<p><b>Summary:</b></p><p>Pilate had Jesus scourged. The soldiers mocked Him by placing a crown of thorns on His head, dressing Him in a purple robe, and hitting Him. Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd, saying he found no guilt in Him. Despite this, the chief priests and officers demanded Jesus be crucified.</p><p> </p><p><b>Teaching:</b></p><p> </p><p>“Take Him yourselves and crucify Him; for I find no grounds for charges in His case!”</p><p> </p><p>Pilate speaks in a way that shifts the responsibility onto the Jews, implying that he himself is not to blame. While it is true that the accusation came from the Jews, the responsibility for sentencing Jesus to crucifixion lies entirely with Pilate.</p><p> </p><p>It was Pilate who made the final judgment. People in politics or those with wealth often try to avoid responsibility when making decisions. Jesus was condemned as a criminal and sentenced to crucifixion within such a system.</p><p> </p><p>In yesterday’s passage, Pilate asked, “What is truth?” - but even this serious question failed to grow into a deeper pursuit. Caught in the pressures of reality, he gave in to the crowd’s demands. And Jesus, knowing and accepting all of this, was ultimately crucified.</p><p> </p><p>As we live in the world, there is much to think about regarding the things we may face. If we try to analyze every right and wrong, we may not be able to hold onto our faith or win people over. Jesus went through these kinds of injustices and, through them, won people.</p><p> </p><p>Believing in Jesus means walking the path of faith through such absurdities and contradictions.</p><p> </p><p><i>Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, May 27, 2025.</i></p><p><i>John 19:1-6</i></p><p><i>(D-93)</i></p>
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