Jesus Revealed Pt. 17 - Abandoned - Really?Campione

Behold the Man  

Thoughts on the Passage

The religious leaders, the people, Pilate, the soldiers…. They all rejected and mocked Jesus the King.

The people chose Barabbas – a robber – over Jesus. They would rather have a criminal free than Jesus free. They considered Jesus a greater threat than a robber - someone who threatens society.

Pilate and the soldiers treated Jesus like an expendable person. He could be mistreated for no reason just to gain favor. He was not guilty of anything, yet they whipped Him without mercy and mocked His claim as King and heaped shame on Him. His crown was thorns, His whipping was so brutal many people died from it and they paraded Jesus in front of the people like a criminal who was properly judged.

All of this was foretold by the prophet Isaiah. Read again the verses and see how easy it was for mankind to mistreat Him. See how easy it was to miss who He really was. 

Now look around and see how easily mankind still does it.

Application

We forget how much the world hates Jesus. When we say Jesus is our Lord, are we prepared to stand with this Jesus? It can be costly.

This world considers Jesus expendable – they can abuse Him and His followers – without cost and without consequences. Look at ourselves today. Do we obey all His commands, or are there some that we consider too difficult – and we ignore them and think there is no cost to doing it?

Time to Pray

Father, I watch Pilate and the soldiers abuse Jesus and I almost get sick. I wonder how people can do it and think that the consequences would be small. I then think how easily we Your children ignore His words – and think that the consequences are small. No wonder that the world around us does not honor Jesus when we give them such a poor example. Forgive me I pray. Forgive me and help me today to take His words seriously. Forgive me and strengthen my heart to follow Jesus with all my heart, soul strength and mind.  I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.