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Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”. . . . And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”¹

Indeed, there is power in unity. But if used for the wrong purpose, it could be disruptive. World history is awash with unified effort but devoid of righteousness; thus, with appalling conclusions (I need not expound. Even on a personal note, perhaps you may have your own horrifying family anecdotes). For our purpose recall the Tower of Babel, And they said to one another . . . . “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its tip in the heavens, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, . . .²

Collectively, each of us serves a small part of God’s big plan—his divine purpose. Similar to the different parts of a body which is designed for a specific function that the body may be healthy and productive. Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”³

And while staying with them [Jesus] ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father . . .⁴ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”⁵ When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place . . . . And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.⁶

Obedience is beneficial. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”⁷

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”⁸