Power of The Crowd...Good Friday 2023

In 1971 researchers from Stanford University conducted a notorious experiment called the Stanford Prison Study.

The aim of the experiment was to investigate the psychological effects of power dynamics between inmates and guards in a mock prison environment.

To conduct the experiment, the researchers randomly assigned male college students to play the roles of guards and prisoners in this simulated prison situation.

The "guards" were given uniforms, sunglasses, and batons, while the "prisoners" were stripped of their money, clothing and they even took their name and were given numbers to wear as identification.

The experiment was intended to last two weeks, but it was terminated after only six days due to the disturbing behavior exhibited by the guards.

The guards quickly began to abuse their power, subjecting the prisoners to psychological and physical abuse.

They made the prisoners perform humiliating tasks, deprived them of sleep and food, and used physical force to control them.

Meanwhile, the prisoners began to exhibit signs of psychological distress, with some developing depression and anxiety.

The experiment's lead researcher, eventually had to intervene and put an end to the study, realizing the ethical and psychological damaging implications of allowing such behavior to continue.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is a striking example of how quickly people can adopt and internalize damaging attitudes, roles and behaviors, even in an artificial setting.

The experiment has been widely criticized for its lack of scientific rigor and for the ethical concerns it raised, but it remains a significant case study in the field of psychology and a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of unhealthy groupthink and conformity.

When we reflect on the events of Good Friday in which Jesus was crucified we see this same powerful dynamic at play.

We see Pilate, the Roman governor, questioning Jesus and finding no fault in him. Yet, the crowd demands his crucifixion, and Pilate gives in to their demands, washing his hands of Jesus' blood.

Many of us like to think that if we were in the same situation we would be able to do the right thing. We like to believe that we would be able to stand against the mob and set Jesus free.

However if we are honest we have to admit that there have been many times in our lives that we too have given into the will of a crowd.

Maybe you have had strong opinions about the morality of a decision at work. You knew that your boss or your company were engaging in unethical practices…but in order to keep the peace and your job you kept your mouth shut.

Maybe there have been times when you were prompted to speak Jesus into a situation where you could be labeled a goodie two shoes or holier that thou and opted to just go with the flow.

We have ALL at times myself included opted for the path of least resistance…We have All Been Pilate…

We have all at one time or another given in to the power of the Crowd.

Good Friday reminds us of the power of the crowd and the dangers of giving in to this type of pressure.

The crowd had gotten so worked up by some of the agitators that they were willing to crucify the very one they had just earlier celebrated as Messiah...

Do you remember that?????....Just six days ago we talked about a celebration of Jesus as the conquering hero?

The Expectation of the crowd was that Jesus was coming to conquer and drive out the Roman occupiers…but instead he drove out the money changers.

Instead of defeating the Romans Jesus allowed himself to be betrayed and arrested…Instead of a conquering Messiah the crowd was seeing a sheep led to slaughter.

The religious establishment and the Powerful took advantage of this and began to convince those who were most likely to benifit that it was in their best interest to embrace the status quo over the hope of Jesus as Messiah.

We live in a world that is not much different than the ancient one…part of what we are to do in our present era is choose Jesus when everyone around us wants to Crucify Him.

We are called to trust the process of peace not engage in the activity of war. We are called to give our resources and time to the mission of Jesus not horde them for our own benifit.

We are called to Die with Christ so that we too will be resurrected and Live With Christ.

Ultimately, it was not the crowd or Pilate who had the final say in Jesus' fate.

It was Jesus himself who willingly submitted to death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin and the sin of the entire world.

In the end it will not be a Godless world or a crowds influence that will lead us away from the cross…It will be our choice.

As we remember the events of Good Friday, let us take a moment to reflect on the power dynamics in our own lives and the potential dangers of conforming to worldly ambitions and secular groupthink.

Let’s take time to Consider how we make decisions and whether we are easily swayed by the opinions of others.....or if we are choosing to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand firm in our confidence in Jesus as Lord?

As we contemplate the words of Scripture let the Scripture search out and wash our hearts and minds of anything that would make it easier for us to be swayed by the world we live in.

Scripture 14 - Scott Moore Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said,“I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, sot hey soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop12 branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said,“It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

A glass jar is place over the Christ candle as this scripture is read, which slowly extinguishes the candle’s light.

Post-Script - Scott Moore

It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week).

So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs.

One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

(This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.)

These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and “They will look on the one they pierced.”

Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away.

With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.

Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth.

The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Silence. The room remains darkened with only illumination necessary for safety.