|
6:41 AM (6 hours ago) |
 |
||
|
||||
I pray that everyone had a wonderful Christmas, as we celebrated the Birthday of our Christ, and had a delightful celebration of the arrival of the New Year, and New Decade. ..New opportunities to tell the world of the Love of God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever May each of you, and yours be blessed in all things, and in all ways, as we journey on, God’s Beloveds.
We return to our study of the Gospel of John. Jesus had finished the Passover Meal with His remaining Disciples after Judas had left to go betray Him. That night Jesus was arrested and put before the Jewish Leadership who wanted to kill HIm but did not have the authority to do so. They had to get the Romans to do it. After several mock trials in front of the Jewish Leaders; the two High Priests, and the total Sanhedrin, they had Him now before Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea. Pilate tried several times to get the Jews to release Jesus. Pilate sent Him to Herod, the Ruler of Galilee since that is where Jesus was from. Herod found no wrong in Him and sent Him back to Pilate. The Jewish Leadership was demanding Pilate have Jesus crucified. They told Pilate He claimed to be a King which would threaten Rome. Pilate offered to set Jesus free because of the custom of setting a prisoner free at Passover. They demanded Barabbas instead. Pilate thought he knew what they were doing, and had Jesus flogged hoping that would pacify them. After the unmerciful beating, The Roman soldiers put a purple robe on him along with a crown of thorns and began saying, “Hail, king of the Jews” – mocking and ridiculing Jesus, and slapping His face. (little did they know God, Himself, stood before them) Pilate then came out to the Jewish leaders saying, “You take HIm, and crucify Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him.” The Jewish leaders told Pilate “We have a law, and according to that law, He must die because He claimed to be the Son of God.” ( Amen. Yes, He is. Yes He must.)
Pilate then went back inside the Palace to talk to Jesus but Jesus would not answer Him. Pilate said, “Don’t you realize I have the power to free you or to crucify you? Jesus said, “You would have no power over Me if it were not given to you from above…” Pilate then went back outside where the Jewish Leaders were, as they continued to shout for crucifixion. Pilate then brought Jesus out said, “Here is your king.” Their reply was, “We have no king but Caesar.” “Finally, Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified.” (John 19: 1-16)
The will of the Lord will be done. Man can not stop it. It may be delayed because of man, but the will of the Father will be done. The Jewish Leaders did not realize what they were being used for. They were just determined to have Jesus killed because they did not want Him leading the people away from them. They were jealous. But the Plan of Salvation called for Jesus to die for our us, and take our sins away as our propitiation, our Messiah, our Savior; to cleanse us with His personal blood within, and without. As they beat Him, the Word says by His blood we are healed -Body, Soul, and Spirit as it flows through our veins. Abba Father knew we would fall, but that He would rescue us – at the beginning of creation. (Genesis 3). He spoke through His Prophet Isaiah to tell us how it would be in (Isaiah 53.) which was over 700 years before what was now happening. As Pilate turned Jesus over to be crucified, Pilate did not realize He was part of the plan.
So let us walk in peace with our Lord every day. Let us relax and know that He has plans for each of us. Plans to protect us, and to prosper us in all things and in all ways and tell and show us His unconditional Love through Jesus, the Christ Let us remember we have a part to play in that plan for God’s Children. Our part is to tell the Good News of how He loves us, and has a special plan for Each one of us. It was put in place at the beginning of time to happen right now – 2020, and going forward. Your time to be in the game is Now.
The Lord is with you as you go on the field.