The Strangest of Foursomes, Part 2

Today on Insight for living from Chuck Swindoll of integrity not show the majority the majority is so right. Do not take your cues from the majority think biblically and theologically and stay with that that will help you build a life of integrity the 27th chapter of Matthew is like a theatrical script in which four primary actors take center stage is perhaps the biggest courtroom slugfest in history as self-righteous villains attempt to give Jesus a death sentence. Ultimately, Pilate turned the destiny of Jesus over to the hands of an angry mob today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll replace this epic scene trade in Matthew's gospel. This first century courtroom demands from every member of the jury a personal verdict, Chuck titled today's message.

The strangest force again, we confess you are father we have never seen a scene like this. We have never witnessed the crucifixion we have never even known of anyone who has gone through such mistreatment such brutality.

Such illegalities back to back hour after hour and then put to death. Though absolutely innocent, but here we find your son, our Savior.

The object of your affection and love the one who has borne our sin in his own body on the tree put to death on our behalf. Thank you so love this world that you gave your one and only son, that whoever would believe in him would never perish but have eternal life.

As we witness all that he withstood give us an even deeper appreciation and respect for what he withstood on our behalf. How grateful we are for him how grateful these things we pray in these gifts we give in the name of Christ because of his grace board. All for us and everyone said amen to study the book of Matthew Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures by going Insight world.org/study Matthew chapter 27 Chuck titled his message, the strangest of foursomes.

It was the governor's custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd anyone they want. We read in this text. This year there was a notorious prisoner named Barabbas for all of us would be given name his first name. Believe it or not, quite likely was Jesus. I find it curious that twice Pilate, when referring to both Barabbas and Jesus identifies Jesus in a different way.

Look for yourself. Verse 17 which one do you want me to release to you Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah the identification flies Jesus by adding the one who was called the Messiah doesn't do it just wants verse 22 then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah. There is one Jesus.

It was known as Barajas. There's another called Christ wonders Barabbas the other one is Messiah. Which do you want release. It's as if he's distinguishing one from the other. Though this is speculation nothing revealed here in holy Scripture, but it's worth the fall to go further and get a little more dramatic. We sent Rob, this is probably being held in the fortress of Antonio when you get a map and you need one for the city of Jerusalem. You can locate the fortress of Antonio and also notice for Pilate did his work on the pavement as it is called far enough away from Barabbas not being to be able to hear the thin voice of one man mainly Pilate and Jay-Z could easily hear the roar of the crowd, just as you can.

1/2 mile away from the stadium hear the roar of a crowd at a football game you could even make out what they're yelling. If they're chanting or yelling in unison with one another. Barabbas is there alone in chains, awaiting his cross. Pilate is here with Jesus of Nazareth on trial look at the text and imagine the scene. Pilate is talking now not to Jesus but the crowd and he says to the crowd. Verse 21 which of these two do you want me to release to you.

Barabbas could not hear that in the fortress of Antonio is too far away. It's only one voice but now observed the crowd shouted back. Barabbas help me out here sharpening Barabbas here we go.

He would hear that you can do better than that.

By the way, I surprised you do it again here we go. Because what he would hear so easily, so any hears his name. Keep reading. So Polly responded then what should I do with Jesus call the Messiah which Barabbas would not hear and notice the crowd shouted back here we go again, crucify him once again why Pilate demanded when crime is committed. Barabbas wouldn't hear that. That was said by one man to the crowd, but the mob roared even louder you go once again this if I hears Barabbas crucify and then I noticed a little later. It appears again.

Pilate saw verse 24, he wasn't getting anywhere with a riot. So he says of the people I medicine of the man's blood and all the people yelled back. We will take responsibility for his so we heard that as well. So, as if crucify him is it enough hears the crowd say will take responsibility for Jody's nerves as a witch in church sitting over here in the temple of Antonio listening to his name. Listening to the screams, knowing his next mother way we know the end of the story because we read it when those Roman soldiers were marching there toward the fortress of Antonio. Can you imagine Barabbas hearing the cell door open, seeing them grab him from his cell dragging about knowing that he's headed for the cross mother way for whatever it's worth, I'm convinced Jesus died on the cross prepared for Barabbas. No one ever could say like Barabbas. He died in my place as Barabbas could see. So Barabbas comes out of his cell. A free man word is ego even run to the hills. He's freeze nothing to be afraid of these pardon. I think he stayed on.

Then he watched the flogging and the nailing and crucifying of the 1 Who Took His Pl. literally on his cross. But there's there's something more here. Go back to the earlier passage verse 18 where we just read that he knew very well the religious leaders had brought Jesus to them out of envy. So Pilate is now sitting with this dilemma. You are please this mob who were yelling only out of prejudice and because there being pushed in that direction by their leaders or to obey what I know to be true and that is that he is innocent and I stand against the crowd while he's sitting there. Verse 19 reads as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat. There's the word Boehm same word by the way, as we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

The word is in the Greek Boehm, his wife sent him this message. This is such an unusual intrusion in the middle of this criminal case with a man's life hanging in the balance. Pilate gets a tap on the shoulder and is handed a note he knows the handwriting looks closely at this note, I wish I could go read it to you as it appears in the original language is fascinating.

I can tell you this, the very first word is not have nothing to do with this man. It is the word. Nothing is placed in the front of the sentence that emphasizing she wanted him to take hands all don't touch this. Do whatever you have to do what move them out of your court will be responsible for this innocent man. Why would she say that she does it. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night and that's all we know now you will be surprised to hear that all kinds of speculation has been recorded regarding this nightmare.

We don't know one source even says that God gave her this dream. We don't know that. But we know that it it it appeal to pilot superstition and those led by dreams are superstitious people and he's troubled by what troubled her Katie Robertson was a Baptist scholar who taught at Southern seminary in Louisville for years, wrote a very thick grammar on the New Testament, but what I find helpful from his pen, is the word pictures of the New Testament from Matthew to Revelation. Wonderful work, and often rendering many things as art is appear in the original 80 Robertson writes this of this note, for Pilate was getting more entangled every moment as he hesitated to set Jesus free whom he knew to be free of any crime against Caesar, his wife sent a message about her dream concerning Jesus.

She calls Jesus that righteous man, and her psychical sufferings increased pilots, superstitious fear the great statement. Her psychical sufferings increased pilots, superstitious fears.

It was enough to unnerve the week. Pilate, as he sat on the judgment seat when a pause and interject those of us who were married sometime.

Here are mates tell of of a nightmare. The pit and some of them which are nightmares are just dream. Some of the more hilarious and some of them or fantastic on some of them are really weird really was something I decided years ago to stop telling each other what we have read because it would always cause the other medical wonder what that means. Wonder what that's about as if we whatever be led by dreams which were not. But here, in this case is a wiper says to her husband. I will tell you the details, I will only say he's a righteous man hands all have nothing to do with so now Pilate not only has the mob yelling against Jesus not only has his own depraved conscience to deal with now is a note from his wife saying don't go there.

Don't have anything to do with condemning this man is innocent look at how Pilate handles this is classic classic depravity in the moment when he could have stood fast and I'm sure letting them go would create a revolution in his he's done for politically, which he couldn't stand but in the moment when he could've taken a stand. He refuses is an old saying that his neutrality that curses one in the our decision.

This is his our decision this next sentence is worth it all and he waffles. In fact, he brings in a bowl of water and he washes his hands and says to them. I am innocent of the man's blood. The responsibility is yours know what is. No matter what you say Pilate it's yours always bears indirectly, of course, but you are the one in the moment of decision.

Mandela but he doesn't. All the people yelled back will take responsibility and so will our children so Pilate releases Barabbas to them and orders Jesus to be flogged and turn them over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified order for some brought together in a relatively brief period of time playing such a significant role in the trials and ultimately the decision related to Jesus I could ended all right here and say we finished and will all go home.

I want to do that. That doesn't serve anyone. Well, I think there are lessons to learn from each of these four in the force please listen to them.

We learn from Jesus in this scene when you know you are right. Stand firm with few words and do not waiver Alamance taught me following the first morning service without getting into the details, he is under intense pressure at the place where he's where he works because he is decided to stand for what is right and he's surrounded by a group of politically correct people in leadership who are determined to please politically correct thinking people around them and he has become a marked man and he said, choking back the tears is a very lonely place to be his wife standing by him with her baby in the little baby carriage and I look to their eyes and I could see the pain of standing alone when you know you are right, and being hated by those who want to do what is wrong.

The men and women alter how many hours in church services you sit through many sermons you hear or the books you read around many times you read through the Scriptures you will conquer moments in your life when you must stand for what is right. Stand firm. Don't waffle few words don't waiver I learned from the bottle of Jesus second from Pilate hear this when you face a dilemma.

Listen to the quiet voice of integrity, not the shout of the majority the majority is seldom right. Do not take your cues from the majority think biblically and theologically and stay with that that will help you build a life of integrity. Your popularity will not grow but your reputation will be respected by those who love to witness a model of someone with the County Clerk pilot lactic when you face a dilemma. This is the quiet voice of integrity, not the shout of the majority. Now Barabbas when you got what you did not deserve call it grace not look was a sad day when the word luck entered into our English language there is no such thing. Your life is not guided by luck, good or bad, we have a sovereign God who watches over our lives. What occurs in our lives is not the result of bad luck is the result of God's sovereign hand at work to teach us through pain and through pleasure what he would have us know in word Barabbas got what he did not deserve no man that that era in all that time which people live could've stood on the grace of God more firmly than Barabbas. He literally saw a man on his roles for Mrs. Pilate. What on earth do we learn from her. When you sound a warning base it on seasoned wisdom, not on superstitious dream if it falls your lot to warn someone of some impending situation.

We need to be warned about. Don't base it on dreams not because you had a dream that makes the warning significant base it on seasoned wisdom. How great it would have been the Pilate and his wife both at stood for what was right. That would've been a first, but he fail there as well. By the way where you in this. What is your verdict must bow our heads together. Please sit quietly before the Lord, the Lord Jesus went through all of this for you he died that you might live. He bore the brunt of sin that you wouldn't have to.

He took your cross, the one you and I deserved.

He took it for us in the one man in all the time who did not deserve any cross border crossings and as a result, by trusting in him we could no a life that we would never otherwise become acquainted with what a disappointment it would be for you to simply hear the story of the scene of the Bible and leave it at that, without responding to it. If you've never trusted in the Lord Jesus I plead with you not to let this day pass until you do. He who has the son has the life.

He who does not have the son of God does not have the life this invitation is extended to all who never trusted in Christ that you trust in him.

Now believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be seen, rescued, delivered from your sins believe on him now. Thank you father for ministering to us in this emotional scene. Thank you for giving us your son and for his blessed life graciously, even here in this scene silently standing for what is right.

Jesus through all of this, our father model that kind of integrity even in the world that will never understand this Mrs. with a reminder father that every day could be our last. Therefore, we trust ourselves to you by faith to your son Jesus in his name we pray. Everyone said amen.

The verdict is out decision is yours. This is insight for living with her Bible teacher, pastor and author Chuck Swindoll.

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