This material was first published by Redemptorist Publications
and is included here with their permission.

John 18.33b-37
A King from another world 

If Jesus was a King from this world:

• His followers would fight to keep him from injustice and death.
• He would have had you, Pilate, overthrown or killed.  You would not be standing in judgment and passing sentence.
• He would suppress any truth spoken against him and twist words to suit his own purpose.
• He would control with force and obedience to his will would come from fear of punishment or death.

But Jesus is not a King from this world.

• His followers have fled in terror and he stands before you, Pilate, vulnerable and powerless to defend himself.  Yet he is a King.
• And you, Pilate, can do with him what you will.  Your position is safe, protected by the might of Rome.  Why would you seek to do justice?
• He is Truth itself and challenges you, Pilate, to believe him.  You cannot hide behind clever words and lies. You have a choice.  Accept Truth and let him change your life or reject him and for ever know you put innocence to death.
• Our love for him is our response to his love; our loyalty to him is our response to his faithfulness through all generations; our obedience to his will is our response to his obedience which led him to die on the cross for us.

You see, Pilate, we have been given eternal life through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, Christ the King.  It was for this he was born.

Prayer:

Christ Jesus, our Lord and King, renew and strengthen our love for you and keep us faithful in serving you above all rulers from this world.  Amen.