On the day of the cruicifixion of Jesus Christ, it is doubtful that many of the citizens in all of Jerusalem knew about it---until it was over.
Earlier that morning, when Jesus was captured in the garden, the Lord said unto the men:
...this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
To begin, Jesus was not the ENEMY OF THE STATE, nor was He among the TEN MOST WANTED. Even the mighty Roman Empire did not have issues with Christ!
In Jerusalem and in other places in Israel, Jesus was liked. He raised the dead, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, healed the crippled, cast out demons, turned water to wine, and prevented a woman from being stoned to death.
Would you have a problem with a person who could do all of that?
Some people did!
There are people in the world who are not willing to admit that Jesus is the Christ: the Messiah!
Messiah came into the world in a way that did not exactly fit the manner in which Messiah should arrive---according their own expectations. Jesus did not arrive on earth as a conquering king; neither did He come to earth to establish another empire; nor to rescue Israel from the iron fist of the Romans. Messiah came as a baby, born of a woman, and to die for the sins of the world.
Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isaiah 43: 10-11)
In Israel, there was group of men who could not let go of the past and welcome the Light of the world. They held on to their rites, rituals, and traditions, and they would not let go. In their minds, they knew that Jesus is Messiah; but their hearts were stone-cold.
For when Jesus was confronted by the accusers at His mock trail, Jesus had little to say. They knew who He was, and Jesus knew that they knew. And He also knew that no matter what He said, His words would not matter. For they had made up their minds.
When Jesus stood before Pilate, again the Lord had little to say. Pilate knew who Jesus was, and Jesus knew that He knew. And Jesus also knew that no matter what He said, His words would not matter. Pilate was nearly persuaded, then suddenly Pilate changed his mind and made a deal.
Killing Christ was their only solution. And in their arrogance, they resorted to murder.
Jesus was the target of a secret society. Members of secret societies meet in the darkness of secrecy because their deeds are evil. It is in these meetings, held in dark places, where they plot their evil deeds.
The religious leaders of Israel became a secret society. They met in darkness with Judas Iscariot and paid the bribe. They captured Jesus in darkness and began the trial proceedings in darkness. They quietly moved Jesus to Pilate so as not to bring attention to their actions.
By the time the people of Jerusalem became aware of events that were unfolding, suddenly Jesus was on the street, carrying a cross, and on His way to die. Perhaps people were surprised and even stunned, and asked: What's going on? What are they doing with Jesus? Why is He carrying a cross? Why is He battered, bruised, and bleeding?
Why were the accusers so secretive? Because they did not want the people of Jerusalem to know of their plot to destroy the Son of God. Jesus had friends and family in Jerusalem, who had come with Him from Galilee for the Passover. They did not come to Jerusalem to watch Jesus be crucified on a cross and die as a criminal! And there were many others in Jerusalem who had no fault with Jesus.
When people turn their backs on Jesus Christ, darkness falls: and evil comes out of the darkness.
As people are confronted with the reality of their sins before Christ and resist the Lord, they get angry. They curse. They do not want to let go of their old ways: their rites, rituals, and traditions. They have what they want, they do not want to lose it, and they hold on. And then they hate Christ. For after rejecting Christ at the Last Supper, Judas Iscariot was consumed by evil
Satan is the Prince of darkness. Satan hates Christ. When darkness falls on people, people become like Satan: full of hate, wrath, and workers of evil, plotting in secrecy against Christ and against the believers of the Lord.
Dear people, Jesus Christ is real. And I urge you to be careful in your consideration of the Lord.
Amen.
Earlier that morning, when Jesus was captured in the garden, the Lord said unto the men:
...this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
To begin, Jesus was not the ENEMY OF THE STATE, nor was He among the TEN MOST WANTED. Even the mighty Roman Empire did not have issues with Christ!
In Jerusalem and in other places in Israel, Jesus was liked. He raised the dead, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, healed the crippled, cast out demons, turned water to wine, and prevented a woman from being stoned to death.
Would you have a problem with a person who could do all of that?
Some people did!
There are people in the world who are not willing to admit that Jesus is the Christ: the Messiah!
Messiah came into the world in a way that did not exactly fit the manner in which Messiah should arrive---according their own expectations. Jesus did not arrive on earth as a conquering king; neither did He come to earth to establish another empire; nor to rescue Israel from the iron fist of the Romans. Messiah came as a baby, born of a woman, and to die for the sins of the world.
Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isaiah 43: 10-11)
In Israel, there was group of men who could not let go of the past and welcome the Light of the world. They held on to their rites, rituals, and traditions, and they would not let go. In their minds, they knew that Jesus is Messiah; but their hearts were stone-cold.
For when Jesus was confronted by the accusers at His mock trail, Jesus had little to say. They knew who He was, and Jesus knew that they knew. And He also knew that no matter what He said, His words would not matter. For they had made up their minds.
When Jesus stood before Pilate, again the Lord had little to say. Pilate knew who Jesus was, and Jesus knew that He knew. And Jesus also knew that no matter what He said, His words would not matter. Pilate was nearly persuaded, then suddenly Pilate changed his mind and made a deal.
Killing Christ was their only solution. And in their arrogance, they resorted to murder.
Jesus was the target of a secret society. Members of secret societies meet in the darkness of secrecy because their deeds are evil. It is in these meetings, held in dark places, where they plot their evil deeds.
The religious leaders of Israel became a secret society. They met in darkness with Judas Iscariot and paid the bribe. They captured Jesus in darkness and began the trial proceedings in darkness. They quietly moved Jesus to Pilate so as not to bring attention to their actions.
By the time the people of Jerusalem became aware of events that were unfolding, suddenly Jesus was on the street, carrying a cross, and on His way to die. Perhaps people were surprised and even stunned, and asked: What's going on? What are they doing with Jesus? Why is He carrying a cross? Why is He battered, bruised, and bleeding?
Why were the accusers so secretive? Because they did not want the people of Jerusalem to know of their plot to destroy the Son of God. Jesus had friends and family in Jerusalem, who had come with Him from Galilee for the Passover. They did not come to Jerusalem to watch Jesus be crucified on a cross and die as a criminal! And there were many others in Jerusalem who had no fault with Jesus.
When people turn their backs on Jesus Christ, darkness falls: and evil comes out of the darkness.
As people are confronted with the reality of their sins before Christ and resist the Lord, they get angry. They curse. They do not want to let go of their old ways: their rites, rituals, and traditions. They have what they want, they do not want to lose it, and they hold on. And then they hate Christ. For after rejecting Christ at the Last Supper, Judas Iscariot was consumed by evil
Satan is the Prince of darkness. Satan hates Christ. When darkness falls on people, people become like Satan: full of hate, wrath, and workers of evil, plotting in secrecy against Christ and against the believers of the Lord.
Dear people, Jesus Christ is real. And I urge you to be careful in your consideration of the Lord.
Amen.
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