Luke 23:1-25

Jesus was taken to Pilate and accused of telling people not to pay taxes and claiming to be a king. Pilate couldn't find any reason to convict Jesus of anything, so he sent Him to Herod. Herod, likewise, found Jesus not guilty and sent Him back to Pilate. Pilate tried to convince the crowd to let Jesus go, but they cried out for His death. Finally, Pilate caved in and ordered Jesus to be crucified.

Jesus led a sinless life, but was tried as though He were a criminal. Even though He was found not guilty by His judges, mob rule won out and He was sentenced to death. Today, there are voices being raised against Jesus and His people. We have a choice to join them, ignore them, or confront them. Pray for the courage to stand for Jesus. The easy thing to do when things get rough is to give in to the crowd and compromise your values - what you know is true and right. It's hard to go against the grain and stick out in this world, but the ones who do will be rewarded in heaven.