DAY 305 Read Luke 22:66-71; Matthew 27:1, 3-10, 2, 11-14; Mark 15:1-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-38; Luke 23:6-12; Mark 15:6-47.
Today's reading: From the "kangaroo court" before Annas, Jesus went before the official assembly of the elders, hastily called. Then, condemned by His own people, He appeared before the Roman governor--vacillating and weak-willed Pilate--and the pompous Herod Antipas.
Memory gem: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully" (Psalm 24:3, 4).
Thought for today:
What a scene to hand down through the pages of history! Before a fallible human judge stood the One who is the Judge of all the earth! He who has the greater light has the greater sin. Pilate and the Roman soldiers were comparatively ignorant of Christ. In rejecting Christ, those who know the most are the most guilty. What about you and me? We are responsible for the light we have.
But what about Pilate's hands? All the waters of the seven seas could never cleanse them. Like Pilate we may deny responsibility, but our denial only adds to our sin and declares that we recognized the sin when we committed it.
Let us not pour condemnation upon Pilate or upon those other men of his time who condemned Jesus and chose to free Barabbas. What would you have done in Pilate's place if your job were at stake, your very life at stake? What you would have done then is revealed by what you are doing now. Are you serving Christ now? Are you confessing Him every day?
The apostle Paul says that Jesus Christ "witnessed a good confession" before Pontius Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13). What is our witness today? Do we confess our faith in our homes, in the office, in the shop, at work or at play, wherever we are? Do we witness a good confession? That is the question that comes to us today from Pilate's judgment hall.
Today's reading: From the "kangaroo court" before Annas, Jesus went before the official assembly of the elders, hastily called. Then, condemned by His own people, He appeared before the Roman governor--vacillating and weak-willed Pilate--and the pompous Herod Antipas.
Memory gem: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully" (Psalm 24:3, 4).
Thought for today:
What a scene to hand down through the pages of history! Before a fallible human judge stood the One who is the Judge of all the earth! He who has the greater light has the greater sin. Pilate and the Roman soldiers were comparatively ignorant of Christ. In rejecting Christ, those who know the most are the most guilty. What about you and me? We are responsible for the light we have.
But what about Pilate's hands? All the waters of the seven seas could never cleanse them. Like Pilate we may deny responsibility, but our denial only adds to our sin and declares that we recognized the sin when we committed it.
Let us not pour condemnation upon Pilate or upon those other men of his time who condemned Jesus and chose to free Barabbas. What would you have done in Pilate's place if your job were at stake, your very life at stake? What you would have done then is revealed by what you are doing now. Are you serving Christ now? Are you confessing Him every day?
The apostle Paul says that Jesus Christ "witnessed a good confession" before Pontius Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13). What is our witness today? Do we confess our faith in our homes, in the office, in the shop, at work or at play, wherever we are? Do we witness a good confession? That is the question that comes to us today from Pilate's judgment hall.
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