The Right Decision - May 8, 2010

Good Saturday morning! Jesus often pressed others to make the right decision. Even as Pilate dithered over his decision, Jesus assured him that Jesus' own kingdom was not of this world. I like to think that Jesus tried to give Pilate the right assurance for the beleaguered ruler to make the right decision. Would the crucifixion have been avoided with Pilate deciding to let Jesus go? No, the time had come and Jesus was going to the cross willingly, but Pilate himself might have escaped condemnation for turning over the Son of God to the crowd to be crucified.

Jesus also pressed the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the teachers of religious law to recognize him and tell the people that Messiah had arrived. The closest they came was admitting that "this man certainly does many miracles." However, instead of recognizing the arrival of the Son, they chose to accuse him of using the power of Satan.

Other examples were good examples of the right decision. Peter, James, John, Nathaniel, Andrew, Matthew, and many others made the decision to follow Christ. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus believed in Jesus and sought his counsel. Roman soldiers believed, Roman officers had faith in Jesus, and the despised Samaritans believed when given the chance to make the right decision. Churches sprang up throughout the Roman Empire after Pentecost, and we have the opportunity to hear the Good News every day in the modern world. We all have the opportunity today to make the right decision for Christ; choose wisely, eternity is at stake.

Bucky

Sometimes we look in the wrong place for an answer. We might look to a secular friend for answers about Heaven and eternity when we should be looking in God's own word. Other times we are simply in the wrong book. In looking for the correct spelling of Arimathaea, I came across "armadillo" in what I thought was my Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. Was Mr. Strong having a joke at my expense? No, I had grabbed my dictionary by mistake. The moment of bafflement was priceless though as I searched my memory for any mention of an armadillo in the Bible. Have a great Saturday!