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 19:14-16
It was the day of Preparation. The Passover was to start in about three hours. Pilate had cross-examined Jesus and found nothing to condemn Him for, especially capital punishment. He thought he would try one last attempt. He had Jesus flogged mercilessly, then he presented Him to the Jews and said, “Behold your King.”
He thought that would prick their hearts to see Jesus so pitiful, and being their King, surely, they would have pity on Him and change their minds. But instead, they hardened their hearts and cried out, “We have no king but Caesar.” So, Pilate delivered Jesus over to them to be crucified.
Today, you are being presented with that same statement, “Behold your King.”
Will you accept Him as King? Will you continue to accept Him when the flow is against Him? The majority are yelling out, “Away with Him. We do not want or need this man.” Will you be caught up in the heat of the moment? Or will you stand out like a very sore thumb—a twinkling light in a sea of darkness?
Jesus died so that you might live. He took your sin and my sin, and all the sin of the world that whosoever will, can come and receive mercy. Jesus is coming back to get those who are waiting for Him. Those who are not crying out, “Away with Him.” So, again, the Holy Spirit is saying, “Behold your King.” Because it is one of the Spirit’s jobs to remind us about Jesus. Therefore, make sure that you are not with the crowd crying out away with Him but with the few who are saying, “I receive You, dear LORD, and I accept Your sacrifice on my behalf.”
Dear Heavenly Father, please help each and every one of us who are clinging to You to go against the grain. To go against the crowd and to swim upstream against the flow. Help us to live for You, and to speak out for You, and tell others of Your great love. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.