Here, then, we have a marvellous fact before our eyes. This world has been visited--this world has been trodden by that blessed One of whom we have spoken--the Son of God--the Creator and Sustainer of the universe--the lowly, self-emptied and loving, gracious Son of Man--Jesus of Nazareth--God over all blessed for ever, and yet a spotless, holy, absolutely perfect man. He came in love to men--came into this world as the expression of perfect love to those who had sinned against God, and deserved nothing but eternal perdition because of their sins. He came not to crush, but to heal--not to judge, but to save and to bless.
What has become of this blessed One? How has the world treated Him? It has cast Him out! It would not have Him! It preferred a robber and a murderer to this holy, gracious, perfect Man. The world got its choice. Jesus and a robber were placed before the world, and the question was put, "Which will you have?" What was the answer? "Not this man, but Barabbas." "The chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas" (Matt. xxvii. 20, 21). The religious leaders and guides of the people--the men who ought to have led them in the right way--persuaded the poor ignorant multitude to reject the Son of God, and accept a robber and a murderer instead!
Reader, remember, you are in a world that has been guilty of this terrible act. And not only so, but, unless you have truly repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, you are part and parcel of that world, and you lie under the full guilt of that act. This is most solemn. The whole world stands charged with the deliberate rejection and murder of the Son of God. We have the testimony of no less than four inspired witnesses to this fact. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all bear record that the whole world--the Jew and the Gentile--kings and governors, priests and people--all classes, sects and parties, agreed to crucify the Son of God--all agreed to murder the only perfect man that ever appeared on this earth--the perfect expression of God--God over all blessed for ever. We must either pronounce the four evangelists to be false witnesses, or admit that the world as a whole, and each constituent part thereof, is stained with the awful crime of crucifying the Lord of glory.