Are You Implicitly or Explicitly following Jesus?

Wk 38 Day 7

John 19:12, 16, 21-22, 38

¹²From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar." ¹⁶Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

²¹The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." ²²Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

³⁸Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away.


// PILATE
.. was he a secret follower of Jesus?
.. in Chapter 19, it seems that he got convinced (but probably not as much?) of Jesus' testimony while Jesus was on trial with him
.. he had a choice to have Jesus crucified or not - and he did, he gave in to the people's pressure
.. v. 22 proves that he was starting or get convinced of Jesus' deity
.. v. 38 proves another incident that Pilate may have been a secret follower of Jesus

IF Pilate was really a secret follower of Jesus...
.. he was carried away by the people's pressure of having him crucified
.. he was embarrassed to show his conviction - that Jesus is the King of the Jews, although he's implicitly proven his belief in v. 22

// INSIGHTS
.. we always have a choice to follow Jesus or not
.. we must not allow fear or peer/people pressure to guide our thinking (Romans 12:2)
.. we must learn to choose for ourselves based on our conviction and of course, what the Word says
.. if we follow Jesus, do not hide it - be open, let your light shine regardless of what persecutions that may come our way

// BELLE
.. are you a true follower of Jesus? YES! then, I must not be influenced by the what people say about me being a Christian - whether if it will cause my job, my life, my name, my reputation from people (for the good and glory of God), I have nothing to fear.
.. these are truths I have already learned, yet I have to be reminded over and over so I do not forget what my life is about - living for Jesus - pleasing Jesus - not people.
.. there may be times when it is hard for me to decide whether to choose people or God (when it involves giving up), yet I must not have any struggle to just do what is right - choose Jesus!
.. I will not "implicitly follow" but "explicitly follow" Jesus!


// LORD, thank you for reminding me of these things. I want to be vocal, explicit and fearless in responding to the convictions in my heart as I follow You. I pray for courage and boldness to not be afraid to be radical in my living for Your glory and honor. God, thank You for speaking me all the time and helping me to remember what it means to truly follow You. In Jesus' name, amen.