Blog

Jan 12, 2023 18:30pm

Mistaken Identity

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A friend told me a story the other day of a time when her daughter had a case of mistaken identity.

It was the first day of school on a college campus, and students were gathered in the room before class started. The topic of discussion was the teacher. One young man talked of how tough she was and said some pretty derogatory things about her. The others chimed in a bit, many of them just listening and going along with it. As the time to start approached, one young lady walked away from the group and stood at the front.

“Good morning class, I am your teacher.”

You can imagine the shock and disbelief on their faces when they realized they had just been saying those awful things not just about her, but to her.

SHE was the teacher?!

What could they say? What could they do? There were no excuses or ways to get out of this one.

“Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.” (Matthew 27:27-31)

The band of Roman soldiers all gathered to ridicule and belittle this man called Jesus. The raucous grew, one soldier trying to outdo another. When one spout of vile slurs, another would spew out obscenities. From verbal to physical abuse, these men had their fun at the expense of Jesus.

And here, tucked away within the scripture, they mockingly bow before Jesus and hail him as King.

Oh, if they only knew.

This was the KING! The rightful heir to the throne! Not of an earthly kingdom, but an eternal one. He was God’s only Son, sent to this earth to rescue mankind. The scriptures even foretold of this very event!

But the people didn’t even recognize Him.

And how did Jesus respond? In Luke 23:34, He says to the Father, “forgive them, for they know not what they do”.

Mercy.

These men deserved death that very minute, but Jesus showed such mercy towards them.

Jesus did not come to condemn them, but to save them.

But it had to be their choice.

One day, there will be no choice. It will be too late. All will bow, but some will be in fear, realizing the King that is before them is the very one they have mocked, belittled and cursed their whole lives.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

Have you recognized Jesus as the Lord of your life? Be not mistaken. Today, you have a choice, but one day, we will all bow down before the Lord God Almighty and His glory will shine!

Choose Jesus!