Let's Be Clever

Let’s Be Clever

Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. Mark 15:6-11 (NIV)

Pilot was in a pickle of a situation. He knew the right thing to do, but he was afraid of the potential consequences – thus came up with what he thought was a sure-fire plan – rather than bear responsibility make the crowd responsible. He would present to the people a choice between the most notorious criminal he know and Jesus as to whom to release as was the custom (feeling confident they would choose to release Jesus).

Here I must ask myself “How often do I seek to avoid taking responsibility? How often do I seek to pass-the-buck? Too often, like Pilot, I’ve acted cowardly. This is another of my many sins for which Jesus died. But He DID DIE and in His death atonement has been made for this sin and all sin. In Jesus’ death atonement has been made. In His resurrection I have been given and empowered for newness of life. Jesus thank You and help me now so to live in Your resurrection power.