Dear congregation, two text verses from Matthew 27 are central this morning in the sermon. First of all, verse 19, Matthew 27, verse 19. And then secondly, verse 26b. And we read in these two verses, verse 19, When he that spiraled was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, have thou nothing to do with a just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. And 26b, he that spiraled again, delivered him to be crucified." What a contradiction, isn't it? Righteous, and yet handed over to be crucified. Well, the theme for this morning is side of the righteous one. Side of the righteous one. Two thoughts. First of all, the judgment, and secondly, the side. So side of the righteous one, the judgment, and the side. First, the judgment. Well, the story we consider this morning in this sermon, in this passion season, revolves or circles around a judgment before a secular court. We see it depicted before our eyes. First of all, verse 11, and Jesus stood before the governor. There he stands, the Son of God, the Savior of this world, the Righteous One. How does he stand there? handcuffed, handed over by whom? The religious leaders, the Sanhedrin, to whom? The Romans, these heathen people, the rulers of the world. There he stands, the king of heaven and earth, before a worldly court. This is the world upside down. There he stands, at a place called Gebeta. In Greek, litos trotos, litos trotos. It means that much as stone pavement, a large court, a square, probably before the palace of King Herod, paved with marble in a beautiful mosaic. And there he stands, before that chair. On that chair sits an earthly judge, Pilate. And before that earthly judge, Pilate, stands the King of heaven and earth, as human, Jesus of Nazareth, handcuffed, accused. And then of course, it is a judgment, begins the investigation by the judge. And we hear him asking, verse 11, art thou the King of the Jews? Are thou the King of the Jews? But we read that the Lord actually doesn't give an answer. He says, thou sayest, but that's all. That's all thou sayest. And then Pilate asked again, verse 13, then Pilate said unto him, hear us not now how many things these witness against thee. Because there are many people standing there and they bring in all kinds of accusations against Jesus. And Jesus stands there and is quiet. His lips are sealed. He doesn't say anything. He doesn't give any answer. Then just this answer thou say'st. And Pilate, as a judge, of course, tries to find out if the one standing there before him at Gabbatha, on these marble stones, is really guilty. Is he guilty, yes or no? He performs the task of a judge, hearing the accusations, investigating them, hearing the witnesses, hearing the accused one, and Jesus just stands there, the King of heaven and earth, accused. And finally, of course, Because he's a judge. Pilate makes a ruling. Verse 26. We have read these words. He delivered him to be crucified. And that seals the fate of Jesus Christ, the King of heaven and earth. He delivered him to be crucified. We heard these words every Sunday night. Who suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died, and was buried. How terrible. But this scene here depicted before our eyes raises some questions. Maybe you never thought about them, but why? Why is Jesus standing here before this earthly court? Why? Couldn't God have done it in a different way? Is it really necessary that the Son of God, our Savior, stood there before that earthly court? Why did he stand there before Pilate? Could it have been done without? Isn't the point just this, that Jesus should have died on the cross? Why this judgment before this earthly court? Well, we have read Revelations. Revelations 20. Of course, we did so for a reason. The book of Revelation is a wonderful book. It's a difficult book, but it's also a wonderful book, a comforting book. It gives us insight. How? Well, the book of Revelations takes us up and brings us, us into heaven. And we see what's happening in heaven. And from heaven, we have a look down on earth. That's what's happening in Revelation. It shows us what is really going on in this world, who really is in power, and where all of it will end, where we are heading to. Well, and part of what we hear and see in Revelation is that there will be a final judgment. There will be a final judgment. And that judgment, that final judgment is described for us in Revelation 20, these verses we have read. And there too we see the scene of a court, but not an earthly court, a heavenly court. We see that judgment and that court painted before our eyes. First of all, we see a great white throne in heaven, not a chair on a marble pavement, but a great white throne in heaven. And on that throne sits the highest one, the highest judge. There is no judge above him. He's the highest judge. And that throne is completely white. Why? Why is the throne completely white? Because the one who sits on that throne doesn't know any sin. He's totally righteous and holy. Every word which comes out of his mouth is pure. All his judgments are pure, righteous. He will execute a perfectly righteous judgment. And then we read a little bit more about the judge sitting on the throne. And we read then, we read the following words, before him the earth and the heavens flee away. It all opens. And there is no place anymore for them. That judge there is the almighty one. And he's going to judge the work of his hands, his creation, his creatures. And that one who is the almighty one, who's so pure, so righteous, speaks the first word and the last word. And don't make any mistake, congregation, an appeal against this judgment is impossible. For an earthly judge, we can appeal, right? And ask to be brought for a higher court. But this is the highest court. And any appeal is just Impossible. The judgment there is final. It's forever. It's for eternity. It's not for one year. That's longer than a year. Have you ever been a year in prison? This is the final judgment. And it's one of the two. It's either for eternity with him on the new earth or for eternity in hell without God's love. It's one of the two. Who is judged there? Well, it says it very clearly, all people, all creatures. And they all stand like Jesus stood before Pilate and Ursula, judge, all people, all of us. all around us, the whole population of Grand Rapids, the whole population of the United States, everyone in every time and everywhere will stand there. They will stand there because they are all accused. All of us will stand there. And then the accusations are listened to. They're written down in books. It's amazing how many books will be opened at that day. To describe the lives of each of us will require many books. And we, in these books, are described all our works. The Lord does know all our works. He will not forget any of our works. Each thought, each deed, it's all described in these books. And these books are opened. And all the accused ones, all creatures, all of us, will hear a record of our works. What is the measuring stick? How are these works measured? against God's holy law. We just have heard these words this morning, summarized in love God, that judge there on the throne, and love our neighbor, all the accused ones standing there before the throne. And then it will be made clear for us if we really love that judge And all these people around to standing there before that heavenly court, that heavenly judge. Well, well, we get it, isn't it? There is no acquittal. On that day, if we are judged according to our works. Then all of us must die. All of us are declared guilty. But, this is the but of the gospel. There is another book, and the wonder and the marvel of that book, there are no deeds written in that book. There are names written in that book. Just one book. But many names are recorded in that book. And oh wonder, if your name and my name is recorded in that book, then that heavenly judge will declare you not guilty. There is an acquittal on that final judgment day. There is complete forgiveness of all our sins. Oh, how important it is that our names are written down in that book. But of course, then this question arises. How do our names, these names, get into the book of life? Well, Revelation 13, verse eight, Revelation 13, verse eight, there we read the full name of this book. the book of life of the lamb who was slain. It's his book. It's his book. And that book contains all the names of the people who are given to Jesus Christ, the lamb who was slain by his father. All the elected ones, not one will be missed there. It contains the names of all the ones which the lamb has bought with his precious blood. But this again raises questions, right? Am I bought by him? Am I given by the father to him? But there is another side of the coin. And that's the side we have to deal with. In that book are written the names of all of them who believe on Jesus Christ as their Savior. In that book are written down the names of all that are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, mourn about their sins, all of them who flee to Jesus Christ with empty hands, all of them which call on his name. These names are written down in that book. Well, we circle back from this last judgment day before that heavenly court and we circle back to Matthew 27 to that earthly court here. And there we hear how Jesus is declared guilty. Although we know he was innocent, there was not one sin in his life, not one, totally innocent, totally righteous, he had not committed in his entire life any sin, not the smallest sin, and yet he was condemned. Why? so that guilty people on that final judgment day will be acquitted. Therefore, so that their names might be written down in that book of life. Well and indeed in Matthew 7 27 it is described in detail how Jesus Christ is indeed sinless, innocent, just, righteous in all sorts of colors. He's truly innocent and yet condemned. He's completely righteous and yet condemned. There are first of all these priests and elders. What did they do? They sought false witnesses against Jesus. Why? Why false witnesses? Because they couldn't find any wrongdoing in the life of Jesus. So they sought false witnesses. They knew, they knew he is righteous. And yet, they sought false witnesses. Why? Their hearts are full of enmity. Why are their hearts so full of enmity? Well, He, Jesus Christ, deprives them from all they have. He robs them from all they think they are and all they think they have and they possess. They stand bare before his eyes and they don't want it. They are so selfish and they are blind. Well, and so they even pay for Judas to betray his master. And in verse 20 we read that a multitude is influenced by them to choose Barabbas and ask for Jesus' death. What a blindness and a selfishness is here. They know he is righteous because they couldn't find any sin in him. And they do all which is in their power to declare him guilty. Because he deprives them. from their own worthiness, from their own worth, their value. They are standing then bare and naked before Him. And they must take all kinds of wrong and crooked paths. Paths that of course cannot see the light of the day to get Jesus condemned. They are blind for who He is, the Messiah. And there of course, there is the crowd. What an emotion amongst that crowd. Just a few days earlier, the crowd had brought Jesus into Jerusalem as the long-awaited Messiah. And they hailed his names. And the heart was full of emotions. This is our Messiah. This is our King. He will bring about a turn in our lives. And in Israel, full of joy. And just a couple of days later, They are no longer full of positive emotion but full of negative emotions. All their expectations and dreams are dashed. And they are incited by the religious leaders. Their positive emotions turn into negative emotions and they demand that the Messiah will be crucified. A cry full of emotion And where's the justice in this emotion? There is no justice. He's innocent. What a selfish people in the end they are. They sought one who delivered them from the earthly troubles and the Romans. And it turned out he wasn't that kind of Messiah. They were so selfish and blind. And then there's Pilate, that earthly judge. Well, he's weak. Although he thinks he's mighty and powerful, he isn't at all. He's a weak person. He sees Jesus and he knows this man is righteous. Not one accusation stood before him, not one. He knew it, this man is without sin, he's innocent, he's righteous. And he looks for all kinds of ways to acquit Jesus, but the hostility and the enmity of the leaders are too great for him. The emotion and the blindness of the mass of the people are too great for him. How weak this man is! He knows Jesus is innocent and yet he hands him over to be crucified. Why? He's afraid to go against the leaders and the masses of the people. Afraid that it will turn to the emperor, complain to the emperor and he will lose his job and position. How selfish and blind is in the end Pilate. And in his weakness, he hands over Jesus, the righteous one, and he knew he's righteous. What a blindness and a selfishness. To save his life, he handed over the righteous one to be declared guilty. He sees and he sees not. He's blind and selfish. Well, Here all they stand guilty of the death of Jesus the Messiah. The great mass of people, the religious leaders, the Romans, let's draw the circle a little bit wider, whole humankind, all of us, we too are guilty of the death of the Son of God. Every sin of ours bears witness to that. Every sin, dear congregation. In Isaiah 53, verse 7, we read these words. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. With his stripes, we are healed. Isn't it a wonder? And look about this other wonder. What man devises for evil God uses for good. He turns evil around and fits it into his plan for the salvation of lost people like we are. So God uses the evil, our evil. He did it amazing to bring his own son, the Lord Jesus, to be condemned for us. evil people. So there is an acquittal for sinners, no judgment. After all, a righteous judgment can only be executed once, isn't it? A righteous judgment can be performed for a second time and then over and over again. Once a righteous judgment is fulfilled, it is fulfilled. What a wonder. If Christ is condemned for us, then that judgment and condemnation will no longer affect us. Do we know about it? Do we know beyond the leaders there and the masses there? Do we know beyond them? Because they knew, they knew all of it. They knew he's not guilty, he's righteous, and yet they delivered him, and they declared him guilty, and they cried crucify him. Do we know more than them? With our heart, it requires self-denial. who loses everything for him will find everything in him. Do we know to be one with Christ through faith and thus to be acquitted because he was condemned? And that begs for another question, which we are going to think about in a second thought. How can I know that? How can I know that? But before we move on to the second thought, let us sing Psalter 98. Psalter 98, stanzas one and three and four. Psalter 98, stanzas one, three and four. God's own way of life, His way is easy in the sight, And serenest it shall stay. You shall have merit, O Maker, The mighty Lord, who rules for all, The whole seven heavens and earth. And thy word, O Saviour, we love, Can move the clouds of night. Christ, with thy help this season come, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, He comes from his womb, and the bread he brought to God is his delight. Christians, you'll never say. So our second thought is the revelation. How can we know to be in Christ? How can we come to know there is acquittal and we are righteous? Or you might also ask, How can my name be recorded in the book of life? I think, let our thoughts be circled back to that last judgment. There are two books there. One book includes all our works, and that book testifies against us, declares us guilty. But there is that other book. And if your name is written down in that book, you are declared righteous. acquitted of sins, not guilty. But if we take a look to Matthew 27, we might become gloomy. How blind all these people were, the leaders, openly hostile and blind, full of selfishness. The great mass of people, emotional yet blind and selfish. Pilot, powerful yet weak, blind, selfish. And compare us with all these people. If all these people were so blind and selfish, how should they be with us? After all, these people saw Jesus with their own eyes. They heard Jesus' voice in their own ears. They had seen the miracles he performed amongst them. They have heard and seen God's word, and yet they were blind and selfish. What about us? Well, verse 19 can put us on the right track, verse 19. Let's read that verse. When he was sat down on a judgment seat, Pilate, his wife sent unto him, saying, have thou nothing to do with a just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. It's a somewhat curious verse, isn't it? It's like it's just thrown into the course of events. In that old story line, then we suddenly hear about the wife of Pilate in a dream. Claudia Procula, that's her name, Claudia Procula. Do you know who she is? She's a granddaughter of the emperor, a granddaughter of the emperor of Rome, August. She's really someone, this woman? She is. But she followed her husband. She followed her husband, and she ended up there in Israel, in Caesarea, with Pilate. far from home. And we read that Pilate, as he sits on the judgment seat there at Gabbatha, that's cored with marble stone, when he sits there, he receives a message from his wife. You might say, and I agree with you, unheard of. This is really something unheard of. Pilate, the highest judge, is sitting in court in the middle of an amazing and very difficult trial. He needs all his wisdom and concentration. All Jerusalem is watching him and listening to him. The leaders there are carefully watching him, everything he does. And so are the crowds. And Pilate will need all his wisdom and knowledge and concentration to bring this process to a successful end. And so while he's busy there in his office as a judge, he somehow gets disturbed by a note from his wife. Claudia Prokola, unheard of. And all of us will sense that this message must then be very urgent and important. Otherwise you don't disturb your husband at such a time. What has happened? Well, Pilate's wife, Claudia, had a dream at night. We don't know exactly what she dreamt. It's not mentioned. It's not important for us. But what do we know and what is mentioned that that dream was about Jesus? It is clear to her that Jesus, who's going to be judged by her husband Pilate, is righteous. And she suffered a lot in the dream, so she writes to her husband. The dream apparently made such an impression on her that she disturbed her husband in the middle of that trial, in his work as a judge. And the message is quite clear, isn't it? It is short but clear. For his sake, the righteous one, I had to endure much last night in a dream, Pilate. Please, Pilate, my dear husband, keep yourself free from him. Don't dirty your hands with unjust, unjust condemnation. Actually, it's a warning to her husband. Isn't it remarkably, amidst all these blind people, all of them were blind, all of them were selfish, there is this one woman, the granddaughter of August, and she isn't blind, and she isn't selfish. She came to understand who Jesus is. the just one, the righteous one, just this one lady, the granddaughter of the emperor, and she knew for sure Jesus is righteous. It is who he is, isn't it? He's the only one among all these blind, selfish, guilty people who is righteous. He's innocent. We don't know if there is true faith with Claudia. We leave that aside. Let's leave that aside. It's about us. It's not about her. But we may hear her story to learn from it. And we know that by means of a dream, it became clear to her that her husband was about to condemn a righteous, just, innocent person. How was it revealed to her? by God, of course, by the God and Father of Jesus Christ, who was standing there as an accused one. And the Heavenly Father of Jesus gave Claudia Procola a dream. In the Old Testament, God revealed himself through visions and dreams, among other things. No, no, not all the people of the Old Testament received God's revelation, just a few. Just a few people in the Old Testament received dreams and visions. And through these dreams and visions, they came to know God and his word. God and his word were revealed to them. And they were allowed to pass it on to others. They must pass it on to others. But it were only a few. Now and then, one received the word of God through dreams and visions. Jewel, the prophet, we have read his words. Oh, he speaks longingly of a time when all will dream and have visions. Not a few, but all people. They will all see visions, they will all prophesy. In other words, they all will come to know God, hear his word, and will be transformed. How amazing. No longer a few, God, Jewel, doesn't say that they literally will receive dreams. But he means that many people will come to know God and hear his voice. God will reveal himself in all his riches. You know, Jewel speaks about a time that Moses' wish is going to be fulfilled. Numbers 11, verse 29, Moses sighs and he says, would God that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them. And here, here, we are just on the threshold of the New Testament. And God shows us the first sign. of the coming fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. Just as this wife of Pilate sees who Jesus is and comes to an understanding and a knowledge of him, so many others will see who Jesus is through the work of the Holy Spirit. It will be poured out. This is just the first one of a rich harvest which will come. Holy Spirit will be poured out on flesh and the Word will go forth across this world and many, many, many sinners will come to know Christ as the righteous one who stood there in their place. Many, many will come to see him. Their blindness will be removed. Their eyes will be opened. Their ears will be pierced. Their hearts will be changed. Their lives transformed by word and spirit. Many, many will weep in repentance about their sins. Many will hear about Jesus and flee to him, the righteous one. And many will confess his name. And many will come to life and receive eternal life. He in our place, what a wonder. And that's the time in which we live. Pilate's wife says he had to suffer a lot, right? So apparently she took a special interest in the way of Jesus. His way of suffering became very close to her. As if she herself personally went that way of suffering with him. And therefore she suffered. with Jesus Christ. But let's not forget, however hard her suffering was in that dream, Jesus' suffering is much harder. Much harder. The story goes, maybe you know that, that Gloria Prokola was a Jewish proselyte. and she was converted. And she is venerated to this day in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Well, if that is the case, then she must have corrected her statement later and said the following, I suffered a lot that night for his sake. But he suffered immeasurably more for my sake. And see how he is going in his suffering, his way, silently. All of them around him are speaking, crying, shouting, crucify him, crucify him. And he is going his way silently, like a lamb that is voiceless before its shearers. He wants to go and he must go this way of suffering. This is how the honor of his father will be restored. This is how sinners are forgiven. This is how eternal life is given away. In this way, people who shoot pears under God's judgment can be saved. There's only one way for us. Believe on him. Flee to him, that righteous one who vicariously suffered and died at Calvary's cross. We began by asking what the significance is of Jesus being here in court and being delivered up to death by Pilate. Well, is it clear now? He was delivered to crucifixion, even though it was perfectly clear that it was innocent and perfectly righteousness. There was no justifying evidence. There were only false witnesses. There was open hostility, enmity, emotion, blankness, selfishness. Yet, yes, even God, God himself, gave witness. This one is righteous through that dream. He is righteous, yet he was handed over for crucifixion. Nevertheless, he was delivered up to death. Why? He in our place. This is the importance that he stood before that court And that earthly judge, Pilate, that it is made clear to all, his work is vicariously. That's it. He in our place, he is the perfect lamb of God for the sin of the world. You know, and the miracle is even greater than that. This truth is not hidden. It wasn't only revealed to the wife of Pilate, but through word and spirit is revealed to many, to us here and now. He makes us know who we are, what our position is, but also and especially who he is. Who is he? merciful, gracious, great in mercy. He takes care of the lost. He takes care of sinners because they are the work of his hands. That is the message that continues to be proclaimed to this very day. Amen. Let's seek the Lord in prayer. Lord, we thank Thee for Thy Word. Lord, what remains is wonder. Thy Son, righteous, it has made so clear to all of us that He was innocent, righteous. So it has been made clear to us that he was declared guilty in our place. All his work was vicariously. O Lord, open our hearts for this truth, that we are sinners, yet Christ died for sinners like us. Lord, grant us thy indwelling spirit, that it will change our hearts, bring us to life, Lord, we thank thee for thy word. We ask forgiveness of the weakness in preaching and in listening, but bless thy word. We know it will never return empty, in vain, never. Lord, we pray for each other. We ask thee to bring us together here tonight. Hear our prayer, Lord, as thou knowest. who we are, where we stand in life, what we need. Open our eyes, not only for the first time, but again and again, for the beauty of thy Son, Jesus Christ, for thy one-sided love, and prepare us for that coming Judgment Day. Hear our prayer in the name of thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and King. Amen. Let us sing Psalter 109, 109, stanzas 1 through 4. And there is a collection during the prelude. And then we will sing Psalter 109, 109, stanzas 1 through 4. Amen. Amen. ♪ The weary year, the weary month ♪ ♪ The fairest of all to be ♪ ♪ Hail, O Canada! Hail, O Canada! ♪ The Lord is risen in the night, His glory to the world. Thy righteousness proclaim. Thou good old Westland, Thou vale of seas, ♪ To praise thy glory ever ♪ ♪ And ever, and ever, and evermore ♪ ♪ God help me, I'm only lost ♪ ♪ Great God, I'm stuck, help me, I'm lost ♪ Lift up your hearts to God and receive his blessings. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord makes his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. Amen. I don't know. I don't know. It is good to see you. I've never seen you before. Can I test you out? Yes, I can see you. I am a guest. I just happen to see that this is your first time here. Unless we do not agree, we are life after death. God has put you in my spot. But, it is good to see you. Father, what have I done to deserve this punishment? Father, what have I done to deserve this punishment? Father, what have I done to deserve this punishment? I know there is more than a million questions for this man, but I hope if any man can hear