January 20, 2023 – Are You Trying to Stay Neutral About Jesus?
Sermon: 2222 What Shall I Do With Jesus?, Part 2
Pray Over This
“Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’ Then the governor said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out all the more, saying, ‘Let Him be crucified!’ When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’ Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.”
Ponder This
It is not enough to tip your hat to Jesus; you must bow the knee. It is not enough to say, “I find no fault in Him,” and think you’re all right for doing so.
The thing Pilate did that convicted him, the verdict that condemned him, was that he attempted to remain neutral. He thought he could simply wash his hands of the whole matter.
What he thought was, “I’m washing my hands of this whole affair. I am not saying yes, and I’m not saying no. It is your decision. I am neutral!” You can’t be neutral about Jesus. When Pilate said, “I am neutral. I will not make a decision”—that was the worst decision Pilate ever made. Because not to decide is to decide. Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me” (Matthew 12:30).
An ocean full of water could not have washed the sin from Pilate’s hands. And when the gavel fell in Pilate’s court, another gavel fell in Heaven. Pilate was condemned when he allowed Jesus to be condemned. You cannot be neutral concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. To be neutral is to be against Him.
- Have you ever been tempted to stay neutral on matters of faith? Why or why not?
- Who do you know who is neutral on the matter of Jesus? How can you pray or encourage someone to make a decision?
Practice This
Take time to pray for a loved one or neighbor who desires to be neutral on matters of faith. Ask God to show you how to share His love with that person.
For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.
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