The first sermon is about Barabbus a know criminal sentenced to execution on a cross, the cruelest form of punishment inflicted by the Roman government when Jesus of Nazareth was executed on the cross meant of for him. Jesus was the substitute for Barabbas and he is the substitute for us who were slated for death because of sin.
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 27:15-26 NIV [15] Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. [16] At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. [17] So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” [18] For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. [19] While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” [20] But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. [21] “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. [22] “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” [23] “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” [24] When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” [25] All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” [26] Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Introduction
"Beneath the Cross of Jesus” is the theme for a series of biographical sermons about the people who were present when Jesus was dying on the cross. “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” is also a good theme for these sermons.
Text:
Matthew 27:15, 26 NIV [15] Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.
[26] Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Pilate’s training in Roman justice made it difficult for him to condemn an innocent man. So, he presented Barabbas to the crowd as an alternative.
The first verse in our text is “Now it was the governor’s
custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd”
Now we we know which man the crowd chose
Matthew 27:20-25 NIV 20] But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. [21] “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. [22] “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” [23] “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” [24] When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” [25] All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
Wow!! Never has a better thing happened to a man on the day of his expected crucifixion. Jesus probably died on the cross that had been prepared for Barabbas. When the Sabbath came, Jesus was lying in a tomb and Barabbas was sleeping in his own bed. This graphically sets forth a central truth of the gospel, that Christ died for sinners. “Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NIV But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I. The unmerited favor Brabbas received was undeserved. We define grace as unmerited favor. So we can say that Barabbas received grace.
Barabbas deserved to die. Justice had finally caught up with him. He was a well known as someone the Romans wanted to catch and jail.
Matthew 27:16 NIV [16] At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas.
John 18:40 NIV [40] They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising,
Mark 15:7 NIV A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.
But are we not all worthy of death when we are measured by God’s perfect standard of righteousness?
Romans 3:10-18 NIV [10] As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; [11] there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. [12] All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” [13] “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” [14] “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” [15] “Their feet are swift to shed blood; [16] ruin and misery mark their ways, [17] and the way of peace they do not know.” [18] “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Romans 3:23 NIV for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Barabbas had broken the law of man and the law of God.
He had been a terrorist against the Roman government. He was a devoted member of the Zealots, who were committed to the overthrow of Roman rule. In the process of pursuing this goal, he had broken many of God’s laws. murder, stealing, lying.
If Jesus was going to die in place of someone else, certainly he wouldn’t die in place of someone like Barabbas! But in the providence of God, Jesus did take the place of Barabbas so the great truth of the gospel might be revealed.
Romans 5:8 NIV But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
II. This great favor or grace was completely unexpected
As Barabbas stayed in his cell awaiting his crucifixion, he never thought to ask someone else to take his place. He simply assumed that his crimes had caught up with him. No one was more surprised than Barabbas with the outcome. He must have received the news of his release with some skepticism. He may even have thought the soldiers were playing a twisted prank on him. But the news was true. Jesus of Nazareth was going to die in his place.
Jesus Christ didn’t die for us in response to any appeal on our part. Instead of sinners pleading with him to bear their sins on the cross, they were busy rejecting him.
Look at
John 1:11-13 NIV [11] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [12] Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— [13] children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The only explanation for Jesus’ action is love.
Romans 5:6-8 NIV [6] You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. [7] Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
He died for us because he wanted to save us from hell.
John 3:16-18 NIV [16] For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
III. This great favor or grace was completely unrestricted.
A. All Barabbas had to do was walk out of the jail and he was a free man. Since Jesus was going to die in his place by Pilate’s decree, the Roman law had no claim on him. His debt to society was paid.
It must have taken Barabbas a long time to realize what had really happened. He may have continued to hide every time he saw a Roman soldier coming. He may have expected some word that it was not really true. But it was true! Barabbas had the good fortune to receive unrestricted freedom at the expense of another man.
B. Forgiveness through salvation is God’s greatest gift to humanity. It means that God has canceled the entire debt of our sin because Christ paid it.
1 Peter 2:24-25 NIV [24] “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” [25] For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Ephesians 1:7-10. [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace [8] that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, [9] he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
This means that we can know freedom from condemnation, freedom from guilt, freedom from the stains of sin—all through the death of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:1-2 NIV [1] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Because of that he could also write
Romans 8:38-39 NIV [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This forgiveness gives us freedom from condemnation, freedom from guilt, freedom from the stains of sin—all through the death of Jesus Christ. This forgiveness Is available to everybody that believes
John 3:16-18 NIV [16] For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Conclusion
Barabbas gladly walked out of the jail and allowed Jesus to die in his place. I don’t know if Barabbas ever realized the meaning of the substitution, but we have no excuse to neglect its significance today.
Jesus Christ died in our place when He was crucified on the cross. We deserved to be the ones placed on that cross to die because we are the ones who live sinful lives. But Christ took the punishment on Himself in our place—He substituted Himself for us and took what we rightly deserved.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, you don’t have to work to be good enough. Christ’s goodness makes you acceptable to God.
I want to end with this story told by a guy named Bill who was the captain of a transport ship that was part of a convoy going across the Atlantic ocean to Europe during World War II.
One day an enemy submarine rose in the sea a short distance away. Bill saw a torpedo coming directly toward his transport loaded with hundreds of young men. He had no time to change course. Through the loudspeaker, he shouted, “Boys, this is it!”
Nearby was a small escorting destroyer. The captain of the destroyer also saw the submarine and torpedo. Without a moment’s hesitation, he gave the order, “Full speed ahead!” The tiny destroyer eased into the path of the torpedo, taking the full impactof the deadly missile midship. The destroyer blew apart and sank quickly; every man of the crew was lost.
Bill was quiet a while, then he said slowly, “You know there is a verse in the Bible that has special meaning for me now. It is, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that aman lay down his life for his friends.’ ”
But we were not Jesus’ friends when he laid down his life for us. We were his enemies. He took our place on the cross anyway.
Our Father God, we thank You for loving us so much that You gave Your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. We love and adore You. Lord Jesus, thank You for sacrificing Your life on the cross for our sins. Because of You, we can now stand before You as pure, holy, and justified. We also thank You for sending the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. Holy Spirit, we thank You for filling us with love, fruit, gifts and power. We exalt You, our God and King. We praise Your Name forever and ever.
Benediction
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Lord bless you and keep you; [25] the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; [26] the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’
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