Daily Devotion for March 31, 2006

To Jerusalem with the ComPassionate Christ
Day 31

 

The Question

 

"What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them.  "Crucify him!" they shouted.  Mark 15: 12-13

 

To his credit, Pilate did not give in immediately to the demands of the crowds. We cannot tell whether this was because of genuine compassion for the innocent man before him, or whether he just wanted to assert his authority over the troublesome priests. Pilate threw the question back to them, and in doing so reminded them that it was they themselves, the Jews leaders, who had been calling Him their King. If the common people had followed Him so gladly, surely their leaders would not wish to see the Carpenter done to death. It was a last appeal to popular opinion. As with Pilate’s other appeals, it failed.

 

In a slightly different form, Pilate’s question is still one of the central issues of anyone’s life. Not, "What would you have me do?" but "What will you do with the One who is called King of the Jews?" There was no easy alternative available to Pilate. To protect Jesus was to risk the wrath of the ungodly. To reject Jesus was to live knowing that one had condemned an innocent man. For us today, our life’s direction is determined by our answer to the question: "What will you do with the One who is called King of the Jews?" To choose Him is to take seriously His demands upon your life; to reject Him is to risk everything on the hope that Jesus was mistaken.

 

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, choosing you means more than just talk, it means actions in all that I am and do.  Being a servant, loving my enemies, forsaking those things that the world considers important – accepting you and having eternal life.  Help me in my choices and in my walk.  Amen

 

---

 Did someone send you this Devotion? Would you like to receive future ones directly? Click here to subscribe.

Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
		333 W. Lake Street, Addison, Illinois 60101
		(866) 455-6466 • Fax: (866) 451-1476
		Web Site: lcc.LutheranChurchCharities.org
		E-Mail: TimHetzner@LutheranChurchCharities.org
At the end of the day. . . Making A Difference In People's Lives and In God's Kingdom