LutheranLectionary.org

Series A – Palm Sunday – Sunday, April 9, 2017 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:28	the holy Gospel According to Saint Matthew chapters 26 and 27.
0:36	when Jesus had finished all these sayings he said to his disciples you
0:42	know that after two days the Passover is coming and the son of man will be delivered up to be crucified
0:47	then the chief priests and the elders the people gathered in the Palace of the high priest whose name was Kaya Fest and they plotted
0:55	together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and to kill him but they said not during the feast lest
1:01	there be an uproar among the people now when Jesus was at Bethany in the
1:07	house of Simon the leper a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask a very
1:12	expensive ointment and she poured it on his head as he reclined at the table and when the disciples saw they were
1:18	indignant saying why this waste for this could have been sold for a large sum and
1:23	given to the poor but Jesus aware of this said to them why do you trouble the woman for she has done a beautiful thing
1:29	for me you for you always have the poor with you but you will not always have me in
1:36	pouring the ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial truly I
1:41	say to you wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world what she has done will also be told in memory of
1:47	her then one of the twelve those whose name was Judas Iscariot went to the chief
1:54	priest and said what will you give me if I deliver him over to you and they paid
2:00	him 30 pieces of silver and from that moment he sought an opportunity to be to betray
2:06	him now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying
2:14	where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover he said go into the
2:19	city to a certain man and say to him the teacher says my time is at hand I will
2:25	keep the Passover at your house with my disciples and the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the
2:32	Passover when it was evening he reclined at table with the twelve and as they
2:37	were eating he said truly I say to you one of you will betray me and they were
2:42	very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another is it I Lord he answered he who has dipped his hand in
2:48	the dish with me will betray me the son of man goes as it is written of him but whoa
2:54	to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed it would have been better for that man if he had not been born
3:00	Judas who would betray him answered is it I Rabbi and he said to him you have
3:05	said so now as they were eating Jesus Took bread and after blessing it
3:12	he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body
3:18	they took a cup when he had given thanks and he gave it to them saying drink of it all of you for this is my blood of
3:24	the Covenant which is poured out for many for the Forgiveness of sins I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit
3:31	of the vine until the day when I drink it new with you in my father’s Kingdom
3:36	and when they had sung A Hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives then Jesus
3:42	said to them you will all fall away because of me this night for it is written I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the
3:49	flock will be scattered but after I am raised up I will go before you to Galilee Peter answered him
3:56	though they all fall away because of you I will never fall away Jesus said to him truly I tell you this
4:04	very night before the rooster crows you will deny me three times Peter said to him even if I must die
4:10	with you I will not deny you and all the disciples said the same
4:15	then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane and he said to the disciples sit here while I go over there
4:22	and pray and taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee he began to be sorrowful in trouble
4:28	and then he said to them my soul is very sorrowful even to death remain here and
4:34	watch with me and going a little farther he fell on his face and he prayed my father if it be possible let this cup
4:42	pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as you will
4:48	and he came to disciples and found them sleeping and he said to Peter so could you not watch with me one hour watch and
4:55	pray that you may not enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak again for the
5:02	second time he went away and prayed my father if this cannot pass unless I drink it your will be done and again he
5:09	came and found them sleeping for their eyes were heavy so leaving them again he went away and prayed for the third time
5:15	saying the same words again and then he came to the disciples and said sleep and take your rest later on see
5:22	the hour is at hand the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners rise
5:27	let us be going see my betrayer is at hand and while he was still speaking Judas came one of the twelve with him a
5:35	great crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests and the Elders of the people now the betrayer had given them a
5:42	sign saying the one I will kiss is the man sees him and he came up to Jesus at
5:48	once instead greetings Rabbi and he kissed him Jesus said to him friend do what you
5:53	came to do then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and They seized him behold one of
6:00	those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and Drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut
6:07	off his ear then Jesus said to him put your sword back into its place for all
6:13	who take the sword will perish by the sword do you think that I cannot appeal to my father and he will at once send
6:19	more than 12 Legions of angels but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled
6:24	that it must be so at that hour Jesus said to the crowds
6:29	have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to capture me day
6:34	after day I sat in the temple teaching and you did not seize me but all of this has taken place that the scriptures of
6:41	the prophets might be fulfilled and then all the disciples left him and fled then
6:47	those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest or the scripture with the scribes and the
6:53	elders had gathered and Peter was following him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest and
6:59	going inside he sat with the guards to see the end now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false
7:06	testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death but they found none
7:11	though many false Witnesses came forward at last two came forward and said this
7:17	man said I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days and the high priest stood up and said
7:24	have you no answer to make what is this that these men testify against you but
7:30	Jesus remained silent and the high priest said him I adjure you by the Living God tell us if you are
7:36	the Christ the son of God and Jesus said to him you have said so
7:42	but I tell you from now on you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of the power and coming on the Clouds Of
7:49	Heaven then the high priest tore his robes and said he has uttered blasphemy what
7:55	further Witnesses do we need you have now heard his blasphemy what is your
8:01	judgment they answered he deserves death then they spit in his face and struck
8:07	him some slapped him saying prophesy to us you Christ who is it that struck you
8:13	now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard and a servant girl came to him and said you also were with Jesus the
8:20	Galilean but he denied it before them all saying I don’t know what you mean and when he went out to the entrance
8:26	another servant girl saw him and she said to the bystanders this man was with them with Jesus of Nazareth and again he
8:33	denied it with an oath I don’t know the man after a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter certainly you
8:41	too are one of them for your accent betrays you and then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear I do not
8:50	know the man and immediately the rooster crowed and Peter remembered the saying of Jesus before the rooster crows you
8:57	will deny me three times and he went out and he wept bitterly when morning came all of the chief
9:04	priests and the Elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death and they bound him and led him
9:11	away and they delivered him over to pilate the governor then when judas’s betrayer saw that
9:17	Jesus was condemned he changed his mind and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders
9:24	saying I have sinned by betraying innocent blood they said what is that to us see to it yourself and throwing down
9:31	the pieces of silver into the temple he departed it and went and hanged himself if the chief priest taking the pieces of
9:38	silver said it is not lawful to put them into this treasury since it is blood money so they took counsel and bought
9:44	with them at The Potters field as a burial place for strangers therefore that field has been called the field of
9:50	blood to this day then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah saying and they took 30 pieces
9:58	of silver the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons
10:03	of Israel and they gave them for The Potter’s field as the Lord directed me now Jesus stood before the governor and
10:10	the governor asked him are you the king of the Jews Jesus said you have said so
10:17	but when he was accused by the chief priests the elders he gave no answer then pilate said to him do you not hear
10:24	how many things they testify against you but he gave him no answer not even to a
10:30	single charge so that the governor was greatly amazed now at the feast the governor was
10:36	accustomed to release for The Crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted and they
10:41	had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas so when they had gathered pilate said to them whom do you want me
10:49	to release for you Barabbas or Jesus who was called the Christ for he knew that it was out of envy that
10:55	they had delivered him up besides while he was sitting on the Judgment seat his wife sent word to him have nothing to do
11:02	with that righteous man for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream now the chief priest and the
11:09	elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to destroy Jesus the
11:14	governor again said to them which of the two do you want me to release for you and they said Barabbas pilate said to
11:21	them then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ and they all said let
11:28	him be crucified and he said why what evil has he done but they shouted all
11:35	the more let him be crucified so when pilate saw that he was gaining nothing but rather that a riot was
11:41	beginning he took water and he washed his hands before the crowd saying I am innocent of this man’s blood
11:48	see to it yourself and all the people answered his blood be on us and on our
11:53	children and then he released for them barabbased and having scourged Jesus delivered him to be crucified
12:01	than the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters and they gathered the whole Battalion
12:07	before him and they stripped him and put a Scarlet robe on him and twisting together a crown of thorns and they put
12:14	it on his head and they put a reed in his right hand and kneeling before him they mocked him saying hail King of the
12:20	Jews and then they spit on him took the Reed and struck him on the head
12:26	and when they had mocked him they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to
12:33	crucify him as they went out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name they compelled this
12:40	man to carry his cross and when they had count came to the place called Golgotha which means the place of the skull they
12:47	offered him wine to drink mixed with gold but when he tasted it he would not drink it and when they had crucified him
12:54	they divided his garments among them my casting lots then they sat down and kept watch over him there and over his head
13:01	they put the charge against him which read this is Jesus king of the Jews
13:06	and then the two robbers who were crucified with him one on the right and one on the left and those who passed by
13:12	derided him wagging their heads and saying you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days save
13:18	yourself if you are the Son of God come down from the cross so also
13:24	the chief priests and the scribes and the elders mocked him saying he saved others he cannot now save himself he is
13:31	the king of Israel let him come down now from the cross and then we will believe in him he trusts in God let God deliver
13:38	him now if he desires him for he said I am the Son of God and the robbers who
13:43	were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way now from the sixth hour there was
13:49	Darkness over all of the land until the ninth hour and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out
13:55	with a loud voice saying that is my God my God why have you
14:01	forsaken me and some of the bystanders hearing it said this man is calling Elijah and one of them at once ran and
14:08	took a sponge filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and gave it to it and gave it to him to drink
14:14	but the other said wait let’s see whether Elijah will come to save him and Jesus cried out again with a loud voice
14:20	and yielded up his spirit and behold the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom the Earth
14:28	shook the Rocks were split the tombs were opened many bodies of the Saints
14:34	who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy
14:39	city and appeared to many when the Centurion and those who were with him keeping watch over Jesus saw the
14:45	earthquake and what took place they were filled with awe and said truly this was
14:51	the son of God there were also many women there looking on from a distance who had followed
14:57	Jesus From Galilee ministering to him among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary
15:02	the mother of James and Joseph the mother of the sons of Zebedee when it
15:07	was evening there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph who was also a
15:12	disciple of Jesus he went to pilate and asked for the body of Jesus and then ordered it to be given to him Joseph
15:19	took the body wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new
15:24	tomb which he had caught in the Rock and he rolled away rolled a great Stone to
15:29	the entrance of the Tomb and went away Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were
15:35	there sitting opposite the tomb the next day that is the day after preparation
15:40	the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said sir we remember how that imposter said while he
15:47	was still alive after three days I will rise therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day lest his
15:54	disciples go and steal away him away and tell the people that he has risen from
15:59	the dead and the last fraud will be worse than the first pilate said to them you have a guard of soldiers go and make
16:05	it as secure as you can so they went and made the tomb secure by stealing the stone and setting a guard this is the
16:13	gospel of the Lord in the name of Jesus the prophet Isaiah says of Jesus that he
16:20	set his face like flint and today we read in the Gospel of John that Jesus
16:26	well he had a triumphal entry into Jerusalem the king himself has now come to the
16:34	capital city but he’s not writing a war horse he’s writing
16:41	well a donkey the Colt the full of a donkey
16:47	when kings come into their Capital this is a fearful thing and Jesus’s words
16:52	this Palm Sunday we heard when we were gathering back there in the fellowship
16:59	hall these words were fear not Daughter of Zion behold your king is coming to you
17:05	sitting on a donkey’s Colt he has not come to flex muscle he has not come to
17:11	judge us instead he has come to be judged in our place and as we read
17:18	through the long reading of The Passion of Christ has recorded for us by the eyewitness
17:24	testimony of Matthew one thing stands out is that there is
17:30	only one person in the midst of this narrative who is sinless
17:35	everyone else seems to be royally screwing up and unfortunately I can see
17:42	myself in pretty much every one of these people who’ve screwed up
17:47	and if you’re honest with yourself you can see yourself in them too I would point out Judas the one who
17:55	betrays Christ betrays him for 30 pieces of silver
18:01	trinkets chump change what is in it for him at the time that
18:08	he betrayed Christ you have to wonder what on Earth was he thinking
18:15	and for this Jesus says of him it would have been better had he never
18:21	been born but keep in mind Judas is not the only one now suffering for his sins and how
18:31	each and every one of us we betray Christ and we show our unbelief when we exchange him for our favorite sins
18:39	whether that’s money alcohol whether it’s something we’re coveting
18:46	that really really nice new combine we want or the people we step over as we climb
18:52	the corporate ladder or maybe it’s the friends that we have whom we gossip about
18:58	on social media or on the phone each and every one of us when we do this
19:04	we too also deny Christ and then there’s Peter oh man Peter man
19:10	this is the guy who says I promise Lord that I am going to get my act together I
19:16	really am Holy I’m Spirit-filled I am I’m the I’m your man Jesus I’m going to
19:21	show you by my zealousness by my efforts all these things I would never betray
19:27	you and then a slave girl oh you were with Jesus were you not oh
19:34	I never knew the man never knew the man how many of us do this
19:40	it’s not a slave girl it could be a friend somebody you know a member of your family they sit there and go you’re a
19:46	Christian aren’t you well yeah I’m I I go to church you know I’m spiritual but I’m not
19:52	religious you know what do you think about what’s going on in the world today
19:57	um you know I’ll just keep my opinion to myself you know I wouldn’t want you to think that I’m some Jesus Freak or
20:03	something we do this I’ve done this there’s a lot of Peter in me
20:10	there’s a lot of Peter and you and then you get the disciples
20:16	In The Garden of Gethsemane they couldn’t even pray
20:21	oh Lord I’m too tired Jesus is saying pray that you’re not led
20:27	into temptation the hour is dire do you not see what’s going on
20:33	now we’ll get to that tomorrow Jesus I just am so comfy right now this rock is calling my name it feels
20:40	like a fluffy pillow good night Jesus I’ll see you tomorrow talk about apathy
20:47	but in the midst of all of this I mean you’ll note that Jesus despite the weakness of everyone he is not weak
20:56	where they fail to stay awake and pray he succeeds
21:01	and that’s the important thing Jesus is doing this all
21:07	for us then you think of the religious leaders that we read about oh Kaya Fest
21:13	the high priest what are they doing I mean just think about the absurdity of this scene
21:20	these are the people who are leading the children of Israel in the name of God
21:26	they have by right the office of high priest and the levitical priesthood to
21:33	offer sacrifices on behalf of the children of Israel they’re the ones tasked by God to teach the children of
21:39	Israel the word of God in the synagogue these are the representatives of God on
21:46	earth and the text says they were literally looking for false Witnesses
21:53	would you be willing to stand up and say something about Jesus go ahead and feel like you can lie if you like no problemo
21:59	and even then they couldn’t get their false witnesses to agree with each other
22:05	that’s because none of them were speaking the truth they were looking for lies and so a
22:10	kangaroo court in the middle of the night held by Pastor so and so
22:16	how does this guy then stand up and say thus saith the Lord you
22:21	know these got no credibility none whatsoever
22:27	and yet Jesus in the midst of all of this he’s not sitting there going I object
22:33	your honor I object these Witnesses are doodoo they’re not telling the truth
22:40	you know my attorney would like to file a brief so that we can have this this
22:45	particular hearing stopped in a and rescheduled for a different day because clearly you guys are up to no good he
22:52	doesn’t do any of that he says nothing
22:58	he doesn’t open his mouth wants to defend himself
23:05	but who is in the right the whole time
23:11	Jesus and this just shows
23:16	how badly sin has destroyed our race has destroyed
23:23	you has destroyed me and so finally finally as the story
23:29	unfolds with Jesus’s trial they found two fellows because it takes
23:35	two witnesses to agree oh yeah we heard Jesus say that if you tear down this
23:42	Temple I’ll rebuild it again in three days and of course you can almost see Caiaphas going what you’re getting
23:49	really dramatic no did he really and then he turns to Jesus and you know he
23:55	says so is this true have you no answer to make to these charges what is it that these
24:03	men have testified against you if you’ve read the Gospel of John it’s very clear Jesus did say that if you
24:09	remember when he said it actually kind of helps a little bit too when did he say it remember he said that after he
24:15	had overturned the money changer stables in the temple those who are making a
24:20	buck off Jesus half of God hmm he said they said by what Authority
24:28	are you doing these things he said tear down this Temple and I’ll build it again in three days but John got it John says
24:33	well the temple he was talking about was the Temple of his body which by the way is about to be torn down in our text
24:40	it’s about to be torn down because the temple always pointed to Jesus
24:45	so Caiaphas oh thinking that he’s now got the upper hand goes in for the kill
24:51	I adjure you by the Living God really seriously you’re having a
24:57	kangaroo court in the middle of the night which means you’re up to no good you’ve literally been looking for false
25:02	Witnesses you none of your false witnesses to can agree with each other and now you invoke the Living God
25:10	seriously and as far-fetched as this is
25:16	backwards upside down and inside out as this is we have done this same thing
25:23	we have praised god with our mouths and in the next moment literally in the next
25:29	breath cursed our neighbors our friends our Brothers and Sisters in Christ
25:35	and the one moment We Sing Hallelujah and then the next minute we’re engaging in our favorite sin
25:45	wow so I adjure you by the Living God tell us if you are the Christ the son of God
25:52	Jesus speaks the truth here notice Jesus isn’t lying he says well you’ve said so
25:57	that’s his polite way of saying you’ve spoken the truth but I tell you from now on you will see the son of man seated at
26:04	the right hand of the power and coming on the Clouds Of Heaven was he lying
26:09	nope he was telling the truth so then the high priest oh and high dramatic fashion he tears his robes and
26:18	says he’s on Earth Plus for me no he hasn’t he’s spoken the truth what are you smoking
26:23	what further Witnesses do we need you now have heard is blasphemy what is this what is their judgment and so they
26:31	answered he deserves death for what exactly for speaking the truth
26:39	Jesus is the son of God but these men
26:45	want him dead and so then begins
26:51	Jesus’s physical sufferings they spit in his face
26:56	struck him and they slapped him saying prophesy to
27:01	us you Christ who is it that struck you
27:09	and yet Jesus says nothing
27:17	doesn’t resist them at all why is this
27:24	the answer is simple because as Isaiah said he had set his face like Flint to go to Jerusalem he
27:31	came into Jerusalem to do what to go to the cross
27:37	because his mission is to seek and save the lost that’s you and that’s me
27:45	Jesus knew that it had to be this way and there he is praying In The Garden of
27:50	Gethsemane he’s as human as we are and yet he’s also God that’s a great mystery
27:55	and he prays O Lord father if this cop can pass from me yet not my will
28:03	your will be done and this is the great mystery that we heard in our epistle text this morning
28:08	that though he is by nature God and that’s the thing
28:13	this is the big mystery of it all in all of the universe there is no
28:20	greater being than God and that is who Jesus is he is God there
28:27	is no Higher Throne than his throne and yet even though he was by Nature God
28:35	he did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped but I can tell you
28:41	my problem is I think I’m God your problem is you think you’re God too
28:48	you don’t believe me how many times have you acted in a way that basically says I know better than you God
28:55	we’ve each done it my wife can testify that I am a little
29:00	deity that I want my own way I don’t behave well and I have Tantrums when things
29:06	don’t go my way and so do you but the problem see that’s the problem we’re not God and yet we act like we’re gods
29:14	and if you think well this only works with husbands just remember that saying women if mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody
29:21	happy and you know why that is because you’re a little God too and the problem
29:27	is we’re all false gods and this is exactly what the Temptation was in the Garden of Eden when the
29:33	serpent says oh you will not surely die because God knows that when you eat of
29:39	the fruit oh your eyes will be open and you’ll be like God
29:44	like God yeah that sounds good I’d like to try that on
29:49	and we tried it on and we can’t take it off there we are stuck
29:55	and so what does God do in the midst of all of this keep in mind the highest throne in all of the universe the great
30:02	and glorious God for whom there are no other gods he could have basically said to each and
30:08	every one of us gonna March new cells right into hell because that’s where you belong you will
30:15	be damned for eternity and you will be getting exactly what you deserve
30:21	but that’s not what he did instead God
30:27	the sun steps down from the throne and he takes off all of his glory
30:35	every last bit of it and he puts on our human flesh
30:41	and he’s born of the Virgin Mary and he humbles himself
30:48	took on the form of a Slave and being born in the likeness of men
30:54	and being found in human form he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the
30:59	point of death even death on a cross
31:05	that’s what Jesus is doing the great God
31:13	doesn’t open his mouth to defend himself because he is our servant now
31:20	and God the Father lays on him the iniquity of us all
31:25	so that we do not get what we deserve Judas
31:30	comes to his senses and the Greek text literally says that he repented
31:35	but here’s the problem who’d he go to for his absolution his co-conspirators
31:42	the guilty goes to the guilty in order to have his sin forgiven
31:47	and he says I have sinned by betraying innocent blood and rather than say
31:55	bring us a lamb let’s have this sacrificed so that you can be forgiven they say
32:01	what is that to us say to it yourself you’re on your own there buddy we can’t help you because we’re just as
32:07	guilty as you are so throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple he departed and he went and he hanged himself
32:14	what a terrible terrible ending whom do you go to
32:20	to have your sins forgiven let us go to Christ and then there’s
32:27	Pilate we know from history that pilate is one of these fellows who was known
32:35	for his brutality he was not a kind fellow in fact you can almost say that
32:42	he’s practically a war criminal based upon his torture and the things that he did to keep the Jews under his authority
32:50	in submission and yet there’s pilate and he comes up against Jesus and even he recognizes
32:57	that Jesus is something totally different so Jesus is before Pilate and Jesus is
33:03	asked straight up are you the king of the Jews what does Jesus said you’ve said so
33:08	that’s his polite way of saying yeah you got that right and you’re you’re correct so when he’s Accused by the chief
33:14	priests and the elders he gave no answer pilate said to him do you not hear how
33:20	many things they testify against you Jesus heard every one of them
33:26	and he felt every one of those blows to his face but he’s saying nothing he gave no
33:32	answer not even to a single charge because he had set his face like Flint to bleed and to die for your sins and
33:39	mine and the governor was greatly amazed when was the last time you ever heard of
33:46	a trial or the one on trial said not a word to defend himself
33:52	now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for The Crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted
33:57	and they had that notorious prisoner called Barabbas which so ironically
34:02	Barabbas literally means son of the father
34:09	that will just blow your mind when you start to think about it who do you want the son of the father or do you want
34:15	Jesus weird very interesting stuff this has to do with the scapegoat in Leviticus
34:23	so when they had gathered pilate said to them whom do you want me to release Barabbas or Jesus who’s called Christ or
34:28	he knew it was out of envy that they had delivered him up and besides while he was sitting on the Judgment seat his wife sent word to him have nothing to do
34:35	with that righteous man I’ve suffered much because of him in a dream now the chief priests and the elders persuaded
34:41	the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to destroy Jesus notice who it says did this the chief priest
34:48	literally you’ve got the religious leaders whipping the crowd up into a frenzy so
34:56	that an innocent man will be put to death and they know it
35:02	these men have no conscience which of the two do you want me to
35:07	release they said Barabbas pilate said to them then what shall I do with Jesus who’s called the Christ they
35:12	said let him be crucified why what evil has he done but they
35:19	shouted all the more let him be crucified and then you’ll notice something really
35:25	fascinating and that is that pilot this murderous war criminal brutal man
35:33	that history tells us that he was literally his spine disappears
35:40	and he becomes a jellyfish so when pilate saw that he was gaining
35:45	nothing but rather that a riot was beginning he took water washed his hands before the crowd and said I’m innocent
35:51	of this man’s blood see to it yourself no you are not Pilate
35:57	you are guilty of this man’s blood and here’s the sad part
36:03	so am I because it was my sins that put him on the cross
36:09	and it was yours also he’s wrong he’s not innocent of this man’s blood
36:16	see to it yourselves he says he had the authority to stop this he knew that what they were doing was a crime and he
36:22	participated in it and he thought he thought that he can somehow baptize himself and have his sins washed away in
36:29	his self-appointed baptism no that’s not how that works so all the
36:35	people answered and here’s one of the most fascinating texts of scripture there’s the crowd and the people said
36:42	his blood be on us and on our children
36:51	I want you to think about that there’s two ways to work the phrase
36:56	his blood be on us and on our children basically saying yep we’re guilty of this man’s blood no problemo for us let
37:03	his blood be on us we don’t care that’s unbelief
37:09	and in this sense Jesus’s blood becomes a curse Jesus’s blood is a judgment
37:15	against them but I would remind you brothers and sisters
37:20	that we understand that it is the blood of Christ that washes away our sin it is the blood
37:25	of Christ that makes us white as snow though our sins be like crimson
37:32	it is the blood of Christ that washes them away and so the prayer of faith
37:40	different than this statement the prayer of faith says oh Lord please
37:45	let your blood be on us and on our children so that we may be forgiven that we may
37:52	be absolved that we may be pardoned that we may be made right in your sight
37:57	because Lord we are guilty when an interesting turn of phrase
38:05	and so brothers and sisters as we think and meditate on the
38:11	sufferings of Christ for our sins we know that we are not innocent of his
38:17	blood and each and every one of these people from Judas to Peter to the chief priests
38:23	to Pilate even the false Witnesses we can see ourselves
38:30	in each and every one of them and we can say that we are not innocent
38:36	of this man’s blood that it was our sins that put him on the cross as Isaiah says he was pierced for our
38:43	transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement that brought us peace
38:49	was upon him and what good news it is and what an amazing mystery of the love
38:54	of God that God who is innocent who is Holy who is just who is glorious who is
38:59	the highest in all of the universe would humble himself and become the lowest and the most despised
39:07	the beaten the bruised discouraged the killed the mocked
39:13	and all of this because of his great love for us because it says in scriptures that God demonstrates his
39:20	love for us and that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly
39:28	so as we enter now into Holy Week and we meditate on the sufferings of Christ
39:34	we thank God for his great love and his grace that he would do the unthinkable
39:40	and do something people is wicked as me and as you
39:46	in the name of Jesus amen [Music]

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