WEBVTT

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 Well, let me encourage you folks to keep those verses in Matthew 27 open in front of you.

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 And just for the next 15 minutes or so, as we remember this the most incredible of days,

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 I want to take us back to the events of that very first Good Friday.

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 And what I'd like us to do is to spend some time in the shoes of this man who we've met in Matthew 27 called Barabbas.

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 Now, Barabbas, I don't imagine that he did this, but if he was to do this at the end of his life and write his memoirs, write his autobiography,

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 I would put a pretty penny on the fact that he would call it The Man That Went Free.

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 This is Barabbas, The Man Who Went Free.

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 You see, the only time that Barabbas is mentioned in the Bible is in this episode here, in the final moments of Jesus' life.

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 But so important is this event that all the gospel writers include it.

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 So Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all record this episode that happened with Barabbas.

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 And the funny thing about it is that Barabbas doesn't even make an appearance.

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 One of you noticed that is we heard it read to us there by Alistair.

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 He's mentioned four times in these verses as Matthew records it.

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 But each time it's from the lips of other people as they talk about him rather than from Barabbas himself.

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 I mean, Barabbas could not be any more passive in this episode here.

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 And yet he is a man who, as we'll come on to see, so profoundly represents each one of us here tonight.

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 I'll first introduce to him, if you have it there, verse 16.

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 And just look at the adjective that Matthew uses to help us see what kind of man this man Barabbas is.

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 Do you see it there in the text?

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 He is notorious.

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 So Barabbas says he's notorious.

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 Now, if you type notorious people into Google, what comes up are names like, and this is what I got yesterday when I did it,

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 Jesse James.

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 Heard of him?

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 Jesse James, the American bank robber.

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 He's number one.

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 Number two is Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug lord.

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 Number three is Lance Armstrong, the disgraced cyclist.

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 These people who have forged a bad reputation for themselves and the whole world knows about it.

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 And that's Barabbas.

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 He's notorious.

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 So everyone knows that he is one of Jerusalem's bad guys.

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 He's the kind of guy that you don't want to bump into in a dark alley at night.

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 He's that kind of guy.

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 He's the kind of guy you're hoping that your daughter doesn't bring home and say to you,

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 Mom, Dad, meet my fiancée.

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 That's Barabbas.

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 Barabbas is a zealot.

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 What a zealot is, is really just a freedom fighter, a religious freedom fighter who's got one aim in life,

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 and his one aim in life is to see that the Romans are kicked out of Jerusalem.

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 That's Barabbas.

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 That's the zealots.

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 And he's likely, he's, and it's highly likely that he's in prison because he's been involved in a rebellious uprising against the Romans,

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 and he's committed murder in the process.

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 So try and picture Barabbas.

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 Just get inside this text for a minute.

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 Try and picture Barabbas.

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 He's sitting there in this dark prison cell.

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 He knows he's there because he's guilty.

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 He's playing it over in his mind.

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 He knows he's guilty.

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 Now think about it.

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 In this day, there's no appeal system that he can use.

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 There's no legal aid which he can apply for.

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 The only thing that's in Barabbas' diary, so to speak, is his death.

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 That's the only day, the only thing that's coming up in his to-do lists.

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 To die.

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 And to die by crucifixion.

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 This Barabbic Roman form of execution that's reserved for the worst of people.

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 The one that makes a public statement to the watching world from Rome.

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 That if anyone dares to rebel against Rome's king, if anyone dares rebel against Caesar,

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 then this is the fate that they can expect.

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 Now Barabbas doesn't know when that's coming.

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 All he knows is that it is coming.

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 So picture this scene.

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 He's in the cell.

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 He's there.

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 Dark prison cell.

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 And from his cell, he hears the crowd.

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 And they're baying for blood.

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 They're shouting, crucify him, crucify him, crucify him.

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 And Barabbas gets that sinking feeling in his gut.

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 And he thinks, well, this one must be for me.

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 This is it.

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 It's been good while it lasted, but this is it.

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 Let's put on a brave show for the people.

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 And let's go out a defiant hero.

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 Because this is the kind of image I want the watching world to leave them with.

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 I want them to see that I'm brave.

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 So let's put on a brave show.

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 And all of a sudden, he hears the clinking of keys in his cell.

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 And the guards, the one who's probably absolutely delighted to see him behind bars, this Roman guard, he shouts to him and he says, Barabbas, Barabbas.

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 And he's told to his astonishment, not that it's time to go.

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 He's told, you're free to go.

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 And what?

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 You're free to go.

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 Well, he's not going to waste this opportunity.

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 He's up, he gets, and he's shoved out the doors.

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 And as Barabbas is led away to life and his freedom, he sees another man passing him.

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 And this man, it's really clear to see, is being dragged away to his death.

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 And it dawns on Barabbas that that man that I crossed paths with, he is taking my place.

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 On the cross.

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 I'm going free because he is being sentenced to death.

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 And so the moment passes.

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 And I was trying to think on it this week.

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 I wonder if Barabbas, as he finds himself roaming the streets of Jerusalem again, he's a free man.

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 He's a legally free man, declared legally free.

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 I wonder whether he grabbed somebody who he knew had been on that crowd.

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 That crowd.

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 And he grabbed them by the collar and he said, what on earth happened back there?

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 Why am I free?

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 What on earth happened?

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 Well, you see, it's widely understood that there's a custom that's developed over the years in this day between the Romans and the Jews.

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 And it takes place every Passover festival in Jerusalem.

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 And really what it is, it's a goodwill gesture from Rome.

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 It's designed to keep the peace, to keep the people happy.

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 Because the Jews aren't happy that the Romans are there.

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 And so they put on this little custom to win the Jews' favor.

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 And if you want to think about it like this, this is the Romans saying, listen, we're not all that bad.

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 And to prove it, you can have one of your own back once a year.

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 Would that keep the peace?

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 This is what they're doing.

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 And the deal was, every year the people are presented with two Jewish prisoners.

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 And they're being asked to choose which one of them is going to be released.

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 And on this particular Passover day, the choice before the crowds is Barabbas or Jesus.

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 It's really simple.

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 Barabbas or Jesus.

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 So think about it.

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 Here's the scales.

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 You've got the notorious Roman killer who murders people for a living.

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 And on the other hand, you've got the innocent Jewish carpenter.

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 Now, we often use that phrase, don't we, in our culture, it's a no-brainer.

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 You've heard that one before.

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 It's a no-brainer.

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 And we talk about making obvious decisions.

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 It's a no-brainer.

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 Well, this one to me seems a bit like a no-brainer.

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 And what's more, Pilate, the Roman governor who's overseeing this deal, he's not exactly neutral in this one.

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 You might have picked it up as we read it through.

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 He's not neutral in this one.

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 He wants Jesus off the hook.

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 That's really clear to see.

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 And what he's done is he's thought unto himself as he's thinking about putting this deal on the table for them.

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 He's thought about, who's the worst prisoner that I can get in my sales?

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 Who's the worst person that's out there?

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 Because if I put them up against Jesus, then surely the people will see this as a no-brainer.

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 And Jesus will go free.

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 And what's more, do you see in verse 17 how he's even dropping hints to the crowd that Jesus is the one people are calling Christ.

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 He's saying, this is what you call this man.

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 You call him Christ.

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 He wants them to see that people think well of Jesus.

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 And what's more, his wife's getting on in the act as well.

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 As if to say, don't punish that man.

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 I mean, Barabbas is not just the underdog in this one.

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 He's not even just the 500-1 to-1 outside shot.

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 Barabbas surely has got no chance in this deal.

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 But the thing to see is that Pilate has so hugely underestimated just how much hatred there is towards this man, Jesus.

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 Now, follow with me.

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 This comes across as Barabbas learns.

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 Remember, he's still talking to the person.

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 He's grabbing the scruff of the neck.

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 He learns that Pilate asked the crowd three questions.

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 Really simply, here's three questions.

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 Firstly, verse 17.

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 And then again at verse 21, because they didn't answer it the first time.

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 He says, which?

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 Which of these men do you want me to release to you?

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 That's what he asked us.

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 And after some persuasion from the religious leaders, against all the odds, the crowd chanted back, not Jesus' name.

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 They chanted back, your name, Barabbas.

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 Barabbas.

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 Barabbas.

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 They wanted you to go free because they wanted Jesus to go to the cross.

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 You know that cross that had your name written all over it?

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 Yeah, well, we sent Jesus there.

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 And we made our feelings crystal clear to Pilate.

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 And Pilate, in a stunned tone, we could hear it in his voice.

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 He turned to us and verse 22, he asked us, the witch, we picked Jesus.

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 And then he asked us, what?

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 What should I do with Jesus then?

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 This is what he asked us.

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 We could tell by the tone of his voice that he thought we've made the wrong choice here.

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 This one is unfair.

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 But regardless, we thundered back and we shouted louder than before.

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 We shouted, crucify him, crucify him, send Jesus to the cross.

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 So he's asked us which.

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 He's asked us what.

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 And then thirdly, he turns and asks us why.

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 What's he done?

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 And yes, we were a little hazy on the facts.

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 But with this man, Jesus, with a blasphemy charge hanging over him,

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 it wasn't the smartest move for us to stand against the religious leaders.

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 And so we just joined in and we shouted, crucify him, crucify him.

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 We didn't even give Pilate an answer.

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 And then Pilate gives the order to release you and to condemn Jesus.

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 Barabbas, you're free.

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 And I wonder if at that moment, it becomes crystal clear to Barabbas

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 that this man, Jesus of Nazareth, physically took his place.

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 He took his place.

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 He took my place.

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 He's the only man, isn't he, in history who can say physically

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 that Jesus took his place.

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 And it's interesting because Barabbas' name means really simply son of the father.

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 Bar, son, Abba, father.

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 He is the son of the father.

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 And if you think about it, he's up against another son of the father

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 in the form of Jesus Christ.

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 So really, this is a choice the crowd have between two sons.

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 For all intents and purposes, as you consider the whole chaotic scene,

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 the whole mess of this episode, you think to yourself,

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 they've freed the wrong son and they've condemned the wrong son.

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 But the thing for us to see as we sit here 2,000 odd years later

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 is that even though the people in this crowd,

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 they put forward the wrong son,

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 we can rejoice today in the fact that on this day,

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 God put forward the right son.

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 Because it looks like Pilate,

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 do you see how Matthew describes him as the one sitting on the earthly seat of power,

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 sitting on the earthly judgment seat?

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 It looks like he's lost all control of this seat, doesn't it?

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 However, the Lord,

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 who sits on heaven's throne,

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 he's not lost control of this seat.

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 The one who sits in heaven's seat of power is in total control.

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 And this God who we come to worship this evening,

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 as the one who so loved the world,

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 that he gave his one and only son,

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 that all who would believe in him

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 would not perish,

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 but have eternal life.

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 Barabbas is the one man in history who can say,

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 Jesus literally took my place.

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 Jesus bore my guilt,

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 my shame,

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 the curse that I deserved.

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 And I received the release,

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 the freedom,

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 and the life that he deserved.

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 That's Barabbas' testimony.

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 That's what happened.

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 But you're beginning to see how this man Barabbas,

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 on a spiritual sense,

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 he so profoundly

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 represents each one of us here tonight.

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 Because we might not share his life,

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 we might not share his specific sins,

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 but let me tell you this,

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 we share his sin.

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 And because we share his sin,

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 we share his sentence.

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 The sentence,

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 guilty and awaiting death,

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 with no hope of saving ourselves.

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 And praise God,

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 that this perfect

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 God-man,

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 Jesus Christ,

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 God's son,

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 he took our place.

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 And he got what we deserved.

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 And we get what he deserved.

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 The thing that the Martin Luther

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 called the great exchange,

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 this is the greatest exchange

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 in all of history.

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 that Jesus Christ

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 gives up his life

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 so that all those

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 who trust in him

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 can be forgiven

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 and have eternal life.

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 This is the glory

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 of the cross.

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 The place

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 where heaven's perfect love

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 and perfect justice meet.

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 The glory of the cross

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:29.220
 that God the Father

00:15:29.220 --> 00:15:30.720
 sent God the Son

00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:32.299
 to die for people

00:15:32.299 --> 00:15:33.139
 like Barabbas

00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:34.860
 and to die for people

00:15:34.860 --> 00:15:35.720
 like us.

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:36.899
 Friends,

00:15:36.940 --> 00:15:38.000
 as we sit here tonight,

00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:40.019
 we've only got two words

00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:40.500
 to say

00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:42.180
 and that is thank you.

00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:44.480
 Thank you.

00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:46.740
 What amazing grace

00:15:46.740 --> 00:15:47.879
 our God has shown us.

00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:50.500
 You know,

00:15:50.539 --> 00:15:51.300
 I was thinking this week

00:15:51.300 --> 00:15:52.019
 of the words

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:52.940
 of Charles Wesley.

00:15:54.740 --> 00:15:55.580
 Charles Wesley,

00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:57.120
 he responded to the cross

00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:58.720
 and I love these words.

00:15:58.940 --> 00:16:00.139
 He simply wrote this

00:16:00.139 --> 00:16:01.039
 and hear his heart

00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:01.419
 and all this

00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:02.299
 and we'll finish with this.

00:16:02.299 --> 00:16:02.559
 Okay.

00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:04.699
 And can it be

00:16:04.699 --> 00:16:06.159
 that I should gain

00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.620
 an interest

00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:10.740
 in the Saviour's blood?

00:16:12.199 --> 00:16:13.460
 Died he for me

00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:14.740
 who caused his pain?

00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:16.399
 For me

00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:18.980
 who him to death pursued?

00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:21.639
 Amazing love,

00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:23.100
 how can it be

00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:24.299
 that thou,

00:16:24.580 --> 00:16:25.399
 my God,

00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:26.960
 should die

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:28.400
 for me?

00:16:29.540 --> 00:16:30.560
 And so as we sit

00:16:30.560 --> 00:16:31.240
 here tonight,

00:16:31.400 --> 00:16:33.240
 let's make that

00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:35.000
 our heart's prayer

00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:36.120
 that we would sit

00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:37.379
 once again

00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:38.700
 at the foot of the cross

00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:40.940
 knowing that our sins

00:16:40.940 --> 00:16:41.500
 are forgiven,

00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:43.040
 knowing as we'll sing

00:16:43.040 --> 00:16:43.420
 in a minute

00:16:43.420 --> 00:16:44.540
 that this Jesus Christ

00:16:44.540 --> 00:16:46.080
 stands at the right

00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:46.780
 hand of the Father

00:16:46.780 --> 00:16:48.280
 risen and interceding

00:16:48.280 --> 00:16:48.980
 for his own

00:16:48.980 --> 00:16:50.180
 and knowing that

00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:51.840
 we are recipients

00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:53.379
 of quite incredible

00:16:53.379 --> 00:16:54.340
 grace.

00:16:54.820 --> 00:16:55.820
 Thank you.

00:16:55.820 --> 00:16:58.400
 And so just

00:16:58.400 --> 00:16:58.980
 in a few moments

00:16:58.980 --> 00:16:59.440
 time we're going

00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:00.920
 to remember that

00:17:00.920 --> 00:17:01.740
 as we take communion

00:17:01.740 --> 00:17:02.200
 together.

00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:02.620
 I was reading

00:17:02.620 --> 00:17:03.240
 it to my little girl

00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:04.000
 before we came out

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:04.900
 who Jesus took bread

00:17:04.900 --> 00:17:05.200
 and said,

00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.000
 this is my body,

00:17:06.140 --> 00:17:06.900
 do this in remembrance

00:17:06.900 --> 00:17:07.360
 of me.

00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.779
 And he took wine

00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:09.320
 and he said,

00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:09.940
 do this,

00:17:10.059 --> 00:17:11.120
 take this in remembrance

00:17:11.120 --> 00:17:11.559
 of me.

00:17:11.600 --> 00:17:12.440
 We're going to do this

00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:13.880
 and we're going to

00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:14.340
 remember

00:17:14.340 --> 00:17:15.720
 and we're going to

00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:16.320
 worship him.

00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:17.840
 What a great God

00:17:17.840 --> 00:17:18.259
 we have.

00:17:18.340 --> 00:17:19.200
 So why don't we

00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:19.880
 just be still

00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:20.779
 for a few moments

00:17:20.779 --> 00:17:21.840
 before we move on,

00:17:23.140 --> 00:17:24.140
 before our God,

00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:25.580
 let's just be still

00:17:25.579 --> 00:17:26.259
 for a few moments

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:26.839
 and let's bring

00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:27.759
 our prayers

00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:28.419
 and our thanks

00:17:28.419 --> 00:17:28.859
 to him

00:17:28.859 --> 00:17:30.179
 and then I'll pray.

00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:39.779
 God made him

00:17:39.779 --> 00:17:40.199
 who

00:17:40.199 --> 00:17:43.159
 had no sin

00:17:43.159 --> 00:17:45.119
 to be sin

00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:45.740
 for us

00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:47.980
 so that in him

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:49.939
 we might become

00:17:49.939 --> 00:17:50.859
 the righteousness

00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:51.519
 of God.

00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:54.279
 our heavenly father

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:55.160
 we praise you

00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:56.200
 tonight

00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:57.079
 for sending

00:17:57.079 --> 00:17:57.900
 your son Jesus

00:17:57.900 --> 00:17:58.599
 for us

00:17:58.599 --> 00:17:59.879
 to rescue us

00:17:59.879 --> 00:18:01.599
 through his precious

00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:02.200
 blood shed

00:18:02.200 --> 00:18:02.920
 on the cross

00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:05.599
 and we praise you

00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:06.480
 for the forgiveness

00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.400
 and the life

00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:08.299
 that we have found

00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:08.819
 in him

00:18:08.819 --> 00:18:11.079
 and so we ask

00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:12.079
 heavenly father

00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:12.579
 that you would be

00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:13.200
 with us now

00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:13.599
 as we

00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:15.139
 take bread

00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:16.000
 and wine together

00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:17.460
 that you would

00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:18.220
 help us

00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:19.119
 rejoice

00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:22.160
 in your son

00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:22.940
 Jesus Christ

00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:23.380
 the one who

00:18:23.380 --> 00:18:24.059
 is crucified

00:18:24.059 --> 00:18:25.660
 the one who

00:18:25.660 --> 00:18:26.160
 is risen

00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:27.259
 and the one

00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:28.299
 who will one

00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:28.920
 day return

00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:30.500
 and so we pray

00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:31.000
 these things

00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:31.680
 knowing that you

00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:32.119
 hear us

00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:32.819
 because we pray

00:18:32.819 --> 00:18:33.460
 in his precious

00:18:33.460 --> 00:18:33.799
 name

00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:34.740
 amen

00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:36.000
 amen