Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“So Pilate said to him, ‘You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.’” – John 19:10-11

If we’re honest with ourselves, can we truly know how we would handle standing in the presence of the man who could release us with a simple word or sentence us to immediate and excruciating death? The response of Jesus is unique and remarkable: He knows that God, not Pilate is in control of the situation and that He is right where He was always meant to be.

Jesus goes through the experience of illegal hearings, humiliation, torture, unjust sentencing, and brutal death without struggle or resistance. As Scripture foretold, Jesus stood silent in the face of death, because He understood it was the will of God. This moment in which Pilate is so taken with his personal authority was really a moment ordained by God from before time began.

Jesus stood there so that He would be sent to the cross to suffer, die, be buried, and rise from death. He stood there so He could go to the cross and take our sins with Him, so that through God’s grace we who believe in Him would be forgiven for those sins. He stood there so that He could defeat Satan and evil permanently. We praise God that Pilate was not in control that day, but God the Father and Jesus the Son!

“They answered him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am he.’ Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” – John 18:5-6

Soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane, determined to arrest Jesus. Expecting to arrest a mere man, Jesus revealed Who they were really arresting. He spoke the divine name of God – I AM and revealed Himself to be the eternal I AM.

At these words, the mob fell backward, blown away by their brief glimpse of the power and presence of God in their midst! Then, the Son of God swept the moment away, re-engaging with them so they could finish their job and arrest Him, for He had a job to do.

The great I AM had an appointment with a cross and nothing could keep Him from it. On the cross, the I AM, the eternal Son of God would die, sacrificing His life to establish a new covenant in His blood. That new covenant gives salvation by undeserved grace through faith in Christ to all who believe.

Thus the I AM, after briefly blowing the mob backwards by the mere mention of His name, invited them forward to arrest and abuse Him for the sake of the joy that lay beyond (Hebrews 12:2).

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” – John 17:24

What a profoundly encouraging thought! If you’re a follower of Christ, He desires you to be with Him. Even as He reigns in heaven, He’s looking forward to your presence with Him so you can see Him face-to-face in His glory.

All Christ-followers have important work to do for God’s Kingdom here on earth. We mustn’t look past that too often and neglect the work prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). While we do that work, we’re encouraged that Christ is with us, but we’re also encouraged to know that Jesus is eagerly looking forward to the day when we’re with Him in heaven, beholding His eternal glory.

We aren’t a burden or afterthought to Jesus. We are desired, invited, welcomed companions of His for all eternity! Delight in this reality.

“Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’” – John 18:37-38

It turns out that post-modern questions about the nature and existence of truth aren’t new! 2000 years ago, Pontius Pilate sought to escape an uncomfortable conversation with Jesus by asking “What is truth?”

The answer is Jesus Himself, but He acknowledges that that answer won’t appeal to everyone. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, but not everyone really wants to encounter and embrace truth, preferring endless debate instead. Jesus speaks to the truth of God, His holiness, His justice, His judgment, His love, His mercy and His grace. Jesus speaks the truth that sets us free from sin and death.

There will always be those more interested in arguments than answers, and more excited about rhetorical tricks than actual truths. Jesus tells us this. We grieve for them, we seek to persuade them, but until they’re ready to seriously engage with truth, there’s only so much we can say or do.

We must be careful ourselves. The reality of our truth-starved/denying culture can easily distract and discourage us from listening to the truth of Jesus. We must remain focused on His truth rather than the diversions and distractions of a world desperate to avoid confronting the truth of sin, judgment, and salvation by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone.

“Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:32-33

No, Jesus wasn’t talking about COVID-19! Nonetheless what He said certainly applies as we remain largely scattered in our homes. In this world tribulation is normal, expected, and guaranteed, because this is a fallen world.

Today we’re reminded of just how fallen it is and just how common tribulation is throughout history. On Memorial Day, as we honor those who’ve fallen in the wars of the past two and a half centuries, we’re reminded of war’s terrible cost and brutal frequency. In this world, we have tribulation – some generations see more, some less, but all experience various forms of tribulation.

However, we have hope in Jesus Christ. One day, war will be no more. One day, disease and death will be no more. Why? Because Jesus defeated the temptations of the world and crushed the evil powers of the world on the cross. By His death and resurrection, He assured us of the final outcome of history: His victorious return, the utter defeat of all evil, the renewal of the earth, and joyous eternity for His followers in that renewed earth.