Today’s Devotion
Topic: The Dilemma Between Conscience And Ego!
Reading: John 19:1- 16
16 Finally Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. Amen
Pilate is very hot today! He has a huge decision to make. An “unusual” man stands before him in an “unusual” trial. Truth is, Pilate finds no basis to condemn Him but the people protest for the ultimate penalty against Him. How much hatred can that be and how come a man, barely 35 in age, can attract such huge public agitations? Dilemma!
Pilate has had Him flogged and even tried to negotiate His pardon over that of the notorious criminal, Barabas. But the people would rather free the criminal instead of this man. Wow! Very unbelievable!
To make matters worse, this “unusual” man refuses to “bootlick” Pilate for pardon. Not that He doesn’t want to do so, no! On the contrary, it looks more like He CAN NOT or MUST NOT. He talks with the authority of a King! One that is much above Pilate himself.
When Pilate pleaded His co-operation under his (Pilate’s) authority, this “unusual” man invokes a much higher authority and says “you would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above”. Now this renders Pilate completely powerless. But his greatest dilemma was yet to come to bare. When he heard that this king-like “unusual” man claims to be the SON OF GOD, he was completely lost of what to do. He must have thought “Aha! That explains all the “unusual-ness” that surround this Man and His trial.”
But wait a minute, if the “unusual” Man truly claims to be the son of God as the Jews are reporting, does that not make Him God too? And who is it that can judge God? Another Dilemma On Pilate’s mind!
Pilate was to find a way to free this GOD-MAN till he heard the Jews insinuate that freeing Him makes he (Pilate) no friend to Ceasar. THAT IS WHERE HIS TROUBLES REALLY COME TO FULL FORCE. Pilate wants to be seen as a friend of Ceasar. Even if he privately does not like Ceasar, he must by all means be seen as a friend of Ceasar so that he doesn’t lose his job.
He likes it a lot as governor. He likes the authority he’s enjoying. He loves the honour, wealth, fame and respect he receives for being governor. Those things together form his ego and make him feel important and regarded. Therefore, in the on going battle between his conscience (that this “unusual” man is innocent), and his ego (that he must remain Ceasar’s friend to enjoy all the privileges that comes with it), ego must win! He handed the “unusual” man, Jesus of Nazareth, to be crucified.
Jesus’ death has become our gain. None present at the trial, except Jesus, knew the trial was in fulfilment of ancient prophecy. To them, each was projecting their selfish agenda pushing for Jesus’ crucifixion. To Pilate, it felt better to please the crowd and retain his job than to remain true to his conscience, free Him and risk loosing everything. To the religious leaders, Jesus had to die before He further exposed their wickedness and hypocrisy for them to lose the respect they so demand from the people. But to God, all these selfish ambitions were to be used to push Heaven’s agenda that JESUS WILL SHED HIS INNOCENT BLOOD FOR OUR REDEMPTION.
It is His blood that has set us free from the power of sin and death. It cleanses even the vilest offender and makes him pure, both within and without. Begin to pray therefore. Thank Jesus for the sacrifice on the cross on that fateful Friday afternoon. Invoke this blood over your life, family and everything that is associated with you. Pray with the hymn “And can it be that I should gain…”
Now to anyone who does not have Jesus as personal Saviour, we ask: in the on going battle between your conscience telling you to repent and be born again and your ego telling you there’s more “pleasure” in the world for you to explore, where would you be? Think carefully about this. Repent and receive Him into your heart. Don’t be like Pilate who chose ego over conscience for “the world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2: 17).
