Following the Crowd

Mark 15:9-15 (NIV) “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.
14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Most of us know that this is the same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” less than a week earlier.  Why did the crowd have a change of heart?  Because of the influence of chief priests.  Also notice that no one answered Pilate’s question of “Why?”.  They did not have a good reason.  They did not have to please the chief priests; they could have stood up for Jesus.

Pilate had the power and authority to release Jesus but he chose not to.  Why?  Verse 15 says that he wanted to “satisfy the crowd”.

Jesus’ death was part of God’s plan for our salvation.  What bothers me is that Pilate did not stand up for what he believed and neither did the crowd.

Who in our lives has the power or influence to change our minds?  Are you willing to stand up against the crowd, against your friends, against leaders for what is right?  Or will you be influenced against what is right?

God wants His children to take a stand for Him!  God wants us to stand for right.

There is an old chorus that we used to sing:  “I have decided to follow Jesus” with words like “Though none go with me, still I will follow.” and “no turning back” and “the cross before me, the world behind me.”

Acts 5:29 (NIV) Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!

Galatians 1:10 (NIV) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Always do the right thing, even if you have to stand alone!