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Sermon Series: We are currently going through a sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew. Today, we’re talking about a passage of Scripture where Pilate is forced to make a difficult decision. 

Jesus Before Pilate

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” ¹² But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. ¹³ Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” ¹⁴ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

¹⁵ Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. ¹⁹ Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” ²⁰ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood;^[a] see to it yourselves.” ²⁵ And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged^[b] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

We’ve all been there. That moment when it seems like the pressure is all around us to make a decision. In those moments it becomes increasingly difficult to make a decision that is glorifying to God. In this part of God Word, we see a man in this same situation. By taking a look at his story, we can learn how to make wise decisions, even when we’re under pressure. 

When You’re Under Pressure to Make a Decision:

1. Spend time in prayer and prioritize God’s Word

Matt. 27:11-14, 6:24, 33, James 1:5, Prov. 16:3, Josh. 1:8, Ps. 119:11

2. Don’t just follow the crowd

Matt. 27:15-17, Rom. 12:2, Ex. 23:2, 1 John 2:15, Col. 3:2

3. Be on the lookout for sin

Matt. 27:18, 1 Pet. 5:8, Eph. 4:27, James 4:7, Luke 21:36, Titus 2:12

4. Remember that God often puts wise believers in our lives

Matt. 27:19, Prov. 11:14, 12:15, 15:22, 24:6, James 3:17, 1 John 4:1, Matt. 7:15-20

5. Don’t entertain sinful decisions

Matt. 27:20-23, 26:41, 2 Tim. 2:22, James 1:14, Prov. 4:14-15

6. Realize that the right decision is hardly ever convenient 

Matt. 27.24, 5:10-12, Gal. 6:9, Titus 3:1-7

7. Remember that you will be held accountable

Matt. 24-27, 12:36-37, Gal. 6:7, Rom. 2:6-10, 14:12

Reflecting on God’s Word

Getting Started

• Take some time to read over Matthew 27:11-26 and pray. 
• Have you ever read or heard about this before? What stood out to you as we were talking about it? 
• What surprised you as we talked about it?
• As you reflect on how Pilate dealt with his situation, how do you think you would have handled it? 
• How do you typically handle making decisions? 
• What decisions are you wrestling with during this season of your life? How have you been handling them so far?

Diving In 

1. 1. Read Matthew 27:14. Pilate was amazed by how Jesus responded to the accusations against Him. If Pilate would have just made his decision solely on Jesus’ response, he would have chosen something completely different. How well do you base your decisions solely on God’s Word? How can you improve on that? 
   2. Pilate followed the direction of the crowd, and too often, we can make the same mistake. How easily are you influenced by the “crowd,” and how can you make sure to make Godly decisions, even when they aren’t popular? 
   3. Read Matthew 27:18. The religious leaders’ sin impacted so many people. How can you best be on the lookout for sin when making decisions?
   4. What wise believers has God put around you? How can you, after testing their advice (see James 3:17, 1 John 4:1, and Matt. 7:15-20), make sure not to make the same mistake that Pilate did, and ignore them? 
   5. Even though Pilate knew the right thing to do, he still entertained the wrong decision. We often do the same. After you’ve ruled out certain sinful options, how can you make sure not to entertain them again?
   6. If Pilate would have made the right decision, he would have been widely unpopular with the crowd and religious leaders. Furthermore, it probably would have led to huge issues for him. Just because we make the right decisions doesn’t necessarily mean our circumstances will be great afterwards. How would remembering this help you to always make the most God-honoring decisions? 
   7. We will all be held accountable for our decisions. How would remembering that encourage you to make God-honoring decisions?

Applying the Scripture

What are your biggest takeaways from this passage of God’s Word? 

• What practical step(s) do you need to implement in your life to apply what God has taught you in this passage of Scripture? 
• How would applying this affect your life and your relationship with the Lord? 
• Who can you ask to keep you accountable to applying this to your life?

 

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