When the religious rulers bring Jesus to Pontius Pilate on the day of his crucifixion…

…he just doesn’t want to deal with this problem. Pilate is annoyed by this Jewish theological dispute. He’s just a company man for the Romans and he does not want to decide about Jesus.

We all know people like that. Maybe we actually are just like that.

Are you like those who put off deciding about Jesus?

Are you indifferent to the person and work of Jesus? We have a category in the U.S. Census where these people can align themselves. We call them the “Nones”

Do you know what I mean by the “Nones?” Not the Roman Catholic nuns. I’m talking about the “no religion in particular” group as it’s reported by the 2020 Census. On the census they check off “none” next to religious preference.

Now the “Nones” can generally be broken down into three groups: agnostics, atheists and a third bloc that is much larger than the first two and doesn’t really have a label. They are the “nothing in particular” bloc. I read in an article this week that according to recent census data, about 6 percent of American adults are atheists and 5 percent are agnostics, while 21 percent of Americans describe their religious beliefs as “nothing in particular.” I also found it interesting that agnostics and atheists, in particular, tend to be disproportionately male, white, college-educated and politically left leaning. And I was not surprised to read that atheists, in particular, have fairly negative views about churches and religious organizations.

In contrast, the “nothing in particular” bloc is more diverse — more people of color, more women, more politically conservative, fewer people with college degrees. And they have less objections to churches and religious organizations. They are just indifferent.

Interestingly, the article also noted that if you have money, or your parents have money and give it to you, you tend to be less religious.

And these are the people who are indifferent. They just don’t care.

The next group of people who I have observed put off engaging with Jesus are the ones who are just too busy!

Their life is a “rat race.” Like the governor of Palestine in 33 AD, they are going nowhere fast, furiously “putting out fires,“ and simply living to pay the bills - like they are racing on the proverbial “Hamster wheel.”

A third group that doesn’t want to deal with Jesus and who are like Pontius Pilate are primarily reluctant to embrace Jesus because, in this discussion, Jesus acknowledges that he is a King. And as you know, Pontius Pilate is threatened by that. Well, guess what, ever since we were four years old there’s a voice that says to anyone in authority over us: “You are not the boss of me.”

And then a fourth group joins Pontius Pilate with either a cynical or philosophical rejection of the “truth claims of Jesus.” Do you have a philosophical and cynical objection to “truth claims of Jesus?” Jesus says “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” How did Pilate respond? Do you remember? “What is truth?” That’s very postmodern of him, isn’t it?

So at the end of the encounter, Pilate tries to “wash his hands” of Jesus. But you know what? Not to decide is to decide.

Don’t try to “wash your hands of him.” The fact is, you need him to “wash” you. Don’t wash yourself from him.

Let him wash you.

Revelation 7:9-10, 13-14 “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Yes, Pilate will send Jesus to the cross. And Jesus will go willingly. He knows he is innocent – even more than Pontius Pilate understands when he declares Jesus innocent. Jesus will go as the spotless Lamb whose blood will atone and cleanse us from our sins. Trust him. Embrace him. Believe in him.

 Musing’s from Pastor John, May 23, Click to Email Pastor John

Pastor John’s May 23 message about Jesus and Pontius Pilate is at 10:00 AM on YouTube.