Paul Email -10July2013- Matthew 27

How you doin? God's stirring. Matthew 27 this morning was earth shattering... literally. I was really smitten by the Holy Ghost this morning. Matt 27 is very emotional. It covers a broad spectrum of emotions. Natural sadness and Spiritual victory at the same time. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” (Matt 27:3-4) I've always thought poorly of Judas. These verses sound like repentance. I can't help but to think that Judas was forgiven. In Matthew 26:50, Jesus refers to Judas as friend,
"Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. (Matt. 27:11-14) There's something about Pilate. I get the idea that he could see who Jesus was.

So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. (Matt 27:17-18) Pilate in the natural appears to be a bad guy, but I tend to think that he was part of God's plan.
While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” (Matt. 27:19) The Holy Ghost on Jesus was affecting Pilate and his wife. They both knew not to mess with or be apart of what was happening to Jesus.
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:24-25) Pilate bails. I hear verse 25 as the Jews welcoming their veil and curse. Stacey heard this as a prophetic word to themselves. She said she could hear how Jesus heard them. Jesus' blood speaks a better word. His blood is cleansing. So when they said, "His blood is on us and our children". Jesus heard that much differently then I did initially. As she so often does, Stacey opened my eyes to a Spiritual view instead of a natural view. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stacey pointed out that after Pentecost, the same people screaming for Jesus' crucifixion were sozo-ed (saved, healed, delivered) by the Holy Ghost... the Presence of God. AWESOME!!!!!!!
The crucifixion of Jesus is very emotional for me. I'm going to spare my computer today of being soaked with tears. I would encourage you to read Matthew 27:27-44.

 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. (Matt 27:45-56) Not much say here. It's very overwhelming to me. So much for sparing the computer. Even nature responded (darkness, rocks split, earthquake) to Jesus' death.
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matt. 27:62-66) This act by the chief priest and Pharisee made it possible for the people to see that Jesus' resurrection was clearly an act of God. The seal on the stone and the guard removed any human tampering or influence. We often pray for God to move in a way that people will know it was Him under no uncertain terms. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Matthew 27 is so incredibly loaded. We could camp here for a long time. Live in His victory today. COME ON!!!!!!