It was not the “heathens” who demanded that Jesus be executed. The “heathens” tried to defend Him. They tried to let Him go… They were not involved in this battle between satan and God.
It was the religious leaders who stirred up the people against Jesus. It was they and their followers who screamed “Crucify Him!”
Three times Pontius Pilate tried to release Jesus. Three times the religious leaders and their blinded brute mob hurled their hatred and accusations at Him. Jesus assured Pilate that “the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
What was Jesus’ crime? Why did they hate Him so much?
Jesus had loved and forgiven people they hated. He had shown mercy to the outcasts, the unclean, the undesireables… and for this “sin” they wanted Him to die.
Where would you have been standing that day, Christian? Where would I? In the crowd? Would you have screamed too? Would you have thrown a stone?
Today IS that day. The Body of Christ is still right here with us… standing before us… within each believer as the Holy Spirit. WE true Christians ARE the Body of Christ.
And STILL the religious people among us, many who claim the name “CHRISTian,” hurl their stones of hatred and condemnation against their own brothers and sisters in Christ. They continue the work that the devil attempted on Calvary… the plan hatched by Lucifer in the garden… to steal, kill, and destroy God’s creation, God’s children that He loves… that He breathed His own life into.
And what is our crime… those of us they persecute? Why do they hate us so much? Those of us who don’t blindly accept all of their religious rules? Those of us who dare to question their conclusions about who should and should not be loved and forgiven? Those of us who walk outside of the narrow path that they themselves have created?
Is the blood of Jesus not strong enough to cleanse ALL who claim it? Even us… the outcasts, the unclean, the undesireables? Is His blood strong enough to cover those of us who come to Him broken, addicted, confused, depressed, weak, wounded and rejected?
To the pharisees I say, let him with no sin cast the first stone. Put down your stones, you hypocritical blind fools.
To my persecuted, church wounded brothers and sisters, those of us abused and bloodied by religion, just as Jesus was… to YOU I say, come home. It is NOT Jesus who threw these stones at you. Instead Jesus Himself has prepared a table for you. He is inviting you to sit with Him. He is offering a cup to you and it is filled with living water.
