John 19:8-16

John 19:8-16
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

  I imagine you know the feeling of going to a gathering where you aren't exactly sure what's going on or who's in charge.  You look around to your fellow participants and try to half-heartedly follow them, all the while peering around to see if you can discover who is really in charge.  Eventually, you just sorta give up and wait for something dramatic to reveal who is in charge.
  This somewhat resembles our spiritual life.  While we should be following the Word of God, instead we tend to listen to just about any voice in the cacophony.  We try to follow along with what everyone else is doing, but eventually our hearts get so confused we just settle into a routine and go through the motions, waiting for something dramatic when we will decide with conviction.  And so we go along, waiting.
  As the church, we are charged with being active voices in the crowd, going out and telling everyone that Jesus is the voice of Truth, the authority we need to listen to, the one true guide who will lead us into everlasting and abundant life.  We are charged with pointing to Christ, helping everyone filter out all the competing voices that lead our hearts astray.
  In this Scripture, Pilate doesn't realize who is really in charge.  The people in the crowd don't realize Jesus is the true King, so they listen to the voice of the religious leaders who tell them Jesus is a threat.  Only Jesus is confidant that God alone is leading everyone through this, guiding the world to ultimate redemption through the death and resurrection of Christ the King.