Echoes of Grace

  Part 1 – A Drama Unfolding For this message, you’re going to have to do something for me, otherwise it is not going to land at all. If you simply look at this message the way we always do, and we look back at the entire story as it unfolds, I don’t think this message is going to hit home. I don’t think the concept of the Christmas story being unthinkable is going to resonate with you properly. So, what I’m asking you to do for this message as I walk us through where it first began, I want you to put yourself not at our space level looking down on the whole Christmas story as it unfolds, knowing the end of it when you look at the beginning. Today, really put yourself where those people were as we walk through it and then I think you’ll get what I’m talking about. I don’t know, I think I do, but I don’t know if God has ever done anything in your life that you just totally didn’t see coming whatsoever. Maybe it’s a good thing, maybe it’s something that you don’t ...

  Introduction Remembered as the ruthless Roman governor of Judea who condemned Jesus to a merciless death on the cross, Pontius Pilate plays a short role in the passion narrative of the gospels, yet the importance of his role cannot be understated. While most Christians with a surface understanding of the Gospels of the New Testament believe that it is easy to understand Pontius Pilate, an in-depth study of the primary source material will show that this Roman prefect is a highly dynamic character who had difficulty in maintaining a balance between his allegiance to the Roman Empire, and the Jewish people he was charged with overseeing. This paper will defend the view that Pontius Pilate was neither a saint nor a ruthless villain, but rather a typical Roman prefect who faced conflict in trying to fulfill his duties. Research Methodology Pontus Pilate appears as a major character in the passion narrative of the gospels, and is mentioned in all four gospels a...