Good Friday!

For Good Friday, April 3, 2026:

Matthew 27:20 NLT: “The leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.”

Many people had pilgrimaged to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover at the Temple. So Jesus’ trial before Pilate was witnessed by many. The custom was to release one prisoner on that special day, giving them a second chance. Barabbas was a horrible man, but the priests convinced the crowd to ask for him rather than Jesus.

Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

This dialog went back a forth a number of times. Pilate literally washed his hands of the matter, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” Pilate’s wife had suffered a nightmare over what was about to happen. The guards took Jesus to be flogged, and eventually crucified. It’s a horrible death. The body grows weak, collapses and dies of asphyxiation, unable to support itself to take in one more breath.

Jesus was fully God and fully human. We sadly remember the human part dying on this day. Our spiritual mentor, our life coach, was gone. His body was quickly placed in a tomb donated by Joseph of Arimathea, and secured with a huge stone. No further work could be done as the Sabbath (Saturday) was drawing near. The women would finish preparing the body on Sunday.

The fully human part will remain in the grave, at least until Sunday. But what will the God-part be doing?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Innocent?

 

For Tuesday, March 26, 2024:

Mark 15:1 NLT: “Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law—the entire Sanhedrin—met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.”

The Jewish leaders couldn’t legally execute their own prisoner. That sentence had to come from a Roman authority, in this case Pontius Pilate. They awoke early to accomplish this. Time was of the essence. Shabbat would arrive at sundown, when they could do no more work. And the people were all preparing for Passover. The entire evil deed needed to be completed in one-half day while the sun was shining. So they started early.

This was the last official daylight trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. The verdict in this kangaroo court was predetermined, and Jesus was the loser. Now the Jewish officials needed a stamp of approval from the Romans, so off they go to Pilate. History shows us he was a cruel, ruthless man, completely insensitive to the moral feelings of others. The Jewish leaders thought this would be a slam dunk. It was not.

Pilate found Jesus to be innocent of the charges, but thought he needed support for his position. So Jesus was delivered to Herod, who also found him innocent, but considered this a local matter. So Jesus was returned to Pilate for the final decision.

The custom was for the governor to release one prisoner at Passover. Pilate hoped this would be his ‘out.’ He offered Barabbas, a revolutionary and murderer, and Jesus, King of the Jews. Pick one. The crowd illogically demanded the release of Barabbas.

"What should I do with this other man, Jesus,” asked Pilate.

"Crucify him,” shouted the people!

"Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

 But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

  So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. Jesus was delivered to Roman soldiers for torture and eventually crucifixion.

The people shouting, “Crucify him,” were the same crowd that shouted, “Hosanna! Save us now!” a week earlier. Don’t be a fickle mob like these people. When we make a decision for Jesus, we need to be “all in.” We’re 100% for Jesus, and we’re not changing our minds!

Don’t follow the mob – follow truth!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship