Have you met your Pontius Pilate yet?
For two thousand years Pilate has been remembered for failing his most important test of character. He knew that executing an innocent man would be unjust, but he also knew that refusing to execute Jesus would cause such a ruckus in Judea that Caesar would fire him. In the end, Pilate chose what was best for Pilate.
I wrote about his role in Jesus’ death for Lifeway’s Holy Land Illustrated Bible. You can find the article by clicking here, and you buy the study Bible by clicking here. But for today’s edition of Winning Ways, I want you to think about what you will do when you face your own Pontius Pilate.
After all, Jesus once said, “The servant is not above his master.” And so, if Jesus suffered injustice, don’t be surprised if some day you do, too. You might find your job or your reputation or your future entirely in the hands of one person who opts to throw you under the bus.
And yet, just as Jesus’s death resulted in glorious redemption for those who believe in him, I believe God can also do something redemptive when we face injustice. If God used something as tragic and as ugly as the death of his own son to accomplish something as beautiful as salvation for the world, God can do something good with the tragic and ugly things that happen in your life. In Romans 8:28, Paul wrote, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him….” When you face your Pontius Pilate, you can endure the sting of injustice with grace and dignity if you keep that promise in mind. God can use your mistreatment in some beautiful way in his plan for this world.
Read about the trial of Jesus before Pilate, and then study the passage with us this weekend. We’ll begin our worship service online and on campus at 10am.
--Tom
Tom Goodman serves as pastor at Hillcrest Church in Austin, Texas. His sermons are available on YouTube and the HillcrestToGo Podcast and you can find him on Facebook and Twitter. If someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, sign up here to receive Tom’s weekly devotional in your email inbox.