Scripture:
Luke 23:13-25 NKJV
[13] Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, [14] said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; [15] no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. [16] I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” [17] (for he needed to release one to them at the feast). [18] And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”— [19] who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder. [20] Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. [21] But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” [22] Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will, therefore, chastise Him and let Him go.” [23] But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. [24] So Pilate gave a sentence that it should be as they requested. [25] And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
Observation:
After a conversation with a friend at church yesterday. I started thinking about this scripture, looking at the whole situation. Pilate, a Roman governor, called the Jewish people together to decide a man they had brought him to crucify. This man just so happened to be the son of GOD and innocent of all charges that had been claimed against him. After Pilate’s investigation, he had determined the same thing. Being warned by HIS wife not to have any part in the crucifixion due to a dream she had, Pilate wanted to be free from the responsibility of this man’s death. So he comes back to the crowd and appeals to them for the life of Jesus. HE is innocent. I have found nothing that would bring about the penalty of death. But when the people heard him say that. They started shouting crucify HIM. Blinded by their rage and desire for their sin, the fact that Jesus was an innocent man did not matter to them. They were not even aware of the statement they were making as they cried out for a guilty man to be released as an innocent man gets nailed to a cross. There was one person who was aware of the depths of what was going on, and HE remained silent. The people crying out give us our sins… give us our sins. Crucify HIM. Not knowing what to do and not wanting to lose his political power. Pilate washes his hands in front of the people, doing his best to say I am not guilty of this man’s death yet making the statement to follow through with their request to crucify Jesus and release a guilty man.
Application:
I don’t know about you but that day changed my life. As you look back over, what had happened one of your thoughts might have been… how could they have done this. All the healings and deliverance all the lives changed. The blind can now see lepers walking around with no skin issues clean of all of it. HE raised Lazarus from the grave. How could they not see who HE is? But wait… how many of us do the same thing today and don’t even know we are doing it? We decide to sin even though we know the SAVIOR. We get blinded by our flesh. I want to think about this for a minute. Jesus knew HE was innocent and remained silent. HE knew that the man they were going to release was guilty… yet again… remained silent. HE knew what HE was doing. There was no question that HE chose to die so that we could live. As I think about this, sometimes I put myself in the category of those who read this and think how could they let an innocent man die and beg for a guilty one to be set free? Then I think about the day I encountered Jesus. My plee for freedom from my sin. It was much like theirs. I didn’t know what I wanted. I just knew I didn’t want what I had. The grace that has been shown to me since that day is nothing less than amazing. So many times I have been given another chance and another and another. Each time, I gained a little victory and a little more and a little more. Becoming more able to stay out of the situation brings me back to a place of sinful desire. I’m not sitting here saying I’m perfect. What I am saying is I have been justified by Christ, and I am being sanctified through the Holy Spirit. When I sin now, it doesn’t sit well with me, and I don’t want to. My heart hurts for the things that nailed my SAVIOR to the cross. The conviction is real. My deepest desire is to not sin. I believe repentance is the key that unlocks it all. It’s what John the Baptist preached it’s what Jesus preached it’s what Peter preached, Steven, and so on Paul James, all of them… I have to say there was a time when my cray was to crucify…now that I have been justified, my cry is to sanctify. I don’t want my sin. I want my SAVIOR. The nails were necessary for me to see that. In the middle of our sin, christ made the choice to die for us. A bunch of wretched sinners crying out for HIM to be nailed to a cross, not even knowing that those nails would set us free. My challenge to you today is that you pray for conviction. Pray that the Holy Spirit tells you, before you make the wrong choice, ask HIM to sanctify you and shape you to be more like Jesus.
Prayer:
Father, your plan is so perfect we don’t even see that we are helping you to bring it about. Without your son, there is no hope. We did not even see that coming. How could HIS nails set us free? You knew from the beginning of time that we would not be able to and that you would have to make a way. You are the only one I know that can build a bridge with 3 nails to 2 pieces of wood. And we just want to thank you for doing so. Without your grace, our salvation and sanctification would not be possible. Help us to turn from our sin and chase after you like you are all that matters. Because you are all that matters. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.