Matthew 27: 35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him there; 37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.
John 19: 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. 19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews. 20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. 21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. 22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
This was the darkest day in history. The work Jesus came to do was being fulfilled. It was the mission before the creation of the world. Due to the foresight of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, there was a plan for the universe and a plan for mankind. They knew man would fall because of the presence of the devil. God created man to love and serve him. The angels were there. Lucifer, the angel of light and music, got pride and wanted to overtake the God who created him. He made war in heaven and drew one third of the angels with him. The war was over before it got started. God caused them to fall out of heaven to the abyss.
He went ahead and created the universe. On day six he created man, not from a monkey, but from the dust of the earth. He breathed into him the breath of life and he became a living soul. Not wanting the man to be alone he took a rib from him and made a woman. They walked with God and knew him in a close relationship. Then Satan came and tempted them with the one thing they were not to do. Remember the devil is our adversary. The man and woman took the will that God gave them and made the choice to listen to Satan. They believed his lies over God. That’s the reason the world got in a mess and is in a mess. Jesus was hurt so badly that the psalmist said his appearance was marred and mutilated so much he was not recognizable. By their free will they chose to listen to the devil; this is what caused Jesus to have to die on the cross.
The Scribes and Pharisees listened as Satan worked in the hearts of people. God knew what Lucifer would do. He knew what Adam and Eve would do. God gave us something no one else has—a soul. We have a soul and that is proved by our existence. What’s killing the souls of men today is the same devil. The soul lives forever and God knew we could do nothing about the state of our soul. If you haven’t opened your heart and accepted Jesus into your heart and soul, the devil still holds your soul in his hands. No rituals, no amount of church going, nothing will save you. It takes the one Pilate wrote about on the superscription.
Calvary was close to the city and all those entering could see the two thieves and a man on a middle cross. They wouldn’t recognize him because of his condition, but the sign told the story. This Is Jesus. The crowd chose to let a robber and murderer go. Jesus took Barabbas’ place; he took our place on the cross. We’ve been tried and found guilty before God. None is innocent except Jesus Christ. The crowd chose to lay the guilt on the innocent one. Did Jesus protest? Pilate yelled that he found no fault in him and asked if they wanted to crucify their king. They said they had no king but Caesar. If I had been Barabbas I’d have hung my head. The thief yelled at Jesus until the other one said they were getting their just rewards but Jesus had done no wrong. Jesus is closer than you think. Don’t listen to the devil’s lies. He may be there trying to get you to go his way but so is your freedom of will. We were born in sin but stayed a sinner because we chose to.
Even Jesus’ mother would have a hard time recognizing him. There was blood all over his body and the cross. She looked above him and saw what Pilate wrote: Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews. When Pilate gave the order to set Barabbas free he saw the cross. The commandment was made to take Jesus to the cross; he bore it out of the city to Golgotha. Pilate washed his hands, glad it was over. The inscription for the crosses was done. Even Barabbas’ was there. He threw it away. An inscription would list their crimes and be put above their cross. How big would one be for you and me? He made another one because someone else was there instead of who it should have been. He took our place and if you call on him you can be saved. That’s all because he took our place, took our sins, on the cross. Our name was taken off and his was put there instead.
Something got hold of Pilate. He found an empty plate and his hands engraved: Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews. Can a good thing come out of Nazareth? That statement was asked of Jesus three years earlier? Absolutely it can! King of the Jews? Yes! He’s the King of all people of every nation down through the centuries. Jesus is and always will be the world’s only Savior. There was never one before him and there will never be another.
God used men to write what he wanted. Pilate didn’t write what others wanted—the lies didn’t matter. They don’t matter today. Every knee will bow and confess to him. One superscription prevails even now. God pushed it out for Pilate’s hand to write. Verse 19 says And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews. Jesus’ enemies ran to Pilate to get it changed. They wanted it to say that he said he was King of the Jews. Pilate said what he had written was written. That meant it stayed as it was. God got hold of his hands and his tongue. We need to pray that God controls our hands and tongue. This is Jesus and what is written stays written. No matter how people try to make the Bible obsolete God reminds us that it stays written down.
The centurion went up the ladder to put up the superscription. In six hours Jesus would die by breathing his last breath and shedding his blood. Even those who didn’t know him would because of what was written. Pilate took the time to write in three languages: one to the Jews in Hebrew, one to the Greeks and one to the Romans in Latin. Now we have it written for us so we all could know the gospel message. This Is Jesus. No greater words could have been written. Jesus means Savior. We have a Savior and if you call on his name he will save you. At his birth: call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. At his death we see it again. This is Jesus. He took our place. He’s waiting for you to accept him, waiting for us to rededicate ourselves to him, waiting for us to concentrate our lives to him.
It’s plain as day. It’s time to come to Jesus.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 