Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

When I equate my own spiritual journey to any other journey in life or literature, it’s often hard for me to separate my thoughts from the “courtroom” setting. I mean, think about it with me for a second. The Scripture uses words like law, judgment, innocence, guilt, freedom, prison, witness, testimony - I could go on and on. It’s by no coincidence that our judicial system in the United States is one built on the concepts and precepts found in the Word of God. It’s become even more prevalent with the constant growth of social media and the “court of public opinion.”

Our life is ultimately lived out in the courtroom. There is no escaping the outcome, we are undoubtedly guilty. We have people who take the stand in our defense or with the intent to further our persecution, and in the end, we have to be held responsible for our actions. We take the stand, and we testify. How ironic that even in the confines of a courtroom, “taking a stand” requires us to speak the truth, to witness. The difference in all of this is the Judge, but we will come back to that part.

This idea is seen in Paul’s very trial with King Agrippa and Festus after being brought forth by the angered Jewish leaders (Acts 25). If there is one idea that can be attached to the person who is the Apostle Paul, it’s the idea of radical change. He was a man guilty of heinous acts against his fellow Jews who chose to believe in Christ Jesus. He murdered and tortured people for their beliefs, yet this isn’t why he was brought to court. It was because he chose to believe just like those he persecuted. In Acts 26:12-23, we see Paul testify to why he made such a heel turn of sorts. He describes his Damascus Road experience and how Jesus changed his name and changed his life.

Now, if you were being accused of being a blasphemer in the eyes of the Jewish elite and asked to prove your innocence, this isn’t how you would want to go about things. In fact, you would try to dispute the claims in the hope of saving your own skin. The difference is that Paul knew that if these were the claims against him, then he, in fact, was not innocent. But he wasn’t trying to prove his innocence; on the contrary, he was proving that he - and everyone else - was guilty.

Remember, when it comes to our spiritual journey and this courtroom setting, we are most definitely guilty. So, when we testify, when we take the stand, it’s to proclaim our guilt and Jesus’ innocence. It’s to redeem the court of public opinion; Jesus stood in on our behalf before Pontius Pilate. The difference is the judge, because in the middle of our confession of guilt, He, our judge, says, “You are free to go and innocent of all charges, and in fact I’ll take on those charges myself.”

If our lives are played out in the courtroom, then the cross is the final gavel. What do you do with your freedom? I choose to declare my guilt and prove His innocence.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.