Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. (John 19:1-16a ESV)
Despite facing a certain death, Jesus asserts God's ultimate control (John 19:9-11). Even in death, Jesus's kingdom remains unshaken, unlike earthly kingdoms that crumble with their leader's demise. Jesus's death, far from diminishing his kingdom, actually secures our liberation from sin and death and even establishes his reign here in this world and into eternity.
Jesus isn't a comic book hero vanquishing bad guys and enemies. In his death, all wrongs were made right, and his enemies were defeated, and his justice was dispensed. Jesus came as a humble king, sacrificing his very own life to bring us into his kingdom. His future return will be even more glorious as he ushers in an eternal reign.
When we understand who Jesus is and commit ourselves to Jesus as our crucified King, our lives will change. We see the world differently and dedicate ourselves to his mission. This commitment resembles a wartime mentality – using our resources to serve our King's cause.
In 1937, the ocean liner, Queen Mary was built to carry passengers between England and the United States, but when World War 2 started, the Queen Mary was retrofitted and used as a troop transport ship. Imagine a luxury cruise liner converted into a battleship. We too are called to action, when we behold the cross of Jesus. Our mission: to spread the message that death is defeated, shame conquered, and Jesus reigns supreme as king.
Pray that you would be moved to action knowing that God has full control. That all things that caused you not to act would become reasons for you to press forward in faith that Jesus’ death signed a victory for us.
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