Jesus and Pilate -- A Message for March 15, 2026

 

Most years, in the season of Lent we focus on scripture readings that explore temptation and the journey of faith. The scriptures are typically designed to remind us to resist temptation and deepen our personal relationship with Jesus.

But, this year, we are exploring the events that occurred just before Jesus’ crucifixion. These are the stories we usually read on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday – the last supper, the arrest, Jesus’ trials. But, if you fail to attend the Maundy Thursday or Good Friday worship services, you may fail to hear these stories–you may jump from the high of Palm Sunday to the high of Easter Sunday without spending time reflecting on the horror of the cross.

This year, each week in Lent we inch closer to the cross by hearing the scriptures that describe what took place just before the crucifixion. On the first Sunday of Lent, we remembered the occasion when Jesus invited Lazarus to rise from the dead….this probably happened on the Friday before the Last Supper. Two weeks ago, we focused on Jesus washing the disciples’ feet at the last supper; he invited them (and us) to serve each other and to live lives of service towards other people. Last Sunday, we focused on Jesus’ arrest and his being questioned in the middle of the night by Annas, the former high priest. While Jesus was questioned, Simon Peter was in the courtyard denying his connection to Jesus.

Apparently, after Jesus was questioned by Annas, he was taken to Caiaphas to be questioned by the high priest. In the book of John, it says he was taken to Caiaphas, and then taken from Caiaphas’ home, but there is no description of what occurred when Caiaphas questioned Jesus. Instead, the author of John says that Jesus was next taken to the palace of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. Pilate did not usually stay in Jerusalem, but was in the city because the Romans needed to oversee the potentially rowdy crowds who came to the city for the High Holy Days and festivals. 

So, let us pick up the story in the Gospel of John, chapter 18, verses 28 through 40:

Our Scripture Reading John 18:28-40

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 

29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 

32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 

39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

…….

Amen.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray….

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.  

The Message Jesus and Pilate

Next Sunday, we will pick up the story right where we left off….”Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.”  Instead of allowing Pilate to release Jesus, the crowd outside of Pilate’s home told him to release Barabbas instead. Barabbas was an insurrectionist against Roman power and a murderer. He was probably not who Pilate would have preferred to release – especially since Pilate was in charge of law and order and keeping insurrectionists at bay… But, Barabbas was released instead of Jesus.

Ugh.

There are so many nuances in the story of Jesus’ death that are both unfortunate and necessary. Jesus was the greatest person who ever lived ... .Jesus was God incarnate in the body of a man…Jesus came to each to draw us into relationship with God, to know God loves and forgives us, and to encourage us to love God and each other…. Yet, Jesus also came to earth to take on the sins of the people of the world…. He had to give himself over to die so that not only will our failures die with him, but so his resurrection will teach us that nothing we can do is more powerful than what God can do.

The conversation Jesus had with Pilate had to happen. The Sanhedrin, the Council who ruled over the Temple and the Jewish believers, did not have the power to arrest and execute prisoners. When Jesus was arrested, he was arrested by Roman Soldiers, not native Jewish police officers. Several prominent members of the Sanhedrin wanted to get rid of Jesus – they thought that if Jesus was “eliminated,” he would no longer threaten their power. And, Jesus also knew that his death was inevitable. He would have to die in order to fulfill his mission on earth.

Pilate was the Roman authority who had the power to sentence Jesus to death. After Jesus was brought to him, Pilate questioned Jesus. He asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jewish people. And, Jesus responded that his kingdom was not of this world. 

Pilate told the people who brought Jesus to him that he couldn’t find anything to condemn Jesus to death. But, Pilate sounded tired and exasperated. His job was to protect the Roman interests in Judah and to keep the people in line. The people of Judah never accepted Roman rule, never fully accepted Roman authority, and would never abandon their religion and culture to conform to Rome. PIlate’s job keeping the people in line was endless. 

Pilate sentenced Jesus to death to humor the crowds – to keep the peace. And, although Pilate didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah, his sentencing Jesus to death led to our salvation.

Pilate asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jewish people. Pilate knew about kings – the Emperor he served was the most powerful person alive in 33 AD (the most powerful person who wasn’t Jesus.) Emperor Tiberius was the ruler of the Roman empire – an empire that in 33 AD encompassed the Mediterranean world and was extending its boundaries further and further into Europe and the Middle East. Emperor TIberius was known to be brutal in his decrees and was also moody and depressive. He was a tyrant. The kings Pilate knew about had absolute power and authority. They were brutal and wanted their subjects to conform to their rule.

Jesus was the Messiah. He was a king of sorts, but he wasn’t the kind of king Pilate recognized. He wasn’t the kind of king the people of Rome were used to ruling over them. He wasn’t even the kind of ruler we are used to ruling over us. But, Jesus was the “king” we need.

Instead of using force to get what he wanted, Jesus used love. Instead of expecting others to serve him, Jesus served. Instead of caring about expanding his kingdom’s borders and conquering land, Jesus cared about our hearts and the truth. 

Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world, but we are called to work to make our world a reflection of Jesus’ kingdom. We are called to live our lives as citizens of the kingdom of God. So, we are called to model our lives on how Jesus lived his life. Our mandate is to love and serve God. We are also called to love our neighbors. We are called to humbly serve other people. We are called to care deeply about people who are suffering, to take actions to lift the burdens others face, to support people who are ill or struggling with depression or grief, and to care for God’s creation. We are called to faithfully serve God by living lives in service to building God’s kingdom on earth.

Jesus may have not been the kind of King Pilate was used to, but he was the kind of king we need. 

Let us work to live lives modeled on Jesus’ actions and teachings. Amen.  

Peter Denies Jesus -- A Message for March 8, 2026

 

This year, as we journey through the season of Lent, we are focusing on several passages of scripture that describe events that occurred during Jesus' last days on earth. Last week, we recalled Jesus washing his friend’s feet in the middle of the last supper – Jesus wanted his friends to take care of each other and to serve each other…Jesus wants us to care for each other and to remember acting kindly or charitably is never “beneath us.”

This morning, we are focusing on two events that occurred a few hours after the foot washing. After the last supper, Jesus and a few of his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. While they were there, Judas came to the garden with a detachment of soldiers and some of the Chief Priests. The group approached Jesus to arrest him. In the confusion, Simon Peter thought he could defend Jesus. He pulled out a sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the chief priest. Jesus told Simon Peter to put his weapon away. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus reattached the ear. And, then Jesus was arrested. There is no explanation why Simon Peter wasn’t arrested for attacking the servant – the gospel of Matthew just says Jesus' disciples ran away as Jesus was arrested. In our reading from John, it says that Simon Peter and another disciple followed the group who arrested Jesus to Annas’ house.

We pick up the story in John, chapter 18, verses 12 through 27:

The Scripture John 18:12-27

Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 

and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 

Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 

but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”

It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 

Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 

Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”

One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 

Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray….

The Message Peter Denies Jesus

It is much easier to be brave when you are part of a group of like-minded people. Most of us are more comfortable being part of a group, the in-crowd, than we are to break from the norm. We don’t see very many people wearing Cowboys jerseys at Eagles games or Mets caps at Phillies games. It is easier to be open about your political views if you are in a group of people who agree with you. It is easier to eat vegetarian food at a vegetarian restaurant than at a barbeque joint. It is much easier to be brave when you are part of a group of like-minded people.

Today, our scripture reading focuses on the back-and-forth story of Jesus and Simon Peter. Jesus was arrested, dragged to Annas’ house, and was questioned. Annas was the former High Priest and was the father of the current High Priest. Simon Peter and another unnamed disciple followed the group of soldiers and officials who arrested Jesus. They waited in the courtyard of Annas’ house for news about Jesus.  

Both Simon Peter and Jesus were questioned – questioned in different ways.

This was Jesus’ first interrogation after his arrest – each gospel account is slightly different – but Jesus was possibly interrogated by Annas, Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate. He was questioned again and again. Annas was the former chief priest, but he still probably held power within the priestly community. He did not have the official role of high priest, but it has been suggested he was making an informal assessment of the “Jesus problem” so he could advise Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin – the 71 member Jewish Council that held the power to adjudicate legal and religious matters. 

Since Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night, we can assume this interrogation was taking place during the night and in an unofficial capacity. The text suggests Annas was fishing for valuable information that could be taken to the Roman governor, to Pilate.

But, Jesus, standing alone without an attorney or a friendly Sanhedrin member to represent him, refused to play Annas’ game. He didn’t give away any incriminating information. He told the truth. And, he was so blunt that one guard was provoked to hit Jesus after he answered one of Annas’ questions. 

Jesus didn’t cower in fear. Jesus didn’t make an incriminating confession. Jesus was unwavering. 

Simon Peter, on the other hand, reacted in a very human way. Just a few hours earlier, at the last supper, Jesus said that Simon Peter was going to deny Jesus. When Jesus said this, Simon couldn’t believe it – he didn’t accept Jesus’ words. But, Jesus was correct – Simon Peter denied Jesus three times.

Simon Peter was recognized by other people outside of Annas’ house. A female servant questioned Simon Peter: “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” A group of people warming themselves around a fire asked him: “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” A relative of the man whose ear Simon Peter cut off “challenged him” and asked him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 

Every time Simon Peter was asked if he was a follower of Jesus, he lied and said he was not. A few hours earlier, Simon Peter was sitting at the table with Jesus and his friends. When Jesus told Simon Peter he would soon deny his connection to Jesus, Simon Peter couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe he would ever not feel brave and unafraid to proclaim his relationship with Jesus. But, things changed quickly. Simon Peter was no longer with a group of believers; he was alone outside of Annas’ house. And, all of the bluster and love and confidence he felt a few hours earlier had quickly cooled. Now, Simon Peter was alone and afraid. And, he was scared that he was next – that he would be arrested and tried and have his own life on the line.

What a human response! It is much easier to be brave when you are part of a group of like-minded people.

Fortunately, we know the rest of the story – Simon Peter eventually got over his fear. He became the “rock” upon which Jesus built his church. On Pentecost, Simon Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to boldly preach and proclaim the Good News. He became the leader of the Christian community of Jerusalem and eventually was martyred for his faith.

We all have chicken-out moments. We all have lived through situations we regret – moments when we should speak out about our faith and are afraid…moments when we should stand up for vulnerable people and don’t…moments when we should help people in need and fail.  

But, God gives us more and more opportunities to get things right. We may make mistakes – but we are forgiven by the grace of God. Every day, we have opportunities to do what is right, to help our neighbors in need, to speak up about our faith, to take actions modeled on Jesus’ actions, and to do the right thing even when the other people do not. We shouldn’t get stuck focusing on what we “should” have done in the past. Instead, we must work to do what is right in the here and now. We are Jesus’ hands on earth. We are Jesus’ feet on earth. We are Jesus’ eyes on earth. We are Jesus’ ears on earth. We are given daily opportunities to serve God. 

So, let’s do it. Let’s proclaim our faith in Jesus. Let us put our faith in action now. Amen.

Jesus Serves -- A Message for March 1, 2026

    This year, as we journey through the season of Lent, we are spending each week focused on one of the many events, or situations, that occurred during Jesus’ final week on earth. Last week, we looked at Lazarus’ death – Jesus traveled to Bethany to console Lazarus’ sisters and then invited Lazarus to rise from the dead. Although we don’t always recognize this when we celebrate Holy Week, the rising of Lazarus occurs just before Palm Sunday. 

This morning, we are going to skip over the Palm Sunday story and save it to focus-on on March 29 – during our remembrance of Holy Week. Today, we turn to one of the occurrences that happened as part of the Last Supper. Listen now to the story unfolds as we turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 13, verses one through seventeen:

The Scripture John 13:1-17

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 

4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 

5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 

11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 

13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 

15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 

16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 

17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Amen.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.  

LEt us pray…

The Message Jesus Serves

When I was in seminary, every year during one of the Holy Week worship services, the professors would wash the feet of the students. The professors were typically very formal – the men wore suits and the women were also usually dressed up – wearing high-heals and make-up. But, when the time came for the foot washing, the teachers would take off their jackets, beckon the students forward, have us sit down, and then the professors would kneel down before us and wash our feet. It was very moving, and also very weird. 

In my mind, it didn’t seem right for our professors–who were brilliant theologians and leaders of the church–to debase themselves by washing our feet.

But that is what they did. They were demonstrating servant-leadership.

As we read through this morning’s passage, I can relate to Peter – it didn’t seem right to him to have Jesus – their leader, their teacher, their pastor, their messiah – it didn’t seem right to have Jesus wash their feet. Washing feet was the job of a servant…washing feet was the job of a slave. The students were supposed to care for their rabbi – not the other way around. This was a topsy-turvy event for the disciples – the one they served was serving them.

It was probably deeply uncomfortable for the disciples, and weird, to have Jesus wash their feet.

But, as was true with many of his choices, Jesus was teaching his disciples – even as the pressure was on and Jesus knew his lifetime was coming to an end and his betrayer was in the room with them – even then, Jesus was teaching his disciples.

Jesus told them: “ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”  

Do you think Jesus was telling his followers that we need to wash each others’ feet? A third sacrament to go along with Baptism and Communion??  

Some churches and denominations embrace foot washing….they believe it is important to literally do as Jesus said, and wash each other’s feet. But, churches like ours are not jumping in “feet first.” We are more focused on the lesson behind Jesus’ words.

Jesus wanted his followers to humble themselves and serve other people. He was egalitarian – everyone needed to be treated equally and kindly. No one was better than anyone else, and Jesus mandated that we call love our neighbors as we loved ourselves. No one was to think of themselves as superior compared to other people. No servant is greater than his master – and no master is greater than his servant.

In our regular-lives, we are used to hierarchies. Little Aida is in preschool – the teachers are in charge of the students. They have to be in charge, since 2-year olds are risk takers who don’t understand cause-and-effect.

This carries through our lives – in school the teachers are in charge of the students and the principals are in charge of the teachers and the superintendent is in charge of the principals.  Most of our work-places are set up where there are bosses in charge of employees – corporate structures have the owners and Chief Executive Officers at the top of the hierarchy and various levels of employees down to the entry level folks….layer upon layer of hierarchies.

In our work lives, we are encouraged to strive for the top – to work towards moving up in the chain-of-command until we have higher salaries and possibly supervise other people and have more and more responsibilities. Even when I worked in bookstores and fast food restaurants, the promise of a managerial position in the future and the possibility of supervising the other workers was the goal we all strived towards.

But, Jesus wanted his people, Christians, to look at each other and their fellow-men (and women) with compassion, grace, love and equality. The Christian world and our work as the faithful must operate differently than the rest of the world. And, our work as Christians must take priority over all of our other work. We cannot think of ourselves as “above” helping others. We can’t think of ourselves as “too-good” to do the work of compassion Jesus inspires us to embody – in our faith, there is no hierarchy – we are all called to clean the bathrooms or sweep the floors or wipe the snot off of a kid’s runny nose or heat up a frozen meal so that a homeless person has a bite to eat. We are all called to be workers for God, worker-bees for Christianity. 

Sometimes, we have trouble seeing the needs of other people. We are busy and are caught up in doing what is right in front of us. But, part of our work is to have our eyes open and work to see the needs others have. Sometimes, other people are too afraid to ask for help. Sometimes, other people are too embarrassed to ask for help. So, we must pay attention…and keep our ears and eyes open…so that we can recognize what others may be afraid to say or ask for.

And, when we discover what people are struggling with, we must do our part to help them find solutions…solutions that support them with dignity and grace. 

Even at the end of Jesus’ life, he was still teaching his disciples lessons. He wanted them to remember they served him by serving other people. He wanted them to remember that there is no job that is beneath us. And, we are called to work for the good of other people every chance we get.

So let us work to live out our faith by recognizing the needs of other people and doing all we can to help them..

Amen.