The Sign

Read John 19:16-27
 
John 19:19-20 Pilate wrote a notice and had it put on the cross. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,” is what he wrote. 20 Many people read it, because the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city. The notice was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.


GOD certainly uses people in surprising ways, doesn’t he? Whether he’s dealing with a pagan or devout follower, atheist or true believer, God will use the traits of a person to spread the Good News.
    Here, Pilate had a sign written proclaiming Jesus as “King of the Jews”. His intent was to mock the Jewish authorities and the Jewish religion. But let’s look at God’s plan here. Who were the “many people (who) read it”? They were Jews and Gentiles traveling to and from Jerusalem from nearby and other countries. For most, no doubt, it was the first time they took any notice of Jesus. And likely they wondered, “Why would Rome call this criminal on a cross ‘King of the Jews’”? Why, indeed.
    I wonder what some of these same people thought months and years later when the gospel was preached in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and throughout the world. Do you think that as “Christ crucified” was preached they remembered the sign? Do you think that perhaps the memory of the unusual sign over the crucified one awakened them to see God’s love and to believe in Jesus?
    God reveals himself in very surprising ways. He uses shepherds, farmers, fishermen, criminals – even you and me – to declare Christ crucified. Pilate was a weak, ineffective ruler. Even so, God gave to Pilate particular words to write. Our Lord then used those words to plant the seeds of his salvation into the hearts and minds of those who passed by the cross. In his time and in his ways, the Holy God reveals the King of Kings to the world.  
 
Resurrection Truth: The King shall reign forever.