Ridicule Matthew 27:26-44
People who try to whittle you down are only trying to reduce you to their size.
Two things can be bad for your heart—running upstairs and running down people.
In the last hours of Christ’s life here on earth, he received intense mocking and ridicule from his attackers. Why are mocking and ridicule such a part of our lives and why do we as Christians use this verbal venom to attack others? We will see in our passage that each group had a unique motive for mocking Christ. What motivates us to ridicule others?
1. The soldiers were motivated by hatred
Matthew 27:27-31 (NKJV)
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on 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!" 30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.
2. The crowd was motivated by a sense of power
Matthew 27:39-40 (NKJV) 39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."
3. The religious leaders were motivated by fear
Matthew 27:41-43 (NKJV) 41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.' "
4. The thief was motivated selfishness
Matthew 27:44 (NKJV) Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
Luke 23:39 (NKJV) Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
As long as you belittle, you will be little.--copied
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29-32 (NLT)
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