Stand firm

Scripture   Luke 23:23  “ 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.”

Observations:  In Exodus we had the first 4 plagues: water turned to blood, overrun by frogs (yuk), swarmed by gnats and then swarmed by flies.  In each case, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.  I have often wondered…Moses wasn’t asking him to free the people.  He just wanted the people to go out into the wilderness so they could worship God.  What if Pharaoh had given in?  Would the people come back to the slavery and cruelty they had experienced.  I kind of understand what God was doing.  He had to make it so that Pharaoh didn’t want the people to come back.  In Luke, Jesus went before Pilate and Herod.  Neither of them found any reason to put Jesus to death, but yet the people still cried to crucify Him, and Pilate gave in.  They crucified the Lord and buried Him in a tomb.

Application.  Luke 23:23 really bothered me because it seems to be what is happening in this world today.  LGBTQ is urgent, demanding with loud cries that they be allowed to pastor churches around the world.  Pro-Choice people are urgent, demanding and with loud cries demanding that they be allowed to murder children and older people.  How is it that Christians can take such stands or support politicians who do take such stands?  We are told in Ephesians that we are not fighting people.  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12). We need to remember this.  We do not hate the people.  We hate the evil.  We love the people, because love is the only thing that is going to win the battle.  We are told to stand firm, with salvation, truth, faith, righteousness, the Word, and the presence of Holy Spirit. We need to pray for others and persevere in our stands!

Prayer:  Lord, God, Father of all Creation, the times are indeed evil.  Hebrews 11 assures us we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who did withstand persecution and evil times.  John the Baptist took his stand for justice and truth and lost his life.  The apostles took their stand for justice and truth and lost their lives. But many stood strong, serving you and lived out to old age.  We need to take our stand, and Lord, we ask you to protect us from the evil ones, and if our lives are short or long, may we hear in the end “well done good and faithful servants”.  Amen

​Tomorrow’s readings:  Exodus 9-11; Luke 24 (the end of our first gospel reading)