"Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, 'Are You the King of the Jews?' Jesus said to him, 'It is as you say.' And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing." (Matthew 27:11, 12)
It was today 70 years ago that the Auschwitz Death Camp was liberated by Russian soldiers. People have asked, "Why? Why did the carnage of the mid twentieth century occur?" Now we could give some answers perhaps, but still there would be the unanswered, unsatisfied, "Why?"
Our text has us observing our Lord Jesus Christ before the Roman Governor, Pilate. Along with the Jewish leaders, we hear Pilate asking questions of Jesus. John tells us that Pilate asked, "Are you a king then?" And we read earlier in Matthew that the Jews were concerned about Jesus' claim that He was the Son of God, "....the high priest answered and said to Him, 'I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.'" Pilate was concerned about, "Are You the King of the Jews?" The religious people were concerned about this, "Son of God," claim. One religious, one political, but both were frightening possibilities to those who could not, or rather, would not recognize Who Jesus Was/Is.
Truth comes by revelation, not by argument or constant questions, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." It is the same today, the same always. The Cross, the Death, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and soon Second Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ saves, delivers and keeps us by, "revealed this to you." I pray for people what Paul prayed for the Ephesian Church, "....that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints...." All, I repeat, All which our Lord Jesus Christ is, has for us, and does for us we enjoy and walk in only by, "the spirit of wisdom and revelation...."
Perhaps when you and I are faced with constant questions from a world which does not really want truth answers, we should do as our text says, "He answered nothing."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that, "the eyes of [my] understanding be[] enlightened...." Amen.
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About three quarters closer to our March Mission need
It was today 70 years ago that the Auschwitz Death Camp was liberated by Russian soldiers. People have asked, "Why? Why did the carnage of the mid twentieth century occur?" Now we could give some answers perhaps, but still there would be the unanswered, unsatisfied, "Why?"
Our text has us observing our Lord Jesus Christ before the Roman Governor, Pilate. Along with the Jewish leaders, we hear Pilate asking questions of Jesus. John tells us that Pilate asked, "Are you a king then?" And we read earlier in Matthew that the Jews were concerned about Jesus' claim that He was the Son of God, "....the high priest answered and said to Him, 'I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.'" Pilate was concerned about, "Are You the King of the Jews?" The religious people were concerned about this, "Son of God," claim. One religious, one political, but both were frightening possibilities to those who could not, or rather, would not recognize Who Jesus Was/Is.
Truth comes by revelation, not by argument or constant questions, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." It is the same today, the same always. The Cross, the Death, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and soon Second Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ saves, delivers and keeps us by, "revealed this to you." I pray for people what Paul prayed for the Ephesian Church, "....that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints...." All, I repeat, All which our Lord Jesus Christ is, has for us, and does for us we enjoy and walk in only by, "the spirit of wisdom and revelation...."
Perhaps when you and I are faced with constant questions from a world which does not really want truth answers, we should do as our text says, "He answered nothing."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that, "the eyes of [my] understanding be[] enlightened...." Amen.
***********************
About three quarters closer to our March Mission need
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
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
