Good News

"Pilate said to them, 'Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?' For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” -Mathew 27:17-18 As I read the account of Jesus’ death just now. Verse 18 jumped at me. I’ve read this passage many times. Somehow I missed it before. My mind was always on the creative way Pilate tried to get out of sentencing Jesus. For the last few blogs, I have purposefully, repeated myself. Honestly, I didn’t understand why until just now. I even went back to my blog and tried to delete the paragraph. I said to myself, “I’m repeating myself. I’m going to delete it.” Immediately, God said, “Do not delete the words I gave you. You're just the messenger. Leave it.” However, I didn’t understand why, until now. Let me explain. I previously, said, “Jesus went around doing good. Blind received sight, deaf received hearing, mute began to talk, dead people rose from the grave, women were rescued, fevers disappeared, demons cast out, insane became sane, multitudes were feed, corrupt tax collector became model citizen, even paying back all he took, and the list goes on. Jesus and the disciples never broke the laws of the land. So, why crucify Him? Pilate knew He healed, restored, called into repentance, offered eternal life, and upheld the laws of the land. He found no fault in Him. How could Pilate even entertain such a thing? Because of the lies from the religious people. That’s how. He himself knew Jesus was innocent. Nevertheless, he convicted Jesus of treason and declared that Jesus thought himself King of the Jews. That was the crime. But, there was never such a riot led by Jesus nor any talk to over throw the government or its leader. Therefore, he had Jesus crucified, anyway. Let me share two very important things in this story. First, Pilate had a wife, and she sent him a message. “While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” Pilate was on his judgement seat. He was in the middle of hearing the case. Smack in the middle of deciding what to do, there was a message delivered to him. Urgent, from his wife. Do you see what she told him? “Have nothing to do with that just man.” JUST is the key word, here. In other words, “Pilate, Jesus is an honorable, righteous, honest, truthful, trustworthy, ethical, upright and upstanding man. Do not have anything to do with His unjust death.” Pilate himself said, “I find nothing wrong with this man.” This reminded me of a decision that was being made in our State a few years back. I was on a task force to stop an ingredient used in one of the children’s vaccines, not the vaccine itself, just one of the ingredients in it. We were advocating to remove the ingredient from the vaccine because there was enough proof it was hurting children. I received an emergency call from the task force, director. There were over 50 organizations fighting it. The Director of the coalition called me. Quickly, call the State House now, they are about to vote. We think your voice will be heard.” I called, I got the aid on the phone. He told me, “I’m sorry you are to late. They are in session. They can’t be disturbed.” I thanked him for taking my call. He said, “I still need your name, can you give me your name?” I told him my name. Suddenly, there was a new attitude. “Oh, Ms. Citro, I didn’t know it was you on the phone. Give me your message please, I’ll go in and hand deliver your message.” I gave my message loud and clear, “Vote to remove this ingredient from the vaccine, until it is safe for children to take. Please and thank you!” I received a call that evening from the director of the coalition. “O my God! You called at the right time. The actual minute. The moment your message arrived, the attitudes changed. They voted to remove the ingredient and to hold the vaccine until it is safe to give. Victory is ours. Your call changed the vote.” I even got a call from the voting people. “Ok, you happy? We got it done!” You bet I was happy. I understand the message arriving just as he was about to proclaim innocent or guilty. The point is Pilate, in the middle of a life and death situation, heard from the one person he could trust and rely on. His wife! Get my point? To make her case stronger, she told him what happened to her. “I have suffered many things today in my dream because of him.” You know what shocks me all the time? The mercy of God. God tried to warn Pilate. He warned him by revealing whatever it was his wife saw in the dream. We are not told what she saw, but it had to be horrific because she suffered in her dream. In her dream, she was in anguish, torment, pain. You could say she had a hellish dream. This why I believe Pilot decided to bring in Barrabbas. You see, Barabbas was a notorious criminal. Everyone knew he was bad news. Nobody in their right mind would let that evil man out over Jesus. It backfired. The hate was too strong. Hate has no rational of mind. It’s zeroed in to kill and destroy. There is no making sense. 2. “For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” This today struck me. Pilate knew Jesus was crucified because of envy. The religious people hated him. They couldn’t stand the attention Jesus was getting. He was showing them up. They were the head of the religious sector. They should have known better. They were scholars of the Holy Book. They taught religious education. They taught in the synagogues. The scripture had come to life before their very eyes. How could they have missed it? Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel, just to name a few. In in the book of Psalms. How can they have missed it? I believe the answer lies here. They hated him out of a heart of jealousy. He showed up their true character and their agendas. Oppress the poor, and impose laws against the word of God. Jesus was a rebel all right. He showed the people truth against man made laws. Friends, jealous people spread hate. Murder and lies are in their heart. Assassination of people have always come out of hate. How many jealous men have murdered wives and girlfriends? Yes, there has been women murdering men for same reason, too. How many lies have assassinated good and moral character of people? How many innocent people in jail because of hate? And the list goes on. I have Good News! Jesus is aquatinted with hurt, pain, abuse of power, emotionally, and physically. Hate spewed that would cause men and women to scream at the top of their lungs with a murderous spirit, crucify him. Later taunt him on a cross, and shoved a sponge full of vinegar in his face to choke him. Crucifixion wasn’t enough? What they didn’t understand was He was beating them at their very act of murder and hate. Two days later He arose. He went straight to hell and conquered death, sicknesses, diseases, and most importantly, death. We live because He died. Total victory! This is the Greatest Good Friday in all of the world’s history. Jesus conquered death. He conquered sicknesses, and He conquered every evil design that is pointed at you and me. Everything meant to hurt, and destroy the elect of God have been destroyed, cancelled, and defeated on that GREATEST GOOD FRIDAY almost two thousand years ago. We won! Victory is ours. No weapon forged against us shall ever stand. Everything meant to kill, still, and destroy was beaten. We have won the victory! Rejoice! Jesus IS alive. We live because He lives! Glory to the Lamb that was slain on our behalf. Won't you thank Him with me today? Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro Founder and President of Thread of Hope, Inc.

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