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Matthew Chapter Twenty-Seven

 
They Led Him Away (27:1-2)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In the night and morning prior to His crucifixion, the Son of God
 suffered many ignobilities...
 a. Illegal trials held during the night
 b. Shuffled back and forth before different authorities
 c. Falsely accused, mocked, and physically abused
 
2. There is a phrase used several times that may be used to summarize
 this ill treatment...
 a. That phrase is "they led Him away"
 b. It (or a variation) is found eight times - Mt 26:57; 27:2,31; Mk
 15:1,16; Lk 23:26; Jn 18:13; 19:16
 
3. Being led around like this was in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:
 
 "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter..." - Isa 53:7
 
[To remind us of the things Jesus suffered in our stead and for our
sins, let's review how Jesus was led around during that fateful night
and the morning that followed...]
 
I. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE ANNAS
 
 A. ANNAS, FATHER-IN-LAW TO CAIAPHAS...
 1. John records this meeting in his gospel - Jn 18:12-14
 2. Annas had been high priest, but was deposed in 15 A.D. by
 Roman authorities
 3. He continued to exercise considerable influence, as he was
 still viewed by the Jews as a high priest - Lk 3:2
 4. After Pentecost he was involved in the questioning of Peter
 and John - Ac 4:6
 
 B. BEFORE ANNAS...
 1. Jesus was asked about His disciples and His doctrine - Jn 18:
 19-21
 2. Jesus was struck by one of the officers - Jn 18:22-23
 3. At this point, Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas - Jn 18:24
 
[As we return to the gospel of Matthew, we read of how...]
 
II. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE CAIAPHAS
 
 A. CAIAPHAS, THE HIGH PRIEST...
 1. It was Caiaphas who with others plotted the arrest and death
 of Jesus - Mt 26:3-5
 2. He also was involved in the later questioning of Peter and
 John - Ac 4:6
 
 B. BEFORE CAIAPHAS...
 1. Jesus faced an assembly of scribes and elders - Mt 26:57
 a. This was an illegal assembly of the Sanhedrin (high council
 of the Jews)
 b. It was illegal for taking place at night
 2. False witnesses were finally found - Mt 26:59-61
 3. Jesus first kept silent, then told them of His coming in
 judgment - Mt 26:62-64
 4. In anger Caiaphas tears his clothes, and accuses Jesus of
 blasphemy - Mt 26:65
 5. Jesus is pronounced worthy of death - Mt 26:66
 6. He is spat in the face, beaten, slapped, and mocked as the
 Messiah - Mt 26:67-68
 
[Meanwhile, Peter is denying Jesus three times in the courtyard (Mt 26:
69-75). With the dawn of morning, the chief priests and elders decide
to put Jesus to death (Mt 27:1). To do this...]
 
III. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE PILATE
 
 A. PONTIUS PILATE, THE ROMAN GOVERNOR...
 1. To whom Jesus was bound and delivered - Mt 27:2
 2. He governed Judea from 26-36 A.D.
 3. He did much to anger the Jews - cf. Lk 13:1
 4. But without his approval, the Jews could not execute Jesus
 
 B. BEFORE PILATE...
 1. Jesus was asked if He was the king of the Jews - Mt 27:11
 a. Because Jesus was accused of forbidding to pay taxes and
 claiming to be a king - cf. Lk 23:1-2
 b. Jesus did not reply to the accusations of the Jews - Mt 27:
 12-14
 c. But He did converse with Pilate about the nature of His
 kingdom - Jn 18:33-38
 2. Pilate found no fault in Him - cf. Lk 23:4
 3. But Jesus was accused further of stirring up people throughout
 all Judea, beginning from Galilee - cf. Lk 23:5
 
[With the mention of Galilee, Pilate thought he had a way to pawn Jesus
off on to someone else (Lk 23:6-7). And from Luke's account we learn
that...]
 
IV. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE HEROD
 
 A. HEROD, KING OF THE JEWS...
 1. This was Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great
 a. His father was the Herod who massacred the infants - Mt 2:
 16-18
 b. Antipas was the one who beheaded John the Baptist - Mt 14:
 1-12
 c. He was tetrarch over Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C.-39 A.D.
 - Lk 3:1
 2. Herod was glad to see Jesus - Lk 23:8
 a. He had heard many things about Jesus - cf. Lk 9:7-9
 b. He hoped to see some miracle done by Jesus
 
 B. BEFORE HEROD...
 1. Jesus was questioned, but answered Herod nothing - Lk 23:9
 2. Jesus was vehemently accused by the chief priests and scribes
 - Lk 23:10
 3. Jesus was treated with contempt and mocked by Herod and his
 soldiers - Lk 23:11
 
[Arrayed in a gorgeous robe mocking His claim to be King, Jesus was
then sent back to Pilate (Lk 23:11-12). And so...]
 
V. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE PILATE (AGAIN)
 
 A. PILATE SOUGHT TO RELEASE HIM...
 1. Using the custom of releasing one prisoner during the feast
 - Mt 27:15; Jn 18:38-39
 a. Offering a choice between Jesus and Barabbas - Mt 27:16-18
 b. The latter a notorious prisoner, who was a robber, rebel
 and murderer - Mk 15:7
 2. Encouraged by his wife to have nothing to do with Jesus - Mt
 27:19
 
 B. BEFORE PILATE (AGAIN)...
  1. The chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude to ask
 for Barabbas and to have Jesus crucified - Mt 27:20-23
 2. Bowing to the multitude, Pilate succumbed to their wishes - Mt
 27:24-25
 3. Jesus was then scourged - Mt 27:26
 
[At this point Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified (Mt 27:26). But
before Jesus was taken to the place called Golgotha...]
 
VI. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE THE SOLDIERS
 
 A. THE SOLDIERS OF THE GOVERNOR...
 1. Roman soldiers, who likely had little love for any Jew
 2. Who took Jesus into the Praetorium (the barracks in the
 governor's house) - Mt 27:27
 3. Surrounding Jesus with the whole garrison of soldiers - Mt 27:
 27
 
 B. BEFORE THE SOLDIERS...
 1. Jesus was stripped and clothed with a scarlet robe - Mt 27:28
 2. A twisted crown of thorns was placed on His head, and a reed
 in His right hand - Mt 27:29a
 3. The soldiers bowed the knee and mocked Him as King of the Jews
 - Mt 27:29b
 4. They spat on Him, and struck Him on the head with the reed 
 - Mt 27:30
 5. When they were finished mocking Him...
 a. The soldiers took off the robe and put His own clothes on
 Him - Mt 27:31a
 b. The soldiers led Him away to be crucified - Mt 27:31b
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Up to this point, the Son of God had been...
 a. Struck by officers of the high priest
 b. Spat in the face, beaten, slapped, and mocked as the Messiah by
 the chief priests
 c. Falsely accused by the chief priests and scribes before Pilate
 and Herod
 d. Treated with contempt and mocked by Herod and his soldiers
 e. Scourged by Pilate, mocked, spat upon and beaten by his soldiers
 -- And then they "led Him away to be crucified", to face the cross
 of Calvary
 
2. Why did Jesus allow Himself to be so led...?
 a. At any time He could have called for twelve legions of angels 
 - cf. Mt 26:53
 b. "They Led Him Away" only because He allowed them to do so!
 c. Jesus understood that all this was necessary to fulfill Scripture
 - cf. Mt 26:54; Lk 24:44-47
 
And the purpose of the Scripture was that Jesus would die for our sins
(Isa 53:5). As expressed beautifully in the song "Ten Thousand Angels"
by Ray Overholt:
 They bound the hands of Jesus
 In the garden where He prayed;
 They led Him through the streets in shame.
 They spat upon the Savior
 So pure and free from sin;
 They said "Crucify Him, He's to blame."
 Upon His precious head
 They placed a crown of thorns;
 They laughed and said, "Behold the King."
 They struck Him and they cursed Him
 And mocked His holy name.
 All alone He suffered everything.
 He could have called ten thousand angels
 To destroy the world
  And set Him free.
 He could have called ten thousand angels
 But He died alone
 For you and me.
 
He died alone for you and me...will we not heed and obey His message of
repentance and remission of sins first proclaimed in Jerusalem? - cf.
Lk 24:46-47; Ac 2:36-38

What Then Shall I Do With Jesus? (27:22)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In Mt 27:11-22, we read of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, the Roman
 governor...
 a. While Jesus admitted to being the King of the Jews, He refused to
 answer the accusations of the chief priests and elders - Mt 27:
 11-12
 b. His silence caused Pilate to marvel greatly - Mt 27:13-14
 c. Pilate sought to release Jesus, but the multitude asked for
 Barabbas instead - Mt 27:15-21
 d. Which prompted Pilate to ask the question: "When then shall I do
 with Jesus who is called Christ?" - Mt 27:22
 
2. Pilate's question, "What then shall I do with Jesus?", is one that
 every person must ask...
 a. Many would prefer to ignore it
 b. Many try to let others make the choice (as did Pilate)
 
3. But it is a question from which we cannot run away...
 a. We shall all one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ
 - 2 Co 5:10
 b. His words will be the standard by which we will be judged 
 - Jn 12:48
 
[And so each one of us should be asking ourselves, "What Then Shall I
Do With Jesus?" To help answer this question, consider another
question...]
 
I. WHAT HAS JESUS OFFERED YOU?
 
 A. JESUS HAS PROVIDED THE CHANCE...
 1. For an abundant life, filled with true peace - Jn 10:10; 16:33
 2. To find salvation - Lk 19:10
 3. To enjoy cleansing from sin through His blood - 1 Jn 1:7
 
 B. JESUS HAS PROCLAIMED THE CONDITIONS...
 1. We must believe in Him - Jn 8:24
 2. We must repent of our sins - Lk 13:3
 3. We must confess our faith before men - Mt 10:32-33; Ro 10:9-10
 4. We must be baptized for the remission of our sins - Mt 28:19;
 Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38
 5. We must remain faithful even to death - Re 2:10
 
 C. JESUS HAS PREDETERMINED THE ALTERNATIVES...
 1. Reject Him, and we will die in our sins to face the terrible
 consequences - Jn 8:24; 2 Th 1:7-9; Re 21:8
 2. Believe in Him, and we receive everlasting life - Jn 5:24; 
 Mt 19:29
 
[Having consider what Jesus has offered us, we return to our original
question...]
 
II. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?
 
 A. WHAT SOME HAVE TRIED TO DO...
 1. Pilate tried to pass the choice on to others - Mt 27:24
 a. Are we guilty of doing something similar today?
 b. Trying to let others decide for us what we will do or
 believe about Jesus?
 2. Some in Athens simply mocked - Ac 17:32
 a. Many take this route in what they do with Jesus
 b. Rather than make the effort to decide what they should do,
 they simply laugh
 3. Felix tried to wait for a more convenient time - Ac 24:25
 a. This is another common reaction
 b. Hoping that through delay, they will not have to make the
 choice
 -- But we cannot escape the fact that we will one day be judged
 by Him - Ac 17:30-31
 
 B. WHAT WE SHOULD DO...
 1. Accept His gracious offer of salvation by obeying Him - He 5:9
 2. Become His disciples, committed to doing what He commanded 
 - Mt 28:19-20
 3. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Pe 3:18
 4. Walk in Him, well-established in the faith - Co 2:6-7
 5. Develop the mind of Christ, the attitude of sacrifice and
 service - Ph 2:1-8
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. We have seen the feeble attempt by Pilate and others to answer the
 question "What Then Shall I Do With Jesus?"
 
2. Let us not think we can answer the question by...
 a. Simply ignoring Him
 b. Simply not doing anything actively against Him
 -- For as Jesus said on another occasion: "He who is not with Me is
 against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."
 - Mt 12:30
 
Jesus has given us every reason to accept and obey Him as our Savior
and Lord. If you have not yet done so, will you not today respond to
His gracious invitation to receive eternal life?

The Crucifixion Of Jesus (27:32-50)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Without question, the crucifixion of Jesus was a terrible event...
 a. It was an excruciating and painful way to die, which Jesus was
 willing to accept without pain-killing drugs - Mt 27:32-35
 b. It was a shameful way to die, mocked by those who watched,
 crucified with common thieves - Mt 27:36-44
 c. Along with the physical suffering, there was the spiritual agony
 - Mt 27:45-50
 
2. While there may be a place for contemplating upon the actual
 physical agony Jesus endured...
 a. Jesus did not want people to weep for Him, but for themselves
 - cf. Lk 23:26-31
 b. Even on the cross, His concern for others was evident - Lk 23:34
 -- So the purpose of the crucifixion was not just to engender pity
 for Jesus
 
[The significance and lessons to be learned from the crucifixion go far
beyond feeling sorry for what Jesus suffered. For example, we should
never forget that "The Crucifixion Of Jesus" is...]
 
I. THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN
 
 A. JESUS DIED BECAUSE OF SIN...
 1. As foretold, He died for our sins - 1 Co 15:3; Isa 53:5-6
 2. He gave Himself for our sins - Ga 1:4
 3. He bore our sins on the cross - 1 Pe 2:24
 -- May the thought of the crucifixion remind us of our own
 sinfulness and the need for redemption - 1 Jn 1:8-10
 
 B. JESUS KILLED SIN...
 1. He condemned sin in the flesh through His death - Ro 8:3
 2. Now making it possible for sinners to destroy their own body
 of sin, when united with Him by baptism into His death - Ro 6:
 3-6
 -- May the thought of the crucifixion remind us of our duty to
 crucify the sinful passions of the flesh - Ga 5:24; Co 3:5-11
 
[To motivate us in our efforts to let Jesus' death help us deal with
the problem of sin, we should also remember that "The Crucifixion Of
Jesus" is...]
 
II. THE REVELATION OF LOVE
 
 A. JESUS DIED BECAUSE OF LOVE...
 1. The love of the Father for a lost world - Jn 3:16; Ro 5:8
 2. The love of the Son - Ep 5:2
 -- May our contemplation of the crucifixion never neglect the
 love that was behind the fact - 1 Jn 4:9-10
 
 B. JESUS THEREBY DEMONSTRATED WHAT TRUE LOVE IS...
 1. We now understand the meaning of true love - 1 Jn 3:16; Jn 15:13
 2. His love serves as the pattern for our love - Jn 13:34-35;
 15:12
 -- May our contemplation of the crucifixion remind us of the high
 standard of love we are called to show toward one another 
 - 1 Jn 4:11
 
[As we strive to overcome sin and love one another, assisted and
motivated by the death of Jesus on the cross, we should also be mindful
that "The Crucifixion Of Jesus" is...]
 
III. THE REDEMPTION OF THE WORLD
 
 A. JESUS DIED FOR ALL...
 1. God desires all men to be saved, not desiring any to perish
 - 1 Ti 2:3-6; 2 Pe 3:9
 2. Therefore He offered Jesus as a propitiation for all - 1 Jn 2:
 1-2
 -- May our meditation upon the crucifixion include thinking about
 the need of others
 
 B. JESUS IS THE WORLD'S ONLY HOPE...
 1. He is the only way to the Father - Jn 14:6
 2. Only in His name is salvation to be found - Ac 4:12
 3. Deny the Son, and one does not have the Father - 1 Jn 2:23
 4. Abide in His doctrine, and one has both the Father and the Son
 - 2 Jn 9
  -- May our meditation upon the crucifixion move us to do what we
 can to proclaim the message of redemption to those lost in sin
 - cf. 2 Co 5:18-6:1
 
[And so the death of Jesus on the cross should prompt us to look both
inward and outward, to address both our spiritual needs and those of
others. To what extent effort may be required in these areas, we should
also view "The Crucifixion Of Jesus" as...]
 
IV. THE INSPIRATION OF SACRIFICE
 
 A. JESUS PROVIDED THE EXAMPLE...
 1. His death demonstrated the mind of humility - Ph 2:3-8
 2. His suffering demonstrated the example of suffering patiently
 - 1 Pe 2:20-24
 -- May our reflection upon the crucifixion move us to consider
 what His sacrifice should inspire us to do
 
 B. JESUS' SACRIFICE IS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE US...
 1. To walk in love - Ep 5:2
 2. To walk in humility - Ph 2:3-5
 3. To suffer patiently when mistreated for doing good - 1 Pe 2:
 20-24
 4. To give of ourselves to others - 2 Co 8:9; 1 Jn 3:16-18
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Certainly more could be said about "The Crucifixion Of Jesus"
 
2. But perhaps these few thoughts will increase our appreciation of
 this significant event...
 a. His death is the condemnation of sin
 b. His death is the revelation of love
 c. His death is the redemption of the world
 d. His death is the inspiration of sacrifice
 
3. Have you taken advantage of what "The Crucifixion Of Jesus" means
 for you...?
 a. Have you been crucified with Christ?
 b. Are you putting to death the deeds of the flesh?
 c. Are you growing in love?
 d. Are you concerned and doing something about the redemption of the
 world?
 e. Are you inspired in your service to your brethren and the lost by
 the example of Jesus' sacrifice?
 
In the words of the apostle Paul: "We then, as workers together with
Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain." (2 Co
6:1)

－－《Executable Outlines》