Read Matthew 27:11-30 and 1 Corinthians 7:25-31
I. Jesus Appears Before Pilate
a. Passage (Matthew 27:11-30)
- Jesus was delivered to Pilate by the religious leaders in hope of a death sentence. Jesus was presented as a rebellious leader who is starting a mutiny against Rome. Pilate asked Jesus some questions and found no wrong in him. Pilate asked the people to pick between Jesus and Barabbas a notorious criminal, and they picked Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified.
b. Reflection
- The leaders were so determined to execute Jesus that they accused Jesus as someone who encouraged citizens to not pay taxes, called himself a king, and causing riots. Jesus was presented of being an enemy of the Roman Empire to Pilate. Pilate really did not see any wrongdoings and thought that the leaders were just jealous of Jesus' popularity as a teacher of the scriptures. He wanted to release Jesus but the people wanted Him killed. The people even picked a notorious criminal over Jesus Christ to be freed. Because of the pressure, Pilate gave in to their request and sent Jesus to the mountains of Calvary. People's hearts were hardened and corrupted by the selfish desires of the Pharisees. They were led by blind guides who could not see who Jesus really was. At the same time, Pilate, because of his "love" of his position, gave it to the crowd's pressure. He knew that Jesus did not do anything wrong and not deserved to die but he also knew that he cannot risk to anger the people and risk losing his position. We, sometimes, lose our sight of Jesus and give in to the pressures of the world. We give in to others' request and fall in the temptation of sinning. We hide our faith and join in our friends in mocking our faith and the God who created all of us. We do this to fit in and be liked by others. We do not want to risk losing our friends or our reputation. We need to be strong with our faith and not be influenced by this World. We only have to please God for He is the only one who can forgive our sins and give us salvation and eternal life.
II. Paul's Advice to Unmarried Women
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:25-31)
- Paul gave his opinion on marriage and being single. He told the church that if you are married, stay married and if you are single, it is better to be single for being married is not the answer to our problems.
b. Reflection
- Paul's opinion was based on his experience as a single man serving the Lord. He recommended being single but he also said that marriage is not a bad thing and not a sin against God. By being single, you can focus your time and effort in the ministry of God. But you can only do this if you are fully devoted to Him. Whether we are married or single, we need to focus more on God's plan for us and not on our status. We need to be content with our situation and put Jesus as the center of our lives. "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light and no one comes to the Father except through Him" (John 14:6)
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:7
When a wicked man dies, his hopes perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 16:41-50, Numbers 17-18, and Psalms 55:1-23
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