John 18:33-37 (NRSV)
Read John 18:33-37 on biblegateway.com
Verse 33Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Verse 34Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" Verse 35Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Verse 36Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Verse 37Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
Devotion
I don’t know much about trials, having had very little experience with them. I did serve on a jury once, and I remember mostly that the hardest part was figuring out the truth. Both sides presented their case as fact. The lawyers battled back and forth, words flying and hands waving. When the smoke cleared, we, the jury, were left alone to decide.
Jesus, standing before Pilate, hardly defended himself at all. Pilate couldn’t understand this kind of attitude -- Jesus was going to die if he didn’t rebut the accusations! But Pilate didn’t know that this was why Jesus was on earth.
We don’t get it either. In fact, we are so absorbed in ourselves we don’t even know or care about it. But Jesus does. And so he died, that we might have life. Even when Jesus stood before Pilate, God was in control.
Prayer
Dear God, teach us the humility that you showed in going to the cross, that we might serve you faithfully. Amen.