This is a chilling passage. It's the time of decision making for Pilate. Will he resist the pressure of the chief priests and crowd of Jews to have Jesus crucified? Or will he give in to their demands and have an innocent man sent to a cruel death? We now know the answer. "Then he handed him over to them to be crucified." (John 19:16) How could Pilate do that? This is a man's life we're talking about! And yet he does. An innocent man is about to die. Pilate turns away. The decision is made. The deed is done.
And, of course, it wasn't just Pilate and the Jews who sent Jesus to his death. It was you and I. That's what this is really all about. I'm reminded of the Lenten hymn, "Ah, Holy Jesus" (ELW #349), especially verse 2.
"Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus has undone thee.
'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee, I crucified thee."
These are not easy passages to read. They are disturbing, to be sure. But, it is the blood of Jesus that ultimately washes away our sins. So I take to heart the words of the devotion, "Take your guilt to the cross right now- and leave it there." I'm so thankful that we can do just that.
I have laid so many sins at the foot of the cross and truly felt forgiven and then sometime later I pick them up again and carry them around. I then have to lay them at the feet of Jesus. I don't know why I do this, but I am grateful to know that everyday i need to be made new in Jesus so I can be free of guilt to do His will here on earth. Jesus is the Way, Praise His Holy Name....
ReplyDeleteTHANH YOU AGAIN, PASTOR JEFF. Only yesterday, I implied something to my wife that wasn't really true. When I started to feel guilty about this, I TRIED TO WASH MY HANDS by sending her an e-mail, with a slightly more accurate story, That didn't give me an iota of relief. I had to get down on my knees in humility, and confess to one more sin that Jesus carried to the cross. All over again I had to learn this lesson, that like Pilate, washing my hands by myself just will not do it!
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