ACTIVE WORD

Silence Speaks
In the morning…they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. Mark 15:1 (NKJV)
The Jewish rulers had heard enough. On a set of trumped-up charges, they decided to execute Jesus. But because their people were under the rule of Rome, they had to get the permission of the Roman Governor, Pilate, to put Jesus to death. So as soon as day broke, they brought the case before Pilate.
Pilate was a well-seasoned soldier. He had spent his share of time in the trenches of life. Pilate had seen humanity at its worst, both on the battlefield and in other desperate situations, and he knew what to expect when it came to men who were on the brink of dying.
From a purely earthly standpoint, that’s where Jesus was at this point. He was being sentenced to die, and only one person stood in the way of it: Pilate. In the past, Pilate had undoubtedly heard countless pleas and petitions from condemned criminals begging him to intervene and save them. After all, what wouldn’t a man do to save his own life?
So it got Pilate’s attention when Jesus appeared before Him without doing any of that. Jesus stood in silence, even in the face of the false accusations that were being thrown at Him by the Jewish establishment. At this point in Pilate’s life, it took a lot to impress him, but Jesus did:
Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled. Mark 15:5 (NKJV)
What does this silence say to us? It tells us that Jesus was fully submitted to the Father’s will for Him to serve as our sin sacrifice. He didn’t struggle, physically or verbally, in order to escape it. He was completely committed to His calling, and His silence speaks to this.
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps…who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously… 1 Peter 2:21-23 (NKJV)
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
Pastor Bob Coy   Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com