Maybe it was when you tried out for a sports team,
or a musical group, or a theater troupe.
Maybe it was when you were vying for a promotion at work.
Maybe it was from a spouse,
or from a family member,
you were rejected.
We all know what rejection is.
We've all experienced rejection in some measure.
Maybe you felt rejection from even a church.
People who should be committed to you,
but you felt like they rejected you.
This morning, I want to let you know that
Jesus thoroughly understands what it means to be rejected.
This morning, we're going to look at a passage in Matthew chapter 27,
verses 11 through 26.
And in this passage, we're going to see Jesus,
the Messiah, the long-awaited King,
the one in whom the whole Old Testament is anticipating to come
and take up David's throne and bring in a forever kingdom.
He's going to be rejected today.
He was innocent,
but he went willingly,
and he was rejected.
This morning, we're going to look at the trial of Jesus,
the Roman trial of Jesus before Pilate,
and this trial is going to unfold in three scenes.
The first scene is Pilate asking Jesus some questions,
and the second scene is Pilate asking a Jewish crowd some questions,
and the last scene is the verdict.
Who makes the verdict?
Scene one.
Jesus is questioned by Pilate.
Matthew 27, this is verses 11 through 14.
We read,
Now Jesus stood before the governor,
and the governor asked him,
the governor is Pilate,
Are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus said,
You have said so.
But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,
he gave no answer.
Then Pilate said to him,
Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?
But Jesus gave him no answer,
not even to a single charge,
so that the governor, Pilate, was greatly amazed.
Now, you may be asking the question,
What is Jesus doing there,
standing before this Roman magistrate?
Verse 11,
Now Jesus stood before the governor.
How did that happen?
Here's what this passage is going to tell us.
How a Jewish Messiah ends up on a Roman cross.
As part of Roman occupation and control of Jerusalem in Israel,
part of the authority structure in understanding of the time was this.
Only Romans had the authority to kill somebody.
Only they could exercise capital punishment.
And so there's a reason why Jesus is standing before Pilate,
the Roman magistrate of that place and time.
The chief priests and elders did not have the authority to legally kill Jesus,
even if they found him guilty of death.
Which brings us back to Matthew chapter 26, 63 through 66.
It's Caiaphas' house.
He's the high priest, the Sanhedrin,
this kind of Jewish at this moment.
It's a little bit of a kangaroo court.
They pronounce Jesus guilty of blasphemy in verse 65.
He's claiming to be someone he's not.
And then in verse 66, they condemn him to death.
But they don't have the authority to kill him.
So they need to get the Roman magistrate on board.
It's Pontius Pilate that has to condemn Jesus to death
in order for him to die.
And so what we see happening in chapter 27, verses 1 and 2,
it's early morning now.
It's been an all-nighter by the Sanhedrin.
They've been up all night.
And now they have brought a charge.
Jesus is a blasphemer worthy of death.
And in 27, 1 and 2, when morning came, early morning,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people
took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
How to put him to death?
And they bound him and led him away
and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.
The whole Sanhedrin trial,
the Jewish trial of Jesus took place in Caiaphas' house.
And so what happens in 27, 1 and 2,
they bind Jesus up and they bring him to Herod's castle,
which was the praetorium.
This is where the Roman magistrate would be
when he was in Jerusalem.
And so they parade him through Jerusalem early that morning.
The first morning, the first Good Friday morning.
And so what we see happening in 27, 1 and 2,
these chief priests and elders taking counsel together against Jesus.
Do you realize what they're doing?
They're trying to figure out how they can get Pilate to condemn this Jew.
And they come up with a plan.
Because they know that when they bring them before Pilate,
if they say,
Pilate, we bring this lawbreaker to you,
this blasphemer to you,
and this blasphemy is worthy of death.
Do you know what Pilate would say?
Not in the eyes of Rome.
It's not grounds for capital punishment.
So they had to think of a different charge.
And do you know what the charge they came up with?
Sedition.
Treason.
They're going to charge Jesus with being a king
who's seeking to undermine the Roman rule
and ultimately be opposed to Caesar.
Now that's something Pilate would have to take seriously.
And so what we see happening in 27, 11.
Now Jesus stood before the governor
and Pilate asked him this question.
Are you the king of the Jews?
Charges have already been brought.
He's claiming to be the king of Israel.
The Jews, Pilate.
Do something about it.
So Pilate asks him,
Are you the king of the Jews?
Are you a threat to Caesar?
Are you a threat to Rome?
Pilate's asking this question
because these are the charges
that the chief priests and elders
have leveled against Jesus.
He's being charged with being a rival king.
Jesus answers this
and his answer is measured.
You have said so.
It's an interesting answer.
You have said so.
You're saying it.
It's coming out of your mouth.
If Jesus had just said yes,
Pilate would have understood him
as making a claim of being an earthly king.
And Jesus is saying,
I'm beyond an earthly king.
We see that played out in John 19, 33 through 38
where actually John records a conversation
between Jesus and Pilate
and Jesus makes it clear
that his kingdom is not of this world.
Now if Jesus said no,
he would be denying his kingship.
And so Jesus says,
you've said so.
And so he maintains his innocence
and forces Pilate to have to make
a really difficult decision.
And then we see the next question
which comes in verse 13.
Then Pilate said to him,
do you not hear how many things
they testify against you?
Look at verse 12.
But when he was accused
by the chief priests and elders,
he gave no answer.
So here's the situation.
Throughout the praetorium,
we learn from John
that the chief priests and elders
don't go into Herod's palace
because that would defile them
on the day before the Sabbath.
And so they're staying outside
while Jesus is inside
and Pilate's kind of going back and forth
and Jesus can hear the whole thing.
And these chief priests and elders
are making accusations about Jesus
in addition to him claiming to be
an insurrectionist,
to be treasonous.
They're loading it up.
And so Pilate's hearing all this
being accused of Jesus.
And Jesus doesn't answer them a thing.
And it gets Pilate's attention.
And so in verse 13, he asks,
do you not hear how many things
they testify against you?
Are you not hearing this?
Jesus, are you not hearing this?
They want to kill you.
Do you not get how serious this is?
And in verse 14,
Jesus doesn't answer Pilate.
But he gave Pilate no answer,
not even to a single charge,
so that the governor was greatly amazed.
So Jesus is silent to the charges
of the chief priests and elders.
He's silent to Pilate's asking of a question
for why aren't you responding?
Here's what should be going through your mind.
Isaiah 53, 7,
he was oppressed and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter.
Remember, this is Passover.
And like a sheep that before its shearers
is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
His silence was purposeful.
He's intentionally being quiet.
And it impressed Pilate.
He's greatly amazed.
Jesus is not seeking to defend himself
at all costs.
I mean, how many of these trials
has Pilate overseen?
And when a charge like this,
he's used to people freaking out
and trying to defend themselves
at all costs.
They don't want to die.
Jesus is not saying a word.
It leaves an impression.
So here at the end of scene one,
we have this accusation made against Jesus,
but he's not saying anything.
He's standing before Pilate
and he's not responding.
He's silent.
Pilate.
What we start to see here is that
Pilate doesn't believe he's guilty.
Pilate's starting to see
this man is no threat to Rome.
He's amazed that he's not responding,
but this guy,
he's no threat to Caesar.
and so what we're going to start seeing is that
not only is Pilate unconvinced of the guilt of Jesus
he says so much in John 19 I find no guilt in him
what we're going to start seeing now is Pilate starts to seek a way to
release Jesus so what's being established here by
Matthew is that Jesus is under trial
by Pilate, Pilate is finding him
innocent Jesus is remaining silent and he's getting
accused by his own
scene 2, Pilate questions the crowd
now remember this is all during the feast this is all during the Passover
just hours before Jesus has practiced Passover
observed it with his disciples and he completely renewed it
to focus on him, his body breaking of the bread
his blood this cup
he's retooled Passover to be about his great sacrifice that he's going to make
so in verse 15 we learn about a custom that took place in Jerusalem during the Passover
and it's this now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted
now we don't know how long this custom had been going on
but apparently there's this practice with which the Roman governor of the time Pontius Pilate appointed by Rome to maintain Roman rule
he would grant on Passover amnesty for one prisoner a prisoner of the crowd's choosing
it was great political maneuvering
and so this custom is taking place
the
the chief priests and elders would have known
about it and of course
Pilate would have known about it
and of course the Jews living in Jerusalem
would know about it
that's why they're at the Roman
Praetorium right now
in verse 16
we read
and they had
then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas
it's really important for you to understand who they is a reference to
they is a reference most likely to the Jewish crowd
they had already picked their prisoner
Barabbas
and what we read
is that he was notorious
the original language is more like notable
to Romans he was notorious
to the Jews living in Jerusalem
he would have been more like a hero
like a freedom fighter
we learn from Luke 23 19
that Barabbas was actually an insurrectionist
and a murderer
what he would represent
is for all those in Jerusalem
who wanted to be free of Roman rule
this guy
this guy was the guy
he was using violence
to try to get Rome
out of Jerusalem
he would have been a freedom fighter
so for many in Jerusalem
he would have been thought of as a hero
Rome would have seen him as a threat
what we know is that he was a political figure
representing the will of many in Jerusalem
and what I want you to understand is that
they most likely refers to the Jews in Jerusalem
and here comes question three
the first question to the crowd
so when they had gathered
Pilate said to them
whom do you want me to release for you
Barabbas or Jesus
who's called
the Christ
so what
Pilate is essentially doing is
is
I know you want me to release Barabbas already
but
but how about this Jesus
you know
the Christ
Messiah
your king
Pilate doesn't think
Jesus is guilty of the charges
that have been made against him
and so
he's seeking to use this custom
to release Jesus
he's given this crowd an opportunity
Pilate at this point
would have known that Jesus
had gained a following in Jerusalem
that he was well thought of by many in Jerusalem
and so what he's putting to this Jewish crowd is
who are you going to choose
you're going to choose the insurrectionist
Barabbas
murderer
or are you going to choose
the Christ
Jesus
the king
who are you going to pick
in verse 17
we start
learning of
what
is behind
this
decision to
offer Jesus
with Barabbas
verse 17
it says
Pilate knew that the chief priests
and elders
were envious
of Jesus
and it was out of envy
that they had delivered him up
excuse me
that's verse 18
they were envious
of Jesus
fame and favor
with the crowds
and they resented
his public rebukes
so Pilate
is giving this crowd
an opportunity
to circumvent
the envy
of the chief priests
and elders
he's giving them
an opportunity
to
through this custom
to choose Jesus
despite the envy
of the chief priests
and elders
he's saying
who do you want to pick
who do you want me
to release to you
the murderer
or Jesus
and in verse 19
there's still further reason
why we see
Pilate
doing this
we learn about
his wife
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
I'm in a dream
Pilate's wife
sent him a message
while he's on
his judgment seat
while he's
exercising decisions
now
it must have been urgent
so for my wife
to send me a text
or to call me
while I'm in a staff meeting
or an elder meeting
something like that
I know this is urgent
and she says
have nothing to do
with that righteous man
in reference to Jesus
for I have suffered much
because of him today
in a dream
we're not told
the content
of the dream
we just know
that she suffered
because of it
but what we know
about Romans
is they believed
that dreams
were omens
from the gods
and this would have
been a bad omen
but in Matthew
this is not the first time
we read about dreams
in Matthew 1 and 2 alone
there are five dreams
that God uses
to direct people
to do his will
so in light of that
it makes sense
that we have this
kind of idea
that behind this troubling dream
is God
God's at work
and this dream
of
this dream of hers
affects her
and she contacts
her husband
and it affects him
goes into
why he wants
to release Jesus
by the way
that word
for righteous man
you gotta hear
what he's saying
he's done
no wrong
now I need
to clarify something
there's nothing
in the gospels
that would make
one conclude
that Pilate
or his wife
was a follower
of Jesus
neither of them
are pronouncing
that he's
lord of their life
but what we are
seeing here
is that this
gentile magistrate
despite the
accusations
of the Jews
he sees
the innocence
of Jesus
he's not guilty
and his
maneuvering
to try to
release
Jesus
is putting
Pilate
at odds
with the Jews
now
between
this
question
in verse
17
and then
the question
that we read
in verse
21
it's essentially
the same
question
but there's
an interval
of time
in between
it
and so
Pilate
says
hey
who do you
want me to
release to you
Barabbas
or Jesus
in verse
17
and he comes
back to it
in verse
21
so who have
you decided
so there's
this period
of time
in between
and in that
period of time
verse 20
now the chief
priests
and the elders
persuaded the
crowd to ask
for Barabbas
and destroy
Jesus
and so
when we get
to verse 21
which of the two
do you want me
to release
to you
without hesitation
the crowds
respond
Barabbas
they've made
their decision
and yet
Pilate isn't
done seeking
to release
Jesus
look at the
next question
he asks
the crowd
in verse 22
then what
shall I do
with Jesus
who is called
Christ
it's almost
like this
God
using this
Gentile
magistrate
to speak
a word
to the
Jewish people
what do you
want me to
do with
the Christ
now that
you have
rejected
him
what do you
want me to
do with him
if I'm not
going to
release him
to you
what do you
want me
to do
with him
again
he's hoping
that there
are enough
in this
crowd
to recognize
that Jesus
is not
guilty
but it
totally
backfires
on him
the crowd
doesn't
fight
they all
said
let
him
be
crucified
they're
doing
what the
chief
priest
and
elders
have
persuaded
them
to do
but
they're
doing
it
it's
out
of
their
mouth
release
Barabbas
destroy
Jesus
and in
verse 23
we have
Pilate's
last question
of this
sequence
they're all
questions
so far
and again
he asks
the crowd
why
what evil
has he
done
he doesn't
get it
he doesn't
get why
they're
doing
this
but again
his question
goes to
Jesus
innocence
what evil
has he
done
he hasn't
done
anything
he sees
no guilt
in Jesus
that would
require
crucifixion
capital
punishment
but the
crowds
insist
and they
shout
all the
more
let him
be
crucified
you
remember
what
happened
just days
before
when Jesus
was coming
into
Jerusalem
the crowds
who were
with him
were coming
from Galilee
upon his
entrance
into
Jerusalem
they
had spread
their cloaks
on the road
they had
spread palm
branches
and they
shouted
Hosanna
to the
son of
David
blessed
is he
who comes
in the
name
of the
Lord
Hosanna
God
saves
in the
highest
and while
they were
praising
and declaring
this
the people
of Jerusalem
the residents
there
they were
asking
who is
this guy
and now
this crowd
in verse
23
they're
shouting
let him
be
crucified
days
earlier
the king
has come
and now
crucify
him
so by
the end
of scene
two
we have
the sense
of Jesus
innocence
but he's
being condemned
to the cross
by his own
which leads
us into
scene
three
the decision
some kind
of decision
who's making
this decision
verse 24
we read
this
so when
Pilate
saw that
he was
gaining
nothing
but rather
a riot
was beginning
he took
water
and washed
his hands
and before
the crowd
saying
washing his
hands
before the
crowd
and saying
I am
innocent
of this
man's
blood
see to
it
yourselves
now
remember
this would
have been
a powder
crag
moment
politically
Passover
Jerusalem
is usually
30,000
in the city
it's swelled
up to
180,000
and so
this kind
of event
man
it's loaded
politically
charged
a lot
of lives
are at stake
here
if
Pilate
keeps on
pushing
then who
knows
what's
going to
erupt
a riot
is forming
and so
what we see
here happening
is Pilate
is making
a decision
of expedience
not of
principle
and he
seeks to
absolve
himself
of any
responsibility
he takes
a play
out of a
Jewish
handbook
and washes
his hands
for all
the Jewish
crowds
to see
what's
he going
to eat
that's
not a
Roman
practice
that's
a Jewish
practice
he washes
his hands
in front
of them
and he
says
I am
innocent
of this
man's
blood
his blood
is not
on me
see to
it
yourselves
we bumped
into that
phrase
see to
it
yourself
just
recently
it's
when
Judas
returns
the 30
pieces
of silver
and the
chief priests
and elders
say to him
see to it
yourself
Judas
what they're
saying
hey his
blood
that money
is not
our fault
we're not
responsible
for it
but they
were
responsible
for it
and even
though
Pilate
is trying
to absolve
himself
of responsibility
oh he
is not
innocent
here
there's
nobody
innocent
here
no one
is innocent
there's
one
innocent
person
Jesus
but everybody
else
they have
a role
in this
Pilate
has some
responsibility
in this
Jesus
says as
much
in John
19
11
where he
tells
Pilate
those
who
delivered
me
over
to you
or have
greater
sin
than you
but he's
still
saying
you have
a responsibility
in this
Pilate
he's not
nearly as
guilty as
the chief
priests
the elders
and the
Jewish
crowd
Pilate
would have
been between
a rock
and a
hard place
the chief
priests
and elders
have played
their hand
out really
well
they're
forcing
Pilate
to give
into what
they wanted
to put
Jesus
to death
and
eventually
we learn
from John
that they
even played
the Caesar
card
if you
release this
man
you're not
Caesar's
friend
everyone
who makes
himself a
king
opposes
Caesar
it's called
political
leverage
hey Pilate
if you
don't
condemn him
we're going
straight to
Caesar
that you
released
a king
that would
have been
the end
of Caesar
or Pilate's
career
upon hearing
the words
I am
innocent
of this
man's
blood
see to
it
yourself
you
take
the
responsibility
what we
read in
verse 25
is absolutely
striking
in verse 25
and all
the people
answered
his blood
be on us
and on
our
children
his blood
be on us
and on
our
children
we hear
you
Pilate
his blood
on us
and our
children
this is the
Passover
folks
this is the
Passover
lamb
his blood
be on
us
they're not
talking about
his blood
to deliver
them
they're not
talking about
his blood
to forgive
them
they're talking
about blood
guilt
we take
responsibility
for his
death
we're killing
him
his death
is on
us
they're not
thinking about
Jesus
his blood
shed for
them
to deliver
them
they want
him dead
there's
something very
subtle
that happens
in verse 25
and in order
to help you
see it
we got to
back up a
little bit
in verse 15
we read this
now at the
feast the
governor was
accustomed to
release for
the crowd
any one
prisoner whom
they wanted
the crowd
it was the
Jews who
are living in
Jerusalem who
had come to
Herod's palace
to make a
case for
Barabbas
and then in
verse 20
now the chief
priest and the
elders persuaded
the crowd
the same
crowd this
Jewish crowd
in Jerusalem
in verse 24
we read this
Pilate washed
his hands
before the
crowd saying
I am innocent
of this man's
blood see to
it yourself
and then in
verse 25
we read this
and all the
people answered
Matthew's
use of that
word
people
the normal
use
is to talk
about the
Jewish nation
this crowd
is now a
representative of
the Jewish
nation and
they are
rejecting
Jesus as
their messianic
king
and they're
claiming
responsibility for
it by saying
his blood is
on our heads
and on our
children's
in less than
40 years
Jerusalem is
sacked
the temple is
raised
they are
judged
there his
blood was
on their
head
and they
ceased to
be the
people of
God they
once were
they rejected
their king
and they
rejected their
standing before
God
so in this
last scene
of this
Roman trial
of Jesus
we have
essentially
the Roman
crowd
or the
Jewish
crowd
making
the
judgment
they
reject
Jesus
as the
Christ
the king
and they
force
Pilate
to crucify
him
and
Pilate
concedes
but the
greater guilt
is on
the people
and in
verse 26
Pilate
releases
Barabbas
and he
has Jesus
scourged
and delivered
over to
be crucified
to be
scourged
was horrific
if you were
there to see
it it would
turn your
stomach
they would
use a
flagellum
called a
cat of
nine tails
and what it
was a
leather whip
with nine
separate whips
and what it
would entail
is they
would weave
in bone
and metal
and what they
would do
is they
would whip
a person
whose
back is
exposed
and then they
would drag
it across
their skin
and it
would open
up their
back
it
fillet
them
and they
would do
it in
order to
prepare them
for crucifixion
that they
would die
faster
but here's
what you
need to
notice
Matthew
doesn't go
into the
details of
scourging
do you
know why
the emphasis
is on the
rejection
of Jesus
by his
people
the emphasis
on this
passage is
on Jesus
innocence
he was
not guilty
of sedition
Barabbas
was
Jesus
says as
much
as
27
4
when he
says
I've
betrayed
innocent
blood
he's
talking
about
Jesus
blood
Pilate's
wife
was
scared
by the
dream
and he
says
don't
have
anything
to do
with
this
righteous
man
this
innocent
man
Pilate
himself
tried
to
release
Jesus
multiple
times
and finally
asks
what evil
has he
done
the emphasis
here is on
Jesus
innocence
but I'm
here to
tell you
there's a
far more
profound
innocence
of Jesus
you must
know about
it
he's not
just
innocent
of the
charge
of treason
against
Rome
he is
innocent
of any
charge
of any
sin
against
God
he
lived
a life
none
of us
ever
could
he pleased
God
every
moment
of
every
day
his
innocence
is an
innocence
before
Rome
but it's
an
innocence
before
God
he did
what none
of us
could do
further
emphasis
is on
Jesus
silence
he's
purposely
silent
remember
in the
garden
when he
was
arrested
Peter
slices
Malchus
his ear
off
Jesus
heals
his ear
and he
says
to
Peter
I
could
call
down
12
legions
of
angels
if I
wanted
to
and the
point
is
he
didn't
want
to
he
was
doing
the
will
of
his
father
and he
had
to be
arrested
my
point
here
Jesus
is
willingly
going
to be
rejected
he's
purposefully
not
saying
anything
he's
fulfilling
Isaiah
53
7
in order
to go
to his
death
he's
giving
himself
he's
about
the
father's
will
he's
the
innocent
one
willingly
going
to
his
death
last
emphasis
I want
to draw
your
attention
to
is
Jesus
the
Jewish
Messiah
is
rejected
by the
Jews
living
in
Jerusalem
at
that
time
they
choose
a
murderous
insurrectionist
over
the
loving
Messiah
who
is
innocent
the
Jewish
crowd
has
given
a
choice
and
they
decide
and so
humanly
speaking
the
crowd
persuaded
Pilate
to have
Jesus
crucified
but if
you
would
flip
over
to
your
Bibles
in
your
Bibles
to
Acts
chapter
2
verse
23
Peter
preaching
on
Pentecost
to
Jews
says
to
them
this
Jesus
delivered
up
according
to
the
definite
plan
and
foreknowledge
of
God
it
was
all
God's
plan
it's
all
God's
plan
you
crucified
and
killed
by the
hands
of
lawless
men
they
were
responsible
but
God
is
reigning
and
in
control
this
is
carrying
out
his
purpose
so
here's
the
point
of
all
this
here's
why
this
is
here
the
Jews
rejection
of
the
Jewish
Messiah
resulted
in
the
rescue
of
countless
Gentiles
the
Jewish
nations
rejection
of
their
king
opened
up
this
Jewish
king
to
make
a
whole
new
people
a
whole
new
nation
for
himself
comprised
of
people
men
and
women
boys
and
girls
from
every
tribe
tongue
and
nation
around
the
world
God
ordained
the
Jewish
Messiah
to be
rejected
by the
Jewish
people
in
order
for
Gentiles
to be
brought
into
his
new
people
it's
amazing
so
here's
let me
leave you
with
this
there
might be
some
people
with
Jewish
ancestry
in
this
room
but
the
majority
of
us
are
Gentiles
how
do
a
bunch
of
Gentiles
living
nearly
2,000
years
after
Jesus
was
rejected
by
Jews
in
Jerusalem
how
do
we
respond
to
this
well
the
first
is
this
choose
your
king
choose
your
king
who
are you
going to
live
for
you
either
reject
Jesus
and you
deny
him
or
you
receive
Jesus
in order
to receive
him
as
your
king
you
got
to
deny
yourself
and
follow
after
him
so
the
first
response
is
choose
your
king
and
don't
reject
him
please
the
second
is
this
for
those
of
us
who
have
chosen
Jesus
as
our
king
this
should
sober
us
to
see
what
he
did
in
order
to
rescue
us
it
should
humble
us
Romans
chapter
11
if
you
haven't
read
that
read
it
helped
Paul
talks
about
why
God
would
harden
some
of
these
Jews
in order
to
allow
Gentiles
to come
into
his
kingdom
one of the
effects
is to
humble
us
we don't
deserve
any
of this
and the
third
way
for those
of us
who've
chosen
Jesus
is to
rejoice
his
rejection
resulted
in our
salvation
he shed
his
blood
and his
blood
is not
on our
heads
his
blood
forgives
us
this is
all
God's
plan
his
rejection
resulted
in our
rescue
and now
what we
say
is not
crucify
him
we say
things like
oh worship
him
live for
him
bow down
to him
today
we've
seen a
rejection
of
Jesus
by his
people
next
Sunday
next
Sunday
is a
rejection
that
Jesus
has been
dreading
let's
pray
oh God
in heaven
we do
thank you
so much
for your
word
God
would you
do your
work
in our
hearts
through your
word
as
Gentiles
living
2000 years
after these
events
we are
sobered
but we
are
grateful
God
we
would
ask
that you
would
save
many
Jews
save
many
Gentiles
bring
them
into
your
kingdom
through
the
blood
of
Jesus
amen