Live to Love Scripture Encouragement

John 18:35-36 “Pilate answered, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.’"
Basically, Pilate seems frustrated with Jesus—and the Jews. Remember, he doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. If we could look into his heart, we might find him looking for a reason not to condemn Jesus. Pilate’s remarks essentially confirm this. He was saying, “I’m not a Jew, so this has nothing to do with me. I didn’t start this.”
His question, “What have you done? What have you done to threaten your people and their leaders that makes you a threat to Rome?”
Jesus’ answer removes the false claim that Jesus was killed because He spoke truth to power. Jesus’ answer should have brought a sigh of relief to Pilate. Jesus is a king, but not a king of the earthly realm. Certainly this was as puzzling to Pilate as Jesus’ words were to Nicodemus when He told him about being born again. It is clear from the text that Pilate is still in the kingdom of darkness.
Perhaps this gives us a small insight into Peter’s attack on Malchus. At that point in time, Peter did think Jesus’ kingdom was of this world. Perhaps he fought so Jesus wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But this verse makes it clear that we who follow Jesus have been transferred out of the kingdom of this world into another kingdom, the kingdom of God. The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians that God “rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). In Him, our beloved king, we have eternal life.
Love is the manifested evidence that we are in Jesus’ kingdom. In a sense, love is our kingdom ID. John wrote in his first epistle in 3:14 that those who love have passed from death to life. May we display everyday that we are not of this worldly kingdom, but servants of Christ our king.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 18:34 “Jesus answered, ‘Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?’"
First, notice how love pushes for the highest good. The highest good in this instance for Pilate was to ask himself, “Is it possible that this man really is the a king? And if he is, what kingdom is he the king of?” Jesus answered Pilate’s question with a question that revealed Pilate’s heart and motives. Second, notice also that Jesus isn’t telling Pilate something he’s not ready to hear. Third, notice also that Jesus was reminding him, kindly, that the law requires witnesses. “Did others tell you about Me?"
We can learn from this exchange how to answer an opponent or antagonist. It is better to answer questions of accusation with a question that helps them sort out why they are doing what they are doing. Jesus was keeping the burden of proof on Pilate and the Jews. When we know we are of the truth, the burden of proof rests on the accuser. Like Jesus, we should rest peacefully in the truth. If we live to love with Jesus we will always be walking and standing in the truth, for Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
For more encouragement to live to love with Jesus I invite you to visit www.livetolovewithjesus.com.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

1 John 1:5-7 

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Truth has been the focus of my blogs this year. I have been so encouraged this year as I meditate on truth, and I hope you’ve been blessed by walking with me on the journey of practicing the truth by walking in love with Jesus. This month, let’s draw insight from the passage above in 1 John 1:5-7.

God is Light

1 John 1:5-7 highlight the relationship between truth and love. God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Amazing! The life of God dwells in all of those born of God—the life of light. John wrote in his gospel, “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men” (John 1:4).

God is Love

God also is love. 1 John 4:7-8. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” When God is present, a light shines in the hearts of those who are His. They have hearts to express the indwelling life of Christ through love. Therefore, He is their light, and His light is the light of the world. When His light shines in and through them, they live to love with Jesus, and practice the truth. 

Read more at livetolovewithjesus.com/blog

John 18:33 “Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’"
Pilate talked with the Jewish leaders and mob outside the Praetorium because the Jews would be defiled if they went inside. But Jesus was inside the Praetorium before the judgment seat of Pilate. While outside talking with the Jews we learn from Luke 23:2 what the council had agreed would compel Pilate to crucify Jesus. “And they began to accuse Him, saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.’" Do you see how Satan led them to twist the words of Jesus and falsely accuse Him? They found Pilate’s weak spot (self-ambition and self-preservation) and played him. They knew this information would lead to Jesus’ execution.
So upon hearing this false accusation, Pilate returns to investigate along this line. “Are you the king of the Jews?”
As we live with Jesus, we should expect Satan, who hates Jesus in us, to attack Him in the same way. He will twist our confidence in Christ and lead those who are threatened by it to think it is pride (calls Himself a king—thinks He is an authority).
We will take careful notice the next few days at how Jesus loved in the face of such demonic opposition. Today, let’s not let those who misjudge us throw us off our purpose to love with Jesus.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 18:32 “To fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.”
Matthew recorded Jesus’ prophecy regarding His death. Matthew 20:18-19. "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up."
Jesus also prophesied our death. Matthew 16:24-25. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’”
Have you not heard? We were born again to die just like Jesus was born to die? We know the kind of death we are going to die—death to our own individualism, death to self—so that the life and love of Jesus may be resurrected in us. If we think we can live today to express our true authentic selves, we are deluded and deceived. There was no way out for Jesus that morning. His death had been prophesied by God and this had to be fulfilled. So it is with us. As we live to love with Jesus, we may expect to die daily so Jesus’ love may be revealed. We can testify with the apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:31 “I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” In Jesus’ death, we die. In His life, we live—to love with Him.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com