Who Do You Envy?

 N. T. #300 "Who Do You Envy?"

May 8, 2024

Matthew 27-Part 4

LET IT GLOW 

We have learned about five of the six trials which Jesus had before He was sentenced to death. He stood before Anna’s, Caiaphas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate who was governor of Judea, and Herod who was governor of Galilee. The final trial took place before Pilate a second time. (Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate since He was not from Herod’s jurisdiction.) 

We pick up the sixth trial, before Pilate a second time, in Matthew 27:15  

What happened?

• Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews. (verse 11a)
• And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. (verse 11b) In other words, Jesus meant, "You have said it."
• Then the chief priests and elders made their accusations against Jesus-claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God, which was blasphemy to them; against lawful authoriyt, treason against Rome.
• Jesus answered nothing. (verse 12b)
• "Don't you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?" Pilate demanded.(verse 13)
• But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor's surprise. (verse 14)
• 
  

 Jesus knew all about the charges the Jews brought against Him. His mistreatment, mocking, false accusations of breaking the law, all of which was to send Jesus to dying on the cross for our sins. That was His purpose for coming into the world as a man-God taking on the form of a human. Yet, the Perfect One deserved no beatings nor death. The Jews were convicted by His words and wanted to get rid of the Loving Savior Redeemer.

Do we stand up for Jesus while others make fun of Him, ridicule Him, even curse His precious name or do we sneak away and deny we know Him, like Peter?

LET IT GROW

• Pilate had a custom of releasing a prisoner to the people at the festival. (verse 15)
• He gave the option of releasing Barabbas, a rebel and a murderer or Jesus released. He assumed the people would ask for Jesus to be released. (verses 16-17)
• Pilate knew it was because of envy that the religous leaders had Jesus arrested to begin with.

Envy means ill-will; jealousy. 

Is there someone we envy? Perhaps a family member has had an easy life while you struggle. Maybe a coworker was promoted while you were not. Are we jealous toward a person in the church? We need to be careful of this sin, that it doesn't grow in our heart. We need to love instead of envy others.

Paul spoke of envy in the list of corruption of the heart in romans 1:29; believers are to not live in malice and envy, as Paul wrote in Titus 3:3.

Proverbs 14:30 says envy is rottenous to the bones.

LET IT GO

Show us Lord if we are envious of others.

Help us to confess it and turn from envy as a sin.

Thank You for loving us so much that You were willing to die for us so we can have eternal life in heaven.

Oh what a Wonderful Savior!