Easter at the Anchor
Matthew 20:17-19 (NLT) He took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to Him. 18 “Listen,” He said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence Him to die. 19 Then they will hand Him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day He will be raised from the dead.”
Matthew 27:1-2 (NLT) Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound Him, led Him away, and took Him to Pilate, the Roman governor.
Matthew 27:11-16 (NLT) Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked Him. Jesus replied, “You have said it.” 12 But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against Him, Jesus remained silent. 13 “Don’t You hear all these charges they are bringing against You?” Pilate demanded. 14 But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise. 15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.
Matthew 27:17 (NLT) As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
Matthew 27:19-26 (NLT) Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.” 20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has He committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify Him!” 24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!” 25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for His death—we and our children!” 26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged [scourged] with a lead-tipped whip, then turned Him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
Luke 4:18 (NLT) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free.
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT) But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God…