It Always Comes Back to, "The Crowd"

"Pilate wanted to please the crowd." (Mark 15:15, CEV)

What caught my attention in our text today was the phrase, "please the crowd."  Now some scholars over the centuries have suggested that Pilate was not all that bad.  After all, "He knew that the chief priests had handed [Jesus] over because of envy."  Maybe, but he still succumbed to, "the crowd."

All governments only rule by the consent of the people, "the crowd."  All nations in history have always had governments "of the people" and "by the people" (though not always "for the people").  In other words, governments are either the result of what the people want, or what they are willing to tolerate.  Germany of the twentieth century perhaps is a most vivid example.  Most historians continue to refer to the German situation in the 1930s and 40s as the time when "Hitler seized power."  He did not.  He was given power, not only by the intrigue of the other parties, but by the German electorate.  In the national election of the summer of 1932, the National Socialists received the highest number of votes from, you got it-------------------- "the crowd."  

History has proven what can happen when "the crowd" gets enough of tyrants.  But it also has proven what can happen when they get enough of Christ!  I came across the following statistics today:
     *     The 2008 findings confirm the conclusions we came to in our
          earlier studies that Americans are slowly becoming less
          Christian and that in recent decades the challenge to Christianity
          in American society does not come from other world religions or
          new religious movements but rather from a rejection of all
          organized religions.
     *     There does not seem to be revival taking place in America.
          Whether that is measured by church attendance, born again
          status, or theological purity, the statistics simply do not reflect
          a surge of any noticeable proportions. (Barna)
I cannot blame these trends on religious or political leaders, Hollywood, the media, etc.  It always comes back to what "the crowd" wants, and we are all a part of-------- "the crowd."

Tyranny rules because of "the crowd."  At the trial of Jesus, Luke records, "And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed."  If the "silent majority" remains silent, they won't be a majority for long.  Victory belongs to the prevailing voices.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that Your purposes overruled, "the crowd," that day.  Just don't let me under estimate the power of "the crowd."  Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2