March 24th, 2017

John 18:28-19:16
 
John 18:37 So Pilate asked him, “Are you a king, then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth listens to me.”

READ the entire account of Jesus’ trial. What is at the center of the charges, Jesus’ few responses, and the crowd’s reaction?
    It is truth. Pilate wants to know, “What is truth?” He’s not the only one. The whole world wants to know it. Or do we?
    People do seem to seek after truth. So many religions in the world claim to be the place where truth is found. Many people also try to find truth in themselves. “Know yourself.” is a common mantra in our culture. Pilate, it seems, had to “stand back” and think about what Jesus told him. Jesus was claiming that when people wanted to know the truth he was the One to seek.
    But Pilate only thought about it for a short time. Then he washed his hands of Jesus, and Jesus was gone.
    What kept Pilate from taking Jesus inside his house, inviting him to lunch and asking him, “What do you mean, ‘Whoever listens to the truth belongs to you?’” It seems Pilate was on the edge of a real conversation with Jesus, but he backed down.
    Perhaps he knew if he took time with Jesus to learn the truth, his life would dramatically change. He might be confronted with his past sins – some very evil sins – among the Jews. He might lose his power as a Roman governor.
    Have you been close to getting to know Jesus better but then stepped back? Were you afraid of what would change in your life and what you might have to do? I see people like that all the time. I hope and pray I’m not one of them.
 
Resurrection Truth: You are willing to pursue Jesus’ truth.