Study in John’s Gospel

Study in John’s Gospel Presentation 44

Responding To Jesus Chap 11v45-57 Presentation 44

Introduction How would the people in the crowd react to the resurrection of Lazarus? Would they believe? Would they become followers or enemies of Jesus? Some believed, while others disbelieved. Some did more than merely disbelieve. Having seen a dead man raised to newness of life they were determined to get Jesus into trouble. Unbelief is not neutral, it is not merely the absence of faith, and it is rooted in a spirit of rebellion against God. And so, the plan to secure the destruction of Jesus gains momentum. The religious authorities who received the news of Jesus’ activity call a meeting. Jesus continues to divide opinion In this way today. Presentation 44

An Evil Council What a strange council this was! How could they show such ill-will toward Jesus and be so impervious to his miracles? The Sanhedrin was the supreme governing body. The nobility of the nation were there as were the chief priests all of whom were Sadducees. The Pharisees, the "holiest" of men gathered with their phylacteries [God’s law written in little scrolls dangling before their eyes. No doubt they opened their meeting with prayer. But they gathered to plot Jesus’ downfall. Presentation 44

An Evil Council It was an unlikely coalition. The Pharisees, who had significant political power, were obsessed with observing each minute requirement of the law. These sticklers for detail encouraged others to be just like them. On the other hand, the Sadducees were not religious though some used religion for their own ends. They were wealthy politicians, who collaborated with the Romans to preserve their privileged position. They had much to lose, if civil disorder were to break out. They were compromisers, intent upon preserving their position. If justice and civil order ever came into conflict, the Sadducees would always side with the Romans. Presentation 44

An Evil Council Two rival groups, who hated each other, are found working together bound by a common opposition to Jesus. The Pharisees hated Jesus for his religious views - he exposed their sin. The Sadducees hated Jesus for being a threat to their privileged position. The collaboration of these rivals opens a window into the heart of sinful men. They would rather unite with their enemies than follow Jesus. Winston Churchill once said that if Hitler invaded hell, he was sure that he would be able to find a good word to say for Satan in the House of Commons. Many people respond in that way in relation to Jesus. They will agree with anyone and work with anyone rather than Jesus. Presentation 44

An Evil Discussion The council’s discussion reveals the evil intent of their heart. “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." The most striking thing about this discussion is its unintentional confession of Christ's strength and their own weakness. First, note that there is no attempt to deny Jesus’ miracles. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs,” was their testimony! They admitted the miracles, yet opposed the Miracle-worker. Presentation 44

An Evil Discussion Secondly, they admitted that they had been powerless for a long time. This is the substance of their question, ‘What are we accomplishing?’ They concede their increasing ineffectiveness. Their following was dwindling, while Jesus was growing in popularity. Once word spread that that he had raised the dead then they feared that he would shoot to the top of the popularity ratings. They were not concerned to weigh the evidence and ask, what the miraculous signs of Jesus pointed to. They refused to be confused by the facts. They had closed their eyes lest they see the truth. All they wanted to do was to eliminate Jesus’ influence. Presentation 44

An Evil Discussion Does this seem absurd? It is not so different from the behaviour of many today. Years ago a lady was invited to a gospel meeting. "I am afraid to go for fear I will get converted," she answered. Imagine! She was afraid that she might get straightened out with God. On another occasion a minister said to a woman in his congregation, "I have not seen your husband lately. Has he lost interest in the gospel?" She answered, "Well, he is afraid to come; for when he comes and hears God’s Word, it takes him nearly two weeks to get over it." There are many others like that! Now they need to be careful lest they slip away forever like many of these Sadducees. Presentation 44

An Evil Conclusion How did this council end? Caiaphas, counselled self-interest, though it is couched in political language. He said, "We must think of the good of the people." He successfully swayed the council because they were driven by self-interest, to which justice and the rule of law take a poor second place. Caiaphas’ response to his opponents was, "You know nothing at all! You do not realise that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."His speech carried the day. We read, "from that day on they plotted to take his life" v53.Expediency! And in the name of expediency and self-interest the most terrible things are done. Presentation 44

An Evil Conclusion The words of Caiaphas are also full of dramatic irony. Caiaphas said, it was better to kill Jesus than that the entire nation perish. But it was the very events which he dreaded that came to pass. True, they eliminated Jesus - in one sense at least. But in the aftermath of the crucifixion the gradual scattering of the Christians from Jerusalem took place. In the meantime a revolutionary spirit began to grow with intensity among the Jews in Judea. When war broke out the Romans intervened to crush the rebellion. It was a time of great terror. Presentation 44

An Evil Conclusion In that great war all the strongholds of Judea were over-thrown. Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed, and the temple was left in ruins. In fact, as the Jewish historian Josephus tells us, a plough was even drawn across the temple area to stress the desolation. How different events might have been if these Jewish rulers had received their Messiah! But they did not. They resisted him, and the sin of resistance had consequences. “The steps they took to save their nation destroyed their nation.” William Barclay Presentation 44

An Evil Conclusion Jerusalem fell in 70A.D. And so when John wrote his gospel about 90A.D. his readers would have grasped the irony of Caiaphas’ words. Now the thriving Christianity of 90A.D., revealed an even greater irony. The Sanhedrin had reasoned, "If we let Jesus alone all men will believe on him." And so they planned his death. But it was as a result of his death and resurrection that the gospel spread not only in Judea but throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. Man cannot frustrate God. He can oppose him, but he will pay the consequences, as did these men. Cf. Ps. 76v10. Presentation 44

Three Choices This passage causes us to ask the question, “What will I do with this Jesus?” There are only three choices available. The first is to try to ignore Jesus. Those who try to do this find themselves constantly bumping into the resurrection miracles of Jesus. How can you ignore Jesus when your son or daughter believes, your mother or father believes, your husband or wife believes, your friend or work colleague believes? Can Jesus be ignored? Not very successfully. Presentation 44

Three Choices Secondly, you can choose to oppose him. History is full of those who opposed him. But where are they? Rome tried to stamp out the church. Under Nero Christians were made scapegoats for the great fire in Rome. Some were bound to oxen and torn to pieces in the arena. Many were crucified. Some were dipped in pitch and set on fire: human torches to light the gardens of a mentally deranged emperor. Under emperor Diocletian, several centuries later, churches were destroyed, scriptures confiscated, and clergy imprisoned. But Christianity thrived, until at last the pagan gods of Rome were overthrown. Presentation 44

Three Choices During the Dark Ages the flame of Christianity flickered weakly - abuses in the church abounded. Satan may have thought he had eventually conquered Jesus. But then the flames of Reformation spread across Europe with Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and Knox. Since then there have been men such as Whitefield, Wesley, Livingstone and Taylor to name but a few whose influence upon the church has been significant. When the flames of the gospel seem to wane in one part of the world the fire rages in another. Can you successfully oppose Jesus? No! The Psalmist tells us that God laughs when men seek to overthrow him Ps 2v4. Presentation 44

Three Choices The third choice is the only sensible one. You can believe on Jesus and follow him. "Follow him" you ask, “but he went to the cross. He was crucified. What is desirable about that?" It is true that his way is the way of the cross but the cross is the way to victory, for it is only by losing life that a man can save it. It is only by following Jesus that the victory is won. If you reject him, there is no victory. In fact, you will lose all that you have, as did the Jewish rulers. But if you believe on Jesus and follow him, though you may lack many things now, you will nevertheless share in the riches of his glory in eternity. Presentation 44

Study in John’s Gospel