The Grace that Empowers Us

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. (Luke 23:6-12).

Jesus’ steady march toward Calvary’s cross took a brief but poignant detour through the court of the tetrarch Herod. This is the puppet ruler who, in a drunken stupor, cruelly and unjustly beheaded John the Baptist to please his party guests… (see Matthew 14:1-12). Luke notes here that Herod… “had long desired to see him because he had heard about him”. We might imagine that Jesus wanted this meeting even more. What a grand opportunity to avenge the death of His cousin and faithful servant John! But Jesus left vengeance to God, who would deal justly with Herod. He was accused by a nephew of conspiracy against the Roman emperor Caligula and ended his days in exile in Gaul. Jesus quietly and submissively trusted God’s grace to use these conspirators and events to propel Him toward the cross… “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Diligent disciples, living for and sharing Christ in a sinful world, will find encouragement here to trust the grace that empowers us.

God’s grace responds to cruelty with compassion. Herod’s cruelty prompted the compassion of Christ as instead of judging the foolish adulterer and murderer for beheading His cousin John, Jesus proceeded steadily toward Calvary’s cross. Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, exhorts us to keep our focus on Jesus as we encounter the cruelty of the unbelieving world around us… “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When we imitate the compassion of Christ, God’s grace empowers us to become a clearer reflection of His mercy to our hurting world.

God’s grace answers contempt with confirmation. Herod and his soldiers’ contempt produced a confirmation of Christ as sovereign over this and every other moment that led Him to Calvary’s cross. Christ’s quiet confidence before His accusers reminds us of the attitude of Daniel’s friends in a similar confrontation… “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king’” (Daniel 3:16-17). When we imitate the quiet confidence of Christ before our enemies, God’s grace confirms His sovereignty over our lives because we are His children.

God’s grace turns conspiracy into cooperation. Herod’s conspiracy with Pilate unwittingly promoted their cooperation with Christ as the Lord turned their unholy alliance into a stepping stone toward Calvary’s cross. The Spirit inspired David to declare that the corrupt hearts of unholy rulers will always conspire against the coming rule of Christ… “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us’” (Psalm 2:2-3). When we imitate the meekness of Christ when confronted by the power of the world, God’s grace grants us a victory that gives glory to Christ, the King of kings.

As we grow up into Christ, imitating His humility and compassion, we show the world…

The Grace that Empowers Us.