“Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away.” - John 19:16 (NLT)
Historians describe Pilate as a corrupt and cruel leader who would quickly sentence people to death without a trial. This is ironic since he stalled and tried everything in his power to keep Jesus from being executed. On the surface this is another weak-willed leader who caved to the pressure of the crowd yelling “Crucify Him!”
When you take a closer look however, you don’t see another pitiful helpless prisoner being condemned to death. No, we see a loving God clothed as a suffering servant, laying down his life willingly for the sins of the world. Jesus was in complete control, and the author of this story.
He said so himself in John 10:18 (NLT), “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
Even when it doesn’t look like it, God is still in control. Any hardship we face or storm we face is only one part of the story, not the ending. Jesus took our condemnation, so we didn’t have to be condemned. Therefore, we have hope and power to stand strong as an overcomer in the painful seasons we walk through.
Pause and Reflect
- How does knowing Jesus willingly let himself be condemned for you encourage your faith?
- Read 1 Peter 4:13. What should our attitude be in the face of adversity and trials?
