Who is on Trial?

Who’s on trial?

We read of the trial of Jesus before Pilate.

John 19: 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

Jesus, fully submitted to the will of our Father, explained to Pilate that he would give an account to God, for what he was doing that day.

That day, Jesus stood before Pilate, awaiting unjust judgement, to go to the cross for our sins.

On another day, the day of Pilates death, Pilate stood before Jesus, to be judged for his sins before a holy God. History records that he never understood nor accepted the sacrifice of Jesus for His sins, and he probably heard from the lips of Jesus, the most chilling words every spoken in eternity: ‘Depart from me, you worker of iniquity, I never knew you…’ and then angels escorted him to eternal hell.

How many of us are like Pilate? We go through life, and we hear about Jesus, or worse yet, as Christians, we tell others what we think He says or means, when perhaps He has not spoken.

To some who mock Christianity, they like Pilate are about to get the eternal surprise of their lives, for denying the existence of Jesus, does not cause Him to cease to exist.

The Judgment seat “is meant for us professing Christians, real and imperfect Christians; and it tells us that there are degrees in that future blessedness proportioned to present faithfulness.”
Alexander Maclaren, 1826-1910

Ps 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Imagine, if you will, the day of Pilates earthly death.

Like all of us, his spirit left his body, to appear before God, for his eternal judgement.

Now, the one he crucified sits upon the throne, and unless he had a radical change of heart in the latter years of his life, he heard the most chilling words, any human can ever hear:
Mt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

We only think we judge Jesus, but truth is, He will judge us.

2Co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

For those of you who like to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JQOBMi4QS8&sns=fb

Some have said, that fearing a God of love is ‘sin conciousness’ and a perversion of the gospel.

I remember hearing a minister tell of how he visited Jim Baker in prison, who had embezzled money from his organization. He asked him: “Jim, at what point, did you stop loving Jesus?’ Jim replied: “I never stopped loving Jesus, I just stopped fearing Him!”

My greatest thought is my accountability to God.
Daniel Webster.

Heart check.

One day, all the games stop. All the lies end. All the rationalizations, justifications, appeals, and deceptions end, and we will stand before Jesus in absolute holiness and truth. He sees not only what was done, but why we did it, and we will each, alone, individually give an account of our lives.

Let’s take time alone today, and humble ourselves before God, asking Him for absolute truth. That He might reveal our true condition before Him.

For those of us serving Him, this usually results in a glory encounter with His love, but not always. There have been times, when I discover I have strayed, and His presence has brought a cold chill of conviction to my heart, and I have made radical life changes.

Let’s pray:
‘Father, reveal Jesus to us today, in absolute truth! Show us your love, your glory, and your direction! If we are deceived in any way. Convict us, forgive us, cleanse us, and lead us and guide us in all truth. In your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

Pray, Obey, and Stop Arguing!

When we pray, Holy Spirit convicts of sin:

John 16:8

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Ever noticed that when a person is doing something wrong, and you try to tell them, they either rationalize it, get angry with you, or ignore it completely.

Yes, we should speak the truth in love, gently correcting people, but then PRAY!

Fervently, asking Holy Spirit to help them see, and want to change.

John 8:9

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Notice here, it was the Holy Spirit that convicted them in their conscience.

Rather than argue with someone doing wrong, pray for them. God is able to correct them…

Here are two verses I pray for people who are not listening to me:

Philippians 2:13

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Philippians 1:6

being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, You are the God that speaks to the hearts of men upon their beds. You who created them, are working in them to will and to do of Your good pleasure, and You who began a good work in them, are causing them to will and to do, of Your good pleasure. I trust you to touch, convict, and cause them to see the error of their ways, and to want to change. I ask this Father, knowing I am heard, and answered, for I ask in Your mighty matchless name Lord Jesus.’