What will you do with Jesus?

 I stole this question from Pilate - which is found in the book of Matthew.  “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”  Matthew 27:22  Even though this question was asked many years ago, it should be asked today as well.  What are you doing with this man called Jesus?   When Jesus walked on this earth and was crucified, there were many different responses from the people of His day.

Let's start with those who rejected Christ and blatantly chanted, "crucify Him" Matthew 27:23.  In our day, there are those who fight against everything Christ stands for (ie prayer in school, "In God we Trust", etc.).  There are probably different reasons why people then and now fight against Christ and Who He is.  I think a lot of people deny Him for the exact same reason that people hated Him in the first century. He challenges people, saying that they are sinful, pointing out their failures, and saying that they need a savior. People who accept this, humble themselves and put their faith in Jesus as the Son of God, but people who are too proud to accept this, reject Jesus' teachings and hate or deny Him.  Also, if you accept Jesus and the Bible as truth you have to put aside every selfish bone in your body and live a life to honor Him.  So many of us are extremely focused on what we want in this world and are not willing to change that for anything.  However, this world will perish and so will we.  Ecclesiastes 12:7  "All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return."  Eternity is too long for one to be wrong about Jesus.

Finally, let's look at how Pilate responded to his own question.  "When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said.  Matthew 27:24   I have to ask the question, just because he washed his hands and did nothing, does that make him innocent?  So many times doing nothing is actually worse than taking a stand.  Look at the result of Pilate's choice to do nothing - by the washing his hands of the situation.  How many of us don't deny Jesus, but we make no efforts to keep others from crucifying Who Jesus is and what He stands for?  Is it easier to take the silent route, and not speak up about Jesus?  I see this so much in our world.  So many of us sit in church every Sunday.  However once the week begins, we do nothing for Christ.  We become so absorbed in this world and being accepted by others - through our actions we in essence wash our hands and make no efforts for Christ or sit back silently and refuse to take a bold stand for Him.

The final people we will look at during Jesus' day are those who dearly loved Him.  His disciples - yes they might have denied Him and hid at the time of the crucifixion, but once his resurrection they lived & died to honor Christ and all He taught them.  They refused to renounce their Lord Jesus, the Christ... the truth they were willing to die for.  They told everyone about Jesus' resurrection while putting their life on the line. The historical fact that many of these disciples decided to give up their own life to tell the world that "Jesus has resurrected" is strong evidence that what they died for is the truth !  People do not die for a lie - these disciples must have seen something that made them choose their cruel death over denouncing their faith.  I am also reminded of the sweet women who wept at the foot of the cross for Jesus.  Are you denying yourself for Christ?  Are you at the foot of the cross and recognizing Him as your Savior?

Where would you have stood during Jesus' day?  Probably where you are standing today.  Will you be one of the Roman soldiers, Jewish officials, or passersby who mocked Jesus?  Will you be like Pilate and stand by and do nothing?  Or will you chose to be like those who truly loved Him - those who lived for Him?   Come to the foot of the cross and lift up your eyes and see Jesus for Who He truly is - our Savior!