Time to Stand

Time to Stand   
 
Mark 15:12-14 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. 13 “Crucify him!” they shouted. 14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 
 
THE crowd had no reason to kill Jesus. They were in such a frenzy they only knew to shout what the ruling Jews had instructed. Mindless in their obedience to evil, the crowd’s loud voice overwhelmed Pilate’s sense of justice. He knew this was wrong. He wanted desperately to free Jesus. But the crowd kept shouting…and shouting.  
   We can lose heart when evil’s voice keeps shouting its demands. The church has often been attacked in recent years with the world’s loud condemnation that we are an irrelevant, narrow-minded people. The Bible is “hate-speech” because it defines certain lifestyles as sin. Countries pass laws to restrict preaching and teaching the Bible. Some cities even outlaw silent prayer! The anti-God people want to crucify the Lord’s church to silence the Living Word forever. What is the church’s response?
   As the crowd shouted to condemn Jesus that day, there was also a silent crowd in Jerusalem. They were the ones who had gone ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9) Where were their shouts for Jesus in Pilate’s court? Had their allegiance to Hosanna in the highest become an embarrassment? Had they only claimed Hosanna for a brief moment of celebration? When the opposition roared, it seems they quickly dispersed into fearful hiding.
   The disciples’ voices were missing that day, too. Didn’t they want to testify to Jesus’ wondrous works? Were they unwilling to defend the one who had rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39) What had happened to silence those who announced, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16)
   Our answer to Jesus’ condemnation can be, “It was God’s will.” This was the working out of God’s plan to send Jesus to the cross. This had to happen to fulfill God’s promise to mankind.
   But within this drama, we as Jesus’ church today can learn a lesson about being his voice. The church has been in this battle since the Day of Pentecost that began the church. Even those of us who live free of physical persecution prefer to have a “quiet faith” while the crowds shout to destroy Jesus’ church.
   This is not God’s will. His will is that his church make his name know to the nations. When opposition begins to shout, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” the Lord commands you to put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
   When we call Jesus, “My Lord and Savior.” we must defend his gospel. It is the message of your salvation. Hold fast to it. Be sure no one keeps you quiet.