WHEN GUILT MEETS GRACE

Apr 20

We hope today’s message was encouraging and helpful. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or to be used for a Bible/sermon group study. Enjoy!

Main Scriptures: MATTHEW 27:11-26 and MATTHEW 28:1-10

During this morning’s services we witnessed a powerful example of what happens when guilt meets grace. Mr. Carver was no doubt guilty and deserving of criminal charges, but instead of judgment, he found mercy. While this was a fictional story, around 2000 years ago, there was an actual trial and sentence that tells the story of the greatest act of grace and mercy the world will ever know, the Easter story.

Notes:

Matthew 27:11-26

Barabbas was guilty of murder and insurrection. Jesus was innocent, falsely accused of inciting a rebellion, and accused of blasphemy by the religious leaders of that day.
Later that day…Jesus was scourged with a whip made of sharp pieces of bone and led. He was then forced to carry His cross, but when He became too weak, a man from the crowd was made to carry it for Him. At the place of crucifixion, they nailed Jesus to the cross through His wrists and feet. While He hung there, people mocked, insulted, and spat on Him. After about three hours, Jesus gave up His life and died. That evening, His body was placed in a tomb.
Barabbas, the guilty one, was set free. We are Barabbas, we are the guilty ones…

Jesus took our place so we could be forgiven and free

Jesus submitted himself to the suffering of the cross for a greater purpose that no one could see: the justification and forgiveness of sins for the whole world.

Romans 5:6-8 says, When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Colossians 2:14 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

God didn’t overlook our guilt or excuse our sin; God gave His Son to pay the penalty of sin (death), for our forgiveness and freedom.
Jesus didn't die for us because we did anything worthy of another chance or because we did something good. He died for us because we are sinners, utterly helpless and incapable of being righteous enough on our own.
Our sins deserved judgment, but God showed us mercy

Jesus died and rose again to give us new life!

Titus 3:3-7 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 4 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace, he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

John 1:10-13 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

2 Corinthians 5:15, 17 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

We no longer stand condemned for our sins, and we no longer inherit the penalty of sin, which is death and eternal separation from God. Rather, we are forgiven, declared righteous, become children of God, and inherit eternal life. How do we know this because Jesus is alive!

Salvation from sin and our future resurrection is real because Jesus is alive!

Matthew 28:1-10 NLT The Resurrection

And Jesus began to appear to His disciples and many others (1 Corinthians 15)
Romans 4:24-25…God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Justification is a legal term that means to be declared righteous. The resurrection assures believers that their faith is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:17) and that they are justified before God, having been acquitted of all charges due to Christ's atoning work.
If Jesus stayed dead, then He didn’t defeat sin because the wages of sin is death. If Jesus was going to conquer sin, He also had to conquer death. There must be victory over sin and death; otherwise, why be saved from sin if we still die? This is why the resurrection of Christ is so important and why the gospel is good news. On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead!

1 Peter 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Invitation:

This is the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, and it invites us to make a choice. Receive this mercy or deny it…To sinners who have yet to receive the forgiveness for your sins…

Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

Romans 10:9-10 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

This all happened 2000 years ago, but this spiritual transaction of being declared righteous, forgiven, saved, redeemed, or born again, all happens when we put our faith in Jesus for it…

Do you believe this today? It’s more than head knowledge, it’s a surrender of the heart. A belief that believes your sinful ways are not the right way to live, and the right way to live is to follow Jesus’ way…Salvation, a fresh start at life, and eternal life are all available today if you put your faith in Jesus.

Salvation prayer:

Dear God, I acknowledge Jesus came to shed His blood for my sins. I believe I am made righteous in your sight through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. I confess with my mouth, Jesus is the risen Lord, and through His resurrection, I am forgiven and receive eternal life. Thank you for the new heart and life you have graciously given me. I give my life to follow and love you. Amen!

Christians, we need this reminder to encourage us and strengthen our faith. We also need to be reminded that this is how we celebrate the resurrection of Christ by sharing this good news. Louie Giglio once said, “The unfinished work of the Church is to make sure every person on earth hears about the finished work of the cross.” -Louie Giglio

Discussion:

What is one thing from the message that resonated with you?
How does the story of Barabbas reflect our own spiritual condition before God?
Romans 5:6-8 says Christ died for us while we were still sinners. What does this say about God's love?
How does understanding that “God didn’t overlook our sin, but paid for it” change the way you see both justice and mercy?
What does it mean to be “reborn” or “made new” in Christ, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Titus 3:5?
What’s one area of your life where you want to live more fully in the freedom Jesus has given you?
Who in your life needs to hear the message of Jesus' death and resurrection? How can you share it with them?
What additional notes did you make during the sermon?
What can we pray for regarding the sermon? Do you have any prayer needs?

The most important decision you will ever make!

If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!

We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.