"His Blood Be On Us"

Jarrod M. Jacobs

During the dark hours leading up to the crucifixion, we find Pilate trying his best to release Jesus and keep Him from being crucified. He tried to get testimony from Jesus during His trials. However, Jesus remained silent (Jn. 19:9; Mk. 15:3-5; Isa. 53:7). Pilate knew He had been delivered to him out of "envy" (Matt. 27:18), so he appealed to the people and their customary "prisoner release" during the Passover. He allowed the Jews to choose between Jesus or Barabbas (Jn. 18:39-40). Sadly, the people listened to the chief priests and elders and chose Barabbas instead of the Lord (Matt. 27:15-21). Finally, seeing that he was getting nowhere, and the mob was growing more unruly by the minute, he took water and literally "washed his hands" of the situation. He told the people, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves" (Matt. 27:24). The mob's response was, "His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matt. 27:25).

What a terrible thing to say! These folks were telling Pilate to go ahead and kill Jesus, and they and their children would bear the guilt of the sin. Really, what they said is not possible because children cannot bear the iniquity of their parents (Ezek. 18:4, 20, etc.). Each person is responsible for his own sin (Jas. 1:14-15). However, their sentiment was one of cruelty and an ungodly attitude toward Christ. In this case, they confessed they were willing to kill someone in "cold blood" out of envy and a "mob mentality." Such was a violation of Exodus 20:13 for them. They were also guilty of "envy", which God describes as one of "the works of the flesh" in Paul's writings (Gal. 5:21).

As we study this event, what spiritual lessons might we learn? Could I suggest that one thing we see is that each of us might as well have been there with the mob that day, for it is our sins that nailed Christ to the cross as well! The sins we have committed make us just as guilty as if we were the ones driving the literal nails into His body. Christ went to the cross to forgive the sins of the world, and this includes my sin (Matt. 20:28, 26:28; Rom. 3:23)! Thus, just like the people who cried "crucify him" that day, Christ's blood is on our hands!

Yet, the context does not end here. If we fast-forward to 50 days after the crucifixion, we find these people now gathered on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:5-11). As they listened to the apostles speak (Acts 2:14), they were convicted of their sins and asked what they could do because they were guilty of murdering the Messiah (Acts 2:37). Peter responded by saying, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself" (Acts 2:38-39).

Notice Acts 2:39. The promise Peter spoke of is to who? "To you and your children." In other words, you people who said, "His blood be on us" over a month ago are now given the opportunity to be saved. The ones who said "His blood be on us," speaking of the guilt of Christ's death, are now getting the opportunity to have Christ's blood on them and their children so that they can be cleansed from the guilt of sin (Rev. 1:5; Heb. 9:14; I Pet. 1:18-19)!

In like manner, would you like the blood of Christ to be on you? We already recognize that the guilt of sin rests on each one who has yielded to temptation (Jas. 1:14-15). Would you like the blood of Christ to cleanse you from your sin? Would you like the blood of Christ to wash your children from sin? Just as one cannot inherit the sins of his father, so we cannot inherit the salvation of our fathers! We must all come to Christ Jesus ourselves (Mk. 16:16)!

Each person needs to come to Christ believing that He is the Son of God (Jn. 8:24), repenting of sin (Lk. 13:3, 5), confessing Christ (Rom. 10:10), and being baptized for the remission of sin (Acts 2:38). When one is baptized, he comes in contact with the cleansing effects of the blood of the Lord, and is cleansed from every sin. Paul said we are "washed ... sanctified ... justified" in Christ (I Cor. 6:11). The Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized (Acts 18:8; Mk. 16:16). Let us do the same thing so that Christ's blood can be on us and forgive us of every sin!

SENTENCE SERMONS

"No one ever grows fat on excuses, but everybody gets fed up with them."

"Don't put a question mark where God puts a period."