The People on the Road to the Cross

Summit family and friends and guests at The Triangle As Well As in Homes on the Triangle and around the Country and around the World. You Can All Be Seated and You Have Not Already, but I Want You to Continue on a Positive Rare Evening Your Head Bowed There for Just a Moment, Because You Know That We Are Grieving the Tragic of the Eight Victims, Including Many Asian Americans Were Killed Earlier This Week in Atlanta. We Know We Know That Our Words Can Never Compensate for for Their Loss. We Want to Pray Prince of Peace Might Bring Healing and Myths of the Situation. Sin Is Left Us a Very Broken World and Their Solutions, and That We Think about in Society but We Know That Nothing Fixes Brokenness in the Human Heart, except for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and All Human Solutions Have Their Limit, but Ultimately What Show Is How Much We Need Healing, Jesus Is Praying for a Yes the Gotta Bring Comfort and Healing, but More so That God Would Raise an Clause That Is Because This Is the Answer to the Brokenness of the World's What You Joining Me Again As I Pray Father Got Our Hearts Are Broken, Not Just Dealing with Our Neighbors and Our Friends Got a Tragedy like This in God We Are Asking That You Comfort Those That Have Lost the Privilege of Going Them to the Savior Who Said That He Is the Resurrection and the Life That Though He Die, yet It Will We Live. Pray That That That in This Moment, This Darkness That He Would Be Lifted up, That We Would See How All of Human Frailty and Our Inability to Fix What Is Broken and That We Would Look with Hope and Longing toward the Lord Jesus Christ to Was Crucified and Raised Again so That We Could Be Delivered from Sin.

Thank You, Thank You, God, Pray for Churches Right Now in Atlanta Better Lifted on This Message. Pray for Those That Are in Direct Contact with Those That Are Blamed. I Pray That All of This around Race, No Jesus You Will Be Glorifying God Show Us How to Be a Friend and Neighbor to Those around Us and How to Share the Gospel with Them.the Heels of Forgives and Restores, We Pray the Father in Jesus Name, Said Amen Amen. Luke Chapter 23. If You Have Your Bible This Morning and I Hope That You Have Your Bible Was Thinking Earlier Sir Campus Teams Are Talking about Easter Here in a Couple Weeks. Things like Just Yesterday. Are You When We Were Talking about Easter Coming in. Many of Us Just Mean Absolutely Certain That by Easter. We Would Have Returned Back to Normal so Got out a Little Bit Wrong, but I'm Hoping That As Were Headed toward Easter This Year. It Seems Were Encouraged by the Director Based on an Looking Forward to Asset to This All Being behind Us. Luke 23. If You Ever Driven along the Blue Ridge Pkwy. How You Might've Seen a Little Sign That Just Says Eastern Continental Divide Is the Divide That Marks the Eastward and Westward Slopes of Archon That Everything on the Eastern Side of the Divide Flows down into the Atlantic, the Eastern Seaboard toward Us. Everything on the Western Side of That Divide Flows toward the Gulf Of Mexico. That Means That You Little to Little Raindrop Friends That Are Falling Together Casually from the Sky Just Chatted up the Very Best of Friends. On the Way down.

They Land 1 Cm Apart on Opposite Sides of That Divide, and They End up on Opposite Sides of the Planet. I Share That Because Luke 23 Is the Dividing Line of Eternity in Luke 23 Working to Meet Several People Individuals or Groups of People Use Different Responses to the Cross, Literally Divide Them for Eternity How They Handle the Events of Luke 23 Is Going to Separate Them. Luke Records Their Stories for Someone to Show You This, Not Just Because They Were Part of the Historical Record and Not Just Because They Help Us Understand What Was Taking Pl. in Jesus is life your butt, Luke records, their stories because their stories are emblematic of how people in all places at all times and all cultures respond to Jesus and I cannot tell you that if you listen closely this morning you listen closely, you're gonna see yourself in one of these groups, take the first five of them today and then in the river to cover two more next week. What you think about your life in light of the stories which of these individuals which of these groups best depicts how you respond to Jesus you have responded how you are responding because just like those two raindrops I told you about. We got to people who exist side-by-side in this life that you share the same cubicle that your part of the same family.

Maybe you're even part of the same small group or maybe you're even sitting next to each other in church this morning and you can end up.

Eternity is a part, because of which side of these events that you are on there we go to Luke chapter 23 verse one and their whole assembly rose up and brought Jesus before Pilate, they began to accuse him in to say we found this man misleading our nation opposing payment of taxes to Caesar and say that he himself is the Messiah. He is the king and so Pilate asked him are you really the king of the Jews person of interest number one if you're taking notes is Pilate really called pilot the preoccupied pilot the preoccupied pilot is to preoccupied with other matters to give serious consideration to who Jesus actually is in asking the question, are you the king of the Jews, she Pilate's concern is not whether or not Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah's concern is not whether Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecies and if he's brought salvation's concern is whether or not Jesus is a political threat to him and to Caesar and so his question in verse three is a response to what Jewish leaders. They understood you get that in verse two there like a pilot you, Jesus. We try to do is going to pull people away from your and Caesar political program and try to get people engaged in his own answer Jesus in response gives Pilate a deliberately evasive answer in verse three he says simply, you say so you say so what exactly does that mean literally in Greek is just a word you say you say some translations like the NIV, if you have an NIV Bible in front of you.

They will interpret those two words positively as if Jesus was saying. It is as you say like Jesus is true, it is as you say that's positive, others are going to interpret it negatively. Well that's what you say as if he's given a negative answer. So which is it is a positive response or is it a negative response and the answer is neither is deliberately slippery.

Why because Jesus is in essence saying wrong?

He had not come for earthly political reasons. One way or the other and so to answer Pilate's question would be to concede that the question had merit.

I think about it this way. If I were to ask you have you stopped taking your cat answering either yes or no implies that you have been taking your debt.

But if you do not own a cat because you don't like to have things in your house that remind you of the devil then you will not give to me a direct answer because the question has no relevance for you and so by answering this way Jesus was saying Pilate you're asking the wrong question was the that's a lead to a lengthy back-and-forth which which concludes with pilot savers for I find no grounds for charging this man a statement that he's gonna repeat three different times in this chapter, you say to give her 14 universe 15 and then a final time in verse 22. Answer from those four repetitions you can conclude that pilot is absolutely convinced of Jesus's innocence and yet and yet in verse 23. He's going to consent to Jesus's execution anyway.

Why why it is because Pilate is more concerned with appeasing the crowd that he is doing right by Jesus. You see, historians tell us that by this point in Pilate's career pilot was a pretty thin ice. Jerusalem had undergone several riots under his watch and so Caesar had told him Pilate one more blow up right one more revolt and your finished and that we know we know that pilot just a few years after this incident is going to lose his position because he he mishandled another disturbance in Samaria, and as punishment. Caesar is going to vanish in the gall, where according to Eusebius he commit suicide. The point is that pilot is so preoccupied with keeping his job that he just didn't have time to consider a question like is Jesus actually who he says he is or what is he teaching about God and is it true Pilate just wants to know Jesus can help or hurt him politically to him. That's all that really matters about Jesus. In fact, in John the gospel. John's account of this trial is a particularly revealing moment. John 18, Jesus tells Pilate that he was sent here to testify to the truth about God, Pilate shrugged his shoulders and says what is truth what is truth. In other words, I don't have time to think about that province to run the political pressures you would not believe the luxury to think about these kinds of questions they're just not that relevant to me. That's why call him pilot the preoccupied pilot is not so much a rejection of Jesus that is it as it is indifference to Jesus friendless in this distraction, since for more people to help in disbelief ever did distraction since for more people to help special place like ours. The disbelief ever has pilot represents a person who was too distracted by their circumstances to engulfed in the cares of this life to really consider what Jesus is claiming and then to make a bold decision on him one way or the other you see their whole lives they've been laser focused on how to get the right career to get married. I got a have a happy family Gouda to make these kids turn out right. How to be wealthy and financially secure and so this morning when you come to think about Jesus you like. Can Jesus help me in these things are not like Pilate.

You're asking the wrong question about Jesus and Jesus. Can you fix my family. Jesus, can you give me a happy life. Can you provide me with a husband and the kids.

Can you give me fulfillment in my career and Jesus says you say you say nothing you can't just like the ones on Pilate that he never became of the Jews he saying wrong question right now with Jesus was here to testify, the reality that was so important that all those other questions that you been obsessed with all your life paled in comparison to that reality. What if all your life you been asking the wrong questions all your life you been taught to focus on how to get ahead how to find that perfect marriage partner how to be happy and healthy and financially secure.

But what if the most important reality is not any of those things is who God is and if you know him and if you are prepared to meet him and if you are living out his plan. What if you took all of your questions and you just put them aside for a few minutes.

He said Jesus forget my questions. Who are you what you want the preoccupied is that you this weekend again distraction since for more people to hell. The disbelief ever did. Let's keep reading because were about to meet person of interest number two, verse five, but they kept insisting he stirs up the people teaching throughout all Judea from Galilee where he started even to hear number click by bringing up Galilee religious leaders think they're being shrewd a stroke of political genius.

They presume Galilee. You see, was a hotbed of dissension think burger center of the south side of LA by bringing up Galilee to help him pilot to respond with panic, but it back. Pierce verse six, verse six when Pilate heard this, he asked of the man was a Galilean, finding that the matter was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days I was like oh Galilee under my jurisdiction.

This is my lucky day. That's Herod you understand. I gotta recuse myself. It's not my problem but send you to Herod and let him deal with you.

She, Herod, was that the Jewish puppet king that Rome had placed over the rural parts of Israel.

He's person of interest number two Herod were to call him superficial. The superficial verse eight Herod was very glad there was very glad to see Jesus because for a long time. He had wanted to see him because he heard about him was hoping to see some miracle performed by him, so he kept asking them questions. Jesus did not answer him now this. Here it is an interesting guy who has a long history the New Testament and Blondie will get him confused because there's more than one person in your Bible and Herod.

This is Herod and to press think of them as Herod number two is the son of Herod the great bear number one the Herod number one Herod the great was the Herod that had had all the babies younger than two years old killed when Jesus was born. Antipasto his son was the Herod that was confronted by John the Baptist for having an affair with his brothers wife. If you remember that story his brothers wife Herodias was her name had been so offended by being called out in her sin that she demanded John the Baptist head on a platter and Herod Antipas comply will Matthew the gospel writer Matthew tells us Matthew 14 that Herod had been guilt ridden over this so guilt ridden that he thought that John the Baptist just might be GMAC me thought Jesus just might be John the Baptist raise from the dead come back to haunt him here in this chapter we find Herod curious about Jesus.

He wants to see Jesus do some magic trick essentially show off his power. But here's the key. He doesn't want to press into much to who Jesus is, because that would require reckoning with his messy and painful history as we keep Jesus at arms length. He dabbles in Jesus.

He is curious about Jesus, but only on a superficial level, you say superficial. That sounds like an SAT word yet. How do you know if you're superficial or just a little official like regular official normal official superficial judgment, shallow in case your you know what you want to, but Herod represents a person today that comes to church but never really get serious about Jesus is getting serious about Jesus would just cost way too much to really deal with the mess you've made your life to really come clean with Jesus and to acknowledge the wrongs that you've done to seek restitution to really repent just be way too embarrassing way too costly way to messy, that maybe just like here and here you feel like your sin is painted you into a corner there's I look. I had an affair and then murdered an innocent man to cover it up is no going back now. Maybe you're sitting there thinking pastor I got mistakes build upon mistakes and lies that are covering lies and this is no way I'm tumbling now Messiah good news for you this morning. It's hard news but is good news. The good news. Jesus can forgive every sin he can break every chain to the power of the resurrection he can reverse every curse D here to hear King David testifying from the Old Testament. Herod. Herod I do the same thing I do the same thing. I had an affair and not killed Amanda cover it up. And God forgave me any claims me he wants me. Psalm 51 with hyssop and make me white as snow he restored to me the joy of my salvation and he reestablished me on my throne, Herod he can do this for you. Also, one of my favorite Old Testament verses is from the book of Joel, for God says that Israel after God had sent swarms of locusts into Israel to punish Israel for their persistence in Joel said God says to Joel Joel 225 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locusts have eaten the locus had destroyed their crops and devastated their country economically. God said to them, if you repent not only not only can you make locusts stop I can actually restore to you the years of crops and enters years of wasted harvest that those locus destroyed from let that sink in for a minute.

You may think that your sins have so destroyed and so disqualified your life that there is no returning, but you're wrong. This is the God who resurrects the dead.

This is a God who spoke into a dark chaotic mess in the world and created the land and the continents in this disguise and that the CZ, the God who calls the storms and still the seat of God, who says behold I make all things new goddesses calling to me and I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things you don't know yet. The guy who says come now and let us reason together, says the Lord, that your sins are like scarlet, make them as white as snow, and you can never overestimate his power to forgive. You can never overestimate his willingness to forgive. You can never overestimate his power to heal and to restore the gospel is the power of God under salvation. All who will receive it. Regardless of the circumstances and the mess that they bring into the situation.

The point is not what cost center you are the point is, how powerful the Savior.

He is, and that's the good news hard news is that to get that you gotta come to him on his terms.

That's a place where breaks out for many of its their powers their power to forgive power to heal better restore the come him on his terms means honesty and transparency humility, surrender, real repentance, surrender no more games.

I'm telling you there is more grace and love and power way down on you than you could ever imagine. But it is only available to those who come into the light and surrender this and I beg you, I beg you.

Some of you are being tempted right now to this retreat farther and farther in the Senate was a Herod like curiosity that brought you here is a superficial interest in the Jesus and now you're being tempted to just keep hiding to let Shane keep you in the shadows dog do it, there is Christ for you.

If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just and able to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Listen, I know that road to repentance. I know the humility that is required to open yourself up and admit mistakes and complete. I know it may seem difficult but I'm telling you the path of hiding is even more difficult for me warn you, continuing on in sin deadens you think a dark cloud that chokes out your spiritual life. The Bible Bible talks about your conscience how it can become hardened and calloused seared through unconfessed sins. You say no to the Holy Spirit. So many times that you start to lose the capacity even to feel conviction of sin anymore. My mom my mom used to always tell me some. Whatever you do, do not deaden your conscience.

Do not sear your conscience if you see your conscious you lose your capacity even to hear God's secret since unconfessed sins that corrupts you with a deaden you what what beautiful advice going to happen to you today today. You're listening to me the means are still a glimmer of hope. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit yet again told silence him.

Listen, you may never have another chance like the one giving you today many are arrogant.

You think they'll always be tomorrow and I'm telling you that's not true.

You may never have another chance like a moment.

I'm about to give you right now. You sit here thinking I thought, he's talking like to me. I am if you're thinking that is 100% correct does not mean that the Holy Spirit is talking to you matter where you are. He opens his arms to you and tells you to come home right now you can rebuild what sin has destroyed he can restore the years for you that the locusts have eaten come to him that right now. Right now I believe I really do. The Holy Spirit is arresting some of you right at this very moment. I don't want to I want to just past that by only just move on from this and give you the opportunity to silence him and to sear your conscience again by not acting on what's going on in your heart right now so I now want to do something on a warlike Way to this message I want to do something pretty unusual. What you just to bow your head right now. Everybody at all campuses and homes.

Every head bowed every single person every eye closed and I want to give you the opportunity to respond to God right now listen at the back of every single one of our campuses there to be somebody standing at the door and they are ready to greet you with every head bowed and every eye closed. Listen, if God is speaking to you right now you know I'm talking to you. I want you very quietly to just stand up slip Diversey going to the aisle and walked backwards. Nobody is watching. Nobody will see you I want you to go and pray with one of our team members that is standing there and get this settled right now this is not a great time. Beth demonstrated knowledge that's okay this is for those you right now I does not know there are people now that God is dealing with and what you stand right now and what you just begin to walk backwards. Now the print do not silence the voice of the Holy Spirit. Again, if you're watching live. You can click request prayer now your home group, you can really hit pause on the right now.

Just email prayer@summitchurch.com and we will get back to you as fast as possible, but I pray for those right now that you're talking to those that are responding those that are getting up there that are texting and emailing God, thank you for the work that you're doing.

Thank you for not allowing them to harden their hearts yet again. WB thanks for that.

In Jesus name amen would like a pyramid you would look out Herod story ends. Verse 11 then Herod with his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt Martin dressing in bright clothing and sent him back to Pilate.

That very day Herod and Pilate became friends previously seated and enemies. When Jesus would not satisfy Pilate's curiosity, where he should hear his curiosity which Jesus never will. By the way, for those who are seriously seeking him, Herod's interest to sketch this turns into mockery. That is where this refusal to come clean always ends. If you are not seriously seeking Jesus. If you have unconfessed sin.

You will find I don't care how much you know about the Bible you will find that you begin to mock those who do seek Jesus.

Sincerely it is your guilty conscience that is fueling that mockery, you better be careful.

Galatians says do not be deceived, God will not be mocked.

If you do not do with your sin that can lead you to the most extreme hostility toward Jesus. That's why verse 12 says on that day Herod actually became best friends with Pilate previously did been enemies.

Now their friends deaden the voice of your conscience ends up making you friends with Jesus's worst enemies lead, you will place you do not want to go. I'm just saying don't do it don't do it. There's 1/3 group in these verses, verse 10 skipped over this, the chief priests and the scribes stood by vehemently accusing him person of interest, number three, the chief priests will call them the religious, the chief priests were powerful people proud people. Jesus insulted their pride, she Jesus had taught that these religious leaders, despite their lofty status with like there's either many degrees and many good works and imperfect outward adornment each other.

They were no better than any other center. They were simple as the tax collectors and the thieves and the prostitutes and they need to be forgiven just like them say they spent their entire lives trying to demonstrate that they were better they were made out a better stuff. They were of a higher class they were endowed with greater wisdom and greater moral strength and they felt like by this point in their lives because they accomplished what they accomplished, they thought they prove their point and they hated Jesus for insulting their pride and so they opposed it, not just a little. They opposed him vehemently bursting vehemently accusing their opposition to him was the strongest of any of the groups in this chapter. Coming to Jesus requires a humility and a surrender that most people particularly proud religious people are unwilling to show good until you right now. Churches today are full of chief race hard to spot because their faithful church sometimes most faithful are often in leadership positions. They know every word, every song on positive and encouraging Kayla because they listen to it on repeat. They frequently use the name of Jesus, but in the heart.

It never actually come to him and never reckoned with. How sinful in God's eyes. They are then excused away their sins is not that bad compared to others.

They underestimate how sinful their sin is in God's eyes.

Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers said to a room full of religious people every sin in its essence is a killing of God. Do you comprehend me every time you do what God would not have you do you do in effect as far as you can put God out of his throne. You did sound the authority which belongs to his Godhead you do in a tent so far as you can kill God. That is the drift of sin. Sin is a God killing thing.

Not that bad except for resenting God and attempting to kill him. No wonder Jonathan Edwards. The Puritans of the holy God that we have sinned against is dreadfully provoked his wrath towards you. Burns like fire because of your sin.

He looks upon you is worthy of nothing else but to be cast into the fire. He is a purer eyes than the bear you in his sight because of your sin, you are 10,000 times as abominable in his eyes as the most hateful, venomous serpent is in ours friend. It is only by the grace of God that any of us don't fall into hell this very moment the question is are you willing to admit that you and I are so corrupted with sin that attains everything. Imagine that you know somebody has the COBIT virus means everything I touch got me wipe down music chairs. I sit in the doorknob. They touch even the air they breathe is contaminated. That's how we are to God but 10 billion times worse. By the way, if you think that's a little harsh for you think that basically you're a good person and not understand your chief priest listen when I ask most people what they think are going to heaven and I do that a lot almost always tell me about a bunch of things they do that make them better than the average person will break the law. I'm a good person and I come to church and I try to be a good spouse and I give a little money.

That's the answer of the chief race and you will oppose the true Jesus, and you will resent his rule over your life like what Billy Graham used to say that it's not people sins that usually send them to help. It's their good works because the good works keep them from coming to Jesus for forgiveness of their sins. That's why, in the South more difficult job is getting somebody lost once you get them lost given them save is pretty easy, but most difficult part of my job is get people loss of that they know they need salvation now me like pray little prayer did the religious thing and you got that I'm talking about where you know that apart from the grace of God you were under judgment and you are worthy of it and you have no hope.

Except for the grace of God that is expressed in Christ by the table secret. When you think you got some goodness that set you apart when your father church time tomorrow you will resent God's absolute claim of your life. You want to negotiate with God. I got okay because I do this because a person could have been faithful to church ask that you bless my career, I expect you to heal me like you find me a spouse that you met my kids are not like God doesn't do that. You resent him because you like.

He's not living up his end of the bargain and he owes me the owes I did all the stuff ramp widening you fulfill your part of the bargain. God but see when you realize how sinful you are all utterly worthy you are of judgment. You have no choice but to catch yourself down and complete surrender on God's mercy is everything is grace your pride and your independent claim over your life simply cannot coexist with Jesus.

That's why the chief priests vehemently oppose him like I always say every heart is thrown across right if you're on the throne of these Jesus got in a cross with Jesus the throat.

You gotta be on the cross that what is it mean to be on the cross. It means to die to your pride and your worthiness.

That cross is me. I'm recognizing that the cross is what I deserve. When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory.my richest gain account but lost everything that I thought set me apart from others is his loss and I pour contempt on all my pride is I hate it. I think it's stupid to see him get preoccupied superficial got the religious was keep reading verse 13 pilot pilot called together the chief priests, the leaders of the people he said to them, he brought this man is one who misleads the people, but in fact, after examining him in your presence no grounds charges man with those things you accuse him of neither is Herod that he send back to us. Clearly he's done nothing to deserve that. Therefore, I have them lift and then release him, but they cried out together.

Take this man away release Barabbas on to us.

She Barabbas of enduring the prison for a rebellion that it taken place in the city and for murder personages number four is Barabbas call him the guilty to try get himself out of this mess pilot turns toward an age old custom of letting one prisoner go for Passover and what he thinks is a stroke of genius. He offers them what he considers to be an easy choice, Barabbas, or Jesus you know I should've been no question. Barabbas is indicated. Here was a truly bad dude. He was guilty of domestic terrorism he had murdered fellow Jews, in fact, the irony is that of all people, the Jewish leaders should be the last ones to want Barabbas free because revolutionaries like Barabbas hated the religious leaders they thought the religious leaders are part of the problem that they were sellouts of their own people and they wanted to kill him. This Barabbas was a genuine threat to the safety of the people and and he had been rightfully sentenced execution. So why, why choose Barabbas while, for one, Barabbas did not insult her pride and they could contain Barabbas, Tom Skinner was an African-American pastor in Harlem, but I think he probably said at the best. Barabbas is the guy who's going to destroy the system. Barabbas is guys don't burn them out because they were part of the establishment.

Barabbas was going to kill them.

Why would they want Barabbas. Here's why. If you let Barabbas go, and he starts another disturbance. All you do is push a few tanks in his neighborhood. You can find reef keeping his guns. You can always stop Barabbas how can you stop Jesus how do you stop a manual is no guns, no tanks, no ammunition, but he still shaken up the entire Roman Empire.

Jesus was starting something they couldn't control you start a revolution that would turn everything upside down, starting with her own pride and hatred for people back then, like today didn't want to give up the pride and power to choose Barabbas they'd rather choose a public nuisance would rather choose a threat to their safety than they would be to surrender their pride and power. That's what the story becomes really personal for me and you this Christmas to see in ourselves that we actually are.

Barabbas. Barabbas was rightfully condemning his sin, and so are we. Barabbas got to walk free because an innocent man died in its place. Barabbas is the first in a long line of people are to be set free because Jesus dies in their place pastor Ricky said it last weekend as we can forget that the people of the Gospels were real people, so sometimes we'll put ourselves in their shoes and think about what was it like for them how to think for a moment about Barabbas.

Later that day, peering out toward that hill where Jesus was dying and I want you to picture him thinking that should be me. I should be the one dying he is dying in my place friend that's the gospel even just die for me. He died instead of me because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free for God to just to satisfy the looks on him to pardon me, every one of us have come to a come to Jesus have to get in line after Barabbas went to say I'm on Barabbas's team to identify with him and said another bore my guilt died in my place that maybe something really interesting about Barabbas's name in Aramaic. That's the language that that that Barabbas is in an Aramaic Barabbas literally translates as son of a father bar, son of us a dead son of a dead talk about a generic name right Barabbas, if you're a son or daughter of a dead near you got his name in Aramaic that's intentional because he represents all of us. His story is the story of every son or daughter that in your this is the essence of the gospel, by the way. One thing that I want you to notice here.

This whole trial is unjust to see that really cares about truth Jesus upon as politicians try to protect their position and proud people try to protect her privilege and get their revenge. Verse 23, but they kept up with the pressure to many loud voices that he be crucified.

And their voices.

One outburst 24 so Pilate decided to grant their demand. Verse 25 he released the one that they were asking for good been thrown into prison rebellion murder but he handed Jesus over to their will. Jesus dies as a whole victim of horrible injustice.

The trial is a sham, and by the way, it is an additional quick. I hope that gives some of you comfort when you suffer unjustly the most innocent man ever to live was tried unjustly and died under false pretenses.

I'm telling you that so you understand that he understands when you are through my friend Patrick Beatty said we ought to stop and consider the fact that Jesus the most innocent man to ever live who did everything right was falsely accused and condemned by a court and unjust court so that when it happens to us. We know we have a Savior who understands who entered into that injustice with us and feels it with us and came to deliver us from it.

So why, why did Jesus go through this proceeding, you see that your Barabbas what you see is that he was buried. Our injustice Luke tells us that in the midst of all of this unfairness in all this unjust accusation. Jesus just stood there silently as you when you stand silent before an accuser when you stand before somebody whether it's in a courtroom or not, who is accusing you of things and you stand there with no response.

No objection.

What are you conceding guilt, why was Jesus conceding guilt. What was he never guilty of that moment. He was pleading guilty to my sin is behind the chief priests and hundred religious leaders behind pilots pointing their fingers at him and accusing him listen Jesus all God the father was pointing at him in that moment he was accusing Jesus of Jenny Grierson.

Jesus stood there and pled guilty to my sin, pled guilty in your sin, pled guilty to Barabbas sin they died in our place guilty file helplessly spotless Lamb of God, was he full atomic canopy hallelujah what a Savior we are Barabbas God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

So there's one more person will show you will quickly before we close 2611 way they see Simon Sorini and was coming in from the country lived across on him to carry behind Jesus person of interest number five are final one.

Simon, Sorini and the disciples will call him. Here's a question.

Why do you think Luke stops tells us man's name words from. I can understand why Luke records the story significant moment Jesus so we can stagnate on the way the cross that he stumbles and gardens the gifts might help carry the cross that shows how much is suffering so I get why totals about the situation, but why give us his name by way not just his name worries from in fact was in Mark's account gospel marks account. Mark also mentions the names not sign away from, but also assignments to Sunday said his sons were named Rufus and Alexander not gospel writers don't typically mention the buyers of other random people in the Gospels and the gardener gave Jesus vinegar drink was named.

This is a favorite color and the supply would even say that one so the veil torn was that didn't give anybody tell you why all that diesel about Simon. Simon of styrene was a known figure in the early church first readers of Luke's blue book. Luke's gospel would've been like oh I'm sorry to survivor their data. Rufus and Alexander. I know and realize that he was there for all this. By the late Roman 1630, the apostle Paul says to greet Rufus was chosen in the Lord and his mom's been like a mother to me. Also, scholars say it is almost certain that same Rufus mentioned in the gospel of Mark is the son of Simon.

That means that Simon went on to become a follower of Jesus. Not only that you let his wife and his two sons to faith in Christ of you pick this up, but in Romans 61 Paul Britton Rufus is the only one that Paul describes is chosen in the Lord. You see, the apostle Paul recognized that there on that road to Calvary. Even as Jesus's body staggered under the weight of the cross, he was still sovereignly choosing a man and his wife and his sons to follow him and become his disciples. When you pull back the veil. What you see in Luke 23 is that this was not a week Savior who needed help. This was a strong and sovereign Savior was extending salvation. Those that he chose, even at the moment of his death.

That leaves naloxone. The good news Simon stores an invitation to an invitation to you, he's extending that invitation to you is calling you right now from Luke 23 to become his disciple McCall about this for the last several weeks were not looking for your praise and prayers razor and just get baptized want you to really become a true disciple of Jesus, a follower let us to believe, but to lead your family and your friends to Christ and to carry the cross that he has for you into the world, just like you chose Simon offered in the cross he's choosing you in offering you the cross. He's got great things for you is that specific a specific mission for you to fulfill people that he wants to use you to bring to Jesus you got a role for you to play in his kingdom that will impact eternity. The invitation of Luke 23 is are you going to accept. So who are you who are you, are you preoccupied like pilot superficial like Eric, are you the religious like the chief priests have really humbled yourself and cried out for God's mercy.

Are you the guilty had you acknowledge that you're the guilty, like Barabbas, have you become a disciple like Simon of styrene babies first three right here. These first three or why people resist Jesus even PDP, especially people in church see from what you come to realize your number four the sentence of condemnation is on our heads in its rightful once you realize that your unweighted, number five.

The good news is that Jesus died for all these rooms to the distracted. The distracted Jesus as Isaiah 118 come now come out, let us reason together, says the Lord, that your sins like Charlotta Megan is what is not. The red like crimson I can make them visible to the superficial enter the religious Jesus. At first John one 880 say we have no sin, you live in.

Truth is not in you.

But if you will confess your sin. He will be faithful and just to forgive you of sin and acquaint you of all unrighteousness and all of us. He says John 112 us to as many as received him, to them he gave the right to privilege the power the responsibility to become the children of God, even to those who believe on his name. The question is you receive that invitation. University. Once you bow your head one more time if you would bow your heads, ready to receive him ready receive him.

If so, you can pray these are usually very words I'm going to give you but just make sure they come from your heart. Jesus, I received your offer of salvation accept your call to become your disciple.

I received your offer to forgive my sins I received your offer of salvation. I accept the call to become your disciple. Just pray that just pray that right now that we have battery.

I close my eyes looking around she read quietly take out your phone which you text the word ready Re: 80 why 33933 again text the word ready, 33933 somebody will respond to you next steps would like to wait right now. Such a word ready at 33933 baptized when I hear a couple weeks and you need to make a decision right now, be baptized.

Baptism as your first Interpublic for phase 1 public with your your acceptance of Jesus never done that some of you it's good you just proved me right now to receive Christ. Some of you got it the last few weeks and you've done it years ago but you've never been baptized as a profession of your faith so don't you also text were ready 33933. It would appear the screen is right. I think the word ready, 33933 tactical responding will start a conversation with you about what this looks like you can decide if you're ready to do this again you won't be baptized.

Also text were ready 33933.

Father I pray for that is your working on new new.

This morning you were to do something and you have Dragon for those you're speaking to. Given the faith to believe the ability to respond. Encourage courage to finish what you doing the heart, I pray in Jesus name