How would you react if you had an unexpected encounter with Jesus? Luke 23: 26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and, put the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.[1] Like Simon, sometimes …
Giving into evil began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate from the fruit of the tree of good and evil and persists to this day. When we give in to evil, we bow to our old sinful nature and possible pressures around us. Pontius Pilate was the Governor of Judea when …
Opening a door to be cursed is something we can do with our words and actions, not realizing the damage we have just done to ourselves and possibly others. A person who opens a door in a burning building can accidentally add oxygen to the fire, creating an explosion, and we can do this in …
Struggling to do what is right is a dilemma we all face at different times. A child can learn at a young age the importance of admitting they did something they should not have. Although a child’s misdeeds may be minor, the lesson of doing what is right can become a lifelong lesson and pattern …
The dangers of ignoring a warning can have dreadful consequences. Warnings from God can come at unexpected times as the Lord tries to direct our path. Warnings can involve safety, discernment, and other prompting as we journey through life because the Lord wants the best for us. I believe the Lord gives more warning and …
In the story of Jesus before Pilate, we can see that Barabbas represents us. The Passover celebration commemorated the Jews’ release from Egyptian bondage. To develop a bit of goodwill, the Roman governor would allow the people to pick a prisoner to free during the season. Matthew 27: 15 Now it was the governor’s custom each …
While Jesus was a king, He was a different kind of king. He was a spiritual king, which neither the Jewish leadership nor Pilate understood. The Jewish council had accused Jesus of blasphemy because He had claimed to be the Son of God. Ironically, this was the truth. But blasphemy would not be a reason …
The Jewish leadership made false claims against Jesus as they brought Him before the Roman governor, Pilate. The leadership had made a show of their trial of Jesus. They were determined to find Jesus guilty of something before the trial even started. They had to depend on false witnesses to trump up some charge against …
Repentance versus remorse can make the difference between being forgiven or not. Remorse is being regretful that you did something. Repentance is turning away from your sin and toward God to receive forgiveness. To truly change, I must repent as God molds and shapes me to be a transformed person. David gives us insight. Psalm …
Finding forgiveness when we fail is the story of every forgiven sinner. Unfortunately, some people, like Judas, don’t let the Lord forgive them. He was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus who spent three years with the Savior but threw it all away. Matthew 27:3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had …