Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?...” …But the chief priests stirred up the crowed to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. “What shall I do then with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify Him!” they shouted.

Some have always felt it a mystery that less than a week before all this took place, and for the day that we gather here today on Palm Sunday, the crowd was shouting a welcome worthy of a king when Jesus rode into Jerusalem saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Our Weekday School kids helped remind us that when Jesus road in on a donkey, there was praise and adoration. But in the Gospel text for this day they were crying out for His crucifixion. This day is also called Passion Sunday where we would also expect such words. In less than a week their shouts changed from praise to condemnation – from joy to hate – from life to death. Why did they change?

There is no real mystery. The reason of course is quite simply this was a different crowd. Think of the arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. It was deliberately secretive. No one else around except those who would take the Savior captive and those who were close to the Lord. It is true, the disciples fled and must have spread the news, but they could not have known that the Sanhedrin was going to violate its own laws and carry out a travesty of a trial very early in the morning (says chapter 15 verse 1) -- it was more than likely still dark. There could have been very few “Jesus” supporters in that crowd. Who, then, was in the crowd?

Think again. The crowd knew that there was this custom whereby a prisoner was released at the Passover time. It may well be that this was a crowd which had assembled with the deliberate intention of demanding the release of Barabbas. They were in fact a mob of Barabbas’ supporters. And we heard about the chief priests stirring up the crowd before the trial took place. When they saw the possibility that Jesus might be released and not Barabbas they went mad. For those who sought to get rid of Jesus, this was a seemingly heaven-sent opportunity. Circumstances had played into their hands. They would continue to support the crowd and their shouts for Barabbas, and it was easy. The release of Barabbas is what the crowd had come to claim.

And today, as we are a mere four days away from the Lord’s last meal with His disciples, a mere five days from His crucifixion, and seven days away from the ever blessed resurrection and victory, we ask once again the question that Pilate asked. What, then shall we do with Jesus? And this very question occurs before us in the text appointed for this morning’s sermon. What are we going to do with Him?

We know what the crowd who got up very early that morning to voice their opinion wanted to do with Him. They wanted Barabbas free. Not because Barabbas meant so much to them, but because they wanted to see Jesus die. As a matter of fact, many in the crowd had enough influence to sway the crowd to kill Jesus. But we wouldn’t want to do that, would we. We wouldn’t put Jesus second and Barabbas first. What, then, are we going to do with Jesus?

“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” They shouted. “Why, what crime did He commit?” Pilate asks. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” For the crowd, no explanation we necessary for Pilate -- just crucify Him. No excuses or reasons were given by the crowd -- just crucify Him! They turned the words of Jesus so that Pilate would believe that Jesus was making Himself a civil king above Caesar.

If we were there, if we could have gotten up very early that morning, if we were made aware of the fact that Barabbas, Pilate, and Jesus were going to stand before a very large crowd that day and one of them would be released as was “the custom.” We would have shouted for Jesus. We, for sure, would have made a difference and our Lord would have been spared this terrible death.

Please realize that our disobedience to what God would have us do – our negligence, our carelessness – our hurtful words and actions – all of these things that we do – ignore God’s will for us – ignoring God’s Word and His direction – might as well be us saying the same things as those who condemned Jesus. With our actions and with our words, we say “Crucify Him.” Even more, we are the ones nailing Him to the tree. That’s what our sin does – It nails an innocent man – our God – to the tree.

We know what our sin has done to Jesus – and that’s one way we have already answered that question Pilate asks: What are we going to do with Jesus? We crucify Him. With our sin, we crucify the Lord. But what about with your life that you are given to live today? What are you going to do with Jesus? Are you going to share Him, worship Him, and put Him at the center of your Life? Are you going to cherish this gift given to us we that has come from heaven to sustain us each and every day we live?

Don’t throw this gift away. Don’t treat it as something that doesn’t really matter much. Keep Him as number one. Kids, who are here today singing “Hosanna” keep this in mind as you go to school or socialize with your friends. Think about Him before you make any rash decisions. Ask Him if it would be the right thing to do. Think about our Lord and what He has given to you today and everyday before doing something you might regret later. Be here and continue to be fed by God’s gracious gifts.

And parents, the responsibility also lies with you. They still can’t drive. They still can’t get here on their own. They need a facilitator in their walk with Christ. Help make it a habit in their lives. Encourage them and bring them with you. The question is for you too: What are you going to do with Jesus?

And forget about picking on the parents or on the kids, it’s for all of us in our daily walk with Christ – what are we going to do with Him? Are we just going to let God be God in our life only when we find our way here – Or are we going to let Him be our Lord and leader when we go outside of this place as well? What are we going to do with Jesus? I pray all of us take Him with us and not just keep Him to ourselves either. That we share Him just like He shared Himself with all of us – in His forgiveness of sins in His true Body and Blood.

And on this Palm Sunday we rejoice to know that when Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on that donkey and the people were waving palm branches singing hosannas that was not the beginning of the end of Jesus for us. On this Passion Sunday we reflect on Jesus and His willingness to stand before people He loved and yet be ridiculed and tortured. We rejoice knowing that He died on the cross so we can sing “hosannas” to the Lord daily and rejoice in what He did for us.

What are you going to do with Jesus? They shouted, Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” And thank God they did because His death means our life. Sing Hosannas -- the King of all kings is with us – He loves us so much He died for us. We rejoice in that gift and keep it close to our hearts. It’s for you, kids. It’s for all of us. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen