MODERNIZED PILATE< ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

MARK 15:15-41

ÒSo Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.Ó(Mark 15:15) Every attempt to put satisfying any kind of crowd ahead of the truth and instead of glorifying God by putting the truth ahead will cause you to miss the mark. How often have you been missing the mark? How often have you been scourging Jesus or how often have you scourged Him lately? Can you be honest with your self? The Bible says, ÒÉFor the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by him actions are weighed.Ó (1 Samuel 2:3) Consciously or unconsciously, have you been scourging the Lord just as Pilate did? What is it that is representing the crowd in your life that causes you to hide and displease Him by not glorifying the Name of God? Thousands of years ago, Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd. He wanted to make them feel good so he decided to give the Lord Jesus up for persecution and crucifixion. Today, there are many that are taking the role of Pilate inside and outside of the church. Many acclaimed Christians cannot identify with the name of Jesus outside of their church building. Carrying the Bible from home to work or from work to home can be challenging to hold onto in the presence of the crowd. Jesus came to give it all on the cross of Calvary and He gave it more abundantly that we may have life. (John 10:10) He gave it all for us and we are to take it all and stop releasing Him to the representative of crowds in our life. After His release for crucifixion, mockery was placed upon Him, Mark 15:16-20, ÒThen the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, ÔHail, King of the Jews!Õ 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.Ó Jesus has paid it all for us on the cross so that we will not have to pay it all over again. If you are confessing Jesus, conforming to the crowd should cease in having its way. Quit being Pilate of the present day. Ask God to endue you with grace and all that it takes not to gratify crowds and not to scourge Jesus in every area of life.