Matthew 27- Jesus Died For Me

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. Matthew 27:45-50

Charles Spurgeon once said “My Entire theology can be condensed in four words “Jesus died for me”

The death of Jesus Christ must be central to our faith and doctrine, anyone who denies the physical death of Christ, denies the true gospel. Jesus Christ, being fully God and fully Man (Philippians 2)  went to the cross to die for the penalty of our sins, we must understand that! And the only reason Christ went to the cross was because He loves us (Romans 5:8) The details of this event were amazingly prophesied by David through the Holy Spirit in Psalm 22. As Christ makes the statement “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

The penalty for the sin of the world was laid upon Christ on the cross (Isaiah 53, John 1:29) As it says in Isaiah “He (Christ)  was pierced for our transgressions (sins) , He (Christ) was crushed for our iniquities (sins) (Isaiah 53:5) and The LORD (Yahweh) laid upon Him (Christ) the iniquity (sins) of us ALL (Isaiah 53:6) The torment and torture Jesus Christ endured on the cross was to reconcile You back to your Heavenly Father!

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Matthew 27:51-55

As the scripture tells us “The Veil of the Temple was Torn” when Christ fulfilled the requirements on the cross, Christ reconciled us back to our Heavenly Father, the New Covenant was instituted by the blood of Christ (Luke 22) The Veil used to separate us from God in the Old Covenant because of our sin, however now we are Born Again in Christ (John 3), the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, we are now the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 6) As Jesus said “Destroy this temple in 3 days , and I will raise it up “ (John 2:19) The Old Covenant is now obsolete (Hebrews 8) and we are in a New Covenant with Jesus Christ (Luke 22)

When we understand the depravity of our sin, and we understand the love of God through Jesus Christ, your heart will be made new , God will put the Holy Spirit inside of you (Ezekiel 36), to live forevermore Amen

Matthew 27- Crucifixion of Christ

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Matthew 27:32-37

The darkest moment in human history became our victory! The hour has come for the Son of God to go to the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Satan and his children believed they have defeated Jesus, however what they didn’t realize is that Christ defeated Satan, Sin, Death, and Hell at the cross forever!

A man named Simon, was observing Christ carrying his cross all the way up the hill of Golgotha, when he was instructed to help Jesus carry that cross. Jesus told us “Deny yourself, Carry your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24) Think of the spiritual application here, you are at that moment of the crucifixion, it’s time for you to carry your cross with Christ or deny Christ. Which way will you choose? The path to the cross , is not pleasurable, it’s miserable, its not prosperous but poverty, its not ego driven but about self denial. The path to the cross with Christ is the only way to eternal life

Notice the sign on the cross “Jesus The King”, even though the religious leaders tried to execute the Messiah, the truth and God reigns, Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the sign on the cross was a reminder and evidence for all to know this!

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Matthew 27:38-44

Jesus was crucified between two thieves, one even though he was hanging to his death, cursed Christ and blasphemed his name. The other thief recognized who Jesus is and asked him for mercy. The repentant thief said “Jesus Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (Luke 22:42) What was Christ response “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 22:43) Jesus didn’t say tomorrow or at the resurrection , you will be with me in Paradise, Christ said Today! To depart from the body is to be with The Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8)

The wicked kept yelling at Jesus to come down from the cross, what they didn’t understand is Christ went to the cross for us! The Lord willingly went to the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins. The darkest hour in human history is our victory in Jesus Christ, Amen!

Matthew 27- The Blood of Christ

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: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Matthew 27:24-26

Pontius Pilate tried to “wash his hands” from the murder of Jesus Christ, he said “I am innocent of the blood of this just person (Christ)” However Pilate was not innocent, the blood is on his hands. Just as we are not innocent either, blood of Christ is on our hands also. How many of us will try to “wash our hands” from the death of Christ? You would say “I had nothing to do with the death of Jesus” however you did. Every sin that you committed put Christ on the cross! Think about that! We all want to believe we are “good” people , but we are all sinners, we all have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) Because of your sin and my sin, Christ went to the cross to pay the penalty because He loves us

The people in the crowd made a foolish statement “His blood be on us and our children” As Jesus said on the cross “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34) They willingly put the death of the Messiah, the death of the Son of God on them and their children. What happened in 70 A.D.? The Temple was destroyed forever as Jesus prophesied, and Israel was ultimately destroyed. 

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:27-31

The Roman soldiers then took Jesus and brutally beat and cursed him. They mocked Jesus as King, they even put a crown of thorns upon his head. What drove these men to mock the Kingship of Christ? How shocking it will be one day , when all these soldiers will once again bow to the Risen Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Philippians 2)

Many wicked people plotted together to execute Christ, however remember what Jesus said “Nobody can take it from me, I lay it down on my own accord” (John 10:18) Jesus allowed himself to be the slain Lamb of God to pay for the penalty of our sins, including yours and mine! Are your hands clean? Repent of your sins and obey The Lord Jesus Christ, and the blood of the Lamb will wash you clean as snow (Isaiah 1) Amen!

Matthew 27- We Are Barabbas

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 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? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Matthew 27:15-21

It was a custom to release a prisoner around a feast, Pilate was using the opportunity to try and wash his hands of the execution of Jesus, by allowing the Jews to make their decision who to release and who to execute. Now interestingly enough, if you look in some of the translations of the scriptures , Barrabas also had the first name of Jesus, which the name Yeshua would have been common in the first century

So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” (NIV, Matthew 27:17)

So the question back then is the same question today, which Jesus do you choose? Today many people worship a false Jesus, a Christ not of the Bible. Many false religions and cults, create their own Jesus to fit their own theology and ideology, but we must worship the true Son of God from the scriptures!

Barabbas was  a murderer (Mark 15:7), a criminal doing time, Pilate probably thought the Jews would have easily chosen Christ over the wicked Barrabas, however the religious leaders persuaded the crowd to choose Barrabas and execute Jesus Christ

Now another spiritual application to this story, Barabbas was a convicted sinner, however Jesus Christ , the sinless Lamb of God, took his place and Barabbas was set free. This was a foreshadow of us, we are Barabbas. Christ took our place , paid the penalty for our sin, and we are set free becoming Born Again

Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. Matthew 27:22-23

The wickedness of the people’s hearts choose to slay the Lamb of God and justify a murdere. As we know God used the evilness of men, to defeat sin and death forever! The religious leaders, who were claiming to be “children of God” are the ones who crucified the Son of God

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)  Amen!

Matthew 27- King of Kings

And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. Matthew 27:11-14

Now the trial of Christ begins, a trial that is corrupted and unjust, a trial that was a setup to charge the Son of God with false accusations. Many evil people played their part in orchestrating the greatest shame of a trial in history. Pontius Pilate, who basically tried to wash his hands clean of this injustice, is the central figure to the entire trial, as he ultimately made the decision to have Christ executed on a cross.

Pilate is intrigued by Jesus, and asks him “Are You The King of the Jews”? Now notice how Jesus answers “You have said so” Now many might wonder , why wouldn’t Jesus just directly tell Pilate, Yes I’m the King of Kings, the Messiah. However remember Jesus never did this with anyone, as he wants people to come to their own conclusion. Even though Pilate was a wicked and evil man, Christ was giving him a chance to accept him as Lord and King, however the hardness of Pilate’s heart would always prevent that from happening.

Jesus remained silent, even during the false accusations by the religious leaders. As it prophesied in Isaiah 53:7

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

Jesus is the Lamb of God that was led to the slaughter, however Christ willingly layed down his life for us, Christ was obedient even to the point of death on the cross, to pay for the penalty of our sins. Pilate couldn’t understand , he knew Jesus was innocent, yet Christ never opened his mouth to defend himself, letting himself be condemned to the cross

Notice Jesus allowed the words of evil men to condemn themselves, Jesus didn’t have to defend himself , because Christ is innocent. However the blasphemies and false accusations spoken by the evil people, will condemn them on judgment day, when they will face Christ, the one they crucified on the cross

Is Jesus the King of the Jews, Yes Christ is King of the Jews and the Gentiles, Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How many Kings would lay down their lives for their people? How many Kings would leave their throne, to lower themselves below the angels, to become the suffering servant for our sins? Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, Glory to the King of Kings, Amen!