Yes, it is as you say

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

“YES, IT IS AS YOU SAY”

Luke 23:1-4

23:1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king." 3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. 4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."

NIV

It is not clear why Jesus answered Pilate, but as we will see did not answer any questions of Herod. But the fact is he did admit that he was the king of the Jews to Pilate. But perhaps the lesson we have today is in the accusations of the whole assembly. They brought false charges about Jesus, charges that Pilate could not care about, and in fact the life of Jesus was completely contrary to. What do we say when we are asked about who we are? Do people charge us with subverting our nation? In some sense the ungodly think we are subversive. Again the ungodly does not mean the terrible people of the world, but merely those who refuse to accept Jesus as their King. When someone serves their own self, their own desires and passions, they are not serving Jesus. What we stand for, we who serve the Lord, is opposed to what they stand for. At least that is if we express the gospel message and our allegiance to our Sovereign King. When we take our stand against the ills of sin, those behaviors that vehemently oppose the righteousness of God, we might well be accused of subverting our nation. This is why they try to use the “If God is a God of love then…..” phrase in an attempt to null and void his standards of conduct. If we simple keep silent, or locked up within the confines of our churches, we are at least tolerated by some. There are still others who would what us removed from the face of this nation, and any reference to our Lord removed as well. They want to live as they want to live, free of any standard of conduct other then what they have devised, such as these men who accused Jesus were doing. Jesus would not stay silent, at least in front of Pilate. We can take our lead from him, finding our voice, admitting we serve the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Most High God of heaven and earth. If that is subverting our nation, so be it, but it is they who are subverting our nation, with ungodliness. But if they were to ask us, “Are you a Christian?” “Yes, it is as you say” would be our response. If they ask, “Are you a minister?” we would say, “Yes, it is as you say”.