Luke 23:1-2 NLT – Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They began to state their case: "This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king."
I've found one of the first things that happens when you commit down a path to follow Christ is that the world will confront you. Ultimately, as you push further down the path following Jesus, the resistance will surface from the world. Almost inevitably, it will at some point be in the form of false statements. Accusations of your motives. Representations of your misconduct. Publication of the errors and missteps that you make in life.
Every opportunity to use false words as a foundation to derail your walk with Christ will be a way of life for you as a believer. Here, we see a perfect example of exactly what I am describing. The Jewish leadership accused Jesus of two very precise things: That Jesus was encouraging people not to pay their taxes, and that He was attempting to overthrow the government. These things obviously were misstatements, but they were pointed to affecting a vengeance upon Christ. These were things that the Roman officials and government would be greatly offended by, which is exactly why they used this method of false statements and attacks. Because it would hopefully incite vengeance against Jesus directly by the Romans. Not by the Jews and their leadership, but by the Romans who really could probably care less whether Jesus considered and claimed Himself to be a Messiah.
But Pilate asked Jesus one real single question. "Do you claim to be the King of the Jews?"
I love Jesus's response. My interpretation of what He said was that "You said it; I didn't."
Clearly, even Pilate could see beyond the Jewish leadership and their lies.
The point, though, is that Jesus's response is what's so important. He didn't stand and defend Himself with great oratory skill. He just bore His silence because He knew where He was destined to go on our behalf., to be sacrificed as the Lamb of God for the payment of our sins.
Today, if you're doing what you're supposed to as a believer, you will eventually, maybe sooner than later, be confronted with those who have one purpose: to derail and interrupt your journey with Christ. The secret is that you not be offended. That you are not brought to despair. Be at peace. Which is exactly where Christ will be with you.
Stay healthy and have a blessed day!
~Dean Burnetti
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