John 11:47-53

John 11:47-53 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

Caiaphas did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, something that later became true. Jesus did die for the nation of Israel, for all Jews scattered throughout the nations, and for all Gentiles who would believe in Jesus as the Christ. This unbelieving religious leader inadvertently and unknowingly foretold and confirmed God's will for Christ's life and death, the message Jesus had been preaching to the people: I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. (John 5:24-27 Christ indeed came to make one people out of many, a mighty army of the Lord, born of the Spirit, created in newness of life, cleansed by his blood, free to serve God. Had Caiaphas truly believed his own words, he too would have bowed down and followed Jesus. But he most certainly did not embrace this step of faith.

Caiaphas and the rest of the Jewish elite viewed Jesus as a threat to their leadership. They wanted Jesus dead because if the people united behind him religiously and politically and somehow threw off the Roman yoke of oppression, they would lose their authority within the Jewish community. To them, Jesus represented a threat to their livelihood and their stature in the culture, a position of long standing. Additionally, Jesus had dealt harshly with the scribes and Pharisees. The Bible reveals numerous passages where He speaks directly to their need of repentance. In one instance he chastises them for heaping heavy burdens upon the people and not helping them. He says, Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matthew 23:27-28) Their hard hearts, wickedness, fear and anger led them to pursue Christ to the cross. Regardless, the Holy Spirit used their fleshly attitudes and actions to fulfill God's plan, an excellent example of God using the evil in the hearts of men for his own purposes. What they plotted and planned was not good, but God used it for the good of all people That is why we should give thanks in all things, even when we face persecution and people mistreat us for the sake of the gospel. God does not plan for horrible things to happen, but He can and will use the worst situations for his glory as we yield to him. Often we look back and we see how horrible events work together for our good. Therefore, in all things we give thanks, for HE IS GOD.

The Children of God in the Wilderness did not want to be thirsty or desperate for food, but in their life-threatening situations, God manifested himself. God himself became their helper, the lifter of their countenance. He made a way for them when there was no way. He was the way, just as Christ is our way, our all in all. He gave them food and drink to sustain them as Christ is the bread of life and the living water to us when we hunger and thirst for righteousness in the wastelands of human existence. In our lives as Christians, Christ alone is our deliverer, our only hope when we think all hope is gone. Jesus said, Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt 5:11-12) Early church believers were known as the followers of THE WAY. Today, Christians follow THE WAY. Jesus Christ is our deliverer in all circumstances. We stand tall in the midst of all adversity. We stand on the Word even when we are so weak that we are lying down. We declare by faith: The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2) Our deliverer has come: He will never leave us or forsake us. The victory is ours: He has defeated our enemy the devil at the cross. Satan's evil intentions cannot destroy those who are IN CHRIST, for we have crossed over into the Promised Land. Caiaphas' inadvertent prophesy has been fulfilled: Jesus Messiah, name above all names, reigns forever. Because He lives, we live, and we are more than conquerors through the power that raised Christ from the grave. Praise Him forever!