Wed Sep 17

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words Jesus and Barabbas.

Reading

Matthew 27:15–26—Handed Over Because of Envy.

Optional Reading

Daniel 3:8-12

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

Daniel’s 3 friends were handed over by malicious accusations.
Jesus was handed over because of envy.
Yet, Jesus willingly died to save sinners like you.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

Were the malicious accusations about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego true?
Were the malicious accusations about Jesus true?
How and why did Jesus go to the cross?

Notes

(See Saturday for authors)

Jesus was found not guilty but declared guilty by the Jews. They could produce no evidence, even with false witnesses. Yet they declared him guilty out of envy.

Jesus was found not guilty but declared guilty by Pilate. His wife tried to convince him that Jesus was innocent and righteous, but Pilate still handed him over to be crucified, even while asking, “What shall I do with this (righteous) man? what crime has he committed?”

We read this and want to protest. Why listen to these malicious accusations?! O’Donnell lists this series of questions: Why release guilty Barabbas instead of innocent Jesus? (It’s so unjust.) Why have Jesus scourged? (It’s so inhumane.) And why have Jesus delivered to be crucified? (It’s so embarrassing and excruciating.) Why? Why? Why? Pilate knew it was out of envy by the Jews that Jesus was handed over to him—yet he still sent him to the cross!

Though we sometimes wish the trial had been different, a perfect sacrifice was needed. Christ’s perfect sacrifice was sufficient and effective. [God] made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB). He was named Jesus because he will save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21).

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 22a, 119t

Prayer

Give thanks that Jesus willingly went to the cross to save sinners like you.
Pray for change in you from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.