Jesus is Handed Over for Crucifixion

Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.  So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.  John 19:16

This is the moment.  This is the moment that defines everyone's destiny.  Pilate.  The soldiers.  The priests and officials.  Jesus.

This is the moment where Pilate could say - you are all ridiculous!  There is no crime against this man!  I won't be a party to this!

This is the moment where the soldiers could say - I know that to disobey an order could mean death, but this is wrong!  I cannot take this man to be crucified.  He has done nothing wrong.

This is the moment where the priests and officials could say - Have mercy on us, O God!  We are sinners and have done a horrible thing!  This man has committed no crime - it was all lies!  Forgive us!

But - This is the moment where Jesus could say - How dare you!  I am the King of the Universe!  You cannot kill me!  I'm calling legions of angels at this very moment!  You cannot contain me.

That was the moment when life for all of us could have changed.  Because, if any of those things had happened, and Jesus hadn't paid the penalty for our sins, we would really be in trouble.  If any of those men had made a different choice, OUR destiny, 2,000 years later, would have been hopeless.

Just imagine what life would be like today, if Jesus hadn't become forgiveness for us.  Imagine.

You think the world is bad now?  Imagine the scene in Egypt about a month ago.  Imagine that all over the world.  All the time.

Mass chaos.  Riots.  Murder.  Rape.  Not as the exception.  As the rule.

In some parts of the world, I think that is their reality.  But I cannot imagine living like that. 

I think if Jesus had not come when He did, had not died when He did, most of us wouldn't be here.  The world would have given itself over to sin and injustice.  There would be no such thing as good.  The whole of humanity would have imploded into an apocalyptic, joyless, hopeless, over-the-top mess.

If just one of those people had made a different choice.  

On the one hand, I want to shake Pilate, the soldiers, the priests.  I want to shame them because of their choice.  I want scream at them - look what you did!

On the other hand, what if Jesus hadn't died?  

God used the circumstances of man's fallen behavior and sinful nature to bring redemption to the world.  He took what Satan intended for evil and used it to change eternity.