PILATE YIELDS TO THE FURY OF THE PEOPLE. Read S. Matt. xxvii. 22-25. 1. They all say unto him, Let Him be crucified. Ib. The more Pilate yielded, the more the people demanded, the less he could resist. If we give but little way to the things of the flesh and of sense, they grow stronger, our resolutions weaker. Lord, make me love Thee as much as they despised and hated Thee. Exod. xxiii. 2. II. I am innocent of the blood of this just person, see ye to it. Ib. 24. How could he be innocent in heart who would not defend the guiltless Saviour! He desired to release Him; but self-love and his own safety were his motives; so he fell. So shall I, if, professing to serve God, I serve myself. Where shall the fearful be? xxi. 8. Rev. III. His blood be on us and on our children. Ib. 25. How little they thought of the multitude of souls who would desire to be sprinkled with that blood of cleansing! Not the vengeance of Thy blood, dear Lord, but its cleansing and healing streams flow over my soul, and wash my sins away. Heb. xii. 24. Text. He that loveth his life shall lose it. John xii. 25. CHRIST SCOURGED. Read S. John xix. 1 (and each of the others). I. Then Pilate, therefore, took Jesus. Ib. 1. He willingly submitted to yet further suffering and disgrace. We might think much of the pain, yet more of the anguish of mind, of the Holy One of God. Who-who is the cause? Oh, that in self-accusation I could willingly submit as He submitted for me! Is. 1. 6. II. And scourged Him. Ib. And this He bore! Here is love of sinners -here is deep humility-here is unwearied constancy and patience-here cheerful conformity to the Divine will! Bless, adore Him, and compare thyself in adversity with Him. Ps. xxxviii. 13. III. The plowers plowed upon my back, and made long furrows. Ps. cxxix. 3. Again, as in the circumcision and the agony, is Jesu's blood poured forth for us. With what pain and torture! No more let me tread that blood (Heb. x. 29) under foot by sin; no more let me pamper my body, in the remembrance of His scourged body. Text. With His stripes we are healed. Is. liii. 5. JESUS CROWNED WITH THORNS. Read S. Matt. xxvii. 27-31. (John,) 1. They stripped Him, and put on Him a scarlet robe. Ib. 28. Thus confusion, ridicule, ignominy, are heaped upon Him. The pomps of the world disgrace Christ, yet we choose them. And what is this scarlet robe? Is it not the covering of my sins (Is. i. 18) put on Him? 16. liii. 6. II. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head. Ib. 29. "Thou crownedst Him with glory and worship." In His kingdom, no crown is without a thorn. The members of a thorn-crowned Head may not rest in earthly ease and selfindulgence. Do I? 2 Tim. ii. 5, 12. III. And a reed in His right hand. Ib. They mocked, they smote, they ridiculed Thee. Yet Thou wert their King. Take me in Thine hand, O Lord; use me as Thou wilt, so as I bow my soul before Thee, receive injuries with patience, suffer in Thy name, give Thee glory. S. Matt. v. 39. 16. Text. King of kings, and Lord of lords. Rev. xix. MY LORD MY KING-MY GOD! BEHOLD THE MAN! Read S. John xix. 4-7. I. Behold, I bring Him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in Him. Ib.4. Except in us, there was no cause against Him. Behold Him! Is this the face that shone on Mount Tabor, now to behold the very scorn of men," but inwardly fair beyond the children of men? Conform me, Lord, to Thy likeness. Ps. xxii. 6; xlv. 2. II. Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! Ib, 5. Perhaps in pity, that the multitude_might relent. But to me the Father says, Behold the man! Christ, thy help (S. John v. 7), thy Physician (Ps. ciii. 3); thyself too little trusting in Him (Ps. lii. 7); the good Samaritan, who looks upon thee in mercy. III. When they .... saw Him, they cried out, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him! Ib. 6. So unmoved is our evil nature. And why crucify Him? "Because He made Himself the Son of God." Would I be such in Him? I too must be crucified to the world; the old man must die that the new may live to God. Gal. v. 24. Text. There is one Mediator between God and men, THE MAN Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. ii. 5. PILATE AGAIN IN THE JUDGMENT-HALL. Read S. John xix. 8-12. I When he heard that saying he was the more afraid, and went again into the judgment-hall. Ib. 8, 9. He had been afraid of the people-now of God. Which shall prevail? Had he cast off that sinful fear of man this might have prevailed. He gave way then; now he cannot resist. Resist evil at the beginning, otherwise there is no safety. S. Matt. xii. 29. II. Knowest thou not that I have power? Ib. 10, 11. What! man have power to " release" or crucify" the God of all! So he indulged another passion, pride. Let me take warning. Think, then, of the answer of Christ. Remember that all power is of God; of Him alone come all things. I am a poor instrument in His hands. Is. xli. 1-4. III. From thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him. Ib. 12. To which Still he listened to the Jews, not to God; He feared not to lose the friendship of God but of Cæsar. Which is my fear? do I hearken? Which do I chose? iv. 4. Text. S. James There were they in great fear where no fear was. For thoughts on the Gospel of the day, see p. 346. |