What will you do?
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” John 19:5
All of the people in Israel knew who Jesus was. Everyone knew He did miracles and was a teacher with a good message. Of course, there were many who were jealous of Him. Mostly that was the religious leaders of the day. They were afraid that Jesus would become more popular and also that He would turn the Hebrew people away from the synagogue. They didn’t want to lose their fame or funding. They all knew who Jesus was and some of them even spent time in His presence, but only to look for excuses to shut Him down.
In today’s reading, Jesus was handed over to the entire unit of Roman soldiers to be beaten and mocked. Here was a group of people who again knew who Jesus was but did not know Him personally. Some of them may have seen Him before that time and surly some of them were there when He was arrested. However, none of them knew Him personally or spend time getting to know His heart of love for people especially those who were hurting.
The point is, this is still happening today. Most people in our country have heard the name of Jesus and maybe even that He was a person in history that was crucified. Most know that He is worshiped by Christians and even that He is the Savior of the world. Yet, many still mock Him and do not see any need for Him in their lives personally.
Then there are those who love Him deeply. Those who spend time not only learning about Him, but also getting to know Him better each day personally by spending time talking with Him. Those who have turned to Him for help when they were going through a crisis and then begin to walk with Him daily to point their life away from destruction. Those who worship and honor Him because He is the One who paid the penalty for sin and bridged the gap that was between us and our Heavenly Father, and those who press into Him for strength and wisdom to help others who are going through struggles.
What about you? What are you doing with Jesus? Are you a mocker like those in Jesus’ day who saw His good works, but ridiculed His methods? Are you among those who believe they have no need for Jesus to be in their life? Or are you a follower who desires to walk closer with Him each day? The good news is that you are the one who decides just what to do with Jesus.
Today I want to encourage you to consider what type of relationship you have with Him. Is He Lord and Savior over your life? Is He your best Friend that goes with you everywhere every day? Or is He someone you have heard of but never stepped into that intimate relationship of love that He wants to walk in with you? Decide today to accept Jesus into your life as the One who rescues you from the darkness of the world. Walk in the light of His love and His light. Step away from the mockers of the world and make the decision to step into His arms of love. Start the conversation today by praying this short prayer from your heart and keep that conversation going until you finish your course in this life.
Pray: God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior. I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me. Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new. I know Your Son, Jesus died for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward. I now have a right relationship with God my Father through His salvation in Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to do the things that You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen
Today’s scripture reading; John 19:5-16
5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”
6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
8 Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,
9 and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.
10 Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”
11 Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
12 From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”
13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
14 Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”
15 But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
16Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.
The Daily Dose 