← Back to sermon library

well good morning everybody welcome to free grace Baptist Church just a couple announcements before we begin on October 12th there will be a youth and young adults fellowship at the suit Lakes house at 7:30 so October 12th at the sweet wigs at 7:30 for the youth and young adults so put that on your calendars if you're a young person also there is Tuesday night Bible study at 7:30 for the South Surrey Bible study we're meeting at rosemary Heights elementary school and then also we have our Bible study here in Chilliwack on Wednesday at 7:30 as well so we'd love to have you join us for that well for this morning's worship you can turn with me in Psalm 111 for our call to worship that Psalm 111 for our call to worship Psalm 111 will read all ten verses this is the word of the living and true God praise the Lord I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the Assembly of the upright and in the congregation the works of the Lord are great studied by all that pleasure in them his work is honorable and glorious and his righteousness endures forever he has made his wonderful works to be remembered the Lord is gracious and full of compassion he has given food to those who fear Him he will ever be mindful of his covenant he has declared to his people the power of his works and giving them the heritage of the nation's the works of his hands are Verity and justice all his precepts are sure they stand fast for ever and ever and are done in truth and uprightness he has sent Redemption to his people he commanded his covenant forever holy and awesome is his name the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding of all those who do His commandments his praise endures forever Amen well you can turn with me in your read altar that's the smaller Trinity Psalter to Psalm 111 that's Psalm 111 if you're able we'll stand and sing together sorry sorry I saw him 11 that saw [Music] seated well we will go to our great God in prayer well Heavenly Father we thank you that your works are great in all the world we thank you for the great works of creation and Providence and we thank you for the great works of redemption O God we thank that in the Old Testament you brought forth your people out of the land of Egypt brought them forth out of bondage and father God we thank you that for your saints for your believers you brought them out of sinful bondage we thank you O God that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law Christ has purchased Redemption for his for his people we thank you for the salvation that is found in our Lord Jesus Christ and O God we give you praise and honor for this we thank you that you are the God most high the one who subdues his enemies the one who is Almighty who is powerful who is above all things if other God how is it that you would dwell with your people we thank you that you are mindful of men o God but who is man that you are mindful of him we pray O God that we would see this as a great privilege to be in your hosts today we see this as a great honor to be here to hear your word preached and proclaimed and we pray that you would dwell with your people in a special way we pray that your spirit would move among us that your Holy Spirit would accompany the word and that you would dwell with us O God for you promised to be with your people and strengthen your people and we thank youuh God that where your word is preached you are pleased by your grace to send forth the gospel and even in your wise and holy counsel and in your in your Providence you are pleased pleased to send forth your spirit with the word just to save sinners of God to edify Saints and we pray that this would happen this day that Saints would be edified and sinners would be saved we pray that sinners would be given that new heart that they would have that that work of regeneration done by the spirit within them that they might believe on Jesus Christ we pray O God for those who are believers that you would sanctify them by your spirit you pray that you would convict us aid us and strengthen us by your word but we pray that you would dwell with us that you would open the heavens and come down O God for you are the true and the Living God you've promised to be with your people and we pray that you would be with us now O God and we pray that you would be glorified things the name of Christ amen well you can turn with me in your larger trendy hymnal to him number 321 that's him 321 if you're able we'll stand and sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] maybe seated well you can turn with me in your Bibles to mark chapter 15 for our consecutive scripture reading that's mark chapter 15 mark chapter 15 verses 1 through 20 it is the similar spot in Mark's Gospel where we are and what we'll hear about this morning where our pastor is in math in Matthew 27 so mark 15 verses 1 through 20 begin reading at verse 1 immediately in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate then Pilate asked him are you the King of the Jews and he answered and said to him it is as you say and the pre chief priests accused him of many things but he answered nothing then Pilate asked him again saying do you answer nothing see how many things they testify against you but Jesus still answer nothing so that Pilate marvelled now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them whomever they requested and there was one named Barabbas who was chained with his fellow rebels and they had committed murder in the rebellion then the multitude crying aloud began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them but Pilate answered them saying do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews for he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy but the chief priests 'red up the crowd so that he should rather release Barabbas to them and Pilate answered and said to the Gama and said to them again what then do you want me to do with him whom you called the King of the Jews and so they cried out again crucify him then then Pilate said to him Why What evil has he done but they cried out all the more crucify him and so Pilate wanting to gratify the crowd pleased Barabbas to them are so I released Barabbas to them and he delivered Jesus after he'd scourge him to be crucified then the soldiers led him away into the Hall called the praetorium and they called together the whole garrison and they clothed them with purple and they twisted a crown of thorns put it on his head and began to salute him hail King of the Jews then they struck him on the head with a reed and spat on him and bowing the knee the knee they worshipped him and when they had mocked him they took the purple off him put his clothes on him and let him out to crucify him amen well let us go to our God in prayer once again Oh Heavenly Father we thank you again for our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you of God that he went through the great moxon mockings and he faced utter shame and he was bruised for our transgressions we thank you O God that he is the Isaiah 53 man the one who died on behalf of sinners the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief on behalf of his people oh god we are sinful we have broken your law and we deserve everlasting punishment O God but we thank you for Christ our Lord who lived that law in perfection who died as that perfect sacrifice that we might be justified that you might sanctify us O God and we look forward to that day when we will be glorified on the account of Christ our Lord we thank you for Christ's work for us and we also thank you for Christ's work in us we thank you that it is because of the gospel we thank you that your gospel goes forth and it is preached and taught throughout the world oh god when we all find comfort and hope in the gospel for those who have believed on it we pray for God for those who do not know Christ that they might believe on the gospel and find everlasting life in Jesus Christ for he is eternal life and eternal life is found in him and in him alone father God we pray for believers that as we struggle in this life as we face many trials in this life whether physical or spiritual we pray that we would hold fast to the truth in your word we would hold fast to the gospel that we would always look to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we thank you that even now he he's at your right hand and he makes intercession for his people even now when we thank you O God that we are cleansed by the blood of Christ we thank you for this we thank you for your mercy we thank you for your grace O God we pray O God for those struggling physically aid them and strengthen them we especially ask that you be with our dear sister Brittany strengthened her and ate her this day and for many others that struggle physically Oh God we thank you for your mercy and grace and your sustenance and how you strengthen and aid people in difficult times we thank you for your word O God for we find assurance in the truth we pray that these brothers and sisters were to find assurance in the truth and that we would all find assurance in your truth we pray O God for those that struggle spiritually O God how many battles do we face in this life each and every day we confess that we have sinned against you O God we confess that we have broken your law we confess that we've not loved you as we ought we have not loved others as we ought o God forgive us wash us afresh and the blood of Christ we pray that you would help us O God to do what is pleasing in your sight that you'd help us to live in a manner consistent with your gospel that we might shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation strengthen us O God help us to have peace and hope and we thank you for the means that you've provided to grow in grace and knowledge to grow in truth to grow in holiness O God we thank you for your word we thank you for the faithful men that preach your word be with our dear brother as he comes up and preaches the word may you convict and strengthen an age your people by your spirit o God that we might look more and more like our Savior that we might do things that are pleasing to you for you are our Father o God we thank you for these truths we thank you for this reality we pray that you'd help us and aid us and strengthen us this day when you pray that you would be glorified in all things in the name of Christ amen well our final him before the preaching is also in the larger Trani hymnal well sing hymn number 582 and that's him number 582 if you're able we'll stand and sing together [Music] [Music] you may be seated but in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 27 Matthew 27 our focus this morning will be on verses 24 to 26 we have been considering Jesus before Pontius Pilate the trial that was necessary in order to give the death sentence to our Lord Christ already stood before the Sanhedrin or the Jewish Council the High Council and they found him guilty of blasphemy so they then turned him over to Pontius Pilate so that he can indeed give the order to execute our Lord but I want to read beginning in Matthew 27 at verse 11 now Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him saying are you the King of the Jews jesus said to him it is as you say and while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders he answered nothing then Pilate said to him do you not hear how many things they testify against you but he answered him not one word so that the governor marvelled greatly now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished and at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas therefore when they had gathered together Pilate said to them whom do you want me to release to you Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ for he knew that they had handed him over because of envy while he was sitting on the judgment seat his wife sent to him saying have nothing to do with that just man for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him but the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus the governor answered and said to them which of the two do you want me to release to you they said Barabbas Pilate said to them what then shall I do with with Jesus who is called Christ they all said to him let him be crucified then the governor said why what evil has he done but they cried out all the more saying let him crucify when Pilate saw that he could not prevail but rather that a tumult was rising he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just man you see to it and all the people answered and said his blood be on us and on our children then he released Barabbas to them and when he had scourge DZ's he delivered him to be crucified amen let us pray but father we thank you for the written word we thank you for the record concerning the the Living Word our Lord Jesus Christ how we praise you for what he went through on our behalf how we praise you that he is indeed the substitute here bearing the penalty of of God's wrath for his people we bless you and we praise you and we would ask today that this strength this would strengthen us and comfort us and stable us in our faith that we would see this one who knew no sin made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we pray that today would be the day of salvation for any and all who are dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that your Holy Spirit would be at work and he would bring conviction for sin and set forth the excellency and the ability and the the sufficiency of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to this end we pray for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit we ask our Father that you would send him and power she would encourage us with his presence that you would supply what is lacking in us our Lord taught us that apart from him we could do nothing and hearing preaching preaching itself all we all stand in need of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit so send him forth in a powerful way and illumine our minds and our hearts and do forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions cleanse us in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and it's in his name that we pray amen well as I said we have seen the trial before Pontius Pilate in the first installment we saw Jesus interrogated by Pilate in verses 11 to 14 last week we saw a pilot's attempt to grab and amnesty to the Lord Jesus in verses 15 to 23 remember Pilate knows that Jesus is innocent Pilate knows that Jesus is not guilty for the crime that they have turned him over concerning Pilate knows that the Jews handed him over because of their own envy they were not concerned that that Jesus blaspheme they were not concerned that Jesus was a threat to Caesar or the Roman political power they were threatened by Christ they didn't like the fact that multitudes were following him they didn't like the fact that he was taking away their popularity they didn't like the fact that Jesus was being extolled as the Son of God so they deliver him up as a result of their Envy so Pilate is conscious of this Pilate knows what's happening and in this particular section that we'll look at this morning we'll see pilots attempt to absorb absolve himself of Christ's crucifixion so I want to look at those three things this morning first the south absolution of Pilate kids absolution simply means to try to make oneself right to try to make oneself not guilty to try to make oneself innocent that's what I mean by absolution he first tries to absolve Jesus because he knows Jesus is guiltless but then he goes on to try and absolve himself that's trying to make sure that persons see you not as a guilty one secondly we'll consider the responsibility of all the people in verse 25 responsibility in the trial narratives have been something of a hot potato everybody's trying to give it away Judas doesn't want to be responsible for what's happening to our Lord we'll see here that Pilate doesn't want to be responsible for what is happening to our Lord they each one try to pass the buck and according to verse 25 all the people accept it and then thirdly we'll see the sentencing of Jesus in verse 26 but note in the first place the the self absolution of Pilate verse 24 when Pilate saw that he could not fail at all and what that means is simple he couldn't prevail with the crowd he couldn't prevail with the religious leaders he couldn't change their mind though he has tried again I'm not gonna argue that Pilate is a Christian not gonna argue that he's in heaven not gonna argue that he's a godly man there are some who say that this passage does describe the Christianization of Pontius Pilate I disagree wholeheartedly and I will argue this morning that he's as culpable and as responsible for the death of Jesus as anybody else but he has tried to get them to see the situation he has tried to give them the opportunity to request Jesus in terms of amnesty and they will not accept it the religious leaders according to verse 20 have persuaded the multitudes and they are all crying out that Jesus be sentenced to death so Pilate sees that he could not prevail in this particular situation and he sees as well that there is a tumult rising Edwards mob rules at this particular point Pilate probably fears losing his job if there is a tumult if there is a riot if the city does experience an uproar it will ultimately be held to his account and so he cannot let this get any further he has to rein this in and that's what does bring him to the point of expediting the sentencing of our Lord Jesus he saw the murderous rage of this godless multitude any cow-house to that he gives in to that wretched desire John Calvin says Pilate finding himself unable to restrain the commotion of the people lays aside his authority as a judge and yields to their furious outcry you see he has abdicated his role he's not functioning the way that a that a magistrate ought to he is allowing the the multitude to dictate the course of action that he is to pursue I mean I think this is a great instance of political abuse when lobbyists or persons that have special interests get ahold of a politician and he starts to be their puppet he starts to dance to their tune he starts to function in accordance with their check-writing or their pressure placed on his campaign modern politicians are not a novelty we see it right here with Pontius Pilate the man is guilty the man is passive the man has abdicated his role he is not exercising judicial authority he ought not to be concerned with what the crowd has to say he ought to measure the evidence he ought to weigh it he ought to look at the the testimony in the cross examinations and he ought to render a lawful verdict but he is not doing that so notice now his attempt to absolve himself his action he takes a basin of water and he washes his hands before the multitude now I suspect that in the background is Leviticus chimes I do tur Onam each Apter 21 also Psalm 26 in Psalm 73 this idea that this washing of the hands is a sign of someone's innocent now somewhat innocent now someone might say well Pontius Pilate wasn't a Jew why in the world would he couch out to their particular costumes he had been governing the Jews for a series of years he'd been over those people for a series a period of time and I don't think it's on unwarranted to suggest that he is using their costume to declare his innocence before then as I said Deuteronomy 21 verses 1 to 9 when there is a homicide a murder that they cannot specifically locate the offender there's a particular ritual involved and they cleanse their hands of the guilt of that particular murder it's also indicated in Psalms 26 and 73 so the implication is is that having governed over the Jews for some time he uses their Costa and da Carson suggests that it may have reflected his contempt for the Jews or have been a time Pilate was no friend of the Jews Pilate had animosity against the Jews so as Carson suggests it may have been a taunt it you've been a a demonstration of his content you want this but I'm not going to participate in it I am NOT going to side with the multitudes in condemning an innocent man here but the declaration that he made he says I am innocent of the blood of this just person I am innocent of the blood of this just man they demonstrate his design he wants to distance himself from this wouldn't you I suspect you would I suspect you'd want nothing to do with this particular situation you see a man that has been delivered up into your council or into your courtroom and he hasn't done anything wrong you know that the ones who delivered him up delivered him up not because they thought he had done something wrong but because they were envious they were jealous they were bitter they were resentful they were like little children who didn't didn't like to be threatened with their power their power base being removed from them so this shows his desire to distance himself from the condemnation of Jesus it also demonstrates his purpose he wants to pass the book he doesn't want to hold on to the head she doesn't want to be seen as the man who condemned the only righteous man that has ever lived on the face of the earth and Pilate is guilty vile wretched he delivers up Jesus ultimately I mean the language here is all hypocritical it's all disingenuous when he does this it's for show when he says I'm innocent it's for show it's hypocritical they don't have the power to crucify Jesus but he does the fact that he continues to go on with this the fact that verse 26 tells us that he releases Barabbas he has Jesus scourge and then he delivers up Jesus shows just how faulty his whole understanding is in verse 24 he is not innocent he is guilty he's not innocent he is culpable he is not innocent he is responsible he is not innocent he is hypocritical and this ought to be seen but on the surface of it you can't understand why he doesn't want to be associated with this situation where in the religious leaders out of envy deliver up Jesus stir up the crowds to a frenzy where they're crying out crucify him I believe as well that is language I am innocent of the blood of this just man highlights again yet another time the innocence of Jesus I mean the testimonies in terms of the that the trials setting of our Lord continually emphasizes his innocence what does Pilate or I'm sorry judas say so i'm i III I can't hold on to this money I have sinned by betraying what innocent blood what's pilots wife do while he's on the judgment see he is hearing specific testimony against Jesus his wife sends to him and says I have had a dream have nothing to do with this just man I have been I've been perplexed I have been troubled by the the dream that I had concerning this man everybody's testifying that Jesus is innocent which leads us back to appreciate what's happening in the passage why is this happening because we're not innocent why is this happening because we're vile why is Jesus standing before Pilate because we deserve the wrath and fury and condemnation of God Most High I suggest that in your reading of the passion narrative never forget 2nd Corinthians 5:21 God made him Christ who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him you see what is happening here is divine justice being satisfied Christ stands in our place Christ is the substitute that's why Christ is silent that's why Christ go through this that's why Christ willingly submits to the scourging and to the crucifixion because he's honoring the Covenant he made with his father to save his people from their sins over and over and over again this is the refrain concerning Christ his innocent is giass he is righteous which makes the reader take note that he's doing this for others Pilate makes the statement three times in Luke 23 for 14 and 22 and then three times in John 18 38 19 4 and 19 6 that he finds no fault in Jesus and this is what he declares in this particular instance now notice he goes on verse 25 you see to it you see to it I am innocent of the blood of this just man you see to it it's the same language the religious leaders employed with reference to Judas when Judas says I have sinned by betraying innocent blood he wants to rid him rid himself of that blood money they say to him you see to it and this is what Pilate is doing now he's trying to pass the buck he's trying to absolve himself of the responsibility that is his as the governor as the judge as the one who is in charge the action and the declaration were an attempt to show himself as guiltless with reference to this situation but as well the entirety of the trial including the sentencing a sentencing shows that pilots claim here is patently false look at it I'm innocent of the blood of this just man you see to it verse 26 he released Barabbas he delivered him to be crucified you all get that right he's a fake he's a fraud he's a hypocrite he's a wrench he's got blood all over his hands his foolish attempt notwithstanding to rid himself of it the man has rejected the testimony of witnesses the man has rejected the testimony of his wife the man has rejected everything so what he says here is absolute hypocrisy in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ the instruction you see to it is same thing as I've said the leaders say in verse four and it demonstrates further his culpability listen to Davies and Alison they say you see to it yourselves or see to it yourselves is disingenuous for Pilate through his inefficacious actions has himself seen to Jesus execution you see when it says you see to it and then in verse 26 tells us he released Barabbas and then he delivers up Jesus you all get it it's disingenuous it's fake it's hypocritical but what is driving that is pilots realization of the innocence of the Lord Jesus and the envy and the wretchedness of the Jewish leaders involved and it's also intriguing notice what he says I am innocent of the blood of this just man who's Pilate really concerned for here it's not Jesus I am innocent there's a bit of Pilate in all of us isn't there well I didn't do it kids do this at times and I'm not picking on kids you're just microcosmic of your parents we all do this you know brother so-and-so or sister whoever did such-and-such but I didn't do it we all like to insist on our own integrity we all like to claim the moral high ground we all like to show ourselves superior this is what pilots doing I am innocent of the blood of this just man Pilate if you did your job and showed your concern for the innocence of this just man you wouldn't be in this wretched situation that you have found yourself in you ought to rebuke the Jews for bringing him bringing this case before you you ought to rebuke the multitudes for crying out for the blood of a just man you ought to submit to what your wife has to say in terms of stop having dealings with this man and you ought to quit knuckling under the mob rules again Davies and Alison Pilate is more concerned to deny his own responsibility than he is to do the just staying with an innocent man so instead of freeing the king of the Jews he washes his own hands his act which acknowledges that Jesus is about to be murdered is hypocritical he knows what's happening he knows where it's going he knows that they're crying out with a crazed fury and he knows they're going to get what they want and so this verse 24 activity is an attempt for him to absolve his own self to claim his own innocence II and in the language of Ch Spurgeon he says all Pilate you need something stronger than water to wash the blood of that just person off your hands you cannot rid yourself of responsibility by that force he who has power to prevent the wrong is guilty of the act if he permits others to do it even though he does not actually commit it himself so for those out there and there are some Christian commentators that say Pilate is a nobleman pilots a Christian man pilots a godly man and this shows is confession of faith absolutely it does not everybody's guilty with reference to the death of Jesus yes the Jewish leaders yes the crowd yes Pontius Pilate but even one within the disciple community it is Judas Iscariot a disciple of Jesus an apostle of Jesus not a real saved one but nevertheless that position and he is the one that delivers up Jesus for chump change for the price of a slave ultimately and then there's us you see if it wasn't for our sin why wouldn't the Savior go through this it wasn't for the sins of his people heaped up upon him why would the Savior go through this there is a sense brothers and sisters where we're all culpable we're all guilty and I don't think at times it's all together just to say well you know if it wasn't for me he would have never died he had a particular plan to save as a lack by his cross work we are as elect we are participants in that it's our sin that we upon him it was our sin that he paid the penalty for it was our sin that he satisfied divine justice or it is our sin sent him to the cross and we need to see that we need to marvel and we need to stand in awe now notice secondly the responsibility of all the people verse 25 and all the people answered intriguing use of language verse 20 they're described as multitudes what's Matthew telling us it's not a bit of the multitude that makes this statement away with them away with him crucify it it's all the people that doesn't mean every single human person on the face of the earth that means all israel you can see this convention used in fact if you want to look at something really intriguing later look at Jeremiah 26 it's a very similar passage Jeremiah has prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem Jeremiah has prophesied the destruction of their temple their city everything and all the people cry out against him to kill him to execute him says the religious leaders stirred up all the people in trying to do this Jeremiah responds and the crowd backs down the crowd says he has spoken the word of the Lord to us and then the prophet Micah is invoked because Micah wrote about a hundred years prior to that scene in Jeremiah and Micah of Moorish F had also prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the the men at the time of Jeremiah said Micah prophesied that and they didn't put him to death so why would we put Jeremiah the Prophet to death but you see these similarities between Jeremiah and Jesus but the point is all the people on this all the people want this Pilate is trying to pass the buck of responsibility pilots hand has been forced Pilate is in the microRNA and now Pilate makes this declaration of his own innocence again it's not true it's not valid it's not authentic but nevertheless he makes this and so someone must bear the responsibility so he passes it on to the crowd who shouts for Jesus haven't forced his hand the multitude has become all the people it wasn't a subset it wasn't a portion it wasn't a part it's not the case that we have in the multitude a few rabble rousers that said killed Jesus no to all the people that language in the Old Testament of all the people refers to all the covenant people it is very specific and very conspicuously utilized notice what they want and all the people answered and said his blood be on us and on our children now the words are not primarily an imprecation you know what an imprecation is we sang one in Psalm 11 we sing them in the Psalter modern hem nests are even not so modern usually don't write in predatory hymns you don't get a Watts hymn or a top lady him or you know you know I don't know the husband's name but Kristin Getty him Stewart Pound in him you don't get those men women writing hymns that God smashed the teeth of his enemies it's just not popular today in fact it probably makes some of us uneasy too saying of God pouring out burning wind and burning coals on the heads of his enemies don't think this is primarily an imprecation they're calling down the wrath of God upon their own ends I don't think it's a self maledicte Rios we all know what a benediction is a benediction following a service is a good word it's a pronouncement of peace and blessing and God's favor upon the congregation malediction is just the opposite pastors should never end the service with a malediction may God's curse and wrath and fury be upon you and yours for the rest of the day that would be very untoward but malediction is the opposite of a benediction it's a bad word now I'm gonna cuss word I don't mean f-word I mean in invoking the wrath and fury of God upon the heads of someone I don't think it's either an imprecation or self maledicte Rios in the primary sense I think the author would have us appreciate that it's a bit of an omen for what will indeed happen to them but I think it is an ownership of responsibility Judas has tried to pass the book Pilate has tried to pass the buck and now all the people including the Jewish leaders have accepted it they are owning responsibility for the travesty that will indeed occur on that day the words utilized his blood be on us and on our children is very frequently employed in Scripture when it comes to blood guiltiness so it's language that has been used in Scripture other places and give you those tacks later if you'd like those but then notice the fact that they include their children his blood be on us and on our children that's ratchet isn't in parents if you're ever gonna make an oath make it for yourself don't include your kids don't do them any favors like these Jews did their kids favors again I think Matthews showing us something in the larger context that we need to take heed to and I'll pull that out in just a moment but I think in terms of the Jews this multitude this group when he said when they say his blood be on us and on our children I think it is to highlight for them how serious they are how in earnest they are how much they believe in their cause it's a sad state isn't it to see persons this self deceived this person's this warped persons this committed to engaging in wickedness that they will take their children and in them in responsibility for having crucified the Lord of glory now notice specifically our text his blood be on us and on our children as I said previously Matthew wants us to understand this in the context of Matthew's Gospel we have seen in great detail that the Jeremiah Jesus connection is not simply leaders trying to stir the crowds up to call out for a death penalty but also in the fact that Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem so did Jesus Jesus does this at length in Matthew 23 he does it at length in Matthew 24 all the way into Matthew 25 it's called the all of that discourse in fact turn back for just a moment to Matthew 23 in other words when we hear these people say his blood be on us and on our children we ought not to forget the broader context notice when Jesus is condemning the religious leaders and the generation of that time in verses 35 and 36 in Matthew 23 he says that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom you murdered between the temple and the altar assuredly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation not the generation that's living in some future date this generation in Jesus mouth meant his contemporaries he then launches into the all of that discourse when the disciples are looking at the temple they say isn't it beautiful isn't it lovely isn't it glorious isn't it the very pinnacle of Jewish religious life Jesus says not one stone will be left upon another it's all gonna be destroyed so they asked him a series of questions and he answered the underscores again in 2436 the specific focus of his prophecy upon this generation so when we get to this statement in Matthew 27 when they say his blood be on us and on our children we ought to hear in this an echo of what will occur in AD 70 John Gill says wrath came upon them to the uttermost I think he has 1st Thessalonians 2:14 and 6:14 to 16 in mind here when he says this wrath came upon them to the uttermost in the entire destruction of their nation city and temple see they don't know what they're singing and this might be a good place for us to pause and take a bit of a breather and make some application sometimes we don't know what we're saying either his blood be on us and on our children was fulfilled literally sometimes we make careless or reckless statements sometimes we make careless or reckless oaths sometimes we make careless or reckless vows and we don't realize that the the gravity of such a thing we swear before God most high and then we change our minds we enter into a particular agreement then we renege on that brethren we need to consider what these fools are doing in this particular contact and we are not to imitate it let your yes be yes let your no be no don't make foolish and rational vows arose our own responsibility for something that you're not responsible for notice Spurgeon said this this fearful imprecation I said it's not primarily but it certainly can be taken that way in light of AD 70 this fearful imprecation must have been remembered by many when the soldiers of Titus spared neither age nor sex and the Jewish capital became the veritable Alka Dome Akiyama the field of blood does everybody with me those who been here since Matthew 23 in fact I'm sure I alluded to Matthew 27 at verse 25 several times throughout the exposition there stand more and more convinced that that is the proper reading of he all of that discourse that it's not in our future it was in their future and God Most High visited them with destruction via the Roman armies and the ultimate dissolution of their state that's the application of the Olivet discourse that's how we're supposed to interpret that's how we're supposed to understand it so as we get to this part in the passion narrative and we hear these people say his blood be on us and on our children on one hand we say well God indeed is going to render that but on the other hand you pitiable fools you wretches it is unfortunate that they engage in such a thing now before we pass we ought to note that there is an abuse of verse 25 that has gone on throughout the history of the church and that abuses anti-semitic Senate ISM anti-semitism for those who do not know is an idea that persons are against the Jews because they are Jews Jews are Semites anti-semitism means an taeju pretty simple definition but some have suggested that verse 25 has opened the door to Christian anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews throughout the history of the church now I do not believe that is the case in fact turn with me for just a moment to Acts chapter 2 because you'll notice that the Apostles still preached the gospel to Jews now there's a time in Paul's missionary endeavors in acts 13 when he says since you judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life we're going to go to the Gentiles and therein is fulfilling the servant suffering servant prophecy in Isaiah 49 the Jews were preached to in fact let's look at a particular text that I think gets a lot of airtime in our churches and I mean Reformed churches verse 38 then Peter said to them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promises to you and to your children and to all who are afar off as many as the Lord our God will call now what's the normal normal way that verse is trotted out into theological discussion it's used as a proof text for paedo baptism it's used to validate the practice of infant inclusion in the New Covenant the promise is for you and for your children maybe we ought to understand it in light of Matthew 27 verse 25 maybe we ought to understand that Peter is preaching the gospel to Jews he is preaching the gospel to Jerusalem sinners and he is saying that notwithstanding your claims to the responsibility for murdering Jesus those claims in which you've included your children the gospel of Jesus is powerful the blood of Jesus is glorious that all who come to him even Jerusalem sinners will be forgiven that all who come to him even Jerusalem sinners will be restored to communion with God through faith in Christ it's not a pain o Baptist verse it's a glorious gospel of free grace verse but the truth is that even for Jerusalem sinners there is forgiveness in Jesus whom you crucified he says previously so Peters not anti-semitic Peter is not keeping the gospel from them Paul is not anti-semitic he is not keeping the gospel from them so those Christians in the history of the church that have been anti-semitic and have sought to hide behind Matthew 27 25 they're simply wrong and may I suggest one other way that the church will not have to combat this issue of a charger allegation of anti-semitism is by properly understanding all of that in other words if God did bring his wrath to bear upon this generation in the first century if they and their children reap the just vengeance of God in AD 70 then we have no business calling an ad s'posed ad 70 Jew a Christ killer we're not supposed to do that any more than you want to be called a slaveholder if some distant forefather owned slaves you get that it's it's not fair is it we're gonna penalize you in the United States of America and demand reparations because somebody and your family tree way back when owned slaves you say wait a minute I never owned slaves I never took somebody by violence I think the same sort of thing happens here in Canada terms of the Native American situation or native Canadian situation where we're blamed for the sins of the forefathers why do we all see that and cry out that that's unfair and yet anti-semitism at times is alive and well and we bandy about the language of Christ kill her on a 21st century Jew again there's a sense where all of us are guilty for the death of Jesus I think you'll all agree with me there but some Jew living on your street you don't burn a cross outside of his house and call him a Christ killer this text is not a legitimate application for anti-semitism but as well and we have to address this and I'm sorry if you're gonna go home and blog and say that was so politically incorrect we have to guard against a Zionism as well not only should we know be anti-semitic but we need to exalt the Jews to a place of prestige over everybody else there are so-called Christian churches that fly the Israeli flag out in front of their churches Zionism is wrong too we need to understand that at AD 70 the kingdom was taken from Old Covenant Israel it was given to the new covenant church thus meaning that Old Covenant Israel or rather ethnic Israel has entered the rank and file of every other people group so everybody get me here one hand we're not anti-semitic but on the other hand we're not pro Jew before Pro Jesus this happens John Hagee and I know you say oh he's a heretic and he's got this he's got people listen to that heretic for whatever reason I mean people listen to Joel Osteen brethren people listen to some wing nuts and so we need to make sure that we understand the situation to absolve first century Jews John Hagee argues that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah so therefore they can't be culpable for rejecting the Messiah that kind of language demonstrates a commitment to what is called dispensationalism and an exaltation of Jews over a proper exegetical handling of such passages like the Olivet discourse in some brethren I think that if you just exegete texts and you have a good systematic theology it will keep you from anti-semitism and it should keep you from Zionism dispensationalism is basically the the Christian version of scientism Zionism is political dispensationalism is ecclesiastical and they work hand in hand again I'm not saying go out burn and you know tell your Jewish neighbor that they killed Jesus don't don't do that but by the same token don't exalt Jews over the rest of people they have no special status anymore and some will say well what about Romans 11 you know we can throw down about Romans 11 but I know what Romans 11 does not teach a geopolitical regather of ethnic Israel into their land it doesn't teach that what their land is according Old Covenant prophecy interpreted by Paul in Romans 4 it's the world when Abraham looked north he looked Southie looked east he looked West Paul tells us he would inherit the world why because of his seed not his physical seed in terms of generations of Jews who's the seed of Abraham that we ought to make much of that is physical descendants the price it's in Christ that the promises of God are yay yay nmn some call it replacement theology you teach that the church has replaced Israel no we cheap teach that the Old Testament prophesied something in the New Testament shows its fulfillment I prefer fulfillment theology realization theology God's plan from the beginning theology wasn't it when God says to Abraham look North look South look East look West it's not just Jews that are included it's Gentiles as well God's plan from the beginning was to bring in the nations via the seed of Abraham Jesus Christ so this text ought not to be used to employ or deploy anti-semitism but brethren we ought not to be Zionists or dispensationalists or persons that are more consumed with the place of the Jews in prophetic history than with the reality of the gospel of free and sovereign grace and if you have held to this paedo Baptist sort view of axe 239 I ask you to reconsider it in light of Matthew 27 25 is blood be on us on our children that any accident Peter says the promise is for you and your children you actually think Peter there is teaching paedo baptism I want you all to know that we're gonna have ceremonies eight days after your babies are born and you're gonna bring them up front I want to sprinkle water on their head I'm not trying to sound cheeky I'm not trying to sound critical well I guess I am trying to sound critical the text doesn't have to do with paino baptism the text has to do with the offer of the gospel with salvation by grace with repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for what for the remission of sins for the promise in the context the promise is for you your children and to all over far off as many as the Lord our God will call what's the promise specifically it's the Holy Spirit nobody teaches that sprinkling water on a baby's head brings the Holy Spirit most of the paedo Baptist churches I know reject out interpretation they refuse that and thankfully so the brethren that's the promise primarily in the context in Acts chapter 2 better to hear it as a promise from the Peter the Apostle the man who deny Jesus thrice who certainly understood something about free grace who certainly understood something about the power of Jesus blood who certainly understood something about the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ he stands up and he says to these Jerusalem sinners the promises for you and for your children and to all or afar off and never forget the clause that modifies it as many as the Lord our God will call it doesn't mean every one of you every one of your children and every one is far off it is always modified by the fact that as many as the Lord our God will call just had to get that out of my system brethren thank you for indulging me let's look finally at the sentencing of Jesus in verse 26 they release Barabbas then he released Barabbas to them again it's conspicuous he all of his attempts notwithstanding his you know you know show of washing his hands his statement of his innocence is telling them you see to it he released a notorious man he released a robber not in the sense of highwayman or thief he released a robber in the sense of an insurrectionist a gorilla a revolutionary we'd call Barabbas today a terrorist and this is who the people wanted and this is who Pilate releases notice he releases Barabbas to them and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified scourge kids means to be wet you might say well yeah I know that we just read you a brief description this is da Carson he says among the Jews scourging was limited to 40 lashes Deuteronomy 25 specifically at verse 3 and I think we read Deuteronomy a horror of Horrors how barbaric Deuteronomy 25 calls specifically for legal procedure with checks and balances yes with the infliction of corporal punishment but it is all hedged in it's in the in there it's in the context of witnesses it's after a giass trial due process is involved just walk around the streets of Israel the Old Covenant with whips and you know that guy had a bad thought whack they didn't do that was very well regulated we cannot exceed 40 lashes Paul says this as well in second Corinthians 11 is he's rehearsing what he had received in terms of his own punishment or his own chastening he says Carson again among the Jews scourging was limited to 40 lashes but the Romans were restricted by nothing but their strength and whim so the Romans didn't subscribe to the book of Deuteronomy then and say well Moses says we can't forty lashes so I think Carson's spot-on they were restricted by nothing but their strength and when the whip was the dreaded flagyl made by plating pieces of bone or lead into leather thongs the victim was stripped and tied to a post severe flogging not only reduced the flesh to bloody pulp but could open up the body until the bones were visible and the entrails exposed flogging as an independent punishment not infrequently ended in death it was also used to weaken the prisoner before crucifixion now I think there's a wrong approach to the passion narrative I think it's best represented by Roman Catholicism you know this this this depiction this this drama that's playing out and great and vivid in gory detail of the crucifixion and the scourging of our Lord Jesus most recently represented in Mel Gil's the Mel Gibson's the passion that was just a celebrated big-screen big-budget form of a medieval Roman Catholic Passion Play the Gospel writers don't do that but I do think it's necessary for us to spot a stop a time or two not the Stations of the Cross stop if anybody's been brought up in Romanism you'll know what I mean well the priest is shaking the incense and the people that are there or just looking and wondering why are we doing this Passion Play every step every bit every agony every drop every fall every this I read that if we the Scriptures don't do that in fact I think France is right when he says the gospel narratives both at this point and at the point of crucifixion make no attempt to draw out the sheer physical horror of the procedure you don't get chapters full of description you don't get chapters full of the the tears of the flash of the Lord Jesus you don't get chapters full of description concerning is his hours on the cross the gospel narratives both at this point and at the point of crucifixion made no attempt to draw out the sheer physical horror of the procedure though Matthews first readers would have known as modern readers do not that Roman flogging was something far more serious and obscene than a few strokes with a whip on the one hand Matthew doesn't develop this and explain it in all of its vivid and gory and obscene detail but on the other hand brethren we ought to consider what the Savior went through for us we ought to be able to do that without the Stations of the Cross or without some medieval Passion Play you know on the big screen we ought to be able to meditate and consider what the Savior went through on our behalf he was whipped for us he was scourge for us think about that pieces of bone pieces of metal wrapped up in leather and laid on your skin such that it would rip you open organs would be visible bones would be visible let's scent the Savior to this yes the betrayer yes Pontius Pilate yes the crowds yes the Jewish leaders yes us he went there for us the background no doubt is Isaiah the prophet we have seen how Matthew is conspicuous in showing us how Jesus fulfills the suffering servant passages and isaiah 53:5 we see but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement for our peace was upon him and by His stripes we are healed this was a black church in Southern California this is the place where the pastor would say can I get an amen by His stripes we are healed he went through this for us he was opened up for us he was delivered up for us yes he does this as a travesty of human justice the Jews the Romans Judas guilty vile wretched and culpable but we know behind it is the Divine Plan we know that the Prophet as well indicates to us Yahweh was pleased to Yahweh delivered him up Romans 8:32 8:32 he who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not also with him freely give us all things you see there's a willingness on the part of the savior of voluntariness on the part of the Savior the triune God is involved in saving us from our sins the Savior doesn't go unwillingly or unhesitatingly no he's actually silent when he's standing before his accusers when he knows absolutely positively they're wrong if we thought for just a moment there was another spin to put on the evidence we'd be saying and shouting and screaming but he stands there silent it demonstrates his voluntariness it demonstrates his resignation to the divine will it demonstrates his resolve determination to save his people from their sins and we see it here again we don't need the Stations of the Cross we need faith we need to look at a passage like this and we need to say marvel of marvels and wonders of wonder of wonders God sent his son and he didn't send his son on some victory tour riding around in a big car with a wife with big hair telling people big things but he sent him into this world as a lowly servant as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief as one who's by a by His stripes we are healed you see the healing and the stripes that are inflicted upon the Savior in this instance and then it says he delivered him to be crucified that's what will take up God willing in the coming weeks this crucifixion again it's not some detailed Passion Play the narrative is sparse the narrative this is to the point the narrative describes but it doesn't give us all the gory details but along the way brethren I may ask us to think about those gory details not hopefully the way a papist would the way any responsible interpretive scripture should because we need to appreciate what the Savior went through on our behalf we need to see behind the scenes the plan of God Almighty I already mentioned Isaiah the prophet 53:10 it pleased Yahweh to bruise him he has put him to think we have shown and demonstrated the culpability of the players involved with reference to the trial of Christ the Sanhedrin was wrong and the Romans were wrong but behind that brethren God the Lord is orchestrating all things according to the power and purpose of his own will it is God behind the scenes it is the father it pleased Yahweh to prove bruise him he has put him to grief the Savior himself predicted on three occasions chapter 16 17 and 20 that he must go to Jerusalem he must be tried at the hands of wicked man he must be delivered up in the statement in 20 he speaks of scourging or whipping that he would receive the Savior says this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins Christ always knew what was on his horizon Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane prays to the father if it is possible let this cup pass from me we sang about that Cup in Psalm 11 it's the cup of God's wrath and fury and curse Christ according to his humanity praise to the Father if it is possible let this cup pass from me yet nevertheless not my will but thine be done he submits himself knowing what lay before him knowing what he is facing knowing what he is going through he says this to Peter when Peter takes out the sword he lops off the ear of Malchus Jesus says put your sword away don't you think I don't have you know twelve legions of angels at my disposal that will come and fight for me but how else would the scripture be fulfilled how else would the Word of God be fulfilled this was paramount in the mind in the heart of the Lord Jesus doing what the father sent him to do laying down his life on behalf of all those whom the father had given him yes there were guilty human players yes there were violent wretched men yes that bloodthirsty mob crying out away with him away with him crucify him is a is a sad sign of the depravity of man but behind it all God is working out his plan see God is sovereign nany is responsible God is sovereign man is responsible a brethren I ask you this morning to consider the sovereignty of God in the death of the Savior and the willingness of the Savior to go through this on our behalf I'm sure some of your kids before I've gotten a spanking and it wasn't fair you got the wrong kid certainly you must want Micah cuz wasn't me or you must want Joey or you must want whoever it wasn't me there may have been those unfair times in your lives I think the Apostle speaks to this in Hebrews 12 your earthly fathers they disciplined you as it seemed best they tried they get it wrong sometime the point there in Hebrews 12 is the father never gets it wrong when he chastens you there's an unfairness about that this was the only man that ever lived that was wholly harmless and undefiled he never did anything wrong and he's being beaten with a whip for sinners he has delivered up to be crucified for sinners I ask you to consider the divine sovereignty in the death of Christ I ask you to consider the voluntary nature of the death of the Lord Jesus but I ask you as well to consider the doctrine of substitutionary atonement I mean I think you see the parallels here don't you I argued last week that there were going to be three crucifixions that day it's gonna be Barabbas and his two compadres what happened on that morning decision was made that Barabbas would not be on one of those crosses so Jesus stood in his place in fact John Gill makes this observation he says this man Barabbas was an emblem of the persons for whom Christ suffered both in his character and in his release and then he develops that in his character were robbers were violent were notorious were wretched were sinful so he was an emblem of us in his character but he's an emblem of us in his Li's he deserved to be crucified didn't he he deserved to be executed he deserved to die at the hands of the Roman state he deserved it because he was guilty so Gil is right Barabbas is an emblem of us both in character and in release I do however want to caution us against supposing that Barabbas was some House aide now maybes Barabbas did believe we don't have a Matthew 29 that goes back and visits all the persons that were mentioned heretofore says you know Barabbas and his wife and brace Jesus and they went and started a ministry to X terrorists and rebel it just doesn't tell us that we don't know what ever became a Barabbas the point I want to try and encourage you with is we do know this Jesus went on to that cross for those of us who by grace belief there is substitutionary atonement we deserved it we deserve the wrath the fury the judgment and the curse of God Most High when those Jews said let his blood be on us and our children we're right there with them or right there and the culpability we're right there with them in terms of blood guiltiness but Christ took our place and if you're visiting here you're new here this is the thousandth time you've come and you've never come to Christ this is the beauty of Christianity this is the glory of Christianity one took the place of others one stood in the place of others the doctrine of substitution Christ is a substitute and as a substitute he bore the wrath of God he satisfied divine justice he took the punishment that was due for us it's a beautiful wonderful truth and if you're not a believer here this morning may I say to you you need to look at what the text says concerning Jesus you need to understand Jesus wasn't crucified because of his own sin Jesus was crucified for the sins of others the Bible says that all of us have sinned and fall the glory of God all of us like sheep have gone astray all of us have rejected and resisted and have raised our fists against him the Bible says that whoever believes in Him will be saved in fact let's just end on Acts chapter 3 another indicator that Peter wasn't anti-semitic because he preached the gospel again to Jerusalem sinners notice in acts 3 it's on the occasion where that lame man was healed at Solomon's porch and in verse 13 the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the god of Our Fathers glorified his servant Jesus whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go Pilate was determined to let him go and you delivered him up notice but you verse 14 denied the Holy One and the just and asked for a murderer to be granted to you and killed the Prince of life of which we are witnesses and his name through faith in his name has made this man strong whom you see and know yes the faith which comes through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all yet now brethren I know that you did it and ignorance as did also your rulers but those things which God foretold by the mouth of all his prophets that the Christ would suffer he has thus fulfilled repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord that he may send Jesus Christ who has preached to you before whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things repent and be converted repent and be converted that's Peters instruction in light of this passage my instruction to take it home pray through it actually believe now it's thinking about this recently we don't tell sinners to go home because bad things can happen between here and home even if it's five minutes right now some may say hey well you know some points this morning do some things I gotta think about we're gonna consider I'm gonna talk about acts 239 don't consider that in your own time talking repent and be converted don't wait till you get home don't wait till you get in your car don't wait til you get up from this seat uh-oh he sounded like it easy believe ism guy he sounds like billy graham guy no where does the bible not teach you need to hear and believe i'm not suggesting you can't believe at home not suggesting you can't believe tonight not suggesting you can't believe in your car you most certainly can my encouragement to you now is make peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of your souls well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for your excellence and your majesty and your glory we thank you for your goodness and your kindness and providing your son as the perfect spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world thank you for what he went through on our behalf silent before Pilate silent before his accusers silent throughout the narrative until he cries from the cross to you how we thank you that he went through this scourging that by His stripes we are healed how we thank you that he goes through crucifixion and that through his death we have eternal life we thank you that it doesn't stop here it goes into Matthew 28 the tomb is empty the Christ is risen and we know now that he's enthroned at the right hand of the majesty of God on high and we look forward to that day when he comes again in glory to judge the living in the dead cause us to live in light of these truths and cause us to glorify and honor you and we pray these things through Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you