"The chief priests answered, 'We have no king but Caesar.' Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified." (John 19:15c, 16a)
The "trial" had been going on for hours. We get the implication from the various narratives that Pilate wanted to "release" Jesus------ but then our text. The talk of, "The Son of God," put fear in Pilate, but it wasn't until the crowd affirmed allegiance to Rome that, "Then he delivered Him...."
We could say that the Cross of Jesus "created" the Church, the Redeemed, the "saved," the New Covenant People of God, for it was, "in His Cross," that Jesus obtained the forgiveness of sin, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become the Children of God...." If it were not for the Cross of Jesus and His Resurrection, you and I would be, "having no hope and without God in the world."
But John 19 further affirms the declaration at the end of the Bible that Jesus Himself is, "King of kings, and Lord of lords." Jesus' claim to be King put an end to things in that Roman judgment hall. While, "The Son of God," threatened the "religious" community, "whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar," threatened Rome-------- later, America, Russia, the EU. "Then he delivered Him to them...." Talk only of Savior and the world has little problem with us. Talk and live, King, "In the world you will have tribulation."
The message of the Kingdom has been mostly silenced over the centuries of Church History. Classic Evangelicalism of the last 200 years has emphasized "Personal Savior." It developed that after saying the "sinner's prayer," it's on to everything is about me, finding my life's purpose, finding happiness, the how-to of my personal life, family, business, etc. Just look at the list of books on any "Christian" website. It was inevitable that this theology would ultimately give birth to the self-centered song, "Me and Jesus have our own thing goin'." Regardless of the appeal to self, this does not lead to what is promised. Happiness, fulfillment is in, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
Jesus died later that day. Jesus died so that, "sin shall not have dominion over you." Jesus died and rose from the grave so that humanity can be free from serving self to serving one another. Jesus' Death and Resurrection released Eternal Life to all who Follow Him, and "sealed" His Reign as King of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to be more of a Church-Kingdom person than a me person. Amen.
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.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
