Jump Start # 684

Matthew 27:22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let Him be crucified!”

Pilate was a mess. The Jewish leaders brought Jesus to him. They were demanding his execution. Pilate listened and questioned Jesus. He didn’t find anything worthy of death. He sent Jesus to Herod, hoping he would make a decision. Herod found nothing and sent Jesus back to Pilate. The charges against Jesus were flimsy and without proof. If these radical Jews got their way, putting a man to death, what would be next? Would Pilate’s  office be forced to follow the dictates of the Jews? Pilate offered an known criminal, Barabbas to be released. He was a threat. He was a thug, a murderer, and a trouble in any community. Pilate’s offer was a desperate hope in releasing Jesus. It was the choice of two extremes—Jesus, who taught things differently, but was a good person; and Barabbas, who was evil. The crowd shouted for Barabbas to be released. Our verse follows. What shall I do with Jesus? They said, “Crucify him.”

I wonder if Barabbas, sitting in a prison could hear the roar of the crowd? We wonder if he heard his name, “Barabbas.” Then he hears, “Crucify him!” The soldiers open his prison door and he must have thought that this was it. Instead, he was released. Released without repentance. Released without a change of heart. Released to again continue his gang warfare on the community.

And Jesus, we know the story. He was crucified. Executed. Murdered. The radical Jews went home happy. They won. Pilate lost influence and was a weak ruler. The world was given a second chance because of the Lord’s death. His blood saved us and redeemed us.

Pilate’s question to the Jews is a good one. It is a question that all of us should ask. “What shall I do with Jesus?” The answer tells us what we think about Jesus. What shall I do with Him?

• Some want to ignore Him. Maybe by doing this, He will go away. It’s the old “out of sight, out of mind” concept. But He doesn’t. He never goes away. He shows us at weddings, when the preacher reads a few verses. He shows us at funerals, when the Bible is read. We see His name painted on overhead bridges. There are bumper stickers that remind us. Jesus is never really forgotten. He is always around.
• Some want to keep Jesus in a church building. They believe that He belongs there and no other place. They think about Jesus on Sunday. They believe religion ought to be confined to church buildings. They don’t see that Jesus belongs in meetings at work. They don’t understand that Jesus needs to be in the home. They fail to see the need for Jesus on a Friday night when they are at a ball game. Jesus is bigger than any church building and He cannot be contained by anyone.
• Still there are those who only want Jesus when there is a problem. When a storm comes and the boat is leaking, they want to wake Jesus up. When a child is sick, they want to go looking for Jesus. This is what happened in the N.T. Little has changed. Jesus in a storm is comfort. But Jesus on a sunny day, gets in the way of many people.
• There are those who invite Jesus into their hearts. It is there that they want Jesus to dwell. It is there that they crown Him the Lord and King. They make decisions based upon what Jesus would do. They are more interested in the growth of the kingdom than they are anything else. They love the Lord as much on a Thursday as they do on a Sunday. Worship is a pleasurable and incredible experience for those who walk daily with the Lord. They know Him. They can quote Him. They understand what He wants. When things come up, they know what the answer would be. Their lives are governed, shaped and molded by the Lord and it shows. They have learned patience, contentment and compassion. They are thankful and grateful. They wish everyone could know the Lord like they do.

What shall I do with the Lord? You answer that question, whether you mean to or not. Your choices, your attitudes, your behavior all reflect what you do with the Lord. Someday, we all will want the Lord to do something nice for us. It starts with us doing something with Him.

This Saturday and Sunday, the congregation I attend, Charlestown Road, in New Albany is conducting a special series of lessons on, “Is Jesus still the answer?” That, too, is a great question. Come join us at 7:00 pm on Saturday.

Roger