30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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Luke 23 18-25 THE WILL OF MAN 07 Luke 23 20-23 Pilate’s second opportunity
📖 Luke 23:18-25
Sun 05 Dec 2021 – Pilate’s second opportunity - Luke 23:18-25 - THE WILL OF MAN (07) - Bible reading: Daniel 4:34-35
The Lord Jesus reigns on High. He is the God of heaven and earth. The Lord appoints people to rule and govern God’s creation. God is sovereign. He gives man the opportunity to surrender to Him and to His sovereignty, to execute His purposes over His creation.
Luke 23:20-23 Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. (21) But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" (22) Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go." (23) But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.
This is what happened just before Pilate gave the sentence that Jesus should be crucified.
When Pilate heard that Jesus had called Himself as the Son of God, Pilate was afraid.
John 19:8 Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,
We now find that Pilate had the second deep conversation with Jesus. He had the first deep conversation with Jesus, of which we read in John 18:33-38. At that time the conversation was about Jesus being King. There, Pilate had the wonderful opportunity to surrender his life to Christ but he missed the opportunity.
Pilate was having the second opportunity to give his life to Christ.
Consider, friends, God’s love for this man, Pilate. There was something good in him that was seen by the Lord. Pilate could have easily succumbed to the demand of the Jews and given the sentence to crucify Jesus. Pilate did not do so.
He had been trying his very best to release Jesus and not send Jesus to the cross. The Lord was giving Pilate a second opportunity to give his life to Him.
(9) and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. (10) Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?" (11) Jesus answered, " You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above . Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."
Pilate was asking Jesus where He was from. He was not ascertaining His geographical roots, Pilate was asking Jesus for His identity. Pilate was seeking to know who really it was, who was before him.
Jesus did not give an answer but wanted Pilate to go deeper and seek Him.
Pilate then asserted his power to either release or crucify Jesus. This was when the Lord presented Himself to Pilate.
The Lord presented Himself to Pilate as the one in whom all power rests. The one who is the ultimate, there is no power or authority above Him. He is the one who is over all the affairs of men.
Right there, Pilate had the opportunity to meet with God.
Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
John 3:27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
Apostle Paul gives us a summation.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God .
Pilate needed to understand that he was appointed by God and he was therefore answerable and accountable to God.
Let us now look at the experience of Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
Daniel 4:16-17 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him. (17) ' This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men .'
We read about the watcher, the watchers and the holy ones and of the Most High who rules in the kingdom of men.
Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and encourages him to repent.
Daniel 4:26-27 “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. (27) Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."
Daniel 4:32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."
We then see the repentance of Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:34-35 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. (35) All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
Pilate should have taken Jesus’ statement to heart, repented and surrendered himself to the God of heaven and earth.
Pilate had the second opportunity to give his life to Jesus.
Thought to ponder
He is the God of second opportunities.