Pilate: The Danger of Neutrality

You're listening to the My Morning Devotional podcast, episode 1507. Today's Devo is called Pilate the Danger of Neutrality. Hey there. We're the Alessies, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional Podcast. Good morning everybody and welcome to another devo going over the key characters that take place in Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection. I love today's post and I might get a little intense, but I believe this wholeheartedly. So again, this is Stephanie. Thanks for tuning in. Let's dive into it. Today I am talking about about Pilate and Pontius Pilate is his full name and the key theme that I'm taking from his story is trying to stay neutral about Jesus is still a decision. Let's read from Matthew 27:15 26 in the NIV version. And it says now it was the governor's custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, which one do you want me to release to you? Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who was called the Messiah? For he knew it was out of self interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message. Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him talking about Jesus the Messiah. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. Which of the two do you want me to release to you? Asked the governor. Barabbas, they answered. What shall I do then with Jesus who is called the Messiah? Pilate asked. They all answered, crucify him. Why? What crime has he committed? Asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, crucify him. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. I am innocent of this man's blood, he said. It is your responsibility. All the people answered. His blood is on us and on our children. Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified. This is the part where, honestly, this whole thing could have changed and Pilate messed up the entire thing. I just want that to be just a note, but insane, because, you know, Pilate questioned Jesus directly and he saw Jesus's innocence plainly. And yet he publicly washed his hands to avoid responsibility, yet his decision still condemned Jesus. Avoiding a decision about Christ is actually making one. Let me say that again. Avoiding a decision about Christ is still making a decision about God. Many people can admire Jesus, but never surrender to him. Many people want to be like Jesus, but we never surrender the ways that aren't like Jesus. Many people love Jesus, but we split that love five different ways. You know, he's God, but he still isn't the God of our lives. You know that he is more powerful than anything on this earth. But we still grow fearful when powerful things hit our life. And Pilate reminds us, guys, that recognizing truth is not the same as obeying it. What if today just a challenge for you? What if today we chose to not live out our truth, but to finally live out his truth? What if today we chose to finally let go of that one thing or that one person that's keeping us from growing closer to God? Somebody told me one time, a long time ago, that one of these five things can keep us from getting deeper with God. And it is, number one, unworthiness, pride, disbelief, fear, and shame. One of those five things, yours could be a six. And that's cool. We all got our problems. But one of those five things generally is keeping you from getting closer to God. Let me say it again. Unworthiness, pride, disbelief, fear, and shame. Which one is standing in the way today? And we're not choosing to not surrender it. I mean, I get it. It's not like you're saying, no, I want to keep my disbelief, God. I want to keep that forever. I really like my. My unworthiness. I want to have that in me forever. God, that's not what we're doing. We're not choosing to not surrender it. We're simply avoiding it because we hope that one day it'll just go away. That maybe when we turn 30, when we have kids, when we get married, when we finally move on with our life by making a bunch of money, that it's just going to be gone. But the heart doesn't work that way. And history remembers Pilate for trying to avoid a decision about Jesus. Here's my encouragement to you today from the story of Pilate. You know, the things that are keeping you from growing closer to Jesus. You know it. It's probably in your ear every single day. A good question to ask yourself is, what is weighing on my heart today? What is the thought that I can't get out of my head? What's constantly circling in my mind? That one thing is the one thing you gotta lay down fully. Today's the day. And to not avoid it, to not hope that it just goes away as time passes, maybe not to even vent about it anymore, maybe this is the time you just go to God about it and you say, lord, I'm done. I'm done with this shame, I'm done with this pride, I'm done with this disbelief. Because this is what's kept me from being like you all these years. It's going to keep me for the rest of my life from being just like you. So today I'm done. I'm laying it down. And whatever else, Lord, you want me to surrender, I'll surrender that too. Lord, what are the sins in my heart that I do not see? What are the hindrances in my heart that I avoid? I don't want to be like Pilate. I want to be able to say, jesus, you are innocent and I stand with you and I want to be like you in every way, shape and form. So that's my challenge to you today. What are those little hindrances and setbacks that you could be avoiding? And what if today is the day that you finally lay it down? Let's pray. God, we thank you that you don't want to just be the God of our heart. You want to be the God of our whole heart, our whole life. And we step into that. We don't want to operate by our own truth. We want to operate by your truth. Our truth has led us nowhere. Our truth keeps us more confused. Our truth causes anxiety and shame. We want your truth. You are the way, you are the truth, and you are the life. And that's what we want to walk in today. So if there is anything, Lord, that is keeping us from going deeper with you, that is holding us back, that is talking in our ear, louder than your voice, Lord, we lay it down at your feet and we pray that your Holy Spirit will step into our lives, will step into our minds, will step into our hearts and fight off whatever it is that's keeping us from going deeper with you. Today is the day, Jesus. Today is the day we surrender it all. Today is the day that you are the God of my heart, that you are the God of my life and that I live as a child of God. Period. Nothing else after that. Simply I am a child of God and in Jesus name we pray. Amen. And Amen. So there you have it. Your 5 minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend, leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow, we pray that your latte is strong, but your love for Jesus is stronger.