In Touch Daily DEVOTIONAL for 15th November 2023 Wednesday
You are welcome to Today’s In Touch Daily Devotional written by Dr Charles Stanley and published by In Touch Ministry. Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. He demonstrates a keen awareness of people’s needs and provides Christ-centered biblically-based principles for everyday life.
Today’s Topic: Pledging Allegiance to the Wrong King
Don’t trade God’s best for lesser things.
Scripture: John 19:13-16
13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
In Touch Daily Devotional – Dr. Charles Stanley 15th November 2023
The chief priests were the power brokers of their day. They had spiritual authority over the Israelites and influence with the Romans who controlled the land. When Jesus became a threat, they negotiated with Judas to have Roman soldiers arrest Him.
The governor, Pilate, treated Jesus just as he would have any other Jewish prisoner—having Him flogged and brought before the crowd for a “trial.” Twice, Pilate noted that he could find no grounds for charging Jesus (John 19:4; John 19:6). Still, he gave in to the priests’ demands and ordered his troops to crucify an obviously innocent man.
The priests underscored their disgust with Jesus by promising fidelity to Caesar. In that moment, they violated the first and second commandments in order to accomplish their goals (Exodus 20:3-7). These men forgot their calling and pledged allegiance to the wrong king. But it is important to remember this: Rather than stand in judgment or declare them all irredeemable, Jesus headed to the cross to die for us—and for every person who condemned Him that day.
Bible in One Year: Acts 14-15
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