The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-06-07

Jesus winch Is
called Christi" And again, prompted
by the chief priests and the elders,
the crowd shouted back: "Let him be
crucified" PLATE answered.: "Why,
what evil hath he done" "But they
cried out the more saying: Let him be
crucified"
When PLATE saw that the crowd
was tumultuous and he could prevail
nothing, thinking to rid himself of
the responsibility of having Christ cru
Gifted, he took water and washed his
hands before the multitude, saying:
II am innocent of the blood of this
just person: see We to it." And the
crowd, beside itself with frenzy, little
realizing the import of the words, an
swered as one man., "His blood he on
US and on our children"
God took them at their word, and
the blood of Jesus has rested upon
them and their children to this day,
and they have suffered, as the proph-
cts testified they would, because of 1t.
Amongst the nations of the world the
Jews have borne the stigma of their
crime, and everywhere their name Is a
by-wOrd and a kissing.
But PLATE did not, by the panto-
mime of washing his hands, neither
by his word nor that of the maddened
crowd, release himself from his di-
lemma. Jesus was on his hands, and
he was responsible for what he did
with aim, and any, court Of Justice
would hold him accountable.
Pilates name might have gone down
in history as that of Just man, had
he refused to be party 70 the diaboli-
cal designs upon Jesus. But PLATE
was spineless, weak-kneed, political
| sycophaht. BE thought more of the
| security of his throne and his politl-
cal future than he did of justice, and
so he yielded up Barabbas to the null
titude and sent Jesus to be crucif1ed.
| Pilates dilemma is the dilemma of
all men. AS in Pilates case, circum-
stances beyond control have placed
Jesus on our hands, and 1t is
no easier for us TO shift respon-
sponsibility for our treatment of Jesus
than it was for PLATE to do so.
We say we will have nothing to do
with Jesus, but that does not relieve
us of our dilemma. Jesus is on our
hands, for God sent him to be the
Savior of the world, and that very fact
makes us responsible for what we do
with him.
To say that we will avoid RESPONSE
bility by having nothing to do with
Jesus, thinking thereby to relieve our
selves of responsibility, is as silly as
it was for PLATE to think he could re-
Iieve himself of responsibility by go
ing through the pantomime of washing
| his hands.
To refuse to heed the claims Of
Jesus as Savior is to decide against
him. We have his own word for this,
which says, "He that is not with me is
against me-" Do not think, then, to re.
lieve yourself of Pilates dilemma by
assuming a negative attitude toward
Jesus, for you have not thereby shift
ed your responsibility to do something
for him. You have by your very at
titude done something with him. by
not needing his claim upon you, you
have denied that he has any claim, and
by not accepting him as your Savior
you have refused him. This is so evil
dent that the wonder is that men will
persistently try to shift their respOn
sibilty for their treatment of Christ
saying: 81 will do nothing with him.
hoping that this word relieves them OF
their dilemma. No, no, brother, sister
Jesus is on your hands, and do moi
think that your words wash away your
responsibility. A gift, though not will
fully refused, If not accepted Is reject
ed, and so Christ, even though not will
fully refused by you as your Savior
is, If he is by you neglected, thereby
rejected.
Pilates question is your question
what shall I do then with jesus
which is called Christi" Let mi
tell you, brother, sister, what to d.
with him. Accept him by faith al
your savior, for ''he that believeth OF
the Son hath everlasting life: and h
that believeth not the Son shall no
see life; but the wrath of God nbideti
on him."--John 8 :36.
| PLATE, If he had done the RICH
thing with jesus, would have his nam'
written in history today as a man o
| justice. You, If you do the right thin
with Jesus, namrly, accept him a
your Savior and Lord, will have you
name written forever in the Lamb
Book of Life, and you will have 10,
and peace in believing In the Lor'
Jesus Christ, a JOY and peace that tn
world annot give, neither take ewal