“And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.” John 11:49-52 NKJV
Caiaphas, the prophet and High Priest. Speaking messianic prophesy why setting the hearts of the people to kill the very messianic king they longs to see. What side is this guy on?! Most of you consider yourself to be a Christian. Non-Christians do not seek out blog about Jesus. Some of you share this with Non-Christians hoping they will be saved. Maybe someone comes across this who has never given themselves to God full and started a relationship with Him… But just in case, I give the steps to it every day. (If you do not need them to save yourself, then you have them to help you save someone else.) I wandered off topic. The point is I am speaking to Christians today, but if you are not one, that is ok. You can still get something out of today. Let’s pray then start this:
Dear Heavenly Father – As always, please open eye to see and our ears to hear what you are saying! Lord – open our understanding that we may know you and give us wisdom. Please do not let us miss out on what you want and need from us today. Lord, I pray that your word prepares us and not scares us! We forbid the works and influences of fear over your word. And please keep us and bless us and shine your face upon us and pour out grace over us and give us peace! Thank you! – In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Today’s reading is from the book of John, chapter 11 (embedded below the image below for your convenience). John the lover who has sugar coated this entire book in the revelation of the LOVE of God and the deeper meat of how God’s love is working in every aspect of the situation. Today is mostly the story of Jesus raising his friend from the dead.
So as believers can we understand the thoughts of this High Priest, right? What? We fail to? I don’t know about you, but I grew up thinking that Caiaphas and the Pharisees were bad and evil. They were called vipers by both John the Baptist and by Jesus. It certainly sounds like Jesus is the good guy and these priest and scribes were all the bad guys.
“So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” Matthew 19:17a
So let’s get all this in proper order. God is good – Only God. OK. Jesus and his followers are on God’s team and the Priest are called and chosen by God, not just as the chosen people, the Jews, but to be set apart and trained to minister to God and the people – AND are called to do God’s work!! Well then. Who are the bad guys?
Obviously the fallen who follow satan are the bad guys. We see satan influence players in both the followers of Jesus (looking at you Peter and Judas) as we as in the priests. Here in the opening passage today we do not see if the prophesy comes from the enemy or from God – and it does not matter in this situation – it is true and God is glorified through it.
I am not sure why, but today I thought about this priestly meeting. The men came back and reported, as it is their duty – They LOVE God and someone is pulling God’s children away from the old way of doing things. Yes, some priests are corrupt and maybe these only reported back in order to stir a pot. God let the High Priest prophesy Jesus’s death for the nation – this priest most certainly knew of the messianic prophesies that says Christ will be the ultimate sacrifice. Were his eye blind to what he was suggesting? Who in these priests were really corrupt and who were earnestly trying to serve and please the Lord. Did God reveal it to them after and give them another chance to repent? Maybe upon the death of Jesus when it is reported the vail in the temple ripped. When it is reported that the dead rose from the grave and went into the cities then went to heaven? (yeah – did happen, why do we forget? AND it is not just reported in the Bible!)
Maybe it is because we are reading John, and Jesus is weeping, and all the feels of Lazarus walking out of the tomb – it has me feeling a bit sensitive. Maybe it is all the prayers “Lord make me more like you” that has my compassion showing. And if this is more like God – He loved these priests and scribes and vipers! Which makes this whole story so much more complicated.
I knew Jesus hung on the cross for everyone – EVERYONE. But every time I think about it – it is more than I can comprehend. He still desired that Caiaphas get saved. He even desired that Judas repented. He came for even those who literally drove the nails into his hands.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 ESV
Paul says to guard our heart and mind with peace – and for those that did not know and missed the lesson last year: Peace is a mighty warrior – not a drugged out hippie. Peace guards some of the most valuable things on earth – the hearts and minds of people who are seeking God!!! And we are supposed to as well. Why? Did you see how easily the enemy influenced believers? EVERYONE in this story believes in the same God we do. If they could be wrong – so can we.
Then the children of God were split over the Christ. These days the body of believer are split over repent/no compromise vs and the lies of the devil himself. The vail of deception blankets the earth and it is difficult to help the blind to see when they do not want to – it will mean they are wrong and they need to repent. (Did we forget that repentance is a daily thing?)
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
I hope that those of you who are reading every day, as well as myself all make it through the narrow gate. And if everyone else is doing it, you might want to reconsider your ways. I wonder if any of the priests repented and found it.
RELATIONSHIP:
Do you already have a relationship with a powerful God who cares about your every need because He loves you? Did you know my God can communicate with you and protect you – He has a plan for you to prosper if you just submit to His will and let His plan play out in your life!!! God wants a relationship with you and has already made a plan for your life. He loves you so much He sent His son to this world, to die as a sacrifice for your sins and rise from death with victory over sin and the ability to have a personal relationship with you.
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV
Here is a prayer for you to pray:
Jesus, I believe you are the way, the truth, the life, and the only way to the Father. I believe you are the son of God, you came to Earth and lived. That you died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins, and rose again so that I may be saved from my sins and be able to get to know you. I declare: Jesus, you are Lord!
Therefore, I confess that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my life. Help me to turn away from my sins and transform me into what you have lovingly created me to be. Help me through a real personal relationship grow and accept your will for my life – that I may live in your blessings. Please walk with me, and talk with me – I accept a relationship with you and with our Father God, through you. In the name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen
MEMORY WORK: This month we have another great verse to pick up and swing when you need a sword in your hand! These memory verses were selected, last year for this year. As many of you tell me of the great attacks on your lives – the timing is perfect! But of course it is, it is God!
Deuteronomy 28:7
NKJV – “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.”
NAS – “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated by you; they will go out against you one way and will flee at your presence seven ways.”
ESV – “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.”
AMP – “The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way, but flee before you seven ways.”
NIV – “The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.”
Thank you for reading.
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!
BIBLE READING: John 11 NKJV
The Death of Lazarus
11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”
12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about [a]two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy
28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but [b]was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, [c]saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?”
They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”
Lazarus Raised from the Dead
38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone [d]from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for [e]us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
Footnotes
- John 11:18 Lit. 15 stadia
- John 11:30 NU was still
- John 11:31 NU supposing that she was going
- John 11:41 NU omits from the place where the dead man was lying
- John 11:50 NU you
If Not For Grace 