In Matthew 27:22 we read on of the saddest verses in the Bible “Pilate said to them, ‘Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said, ‘Let him be crucified!'”
Jesus, who had left His throne in Heaven beside our Heavenly Father to come and live on this earth. Jesus, who had given His life to healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, and helping others. Jesus, who loved the unloved, who was a friend to the poor and helpless. Jesus, the SON OF GOD Who had come to be a LIGHT in this world of darkness! And the crowd who stood before Pilate that day yelled “LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED!”
The people were too wrapped up in their worldly ambitions and fleshly desires, they loved their own wicked sins more than they loved the One Who had come to set them free from sin.
When we stop to think about the truths here, it really is a sad story. He had come to give His life for a world that DESPERATELY needed Him, and yet they only cared about themselves, and they didn’t want Him messing up their lives, although in reality their lives were already a mess – He was the answer to ALL of their problems, and they killed Him.
However…before we get all judgmental and angry at that crowd who stood before Pilate that day, we must look at our own lives. Jesus DIED on the cross and gave His life for ALL of us as well. He is the ONLY answer to ALL of our problems ALSO! He left Heaven to be born as a baby in a manger, die on a cross, and rise from the dead so that we may have LIFE! We should LOVE Him SO much that we want to please Him in EVERYTHING we do. Instead, we too often yell “Crucify Him” to ourselves when convicted about the need to do right and the commands of His Word. We’re too busy wrapped up in this world to worry about what is pleasing and honoring to Him. He DIED FOR US! Pleasing and Honoring Him should be the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR LIFE!
Every day we also make a choice on what we are going to do with Jesus. Are we going to seek after Him and do ONLY what is pleasing to Him, or are we going to join the crowd around us and say “CRUCIFY HIM!”?