Jesus was judged by men, but He was justified by God.
READ IN YOUR BIBLE:
CONSIDER THIS:
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.”
PICTURE IT:
Slap!
The guard’s laughed as Jesus winced in pain. Another guard steps up and spits in His face.
“All right, enough for now”, said their captain, “They’re ready for Him”.
The guards bundled Jesus across the courtyard to where the priests were. As they came near, they heard the priests talking. “We know he’s guilty, we just need to decide what he’s guilty of!”
“This whole group here are willing to testify”
“That bunch!” laughed the high priest scornfully, “it’ll never stick. He’s a Rabbi, people respect him.”
“I heard him say, “I’m able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days”, said a man.
“Ah, that’s good!” The High Priest turned to Jesus, hatred in His eyes, “What do you say to that?”
Accused of Crimes He Didn’t Commit
Jesus was sentenced to death for crimes He didn’t commit. In the face of lies and slander, hearing the misrepresentation of His good works, Jesus never defended Himself. This was all part of God’s plan. He was beaten, punched, and spat upon, even before the official sentence was handed down. He could have pleaded His defence, tried to prove He was innocent, but as Isaiah saw five hundred years before the time, Jesus did not even open his mouth. Only when asked if He was the Messiah did he respond. And this had the opposite effect of clearing His Name.
Again, seeing the mistreatment Jesus would go through, Isaiah wrote, “I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting” (Isaiah 50:6). Jesus himself had warned the disciples this would happen. After Peter recognised Him as the Messiah, Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must “go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law”, and that He “must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21 NLT).
But the truth is, “it was the LORD’s good plan to crush Him and cause Him grief” (Isaiah 53:10 NLT). God put our guilt onto Jesus. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). This is the exchange: Jesus who knew no guilt was condemned so that we who are guilty could go free. But only if we receive Jesus and what He has done for us.
The Bible says, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit [of God] has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:1,2 NLT). If we have given our lives to Jesus and made Him our King. If we have recognised our need for Him, and, through Him, have been adopted into God’s family, then we are not condemned. Even though we sin, do wrong, the Bible says, “if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9 NLT).
LET’S PRAY:
Father God in Heaven, thank You that I can confess my sin to You, and that You promise to forgive me and make me clean. Thank You, that Jesus, who knew no guilt, was condemned, so that I, who am guilty, could go free. I confess my guilt and sin to You. Please forgive me and make me clean.
