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Jesus answered, “ My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

When we look at the current political situation in the United States we can tend to think “what is going on Lord? Why aren’t you doing something?” Well, His kingdom is not of this world. If it were, we’d never get bad leaders, we’d always vote for the right policies, and politics would solve our problems… the reality is the opposite. Don’t worry, participate and be an agent for justice (what is right) as salt. Stand up and speak what is true as light, and then trust in the Lord because he is going to set everything right. Even through the death of Jesus, what appeared to be the greatest defeat in all history, His greatest victory was won! Trust Him.

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “ Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

Are you willing to put your life in Jesus’ hands? This is not an exercise for when everything is going great. Following Jesus when Jesus asked you to do what you want is not faith, it’s just you being you. It’s in the times when life is hard, when things go different than you want, and you remain faithful. You choose the hard way, you remain faithful to Jesus when it’s hard, you don’t do the easy thing. The only kind of faith that is any kind of faith is trusting God when it’s hard. Your life, in His hands.

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “ Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

How often do you pray the Bible? Jesus, as He was hanging on the cross, dying for the sins of the whole world, he quotes Psalm 22 “My God, my God…” It’s a way of acknowledging that He felt abandoned… however just like Psalm 22, the result is the salvation of the world! “they shall come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” When you are struggling how to pray, pray the Bible. Pray God’s promises. Pray the Psalms. Pray the Gospels. Pray Jesus’ words. Pray the Epistles. His word will not return void.

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man ‘s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!

The crowd was caught-up in the moment. They weren’t thinking about what they were saying, and yet they were responsible nonetheless. Pilot was the one with authority, yet he wasn’t one of God’s People. He should have known better, yet he tried to do the right thing, to free an innocent man. The crowd wouldn’t allow him. Don’t ever get so caught-up in the moment that you neglect what is right. Don’t simply support the thing that the crowd (the “mob”) is for in the moment, you might just be selling your soul.

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Jesus prayed for you. He has given us the word (the Bible) that we might be able to know the truth and be made clean, sanctified, consecrated for the mission ahead. Just like Jesus was sent into the world to save people, those people who are saved are then sent into the world to save others. If you’re a believer, your task is to give the world the word of truth, the gospel, just like Jesus did for you! Jesus does not want us to be removed from difficulty, to be taken out of a world that hates us because we love Jesus. NO! His desire is that we overcome the Devil. Be about the mission. Share God’s word in the world, you’ll be glad you did!