The Crown, The Cross and You

Matthew 27:20-31 and John 19:1-11
By Rev. Harold D. Dinsmore, M.Div.
© 2008 Harold Dinsmore

“The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus.  The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?"  "Barabbas!" they answered.  Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?"  They all answered, "Crucify Him!"  Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?"  But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more.  When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood.  See to it yourselves!"  All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"  Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.  Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into headquarters and gathered the whole company around Him.  They stripped Him and dressed Him in a scarlet robe.  They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and placed a reed in His right hand. And they knelt down before Him and mocked Him: "Hail, King of the Jews!"  Then they spit at Him, took the reed, and kept hitting Him on the head.  When they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.”¹

What I have just read to you is the culmination of many events.  To begin with, Satan’s plan from the time of his fall from grace was to overthrow the kingdom of heaven.  He wanted Christ dead.  By Jesus coming to earth, he probably figured he could actually do away with God by destroying Jesus.