Blessings all.  It was nice to be nearly back up to full strength last Sunday, and I was thrilled to see how God arranged a consistent message throughout.  He’s always in control, always working things out for the good of those who love Him, but it’s a joy when he gives us a glimpse of His handiwork.

I have shared a prayer request with many of you via text message that I do not think is a good idea to share publicly because of things I cannot discuss. Here I will just say that your prayers are heard and it appears the situation will resolve favorably.  Here we have opportunity to believe that what we read last week is the truth, regardless of the final outcome.

Speaking of truth, do you ever find it hard to discover?  We live in a world largely governed by Satan’s principles, so it should not surprise us that the father of lies holds great sway over it.  It has always been so, but due to a number of factors, all springing from a societal rejection of the true God and his ways, it seems worse than ever now.  Maybe it is.  Technology gives us more effective ways to be what we are, good or bad.

This week will be what we call Palm Sunday.  We have covered the events that led to that designation in detail before,so I want to take us a little further into the week.  I have always been struck by Pilate’s question to Jesus in the book of John, Chapter 18.  Here’s part of the exchange from verses 37-38.

Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

Is that not the question we hear all the time now?  I think it is asked for much the same reason that Pilate asked it.  I’m making a presumption here, but I think the text gives it sufficient support.  If truth can’t be defined, then whatever you want to be true can be true.  It would be easier for Pilate if Jesus were actually guilty of something, so he presses him for an admission.  Jesus not only doesn’t give him one, but makes it clear that Pilate also knows He’s innocent.

It seems a strange move for Jesus at this time, since we know that He has orchestrated this situation from the beginning with the express purpose that he will be crucified for the sins of the world.  He knew that Pilate would be swayed by the crowd, but he is not willing to absolve him of the guilt of his action.  Could Pilate have repented?  Maybe so.  God’s will would have been done some other way.  Jesus seems to have offered him the opportunity.

But Pilate missed it.  The man who actually committed the crimes they crucified Jesus for walked free.  What a picture for us!  We are all Barabbas.  We were all guilty, but Jesus died for the crimes we committed.  Come and join us as we look into John 18:33-40.