Our most gracious Heavenly Father,
Lord, we come before you again. And thank you for continually
allowing us to come before you. Lord, you just enabled us to
worship your holy name. And if you would be so merciful,
would you enable us again? Lord, we pray for your message.
We don't pray for a good outline. And we don't pray for something
that will challenge our mind. Lord, we pray for your message
for today. And so, Lord, in spite of me,
who is sufficient for these things, Lord, would you please Bless
our hearts and take this word and reveal our King to us, we
pray. Lord, help us right now, grab
our hearts and grab our minds and grab our souls. Take us out
of this world and translate us into your presence. And we ask
all these things in Christ's name. Amen. Turn with me, if
you would, to Matthew chapter 27. And I want to prepare you that we're
going to turn to quite a few scriptures this morning, which
is a good thing. But get ready, because we're
going to turn to quite a few scriptures. I want us to look at something
that is an amazing event. It is an amazing event. It's
an event that is full of wonder. And it's an event that is very
puzzling. It's very puzzling. It can be
extremely hard to understand. And the event I'm talking about
is the trial. And the conviction. And the crucifixion. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. The
trial itself. The wonder of it is God's purpose
in it. That's the wonder of it. Now,
we all know this event, it's what we preach every single time,
don't we? We preach this every single time. But the part that is so puzzling. Is why he allowed everything
to fall out the way it did. That's the puzzling part. Why
he allowed everything specifically to happen. The way it did, did
he have to die on that cross? Absolutely. But the puzzling
thing is why he allowed all that to happen the way it did. Even by natural understanding,
this is full of wonder, it really is. Let's look at this event. I'm going to use Matthew 27,
verse 17, for a text that says. Therefore, when they were gathered
together, Pilate said unto them. Whom will ye that I release unto
you? Barabbas or Jesus, which is called
Christ. Which one? Barabbas or Jesus,
which is called Christ. Two men stood before the people. Two men. Both of the men were
well known. Very well known. Look at verse
16, Matthew 27, 16. And they had been a notable prisoner. We have some today, don't we?
Some notable prisoners. Very well known. They had then
a notable prisoner called Barabbas. He was famous. It wasn't just
two men, he was famous. Well known. His deeds were well
known. Now turn with me over to Matthew
chapter 9. Matthew chapter 9, this is talking
about our Lord. Verse 26 says, And the fame hereof
went abroad into all that land. The fame. Our Lord was well-known.
Very well-known. He was more well-known than we
realize. He was very well-known, and His deeds were very well
known. What were they? We'll go with
me to Matthew chapter 4. Verse 23 says, And Jesus went about all Galilee
teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the
kingdom. and healing all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease among the people, and his fame went
throughout all Syria. And they brought unto him all
sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments,
and those which were possessed with devils, and those which
were lunatic, and those that had the palsy, and he healed
them." He healed every sick person that came to him. Every single
one. And the people knew that. Look
at verse 25. It says, And there followed him
great multitudes of people from Galilee, and great multitudes
from Decapolis, and great multitudes from Jerusalem, and from Judea,
and from beyond Jordan. Everybody knew. I mean, everybody
knew. Go with me over to Matthew 14. Matthew 14, verse 19 says. And he commanded the multitude
to sit down on the grass and took the five loaves and the
two fish And looking up to heaven, he blessed and break and gave
the loaves to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude.
And they did all eat and were filled. And they took up of the
fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had
eaten were about five thousand men besides women and children. The Lord fed five thousand men
besides the women and the children with five loaves and two fish. And everybody knew. Everybody
knew. Go with me over to Luke 7. Luke, chapter 7, verse 11 says. And it came to pass the day after
that he went into a city called Nain. And many of his disciples
went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the
gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the
only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And much people
of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he
had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came
and touched the coffin, and they that bear him stood still. And
he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was
dead sat up and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
And there came a fear on all. And they glorified God, saying
that a great prophet is risen up among us and that God hath
visited his people. And this rumor of him went forth
throughout all Judea and throughout all the region round about."
It went everywhere. Boom. He raised a dead man. I heard he fed 5,000. Yeah, that's
wonderful, but he raised a dead man. Lazarus. Come forth. Verse 19, right here, says in
John calling unto him, two of his disciples sent them to Jesus,
saying, Art thou he that should come or look we for another?
And the men were coming to him and they said, John Baptist hath
sent us unto thee saying, Art thou he that should come or look
we for another? And in that same hour he cured
many of their infirmities and plagues. and of evil spirits,
and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus, answering,
said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things you
have seen and heard, how that the blind see, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
and to the poor the gospel is preached." They walked up to
him and they said, John Baptist sent us to find out, are you
he that should come, or look we for another? And there was
a blind man there and he healed him. There was a deaf man there
and he healed him. And there was a man with a devil
in him and he cast that devil out. And then after all that,
he answered them. He said, now you go show John. Everybody knew. I'm telling you,
everybody knew. Now, that was one of the two
men who were standing before the people. At this event, this
great event. As we've already said, the other
one was well known, too. He was very well known. Go with
me to Mark 15. Mark, chapter 15, verse seven
says, Now there was one named Barabbas which lay bound with
them that had made insurrection with him. Insurrection means
an uprising, a rebellion. And it says there was one named
Barabbas which lay bound with them that had made insurrection
with him who had committed murder in the insurrection. Barabbas
got a bunch of men together. And they started a riot throughout
the town. That's what they did. And you
have seen, I'm sure, movies and things like that that depict
just a vile, wicked, chaotic riot, just an evil, evil riot. And in the process of this riot,
Barabbas murdered a man. And it does not say if it was
one, it just says he committed murder. He might have been running
through town just slashing people, just killing people as he went.
Now, go with me over to John 18. John 18, verse the end, the last
phrase of verse 40 says. Now, Barabbas was a robber. That's what Barabbas was. He
was a robber, I'm sure he was always a robber. My guess is he was looting in
the riot. He was a thief. That's what it
was. He was a thief. He's laying there with the other
men that had made this insurrection with him. My guess is it was
two of them. Two other thieves. And they grabbed hold of our
Lord and they said, throw him in there with the thieves, with
the ones that made insurrection, and he was numbered with those
transgressors. And this man Barabbas, he was
a vile and wicked man, good for nothing. But dying is the only
thing he was good for. And the people knew it. Everybody
knew it. Two men stood before the people
and Pilate said right here in John 18, verse 39, he said, But
you have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Passover. Will you therefore that I release
unto you the king of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying,
Not this man, but Barabbas. That's who we want is Barabbas.
This is the condemnation. That light has come into the
world. And men love darkness rather than light. Who, knowing
the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are
worthy of death, Not only do the same, but have pleasure in
them that do them. No, we don't want him. Do you
know what he's done? Yes, we do. He's fed us. He's
healed us. He's delivered us. What about
this one? What has he done? He murdered
our family members. Stole all of our stuff. Who do
you want? We'll take him. Isn't that amazing? Now, here's
what's so full of wonder about this to me. As I read this word
of God, I understand it to say that I am no better than these
people who had two men standing before them. I'm no better than
those people. I would choose the same thing.
You think that's crazy. Well, I would choose the same
thing. And I am no better than this man Barabbas. I understand this true word to
say that I have walked according to the course of this world. I understand it to say that I
am a child of disobedience. It says I have fulfilled the
lust of my flesh, that's what it says. Fulfilled the desires
of my flesh and of my mind and I am by nature a child of wrath
just like everybody else. I understand Romans 3 to say
that there is none righteous, no, not one, right? All have
sinned and come short of the glory of God. I understand John
5 to say that I will not come to him that I might have life.
And in this flesh, I have not the love of God in me. That's
what it says. I am a prisoner of sin. And as a sinner against God,
I am the leader of rebellion. That's what I am. And in my rebellion,
in my hatred, my heart has committed murder. I have robbed God of his glory. And the true word says that if
I'm left in my sin, I am going to stand before God Compared to. Side by side with. The righteousness of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, in that day, if I am left
in my sin, two men are going to stand before that judgment
throne. And I am going to be side by side compared with the
absolute perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do
you know what that means? It means I am Barabbas. I am Barabbas. I've always heard this story,
you know, and you just hate Barabbas. And he didn't deserve that. One
of these one of those days along the way, the Lord revealed to
me, wait a minute, I am Barabbas. I am Barabbas. The wonder of
this event is I am Barabbas, I am the notorious chief of sinners
and in our flesh, we are all Barabbas. Every one of us, we're
Barabbas. This event is so full of wonder,
isn't it? But in this is something wonderful. It's amazing. Go back with me
to Matthew 27. Matthew 27 verse 21 says, The
governor answered and said unto them, Whither of the twain will
you that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What
shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say
unto him. Now God in mercy allowed them
to all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what
evil has he done? But they cried out the more saying,
Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water
and washed his hands before the multitude saying, I am innocent. of the blood of this just person,
say ye to it. Then answered all the people
and said, his blood be on us and on our children. Then released. Let him be crucified. Let his
blood be on us and be on our children. And then released he
Barabbas unto them. And when he had scourged Jesus,
he delivered him to be crucified. In this flesh, we are Barabbas. We're Barabbas. But in Christ,
we are all Bar-abbas. I want to show you something
in Acts chapter 4. Go with me to Acts chapter 4. Acts chapter four verse 36 says
in Josie who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas. Which
is being interpreted the son of consolation that's what the
name Barnabas means the son of consolation bar means the son
of. Nablus means consolation. You've
heard of a man named Simon Barjona. Bar means the son of. Jonah means
a dove. You've heard of blind Bartimaeus?
Bar means the son of. Timaeus means foul. It means
defiled. It means polluted. But God had
mercy on him, didn't he? Do you have any idea what Bar
Abbas means? Go with me to Romans 8. Romans 8, verse 15, says, For
you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but
you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba. What does that word mean? Look
at the next word, Father. Barabbas means the son of the
father. That's what his name means, the
son of the father. Think about this man, Barabbas.
Christ came and set him free, he was laying there with all
the other thieves that had insurrection with him, what made him to differ?
Christ came and set him free. Christ came and took his place. He was laying there bound and
Christ came and took his place. Christ died instead of him. If anybody could say it, Barabbas
could say, Jesus Christ died for me. I thought you were scheduled
to die, Barabbas. I was. I was tried and convicted
and scheduled to die. But God, who is rich in mercy
for His great love wherewith He loved me, even when I was
dead in sin, He took my place and He died for me." Every soul that says that from
the heart, every soul that God gives a true heart to say, Jesus
Christ died for me, is a saved soul. That is the only story I have.
That's the only story I have. I am Barabbas and Jesus Christ
died for me. That's the only message I have.
The only thing I have to say. I'm Barabbas and Jesus Christ
died for me. Don't you have something that
you can challenge us with theologically? No. I was just laying there dead
in sin. I was as good as dead. And Jesus
Christ set me free. It's amazing to think of who
Christ came to save, isn't it? He came to save sinners. He came
to save sinners. I love thinking about the marriage
supper of the Lamb. I think about it a lot. How glorious
that event is going to be. This earth is tough. This flesh
is tough. And as soon as the Lord gathers
all of us and cuts this flesh off of us and he conforms us
to the image of Christ and everybody there looks like Jesus Christ
and we're all gathered together sitting at his table. That's
going to be glorious. And I don't know how long that
event's going to last, but there's no time, so it doesn't matter.
How long would it take to greet a number no man can number? And I think about being there
and knowing as I have been known and going up to a young man who
has the image of our Lord and saying, I'm Gabe. Oh, it's good
to see you. I'm Abraham. We've been waiting
on you. Hi, I'm Gabe. My name's Solomon. Good to have
you here. How gloriously merciful would
it be to have a man walk up and say, hi, I'm Barabbas. Come here, Barabbas. Christ really did come to save
sinners, didn't He? And then a young woman walks
up and says, Hi, I'm Rahab. Come here, Rahab. Every soul there is going to
be saying unto Him that loved us and gave Himself for us. Washed us in His own blood. The song says, Oh, perfect redemption,
the purchase of blood to every believer, the promise of God,
the vilest offender who truly believes that moment from the
Lord Jesus, a pardon receives and every soul there is going
to say, praise the Lord, praise the Lord. All right. I hope the
Lord will bless that.