Daily Devotionals

Trouble Maker Week 9: Thursday

Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36

We often have difficulty understanding grace, getting something for free that we do not deserve. Usually, when we get something for free, it has a catch. Because of this, sometimes we become suspicious when someone offers us a free gift. We are concerned that there will be strings attached if we accept that gift. True grace, however, has no strings attached. It is completely free. If it was not free, or if there were strings attached to grace, it would not actually be grace. Today, we are going to talk about the ultimate act of grace that we will ever receive: Jesus’ death on the cross so that He could purchase our salvation.

In John 18, Jesus went through a series of trials before different religious and political leaders of His day. First, he was on trial for claiming to be God. To claim to be God when you were not was a crime that warranted death. What the political and religious leaders did not realize, however, is that Jesus was actually God, so His claims were valid. Jesus was also accused of insurrection and uprising against the government. After going through these multiple trials, it was time for a decision about whether He was guilty and what His punishment would be if He were guilty. The governor, Pilate, did not find Jesus guilty, but He knew that the religious leaders wanted Jesus to be punished because they felt threatened by Him. During this time where the Jewish people were celebrating God’s faithfulness during a celebration called the Passover. It was custom during the Passover that one prisoner was released. Pilate offered three times to release Jesus, but the crowd continued to demand that he release Barabbas instead. Barabbas was a criminal who was in prison for murder and insurrection, an uprising against the government. Ironically, Barabbas had actually committed the crime (insurrection) that Jesus, although innocent, had been accused of. Pilate eventually gave in to the crowd’s demand and released Barabbas instead of Jesus. At that moment, a guilty man walked away free while an innocent man was punished and ultimately sentenced to death.

 When Barabbas walked away free while Jesus was convicted of crimes He did not commit, a picture of what was to come occurred. You see, we are all like Barabbas. We all are guilty and have done things that go against God’s will for our lives. Yet Jesus took our place on the cross and paid for the crime He did not commit so that we could have the freedom of eternal life one day. What grace He has shown us!

Moving toward action

In your notebook or journal, write out a definition of grace in your own words. Then, listen to the song Your Grace Finds Me by Matt Redman. As you listen, reflect on God’s great grace to you in sending Jesus to come to earth and die a criminal’s death so that you could have eternal life.

Going Deeper

John 18:15-40 (NLT)

"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, 16 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.

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

He replied, “I am not.”

18 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.


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

20 “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. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22 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.

23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

25 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.”

26 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?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

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."