Mob Mentality

Matthew 27:23,24 Pilate asked, “Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted louder, “Kill him on a cross!” Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do to make the people change. In fact, it looked as if there would be a riot. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of them all. He said, “I am not guilty of this man’s death. You are the ones who are doing it!”

Okay … so perhaps it feels like a bit of a strange time of year to be talking about the death of Jesus. Don’t we usually do that at Easter? It’s almost Christmas! What’s the matter with you? And yet, what Jesus did for you and me on that cross is the most important thing that anyone has ever done, no matter what time of the year it happens to be.

A few years ago, there were some ugly racial riots not far from where I live. Angry mobs rampaged through the streets beating people, smashing cars, hurling bottles at police.

We were all outraged. These things simply don’t happen around where we live. Within days the government had passed tough new laws.

Now, imagine for a minute that you’re God. You have a Son. You send Him to earth as a man to save people like you and me; even people like the ones in that angry mob.

They bring Him up on trumped-up charges. He’s found not guilty. Then the angry mob – people who just days earlier had been singing his praises, whipped up by religious fanatics – start chanting, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”

Matthew 27:23,24 Pilate asked, “Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted louder, “Kill him on a cross!” Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do to make the people change. In fact, it looked as if there would be a riot. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of them all. He said, “I am not guilty of this man’s death. You are the ones who are doing it!”

If you were God, would you have allowed this to happen? Not me! I’d have passed tough new laws. But no, God stood silently by and gave the life of His Son to pay the price of justice for you and for me.

It’s just not the way I would’ve done it. But God did. He called it grace.

That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.