Luke 24:25

Luke 24;25 says, Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:  Jesus called these disciples fools because they were slow to believe what the prophets had predicted about the Messiah.  Anyone who refuses to believe the truth about Jesus being that Messiah, or Christ, today, is still a fool. Verse twenty-four adds, Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?  Jesus asks them if according to scripture should not Christ have suffered these things.  They were still looking at Jesus as an earthly ruler, and because of that they believed that He had failed.  If we look at the plan of salvation in earthly terms, it will look like a failure still.  Verse twenty-seven states, And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.  Starting From Moses and going through all the prophets, Jesus expounded to them the teachings about Himself.  Jesus's sacrifice on the cross was not just some new plan plan that God came up with after everything else failed to bring salvation, but was the plan in place from the time Adam and Eve xinned.  It is still the only way to salvation today.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.  When these disciples got near to where they were going, Jesus appeared to be ready to go on.  When we encounter Jesus, He will never force us to invite Him to stay.  Verse twenty-nine continues, But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.  They urged Jesus to stay with them, since it was late, and He stayed.  They still hadn't recognized Jesus for Who He really was, but they were interested in what He was saying.  When we first encounter the resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ, we may not immediately understand Who He is, but hopefully we will invite Him to stay for awhile so we can learn more about Him.  Verse thirty says, And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.  While Jesus sat to eat with these two disciples, He took the bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to them, as He had done with the twelve disciples at His last supper with them.  Verse thirty-one adds, And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.  After Jesus did this, their eyes were opened and they knew Who He was, and He vanished out of their sight.  Once we know Who Jesus is, we cannot expect Him to just stay with us alone, though when we do accept Him as our Savior and Lord the Holy Spirit is always with us.  Verse thirty-two states, And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?  Like these disciples, our heart needs to burn within us when we understand Who Jesus is and as we learn more about what the Bible has to say about Him.  Verse thirty-three adds, And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,  They didn't wait, but rose up that same hour and returned to Jerusalem to tell the eleven disciples about what had happened.  Once we recognize Who Jesus is, we should feel the same urgency to share the gospel with others.  Verse thirty-four continues, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.  They said Jesus was risen indeed, and had already appeared to Peter.  Jesus has made Himself known to everyone at some point in their life, but often those who should find it easiest to understand this are the ones who are hardest to reach.  Verse thirty-five concludes, And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.  They told the eleven what had occurred up through the breaking of the bread.  We need to tell others about what has occurred with us that led us to put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.   Verse thirty-six declares, And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.  While these two disciples were telling the eleven what had happened, Jesus appeared in the midst of them.  When we are telling others about Jesus, He will be workng to reveal Himself to them as well.  Verse thirty-seven adds, But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.  Instead of being thrilled to see  Jesus, they were terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost.  Verse thirty-eight continues, And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?  Jesus asked the disciples why they were troubled and why they were having these thoughts about Who they were seeing.  When we encounter Jesus, we do not need to be afraid nor do we need to question if He is really the only Savior of mankind.  Verse thirty-nine concludes, Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.  Jesus invited them to touch His wonded hands and feet, and they would know that He was not just a spirit, since spirits have no flesh.  Though we will never be able to touch Jesus in the flesh in this lifetime as the disciples were invited to do, we must accept that what the Bible says happened to Him for our sakes is true.  Jesus really did live, die, and rise from the dead to bring everlasting life to those who put their faith in Him.

Luke 24:10

Luke 24:10 says, It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.  We have three of the women who brought the news to the apostles identified here, but some are just called other women.  As we serve God, some of us will be known by name by people of the world, but others will not.  Yet, we equally important.  Verse eleven adds, And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.  Though Jesus had told the disciples what was going to happen to Him, when the woman told them it had happened, it seemed foolish to them and they didn't believe them.  The gospel still sounds like foolishness to many, many people today, and they refuse to believe it.  Verse twelve states, Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.  Here, we are told that Peter rose and ran to the tomb and looked down and saw the linen clothes laying by themselves, and he departed wondering what had happened.  He still had not accepted the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as having occurred.  Until we accept the reality of this ourselves, we will always go away wondering.  Verse thirteen adds, And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.  Two disciples were going to Emmaus that day, about a seven mile journey.  We are not told why they were going, but Matthew Henry says perhaps they were giving up on Jesus and going home.  No matter how hopeless things in life become, we as Christians should never give up in Jesus Christ.  Verse fourteen says, And they talked together of all these things which had happened.  They were talking about everything that had happened to Jesus, but they still did not truly understand it.  We can talk about what happened to Jesus all day long, but until we understand what really happened and accept His sacrifice on the cross for our sins and His resurrection to defeat the power of death, it will do us no good.  Verse fifteen adds, And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.  While they were taking,  Jesus drew near and walked along with them.  We do not have Jesus walking with us, but we have the Holy Spirit.  Verse sixteen continues, But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.  Though Jesus was walking along with them, they did not know Him.  Too often today, even if Jesus were to be physically walking along with people, they would not recognize Him. Verse seventeen states, And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?  Jesus asked them what they were talking about that made them so sad.  If they had really understood what Jesus had been telling them they would have been rejoicing.  We may at times be down and out because we fail to acknowledge God's work in the world.  Verse eighteen adds, And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?  Cleopas, who we know was not one of the twelve disciples, but was still a disciple,  asked Jesus if He didn't know what had been happening in Jerusalem these past few days.  We should never become so focused on things around us that we question whether or not Jesus knows what is happening in the world.  Verse nineteen says, And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:  Jesus asked them what things, and they said things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, Whom they called a mighty prophet in deed and the word of God.  They still didn't recognize Jesus, and until we do, we can never be saved.  Verse rwehty adds, And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.  They told about Jesus's death, but not His resurrection, which is the message we needcto share with the world.   Verse twenty-one states, But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.  They said they had thought Jesus was the One to redeem Israel, but today was the third day since He had been crucified, but were still not seeing the significance of that fact.  They should have been looking by faith, and so must we today as followers of Christ.  Verse twenty-two adds, Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;   Cleopas said certain woman got them excited after going early to the tomb, but evidently not excited enough to go see if what thay said was true or not.  Being excited about Jesus is not enough unless we know the truth about Who He is.  Verse twenty-three says, And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.  Cleopas said the women failed to find Jesus's body, and they had seen a vision of angels who said Jesus was alive.  The implication seemed to be that they didn't believe them.  Until we acknowledge that Jesus died, was buried and rose again as the truth, the gospel will be just a story someone has told.  Verse twenty-four adds, And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.  Cleopas said certain of them went to the tomb and found things to be as the women said, but they did not see Jesus.  They were looking in the wrong place and didn't even recognize Him as He walked with them.  We will never find Jesus in an empty tomb,and so many fail to recognize Him even when He walks beside them.

Luke 24:1

Luke 24:1 says, Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.  The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and some other women came to the tomb early on Sunday morning to properly prepare the body of Jesus with spices they had prepared.  They not only got up early to do this, but they provided the spices.  Matthew Henry says they had prepared the spices before the Sabbath, and did not decide it was a waste to use them now after they had time think about it.  We should likewise always fulfill what we propose to do for God.  Verse two adds, And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.  We know the names of three of these women to be Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James.  They had been concerned about how they would be able to remove the stone covering the tomb, but it was already rolled away.  I believe that God will always remove the obstacles that stand between Him and us, but we may never knowif we don't act by faith.  Verse three continues, And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.  The women went into the tomb,but they didn't find the body of Jesus there.  We too will never find the body of Jesus in a tomb.  Verse four states, And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:  While the woman stood there perplexed, what appeared to be two men in shining garments stood by them.  Though they appeared to be men, they were angels, and there may be times when we encounter angels unaware that they are angels.  Verse five adds, And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?  Though the women were afraid and bowed down before these angels, we should never bow to any of God's creation.  The angels asked the women why they sought the living among the dead.  We will never find Jesus if we do not look for Him as the living, resurrected Savior.  Verse six continues, He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,  The angels told them that Jesus was not there, but He had risen, and asked them did they not remember what He had said to them in Galilee about this.  We should always look to God's word to know the truth.  Verse seven concludes, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.  The angels reminded the women that Jesus had said that He must be delivered to evil men, crucified, which they had seen happen, and rise again the third day, which they must not have had faith in happening.  We must always hear and believe all of what God has to say to us.  Verse eight says, And they remembered his words,  After the angels reminded them, the women remembered the words of Jesus.  Even if at times we may need a little reminder from someone, we must always remember the words of Jesus as His followers.  Verse nine adds, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.  The women returned and told all that they had seen to the eleven disciples, since Judas was no longer there, and to all the others around them what they had seen.  Jesus was not in the tomb, but had risen from the dead.  This is the message that we as followers of Christ must share with the world today.  

Luke 23:50

Luke 23:50 says, And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller; and he was a good man, and a just:  There at Jesus's crucifixion was a good and just man named Simon.  Not everyone there was there to condemn Jesus.  At times, as followers of Christ, we may be in the midst of unbelievers, but we must not allow them to influence how we feel about Jesus.  Verse fifty-three adds, (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.  This man Joseph was from Arimathaea, a Jewish city, and had not consented to the counsel and deed of those who had condemned Jesus, though he himself was waiting on the kingdom of God.  We should never have our opinion of Jesus swayed by the actions of others.  Verse fifty-two states, This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.  Jesus's closest followers, His disciples, had abandoned Him, but this religious leader went to Pilate and begged Pilate to allow him to take the body of Jesus and bury Him.  Joseph could have put himself in danger by identifying with Jesus, even after He was crucified.   We may place ourselves in danger by identifying with Jesus Christ today, but we need to be like Joseph and do so anyway.  Verse fifty-three adds, And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.  Joseph took the body of Jesus down from the cross and buried it with respect in a new tomb that had been cut into a stone.  At this point, the body of Jesus was but an empty shell.  Though Joseph was a good man, we see no evidence that he expected Jesus to return from the dead to prove Himself to be the awaited Messiah.  It is not enough to simply view Jesus as  good Man Who didn't deserve to die,  but we must acknowledge Him as the only begotten Son of God, Who died to bring salvation all people.  Of course, even though Jesus died for everyone, unless we accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord, it does us no good.  Verse fifty-four continues, And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.  Joseph had to hurry in his preparations for and burial of Jesus's body, because the sabbath was getting close.  As a Jew, Joseph would have wanted to follow the laws of the Sabbath, which we pretty much ignore today.  Verse fifty-five says, And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.  The women who had followed Jesus followed Joseph to see where He would bury His body.  The disciples were no where to be found anywhere near the body of Jesus at this time.  In their minds, it was over.  If we only see Jesus on the cross or in the tomb, then our hope of salvation is over.  Verse fifty-six adds,  And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.  These women who had followed Jesus from Galilee returned to where they had been staying and got spices and ointments ready to anoint Jesus's body with, but they first had to rest on the Sabbath according to Jewish law.  We should never allow religious traditions to keep us from serving Christ if we are a follower of His.

Luke 23:39

Luke 23:39 says, And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.  One of the malefactors, or thieves as we know from another gospel account, mocked Jesus, telling Him if He were the Christ, to save Himself and them.  He did not understand that the only way for Jesus to offer salvation to everyone who would accept it was for Him to sacrifice Himself.   We need to understand that we cannot manipulate Jesus into doing our will.  Verse forty adds, But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  The other thief asked the one mocking Jesus did he not fear God, since he himself was also dying on a cross.  When we are faced with certain death, there will never be any other time to make things between God and us right.  Verse forty-one continues, And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.  He then said that the other thief and he were guilty so their death was justified, but that Jesus was guilty of nothing.  We likewise are all guilty of sin, and the penalty of sin is death.  This does not just apply to some sins, but to all sins.  Verse forty-two continues, And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.  This thief then quit talking to his fellow thief and started talking to Jesus.  He did not ask Jesus to physically save him, but to remember him in paradise.  This is what we come to Jesus for, and that is everlasting life through our faith in Him.  Verse forty-three declares, And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.  Jesus told this guilty man because of his faith in Jesus that today he would be with Him in paradise.  The grave was not the end for Jesus, nor will it be for anyone.  Our decision about Jesus Christ and whether or not we accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord determines where we will spend eternity.  Verse forty-four states, And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  For about three hours in the middle of the day there, there was darkness over all the earth.  There has never been a darker time than when Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, died on the cross for all the sins of all mankind.  The really sad thing about this is that many people, like the thief who mocked Jesus, will go away into everlasting punishment with the price of their sins already paid had they only accepted salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse forty-five adds, And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.  The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in half.  The veil of the temple separated God from the people, except for the priests at certain times, and it was no longer needed.  There would now be nothing standing between anyone and God.  We no longer have to go to the priest to seek God's guidance as followers of Christ, but we are a part of the priesthood of believers.  Verse forty-six says, And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.  Jesus cried out to His heavenly Father and said He commended His spirit to Him, and then He gave up the ghost.  Those who hung Jesus on the cross did not kill Him, but He willingly sacrificed Himself for the sins of all mankind.  Verse forty-seven adds, Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.  One of the soldiers, when he saw what had happened, pronounced Jesus to be a righteous man.  We still have to individually decide Who Jesus is.  Verse forty-eight states, And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.  Beating their breasts was a sign of ridicule for Jesus and a lack of caring about His death.  This is still the attitude of far too many people today.   Verse forty-nine adds, And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.  The followers of Jesus, including the women, stood far away watching what was happening.  As followers of Christ, we cannot stand far away from Him when things seem hopeless, but must spiritually draw even closer to Him.

Luke 23:26

Luke 23:26 says, And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.  A Cyrenian named Simon was commanded to bear the cross of Jesus part of the way.  We can never really bear the cross of Jesus completely, because we cannot die for the sins of others being guiltless ourself, but we are told to take up our own cross daily, dying to self will.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.  A great company of people, many the same ones who had praised Jesus on His entry into Jerusalem, now cried out in pity with and compassion for Him, because they had heard what a great Man He was.  Still, they did not see Him for Who He really is.  Many people today may see Jesus as a great man and prophet and feel bad about what happened to Him, but still not see Him as God's only begotten Son and the only Savior of mankind.  Verse twenty-eight states, But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.  Jesus turned to the crowd and told the women not to weep for Him, but to weep for themselves and their children.  Jesus was doing what He came to do, and those around Him were the ones who needed salvation.  Until and unless we know Jesus as our Savior and Lord, then we should be weeping for ourselves.  Verse twenty-nine adds, For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.  Jesus spoke to the women because the day was coming when people would say that women without children were more blessed than those who were,because of the coming destruction and suffering for the people of Isreal.  Verse thirty says, Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.  Jesus warned them that the days were coming when they would rather have the mountains fall on them than to continue to live with the suffering that was to come.  We have likewise been warned that one day this suffering at the hands of the world will come on Christians.  Verse thirty-one adds, For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?  Jesus was the green tree, and the people of Israel were the dry tree according to Matthew Henry.  If Jesus, an innocent Man could be put to death, then what would happen to those who had no faith in Him.  God did not spare His only begotten Son, so we should not expect Him to save us if we do not put our faith in Jesus.  Verse thirty-two states, And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.  Jesus wasn't the only One going to be put to death on a cross that day.  Two other malefactors were going with Him, but Jesus was the only One Who was innocent.   We are all going to die one day, and some people may die for crimes they have committed, but our death will save no one.  Verse thirty-three adds, And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.  Jesus was crucified between the two malefactors.   In a sense, He was given the place of honor in death, but in truth, His was the only death that mattered.  When we die, if we have not accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then our death will cause a permanent separation from God.  Verse thirty-four declares, Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.  Even as Jesus hung on the cross, He asked the Heavenly Father to forgive those who put Him there, because they didn't know what they were doing.  They thought they were just killing another man, not truly realizing Who He was.  This does not mean that God is going to forgive us today if we do not accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, because we now know Who He is.  Verse thirty-five adds, And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.  Those standing around Jesus, including some of the rulers, began to deride Jesus and call on Him to save Himself.  They thought they were ending Jesus reign, but they were just ushering it in.  Jesus was on the cross because He chose to be, and not because He was helpless to save Himself.  We must likewise put our lives in His hands if we are to be saved.  Verse thirty-six continues, And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,  The soldiers also mocked Jesus,  offering Him vinegar to drink.  In effect, until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we mock Him.  Verse thirty-seven says, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.  They still thought Jesus was coming to be the earthly king of the Jews and not the Heavenly One.  Many people today still have a misconception about Who Jesus was and is.  For many, even though they acknowledge that He lived, His life ended forever on that cross.  Verse thirty-eight states, And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Though they wrote it in derision, in the three predominant languages of those around Jesus that day, they proclaimed the truth.  Jesus Christ is the King of the Jews, and of anyone else who will put their faith in Him.

Luke 23:13

Luke 23:13 says, And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,  Verse fourteen adds, Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:  After Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate to be judged, Pilate called the chief priests and religious leaders of the people of Israel to Him.  Pilate said they had already brought Jesus before him, and he did not find Jesus guilty of anything they were accusing Him of.  Still, Pilate really didn't say that Jesus wast totally innocent.  In order to be saved, we must acknowledge that Jesus Himself was innocent of any sin, but died for ours.  Verse fifteen continues, No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.  Pilate said that Herod likewise said Jesus was guilty of nothing deserving death.  No matter how many authorities examine the life of Jesus, they will never find any sin in His life.  Verse sixteen states, I will therefore chastise him, and release him.  Pilate did the say that he would chastise Jesus, though he had found no fault with Him, and then release Him.  There are still people today who attempt to discredit Jesus, even when they find no fault with Him.  Verse seventeen adds, (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)  Pilate was going to release Jesus as the person who was released for the Feast of the Passover, even if they were guilty.  Jesus should have been released simply because He was innocent, but Pilate was attempting to get around simply releasing Him because He was, because those who brought Him there wanted Him dead.  We cannot work around deciding Who Jesus is.  We either declare Him to be innocent, or we declare Him worthy of death.  Verse eighteen declares, And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:  The religious leaders and those there with them cried out for Jesus to be killed and for Barabbas, a very bad man who was offered as a choice to be released instead of Jesus, to be released.  People today still choose to put others, sometimes even bad people, ahead of choosing Jesus.  Verse nineteen adds, (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)  Barabbas was actually guilty of sedition and murder as well, but the Jewish religious leaders still chose to have him set free instead of Jesus.  Verse twenty says, Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.  Pilate still wanted to release Jesus, so he spoke to the people who were demanding His death once again.  Pilate was the authority and did not need the permission of anyone to set Jesus free, in whom Pilate had said he found no fault in.  We can never sidestep the decision about Who Jesus is.  Verse twenty-one declares, But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.  The people still cried out for Jesus to be crucified.  Verse twenty-two adds, And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.  For the third time, Pilate said he could find no cause to put Jesus to death, so he would chastise Him and set Him free.  This was still not what he should have done.  Pilate was trying to please the religious leaders, but he should have taken responsibility and done what he knew was right.  By ignoring his responsibility, Pilate was just as guilty as those crying for Jesus to be crucified.  We can either accept Jesus or give in to the world, but everyone will make the decision one way or another.  Verse twenty-three states, And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.  The people continued to cry out for Jesus to be crucified, and the people and the chief priests prevailed.  No matter how loudly people may cry out against Jesus, He will always be innocent, and we certainly don't need religious leaders who claim to be Christians attempting to discredit anything that Jesus teaches us.  Verse twenty-four adds, And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.  Pilate gave in to the crowd and said it should be as they required.  He was willing to send an innocent Man, Jesus, to the cross simply to appease the religious leaders and the crowd.  Anytime someone rejects Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord, they are in effect wanting to send Him to the cross to stay.  Verse twenty-five continues, And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.  Pilate released Barabbas, a guilty man, and turned Jesus over to the will of the people.  If anyone is to be saved, he or she must accept Jesus above any other person or any other thing in this world.