“Very early in the morning, the leading priests and other leaders met again to discuss how to persuade the Roman government to sentence Jesus to death. Then they bound him and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.” Matthew 27:1-2
Brothers and sisters there is so much description of love through the death and resurrection of Christ. The Word is God-breathed and used for the specific purpose to show us how loved we are. I hope that your hearts are being softened and that you are experiencing true love.
Place Number 4- The headquarters of the Roman governor-Pilate
Jesus is now standing trial before Pilate and at this point Jesus has been beat up, His face is bloody and His hands and feet are bound up. There in the midst of complete hate and jealousy Jesus is having accusations made about Him that are not even true. The more Pilate refuses to do what the leaders say the angrier they become and the more they charge Jesus for doing.
Every year during Passover Pilate releases a prisoner of their choice. It just so happens that the prisoner is a notorious criminal named Barabbas. Pilate comes out and says, “Which one do you want me to release to you-Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah? …the crowd shouted back their reply: Barabbas! But if I release Barabbas, Pilate asked them, what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah? And they all shouted, Crucify him! Why? Pilate demanded. What crime has he committed? But the crowd only roared the louder, Crucify him... I am innocent of the blood of this man. The responsibility is yours! And all the people yelled back, EW will take responsibility for his death-we and our children! So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him.”
Place yourself somewhere in the crowd, a place where you can see all that is going on and where you have a clear view of Jesus. Then listen to the crowd yelling “Crucify Him” and Pilate saying the words, “have Him flogged with a lead-tipped whip, and then turn Him over to the Romans soldiers to crucify Him.”
Now I want you to walk over to Jesus and take His hand and follow Him as He is led away to be flogged. (In Deuteronomy 25:3 “No more than forty lashes may ever be given; more than forty lashes would publicly humiliate your neighbor.”) I want you to stand there as Jesus is being flogged 40 times with a three pronged whip that has lead in the prongs. And if you can stand there and not feel loved we have serious issues. We should be so overwhelmed with emotion every time we think of Christ’s display of love that it brings us to our knees. I know it is rough, but guys it was real and Jesus felt every whip, every punch, and every person’s spit that hit His face. He did it for us! He did it out of love! Oh, we are loved, we are loved, we are so, so loved!
Jesus I cannot even begin to imagine what You felt and not only from the physical pain but from the verbal pain of hearing the ones You created yelling for You to be crucified. Jesus as I place myself next to You I can’t help but to hit my knees in adoration and thankfulness. Only You right now can see and feel all that my heart is saying. Amen
