1 00:00:08,290 --> 00:00:12,090 Invite you tonight to open with me your Bible to Gospel of 2 00:00:12,090 --> 00:00:15,930 Matthew chapter 27. We're going to be reading 3 00:00:15,930 --> 00:00:19,010 through that entire chapter, so if you don't have your Bible, 4 00:00:19,050 --> 00:00:21,370 there are Bibles in the Pew in front of you. 5 00:00:21,570 --> 00:00:23,690 Encourage you to get one into your hands. 6 00:00:23,690 --> 00:00:25,930 It'll be a bit of a different version to the one I'm reading, 7 00:00:25,930 --> 00:00:29,250 but you should be able to follow along as I indicate which verses 8 00:00:29,250 --> 00:00:34,680 we're looking at tonight. This Good Friday 2026, we're 9 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,560 looking at the cross of Christ. It's the title of the message. 10 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,840 If you were to go out and you were to take a poll of people 11 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:42,480 and to ask them. What do you know? 12 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:45,680 About the cross, what what do you think is significant about 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,440 the cross? Probably the most common. 14 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,280 Answer would be that, well, it symbolises Christianity. 15 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,440 It's something that we'll see on top of a church. 16 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,360 It's something that people will wear as jewellery around their 17 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,120 neck, or it might be something that we see on on top of a 18 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:02,920 tombstone. So yeah, like any other 19 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,440 religious symbol, the cross is the symbol for Christianity. 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,280 Another response might be that those who know their history 21 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,520 would say, well, cross was a means of capital punishment that 22 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,960 was invented by the the Persians, but kind of perfected 23 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:21,480 by the Romans, and that the Romans would use it as a means 24 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:25,400 to to shame and to display to those that they'd conquered. 25 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,760 Here's what will happen to any who go against the law of Rome. 26 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:33,240 It's a brutal death, crucifixion, what the Christian 27 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,240 believes, because this is what the Bible teaches. 28 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,880 And what we're going to consider tonight as we look at the cross 29 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:42,480 of Christ, is that the cross? Is the greatest display of love, 30 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:47,040 the Bible tells us. In the book of Romans chapter 5 31 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,560 verse 8, these words God demonstrates his love for us. 32 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,920 In this it goes on and says. While. 33 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,640 We were still sinners. Christ died for us all. 34 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,880 The apostle who wrote those words in Romans said about his 35 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,400 own life in the book of First Corinthians that the cross of 36 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:12,840 Christ was his entire focus. He said that I have determined 37 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,920 to know nothing among you except Christ and him crucified. 38 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:22,080 Christ and Him crucified. He identified with Jesus so much 39 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,480 that in another. Book called Galatians, Paul 40 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:29,080 writes, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. 41 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,160 William Barkley, maybe some of you have heard that he said 42 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:36,160 this. The cross is the proof that 43 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:37,880 there is no. Length to which God? 44 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:39,600 Won't go to win the hearts of men. 45 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,800 It shows how far God will go to bring us to Him. 46 00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:49,120 Let's take our minds from 2000 years ago to the Jewish mind, 47 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,680 and the events that we're reading are in the 1st century 48 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,280 AD. The time of Roman occupation of 49 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,920 this area of Judea. And for the Jewish mind across 50 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,880 it's unthinkable. That their Messiah, their 51 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,880 promised one, their expected political Messiah, is how they 52 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,120 mostly thought of the one who was to come, That he would die, 53 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,800 would be crucified and on a cross of all things. 54 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,760 Because the Jewish. Nation expected a a political, 55 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,400 military, kingly ruler to come as the fulfilment of their 56 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,240 Messiah prophecies, one who would come and set them free 57 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,480 from the Roman dominion that so oppressed their daily lives. 58 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,640 Would overthrow all of their enemies and set up Israel again, 59 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,360 hacking back to the days of King David, restoring the former 60 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,640 glory. To a future glory now of Israel, 61 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,320 so that when a. Fellow called John the Baptist 62 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,920 arrived on the scene and started uttering these words. 63 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,320 Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. 64 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:48,760 Wow, that got people's attention. 65 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:51,280 Could it be now? Could this be? 66 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,840 What we've been hoping and longing for at hand, he said. 67 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:59,120 And then just a few weeks later, Jesus himself comes onto the 68 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:03,800 scene with a similar message. He says the Kingdom of God is at 69 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,600 hand and the people's hope within them begins to rise. 70 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,880 And then Jesus starts going around preaching and teaching 71 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,840 and performing miracles and people recognise, wow, this 72 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,399 could be could be the promised one, this could be the Messiah. 73 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:20,480 And a crowd began to gather around him. 74 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,400 We're told that in the area of Galilee where Jesus spent the 75 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,680 majority of his time in John chapter 6. 76 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,800 That they actually sought to take Jesus by force on this 77 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:33,320 occasion and make him a king. And then finally, just a few 78 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,360 days for those of you who are here on Sunday and we looked at 79 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,920 the events of Palm Sunday. When many thousands, hundreds of 80 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,400 thousands, possibly even in the million, were gathered there in 81 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,000 Jerusalem and they were crying out the prophetic promises, 82 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,560 Jesus rode into Jerusalem. On a donkey and they shouted 83 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:51,520 out. Hosanna. 84 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,560 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of 85 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,720 Israel. And the crowd went, to put it in 86 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:03,840 colloquial terms, nuts. They went ballistic, they went 87 00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:05,400 wild. They thought this is it, it's 88 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,240 happening. Before our very eyes, and it 89 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,320 reached fever pitch, the expectations surrounding Jesus 90 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:16,920 that he would be the Messiah. And so they did not expect what 91 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:21,200 we're here to remember on this Good Friday, the crucifixion. 92 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,480 They did not anticipate the cross of Christ. 93 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,640 Even his disciples. Did not, though he'd mentioned 94 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,600 the need for him to suffer and to die. 95 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,600 But soon they would understand and they would be corrected. 96 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,440 We have the record. Their thinking was amiss because 97 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,480 Jesus first before he would become King. 98 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:44,840 And he will, don't mistake. Me. 99 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:50,720 He must first be the Saviour. That's what the Angel predicted. 100 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,320 We've been studying through the Gospel of Matthew on Sunday 101 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,320 nights and we looked at the birth of Jesus not too long ago, 102 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,680 and the Angel told Mary and Joseph this before his birth. 103 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,040 About Jesus you will. Call His name Jesus, for He will 104 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,400 what save His people from their sin. 105 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:11,360 In other words, first Jesus must deal with sin. 106 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,880 This is what we're going to consider as we look at the cross 107 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:16,400 of Christ tonight. That's what. 108 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:21,000 The cross is all. About saving his people, that's 109 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:25,960 you and I from their sin. And then soon and very, very 110 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,720 soon, he will come again, and he will rule, and he will reign 111 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,040 here on this earth as king of all kings and. 112 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:36,440 Lord of all the Lords. So chapter 27 begins, and 113 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,040 tonight we're going to walk slowly through the events of 114 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:45,520 Matthew chapter 27 and let the T text speak for itself somewhat. 115 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,560 But as we do, I want us to see these events that we read 116 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,000 through through 5. Clear lenses that the Bible 117 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,320 itself gives to us about what was happening here. 118 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,720 We're going to see the problem of humanity that we have a sin 119 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,720 debt against a holy righteous God. 120 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,960 We're going to see the plan that that God aware of this even 121 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,080 before the foundation of the world was laid, planned 122 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:17,440 redemption set in motion this. And that's why Jesus came to 123 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,720 fulfil that purpose and to accomplish that mission, to be a 124 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,440 Saviour before he is King, in order to accomplish. 125 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:28,440 That there is a punishment, the full penalty of sin being paid 126 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:33,320 by him in his body, being fully human, but also fully God able 127 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,840 to pay that substitutionary penalty in full. 128 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,600 And so we have finally the propitiation or the pardon and 129 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:42,400 the peace that comes out of that. 130 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:48,120 It's what we receive when we acknowledge and enjoy Jesus. 131 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:49,600 Finished. Work on the cross. 132 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,360 So keep these phrases in mind as we read. 133 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,480 They'll help us to understand why the cross is so significant, 134 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,560 is so much more than just a symbol of Christianity, is so 135 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,200 much more than just a means of capital punishment. 136 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,880 But it is about the deliberate, loving climax of God's story of 137 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,560 redemption here on earth. As we jump into the text in 138 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:13,440 verse one, Jesus has already been arrested by this point in 139 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,320 time out of the Garden of Gethsemane. 140 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:20,400 He's been tried on some Trump charges by the Jewish leaders 141 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,920 taken through the evening and into the early hours of the 142 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:25,800 morning. He's been beaten, he's been spat 143 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,080 upon, he's been falsely accused. And now it's early morning. 144 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:34,880 And when morning came, verse one, all the chief priests and 145 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,120 elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to. 146 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,400 Death and. When they had bound him, they 147 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,600 led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. 148 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,600 You see, only the Roman government could exercise 149 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:53,200 capital punishment. They'd taken away that right 150 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,760 from the Jewish leadership many, many years prior to this. 151 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,320 And so the leaders of Israel take Jesus before pilot they. 152 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:03,720 Have a mission to see Jesus dead. 153 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:07,080 And they need to get to the man who can make that happen in 154 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:08,400 Pilate. He's the governor. 155 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,440 But Pilate, we'll see through this. 156 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,040 He won't be interested in debates over religious doctrine, 157 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,800 though. So they they take the route that 158 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,560 will pique the curiosity and interest of Pilate. 159 00:09:18,560 --> 00:09:22,720 And they present Jesus as this revolutionary, as this political 160 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,120 enemy of Rome. We told people not to pay taxes. 161 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,200 And he makes claims to be a king and of the Jews. 162 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,760 So be careful, Pilate. You need to do something about 163 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,360 this man. Of course, those who have been 164 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,200 paying attention to Jesus life and his ministry and his words 165 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,840 and his actions would know nothing could be farther from 166 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,400 the truth. And Pilate discovers that in his 167 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,160 investigation of Jesus, Jesus had. 168 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:51,200 No plans to build and open up a palace to erect a flag and 169 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,200 declare himself as king on earth, though that is a future 170 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,880 promise, but here he's. Dealing with something else, the 171 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:02,120 salvation of humanity. But before we get to that, we 172 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,200 learn what happened with Judas and verse 3. 173 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:12,280 Then Judas is betrayer, seeing Judas is one of the 12 disciples 174 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,920 of Jesus. Seeing that he had been 175 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,800 condemned, was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of 176 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,240 silver to the chief priests and elders. 177 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:27,760 Verse 4 saying I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. 178 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:34,280 They said what is that to us? You see to it, just a day or so 179 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:38,360 ago, these men were so happy to encounter Judas who had come. 180 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:42,680 To them seeking to betray Jesus. And how much would you give to 181 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:45,920 me to make that happen? And now that they've achieved 182 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,520 their purposes, they're done, they're through with him. 183 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,800 It's sad, but unfortunately that's often how the world is, 184 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,440 isn't it? To use people to accomplish 185 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:00,080 their means and their ends and. They'll let you in for a time 186 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:01,640 and then when you're no longer. Helpful. 187 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:05,840 Just spit you out, cut you off. Happens to us. 188 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:09,760 We do it to others as well. We get caught up in our own 189 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,200 agenda and leave others to sort out their own mess. 190 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:16,560 And this is Judas experience. But consider Judas here with me 191 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:23,000 for a moment and his words that he says I have betrayed innocent 192 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,120 blood. Innocent blood. 193 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:32,080 Don't you think that Judas, having spent three years with 194 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:36,840 Jesus, being one of the disciples, part of those many 195 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:41,080 intimate moments and seeing behind the scenes, that if any 196 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:45,120 fault, if any ounce of hypocrisy, if any sin or any 197 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:49,360 gossip, any lying, any stealing on Jesus, part that Judas would 198 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:54,560 have known, would have seen and would have been able to fuel? 199 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,600 And confirm his actions in betraying Jesus. 200 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,920 But no, he declares, I have betrayed innocent blood. 201 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,560 Judas realises he's on his own, he's disposable and now he's 202 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:10,040 desperate. So verse 5 we read what he does. 203 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:14,360 He threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and 204 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,760 departed and went and hanged himself. 205 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,520 If you know the story, and I think that many of you do, Judas 206 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,320 betrayed Jesus. We've read of it. 207 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,640 It's interesting that anytime a listing of the disciples is 208 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,360 given through the record of scriptures, that Judas name is 209 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:36,000 mentioned last. The first disciple often 210 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,960 mentioned is Peter, and you'll know that Peter denied Jesus 211 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:45,200 three times before that rooster. Crowed in the early. 212 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,320 Hours of the morning. And he did so vehemently. 213 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:53,080 He did so with cursing, bring up all of his his words that he no 214 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,000 doubt used and employed out on those fishing boats those many, 215 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,760 many years ago. And he denied knowing Jesus and 216 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,640 both men, Judas and Peter. Turn their backs on Jesus in 217 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,600 different ways. Both men, we read, regretted 218 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:11,600 later what they had done concerning Jesus. 219 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,440 But their stories, if you know it, have two totally different 220 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,840 outcomes. We read of Judas here. 221 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,600 Judas. He went back to men, he went to 222 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,840 the chief priests, he went to those he'd obtained the money 223 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:28,080 from, and he looked for a way out and there was none. 224 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,800 Peter. Peter looked at Jesus and wept 225 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:37,120 bitterly. And Judas found no help. 226 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:40,840 For his troubled soul and committed suicide as we've read 227 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:45,200 Peter. Would rejoice later when he 228 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:49,160 hears that Jesus is risen from the dead and is eventually 229 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,720 restored. So how do we get 2 totally 230 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,560 different outcomes in Peter and Judas? 231 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:01,600 As you've probably experienced, there's two types of sorrow we 232 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,360 see. There's worldly sorrow that the 233 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,320 Bible speaks of. There's the sorry. 234 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,000 About this situation kind of words. 235 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,640 I'm sorry what's happened to you and how you're feeling. 236 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:23,000 I'm sorry for for hurting you. Then there's the sorrow that 237 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:28,320 says I don't ever want to do this again, please help me to 238 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,200 change. May that never be something that 239 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,080 happens in my life. And the two can look very 240 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,160 similar, but there's a critical difference. 241 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:41,600 One is called worldly sorrow and the other godly sorrow, and it's 242 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:43,520 godly sorrow that leads to repentance. 243 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,040 The Bible says. Now regret that we see in Judas 244 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:51,480 is not the same as repentance. It's good to feel sorry, and 245 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:56,040 it's a natural and a right thing indicative of a conscience at 246 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:56,640 work. But. 247 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:02,800 If all you do is feel and never repent, if you never ask God to 248 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,280 help change and transform and and fight and kick and scratch 249 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:09,280 against that for the sake of change, then it's only a matter. 250 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,720 Of time before you fall right back into that which you're 251 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:17,280 sorry for and do it again. But if you take the path of 252 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:22,040 Peter and not only feel bad, but repent, that is, go to Jesus, 253 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:26,800 find forgiveness, declare your allegiance to him, then then. 254 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,520 Then He will help you resist temptation. 255 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:32,760 Then He will help you break habits. 256 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,480 Then He will help you with those patterns of sin in your life to 257 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,280 destroy them and become the man or the woman that He desires for 258 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:44,080 you to be. It won't always be easy, but it 259 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,760 can happen. You can be restored. 260 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,320 You can change. Tonight, don't follow the path 261 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:53,760 of Judas. Take your burdens to Jesus, as 262 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:59,120 Peter did. Not people like this verse 6. 263 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,720 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said it's not. 264 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:06,880 Lawful to put. Them into the treasury because 265 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:11,760 they are the price of blood. I think this to be so ironic 266 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,800 because don't you think that they obtained those 30 pieces of 267 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:16,120 silver? Out of the very. 268 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,640 Treasury that they're saying they don't want it returned to. 269 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,320 For the purpose of what it's now achieved. 270 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,040 But again, this is what you find in the world. 271 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,800 Isn't it, though? Most people, haven't you 272 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:34,120 discovered, have very flexible ethics depending on what they're 273 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:38,120 trying to accomplish. And we may have the highest 274 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:42,720 standards one minute and the greatest of excuses the next. 275 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,760 Just have to watch how the AFL conducts itself in the public 276 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,240 sphere. It all depends what's at stake. 277 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:53,680 So these men are having a moment of twisted morality. 278 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:57,240 So verse 7, now through to 10. Here's what happens they 279 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,320 consulted together and bought with them the Potters field to 280 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,920 bury strangers in. Therefore, that field verse 8 281 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,280 has been called the field of blood to this day. 282 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,040 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet 283 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:14,040 saying, and they took the 30 pieces of silver, the value of 284 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,680 him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced 285 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,280 and gave them for the Potters field, as the Lord directed me. 286 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:23,520 What was the Potters? Field. 287 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:25,480 There's a place where they would. 288 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:31,240 Mine the the red clay dirt that the Potters would use to craft 289 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,400 their wares and to sell them. So consequently, the area of 290 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,880 this field would be mined and dugout and create these cavities 291 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,280 and holes and caverns and look very much like a quarry site. 292 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:46,680 And additionally, some suggest that after that field had been 293 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,360 exhausted of its resources, that when a Potter would work and 294 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,560 discover cracks or their inferior work and destroy it and 295 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,120 the chips that throw their marred vessels away, and they 296 00:17:56,120 --> 00:17:59,520 would often be gathered together and placed in a field such as 297 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,000 this. So consider consequently the 298 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:07,040 combination of those this field mined and then possibly being 299 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:10,120 filled with broken pottery. As we're reading, nothing could 300 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:15,920 grow here barren. Desolate, good for nothing, no 301 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,240 other purpose except to be utilised as a cemetery here for 302 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,080 those who had no other place to be laid. 303 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:26,800 And consider this also that the blood money for Jesus was used 304 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,760 to buy the place where broken pottery and dead bodies would 305 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,240 be. And that's just what we are 306 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,520 tells us in Genesis that God took from the dirt and made 307 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,200 Adam. And why it is that we say at a 308 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,800 funeral, Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. 309 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,080 And we were just that, shattered, dead in sin, good for 310 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,040 nothing. And the blood of Jesus was to 311 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:57,440 pay for us all. But note here we see the problem 312 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:02,120 in full Living Colour, betrayal. We've looked at regret without 313 00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:06,480 repentance and the blood money that could only buy a field for 314 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,120 the broken and the dead. And that is all. 315 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:15,080 Now back to Pilate verse 11 to 14, when Jesus stood before the 316 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:21,280 governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Are you the King of 317 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:26,400 the Jews? Jesus said to him, it is as you 318 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:31,040 say, while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, 319 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:34,640 He answered nothing. And then Pilate said to him, 320 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:39,920 verse 13, Do you not hear how many things they testify against 321 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,520 you? But he answered him not one 322 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,320 word, so that the governor marvelled greatly. 323 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:50,120 Pilot asked the question. You are you the King of the 324 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:55,000 Jews, And I think that's how he asked it because before him he's 325 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,840 expecting something different as a king. 326 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:02,560 No doubt he's not looking at any royal regalia here and the one 327 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:06,120 before him in Jesus. But consider a a beaten at this 328 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:09,960 point in time, bedraggled. Peasant, after all, from 329 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:14,000 Nazareth. Pilate knows Caesar is a king. 330 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:21,360 Pilate knows Rome is a Kingdom with armies and power and might 331 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:25,360 and glory. But you are you, the king of the 332 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:29,920 Jews, Jesus before him. There's a prophecy that some of 333 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:33,960 you would know out of Isaiah 53 says that like a sheep before 334 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,640 its shearers is silent, so he. Opened not his mouth. 335 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:43,240 And pilot pilot, he's used to criminals begging for their 336 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,400 lives and pleading their case and their cause and blubbering 337 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,120 and tears and and confessing and weeping and convulsing before 338 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:54,040 him. But Jesus here has no defence to 339 00:20:54,040 --> 00:21:00,960 make, no excuses to give. And think of Jesus power being 340 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,960 fully God, omnipotent. Jesus could have spoken and 341 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,080 obliterated all of the enemies. Before him. 342 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,640 Think of the intellectual capacity that Jesus possesses. 343 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,800 He could have defended himself with the greatest defence that 344 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:19,000 any lawyer could muster. But Jesus uttered not a word. 345 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,960 He chose to remain silent because there's a purpose to 346 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,640 fulfil. And even in his silence here, 347 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:31,720 Jesus is busy about fulfilling the purpose that the Angel 348 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:35,680 announced at his birth. He will save his people from 349 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:39,280 their sins. Verse 15 to 19. 350 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,840 Now at the feast, the governor was accustomed to releasing to 351 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:48,000 the multitude 1 prisoner whom they wished, and at that time 352 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,080 they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 353 00:21:52,360 --> 00:21:55,160 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said 354 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,120 to them, Whom do you want me to release to you? 355 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,640 Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ? 356 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:03,960 He knew that. They had handed him over because 357 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:10,000 of envy and while he was sitting in the judgement seat, his wife 358 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,520 sent to him saying had nothing to do with that, just man. 359 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,920 For I've suffered many things today in a dream because of him. 360 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:23,680 Barabbas is presented. His name means this son of the 361 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:26,400 Father. Interesting. 362 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,560 It's interesting that history also indicates for us that his 363 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:38,040 first name is Yahshua. Jesus, Jesus Son of the Father, 364 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,240 Barabbas, or Jesus the Christ of Nazareth. 365 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:47,000 Who do you want, people? The crowd chose Barabbas. 366 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,800 We want Barabbas, we want Barabbas. 367 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,960 And Barabbas was an insurrectionist and a murderer, 368 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,720 and they chose him over the real Son. 369 00:22:56,840 --> 00:23:01,720 Of the father and pilot's wife warns him of a dream that she 370 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,920 had. Dreams are common throughout the 371 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,200 scriptures. In the first chapters of the 372 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:10,000 Bible, we see them to the last. That doesn't mean that every 373 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,960 dream is a way that God communicates to you. 374 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,520 It could be the hot cross buns or the chocolate, but this one 375 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,240 certainly is. And she warns her husband 376 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:25,400 Pilate. Now verse 20, the chief priests 377 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,280 and elders. Persuaded the multitudes that 378 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:29,880 they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 379 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,000 And the governor answered verse 21 and said to them, Which of 380 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:35,800 the two do you want me to release to you? 381 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:41,760 They said Barabbas Pilate said to them, verse 22 What then 382 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,000 shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? 383 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:48,760 And they all said to him, let him be crucified. 384 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:52,280 And then the governor said, verse 23, Why? 385 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,640 What? Evil has he done, But they cried 386 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:57,240 out all the more, saying let him be. 387 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:02,800 Crucified Pilate here. We've just read us a question 388 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,400 that is a question for every human being to consider and to 389 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,440 answer. What shall I do then with Jesus, 390 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:15,400 which is called the Christ? That is a question that you must 391 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,320 ask and answer. If you have not already, then do 392 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:22,040 so tonight. For really, Pilate thinks that 393 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:26,040 he has got Jesus on trial, but it's not Jesus that is on trial. 394 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,440 It is Pilate on trial before Jesus who is ultimately the 395 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:34,440 judge of all humanity. And what Pilate determines about 396 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,440 Jesus now on earth will echo for all of eternity. 397 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:41,400 Have you answered that question tonight? 398 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,560 What shall I do then with Jesus, who is called the Christ? 399 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,320 Back to the passage, the gathered crowd made their 400 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:52,920 decision. Crucify him, they shouted out. 401 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:59,160 Pilate, Why? He's taken aback by their 402 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:01,400 vehement response to see Jesus die. 403 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:04,400 The crowd cries out all the more. 404 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,080 Crucify Him, crucify Him, let him be crucified. 405 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:13,880 Verse 20. 4 When Pilot saw that he could not prevail at all, but 406 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,920 rather than a tumult was rising, he took water, washed his hands 407 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,680 before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this 408 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:26,280 just person. You see to it when Pilot sees 409 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,080 that he cannot prevail at all against the crowd gathered and 410 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:31,680 their words crying out. He took water. 411 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,840 He washed his hands before the multitude, saying I'm, I'm 412 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,640 innocent. Of his blood, this person now 413 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:43,760 you see to it, it's interesting pilot constantly at odds with 414 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,240 with the Jewish religious leaders and the customs and 415 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:49,320 practises of the day. He now seemingly follows a 416 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:53,960 Jewish practise all the way back in Deuteronomy chapter 21, verse 417 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:59,120 six, that it's about if someone were discovered being murdered 418 00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:03,240 out in a field outside a city, then the nearest city and the 419 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,600 elders and they didn't know who was responsible. 420 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:11,800 For such a murder were to take a heifer and sacrifice it and then 421 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:15,920 over that heifer wash their hands as an act of displaying 422 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:21,920 their innocence. Of that, there's some things we 423 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:26,880 need to know about Pilot. He's the governor, he's a 424 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,120 political appointee of the emperor of Rome for the area and 425 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:35,400 his job is to keep peace in this colony and he needs the support 426 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,520 of the high. Priest and the Sanhedrin, who 427 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,400 are the religious leaders, yes, but they also have a lot of 428 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:44,200 political clout and he'd gotten off to a bad start with them. 429 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:49,000 A few years ago and those things had never improved. 430 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,560 There was always a thing like being on tenterhooks, walking on 431 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:54,680 on. Shards of glass before them and 432 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,080 anything could just cause an uprising. 433 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,000 In fact, he'd eventually lose his job because of another one 434 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,480 to come future. And now he makes a deadly 435 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,280 compromise trying to placate the peace and to delegate 436 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:13,040 responsibility. It was 2526 and all the people. 437 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:17,600 Answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children, and 438 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:21,200 then he released Barabbas to them. 439 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:26,480 And when he had scourged, Means whipped Jesus. 440 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:29,120 He delivered him to be crucified. 441 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,440 Now we have historical documents that outline this process of 442 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,720 scourging, of whipping that the Romans employed. 443 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:42,600 It was brutal. Scourging involved the tying of 444 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,680 the prisoner. To a post stripped of their 445 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,720 clothing, beating them with something called a flagellum, a 446 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:53,840 leather whip with metal studs and bits of bone knotted into 447 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,080 the straps, and the beating would begin. 448 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,480 There'd be two soldiers on either side, with the first 449 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:03,600 blows often causing welts on the exposed skin that would 450 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:08,080 eventually cut open as the metal and the bones would grip into 451 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:08,800 the flesh. And. 452 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:15,240 The whipping would tear open the prisoners back, ripping the skin 453 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:19,400 apart, wrapping around the body, digging in to the sides into the 454 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:24,360 stomach, ripping off the flesh, reducing the flesh to a 455 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:29,960 consistency of like mincemeat, exposing the internal organs. 456 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:36,080 And after such a beating, the accused would be cut down, their 457 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,840 body falling to the ground where they would lay in a pool of 458 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:42,680 their own blood. Many would die from the beating 459 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:46,960 alone. And the trauma, usually if they 460 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,800 survive this, shorten the amount of time that they would hang 461 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:51,840 upon the cross, accelerating their death. 462 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:55,720 This is the punishment that Jesus took. 463 00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:00,440 But the scriptures say that by his stripes we are healed. 464 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,320 This is what is taking place, the wages of sin being. 465 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:07,400 Poured out, not on the guilty, but on the only one who had 466 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:12,040 never sinned. And then it escalates. 467 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,640 Verse 27. And the soldiers of the governor 468 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:19,840 took Jesus into the praetorium and gathered the whole Garrison 469 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:24,440 around him. And they stripped him, put a 470 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:28,160 scarlet robe on him. And when they had twisted a 471 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:31,120 crown of thorns, verse 29, they put it on his head. 472 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,160 And a Reed in his right hand. And they bowed. 473 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:37,360 The knee before him and mocked him, saying Hail King of the 474 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,280 Jews. And they spat on him. 475 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:47,040 Stop there. The whole Garrison is gathered. 476 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,040 This is what's called the Antonia Fortress in Jerusalem. 477 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:56,200 There's around 600 men, soldiers who are in. 478 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,160 Jerusalem as a part of this Garrison. 479 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:04,480 Here to keep the peace, maybe not all, but majority are now 480 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:12,920 gathering around Jesus for sport, to mock, to ridicule, to 481 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,840 bow down falsely before him, to hail him as the King of the 482 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:22,360 Jews, to hit him, to beat him. And they placed a a crown of 483 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:26,680 thorns upon his head. And the symbolism here, and that 484 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,600 is profound because as many of you Bible students know that the 485 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:34,080 thorns are the sign of the curse. 486 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:40,720 Way back in the garden that resulted from sin in Genesis and 487 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,440 in mockery. Now Jesus is bearing the very 488 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:48,040 curse upon him, symbolised in his brutal fashioning of the 489 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:50,920 crown. But they're not done yet, we 490 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:52,400 read at the beginning of verse 30. 491 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:54,280 Now they. Spit on him. 492 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:57,520 Have you ever been? Spat on. 493 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:01,080 It's the most vilest thing to happen to you. 494 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:07,640 I have. They spit on him. 495 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:13,560 They took the Reed out of his hands and struck him on the 496 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:18,040 head, the crown of thorns no doubt penetrating even further 497 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:21,680 into his brow. And when they had mocked him, 498 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:24,840 they took the robe off him, put his own clothes on him, and led 499 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:29,400 him away to be crucified. As they came out, they found a 500 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:33,000 man of Cyrene, Simon by name him They. 501 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:38,440 Compelled to bear his cross, Jesus has LED away. 502 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:42,560 He's carrying his own cross heavy, He's exhausted, he's 503 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,160 spent. He's gone through such an ordeal 504 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:46,760 already. And they command a fellow in 505 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,320 Simon to carry the cross for Jesus now. 506 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:54,440 Remember that the Romans are occupying Israel here and they 507 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:59,960 had the right to compel anyone. Under their authority to assist 508 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:03,080 with any task you remember a story earlier when Jesus spoke 509 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:07,120 about if a a Roman soldier asks you to carry their robe or their 510 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:11,040 their gather belongings than to go the extra mile and that's 511 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:12,480 where we get that phrase from and. 512 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:15,960 They could force someone to carry a load for them, but only 513 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:19,320 for one mile. Now, Simon does this. 514 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,600 He's from Cyrene and a large city in Libya in the north of 515 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,560 Africa, and he's most likely here in town to celebrate 516 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:31,120 Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 517 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,120 And he might very well have saved up for years to make this 518 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:39,760 trip into Jerusalem. And it's interesting that when 519 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:43,640 Mark and his gospel tells this story and he indicates Simon, he 520 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:45,360 says that he is the Father. Of. 521 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:50,960 Alexander and Rufus, it's as if they were known to the audience 522 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,320 that Mark is writing to. And it seems that this fellow in 523 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:58,600 Simon later became a Christian, a follower of Jesus, and that 524 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,240 his sons were well known and active in the early church. 525 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:06,760 So think about this shift for Simon that at first, no doubt 526 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,960 he's bothered and he's annoyed and he's irritated and he's 527 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,680 feeling the shame of I'm not a criminal, why am I being asked 528 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:15,200 to? Carry this and he's singled out 529 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,440 for this distasteful thing by the Romans. 530 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:20,840 He's just been going about his day and now he's dragged into a 531 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:25,040 crucifixion. But later, when he understood 532 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:30,800 who Jesus really was and what had happened, I believe Simon 533 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,200 became born again and he must have looked back. 534 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:39,440 On this event with a totally different perspective, verse 33 535 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:44,080 when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say 536 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:49,240 place of a skull, they gave him sour wine mingled with gold to 537 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:55,440 drink but when he had tasted it he would not drink this drink 538 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:59,720 was intended to intoxicate the prisoner to deaden the pain of 539 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:04,360 the crucifixion to come. You know, think of the soldiers. 540 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,200 They. Hate being in this posting in 541 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:14,000 Judea and another criminal comes before them waiting hours, 542 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:20,520 possibly days for them to die on the cross and hearing them moan 543 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:24,800 and carry on. But it was also a means to 544 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:28,639 prolong the suffering as well, to keep them hanging out there. 545 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:33,080 But to try and minimise the dead and the annoyance of it. 546 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:38,080 But Jesus refused it. He took all that this death 547 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:39,520 entailed. He took it upon himself. 548 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,360 The totality of it all. For. 549 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:46,320 For you and. For me, that's His purpose, why 550 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:51,360 He's doing what He's doing. Verse 35 They crucified him, 551 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,600 divided his garments, casting lots that it might be fulfilled, 552 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,200 which was spoken by the Prophet. They divided my garments among 553 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:01,240 them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 554 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,040 Sitting down. They kept watch over Him. 555 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:07,840 There they put up over his head the accusation written against. 556 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,400 Him. This is Jesus, the King of the 557 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:14,200 Jews. It simply says they crucified 558 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:18,320 him. And then the signage, they 559 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:20,160 construed it to be a political crime. 560 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:23,160 The reason? And Pilot puts that up in 561 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:27,880 writing. Jesus was most likely crucified 562 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:33,200 on the traditional cross like we have here, the T shape, not the 563 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,880 X shape, and certainly not a single stake as could also have 564 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:39,760 been done. With his arms outstretched. 565 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:48,320 Him hanging a few inches to a few feet off the ground and in 566 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:54,360 crucifixion the prisoner was stripped bare, often times tied 567 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:57,640 to the cross with ropes around the upper part of their body and 568 00:35:57,640 --> 00:35:59,720 in Jesus case pierced with nails. 569 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:06,400 Consider unable to swat away any of the the insects now attracted 570 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:11,000 to the open wounds in the sun, and the body's own body weight 571 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:14,160 would pull down on the shoulder sockets, make it increasingly 572 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:16,960 difficult to raise the chest enough to breathe. 573 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:21,960 It was a death by asphyxiation. The shoulders would most likely 574 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:27,200 pop out of their sockets. The muscles spasming, lungs no 575 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:31,520 longer operating and functioning properly, the prisoner's feet 576 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:35,200 were placed on a foot stand so they could raise themselves up 577 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:37,840 to assist with breathing. And in Jesus case, there's a 578 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:41,560 nail that is driven through his feet causing excruciating pain 579 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:45,120 every time he would try to to lift himself up to gain a 580 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:48,800 breath. And sometimes, as with the men 581 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:52,000 crucified next to Jesus, the soldiers would smash the 582 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,960 prisoner's legs, breaking the bones and taking away the only 583 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:57,720 means that they had to draw a breath. 584 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,440 To press up either way eventually. 585 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:05,080 The. Prisoner, the criminal, the 586 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:09,200 person being crucified would give out and death by 587 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:12,480 suffocation would take place. Weakened by numerous other 588 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:18,880 injuries, it was again designed as a sickening, horrific, shame 589 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:23,720 filled, monstrous way to die. So much so that a Roman 590 00:37:23,720 --> 00:37:26,760 statesman and philosopher, Cicero, declared it to be the 591 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:27,680 most. Cruel. 592 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:34,760 And terrible punishment. Jesus was crucified if it's. 38 593 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,080 to 44. Then two robbers were crucified 594 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:38,840 with him, one on the right hand and another. 595 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:42,880 On the left and those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their 596 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:46,360 heads, saying, you who destroyed the temple, build it in three 597 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:49,520 days, save yourself. If you're the Son of God, come 598 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:50,680 down. From the cross. 599 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:54,600 Likewise, the chief priests, also mocking with the scribes 600 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:58,080 and elders, said He saved others himself. 601 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,640 He cannot save. He's the King of Israel. 602 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:02,880 Let him now come down from the cross. 603 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:06,080 We will believe him. He trusted in God. 604 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:09,880 Let him deliver him now if he will save him, if he will have 605 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:11,760 him. For he said I am the Son of God. 606 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:15,480 Even the robbers who were crucified with him reviled him 607 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:19,360 with the same thing. I want to point out here that 608 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:21,800 these are human beings doing this. 609 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:27,800 This is how we treat each other. It's an extreme example. 610 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:29,400 Of course. But we've all looked down on 611 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:32,160 someone, We've all made fun of someone, we've all laughed at 612 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:36,200 someone, we've all mocked them. We've all wanted to hurt someone 613 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:39,600 or to see them hurt. There's a darkness in the human 614 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:43,560 soul that's evidence of the depravity in the human heart and 615 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:45,800 mind. You can't deny that it exists. 616 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:48,440 You can only debate what to do about it. 617 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:54,080 But they did this to an innocent, perfect man. 618 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:59,640 Someone who never harmed others, never spoke poorly of others, 619 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:04,160 never desired anyone's harm, only wondered what was best for 620 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:08,640 them. Jesus was the light, but men 621 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,760 loved darkness and they called for him to demonstrate his power 622 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:17,280 come down from the cross. It's interesting this is what 623 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:21,520 the world still wants today. The world can seemingly tolerate 624 00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:26,000 Christ, but not Christ crucified, not Christ on the 625 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:27,760 cross. What do you mean Israel? 626 00:39:28,720 --> 00:39:33,480 The world is happy with a Jesus figure, a Christ consciousness. 627 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:38,360 People might even talk about a cosmic spirituality, a harmonic 628 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:42,680 convergence, a Jesus as a teacher, gentle Jesus, meek and 629 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:46,720 mild, of of love and of a guru, and of some stories about a good 630 00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:51,480 man, but not Jesus on the cross. Come off the cross. 631 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:57,160 Why? Because Christ crucified on the 632 00:39:57,160 --> 00:40:00,760 cross means that we have to acknowledge something that the 633 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:02,640 world does not like to talk about at all. 634 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:06,840 Sin. That we are sinners in need of a 635 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:10,200 Saviour. And if there's no sin, then 636 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:14,400 Jesus can be a hero, but he can't be the Lamb slain for the 637 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:17,480 sins of the world. Come off the cross, Jesus, Come 638 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:19,840 down. From the cross they cry out. 639 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:28,000 Verse 45 to 53. Now from the 6th hour until the 640 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:33,280 9th hour, so this is from 12:00 until 3:00 in the afternoon, in 641 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,640 the middle of the day there was darkness over all the land. 642 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:41,160 And about the 9th hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice 643 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:46,480 saying Eli, Eli Lama sabak, the night that is my God. 644 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,640 My God, why have you forsaken me? 645 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:53,360 And some of those who stood there, when they heard that, 646 00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:56,040 said, This man is calling for Elijah. 647 00:40:56,840 --> 00:40:59,440 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with 648 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,960 sour wine, put it on a Reed, and offered it to him to drink. 649 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,480 The rest said, leave him alone, let us see if Elijah will come 650 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:13,520 to save him. And Jesus cried out again with a 651 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:16,320 loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. 652 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,600 And then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top 653 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:26,440 to bottom and the earthquake and the rocks were split and the 654 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:29,400 graves were open. Verse 52 And many bodies of the 655 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:32,280 Saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of 656 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:35,000 the grave. Notice after his resurrection. 657 00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:36,720 So this is still a few days ahead. 658 00:41:36,840 --> 00:41:40,960 Verse 53 they went into the holy city and appeared to many 659 00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:49,000 miracles were associated with both Jesus birth things of like 660 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:51,960 the star coming and drawing the wise men from the east to 661 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:54,880 Bethlehem and miracles are now associated. 662 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:57,680 With his death and. These miracles, they're 663 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:00,360 interesting, they raise some questions from us, but they're 664 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:04,840 overshadowed by the greatest miracle of all, his resurrection 665 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:08,880 to come on Sunday. We do need to take note of the 666 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:11,120 splitting of the temple. Veil though, and I want to draw 667 00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:12,480 your. Attention to that, and this is 668 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:18,800 important because the curtain in the temple there's a curtain 669 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:24,840 that separated a holy righteous God from sinful humanity, but 670 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:28,600 now it's been torn from top to bottom as if God himself has 671 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:31,520 torn it upon Jesus passing. There's there's no longer any 672 00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:35,720 need now for an earthly priest who was only able to go in once 673 00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:40,560 a year on the Day of Atonement to on the mercy seat, sprinkle 674 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:44,920 the blood and the incense. Now the final offering had been 675 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:47,800 made, and God. Himself has removed the 676 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:51,920 separation. The price was paid, the veil was 677 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:54,160 torn. The way is open to God. 678 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,960 It's it's now like an open house in the temple. 679 00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:02,480 Come on in. And in that moment, what's 680 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:05,480 called the? Propitiation is complete, the 681 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:10,600 price is paid, the barrier is removed, and peace with God is 682 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:17,240 now possible. It was 54 so when the centurion. 683 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:20,160 Those with him, do you think that they knew about death? 684 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:24,600 Do you think that they'd seen a few in their years regarding 685 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:25,840 Jesus? Saw the earthquake. 686 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:28,120 And things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying 687 00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:33,280 truly, this guy's different. This was the Son of God. 688 00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:37,720 Many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to 689 00:43:37,720 --> 00:43:39,800 him, were there looking on from afar. 690 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:44,360 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and 691 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:47,080 Josephs, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. 692 00:43:48,240 --> 00:43:51,320 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea 693 00:43:51,320 --> 00:43:55,560 named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 694 00:43:56,520 --> 00:44:01,040 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and 695 00:44:01,040 --> 00:44:03,440 then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 696 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:09,120 Joseph, who were introduced to of Arimathea, is a prominent 697 00:44:09,120 --> 00:44:13,280 man, part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious rulers, a 698 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:17,720 parliament of sorts, says that he's a secret disciple of Jesus, 699 00:44:19,160 --> 00:44:23,160 and many people often criticise Joseph for that. 700 00:44:23,640 --> 00:44:27,440 Another fellow called Nicodemus, we're told of in in other gospel 701 00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:29,240 accounts who was also involved in this. 702 00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:32,640 But you know, for this criticism that's levelled against them, 703 00:44:32,640 --> 00:44:35,080 it's interesting that none of the famous ones, none of the 704 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,760 more prominent disciples were here in this moment. 705 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:40,720 They'd all fled and run except for John. 706 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:45,840 And perhaps you, as a disciple of Jesus, feel like you don't do 707 00:44:45,840 --> 00:44:49,480 much. Unlike the more prominent 708 00:44:49,480 --> 00:44:53,360 disciples, I haven't walked on water lately, I haven't healed A 709 00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:57,400 leper, I haven't spoken, and thousands have come to Christ. 710 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:03,480 I don't sing up the front. I'm not very vocal at work. 711 00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:09,960 But like Joseph and Nicodemus, you'll have your opportunity. 712 00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:14,800 And make sure in that moment, you take that which is available 713 00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:16,720 to you and use it for God's glory. 714 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:20,880 And Joseph did that. Roman custom was to leave the 715 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:24,400 bodies of the crucified criminals hanging in full view 716 00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:27,640 until they'd rotted away as a testament, a message to all and 717 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:29,320 sundry about here's what not to do. 718 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:33,520 And they were displayed on public roads for travellers out 719 00:45:33,520 --> 00:45:35,840 to sea. But Joseph wanted to give Jesus 720 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:40,040 the burial of dignity that he deserved. 721 00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:45,040 And Joseph, he wasn't a pastor, he wasn't a a missionary. 722 00:45:45,040 --> 00:45:50,400 He didn't lead a Bible study. He was a wealthy man and a 723 00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:54,280 politician, but he used what he had as an act of service and 724 00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:58,840 worship to God. His status gave him access to 725 00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:00,720 pilot that perhaps no others had. 726 00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:04,760 His real estate holding enabled a place to put Jesus body in. 727 00:46:04,760 --> 00:46:11,760 And now as we just about finished verse 59 to 61, when 728 00:46:11,760 --> 00:46:14,080 Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen 729 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:18,120 cloth, laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the 730 00:46:18,120 --> 00:46:20,960 rock, and he rolled a large stone against the door of the 731 00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:23,600 tomb and departed. And Mary Magdalene. 732 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:27,160 Was there and the other Mary sitting opposite the tomb. 733 00:46:29,760 --> 00:46:34,480 Ladies were the last to leave Jesus tomb after his death and 734 00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:37,600 the first to be there and we come to it on Sunday. 735 00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:41,160 That's important to note. You have to remember that this 736 00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:44,160 is not a culture where there were female pilots, where there 737 00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:47,360 were female pH, DS or prime ministers. 738 00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:53,200 Women were not highly regarded by the Jews, nor the Romans. 739 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:57,400 And yet, throughout the Gospels, you'll find women are drawn to 740 00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:00,960 Jesus again and again. Serving Jesus, helping Jesus, 741 00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:04,840 often in very practical ways. And they weren't just servants, 742 00:47:04,840 --> 00:47:07,000 they were also students of Jesus. 743 00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:10,120 They would sit at his. Feet and hear his teaching and 744 00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:12,600 worship him and honour him, and he let them, and in fact he 745 00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:15,040 encouraged them to do that. We read over here. 746 00:47:16,320 --> 00:47:21,960 And now lastly, 62 through to 66 on the next day, which followed 747 00:47:21,960 --> 00:47:25,000 the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees 748 00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:29,000 gathered together to Pilate, saying, So we remember while he 749 00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:32,000 was still alive, how that deceiver said, after three days 750 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:34,120 I will rise. They even knew what Jesus was 751 00:47:34,560 --> 00:47:38,400 promising. Therefore command verse 64 that 752 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:42,440 the tomb be made secure until the 3rd day, lest his disciples 753 00:47:42,440 --> 00:47:45,720 come by night and steal him away and say to the people, he's 754 00:47:45,720 --> 00:47:49,280 risen from the dead, so the last deception will be worse than the 755 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:52,920 first. Pilate said to them, You have a 756 00:47:52,920 --> 00:47:58,040 guard temple soldiers go your way, make it as secure as you 757 00:47:58,040 --> 00:48:00,840 know how you deal with it. And so they went and made the 758 00:48:00,840 --> 00:48:04,880 tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. 759 00:48:06,320 --> 00:48:08,000 Pilot stands his ground, he says. 760 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:09,920 You deal with it, you've got. Your own soldiers. 761 00:48:09,920 --> 00:48:16,280 I'm done. As we finish brutal chapter 27. 762 00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:18,680 Brutal. The cross of Christ. 763 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:23,160 This is where we pause the story until Sunday morning. 764 00:48:23,160 --> 00:48:27,760 We come and gather again. If you only come on this Good 765 00:48:27,760 --> 00:48:29,520 Friday, you're missing out on the best part. 766 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:34,520 Easter Sunday We take things up a notch on Sunday, but let's 767 00:48:34,520 --> 00:48:37,960 take a moment to consider what was this all about? 768 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:42,640 Before we leave tonight and before we leave the foot of the 769 00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:47,960 cross, let's ensure that we understand what God was doing. 770 00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:54,360 The problem humanity has a sin problem against a holy and 771 00:48:54,360 --> 00:48:55,200 righteous. God. 772 00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:58,920 From all the way back, Adam and Eve, in the very beginning, 773 00:48:58,920 --> 00:49:03,880 every one of us, we have turned to our own way away from God's 774 00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:06,920 decrees and His law, and we've broken His law, and we have 775 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:11,680 earned upon us the wages of our sin, which the Bible says is 776 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:14,720 death, Death and separation from God. 777 00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:18,800 But there's the plan. Before the very foundation of 778 00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:21,600 the world, God had already established this plan of 779 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:27,640 redemption. The Lamb was slain in mind and 780 00:49:27,640 --> 00:49:32,720 the purpose of God long before he was slain on Calvary one. 781 00:49:32,720 --> 00:49:35,600 Peter chapter one verse 18 to 20 puts it this way. 782 00:49:36,360 --> 00:49:39,640 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the 783 00:49:39,640 --> 00:49:42,160 empty life you inherited from your ancestors. 784 00:49:43,040 --> 00:49:45,440 And it was not. Paid with mere gold or silver 785 00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:48,560 which lose their value. It was the precious blood of 786 00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:51,720 Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 787 00:49:52,360 --> 00:49:55,720 God chose him as your ransom long before the world. 788 00:49:55,720 --> 00:49:58,680 Began. But now in these last days he 789 00:49:58,680 --> 00:50:02,320 has been revealed for your sake, the purpose. 790 00:50:02,320 --> 00:50:06,120 That's why Jesus came to this earth with 1 clear mission. 791 00:50:06,120 --> 00:50:09,600 Again the Angel told Mary and Joseph His name will be called 792 00:50:09,640 --> 00:50:12,560 Jesus. He will save his people from 793 00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:16,720 their sins. Before he would be a king, he 794 00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:20,440 would be a saviour. He took the punishment on the 795 00:50:20,440 --> 00:50:23,240 cross, the full penalty that we deserved. 796 00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:26,480 He was scourged. He was whipped so that by his 797 00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:30,360 stripes we might be healed. He was condemned, though 798 00:50:30,360 --> 00:50:33,680 innocent, so that we could be declared innocent. 799 00:50:34,440 --> 00:50:37,920 Though guilty, he became a curse for us. 800 00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:40,680 The just suffered for the unjust. 801 00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:44,440 And then the. Propitiation, that the pardon 802 00:50:44,440 --> 00:50:47,520 and the peace that comes from that, because the price has now 803 00:50:47,520 --> 00:50:50,800 been paid in full. God's wrath is satisfied. 804 00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:55,080 That's what propitiation means. Our sins are forgiven and 805 00:50:55,080 --> 00:50:57,120 forgotten. That's where the pardon comes 806 00:50:57,120 --> 00:51:01,240 in. And now we who trust in Jesus as 807 00:51:01,240 --> 00:51:04,400 the Christ have the peace of God that surpasses all 808 00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:06,800 understanding, guarding our hearts and minds. 809 00:51:07,520 --> 00:51:10,280 The veil is torn. The way is open. 810 00:51:10,760 --> 00:51:16,360 And we are welcomed. Home tonight we have seen in 811 00:51:16,360 --> 00:51:20,480 this passage Jesus scourged, whipped so that we might be 812 00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:25,520 healed, crowned with thorns so that we might wear a crown of 813 00:51:25,520 --> 00:51:29,320 glory, stripped naked so that we might be. 814 00:51:29,320 --> 00:51:31,240 Clothed with the righteousness of God. 815 00:51:33,000 --> 00:51:36,520 Mocked and humiliated so that we might be honoured forever. 816 00:51:38,240 --> 00:51:42,800 And put to death so that we can now live for all of eternity 817 00:51:42,800 --> 00:51:46,360 with him. Because where sin abounded, 818 00:51:46,360 --> 00:51:51,160 grace has abounded much more. The atoning work of Jesus on the 819 00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:55,560 cross that we remember tonight is sufficient, is completely 820 00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:57,560 sufficient for your salvation tonight. 821 00:51:58,560 --> 00:52:01,600 And so let the cross of Christ stir up in your heart two 822 00:52:01,600 --> 00:52:04,320 things. A deep hatred. 823 00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:09,280 For sin and an earnest. Joyful love for the Saviour who 824 00:52:09,280 --> 00:52:13,080 paid the price. And if you have never trusted in 825 00:52:13,080 --> 00:52:18,360 Jesus as the Christ, as your Messiah, the same question that 826 00:52:18,360 --> 00:52:22,800 Pilate faced with Jesus before him is now one for you to 827 00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:25,880 answer. What shall I do with Jesus who 828 00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:30,320 is called the Christ? The answer that brings pardon 829 00:52:30,320 --> 00:52:35,200 and peace is simple. Repent and believe in Him. 830 00:52:36,280 --> 00:52:39,120 He has already done everything necessary. 831 00:52:40,480 --> 00:52:43,440 The way is possible. The veil is torn. 832 00:52:43,960 --> 00:52:46,440 Will you come home to God tonight? 833 00:52:48,720 --> 00:53:00,960 Just to know you my sweet friend, my friend.