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Seeing My Role in the Crucifixion – Part 2 Luke 23:1-25

RELY on His Spirit: We believe firmly in the power of prayer! Fervently call out to God that His Spirit would work in our hearts right now.

READ His Word: Luke 23:1-25.

RECALL His Message: We proclaim the authority of God’s Word without apology! Recall how God spoke to you through His message.

Herod: Am I Annoyed by ’ Silence? Pilate: Am I Avoiding the Truth about Jesus? Barabbas: Am I Willing to Accept Jesus?

REVEAL my Heart:

Herod had come to for a feast and Pilate seized this opportunity to defer his political responsibility concerning the dilemma of how to handle to his counterpart Herod. Pilate was really trying to avoid making a decision about the truth of Jesus Christ. Herod’s interest in the happenings of Christ was fueled by paranoia surrounding how he handled . He was the one that ordered to have John the Baptist beheaded in exchange for instant sexual gratification (Mark 6:21-29). This decision perhaps has haunted him for some time. He wondered if this Jesus was the resurrected John the Baptist (Luke 9:7-9). Herod had previously threatened to have Jesus killed (Luke 13:31-33), but Jesus was not currently in the region in which he ruled. With the religious rulers vehemently accusing Christ and the soldiers mocking Him, Christ remind silent. Herod was disappointed and annoyed that Christ would not speak, so he sent Him back to Pilate.

Pilate then turned the decision concerning Christ back to the crowd, once again trying to wash his hands of Christ’s fate. He gave the crowd a choice between releasing either Christ or Barabbas, which meant executing the other. The crowd chose to release Barabbas. Barabbas is literally the first person to receive the blessing of Christ dying in his place.

1. What role or roles can you relate to the most? Sometimes we think that Jesus is not talking to us when really we don’t hear Him because our hearts are not open to Him or ready to receive His message. Is this true in your life? If not now, can you recall and share when you were not ready or willing to listen to Him? Pilate was all about avoiding the truth of Jesus Christ, how have you avoided making a decision about Jesus Christ in your life?

2. Barabbas, deserved death instead of freedom. The cross was meant for him, but Christ took willfully took His place. The same is true of everyone who accepts Christ as Savior. Have you accepted Christ as your Savior? What might be holding you back from fully accepting Christ’s grace for you daily?

REFINE my Life:

1. How can I prepare my heart and open my ears to hear Christ in my daily walk with Him? When Jesus is not answering me the way I want Him to or as fast as I want Him to, what does that say about my own heart? How can my heart be changed?

2. What has the Spirit revealed to me that I need to do instead of avoiding it, that concerns a decision surrounding the truth of Christ? What are changes that need to take place surrounding that decision? How has dealing with the truth of Christ immediately produced feelings of freedom?

3. How can I remain mindful and inspired by what Christ did for me on the cross on a daily basis? How does His victory over sin and death encourage me to live in freedom and grace from day to day? Am I sharing this of grace with others? Who am I planning to invite to and Easter services so that they can hear the gospel?

Mark 15:1-15 :15-26 Romans 6 Hebrews 10:1-18 Hebrews 10:19-39