 --> 00:11:23.360 So Judas realizes his mistake, and he wants to put things right. 00:11:23.899 --> 00:11:27.180 He says, oh, there was a bad mistake. Let me undo what I did. 00:11:27.940 --> 00:11:32.340 Kind of like, do you know Gmail is one of their greatest inventions, right? 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:33.860 Do you know that unsend button? 00:11:34.420 --> 00:11:35.680 How many of us have used that? 00:11:36.259 --> 00:11:38.940 You send an email and think, oh, no, no, no. 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:41.060 Unsend, right? Undo, undo. 00:11:41.920 --> 00:11:44.340 Judas wants to undo what he's done. 00:11:44.340 --> 00:11:47.899 But the problem is, the cat is out the bag, right? 00:11:48.780 --> 00:11:53.060 He wants to go back to the people that he's cut a deal with and reversed the deal, 00:11:53.340 --> 00:11:55.100 and they want nothing to do with it. 00:11:55.580 --> 00:11:58.040 And so they reject him. 00:11:58.620 --> 00:11:59.060 Verse 4. 00:11:59.180 --> 00:12:00.720 They say to him, what is that to us? 00:12:01.560 --> 00:12:02.600 See to it yourself. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:04.440 Too late, Judas. 00:12:04.560 --> 00:12:06.420 Don't involve us in your problems. 00:12:06.540 --> 00:12:08.580 Don't make your problems our problems. 00:12:09.460 --> 00:12:10.560 See to it yourself. 00:12:10.759 --> 00:12:12.740 Deal with it yourself. 00:12:12.740 --> 00:12:18.279 Friends, have you ever experienced remorse or regret? 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:23.460 Maybe you said something to somebody, and you wish you could take those words back, 00:12:23.620 --> 00:12:24.620 but it's out your mouth. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:30.259 Or you made a decision, and you realize it's the wrong decision. 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:32.580 Maybe you acted selfishly. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:36.519 You thought about yourself, or you went behind somebody's back, 00:12:36.580 --> 00:12:39.519 and for everything you have, you wish you could go back. 00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:42.440 Friends, how do you deal with your guilt? 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:44.940 Well, look at what Judas does here. 00:12:45.060 --> 00:12:45.680 Verse 5. 00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:48.779 Throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:50.740 Judas wouldn't have been allowed into the temple. 00:12:50.860 --> 00:12:51.600 He wasn't a priest. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:55.019 So he stands at the door, and he throws the money bag in, 00:12:55.580 --> 00:12:59.220 and he departs, and he goes, and he hangs himself. 00:13:00.700 --> 00:13:02.100 Such a sad story, right? 00:13:02.340 --> 00:13:03.940 Judas makes a terrible mistake. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:07.700 A mistake that, if we're honest, probably all of us could have made. 00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:10.660 I mean, none of us really are beyond Judas here. 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:14.600 And the problem is, he sees no way to put it right. 00:13:14.740 --> 00:13:18.160 He sees no mechanism to clear his guilt. 00:13:18.680 --> 00:13:23.740 No way to redeem himself and to go back on his foolish decisions, his mistake. 00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:25.680 No means for restoration. 00:13:25.860 --> 00:13:27.340 No hope for redemption. 00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:33.000 And so he puts himself at the mercy of those that he's cut this deal with, 00:13:33.180 --> 00:13:35.940 but he finds that they are devoid of any mercy. 00:13:37.060 --> 00:13:39.120 And so he, what is he to do? 00:13:39.660 --> 00:13:41.820 They say to him, what is your problem to us? 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:43.560 Go, sort out your own problems. 00:13:44.100 --> 00:13:44.980 Fix it yourself. 00:13:44.980 --> 00:13:50.940 And the tragic irony is that the whole point of the priesthood 00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:57.340 is that they are there to mediate on behalf of broken, sinful people for God. 00:13:57.800 --> 00:13:59.879 They are to stand before God and the people 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:02.840 and to offer sacrifices for sinners 00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:06.259 to help them atone for their guilt and their shame. 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:09.180 I wonder if Judas that night thought, 00:14:09.420 --> 00:14:11.139 I've made a tragic mistake. 00:14:11.460 --> 00:14:12.720 I've done something wrong. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:14.820 But thank God Almighty, 00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:18.220 at least the people that I've been dealing with are the priests. 00:14:18.560 --> 00:14:20.019 They know something about guilt. 00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:22.600 They will offer a sacrifice to me. 00:14:22.680 --> 00:14:24.620 They will help me atone for my guilt. 00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:29.920 And yet the priests are too busy thinking about their own agenda 00:14:29.920 --> 00:14:33.340 to care about Judas and his guilt. 00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:34.899 What is that to us? 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.960 Go deal with your own problems. 00:14:37.680 --> 00:14:39.720 Don't make your problems our problems. 00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:42.480 Friends, what about you? 00:14:43.180 --> 00:14:45.000 How do you deal with your guilt and your shame? 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.040 Where do you go to to find solace, 00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:48.920 to find comfort, 00:14:49.700 --> 00:14:50.860 to find mercy? 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:54.320 Well, the religious leaders, 00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:56.360 they have a problem on their hands 00:14:56.360 --> 00:14:58.920 because they know it's morally problematic 00:14:58.920 --> 00:15:00.779 to receive this money 00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:05.220 that they instituted to sell somebody down the river 00:15:05.220 --> 00:15:07.019 to kill innocent blood 00:15:07.019 --> 00:15:09.939 to now receive that money back into the treasury 00:15:09.939 --> 00:15:11.799 and to use it for worship, right? 00:15:12.319 --> 00:15:14.399 And that just doesn't work. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:16.659 And so they've got a problem on their hands. 00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:19.139 And so they come up with a plan. 00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:21.340 And the plan that they come up with 00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:24.559 is to buy a field on the outskirts of Jerusalem 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:27.899 that they can use as a burial ground 00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:32.079 for foreigners and Jews that don't live in Jerusalem. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.300 And it sounds like a great idea 00:15:35.300 --> 00:15:38.000 because foreigners and Jews from other lands 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:40.040 like Samaritans, maybe half Jews, 00:15:40.400 --> 00:15:42.620 they weren't allowed to be buried 00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:44.780 with the other faithful Jews in Jerusalem. 00:15:45.480 --> 00:15:47.420 And so they kind of like are marginalized, 00:15:47.680 --> 00:15:48.540 they're outskirts. 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:50.680 And so they come up with this plan 00:15:50.680 --> 00:15:53.759 that seems like a very good social justice plan. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:57.980 We will take care of those poor foreigners 00:15:57.980 --> 00:15:59.720 that cannot take care of themselves. 00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:02.120 And so they come up with this plan. 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:04.399 And you can imagine the PR campaign. 00:16:04.980 --> 00:16:06.980 Special love offering, right? 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:09.200 Join us in this love offering 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:10.960 as we take care of those 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.439 who cannot take care of themselves. 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:15.080 Some poor foreigners have died in our midst. 00:16:15.179 --> 00:16:16.600 They've got no one to look after them. 00:16:16.939 --> 00:16:18.220 We will take care of them. 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:19.939 And a special donor, 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:21.319 a very generous donor, 00:16:21.320 --> 00:16:24.040 has already donated the first 30 coins 00:16:24.040 --> 00:16:25.500 to this offering. 00:16:25.680 --> 00:16:28.720 Won't you join us as we buy this piece of land? 00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:31.340 Except what's really going on here? 00:16:32.660 --> 00:16:34.560 They're covering up their guilt, aren't they? 00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:37.700 In one of the first records of money laundering, 00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:41.360 these Jewish leaders are coming up with a plan 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:45.300 to whitewash this blood money that they have used. 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:49.820 And so they are laundering their complicity to murder 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:52.460 and washing their names white as snow. 00:16:53.860 --> 00:16:55.580 Friends, maybe we haven't engaged 00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:57.060 in any money laundering activities. 00:16:57.260 --> 00:16:58.100 I hope not. 00:16:58.780 --> 00:17:01.040 But how many of us are proficient 00:17:01.040 --> 00:17:02.680 at laundering our reputations, 00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:04.799 laundering our names, 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:07.299 in order to save face, 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:09.279 to save our reputations, 00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:11.120 to save our names? 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:14.439 And as Matthew reminds us here, 00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:16.539 that as he quotes Zechariah, 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:20.219 this is not beyond the Lord's hand. 00:17:20.719 --> 00:17:22.000 The Lord knows about it. 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:24.039 He quotes Zechariah to say, 00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:26.079 the Lord knew about this from antiquity. 00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:27.559 Now you may wonder, 00:17:27.659 --> 00:17:29.579 if God spoke about this through the prophets, 00:17:29.699 --> 00:17:31.059 does that mean that, you know, 00:17:31.139 --> 00:17:33.919 Judas is just a pawn in the hands of the sovereign God? 00:17:34.239 --> 00:17:35.659 There's nothing he could do about it. 00:17:35.739 --> 00:17:37.059 We can't hold Judas guilty? 00:17:37.899 --> 00:17:38.679 Well, actually, no. 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:42.420 The Bible says that while God is sovereign over all things, 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:44.960 clearly it's Judas' own duplicity. 00:17:45.120 --> 00:17:47.200 It's Judas' own wicked heart 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:48.720 that leads him to do this. 00:17:48.820 --> 00:17:50.940 God foreknows the wicked decisions 00:17:50.940 --> 00:17:53.100 that Judas is going to make. 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:57.019 And what about Jesus before Pilate? 00:17:57.660 --> 00:17:58.840 Well, for a second time, 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:00.000 in a matter of a few hours, 00:18:00.320 --> 00:18:02.019 Jesus stands on trial, 00:18:02.539 --> 00:18:04.240 and he remains silent. 00:18:04.320 --> 00:18:05.860 Look at verse 11 with me. 00:18:06.460 --> 00:18:06.640 It says, 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.060 Jesus stood before the governor, 00:18:08.059 --> 00:18:09.279 and the governor asks him, 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.960 are you the king of the Jews? 00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:12.960 Jesus answers him, 00:18:13.159 --> 00:18:14.259 you have said so, 00:18:14.339 --> 00:18:15.179 which is a way of saying, 00:18:15.379 --> 00:18:16.220 as you said so, 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.159 as is. 00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:21.039 But when he is accused 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:22.399 by the chief priests and the elders, 00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:23.599 he gave no answer. 00:18:24.339 --> 00:18:25.200 Pilate said to him, 00:18:25.379 --> 00:18:26.799 do you not hear how many things 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:28.240 they testify against you? 00:18:28.700 --> 00:18:30.279 But he gave no answer, 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:33.240 not even to a single charge. 00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:36.480 So what's Pilate to do here? 00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:40.759 Pilate knows that the charges against Jesus 00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:42.240 are trumped up charges. 00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:43.120 Verse 18, 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:44.819 he knew that it was out of envy 00:18:44.819 --> 00:18:46.019 that they had delivered him. 00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:49.000 Pilate knows that these are fake charges. 00:18:49.120 --> 00:18:50.440 He knows Jesus is innocent. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:52.400 Look at what he says later on. 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:53.099 He says, 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:54.880 what evil has he done? 00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:57.019 Why should I condemn him? 00:18:57.019 --> 00:19:03.220 Pilate's got a problem here 00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:06.000 because he knows that Jesus is an innocent man. 00:19:06.420 --> 00:19:08.379 His wife even comes and warns him. 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:10.000 She's had a dream that night 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:10.980 in Matthew's gospel. 00:19:11.460 --> 00:19:12.420 Dreams are always the way 00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:13.740 that God speaks to people. 00:19:14.359 --> 00:19:15.200 She's had a dream 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.599 and she warns him. 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:19.000 Pilate knows exactly what's going on here. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.379 But there's a problem 00:19:20.379 --> 00:19:23.339 because Pilate's own career is at stake. 00:19:23.779 --> 00:19:25.139 In fact, we know that 00:19:25.140 --> 00:19:27.940 Pilate had made many bad decisions 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:30.600 in the previous 10 years of his reign 00:19:30.600 --> 00:19:33.240 and he was on very thin ice with Rome. 00:19:33.820 --> 00:19:35.140 Whenever he made a mistake, 00:19:35.280 --> 00:19:36.880 the Jews would complain to Rome 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.000 and he's already been chastised 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:40.660 by Caesar a couple of times. 00:19:41.320 --> 00:19:43.640 And so Pilate's career 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:45.660 is on pretty thin ice at the moment 00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:48.280 and he knows if he upsets the Jews 00:19:48.280 --> 00:19:49.980 who want Jesus crucified, 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:52.340 they're going to complain to Caesar again 00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:54.080 and now he definitely will be 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:56.220 a terminated cutoff. 00:19:56.980 --> 00:19:58.419 And so Pilate's got a problem. 00:19:59.339 --> 00:20:00.259 What should he do? 00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:01.419 Should he do what's right 00:20:01.419 --> 00:20:03.000 or should he advance his own career? 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:05.819 Pilate knows that either his career 00:20:05.819 --> 00:20:07.699 or Jesus must be sacrificed, 00:20:07.939 --> 00:20:10.659 but they can't both survive this incident. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.919 You remember in John's gospel, 00:20:14.619 --> 00:20:16.379 the crowds shout out, 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:18.599 if you let this man go, 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:20.259 you are no friend of Caesar. 00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:23.299 And Pilate suddenly gets very worried, right? 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:27.059 Now we read in verse 15, 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:29.720 there's a custom that the governor 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:31.379 around the time of the Passover 00:20:31.379 --> 00:20:34.400 would release one prisoner. 00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:36.940 Roman law allowed him to do this. 00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:40.140 And so Pilate offers the crowd this choice. 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:43.539 Jesus or Barabbas. 00:20:44.140 --> 00:20:46.220 Now Barabbas was a terrorist, 00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:48.400 an insurrectionist, a murderer. 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:50.200 He was part of a group of people 00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:51.280 that were trying to overthrow 00:20:51.280 --> 00:20:52.460 the Roman government, 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:54.500 which is pretty ironic, right? 00:20:54.540 --> 00:20:56.160 Because if he releases Barabbas, 00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:57.860 he certainly is no friend of Caesar, 00:20:58.660 --> 00:21:02.380 but yet that's not going to please the crowds. 00:21:03.360 --> 00:21:04.720 And so he's got this choice. 00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:05.820 And so he says to the crowds, 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.000 who do you want me to release? 00:21:07.540 --> 00:21:08.519 Barabbas, the murderer, 00:21:09.040 --> 00:21:09.920 the terrorist, 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:12.420 or Jesus, the innocent one? 00:21:13.140 --> 00:21:14.640 And of course the crowds, 00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:16.080 they want Barabbas. 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:18.339 Not only do the Pharisees want Jesus dead, 00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:20.439 the crowds like Barabbas 00:21:20.439 --> 00:21:21.319 because he's one of them. 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:23.419 He's trying to overthrow the Romans. 00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:28.859 And so Pilate gives in to their request. 00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:32.139 And yet what's so intriguing about this event 00:21:32.139 --> 00:21:34.199 is not just Pilate's decision 00:21:34.199 --> 00:21:36.419 to annihilate Jesus 00:21:36.419 --> 00:21:38.720 in order to please the crowds. 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:41.419 I mean, we know that the crucifixion 00:21:41.420 --> 00:21:44.360 is one of the most excruciating means 00:21:44.360 --> 00:21:45.279 of human torture 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:46.860 in the history of the world. 00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:49.500 And Pilate gladly allows Jesus 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:50.200 to go through that 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:51.380 for the sake of his own career. 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:53.500 But what's so intriguing about this 00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:54.740 is not just the decision, 00:21:55.340 --> 00:21:57.620 but how Pilate justifies himself. 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.300 Look at verse 24 with me. 00:22:00.120 --> 00:22:00.740 Verse 24. 00:22:00.740 --> 00:22:03.259 When Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, 00:22:03.620 --> 00:22:05.560 but rather that a riot was beginning, 00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:07.539 he takes a bowl of water, 00:22:08.019 --> 00:22:10.140 washes his hands before the crowds, 00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:11.060 and says, 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:14.300 I am innocent of this man's blood. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:17.000 See to it yourselves. 00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:21.600 Friends, where have we seen that line before? 00:22:23.300 --> 00:22:24.360 Verse 4, right? 00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:24.740 Remember? 00:22:25.340 --> 00:22:25.840 Verse 4. 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:27.920 Judas brought back the 30 piece of silver, 00:22:28.060 --> 00:22:29.080 the chief priests and elders, 00:22:29.080 --> 00:22:29.400 saying, 00:22:29.820 --> 00:22:32.000 I've sinned by betraying an innocent man. 00:22:32.360 --> 00:22:33.020 And they say, 00:22:33.280 --> 00:22:34.400 what is that to us? 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:36.560 See to it yourselves. 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:39.140 Here's Pilate. 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:40.560 Pilate is as guilty as anything. 00:22:41.660 --> 00:22:42.759 And yet, what does he say? 00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:44.560 I'm innocent of this man's blood. 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:47.200 See to it yourselves. 00:22:48.540 --> 00:22:50.220 How very convenient, Pilate. 00:22:51.060 --> 00:22:54.340 Blaming the crowds to ease your guilty conscience 00:22:54.340 --> 00:22:57.460 and to excuse yourself of any wrongdoing, 00:22:57.580 --> 00:22:59.220 and yet that doesn't absolve you 00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:02.100 of your selfishness and the evil in your heart. 00:23:02.099 --> 00:23:05.939 Friends, you see what's going on here in this passage? 00:23:06.659 --> 00:23:07.679 Here in this passage, 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:09.240 all around Jesus, 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:12.359 we have a myriad of people who are at fault. 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:16.439 We have Judas who betrayed Jesus for some money, 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:17.879 handed him over, 00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:18.659 denied him, 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:19.500 handed him over, 00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:21.179 sold him to the religious leaders 00:23:21.179 --> 00:23:22.399 in order to have him killed. 00:23:22.959 --> 00:23:24.379 We have the religious leaders 00:23:24.379 --> 00:23:25.939 who are meant to absolve guilt 00:23:25.939 --> 00:23:26.959 and offer sacrifices. 00:23:27.139 --> 00:23:28.359 They want nothing to do with it. 00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:29.859 Their plan is in motion. 00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:31.019 They want Jesus killed, 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:33.199 and they're going to do nothing about it. 00:23:33.639 --> 00:23:35.359 And they whitewash their decision. 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:37.279 They launder not only the money, 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:38.559 but their own reputations. 00:23:39.179 --> 00:23:40.959 We have Pilate who's only interested 00:23:40.959 --> 00:23:42.219 in advancing his career. 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:44.839 Even though he knows Jesus is innocent, 00:23:45.159 --> 00:23:47.500 he's willing to have him crucified and killed 00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:48.699 to protect himself. 00:23:49.399 --> 00:23:51.259 We have the crowds who say, 00:23:51.459 --> 00:23:53.299 let his blood fall on our heads. 00:23:53.719 --> 00:23:55.500 We have a whole myriad of people 00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:57.179 who are at fault and guilty, 00:23:57.180 --> 00:24:01.500 and yet they are all trying to justify themselves, 00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:03.279 exonerate themselves, 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:04.560 shift the blame, 00:24:04.700 --> 00:24:06.160 pass it on to somebody else, 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:07.880 excuse themselves. 00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:10.700 Judas is probably the best of the lot 00:24:10.700 --> 00:24:12.620 because he at least admits his guilt, 00:24:13.100 --> 00:24:14.320 and yet how does he do it? 00:24:14.340 --> 00:24:15.799 He's trying to undo the past 00:24:15.799 --> 00:24:16.600 and reverse things 00:24:16.600 --> 00:24:18.000 and put things back how they were. 00:24:18.940 --> 00:24:21.480 And he goes to try and sort out the plan 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.340 and fix things, 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:23.039 but he can't. 00:24:23.100 --> 00:24:23.700 It's too late. 00:24:24.420 --> 00:24:25.620 We have the religious leaders. 00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:27.079 Their consciences are hard. 00:24:27.539 --> 00:24:29.619 They're concerned about what people might think of them 00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:30.799 and their own reputations. 00:24:30.939 --> 00:24:33.359 They want nothing to do with Judas and his guilt. 00:24:34.639 --> 00:24:35.739 We have Pontius Pilate, 00:24:35.859 --> 00:24:36.959 the weakest of the lot. 00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:39.279 He knows Jesus is innocent, 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:40.679 and yet he declares, 00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:41.659 my hands are tied. 00:24:42.159 --> 00:24:43.239 There's nothing I can do. 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:45.179 I'm at the mercy of the crowds. 00:24:45.919 --> 00:24:47.099 I'm so sorry, Jesus. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:48.919 The crowds made me do it. 00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:52.239 You know, when I was in South Africa, 00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:54.539 we, sorry, just brief tangent. 00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:57.619 When I was growing up, 00:24:57.659 --> 00:24:58.779 there was a famous cricketer, 00:24:58.920 --> 00:24:59.599 Hansi Kronier, 00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:01.879 the captain of the South African team, 00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:04.159 and he took a whole lot of bribery money, 00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:05.359 millions of dollars, 00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:06.700 to throw cricket matches. 00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:08.839 And when eventually they found him, 00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:10.139 his famous line, 00:25:10.659 --> 00:25:11.980 the devil made me do it. 00:25:12.639 --> 00:25:13.639 The devil made me do it. 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:15.359 That's what Pilate's saying, right? 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:16.839 The crowds made me do it. 00:25:17.220 --> 00:25:18.099 I'm so sorry. 00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:19.619 I wish I could set you free. 00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:21.920 But my hands are tied, Jesus. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:24.100 The crowds made me do it. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:28.360 Friends, on the 14th of March, 2008, 00:25:29.060 --> 00:25:30.759 Martine Vic Magnussen, 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:31.920 a Swedish student, 00:25:32.080 --> 00:25:33.980 was studying in London 00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:36.779 at a university there, 00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:39.779 and she was brutally murdered. 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:41.320 She was found dead, 00:25:41.580 --> 00:25:42.180 half-naked, 00:25:42.300 --> 00:25:43.460 under a pile of rubble 00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.800 in the basement 00:25:44.800 --> 00:25:46.580 of an apartment block 00:25:46.580 --> 00:25:47.600 in central London. 00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:49.200 The night before, 00:25:49.300 --> 00:25:50.160 she'd been out partying 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:50.980 with a bunch of friends 00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:51.640 from university, 00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:53.660 and she was last seen 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:54.660 leaving the club 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:57.160 with a university friend of hers 00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:58.779 called Farouk Abdullah. 00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:00.820 And they went back 00:26:00.820 --> 00:26:02.060 to Farouk's apartment. 00:26:03.340 --> 00:26:05.220 Farouk was a Yemeni student, 00:26:05.360 --> 00:26:06.920 the son of a wealthy billionaire, 00:26:07.580 --> 00:26:08.779 who his dad owned 00:26:08.779 --> 00:26:09.740 the apartment block. 00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:12.100 And that morning, 00:26:12.340 --> 00:26:13.240 or a few days later, 00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:13.500 sorry, 00:26:13.580 --> 00:26:14.640 she was found dead 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:15.720 in the apartment block 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:16.500 of this building. 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:18.059 And as they searched 00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:19.640 for Farouk, 00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:20.740 he was found 00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:21.819 to have fled London 00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:22.940 on the first flight 00:26:22.940 --> 00:26:23.519 out of London 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:24.140 that he could 00:26:24.140 --> 00:26:25.420 to Cairo 00:26:25.420 --> 00:26:26.619 on the morning 00:26:26.619 --> 00:26:27.420 that she was killed. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:29.180 So she is killed, 00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.960 and he suddenly disappears 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:31.720 out of England 00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.720 to Cairo, 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.359 and then catches 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:34.039 the next plane 00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:34.799 to Yemen. 00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:36.700 And for 15 years, 00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.640 he's been living in Yemen, 00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.920 avoiding extradition, 00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.420 never coming back 00:26:40.420 --> 00:26:40.900 to London 00:26:40.900 --> 00:26:41.980 to face the charges. 00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:44.460 Well, a few years ago, 00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:45.420 a BBC journalist 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:46.360 tracked him down 00:26:46.360 --> 00:26:46.839 in Yemen 00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:48.059 and started 00:26:48.059 --> 00:26:48.860 a correspondence 00:26:48.860 --> 00:26:49.420 with him. 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.140 And amazingly, 00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:53.140 he somewhat admitted 00:26:53.140 --> 00:26:54.059 his involvement 00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:55.240 in her death. 00:26:57.500 --> 00:26:58.160 And yet, 00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:58.880 what struck me 00:26:58.880 --> 00:26:59.720 as I read the article 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:00.400 was the way 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:01.279 that he described 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:01.920 what happened. 00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:02.640 Listen to some 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:03.380 of these sentences. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:06.740 He says to this journalist, 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:07.799 I did something 00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:08.700 when I was younger 00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:10.299 that was a terrible mistake. 00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:11.839 The journalist 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:13.159 asks him to elaborate 00:27:13.159 --> 00:27:14.119 on a message 00:27:14.119 --> 00:27:14.740 he had sent 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:16.079 speaking about his regret, 00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:16.659 and he says, 00:27:17.159 --> 00:27:18.159 I deeply regret 00:27:18.159 --> 00:27:19.700 the unfortunate accident 00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:20.819 that happened 00:27:20.819 --> 00:27:21.659 in my apartment. 00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:23.559 And the journalist 00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:24.559 concludes the article 00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:25.139 saying this, 00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:26.379 During the thousands 00:27:26.379 --> 00:27:27.480 of text messages 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:28.180 and hundreds 00:27:28.180 --> 00:27:28.919 of voice notes 00:27:28.919 --> 00:27:29.779 that he sent to me 00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:30.700 over five months, 00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:32.319 not once did he use 00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:33.220 Martine's name 00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:34.919 or refer to her death, 00:27:35.379 --> 00:27:36.539 preferring the terms 00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:38.659 incident or accident. 00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:41.659 Friends, 00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:42.039 in answer 00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:43.039 to the London Times 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:43.639 question, 00:27:43.899 --> 00:27:44.700 what's wrong 00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:45.480 with the world? 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:46.559 We could answer 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.680 that a myriad of ways, 00:27:47.799 --> 00:27:49.099 but one of the answers 00:27:49.099 --> 00:27:51.399 surely is the endemic 00:27:51.399 --> 00:27:52.859 propensity human beings 00:27:52.859 --> 00:27:54.099 have to avoid 00:27:54.099 --> 00:27:54.960 responsibility 00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:57.240 and to shift the blame 00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:58.139 and to minimize 00:27:58.139 --> 00:27:59.139 our faults. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:01.139 When a young lady 00:28:01.139 --> 00:28:01.980 that is raped 00:28:01.980 --> 00:28:02.680 and murdered 00:28:02.680 --> 00:28:03.619 and abused, 00:28:03.960 --> 00:28:04.799 when that incident 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.799 is referred to 00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:07.759 as a unfortunate accident 00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:08.799 and mistake 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:10.240 a terrible incident, 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.839 there's something wrong 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:12.960 with human nature. 00:28:13.940 --> 00:28:15.019 And we have a problem 00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:16.420 and a propensity 00:28:16.420 --> 00:28:18.339 to downplay our mistakes 00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:20.480 and to shift the blame 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:22.220 onto somebody else. 00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:23.900 And this passage 00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:24.839 is full of people 00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:25.779 that are hustling 00:28:25.779 --> 00:28:27.339 to justify themselves, 00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:29.099 to excuse themselves, 00:28:29.299 --> 00:28:30.819 to save themselves, 00:28:31.140 --> 00:28:32.720 to redeem themselves. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:33.900 And in the midst 00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:34.759 of all the hustle 00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.339 and the bustle 00:28:35.339 --> 00:28:35.960 and the activity, 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:37.160 where is Jesus? 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:39.940 He stands alone, 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:42.519 almost silent, 00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:44.740 oblivious, 00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:48.599 or almost unnoticed 00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:49.339 in the scene 00:28:49.339 --> 00:28:49.980 and the hustle 00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:50.779 and the bustle. 00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:52.440 Jesus Christ, 00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:54.000 the only innocent man 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:55.319 in this whole story, 00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.420 the only one 00:28:56.420 --> 00:28:57.259 who legitimately 00:28:57.259 --> 00:28:58.480 could save himself, 00:28:58.879 --> 00:28:59.480 who legitimately 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.480 could get himself 00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:01.119 off the hook, 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:03.879 stands silent. 00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:05.619 Verse 11, 00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:07.319 the governor asked him, 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:07.779 are you the king 00:29:07.779 --> 00:29:08.259 of the Jews? 00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:08.700 He says, 00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.519 it's as you said. 00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:10.799 But when accused 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:11.700 by the chief priests 00:29:11.700 --> 00:29:12.139 and the elders, 00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:14.059 he gave no answer. 00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:15.839 And Pilate said to him, 00:29:15.899 --> 00:29:16.559 do you not hear 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:17.179 all the things 00:29:17.179 --> 00:29:18.259 they say against you? 00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:19.539 But he gave them 00:29:19.539 --> 00:29:20.200 no answer, 00:29:20.579 --> 00:29:22.319 not even to a single charge. 00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:24.000 Friends, 00:29:24.059 --> 00:29:24.439 you know why 00:29:24.439 --> 00:29:25.480 Jesus stands silent? 00:29:26.919 --> 00:29:27.720 Why is it that 00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:28.779 Jesus doesn't say anything? 00:29:28.939 --> 00:29:29.139 I mean, 00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:30.639 remember Matthew 26, 00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:31.579 he's arrested 00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:32.240 in Gethsemane, 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:33.279 Peter brings out 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:34.659 a sword to save him 00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:35.660 and Jesus says, 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.620 put away your sword. 00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.440 Do you not know 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:38.220 that I could ask 00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:39.140 my father in heaven 00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:41.140 to send 10,000 legions 00:29:41.140 --> 00:29:41.620 of angels 00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:42.400 to rescue me? 00:29:43.220 --> 00:29:43.880 Jesus could have 00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:44.580 saved himself. 00:29:45.300 --> 00:29:45.900 Jesus could have 00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:46.640 given an answer. 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:48.420 Why does he stay silent? 00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:52.600 You remember Isaiah 53, 00:29:53.120 --> 00:29:54.580 speaking of this incident, 00:29:55.580 --> 00:29:56.360 he was oppressed, 00:29:56.519 --> 00:29:57.440 he was afflicted, 00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.519 yet he opened 00:29:58.519 --> 00:29:59.420 not his mouth 00:29:59.420 --> 00:30:00.720 like a lamb 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:01.220 that is led 00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:01.920 to the slaughter, 00:30:02.100 --> 00:30:02.620 like sheep 00:30:02.620 --> 00:30:03.560 before its shearers 00:30:03.559 --> 00:30:04.119 silent, 00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.639 so he opened 00:30:05.639 --> 00:30:06.759 not his mouth. 00:30:07.879 --> 00:30:08.279 Friends, 00:30:08.419 --> 00:30:09.559 Jesus stays silent 00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:10.839 because he's moving 00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:12.279 the drama along, 00:30:12.980 --> 00:30:14.299 because he knows 00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:15.460 that the plan 00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.879 that he and his father 00:30:16.879 --> 00:30:17.619 and the Holy Spirit 00:30:17.619 --> 00:30:18.519 had put in place 00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:19.659 before the creation 00:30:19.659 --> 00:30:20.319 of the world 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:21.899 depended upon him 00:30:21.899 --> 00:30:22.899 going to the cross. 00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.599 That Jesus Christ, 00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:25.460 the son of God, 00:30:25.559 --> 00:30:26.859 the only innocent one, 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:28.379 would go to the cross 00:30:28.379 --> 00:30:29.460 and die for the sins 00:30:29.460 --> 00:30:30.019 of the world 00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:31.500 so that the guilty, 00:30:31.919 --> 00:30:32.599 like Judas, 00:30:32.859 --> 00:30:33.519 like Pilate, 00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:34.559 like the religious leaders, 00:30:34.659 --> 00:30:35.500 like you and I, 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.359 can be set free. 00:30:38.599 --> 00:30:40.059 And so Jesus stays silent 00:30:40.059 --> 00:30:41.519 so that he will go 00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:42.299 to the cross. 00:30:43.619 --> 00:30:43.919 Friends, 00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:44.960 you see what's happening here? 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:47.339 There's this marvelous exchange 00:30:47.339 --> 00:30:48.720 that is taking place. 00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:49.659 Jesus, 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:50.220 the innocent, 00:30:50.359 --> 00:30:50.919 is condemned 00:30:50.919 --> 00:30:51.579 and dies 00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:52.480 so that we, 00:30:52.599 --> 00:30:53.039 the guilty, 00:30:53.179 --> 00:30:53.919 get pardoned 00:30:53.919 --> 00:30:55.480 and receive resurrection life. 00:30:57.220 --> 00:30:58.980 John Stott wrote about this 00:30:58.980 --> 00:31:00.039 in his book, 00:31:00.179 --> 00:31:01.000 The Cross of Christ. 00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:02.119 I want to read this to you. 00:31:02.119 --> 00:31:03.379 He says, 00:31:03.379 --> 00:31:04.659 the essence of sin 00:31:04.659 --> 00:31:07.279 is man substituting himself 00:31:07.279 --> 00:31:08.119 for God, 00:31:08.639 --> 00:31:10.139 while the essence of salvation 00:31:10.139 --> 00:31:11.759 is God substituting himself 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:12.479 for man. 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:14.679 Man asserts himself 00:31:14.679 --> 00:31:15.699 against God 00:31:15.699 --> 00:31:16.479 and puts himself 00:31:16.479 --> 00:31:18.099 where only God deserves to be, 00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:20.399 while God sacrifices himself 00:31:20.399 --> 00:31:21.239 and puts himself 00:31:21.239 --> 00:31:23.000 where only man deserves to be. 00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:25.359 Man claims prerogatives 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.859 that belong to God alone. 00:31:27.439 --> 00:31:28.919 God claims penalties 00:31:28.919 --> 00:31:30.899 that belong to man alone. 00:31:30.900 --> 00:31:33.000 Christ was condemned 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:34.040 for our sins 00:31:34.040 --> 00:31:36.360 in which he had no share 00:31:36.360 --> 00:31:38.300 that we might be justified 00:31:38.300 --> 00:31:39.940 by his righteousness 00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:42.580 in which we have no share. 00:31:44.140 --> 00:31:44.740 Friends, 00:31:44.860 --> 00:31:46.060 the great exchange, 00:31:46.780 --> 00:31:48.480 Jesus died in our place. 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.620 And nowhere do we see this 00:31:50.620 --> 00:31:51.259 more clearly 00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:52.780 than in the episode 00:31:52.780 --> 00:31:53.960 with Barabbas. 00:31:54.940 --> 00:31:55.840 Do you know what the name 00:31:55.840 --> 00:31:56.920 Barabbas means? 00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.000 Barabbas, 00:31:57.600 --> 00:31:59.279 it means son of the father. 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:00.920 Bar Abba, 00:32:01.360 --> 00:32:02.400 son of the father. 00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:04.300 Well, in the story, 00:32:04.440 --> 00:32:06.320 we have two sons of the father, 00:32:06.560 --> 00:32:07.120 Barabbas 00:32:07.120 --> 00:32:08.140 and Jesus, 00:32:08.320 --> 00:32:09.400 the son of God. 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:13.039 And historians tell us, 00:32:13.080 --> 00:32:14.460 although it's difficult to prove, 00:32:15.080 --> 00:32:16.060 the church father, 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:17.380 Origen of Alexandria, 00:32:17.840 --> 00:32:19.000 he writes about this 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:20.500 and there's some ancient manuscripts 00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:21.680 that attest to it, 00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:22.700 but it's difficult to prove 00:32:22.700 --> 00:32:25.120 that Barabbas' first name 00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:26.180 was actually Jesus. 00:32:27.259 --> 00:32:28.180 Nobody would have had 00:32:28.180 --> 00:32:29.019 the name Barabbas. 00:32:29.180 --> 00:32:29.960 It was a nickname, 00:32:30.460 --> 00:32:31.580 like James and John 00:32:31.580 --> 00:32:32.740 are called sons of thunder, 00:32:32.940 --> 00:32:33.160 right? 00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:33.799 Barabbas, 00:32:33.880 --> 00:32:34.720 the son of the father 00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:35.600 was his nickname, 00:32:36.100 --> 00:32:37.240 but he had a first name. 00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:38.620 An ancient manuscript 00:32:38.620 --> 00:32:40.120 suggests his name was Jesus. 00:32:40.340 --> 00:32:41.620 Jesus was a very common name 00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:42.299 in first century, 00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:42.740 Yeshua. 00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:43.660 There were lots of people 00:32:43.660 --> 00:32:44.319 called Jesus 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.840 and yet the scribes 00:32:45.840 --> 00:32:46.500 didn't want to write 00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:48.500 his name was Jesus Barabbas 00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:48.880 because that, 00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:49.319 you know, 00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:50.799 that wouldn't have looked good 00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:51.660 out of reverence 00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:52.620 for Jesus Christ. 00:32:53.480 --> 00:32:54.240 But either way, 00:32:54.340 --> 00:32:54.940 whether his name 00:32:54.940 --> 00:32:55.840 was Jesus or not, 00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:57.039 what we meant to see here, 00:32:57.580 --> 00:32:59.920 Jesus takes Barabbas' place. 00:33:00.819 --> 00:33:01.319 Barabbas, 00:33:01.440 --> 00:33:01.920 the murderer, 00:33:02.279 --> 00:33:03.140 the terrorist, 00:33:03.559 --> 00:33:04.580 the insurrectionist, 00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:06.019 walks out free, 00:33:06.840 --> 00:33:08.059 guilty though he is 00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:08.920 because Jesus, 00:33:09.080 --> 00:33:09.559 the innocent, 00:33:10.039 --> 00:33:11.400 is condemned in his place. 00:33:12.779 --> 00:33:13.080 Friends, 00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:13.759 scholars tell us 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:14.580 that it would have taken 00:33:14.580 --> 00:33:16.279 a while to prepare 00:33:16.279 --> 00:33:17.460 the cross upon which 00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:18.819 criminals are crucified 00:33:18.819 --> 00:33:20.880 and yet Jesus is condemned 00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:22.460 and dies a few hours later. 00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:24.120 Whose cross 00:33:24.120 --> 00:33:25.299 does Jesus go to? 00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:27.259 There were three crosses 00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:27.840 that were already 00:33:27.840 --> 00:33:28.720 prepared that day. 00:33:29.740 --> 00:33:30.840 Jesus dies 00:33:30.840 --> 00:33:32.500 on Barabbas' cross, 00:33:32.940 --> 00:33:33.759 the cross that was 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:34.680 prepared for him 00:33:34.680 --> 00:33:37.140 and Barabbas goes free. 00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:39.039 Verse 26, 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:40.620 then he released 00:33:40.620 --> 00:33:41.460 for them Barabbas 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:43.140 and having scourged Jesus, 00:33:43.860 --> 00:33:44.440 delivered him 00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:45.240 to be crucified. 00:33:46.600 --> 00:33:46.900 Friends, 00:33:46.900 --> 00:33:47.759 we sang it earlier, 00:33:48.280 --> 00:33:49.220 because the sinless 00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:50.019 Savior died, 00:33:50.580 --> 00:33:51.500 my sinful soul 00:33:51.500 --> 00:33:52.400 is counted free. 00:33:53.019 --> 00:33:54.240 For God the just 00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:55.600 is satisfied 00:33:55.600 --> 00:33:57.280 to look on him 00:33:57.280 --> 00:33:59.540 and pardon me. 00:34:00.540 --> 00:34:00.980 Friends, 00:34:01.080 --> 00:34:01.960 this is the gospel. 00:34:02.840 --> 00:34:03.880 This is Christianity. 00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:05.900 This is what Easter 00:34:05.900 --> 00:34:06.540 and the Bible 00:34:06.540 --> 00:34:07.500 are all about. 00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:08.720 That Jesus, 00:34:08.860 --> 00:34:09.220 the innocent, 00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:09.880 is condemned 00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.619 and dies 00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:11.579 so that we, 00:34:11.680 --> 00:34:12.119 the guilty, 00:34:12.380 --> 00:34:13.280 can be pardoned 00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:14.160 and receive life. 00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:16.659 But here's the other thing 00:34:16.659 --> 00:34:17.319 in this passage. 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:18.059 It's not only 00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:19.460 is this exceedingly 00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:20.179 good news, 00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:21.480 but you see how this 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:22.219 changes the way 00:34:22.219 --> 00:34:23.440 that we live our lives. 00:34:24.799 --> 00:34:25.699 In particular, 00:34:25.879 --> 00:34:26.699 the way that we handle 00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:27.359 our faults 00:34:27.359 --> 00:34:28.219 and our mistakes, 00:34:28.759 --> 00:34:29.420 our failures 00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:30.159 and our sins. 00:34:30.899 --> 00:34:31.980 Because no longer 00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:32.920 do we need to 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:34.019 duck and dive, 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:35.399 find excuses 00:34:35.399 --> 00:34:37.500 and exonerate ourselves, 00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:39.039 avoiding responsibility, 00:34:39.399 --> 00:34:40.199 trying to redeem 00:34:40.199 --> 00:34:41.379 or justify ourselves, 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:42.659 declaring ourselves innocent, 00:34:42.659 --> 00:34:44.480 because there is one 00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:45.139 in heaven 00:34:45.139 --> 00:34:46.879 who died 00:34:46.879 --> 00:34:47.759 and rose again. 00:34:48.359 --> 00:34:49.059 The one who's, 00:34:49.219 --> 00:34:49.920 the only opinion 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:50.839 who really counts, 00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:52.279 who now looks at us 00:34:52.279 --> 00:34:52.619 and says, 00:34:52.839 --> 00:34:53.980 if you are in Christ 00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:55.119 because I died 00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:55.799 in your place, 00:34:56.139 --> 00:34:57.319 you are free. 00:34:58.159 --> 00:34:58.519 Friends, 00:34:58.599 --> 00:34:59.960 if you are in Christ, 00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:01.460 he declares you innocent 00:35:01.460 --> 00:35:02.719 though you are not. 00:35:03.619 --> 00:35:04.420 Jesus died 00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.519 to take our place 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:06.920 and now we no longer 00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:09.179 need to launder our names 00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:10.759 or hold up our reputations 00:35:10.759 --> 00:35:11.759 or defend ourselves 00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:13.200 or justify ourselves 00:35:13.200 --> 00:35:14.300 or excuse ourselves, 00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:15.500 there is one 00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:16.300 who has done it 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.780 and we can rest secure 00:35:17.780 --> 00:35:18.300 in him. 00:35:19.500 --> 00:35:20.500 I have this friend 00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:21.720 called Alan Frau. 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:22.880 He was recently 00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:24.980 at a friend's church 00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:25.780 in Singapore 00:35:25.780 --> 00:35:27.240 and I heard him 00:35:27.240 --> 00:35:29.240 tell this story. 00:35:29.480 --> 00:35:30.360 Alan is a friend 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:31.040 from South Africa 00:35:31.040 --> 00:35:31.640 but he now lives 00:35:31.640 --> 00:35:32.080 in America 00:35:32.080 --> 00:35:35.420 and Alan tells the story. 00:35:35.500 --> 00:35:35.580 He said, 00:35:35.640 --> 00:35:36.620 when he moved to America, 00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:39.040 he decided to learn 00:35:39.040 --> 00:35:40.040 an American sport, 00:35:40.140 --> 00:35:40.400 right? 00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:41.880 Us South Africans 00:35:41.880 --> 00:35:42.460 know nothing 00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:43.400 about American sport 00:35:43.400 --> 00:35:45.619 and so he picks up 00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:46.220 softball 00:35:46.220 --> 00:35:47.720 which is not really 00:35:47.720 --> 00:35:48.119 a sport 00:35:48.119 --> 00:35:48.619 but anyway 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:50.519 and so he 00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:52.720 picks up softball 00:35:52.720 --> 00:35:54.220 and he joins this team 00:35:54.220 --> 00:35:55.440 and he says, 00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:56.460 every time somebody 00:35:56.460 --> 00:35:57.420 makes a mistake, 00:35:57.900 --> 00:35:59.360 the person making mistakes 00:35:59.360 --> 00:35:59.639 is, 00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:00.340 my bad 00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:02.180 and the team 00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:03.079 shouts back, 00:36:03.400 --> 00:36:03.980 you're good 00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:07.820 and after a while 00:36:07.820 --> 00:36:09.019 he said, 00:36:09.099 --> 00:36:10.380 this really confused him 00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:11.860 because this guy 00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:12.539 makes a mistake 00:36:12.539 --> 00:36:13.039 and he goes, 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:13.679 my bad 00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:15.840 and the team says, 00:36:15.880 --> 00:36:16.440 you're good 00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:17.300 and he says, 00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:19.219 but you're not good, 00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:19.480 right? 00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.139 You're bad. 00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:22.119 Why are they saying 00:36:22.119 --> 00:36:22.460 you're good? 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:23.500 And so he goes to the captain 00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:23.920 and he says, 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:25.199 what on earth is going on here? 00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:27.240 And the captain says to him, 00:36:27.460 --> 00:36:29.860 when somebody makes a mistake 00:36:29.860 --> 00:36:30.539 and they say, 00:36:30.659 --> 00:36:31.420 my bad, 00:36:31.940 --> 00:36:33.099 it's a way of saying, 00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:34.500 I'm not blaming anybody else. 00:36:34.579 --> 00:36:35.619 I'm not making excuses. 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:36.900 It's not the weather 00:36:36.900 --> 00:36:38.119 or the ball 00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:38.980 or the referee 00:36:38.980 --> 00:36:40.019 or the empire. 00:36:41.260 --> 00:36:42.559 I'm taking responsibility. 00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:43.700 I made a mistake 00:36:43.700 --> 00:36:45.480 and when somebody 00:36:45.480 --> 00:36:46.659 takes responsibility 00:36:46.659 --> 00:36:47.360 and says, 00:36:47.440 --> 00:36:47.720 hey guys, 00:36:47.740 --> 00:36:48.099 I'm sorry, 00:36:48.240 --> 00:36:49.099 it's my bad, 00:36:49.599 --> 00:36:50.619 the team says, 00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:51.340 don't worry, 00:36:51.380 --> 00:36:51.920 it's all good. 00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.360 We're not going to hold 00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:54.220 this against you. 00:36:54.619 --> 00:36:55.220 You're clear. 00:36:55.659 --> 00:36:56.579 We're not going to hold 00:36:56.579 --> 00:36:57.260 it against you 00:36:57.260 --> 00:36:58.760 and Alan says, 00:36:58.880 --> 00:37:00.519 that is the gospel. 00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:02.340 That when I say, 00:37:02.940 --> 00:37:03.239 Jesus, 00:37:03.400 --> 00:37:04.000 my bad, 00:37:04.360 --> 00:37:05.679 it's not my parents' fault 00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:06.920 or my wife's fault 00:37:06.920 --> 00:37:08.800 or the environment's fault 00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:09.960 or the government's fault 00:37:09.960 --> 00:37:11.759 or Nielsen's fault. 00:37:12.199 --> 00:37:12.340 No, 00:37:12.380 --> 00:37:12.500 God, 00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:13.519 my bad. 00:37:14.420 --> 00:37:15.360 Jesus says, 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:16.519 you're good 00:37:16.519 --> 00:37:18.800 because I went to the cross for you 00:37:18.800 --> 00:37:20.280 and I took your shame 00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:21.360 upon myself. 00:37:22.519 --> 00:37:23.039 Friends, 00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:24.079 you see in all the flurry 00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:25.039 of activity here 00:37:25.039 --> 00:37:25.820 and all the hustling 00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:26.320 and abusing 00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:27.199 of people trying 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:28.599 to justify themselves 00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:30.159 and exonerate themselves, 00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:31.619 Jesus Christ 00:37:31.619 --> 00:37:32.400 is almost forgotten. 00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:33.679 He's hidden out of view 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:35.159 and that's exactly 00:37:35.159 --> 00:37:36.500 the way that our lives work. 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.199 When we're so busy 00:37:38.199 --> 00:37:39.219 trying to justify 00:37:39.219 --> 00:37:40.539 and defend ourselves 00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:41.900 and shift the blame 00:37:41.900 --> 00:37:44.000 and launder our own names, 00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:45.920 we forget about Jesus completely. 00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:47.839 And when Jesus Christ 00:37:47.839 --> 00:37:48.400 in the gospel 00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:49.079 is no longer 00:37:49.079 --> 00:37:49.739 at the forefront 00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.639 of our minds 00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:52.539 and no longer clear to us, 00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:53.759 when we've forgotten 00:37:53.759 --> 00:37:54.920 who Jesus is, 00:37:55.319 --> 00:37:55.619 do you know what 00:37:55.619 --> 00:37:56.279 we end up doing? 00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:57.579 We end up trying 00:37:57.579 --> 00:37:58.639 to justify ourselves, 00:37:58.759 --> 00:37:59.599 excuse ourselves, 00:38:00.099 --> 00:38:00.719 shift the blame 00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:01.659 onto everyone else. 00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.319 But don't you see 00:38:03.319 --> 00:38:04.500 how Jesus doesn't just 00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:05.679 model a different way, 00:38:05.799 --> 00:38:06.839 he empowers us 00:38:06.839 --> 00:38:07.659 to live a different way. 00:38:08.139 --> 00:38:08.980 He empowers us 00:38:08.980 --> 00:38:10.119 to own our sin 00:38:10.119 --> 00:38:11.819 because he's dealt with it. 00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:12.699 Friends, 00:38:12.839 --> 00:38:14.179 Jesus' sacrificial death 00:38:14.179 --> 00:38:14.619 on the cross 00:38:14.619 --> 00:38:15.599 means we no longer 00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:16.619 need to make excuses. 00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:17.819 We can say, 00:38:18.319 --> 00:38:18.900 my bad. 00:38:19.359 --> 00:38:20.119 And he says, 00:38:20.619 --> 00:38:21.179 you're good. 00:38:21.179 --> 00:38:24.319 In 1908, 00:38:24.519 --> 00:38:25.899 the London Times 00:38:25.899 --> 00:38:27.859 asked several notable authors 00:38:27.859 --> 00:38:29.339 and leading moral philosophers, 00:38:30.319 --> 00:38:31.879 what's wrong with our world? 00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:34.019 G.K. Chesterton, 00:38:34.279 --> 00:38:37.399 the famous British writer 00:38:37.399 --> 00:38:38.599 and moral philosopher, 00:38:39.319 --> 00:38:40.279 writes back to them 00:38:40.279 --> 00:38:40.599 and he says, 00:38:40.759 --> 00:38:41.399 dear sirs, 00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:42.639 regarding your article, 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:43.879 what's wrong with the world? 00:38:44.500 --> 00:38:45.159 I am. 00:38:45.919 --> 00:38:46.699 Yours sincerely, 00:38:47.500 --> 00:38:49.500 Gilbert Keith Chesterton. 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:51.260 Friends, 00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:52.219 what's wrong with the world? 00:38:52.800 --> 00:38:54.420 What's wrong with my world? 00:38:55.280 --> 00:38:55.860 I am. 00:38:57.300 --> 00:38:59.400 How refreshingly honest, 00:39:00.219 --> 00:39:01.360 how wonderfully candid, 00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:03.719 how utterly gospel-centered. 00:39:04.920 --> 00:39:05.699 Here is a man 00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:06.599 who not only knows 00:39:06.599 --> 00:39:07.639 what's wrong with the world, 00:39:07.699 --> 00:39:08.980 but knows how to admit it. 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:10.380 And the reason, 00:39:10.940 --> 00:39:11.780 because he knows 00:39:11.780 --> 00:39:13.119 where his redemption lies. 00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:15.559 1 John 1 verse 8 says this, 00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:17.599 if we say we have no sin, 00:39:17.599 --> 00:39:19.639 we deceive ourselves 00:39:19.639 --> 00:39:21.360 and the truth is not in us. 00:39:21.900 --> 00:39:23.420 But if we confess our sins, 00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:24.699 he is faithful and just 00:39:24.699 --> 00:39:25.920 to forgive us our sins 00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:27.259 and to cleanse us 00:39:27.259 --> 00:39:28.380 from all unrighteousness. 00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:29.339 Friends, 00:39:29.460 --> 00:39:30.440 Jesus died on the cross 00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:31.259 not only so that 00:39:31.259 --> 00:39:32.099 we can be freed 00:39:32.099 --> 00:39:33.259 of our guilt and our shame, 00:39:33.839 --> 00:39:34.739 Jesus died so that 00:39:34.739 --> 00:39:35.599 we can be honest 00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:36.339 about our sin 00:39:36.339 --> 00:39:38.039 and our need for redemption 00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:39.179 and our need for grace. 00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:40.719 And this passage 00:39:40.719 --> 00:39:41.779 is so much more 00:39:41.779 --> 00:39:42.639 than just about people 00:39:42.639 --> 00:39:43.779 doing stupid things. 00:39:44.219 --> 00:39:45.400 It's about how we handle 00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:46.339 our stupid things. 00:39:46.340 --> 00:39:48.340 What do we do 00:39:48.340 --> 00:39:49.420 when we expose the sinners? 00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:50.680 What do we do 00:39:50.680 --> 00:39:51.680 when conflict occurs? 00:39:52.240 --> 00:39:52.840 What do we do 00:39:52.840 --> 00:39:53.740 when we make mistakes 00:39:53.740 --> 00:39:55.140 or we are full of regret? 00:39:55.640 --> 00:39:56.539 Where do we go 00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:57.160 like Judas 00:39:57.160 --> 00:39:58.600 to undo our wrong? 00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.400 If only Judas 00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:01.380 had come to Jesus. 00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:03.260 If only Judas 00:40:03.260 --> 00:40:04.160 had come to Jesus. 00:40:05.500 --> 00:40:05.840 Friends, 00:40:05.940 --> 00:40:06.559 maybe you 00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:08.240 carry some deep, 00:40:08.380 --> 00:40:08.940 dark secret 00:40:08.940 --> 00:40:10.220 that nobody knows about 00:40:10.220 --> 00:40:11.820 and you've sworn 00:40:11.820 --> 00:40:12.280 in your life 00:40:12.280 --> 00:40:13.100 that you will never 00:40:13.100 --> 00:40:14.480 let anybody know about it 00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:15.420 until the day you die. 00:40:16.340 --> 00:40:16.920 Friends, 00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:17.740 are you like the leaders 00:40:17.740 --> 00:40:18.480 in verse 6 00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:19.559 still trying to whitewash 00:40:19.559 --> 00:40:20.320 your reputation, 00:40:20.559 --> 00:40:21.360 your track record, 00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:23.059 trying to keep up pretenses? 00:40:24.300 --> 00:40:24.700 Friends, 00:40:24.760 --> 00:40:25.400 maybe you're in the middle 00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:26.240 of some conflict 00:40:26.240 --> 00:40:27.720 and you feel the need 00:40:27.720 --> 00:40:28.780 to always point out 00:40:28.780 --> 00:40:29.820 the other person's fault 00:40:29.820 --> 00:40:30.460 because they're never 00:40:30.460 --> 00:40:31.300 going to point it out 00:40:31.300 --> 00:40:33.160 and always minimize your sin 00:40:33.160 --> 00:40:33.940 because everyone else 00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:34.820 points out your sin. 00:40:36.100 --> 00:40:36.500 But maybe 00:40:36.500 --> 00:40:37.720 can you just own your sin? 00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:38.380 Own your, 00:40:38.539 --> 00:40:39.240 take responsibility 00:40:39.240 --> 00:40:40.039 for your role? 00:40:41.480 --> 00:40:41.760 Friends, 00:40:41.820 --> 00:40:42.300 are you tired 00:40:42.300 --> 00:40:43.600 of needing to keep up pretenses? 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:45.440 Are you tired 00:40:45.440 --> 00:40:46.480 of justifying yourselves, 00:40:46.619 --> 00:40:47.339 finding reasons 00:40:47.339 --> 00:40:47.880 why it's always 00:40:47.880 --> 00:40:48.920 everybody else's fault? 00:40:50.059 --> 00:40:50.319 Friends, 00:40:50.360 --> 00:40:50.880 are you tired 00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:51.679 of playing the victim? 00:40:53.119 --> 00:40:53.679 The cross 00:40:53.679 --> 00:40:54.719 of the Lord Jesus Christ 00:40:54.719 --> 00:40:55.420 hoisted up 00:40:55.420 --> 00:40:56.259 on Mount Calvary 00:40:56.259 --> 00:40:57.279 declares there's 00:40:57.279 --> 00:40:57.860 a better way 00:40:57.860 --> 00:40:59.319 and there's hope 00:40:59.319 --> 00:40:59.860 for those of us 00:40:59.860 --> 00:41:00.719 that feel hopeless 00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:02.339 and there is a way 00:41:02.339 --> 00:41:02.960 to redemption 00:41:02.960 --> 00:41:03.579 and freedom. 00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:05.420 For God made him 00:41:05.420 --> 00:41:06.319 who knew no sin 00:41:06.319 --> 00:41:08.219 to become sin for us 00:41:08.219 --> 00:41:08.940 that in him 00:41:08.940 --> 00:41:09.980 we might become 00:41:09.980 --> 00:41:11.380 the righteousness of God. 00:41:11.380 --> 00:41:12.860 Dear sir, 00:41:12.940 --> 00:41:13.320 dear ma'am, 00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:13.820 you want to know 00:41:13.820 --> 00:41:14.220 what's wrong 00:41:14.220 --> 00:41:14.740 with the world? 00:41:15.500 --> 00:41:16.260 I am. 00:41:16.840 --> 00:41:18.099 But thank God almighty 00:41:18.099 --> 00:41:19.519 Jesus died on the cross 00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:20.539 to take my guilt, 00:41:20.640 --> 00:41:21.519 to take my shame 00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:23.460 and to change my life 00:41:23.460 --> 00:41:24.599 and to give me 00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:25.820 a different way to live. 00:41:26.579 --> 00:41:27.380 Jesus the innocent 00:41:27.380 --> 00:41:28.460 died in our place 00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:29.980 so that we the guilty 00:41:29.980 --> 00:41:30.880 can come to him, 00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:32.460 be honest with our sin 00:41:32.460 --> 00:41:34.780 and find true grace. 00:41:35.220 --> 00:41:35.960 Let's pray together. 00:41:37.619 --> 00:41:38.380 Lord Jesus, 00:41:38.599 --> 00:41:40.220 we are so grateful 00:41:40.220 --> 00:41:40.980 for the cross 00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:42.659 we're so grateful 00:41:42.659 --> 00:41:44.300 for Mount Calvary 00:41:44.300 --> 00:41:45.519 and what you did. 00:41:45.659 --> 00:41:45.860 Jesus, 00:41:45.940 --> 00:41:46.659 we're so grateful 00:41:46.659 --> 00:41:48.500 that 2,000 years ago 00:41:48.500 --> 00:41:49.340 in the face of 00:41:49.340 --> 00:41:50.539 trumped up charges 00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:51.679 and false accusations, 00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:52.360 Christ, 00:41:52.539 --> 00:41:54.019 you remain silent. 00:41:54.820 --> 00:41:55.519 You could have, 00:41:55.619 --> 00:41:55.719 God, 00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:56.659 defended yourself 00:41:56.659 --> 00:41:58.260 and you remained silent. 00:41:58.420 --> 00:41:59.480 You went to the cross. 00:42:00.019 --> 00:42:01.260 You took our sin 00:42:01.260 --> 00:42:01.960 and shame 00:42:01.960 --> 00:42:03.019 that we, 00:42:03.179 --> 00:42:03.320 God, 00:42:03.380 --> 00:42:04.059 can be forgiven 00:42:04.059 --> 00:42:05.639 but not only that, 00:42:05.699 --> 00:42:06.059 that we, 00:42:06.219 --> 00:42:06.559 God, 00:42:07.199 --> 00:42:08.059 can be honest, 00:42:08.800 --> 00:42:09.880 real about our faults, 00:42:09.880 --> 00:42:10.900 that we don't need 00:42:10.900 --> 00:42:11.519 to pretend 00:42:11.519 --> 00:42:12.880 that, 00:42:12.960 --> 00:42:13.079 God, 00:42:13.119 --> 00:42:13.599 we can come 00:42:13.599 --> 00:42:14.160 and admit it 00:42:14.160 --> 00:42:15.220 and find grace. 00:42:16.320 --> 00:42:16.680 Jesus, 00:42:16.820 --> 00:42:17.300 in a world 00:42:17.300 --> 00:42:18.400 that is endemic 00:42:18.400 --> 00:42:19.320 with people 00:42:19.320 --> 00:42:20.380 trying to justify 00:42:20.380 --> 00:42:21.000 themselves, 00:42:21.340 --> 00:42:22.320 shift the blame, 00:42:23.619 --> 00:42:25.000 find a hundred reasons 00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:26.280 why they're not responsible, 00:42:26.780 --> 00:42:27.480 play the victim. 00:42:28.360 --> 00:42:28.640 God, 00:42:28.700 --> 00:42:29.160 this morning, 00:42:29.320 --> 00:42:30.599 your word to us 00:42:30.599 --> 00:42:32.140 gives us a better way. 00:42:32.260 --> 00:42:32.880 Your gospel 00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:34.019 gives us a better way 00:42:34.019 --> 00:42:35.759 and that is to come 00:42:35.759 --> 00:42:36.400 before your throne 00:42:36.400 --> 00:42:36.920 of grace 00:42:36.920 --> 00:42:39.539 to admit our guilt 00:42:39.539 --> 00:42:41.860 and to find the mercy 00:42:41.860 --> 00:42:42.519 that we need. 00:42:46.480 --> 00:42:47.000 And so, 00:42:47.099 --> 00:42:47.320 Jesus, 00:42:47.420 --> 00:42:47.739 I pray, 00:42:47.820 --> 00:42:48.639 won't you by your spirit 00:42:48.639 --> 00:42:49.340 come and help us 00:42:49.340 --> 00:42:49.800 to do that, 00:42:49.900 --> 00:42:50.039 Lord? 00:42:51.539 --> 00:42:52.360 Come and help us 00:42:52.360 --> 00:42:52.820 to do that, 00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:53.099 God. 00:42:54.460 --> 00:42:55.420 Would you show us, 00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:55.639 God, 00:42:55.679 --> 00:42:56.539 how we can do that? 00:43:01.199 --> 00:43:01.559 God, 00:43:01.619 --> 00:43:02.300 give us the courage 00:43:02.300 --> 00:43:02.960 and the boldness, 00:43:03.000 --> 00:43:03.340 I pray. 00:43:04.019 --> 00:43:04.519 God, 00:43:04.519 --> 00:43:09.940 we pray this in your name. 00:43:11.139 --> 00:43:11.500 Amen.