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“A Portrait In Unbelief" • 11.3.19
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- In the first part of John 11, the Apostle recorded an amazing account
of Jesus providing demonstrable proof that He was indeed the "Resurrection
and the Life."
- He stood at a physical location,
a village called "Bethany" and He verbally, loudly commanded a dead
man, named Lazarus, to return to life after having been in a tomb for four
days!
- What Jesus did in that moment was
to infuse His life into that corpse at the speed of thought, which in effect,
overcame the processes of death that had only recently ended the man's life!
- Acting as only God can, Jesus
spoke and His command was followed as Lazarus walked forth from the tomb in
front of a large crowd assembled to mourn His death!
- Soon, Jesus will top this by
commanding His own body to rise from a tomb after it's own three day visit! What
He did for Lazarus physically and historically, Jesus does for us spiritually!
- He calls our name specifically
from the tomb of our sin and trespass and infuses us with His powerful, eternal
life.
- We walk from the graves that we
once considered playgrounds, as new creations in Christ, ready to serve Him,
standing solely by His grace and mercy.
- Our friends in Him, the church,
help us to leave aside the clothes that once defined us as "dead
people," while Christ affords us with the clothes of His righteousness
that we wear for eternity!
- This sign spoke historically to
the people that watched, metaphorically to you and I and will one day be the
final truth eschatologically when by the voice of Christ, the dead will rise to
judgment!
• I Thessalonians 4:15-18 : " For this we say to you by the word
of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will
by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet
of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with
these words." : That
is, in short, what it means for Christ to be the resurrection and the life! His
presence changes everything related to death in the Universe!
- As we return to our text, the
community that witnessed the Lord's work began to respond. Let's pick it up
where we left off at verse 45.
Text
• John 11:45, 46 : "Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things
Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the
things Jesus did." : As
we examine these verses, we note that there was not an unanimous response.
- There were those that believed and those that
went on their way without being personally affected, except toward an action
that expressed their continued skepticism.
- Jesus performed many miracles before
eyewitnesses that could not be disputed, yet, a divided response was the
consistent outcome!
- There are those that believe that miracles
are the best remedy to a person's skepticism.
- Yet, Abraham, talking with the rich man post
mortem, said that if people would not obey Moses, they wouldn't believe even if
a person was raised from the dead! (Luke 16:31)
- Many of the Jews believed and some of them
went to report to the Pharisees! Jesus is the divide between the two segments.
There are believers and non-believers.
- Consider the makeup of both groups on that
day. Both were exposed to the same information. Both reported the presence of a
"resurrected" man. Both heard Jesus call Him loudly.
- What pushed those that believed over the edge?
We cannot know for certain, but notice that John designates them as those that
had specifically come to Mary.
- In order to distinguish one "Mary"
over another, John has already told us that this was the Mary that had
annointed Christ with an expensive ointment and dried His feet with her hair!
- This Mary was a committed and outspoken
believer in Jesus. She was following the Messiah! When people came to Mary, her
beliefs were front and center.
- These certain Jews who believed had come to
minister to Mary's grief, but I can't help but think that her worship and
witness of the Lord brought greater comfort to their hearts!
- Her opinion of Jesus, her support and worship
of the Master, was well documented and when these "saw" what Jesus
did, the two "witnesses" worked toward their belief.
- Consider how their eyes had "seen."
The word reflects a careful contemplation. They looked with the intent to
understand. Perhaps, they were able to consider this because of Mary's
influence.
- How much more inclined are you to believe
something when the person encouraging you to believe is such a faithful
witness? I pray that we would be just as helpful to those in our lives.
- At the same time, the others who had
witnessed the event but did not come to Mary, did not believe, but sought to
use this information to expose Him.
- I'd suggest that these already had a
pre-disposition not to believe. In fact, I might even go so far as to say that
these were at least, synagogue members in good standing!
- These went away with a juicy story to tell,
that might be valuable to the rulers of Israel and might therefore, allow them
to curry favor with the "elite!"
- This single event brought believers
confidence and afforded unbelievers with opportunity.
- Don't you think this is fascinating? A Man
exists that can defeat the effects of death. The truth of His actions cannot be
denied. "Many" believed, but the "some" have the greater
influence!
- That has been the case upon this planet since
the fall of man! Truth, righteousness and common sense in this world will always
face an uphill climb!
- Most in this world are not looking to believe
and most have already rejected the Lord's claim to be the Messiah! These are
happy to have any ammunition to work with!
- What do you think the first question in the
mind of the religious leaders was? "Did He do this on the Sabbath?"
Believers would find a way to worship. Unbelievers will find a way to explain
away!
- When it came to news regarding Jesus Christ,
these religious leaders were the experts of missing the forest for the trees!
Look at their conversation beginning in verse 47.
• John 11:47, 48 : "Then the
chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, 'What shall we do?
For this Man works many signs. 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.'" : These men gathered a special gathering
of the Sanhedrin to discuss how they should respond.
- It's incredible to consider the audacity that
this group operates with. "What shall we do?" They are the supposed
authorities and they think that they can legislate the affairs of God Himself!
- Their statement betrays their folly. Where is
the humility before God? Why not call upon the Lord or break out the Urim and
Thummim? What would God confirm to their hearts?
- They are not interested in God's opinion!
They are their own final authorities in this matter.
- "What shall we do? For this Man works
many signs." Given their own presupposition that His works are genuine,
the question is only too easy to answer!
- When God is in your midst and you recognize
the validity of His work, what any person should do is submit and surrender to
Him! It's fascinating that many today fail at this same point!
- Jesus has shown historically that He has
power over the grave. There is an empty tomb in Jerusalem and no sign of His
body.
- Additionally, the world is full of people
whose lives have been changed by the risen Christ, who exist as living
advertisements to the reality of God's presence.
- There are inexplicable changes in medical
prognosis that are often the result of a large group of people praying.
"What shall we do?" John has written this book that we might believe
upon Him!
- For the Jews, that was their worst nightmare!
If they allowed Him to continue to operate unabated, the entire nation would
eventually put their trust in Him. "Yes! That would be a great goal!"
- What if that would have happened? Wouldn't
their world have been a better place?
- Jesus Christ will one day reign upon the
earth and righteousness will be the ultimate and final rule. That is called the
"Millenium!"
- The Jews are not excited about the nation
embracing the Messiah. They are terrorized at the thought of the Romans coming
to take their "place!"
- The idea behind that word can refer to a
station or an occupancy that a person holds. These leaders held an elevated
station among and above the people of God.
- They were men that were used to a certain
standard of living. They were revered by the common folk and many were
incredibly wealthy individuals.
- If Jesus were to be recognized and declared
the Messiah, these people would immediately fall from their lofty position. In
most cases, this is exactly why Jesus is rejected today!
- People are afraid to give up their station in
life! They have come to enjoy their sin and to enjoy their "life"
apart from God, so they suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness!
- The idea is that they hold down what is
obvious. They will not allow it to rise to prominence. These men are willing to
exchange eternal power for the allusion of temporal power!
- That is always a losing proposition! Why
would you fight to keep something that can only last your lifetime at the
expense of what can never be depleted? It's a fool's exchange!
˚ "He is no fool who
gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot
- Beside their loss of power and position,
their fear was that the nation would be lost! Rome occupied Israel and if they
declared that THE Ruler was in their midst, it would be the end!
- Truthfully, it would not be the end of the
nation, but the end of their rule over the nation!
- If they had given Christ His place, there
would have been no earthly force that would have been sufficient to remove Him!
- Unfortunately, they allow their fears to
drive their actions and that always leads to destruction, perhaps not in the
moment, but inevitably, at the end. Verse 49.
• John 11:49,50 : "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.'" :
From this council rises the single voice of Caiaphas. He is "one of them"
if there ever was! Most believe that Caiaphas was a member of the Sadducees.
- According to Josephus, the Sadducees were
incredibly arrogant and condescending to the other branches of spiritual
government. Caiaphas certainly embodies that comment here!
- History tells us that Caiaphas was a Roman
appointed High Priest and he has been in office for 15 years to this point.
Nobody keeps that position for so long without a great level of compromise!
- This man was a public service survivor, a
life time politician and a full time chameleon!
- Caiaphas, for the most part, is interested
only in self-preservation and then, the preservation of the people that serve
his continuation in power.
- Think about this: Caiaphas is endowed with
respect from the secular world of the Romans and is revered among the religious
world of the Jews! The man has it all!
- He is a wealthy, political operative at the
helm of the Sanhedrin, which is the body of governors that led the nation of
Israel spiritually! Think about and consider that!
- His comment chides them for their naivete.
"You know nothing at all!" They don't have as much of a problem as
they think they do.
- Caiaphas, like all those with a position of
authority, but a lack of spiritual integrity, suggests what is most "expedient"
for them.
- "Expedient" as defined by Google is
"a means of
attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but considered improper or
immoral."
- Look at what we experience when we surrender
the authority of God's Word. Beware of making choices that are convenient. They
rarely lead us to the way of God!
- Caiaphas was a master of expediency! He
intends to send the message that it would be better for Jesus to die for the
people than for the nation to die as a people.
- Even as Caiaphas says this, there is one
commentator who notices an unusual word. The word "for" that he uses
here is generally reserved for speaking of sacrificial replacement!
- He will die in the place of the Jews! Jesus
will take their and our place upon the Cross!
- What was he suggesting to them? We know what
he was meaning to say. Some have noted that under Caiaphas' rule, men who had
rebelled against Rome, were compelled to surrender.
- Caiaphas was not going to allow a person to
disturb the status quo, but he has no idea what he has just said and affirmed
spiritually as the High Priest over Israel! Verse 51.
• John 11:51-53 : "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. Then, from that day on, they plotted
to put Him to death." : Verse
51 simply says that Caiaphas didn't say this of himself. The NKJV offers
an interpretation. A quick tour through a few more translations helps to round
out the meaning.
- The ESV says that he did not say this of his
"own accord." The NASB translates the phrase "of his
own initiative." Essentially, Caiaphas did not speak as Caiaphas
would.
- It would not have occurred to him to speak
this way. Instead, he was made to speak from his position as High Priest, not
his person.
- As the High Priest, the man became a channel
through which the Holy Spirit prophesied, foretelling the Lord's death on
behalf of the nation of Israel.
- This isn't the first time such a thing
occurred. Think of King Saul being forced to "prophesy" as he came to
arrest David who was with Samuel. (I Samuel 19:18-24)
- Consider Baalam, the man that kept putting himself
into position to profit from potentially cursing Israel. He gives one of the
greatest Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament! (Num.24:16)
- It also works in reverse, when Micaiah
exposed God's plan to speak falsehood to King Ahab through false prophets in order to ruin his plans and bring
his Kingdom down. (I Kings 22:20-23)
- Caiaphas thought that he was talking from his
own wisdom and it was taken that way, as we'll see momentarily. What he didn't
realize was God wanted the High Priest to confer a message.
- Jesus would die on behalf of the nation and
not for that nation alone! John is looking back over decades of history,
realizing that Jesus had died for people from every nation!
- Such a thought at the time of Christ would
have been nearly unimaginable to the Jews!
- John takes a moment to celebrate what had
otherwise been meant for evil! Jesus, in dying for all nations would unite all
nations into Himself!
- Interesting, the word "gather
together" is taken from the same word family as "Synagogue!"
Think about what is happening in our text.
- The rulers of the Jews are looking for a way
to shut Jesus out from influencing the people. They have gone so far as to
spread the word that they would excommunicate anyone who believed.
- Remember the "formerly blind man's"
parents in chapter 9? They were terrified at being excluded. John tells
us that Jesus was about to create a new "Synagogue" based upon
Himself!
- Wherever the wind might drive His children,
He would bring them back into Himself and all that are in Him will have
fellowship with Him and with each other!
- Still, despite this reality, the leaders of
the Jewish nation agreed on that day to find a way to execute their Messiah!
These men privately took counsel together to end His life. Verse 54.
• John 11:54 : "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." : They plotted to put Jesus to death,
therefore, He no longer walked openly among them. Why did He take this
position?
- We are well aware of His ability to slip
right past them. He is not afraid of them, nor is He worried about His Father's
timeline. He knows when He will surrender His body to Him.
- He did not walk among them openly any longer
because they had made their decision about Him! They, as a group, were no
longer in a position to be reasoned with.
- From the beginning of time, God has decreed
that He will not always strive with men because the thoughts of their hearts
are continually wicked. (Genesis 6:3)
- At one point in God's dealings with the
Pharaoh, you will recall that Pharaoh continued to harden his heart toward God.
Eventually, God hardened the Pharaoh's heart
- He made Pharoah's convictions firm and thus
was Pharaoh doomed. The same thing is happening here! Israel, on the whole,
from their leadership down, have decided their course.
- This is why it is wise to respond to the Word
of God immediately! Believe and repent now while you hear His voice! Today is
the day of salvation!
- The Jewish leadership was firm in their
convictions and while He might have a conversation with a few, on the whole,
the leadership of the Jews had come to their conclusion against Him.
- When Jesus was shut out by a group, He
decided not to waste another moment.
- He has been in Judea, near the heart of the
religious world, but there was no more work to do there. We find here that He
traveled to an area just west of Shiloh, a city called "Ephraim."
- It was a sparesly populated area whose name
means "Double Fruitfulness!" It was a place where His Word could be
planted in the heart of His disciples.
- Certainly, without the quenching presence of
the unbelieving Jews, the Lord's word to them would have been able to produce
wonderfully in them! Verse 55.
• John 11:55-57 : "And the Passover of the Jews was
near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify
themselves. 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?' 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." : John has brought us to the final months of the Lord's life, near
the time when Jesus will become the True Passover Lamb.
- Before the time came, the Jews came to
Jerusalem to cleanse themselves ceremonially. There are a large number of
ceremonial baths that have been recently discovered in this area.
- Isn't it amazing: Jesus is presently rejected
by Jewish religion, yet, religion goes right on pretending that it has the
power to cleanse a person from their sin!
- You can imagine priests and pilgrims meeting
together to partake of the cleansing process. This wasn't a requirement, but it
became a ritual that the people clung to.
- It was that sense of ritual,
"spiritual" add-ons, that continue to fund man made religion and ease
a person's conscience regarding their standing with God!
- The religious leaders were sure that Jesus
wasn't going to show His face, but if He did, they were ready to take Him.
- They had their minions lined up everywhere
and thought they would finally seize Him. They won't need to be forceful. Jesus
is soon to surrender to them!
Conclusion
- Jesus remains the dividing line between
believers and unbelievers. He has done enough for believers to be confident in
their faith.
- On the other hand, He can never do enough to
satisfy one that refuses to believe! Perhaps you know someone like this. Pray
that they hear His voice.
- Let your faith be vibrant and out front, that
they might be willing to look into Jesus with a more concentrated gaze.
- Pray that they will not allow religious
exercise to satisfy their need and pray that God will not stop visiting them!
He alone is the resurrection and the life!
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