Decision Day

Mark chapter 15 and verse 15.

Mark 15 · chapter mention

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas.

!

If you follow the news at all, you'll be familiar with the idea of prisoner swaps, where two

sides come together and they exchange prisoners that they've been holding.

Sometimes they are one for one, at other times one prisoner is exchanged for many.

They don't always seem fair or balanced, but those involved think the exchange is worth

making.

And we're going to go back 2,000 years to witness the most famous, the most important

and the most unequal prisoner swap in history.

It takes place on a day of a momentous decision in Jerusalem.

And it's a decision that still confronts you and me today.

We're going to think about this decision, this decision day from the perspectives of three

main characters mentioned in the first few words of verse 15.

The crowd, Pilate and Barabbas.

And I hope we'll see that everything they do is ultimately connected to Jesus, who is the

central character in the narrative and who is the subject of the decision being made.

So first of all, we've got the crowd.

Here we are at the Passover in Jerusalem, where we meet this crowd of Jews who are in the city

for the feast.

And they're here when Jesus is on trial before Pilate, charged with treason against the Roman

emperor.

Now notice a couple of things about the crowd.

Firstly, different words are used to describe them in our English Bibles.

Depending on what version you read, you'll find different words.

But apparently it's only one Greek word.

And it's not a word that means a crowd, like a peaceful crowd.

We might say there's a crowd in here today.

It's a crowd, it's a word that means a mob or a rabble.

There's a quality, a negative quality to the word describing this crowd.

There's something menacing.

There's something dangerous, threatening, dark about this crowd.

It mirrors the language from Psalm 22, verse 16, which we read,

Psalms 22:16

Dogs encompass me.

A company of evildoers encircles me.

Save me from the mouth of the lion, from the horns of the wild oxen.

Then notice what they say, and in particular, how they say it.

They know that there's a tradition where the Romans release a Jewish prisoner at Passover,

so they're going to make sure the Roman decision makers are crystal clear about what they want.

They want this man, Barabbas, to be the prisoner who is freed,

and they want Jesus to be put to death.

In verse 8, we read that they're getting their message across by crying aloud.

They're shouting and yelling at the top of their voices.

Then in verses 13 and 14, we're told that they're shouting and crying out.

And again, apparently it's the same Greek word used in each verse,

and it's not just shouting, it's a word that means screaming, screeching.

This isn't chanting or singing like you might hear at a football match.

This is a crowd that is almost out of control, furious, desperate to get its own way.

You might remember, for those of you who have read it,

and if you haven't, I really would encourage you to do so,

the part in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,

where C.S. Lewis describes the scene leading up to Aslan's death,

when the witch has gathered her followers around.

If you don't know the story, Aslan is a lion who represents Jesus,

the witch represents the devil.

And in this scene in the book, there's anger and there's hatred,

and there's even a bit of celebration in the air.

And this is how C.S. Lewis puts it.

A great crowd of people were standing all round the stone table,

and though the moon was shining, many of them carried torches,

which burned with evil-looking red flames and black smoke.

But such people, ogres with monstrous teeth,

and wolves and bull-headed men,

spirits of evil trees and poisonous plants,

and other creatures whom I won't describe.

Now, Lewis was writing a story for children.

And for children, the picture he paints is a horrible one.

But it's a reflection of the hearts and minds of the people

forming this mob, forming this crowd here in Jerusalem,

as they're baying for the blood of Jesus.

And the crowd is being encouraged by the chief priests.

These religious leaders, they're not passive.

They're not trying to keep the peace.

They're stirring the mob up.

And the crowd does exactly what the chief priests want them to do.

Pilate comes out.

He asks them,

What evil Jesus has done?

Why do you want him punished?

But this just makes the mob angrier.

They shouted,

All the more,

Crucify him.

In Matthew's account of this incident,

he tells us that a riot was starting.

Friends, this is a scene of violence,

of hatred,

of complete and utter chaos.

Notice as well how they keep going

until they get their way.

In verse 13,

They cried out again.

Now we read this,

and we probably picture an almost polite scene,

where the crowd shouts to say what they want,

and Pilate, probably up on his balcony,

coming out from his palace,

has his say.

The crowd's gone quiet.

And then the crowd says something again,

and then they go quiet,

and they let Pilate speak.

But the Greek,

talking about the Greek,

I don't know Greek,

but reading about those who do,

the Greek puts a different light on it.

Because the word used here to say,

they cried out again,

isn't just they cried out for a second time.

It's saying about something that's going on,

and on,

and on,

and on,

and on.

It's not just once or twice that they're shouting,

crucify him,

but time and again,

keeping going for as long as it takes,

until they get their own way.

Think about that.

It's appalling enough,

isn't it,

to say these words once,

about the Son of God,

crucify him.

How much more horrendous,

friends,

to keep repeating them

over and over and over again,

until they get what they want.

This crowd hates the Romans.

They hate Jesus.

They display hatred

towards God

who delivered their forefathers from Egypt,

the God who gave them the Passover.

They're in Jerusalem to celebrate.

It's a frightening,

dark,

barbaric,

evil scene

in Jerusalem

2,000 years ago.

But I want you to imagine,

just now,

imagine that you could hear

the sound of a crowd

screaming,

shouting,

chanting,

somewhere outside the church,

somewhere in the town.

Imagine you went out,

and you followed the sound,

and you turn onto Cromwell Street,

and you come across an angry,

hate-filled crowd of men,

women,

and children,

screaming,

crucify him,

crucify him,

about the Lord Jesus.

You'd see the crowd,

and you'd hear their shouts,

and you'd feel the animosity,

and the hatred,

and you'd stop in your tracks,

and you'd want nothing to do with them,

and you'd turn and run away

as fast as you could.

Or would you join them?

Would you join that crowd today?

Would you join them in their shouting,

and screaming,

and hatred?

Would you add your voice

to the voices shouting,

crucify him?

Well, the crowd in Jerusalem

has made their decision,

and they're not backing down.

What about you?

Well, you may never say,

crucify him with your mouth,

but friend,

if you're rejecting Jesus,

you're saying that you don't care about him.

You're saying that he means nothing to you.

You're saying that you have no need of him.

You're saying that it's no odds to you

whether he lives or dies.

Is that you today?

I'm sure some of you will have seen

the film Gladiator.

It came out quite a while ago now.

There's a scene in that film

that it reminds me of,

or at least in my mind's eye,

it's kind of how I picture this scene

in Jerusalem.

And in the scene of the movie,

there's thousands of spectators

crammed into an arena

to see gladiators

fighting against warriors

they're paying for blood.

They're looking for entertainment.

They've paid to go there

and be entertained.

It's the same sort of crowd, isn't it?

And in this scene,

the gladiator,

the hero of the movie,

is up against five men.

And of course,

the idea is that he puts up

a valiant fight

and eventually he loses.

Either he's badly injured

or he's killed.

But this gladiator

is no ordinary gladiator.

He's a skilled soldier.

And within about 20 seconds,

he's killed these five men

who are facing him.

And when he stops,

the crowd,

which was in a frenzy moment

before,

is absolutely silent.

And the gladiator looks around

and says,

are you not entertained?

This is what you came for.

You came for violence.

You came for blood.

You came for death.

And now you're quiet.

You got what you came for.

They'd come for entertainment,

friends,

but they're shocked

by what they actually see.

They came expecting

to see death

and violence

and bloodshed,

but they wanted to see it

on their terms

and on their terms only.

And maybe when they don't see it

on their terms,

maybe they're appalled.

Maybe they realize

that what they call entertainment

is actually a matter

of life or death.

Well, this mob in Jerusalem,

they want to be entertained.

That's part of what

a crucifixion is to them.

I wonder how many of them

would look back

at this so-called entertainment

in days and weeks

and months and years to come

and be absolutely appalled

that this is what

they were calling for.

Pilate asked the crowd

what he should do with Jesus.

Rightly or wrongly,

he gave them a decision to make.

The crowd looked to those

who should know best,

the religious leaders,

for a steer,

and they steered them

even deeper

into an anti-Jesus attitude.

Those in the crowd

that day made their decision

about what should be done

with Jesus.

Well, you're not part

of a crowd

being for blood today.

But friends,

you still have the same

decision to make.

What will you do

with the man

they call the King of the Jews?

Then we come to Pilate.

Pilate was a prefect

or a governor

representing the Roman emperor

in Judea for 10 years.

Historians who lived

during or just after

Pilate's rule

tell us

that he was a harsh,

cruel,

inflexible,

and corrupt ruler.

He was quick

to use violence

to suppress unrest.

He ignored

the religious sensibilities

of the Jews

and he cared very little

about offending them.

He was confident

in his position

as the emperor's man

in Judea,

knowing that he was

the authority

in the land

with hundreds of soldiers

at his disposal.

other than the emperor

himself,

Pilate feared nobody.

But that's not

the picture we have

of Pilate here,

is it?

He doesn't seem

strong

or confident

or powerful

in this account.

Why not?

What's different?

Well, the difference

is that on this day,

whether Pilate

ever really understood

this or not,

he isn't dealing

with an ordinary prisoner

or even with

an ordinary man

but he's dealing

with the son of God.

There's something

about this man

that is unique.

There's something

about him

that makes Pilate

hesitate.

There's something

going on here

that makes Pilate

for all his corruption,

for all his cruelty,

understand that this man

is completely innocent

of all the charges

brought against him

and he should be set free.

Indeed,

Pilate tries to free Jesus

more than once.

He's got the measure

of the Jews.

Verse 10,

he perceived

that it was

out of envy

that the chief priests

had delivered him up.

He tells the crowd

three different times

that Jesus

is innocent.

In Luke's account

of this,

he says,

I find no guilt

in this man.

After examining him

before you,

behold,

I did not find

this man guilty

of any of your charges

against him.

Neither did Herod,

for he sent him

back to us.

Look,

nothing deserving

death has been done

by him.

The German

theologian

F.W.

Krumacher,

he picks up

on something

very interesting

connected to

Pilate's

public declaration

that Jesus

is innocent.

This is what he says.

He says,

however strange

it may sound,

Pilate becomes

our advocate.

He legally absolves

Jesus from all

criminality

and in him

his followers

also.

Not only is Jesus

innocent in God's sight,

he's innocent

according to the law

of the land

and Pilate

makes that

crystal clear.

He wants to

release Jesus

and I think he

believes that

when he gives

the crowd

the choice of

Jesus or this

other infamous

criminal,

that they'll

choose Jesus.

But the crowd

has an ace

up its sleeve.

In John 19

we see,

we read an implied

threat,

a threat that

the crowd

will get word

to Caesar

that Pilate

has allowed

treason against

the emperor

to go unpunished.

Oh,

Pilate can't

have that.

He can't make

an enemy

of the emperor.

So,

as we see,

he tries,

in Luke

particular,

Luke 23,

he tries to

reach a compromise

with the Jews.

He offers to

punish Jesus

and then

release him,

even though he

hasn't done

anything wrong.

And even this

little detail,

which we only

find, I think,

in Luke,

provides an

incredible insight

into Pilate

and into the

crowd.

Here's this

governor with

all the authority

of Rome,

a man he knows

to be innocent

in his court,

but he's so

desperate to

satisfy the mob

that he doesn't

have the courage

to set him

free.

He's come up

with this

great plan,

though.

And that's

going to,

it's a plan

that's going

to ease

his conscience

and surely

satisfy the

Jews.

He's going

to punish

Jesus.

Now,

when we read

that,

it probably

doesn't sound

like a big

deal,

but commentators

believe that

the punishment

Pilate is

proposing

is scourging

a violent,

agonizing,

brutal punishment

that in and of

itself often

led to death.

it's not a

slap on the

wrist Pilate's

offering as a

compromise.

It's what the

Romans meted out

to a convicted

criminal just

before he was

crucified.

And still,

despite being

offered the

next best thing

to Jesus as

being crucified,

the crowd says,

that's not enough.

You've got to go

even further.

And at the end

of the day,

it's more important

to Pilate to

keep the mob

happy than it is

to do the right

thing.

William Hendrickson

puts it like

this.

Pilate tried

again and

again to

bypass Jesus.

He discovered

that this was

entirely impossible.

He was

forced to

take a

stand,

and he

took the

wrong stand.

Pilate

could have

freed Jesus.

He had an

excuse to do

so because of

the tradition

of releasing

a prisoner

at the

Passover.

He had the

law on his

side because

every court

on the

land had

found Jesus

innocent.

It should

have been

easy for

him.

But nobody

can choose

to ignore

Jesus.

Nobody can

bypass Jesus

in life.

Nobody can

opt out of

taking a

stand about

Jesus.

What's your

stand today?

Are you for

him or

against him?

We've got

the crowd,

we've got

Pilate,

and then

thirdly,

we've got

Barabbas.

Why is the

mob shouting

for Barabbas?

He's a

murderer,

he's a

troublemaker,

he's a

thief.

If he was

alive today,

he'd be known

as a

terrorist.

So why

are the

Jews shouting

for him

in particular

to be

released?

Well, we

know that he's

guilty of

committing crimes,

and according

to the

Roman law,

the law of

the time,

he deserves

to be put

to death

for those

crimes.

I think

the reason

the Jews

want him

in particular

to be

released is

in verse

7,

where it

says,

Barabbas is

among the

rebels in

prison who

had committed

murder in

the insurrection.

The insurrection

is rebelling

against the

rulers.

Why do they

want him?

What's going

on here?

A lot of

commentators

believe that

Barabbas

wasn't just

involved in

supporting the

rebellion,

the uprising,

the insurrection

against the

Roman rulers,

that he was

one of the

ones who

started it.

And because

of this,

he was famous

amongst the

Jews.

He was seen

as a sort

of freedom

fighter,

a William

Wallace,

Braveheart

sort of

character.

In the

eyes of

the mob,

Barabbas

deserves to

go free

because he's

been fighting

to free

the Jews

from the

tyranny

of the

Romans.

Well,

isn't it

ironic,

though,

friends,

that they

would prefer

Barabbas,

who was trying

to free

them from

the

Romans,

to Jesus,

who was

offering

freedom from

sin and

God's

judgment.

I wonder

if you've

ever thought

about

Barabbas'

name.

The word,

the first part,

Bar,

means son.

Abbas

means father.

His name

means son

of father.

father.

So here

we are,

we've got

two men

accused of

treason

against

Rome,

one guilty,

the other

innocent.

They're both

Jews,

they're both

fighting against

an enemy,

they're both

fighting for

the sake of

others.

The mob

wants one,

hates the

other,

and they

have effectively

the same

name.

Here is

son of

our father

on one

hand,

and the

son of

the heavenly

father on

the other.

Even

Barabbas'

name should

be a

reminder to

the crowd

here in

Jerusalem of

what Jesus

has said

about the

relationship he

has with

God the

father.

They want

to welcome

the murderous

son of

our father

into their

midst,

and they

want to

crucify the

perfect son

of the

father.

Barabbas

and Jesus

are accused

of the same

crime,

they appear

before the

same judge.

Barabbas'

name is a

reminder of

Jesus'

divinity.

Barabbas is

seen as a

deliverer by

the Jews,

whilst Jesus,

the true

deliverer,

is rejected

by the

Jews.

There are

so many

parallels

between

them.

I wonder,

was

Barabbas

saved?

Did he

become a

Christian?

You might

think that's

a senseless

question,

but Jesus

takes the

place of

sinners,

and he

took

Barabbas'

place,

didn't

he?

Crumacker

again,

he says,

Barabbas and

Jesus

changed

places.

The

murderer's

curse,

disgrace,

and agony

are

transferred

to the

righteous

Jesus,

while the

liberty,

innocence,

safety,

and well-being

of the

Lord become

the lot

of the

murderer.

He took

Barabbas'

place

literally.

Barabbas was

guilty,

and according

to the law,

his punishment

should have

been death.

Pilate freed

him, and

when Pilate

freed him,

all the

charges that

were made

against him

disappeared,

never to be

brought against

him again.

He is

completely

free in

the eyes of

the law.

Nobody can

accuse him of

these crimes

again.

Who's that

like?

Who's that

like?

Isn't the

same thing

true of you

if you're a

Christian?

Jesus has

taken your

place,

the judge

has set

you free,

and nobody

can accuse

you again.

The law

of God

can't condemn

you because

God himself

has set

you free.

Friends,

isn't it

incredible

that the

innocent

would suffer

and die

instead of

and for

the sake

of the

guilty,

for you

and I?

Someone

talking about

this incident

said,

I am

Barabbas,

and there's

a sense in

which that's

true for

everyone,

because like

him,

you and

I are,

as a result

of our

sinful

natures,

rebels.

We're

guilty of

breaking

God's

law.

And

Barabbas is

a metaphor

for every

Christian,

because just

as Jesus

took Barabbas'

place and

suffered

Barabbas'

penalty,

he does

the same

thing for

you and

for me.

Friends,

it's important

that you

see yourself

in what

is taking

place here

in Jerusalem

2,000

years ago,

just as

relevant,

just as

fresh,

just as

important

today as

it was,

as it

took place.

We'll

try to

picture

Barabbas

sitting in

his prison

cell in

the darkness

beneath

Pilate's

palace.

He can

hear the

noise of

a mob,

he can

hear shouting

and chanting

and screaming,

he can't

hear what

they're

saying,

but he

knows that

something is

happening,

something big

is going

on.

He knows

that he's

been sentenced

to death,

he knows

that this is

the time

where there's

going to be

at least

one crucifixion,

he can feel

the tension,

he can feel

the hatred

that's

surrounding

Pilate's

palace,

he can feel

the malice

in the air,

and he

hears a

door opening

up the

corridor,

and he

hears guards

coming along

the corridor,

their feet

are stamping,

their keys

and their

arm are

jangling,

he breaks

out into

a sweat,

his mouth

goes dry,

are they

coming for

me?

Are these

the last

moments of

my life

before I

get nailed

to a

tree?

Where are

they headed?

Where are

they going

to stop?

And they

stop outside

his cell,

and they

open his

door,

and Barabbas

thinks,

that's it,

no hope,

and the

guard says,

get up

Barabbas,

on you

go,

you're

free.

You

could

believe it,

he's

gone from

death to

life,

unexpectedly,

in the

blink of

an eye.

What a

moment that

is for

Barabbas.

What a

moment that

is for

every

Christian,

God's

love.

You

you are

free from

the guilt

of sin.

Well,

of course,

we don't

know if

Barabbas was

saved or

not,

but he is

an example

of anyone

who has

believed in

Jesus.

Every one

of us is

guilty of

rebelling

against God.

we have

by our

sins killed

the Son

of God,

guilty of

murder like

he was.

We've robbed

God of

time and

abilities and

honor and

praise and

glory, a

robber like

he was.

But friends,

because Jesus

took your

place and

mine, we

are set

free and

will be

free for

eternity.

What would

Barabbas have

thought of

this man,

Jesus,

for the rest

of his life?

I wonder

how often

he thought

of the

man who

died instead

of him.

I wonder

if when he

left his

cell, he

followed the

crowd to

Calvary to

witness the

death of

the man who

was on

his cross.

I wonder

if he

noticed that

the two

criminals on

either side

of Jesus

were robbers.

In John's

account, he

adds this

detail.

He says,

now Barabbas

was a

robber.

I wonder

if the plan

was to have

three robbers

crucified.

that day.

I wonder

if Barabbas

looked at

that middle

cross and

said, that

should be

me.

Well, as

we said at

the outset,

Jesus is at

the center of

everything that

happens here.

And it's

all in God's

plan to

save people.

In God's

plan, Pilate

is the

governor of

Judea.

In God's

plan, Barabbas

is in prison

at this exact

moment.

In God's

plan, Jesus

is willing to

take his

people's sins

and pay the

penalty for

them.

The characters

here come

face to

face with

Jesus and

with what he

has done,

and they

have to

make a

decision for

themselves.

You Jews and

chief priests,

do you want

Jesus?

Do you want

him back,

the one who's

completely innocent?

innocent, or

would you

prefer the

terrorist, the

murderer?

Who's more

important to

you?

Pilate, you're

a ruler with

all the power

and authority of

Rome behind

you.

You've got

hundreds of

soldiers at

your back and

call.

You've got no

reason to be

afraid of these

Jews.

You and

Herod have

grilled Jesus

and examined

the case against

him, and

you've both

found him to

be innocent.

Even your

wife has

sent word.

She's certain

of his

innocence too.

She doesn't

want you to

be responsible

for the

death of

this man.

What are

you going

to do,

Pilate?

Barabbas,

what a story

you've got to

tell.

You're a

criminal.

You're on

the way to

the cross

with no

hope of

escape,

and now

you're free.

Free and

innocent.

What do you

think of the

man who took

your place?

Will you

thank him?

Will you

give yourself

to him?

Will you

go to him

for spiritual

freedom as

well for

salvation?

Barabbas,

what will

you do

with Jesus?

What about

you today?

Are you

in the

mob shouting

crucify him?

Are you

hiding behind

Pilate thinking

like he did

that it's

more important

to do what

will make the

crowd happy

than what

God wants?

Are you

looking for

compromise?

Are you

trying to

bargain your

way into

heaven?

I am

Barabbas.

You are

Barabbas.

Friend,

your situation

is just as

dire as

his was

if you

don't have

Jesus in

your life.

You can

benefit from

this prisoner

swap too,

just as much

as Barabbas,

even more

than Barabbas

if he

didn't come

to know

Christ as

his saviour.

This isn't

just a

short-term

fix.

It's an

eternal

fix.

If you

ask him to

forgive your

sins and

you put

your trust

in him.

So how

will you

respond to

Jesus

today?

What's your

decision?

Are you

going to

accept him?

Or are

you going

to turn

your back

on him,

walk away,

and say

you just

don't

care?

Let's

pray.

Lord, we

ask that

you would

speak to

us through

the passage

we've been

thinking about,

and that

you would

help us if

we've never

realised before

to realise

the seriousness

of a

life as

a sinner,

who has

not been

saved.

To realise

the seriousness

of the

offer of

salvation

that was

achieved by

that incredible

prisoner swap

in Jerusalem

2,000 odd

years ago.

Give thanks

that in your

grace it's

not just

Barabbas

who benefited,

but that you

offer the

benefits of

that to

each and

every one

of us.

If we

come to

you seeking

forgiveness,

for our

sins, and

believe on

the Lord

Jesus Christ,

help us

all to do

so.

In his

name and

for his

sake.

Amen.

Amen.

The final

singing is in

Psalm 118.

It's a

Scottish

Psalter version,

so you'll

find this on

page 3.

9-9

of the

psalm book.

Psalm 118,

I'm going to

sing from

verse 20

to 26.

The tune is

Coalsill.

this is the

gate of God

by it

the just

shall enter

in.

Thee will

I praise

for thou

may

hurtst

and

hast

my

safety

been.

That stone

is made

head

cornerstone

which builders

did despise.

This is the

doing of the

Lord and

wondrous

in our

eyes.

This is the

day God

made and

it will

joy

triumphantly.

Save now,

I pray thee,

Lord,

I pray,

send now

prosperity.

Blessed is

he in

God's

great name.

that cometh

us to

save,

we from

the house

which to

the Lord

pertains,

you blessed

have.

These verses

of Psalm

118 from

verse 20

to 26

to God's

praise.

This is

the gate

of God.

This is

the gate

of God

by it

the

church

shall

enter.

The

will

I

praise

for

love

me

hers

and

hath

my

safety

been

that

stone

is

made

!

The

corner

stone

which

build

her

dead

He

is

by

this

is

the

doing

of

the

Lord

!

will

!

He

will

!

He

will

!

!

!

He

!

He

!

He

will

be

!

will

He

will

be

He

will

!

will

joy

triumph

triumph

and

lead

save

now

I

pray

Thee

Lord

I

pray

send

prosperity

!

He

blessed

is

he

in

great

that

cometh

us

to

from

the

house

who

come

to

we

from

the

house

which

to

the

Lord

pertains

you

blessed

heart

conclude

prayer

we

would

worship

accept

the

from our

that

your

word

with us

anything

said or

and

must be

for

the

remainder

day

bless

your

servant

as he

preaches

here

evening

as

preaches

this

as

and

pardon

Jesus

Amen

Amen

may

may