Who Do You Represent? II

John18: 35 “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”

After examining some of the questions, statements, and actions of the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate during the three civil trials of our Lord Jesus Christ; Pilate seemingly asks all the right questions, presumes that he has all the right answers, comes face to face with the Lamb of God, but turns his back on the Unique Man of the Universe, Jesus Christ. We, as Christians, seemingly ask all the right questions, HAVE all the right answers, become enlightened by the true LIGHT that enlightens every man, and then spend the majority of this life blending in with the world. Paul describes this type of believer in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 17-32.

Eph 4:17-18 “So I say this an affirm together with the Lord, that you (Born Again Believers) walk no longer (stop walking) as the Gentiles (Unbelievers or in this case Pilate. He was a Gentile) also walk, in the futility of their mind (void of truth), (18) being darkened (after once being enlightened) in their understanding, excluded from a life of God (missing out on the plan of God) because of the ignorance (suppression of the truth) that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart.

Paul goes on to say in verse 20 of Ephesians 4 “you did not learn Christ in this way”. You see, as believers we have the LIGHT, we know the TRUTH, but what are we doing with it? Are we too, like Pilate, finding no fault in Jesus Christ yet turning our back on Him and washing our hands of responsibility? Who do we represent? Christ? Or Pilate?

We pick up the story of Jesus standing before Pilate during the first of three civil trials held by the Romans (Civil Trial #1 Pilate, Civil Trial #2 Herod, Civil Trial #3 Pilate). In John 18:34 Jesus starts His defense by asking Pilate a question. I find this interesting that the One standing trial and being questioned is now interrogating the judge (Pilate). Jesus asked Pilate, “Are you saying this on your own initiative or did others tell you about Me?”

Charles Ryrie explains the questioning of Jesus this way; “Jesus asked whether Pilate’s question (Are you the king of the Jews?) was from his own (gentile) viewpoint or from a Jewish viewpoint.” Pilate responds with verse 35, “I am not a Jew am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me; WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”

Pilate asks the right question, but from the wrong viewpoint! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Well then let me ask you the same question. WHAT HAS HE DONE FOR YOU? You see Pilate didn’t spend enough time with Jesus to “really" find out what He had done. In fact, if he would have truly been seeking to know what Jesus had done, then Jesus would have not only told him what He had done, but also what He would do in the future.

Where we fall short is that we absolutely know what He has done and what He will do in the future, but we don’t spend enough time with Him to find out what He has done and will do for us. Do you know what HE (Jesus) has done? Do you know what He will do? Romans 4:21 tells us that “what God had promised, He was also able to perform”. We will never know what He has promised and never experience His performance if we cut Him off, turn our back, and wash our hands of Him like Pilate did. We, like Pilate, don’t spend enough time with our Savior. Remember that an ambassador has a responsibility to deliver a message, a responsibility to fulfill a duty. This is the message that you are to deliver: WHAT HAS HE DONE? WHAT IS HE DOING? WHAT WILL HE DO? If you know the answer to these questions, but wash your hands of responsibility, then you are a representative of Pilate, but if you know the answers to these questions, spend time with Jesus and deliver the mail, then you are an ambassador of Christ. Are you spending enough time with Jesus to know WHAT HAS HE DONE? WHAT IS HE DOING? WHAT WILL HE DO?