devotional post # 2075

Luke 23:6-12

Luk 23:6 After Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
Luk 23:7 Then, when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
Luk 23:8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, because he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.
Luk 23:9 So he questioned him for a long time, but he made no answer.
Luk 23:10 The chief priests and the scribes stood nearby, forcefully accusing him.
Luk 23:11 Also, Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.
Luk 23:12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that same day, because before this they had been opponents of each other.

entertainment and advancement

Pilate and Herod stand in Scripture as two men who had every opportunity to treat Jesus with seriousness, reverence, and humility — yet both reduced Him to a prop for their own agendas. Pilate saw Jesus as a political inconvenience, a problem to be managed, a pawn to help him maintain peace and keep Rome satisfied. Herod saw Jesus as a novelty, a curiosity, a performer who might entertain him with a miracle. Neither man sought truth. Neither bowed in worship. Both treated the Lord of glory as an object to be used.

And the tragedy is that this same posture still appears in the world today — not only outside the church, but sometimes within it. Many associate with the church not because they love Christ, but because they love what they think Christ can do for them. For some, church becomes a form of entertainment: a place to hear something pleasant, something inspiring, something that scratches the itch of curiosity without demanding repentance or surrender. For others, church becomes a social ladder: a place to gain respectability, build connections, or improve standing in the community.

In both cases, Jesus is not loved — He is leveraged.
He is not worshiped — He is used.
He is not Lord — He is a means to an end.

But Jesus is not an accessory to our ambitions. He is not a tool for our advancement. He is not a performer to keep us amused or a platform to keep us admired. He is the Creator of all things, the Sustainer of all things, and the rightful Lord of all. He deserves hearts bowed in awe, not hands grasping for benefit. He deserves obedience, not exploitation. He deserves worship that costs us something, not attendance that costs us nothing.

Pilate and Herod remind us that it is possible to stand in the presence of Jesus and still miss Him entirely — to hear His words, to witness His works, and yet refuse to surrender. Their treatment of Him warns us against the subtle temptation to use Christ rather than follow Him.

And so the prayer that rises from this reflection is both humble and necessary:

LORD, forgive us for using You for our own purposes.
Cleanse us from self‑seeking religion.
Teach us to love You for who You are, not for what we hope to gain.
Make our devotion real, our worship sincere, and our hearts wholly Yours.