Mob

Luke 23:13-25 (The Message)  

Then Pilate called in the high priests, rulers, and the others and said, "You brought this man to me as a disturber of the peace. I examined him in front of all of you and found there was nothing to your charge. And neither did Herod, for he has sent him back here with a clean bill of health. 

It's clear that he's done nothing wrong, let alone anything deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go."

 18-20At that, the crowd went wild: "Kill him! Give us Barabbas!" (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again.

 21But they kept shouting back, "Crucify! Crucify him!"

 22He tried a third time. "But for what crime? I've found nothing in him deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go."

 23-25But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.

"...Finally, they shouted him down."  

Sad words.  

Words that haven't changed too much in our world in the last 2,000 or 20,000 years.  

Mob mentality can be absolutely frightening...and overwhelmingly powerful.  

On this very day, December 29, 2008, there is extreme turmoil in the Middle East.  I haven't spent enough time with the TV (if that would help), or done enough reading on the internet to understand all the ins and outs of what's taken place.  

There has been violence in Israel and huge retaliation in Gaza.  And now, the mob is taking over.  

I did see that an Israeli flag was burned in the Jordanian parliament.  Hundreds of thousands have burned U.S. flags in Syria, and crowds are on the offensive in Turkey and Egypt as well.  

The things about riotous, mob mentality is that it feels right to those who are involved.  They are stirred, together, into a frenzy, sometimes because a legitimate wrong has taken place...always because unhealed wounds have been re-opened.  

It takes real leadership to stand against the mob.  Jesus stood...and Pilate stood beside him.  There was a moment of decision...an appeal to reason, and justice...then quiet acquiesence.  

"...finally, they shouted him down."  

And no amount of water could wash the blood from Pilate's hands.  

What mobs do we face in our world today?  What shouts urge us to actions that run counter to our conscience and the word of God within us?  

With prayer...and more prayer...and always humility...we should ask that God will show us the right path, even the one that runs counter to our culture...and then lead us with joy and confidence into whatever direction he has called.  

Father, we read the story of Pilate with a heavy heart.  There are moments when we are caught between the "crowd," and what is right.  Help us always to hear and follow our True Shepherd.  

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.  World without end.  Amen.