Gospel of John Student DevotionalSample

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt pressured to go along with the crowd, even when you knew it wasn’t right? Maybe your friends were making fun of someone, and instead of speaking up, you stayed quiet. Or maybe you laughed along just to fit in.

In John 18:12-40, we see people faced with the decision to stand with Jesus or turn away. Peter, one of His closest friends, had just promised to be loyal no matter what. But when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing Him—not once, but three times. Meanwhile, the religious leaders handed Jesus over to Pilate, demanding His death. Even Pilate, who found no reason to convict Jesus, gave in to the pressure of the crowd and sentenced Him to be crucified.

It’s easy to judge Peter and Pilate, but how often do we do the same? How often do we stay quiet about our faith because we’re afraid of what others might think? How often do we go along with the crowd instead of standing firm in what we believe?

Jesus stood for us, even when it cost Him everything. Will you stand for Him, even when it’s hard?