Luke 23:13-26 Pilate, Barabbas, and Simon from Cyrene Introduction Throughout history people had made many bad decisions in their lives. Inventor named Alexander Graham Bell made an appointment with western union to sell them an idea of something called a telephone. Western Union president gave this answer: what use could this company make of an electrical toy? Bad decision. Michigan banker advised Henry Ford s lawyer to invest in the new motor car company assuring him, horse is here to stay but the automobile is a novelty. Bad decision. More recent inventor named Chester Carlson came up with a new machine that was able to make copies of documents. He approached IBM, but they told him they weren t interested. Told them the same. Finally Carson approached a small company called Haloid Corporation, which took the idea and renamed itself Xerox. Good decision. We can all look back on bad decision in our lives we have made and said if I only had known then what I know now, I would have decided much differently. The more the consequential the decision, the more important it is to make wise decisions. The most consequential decision that any person can make is one that affects his eternal destiny. As we look into this passage, we ll look at three people: Pilate, Barabbas, and Simon from Cyrene. We ll learn about their relationship to Jesus. As we look into the passage, we ll get into detail, but the Jews and Pilate s decision to condemn Jesus Christ to die was, of course, not a good decision. God was sovereignly working on it to fulfill his will, and it brought awful judgment on Jewish nation for rejection of Christ which later revolted against Rome and was wiped out, A.D. 70, and Jews were scattered among nations for about 1900 years. But as we look at these three people, we will learn what to decision in our lives, what to do in our lives. I believe these three people were written for couple reasons. One is for historical facts. Luke, as we looked at chapter 1, investigated and talked to people who have actually seen Jesus. So, they re here for historical facts. Pilate, historical person, Barabbas, people knew at that time that he actually was freed in place of Jesus, and Simon Cyrene, historical facts. But I believe the emphasis of this text especially is that they are all there to show the innocence, sinlessness, innocence of Jesus Christ who died in the place of sinners. So these are the three sinners, Pilate, Barabbas, Simon from Cyrene, but Jesus is innocent. He s going to die in their place. So we will learn. If they re sinners, there s gotta be some correlation to them and to us. So we will learn lessons for ourselves as well as we look at these three people s relationship with Jesus.
Jesus and Pilate A. (Luke 23:13) Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people. Few things about Pilate that we can learn in this text. First of all, Pilate judged Jesus. Verse 13, Luke 23 says, Pilate called together chief priests, and rulers, and the people. Pilate was in charge, and he was judging Jesus. This literal picture is helpful in Matthew 27 about his account. (Matthew 27:19) While Pilate was sitting on the judge s seat, his wife sent him this message: Don t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him. Now that s a whole another sermon in itself, but I just wanted to point out that Pilate was sitting on the judge s seat. Jews had to bring Jesus to Pilate, Roman official, because they had no authority to kill criminal. So, Pilate is the Roman official in charge of area of Jerusalem at those times, and he s in place of judgment seat to judge the execution of Jesus. It s kind of ironic, isn t it? One day there will be reversal of the position between Pilate and Jesus Christ. Jesus will be on the judgment seat, and Pilate will be judged. In this text, men pour their wrath on Jesus who is God Himself. But after the final judgment seat of Christ, it is God who will pour wrath on mankind. In some sense, we are kind of like Pilate that we do make judgment of Christ in our lifetime. While we are alive, we see and we hear about Jesus, and all of us had made judgment about Jesus, and in some sense, we are in the judgment seat, judging whether to receive or reject Jesus. There is a lot of correlation between us and Pilate. Pilate judged Jesus. B. (Luke 23:13-15) 13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him. Second thing about Pilate: Pilate found Jesus to be innocent. Couple things here: Jesus was innocent under Roman law. Pilate found Jesus to be innocent. Jesus was innocent in both Roman and Jewish law, which Luke emphasizes. Pilate says, I have found no charges (Luke 23:13-15) against Him. And Luke emphasizes Herod found the same: Jesus has done nothing to deserve his death. Jesus was innocent under all human law. This shows Jesus was voluntarily submitting to God. (Luke 23:14). Jesus was most submissive: under God and under human law as well. He was not the one in
rebellion, but the mankind. He died in place of human s rebellion, out of His love. He did not grumble, but died so voluntarily. The point is, He was the innocent one who died in place of guilty sinners. C. (Luke 23:23-24) 23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. Pilate rejected Jesus and chose Barabbas instead of Jesus. (verse 23) Incessantly, the crowd demanded Barabbas to be released, and he followed their demand. He found no offense in Jesus, however (verse 24). In attempt to pass the buck, Pilate sends Jesus to Herod. But Herod mock Jesus and send him back to Pilate. And Pilate says to the crowd again, that both him and Herod finds no guilt in Jesus. To appease the crowd, Pilate attempts to substitute something else other than the cross which sometimes results in death. Harsher part of beating in passion of Christ, the movie, it was pretty harsh punishment. A man would be whipped with leather tongs with sharp metal on the ends, and it would shred pieces of flesh. But the crowd would not be satisfied. Pilate thought the crowd would say ok, that s enough if they beat Jesus really bad. Then he thought of another tactic, where one prisoner would be released. Pilate thought that they would clearly choose Jesus over Barabbas, notorious robber, guilty of murder. But the crowd called for Barabbas. Pilate wanted to really release Jesus, so he kept asking the crowd why, what has this man done? Pilate says three times, that Jesus is innocent. But tragically, Pilate finally made a choice that crowd s demand to be satisfied. Symbolically, Pilate passively chose Jesus over Barabbas. The crowd actively rejected Jesus, but if you think about it, there are far more people who passively reject Jesus. Whether you passively reject Jesus, or actively reject Him, consequence is still the same. It s either receive or reject. Just because voices are louder, it doesn t mean it s the truth. Listen to the truth of Jesus Christ. Pilate did not listen to the truth, but he chose the loud voices of Crowd. If you chose anything other than Jesus, you chose yourself. Pilate was choosing his popularity over Jesus. Choosing Jesus ultimately leads to your own eternal happiness. Jesus and Barabbas Barabbas has a lot in common with us. There are five things about him we see in scripture
A. He is a rebellious man. Verse 19 says he is guilty of insurrection in the city and of murder. That is like us; we are all in rebellion against God s nations. All felt short of the glory of God. B. Barabbas was a robber. We are robbers of what God has given us. Whole world s God s, but we ruin it. Even our lives are God s but we live for ourselves. C. Third, Barabbas was a murderer. Luke chapter 23:19. We are murders of our own souls we sin and we are killed because of that. and as well as other people. You hate, you murder. All of us are murderers of Christ because It is our sin that crucified Christ. D. Fourth, Barabbas was waiting to die, just like we are sentenced to death, waiting for our physical death, which is just a warning of eternal death. Before that, we need to receive Christ. We are in prison, waiting for executing. E. Fifth, Barabbas was saved because Jesus died in place of him. I believe the author intended to show us our own lives. Luke 23, the crowd cries out, away with this man, we want Barabbas. Because of Jesus s death, Barabbas received life. He literally experienced Jesus dying in his place. To great irony, name Barabbas means son of father. But the real son of the father suffered and died in sinful son of man, while son of God dies in place! Barabbas probably was terrified all day, hearing hammering sound nearby because it indicated his future. The crucification site was close enough that Barabbas could hear everything nearby. Put yourself in Barabbas s shoes. Think about what he was hearing: when Pilate asked, who should I free?, the crowd was crying out, Barabbas! Barabbas! and when Pilate asked, what should I do with Jesus, the crowd cried out crucify Him, crucify Him! in faraway place, all Barabbas hears is his name and crucify Him, crucify Him!. When the jail door finally opens, he is told that you are free to go. Jesus died in place for you. Application: forever! Be thankful for Jesus who died in your place! Jesus and Simon Luke 23:26 I believe Simon pictures who we are to be as Christians, carrying the cross. There are four things we can learn:
A. first, faithfully serve god every day. Simon was a Jewish name, but he was from Cyrene, probably an African region. People debate Simon s nativity, but he was probably a Jew who traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover or take a census or both. On that day when Jesus was crucified, he was being faithful in worship. If he was being lazy and did not get up, he would have missed this incredible opportunity of his name being in the bible and carrying the cross of Jesus Christ. In our life, we don t really know when we will meet the opportunities. You will meet opportunities unexpected! You can t pick and choose when important moment like that will come! You have to be faithful daily! The greatest privilege came, when he was going to worship. His family was probably traveling to worship, to be a faithful person. B. Remember that Jesus carried the cross for you. You might ask, didn t Simon carry the cross instead and not Jesus? But it was actually Simon who was supposed to carry the cross, just like us. It was Jesus who took over Simon s and our place. He carried sinner s cross in behalf of sinners. Jesus carried the cross for you. We have to carry our own cross, but always remember that He already carried it for you. When you fall, remember the blood of Christ. Look at the blood. I also thought myself like this: according to Old Testament law, if you touch the blood, you are defiled. But Simon bears the cross, and he has blood of Jesus all over him. My question to you is: does the blood of Jesus make Simon defiled? No, it s a cleansing blood. So when you fall remember the blood that is on you that cleanses you. Keep on getting up, keep on going, and keep on carrying the cross. C. Third lesson, you need to carry your cross daily. (23) I believe this is the key verse of the Luke, though some say otherwise. But this is at least one if not the main verse of the gospel of Luke. As you know, the cross was not just an irritation of trouble. It was instrument of death, for the worst of criminals. When Jesus talked about denying himself and taking up the cross, He meant that we, I, are meant to follow him. It means saying no to myself, no to sin, no to my selfish desires. If you think about it, Simon did not do something he wanted to do. Sometimes, we need to do the same. D. Colossians says that Christ s affliction was lacking, not because His atoning work is lacking, but His displaying work is lacking; we need to spread the gospel by carry the cross. Show Jesus in the world, so people can receive His atoning, saving, redeeming work. When my children were younger, and when I would carry a heavy bag, my two sons would come over to me and put their hands on the sides of the bag, as if to help me. And they expect me to thank them or
something [laughs], but now they are all grown and can carry their own bag. We need to carry the cross. Mark says that a certain man called Simon from Cyrene had sons, Alexander and Rufus. Romans says, greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother. It s a good probability that the family became servant of the Lord because Simon taught others to carry their cross for Jesus. Simple application: carry your cross daily for Jesus. It s the most worthy thing to do. Conclusion Think about Pilate: Do not reject Jesus. Think about Barabbas Know that Jesus died in your place. Think about Simon, carry your cross daily. Yesterday was my two children s birthday. There are five thoughts I have had: many people think that having many kids would burden me on their birthday, but they don t realize that some birthdays can overlap. Ah ha. Second, though they are physically grown, I wish they would still grow spiritually. Three, I was there when they were born. Fourth, we are all born in the same place of spiritual birth-the foot of cross. Fifth, my face is the first face they see when they are born. How pleasant is it that when we are born spiritually, we see the face of Jesus the first. Daily put your hands on the cross, if you can t carry it. May we daily carry the cross and follow Jesus and we are gonna grow so that the world can see Jesus.