MIDWEEK LENT 6
April 13, 2011
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Matthew 27:15-18, 20-23

“ONE OF THE CROWD”
1. Jesus was condemned by the crowd.
2. Jesus was condemned for the crowd.

Matthew 27:15-18, 20-23 (NIV) “ Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. 22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

Where’s Waldo? Do any of you remember playing that game? It was often a book really. The pages were full of faces, all kinds of faces. The challenge was to find Waldo. You wouldn’t think it would be that hard, but it was. It’s hard to pick out a single face in the crowd. In the video portion of the Passion History we just watched we saw a crowd of people. Did you pick out any face in the crowd? If not, you need to for the last person of the Passion we look at for our Midweek Lenten services is just another face in the crowd, one of the mob.
Just what was this crowd doing there anyway? Matthew tells us. “ Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.” If you recall the events, Jesus’ great sacrifice took place during the Feast of the Passover. At that time the normal population of Jerusalem of around 50,000 would swell with a 200,000 or more visitors planning on celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem. The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, the thinker stinker, has already been revealed as someone who tied to please people. He had a custom. During the festivities surrounding the Passover he would release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. You could see how this could happen. Roman justice was brutal and swift. It could easily happen that a fairly innocent Jewish man could get arrested and imprisoned with the really bad guys. Pilate was a people pleaser. Rome’s justice would be served with the arrest. But the people would be placated by having someone to pick to be released.
This year Pilate offered them two choices. “At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.” Their choices were simple: Jesus or Barabbas. Let’s look a little more closely at them from the perspective of the crowd. What did they know about Jesus? Well, He had a reputation as a miracle worker. He was the one that many previous crowds had been amazed at His teaching saying, “We have never heard anyone speak like Him before.” Certainly they had heard about the recent raising of Lazarus from the dead. Were any in this crowd also part of the crowd that had the Sunday before hailed Jesus as the Son of David, Messiah, casting palms and cloaks before Him singing their Hosannas? That’s one choice.
The other choice was Barabbas. What do we know of Barabbas? What did the crowd likely know? Scripture tells us that Barabbas was notorious, well-known, but not in a good way. He is identified as a rebel, someone who was revolting against Rome. That would make him popular with the people you would think, but Scripture further reveals that Barabbas was a murderer and a robber. Apparently to fund his rebellion or in the process of it he had robbed from his people and murdered some of them. Not a nice guy. Not someone you’d want back on the streets if you lived in those days.
The choice was easy and obvious. Choose Jesus, an all around nice guy that some are whispering about may be the Messiah or Barabbas, a notorious robbing, murdering rebel who would probably do more of the same if he was released. Of course they chose Barabbas. Barabbas! Are you kidding me? That made no sense. How could it happen?” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.” It seems that the mob mentality took over. They went against common sense and natural morality and condemned Jesus.
Have you ever wondered how you would have done in that situation? It’s really not that hard to figure out. What did you do that last time you were with a crowd and the mob mentality set in. Kids, the last time a classmate or friend was being picked on did you join in or say nothing? Then you know. You would have condemned Jesus. Young people, the last time you were at a party and realized illegal drinking was taking place, did you join it or just keep quiet and stayed there? You would have condemned Jesus. How about the last time you were in with a crowd of gossipers, potty mouths, people getting drunk, what did you do? Join in? Nothing? You would have condemned Jesus. It would seem that if we are going to pick out a face in the crowd that condemned Jesus the easiest one to pick is your own.
But friends, let’s not lose sight of the big picture. While the crowd condemned Jesus, Jesus was condemned for the crowd. In fact we could say that Jesus condemned Jesus. Jesus condemned Jesus because it was His own great love for people that compelled Him to choose the cross. It was His complete trust in the good will of His heavenly Father that moved Jesus to obediently submit to death, even death on the cross. Jesus was condemned for, on behalf of the crowd. He would take their sins on Himself. Which means He has taken your sins and mine too. What is it that bothers you about yourself? What sinfulness makes you ashamed for disappointing the Lord? Is it selfishness and how it affects your relationships with other people? Is it weakness, the inability to stand up and do the right thing or say the right thing when you are in the midst of sin? Get your chin up. Jesus was condemned for you. He does not look down on your or despise you. He comes to help you with weakness. He forgives you and He considered it a joy to be condemned for you and to suffer and die on the cross for you.
So you see you’re not just another face in the crowd. We might not be able to pick out faces very well. But Jesus can and does. As He is on the cross He can look for and find Waldo and you and you and you and you too. Jesus was condemned for me! And now as we leave let’s remember this people watching we have been doing during Lent. As we have been watching the people of the Passion we need to understand that other people are watching us to see what we do and why we do it. Let’s do all we can to let them see people who love Jesus. Amen.