Don't Give in to Negative Pressure!
Rev. Enoch Thompson | October 30 2024 | John 19:16-18
KEY VERSE:
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. John 19:16 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
We all live in an intensely pressurised world where we are constantly being subjected to voices that speak against the clear and stated instructions of God for our lives. We face the bombardment that the media, culture, politics and society in general generate against us.
Throughout the night of the trial of the Lord Jesus, Pilate tried to dissuade the Jews from their desire to have him grant the death sentence to the Lord. But in today’s text for reflection, we are told “Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” (John 19:16). Finally, finally, there was a final point at which Pilate crumbled to the pressure mounted on him, and had the Lord handed over to the Jews to be crucified.
When we are faced with relentless pressure to do wrong it is useful to have a pre-determined decision that we shall not at any time yield, come what may. For Pilate, he was reminded by the Jewish leaders that if he stood by his determined effort to release the Lord then his political career would be on the line since he would be seen as an enemy of Caesar. For some of us, it might mean loss of friends, loss of funding, political side-stepping or even loss of life.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
How far have you ever come to yield to negative pressure? Or have you reached a point where you have finally yielded to evil? There is a new day, a new beginning of standing strong under God and refusing to hand over our Lord to be crucified again.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, given away that I might be saved, sacrificed on the altar of human expediency and an inability to stand for right, thank you for taking the blows for me. Please help me to refuse to be pushed over by the negative pressures around me. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: HANDED The word "handed" derives from the Greek term paradidomi (παραδίδωμι), meaning "to give over" or "to deliver." It conveys a sense of entrusting or transferring control to another, often with significant implications.
In John 19:16, "handed" reflects Pilate’s act of surrendering Jesus to the crowd, symbolizing the failure of earthly authority under pressure. The lesson for believers is that we should learn to stand firm in faith rather than yielding to societal or external influences, and it reminds us of the importance of conviction over compromise. Reflections: Are there areas in your life where you’re feeling pressured to compromise your beliefs? How can you stand firm in faith, honouring Christ above all?
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