Sometimes it's better to just keep your mouth shut.

-



Scripture

Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!”
(Mark 15:4 NASB)
But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.
(Mark 15:5 NASB)

Observation

Jesus stood before His accusers and they were shouting all kinds of accusations and insults at Him. Some of the accusations were the truth, "He says He's the son of God!" Yes, He is the Son of God and He could have called down fire and brimstone on those who were accusing Him, and yet, He stood there and silently took it all. The way to victory was not going to be through words, but rather by way of actions. The natural response would have been to defend Himself. However, He didn't respond and Pilate "was amazed."

Application

There are times in life when people may throw accusations around about you. As a follower of Jesus Christ often there are those who simply don't "get" it. They don't understand why we do the things we do, or they question our motivations. This is when we need to look to Jesus as the great example. He knew that a verbal debate would not solve the problem. He also knew that condemning His accusers would not solve the problem. The only resolution was for Him to die for His accuser's sins, for only in this could His accusers be saved. Jesus was willing to keep His mouth shut so that His Father's will would and could be accomplished. There are times when we must look to Christ as our example. For God's will to be accomplished it may simply be better to keep our mouths shut, allow the accusations to swirl, and continue to move forward in living out our lives in faithful obedience to Him. At the end of the day, that is all that matters!

Prayer

Lord, may this be a day of faithful living for You. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a time when we try to carry
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her
Read more

The Advantage of Sanctification

-
Scripture: Rom. 6:22 But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Observation: Two sides of life are presented here in great contrast.  One is a life of sin and enslavement to evil.  The other side of life is freedom which provides the advantage of sanctification (or holiness as some translate the word) that leads to eternal life.  The options here are a life of sin, slavery and death; or freedom, holiness and eternal life.  The advantage of holiness or sanctification is the benefit of the life of freedom.  Jesus died so that we might be made holy like him and this is something that is offered as a “fruit” or “advantage” right now.  The end is eternal life — but the living of life is that it can be lived out in holiness.  The next verse is really just an affirmation of the verse 22.  Sin will lead
Read more