Piloting Pilate

 

Thinkin’ today about my reading from last week.  I don’t know much about Pilate.  He has a starring role in the Easter story but that was the extent of my knowledge.  I decided to dig into him.

Pilate is mentioned once early in Luke’s writings. In the first verse of chapter 13, Luke mentions  him.   Pilate had murdered some unnamed Galileans and mixed their blood with the blood of the Jewish sacrifices. Scholars note that there is no historical evidence about this event and no other Gospel writer mentions it.  However, Ellicott admits such travesty was certainly in keeping with Pilate’s character. Historians record that he was a strict Roman leader who was impulsive, reckless and often obstinate. While he could be rational and practical, he never knew when to quit.  He often went too far in a given case.  His decisions were fraught with indecision and inconsistency, evident at the trial of Jesus.     

All four of the gospels tell his story after Jesus’ arrest.  All of them record one way or another of saying Pilate didn’t want any trouble.  Matthew says Pilate gave up when the people, ALL the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children”.  (27:25)      Luke records that Pilate gave them three chances to change their minds. (23:22) THREE, an incredibly significant number in the following events.  Mark says Pilate wanted to “satisfy the crowd” (15:15).  John records much more of Pilate’s words and dialogue between he and Jesus.(18:28-38, 19:8-11)  These scriptures clearly indicate Pilate’s desire to let Jesus go, but finally, he gives in to the demands of the crowd.  (That’s a whole ‘nother sermon in itself).

He undoubtedly deserves his bad rap from Christians.   He certainly could have gone against the crowd and the Jews couldn’t have done a thing about it.  Again, he had a role to play in God’s agenda.  I don’t understand the culture of that day but clearly politics was Pilate’s motivation.  An interesting parallel to our current situation.   

Yet, still, even now, Jesus has ONE agenda “seek and save the lost”.  God has ONE agenda, outlined in a book called Revelation. 

Restin’ in that.    

Pawns in the Hand of A Soverign God

 

   I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been reading thru the Chronological One-year Bible.  This morning I read the account of Jesus before Pilate in all four gospels.  

All four gospels give a short description of the prisoner, Barabbas.  Anybody who has read the scripture knows Barabbas is the bad guy here.  He’s already imprisoned by the Roman government doomed to death.  Even the bad guys consider him a bad guy.  The gospel writers call him “notorious” and that he committed murder during a riot.   Ellicott writes that the word “insurrectionist” denotes a “unrestrained violence that often resulted in bloodshed”.  He was a thief as well.  It would appear that Barabbas had NO redeeming qualities and yet the people shouted for his release. 

Think of their choice.  Murderer, thief, Rebel rouser or mild-mannered Jew who healed them, raised their children from the dead and feed 5000 of them.  As I contemplate what they must have been thinking, I remember Jesus in the garden.  Praying for another way but submitting to the plan. 

   Jesus had ONE agenda, to go the cross.  God had ONE plan; to save us through the death of His Son.  Pilate, Barabbas, the Roman Guard, the high priest, the people in the courtyard; all thought they were making the decisions.  Yet, history records they were just pawns in a sovereign God’s plan. 

Donald, Joe, Kammela, democrats, republicans, NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, pawns in a Sovereign God’s plan. 

I’m not just thinkin’ about that today, I’m taking comfort and peace in it. 

There's got to be a morning after. . .

I woke up this morning to sunrise.  Yes,  even today,  the sun was still shinning.  I went to facebook and was amazed to see that friends were still posting mundane,  usual words bout their day and their plans.  

Outside my window, the landscapers were working,  they do so every Wednesday.  My keurig made me a yummy Maple Pecan coffee and here I am sitting at my computer.   

   Life doesn't seem to be much different.  After about an hour I turned on the TV to hear what I expected.  No decision,  the race to close to call.  I had already typed these words from Micah 7 last night.  Somehow I feel His words are enough this morning.  

 From the Message,  Micah 7:7-9  " But me, I'm not giving up.  I'm sticking around to see what God will do.  I'm waiting for my God to make things right.  I'm counting on God to listen to me.  Don't , enemy, crow over me.  I'm down but I'm not out.  I'm sitting in the dark right now but God is my light.  I can take God's punishing rage.  I deserve it--- I sinned.  But it's not forever, He's on my side and is going to get me out of this.  He'll turn on the lights and show me His ways.  I'll see the whole picture and how right He is."

It's almost over...Maybe

    In just a few days we will exercise a right that distinguishes our country from many others.  It is a fundamental right of democracy,  a privilege as well.  Voting.

    The memes, gifs, emoji's flooding social media address all opinions and angles.  There are many I laugh at,  some I like and a very few that capture my thoughts.  

   A pastor friend recently shared one of those latter ones.  "To think that God could use a filthy minded, adulterous, wealthy man with evil in his heart to preside over a county is beyond me."  He wasn't referring to Trump or Biden.  He referred to a "man after God's own heart".  A man who history recalls only positively.  The great, great, great, great, grea, grea, gre, gre, gr + grandfather of Jesus, himself.  Israel's most famous King,  King David.   Yes,  David had a filthy mind,  impregnated another man's wife, had the man killed, lied to everybody.  He was a good man in many ways until that time when "kings go off to war"  or should have.  

   Apparently, even a man "after God's own heart"  can be sinful and make a multitude of mistakes.  Even more amazing,  God uses him mightily for His kingdom.  I find many parallels to our situation today.  

   God invites us to partner with him in decisions that govern us.  The constitution gives us the right to partner with Him.  Ultimately,  God himself will choose the one who advances His agenda.  His word assures us that "no authority exists without God's permission and the existing authorities have been put there by God.  (Romans 13:1  GNT).    

Let's remember that when the results come in.     

12 Days & Counting

      Tony Evans of OCBF in Dallas is a renown author, speaker and man of God. I've been "going" to his church virutually throughout the pandemic.  His speaking is solidly Biblical. After taking the entire month of August to study and pray about a sermon series, he began speaking about "Kingdom Voting". I was intrigued from the opening sermon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itt8gj5cAco

   I finally caught up on the video replays from all my travels. I suggest you watch them in order as he builds on each week. I started wishing I had a twitter account; I want to quote the wise and just statements he is making regarding  the upcoming elections.  I am confident my next few posts will include some of them and what God is saying to me through them. 

   Kingdom voting is the “perspective of God’s activity in society and government.   It is the opportunity and responsibility of committed christians to partner with God by expanding his role in society through civil government.”  

   While Pastor Evans calls himself a “kingdom independent”  and repeatedly proclaims that he will NOT endorse a certain party or candidate,  I nodded approvingly at many of his comments. Confident that he and I share the same loyalties to the conservative party. Until we didn’t. Pastor Evans achieved his goal of making me think about ALL candidates. He spoke of “alignment”  with scripture in both person and policy.  He admonished christians to vote for “maintaining a safe, a just, a righteous, compassionately responsive environment for freedom  to flourish.” I was convicted to truly pray God’s will, not what I think or want to be God’s will.     

   Christians CANNOT rely on media ads and news reports to determine what candidates stand for.  Our airwaves are ripe with half truths and downright lies.   We must go to direct quotes from candidates and take them in entirety not out of context.  It will require time and effort on the part of the voter who truly wants to Kingdom vote.  We will need a tool to help us discriminate and discern truth.  We need a tool to analyze policies.  Fortunately we have one!  It’s called the Bible,  the Holy Scriptures.   2Timothy 3:16 (CEV) says “Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word.  All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live." And VOTE.

Thinkin’  ‘bout this led to this.     

Pastor Evans and I both know neither candidate is perfectly "aligned " with scripture. Check out his instruction in his sermon videos. Stay tuned for my thoughts on that subject!

Jesus blood can make the vilest sinner clean

   I heard Marilyn Meburg speak at a Women of Faith conference years ago on the subject of "Mostly I don't want to"      I feel that way a lot these days. I DID NOT want to hear what God said to me during an online service Sunday morning.  I DO NOT want to write this post.  I DO NOT want this blog to be a stumbling block or bone of contention.   I do want to be obedient.  I was compelled to write this, so much so,  I typed it Sunday mid-morning.  I never write on Sunday ( a post for another day).   

   So the sermon was from Luke 15,  lost sheep,  lost coin and prodigal son.  Anyone who knows me knows my heart for the prodigal.  My writing group knows I have a manuscript in my head for parents of prodigals.  There's a thick file of resources, journaling and notes about prodigals.  I settled into the online service  with my notebook to add some "research".    My friend and technology savior during my years at MPS spoke from my homechurch online. He told a story from his childhood about a metal detector and digging through dirt for the treasure. He noted that too many times we look at the dirt of a person's life and fail to see the value of that person.

I know well the value of the list of prodigals on my prayer wall. No one has to explain the value of a lost child.  I have cried with mothers whose hearts are broken over their children’s choices.  Some of you have cried with me.  I know the value of those kids.  Admittedly I find it hard to find value in some of our political leaders.     

I did not want to think immediately of Kamala Harris. Her words and actions leave a lot of dirt clinging to her life. In this political climate, most of the attention focused on her reveals a lot of dirt. So when I thought of her "value", I was quick to relegate it to less than zero. My comments about her, (true or not) are very unkind. I have bought in to the media posts and reports from ‘christians’  about her.  I have compared her to some very unsavory characters.  Her beliefs terrify me.

   My heart asked me what might happen if I began to pray for Kamala’s lost soul rather than her defeat.  I didn’t want to answer but I knew the answer.  I also knew I didn’t have that in me,  it would have to come from the Lord.  But,  I would submit to His will in this.  

   We, the people of God,  are fervently praying for our country and the upcoming election.  Most of us,  (me included)  are praying for a certain person and party to “win”.  Certainly our future as a country depends a great deal on the outcome. Defeating whoever, is not God’s priority.    God asked  me today,  and I’m asking you,  to center your prayers this week on those FROM BOTH PARTIES who do not know Jesus.  Those who are lost and bound for Hell.  For the next few days,  let’s pray for the salvation of Kamala Harris and those whom God puts on our hearts. In the chaos and confusion and fear,  let’s get this right.  Jesus came to “seek and save the lost”.  Let’s partner with Him in that mission.  

Think about that.

Turn your focus to . . .

      A recent trip to an amusement park with my grandchidren bought parallel to our current situation    I like a fast, swirling rides but I don’t do upside down and am not a fan of the “ship”.  You know the wide, long, boat shaped ride that swings like a pendulum back and forth.  I successfully avoided it for two rides until the little puppy-dog eyes and sad voice saying “please, please ride with me,” persuaded me to get in the boat.   I have discovered a successful way to ride those rides that scare me.  Fix your eyes on one spot in the car and never waver while you are flung to and fro.  Don’t look outside the ride, keep your eyes lasered on one spot.  On this particular experience, I was seated facing a little boy about six years old who was terrified, not scared, terrified, His eyes were wide and bulging and his face frozen in fear.  As the ride gained speed and height, he wailed and turned his head from right to left.  Over the din, I shouted, “Look at me, look at me.”  He stared at me across the safety bar.  “Just look at me,” I shouted again.  “Don’t look outside or around , just look at me.” For a few seconds he and I rode peacefully with eyes locked;  almost unaware of the movement and the laughter around us.   Then he looked above my head and started screaming again.  He gripped the safety bar and buried his head in his mom’s arm.   The ride was over but not soon enough for he and I.

   The first parallel is clear.  In the midst of a wild ride that terrifies us and the wonder if it will ever end, we have to focus our eyes on one thing.  Jesus. In the midst of Covid, riots, upcoming elections, “distance learning” misadventures; turn your eyes upon Jesus.  The things that terrify us become strangely dim. The old chorus has more meaning  today than every before.  I love Francesca  Battistelli's take on this.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjmZ2v0niCI

  However a second application occurred to me.  As I became aware of the little boy across from me and his fear, I focused on him and his needs.  In the wild ride of our moment, I noticed someone else who seemed to be in more need than I.  I found my deliverance from fear in looking at his fear and striving to help him. We are surrounded by those who are in worse situations than we.  Many of those around us have no hope, no where to look for peace.   When we focus on the needs of others, our fears seem more manageable. 

   In the midst of our current crisis,  upcoming election and social unrest,  I'm going to remember that boat ride and that little boy.  

   I’m thinkin today about focusing on Jesus and others.