Matthew 27:24-26 - When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Jesus had been help all night and taken to Pilate…the Highest Roman official available….the next morning. He questioned Him…but Jesus would answer none of the accusations except to validate He was the Messiah. Pilate was sure in His heart that Jesus was innocent of anything…he wanted to set Him free. His wife even warned him to not take part in Jesus’ death because of a dream she had.
He tried to set Jesus free….using the custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover…but that only released another man…guilty of everything that they tried to accuse Jesus. The great crowds that followed Jesus to listen to His teaching and beg for healing were nowhere to be found. They had been replaced with an angry mob shouting out for His crucifixion. So Pilate gave in…called for a basin of water…and literally washed his hands of any responsibility the Jesus’ death. The crowd took full responsibility…even burdening their children in the words they shouted out. Jesus was flogged and the road to Golgotha began.
Truth is that we are all responsible for the sin that Jesus sacrificed His life for on that cross. He bore the weight of every sin that had been committed and every sin to be committed in the future. He quietly allowed man to beat….mock….spit upon…and be nailed to a cross …so that He could provide a way for all of us to repent of our sin and join him in the reward of Heaven…even though we deserved to die in His place. He willingly took the cup of suffering and death that God had sent Him to partake…and gave His life for all sinners. It was their sin…and it was my sin…that Jesus died for on that cross.
No greater sacrifice has ever been made for me personally. It should motivate me to do whatever God asks when I think of it...but I admit that my flesh wins more times than Jesus’ sacrifice motivates me to sacrifice the way He did. Perhaps if I woke each morning with the vivid picture of the suffering He endured just for me….I would stay stronger and develop a stronger faith.
Father…thank you for the reminder that your son Jesus loved me so much that He sacrificed His very life to make a way for me to share in salvation. I thank you Jesus for that….and ask that you forgive me for forgetting how very great that present was. Forgive me for not thanking you for your sacrifice every morning…and letting the vision of your love power me to be more like you each day. Help me to overcome the influences of the world that try to turn me into a person who doesn’t care about others more that I care about myself. Amen.
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