Monday, May 27, 2013

John 19:12,15 True Repentance

From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. 

Observation
The Jews hated Roman rule. Pilate is a unnecessarily cruel Governor for Rome and many Jews will die on his watch. Yet in this scene you have the Jews lying and siding with their enemy, in order to take out their greatest enemy; God. Jesus has been peaceful and has only spoken truth, but that truth shines light on the religious corruption in the Jewish leaders. And the Jews will do anything to cover up their corruption including partnering with their enemy.

Application
I can understand where the Jewish leaders are coming from. God's word is a double edge sword, which means it can hurt going in and going out. God's word doesn't give us time to nurture lies so we can stay coddled. God calls it out, He says that's sin, and then He says give it to Me, I'm the only one who can clean it up. Our natural reaction to being exposed is to cover up, but true repentance is a combination of humility (I don't know best, only God does) vulnerability, and obedience (doing whatever God says to do). It is a hard place to get to, and it is absolutely impossible without Christ. Their tragic mistake was rejecting Christ. I need to be careful that I don't reject Christ when He reveals sin in my life, but instead to enter true repentance. 

Prayer
Father, You and I know the pride and selfishness that is in my heart so much of the time. It hurts me to see parts of myself that want to live without You. The truth is I need You, if left to my own accord I would try to stand in my own righteousness. Please lead me into true repentance for all sin so that I never settle for less then all You have planned for me.

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