The Torture

Frederick Buechner tells an old legend of Pontius Pilate. This legend describes Pilate’s body rising again and again to the surface of a mountain lake. Each time Pilate “goes through the motions of washing his hands, as he tries to cleanse himself, not of something he had done, for which God could forgive him, but of something he might have done but hadn’t, for which he could never forgive himself . . .”

Among the things she said in the interview was that “Madonna has brought a new dimension to the cross. Never has wearing the cross been more popular than today.”

Gibson challenged the statement by saying he understood the cross to be a Christian symbol. “Not anymore,” his guest responded. “It is a fashion statement today. No one wears the cross for religious reasons anymore.”

Gibson continued to challenge her, but she insisted that the cross was “the trend of the day.” Like Gibson, I wanted to challenge was she was saying, but I had to admit that for many people, the cross is only decorative.

Chose Christ over Political Correctness.

Matthew 27:24 ESV

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.”

Chose Christ over Rash Decisions.

Matthew 27:25 ESV

And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Chose Christ over a Handy Substitute.

Matthew 27:26 ESV

Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.