Matthew 27:11-26 ... Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!" "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!" All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. | | Pilate was not a person who wanted trouble. When Jesus was brought to him, he was handed a hot potato. On the one hand, he couldn't find any crime committed by Jesus. Luke mentioned that Pilate said to the crowd three times, "I can't find any crime committed by him." On the other hand, the chief priest persuaded crowd to demand a release of Barabbas, and to crucify Jesus. Pilate knew that they brought Jesus to him out of envy. But he also knew that that it was very difficult to deal with that mob. Having to make a difficult decision between two undesirable alternatives, Pilate chose to listen to the crowd. In fact, the wife of Pilate had suffered in a dream and sent him a message, asking him not to be involved in the matter of this righteous person. But crowd shouted and coerced Pilate, forcing him to crucify Jesus. The voice of the crowd won at the end. . Today, we live in an era where truth is twisted and confused. Truth is often based on whoever has the loudest voice; whoever objects the most vehemently has the truth, and whoever has the strongest fist may have the truth too. Moreover, we are often influenced by whatever is trendy now, and are afraid of walking on the path of truth. Brothers and sisters, are you willing to bear testimony of your faith? In this crooked and depraved era, are you willing to uphold the justice of kingdom of God for the Lord? May God help us to understand how to stand up for God in our daily lives, to offer ourselves to God so that His will may be manifested through us! | | Pray with Pastor Tong Lord, may you give us the heart of a brave man so that we can be witnesses to your truth. May you shine the light of truth on this dark world so that all the people of this generation will completely come back to you. May the mercy of the Lord strengthen us and let your truth be revealed through us. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen! | | | | | | |
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