Gospel of John - For The Greater Good

                                        

                                  

“For the Greater Good”

John 11:45-57

  Many leaders, both good and bad, have used their influence and power to act on what they believe is for the greater good of humanity or their interests. “In the interest of the greater good” has been quoted in many books and movies as well as in the Bible. The high priest Caiaphas made this the urgence of his time as he gave it as a prophecy for the people of Israel. Let’s begin the lesson with the first portion of the text, “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 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 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 temple 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.

The testimony of Lazarus’ resurrection from the tomb was spreading. Many jews who had been with Mary and Martha were testifying of the works of God performed by Jesus in raising Lazarus from the dead. They were putting their faith in Jesus, the Christ, the promised Messiah. 

But there were also others from the Pharisees, who were plotting to kill Jesus because he didn’t hold to the keeping of their interpretations of the laws of Moses and the oral laws and keeping the status quo among the Romans. They knew that they couldn’t kill Jesus outright, for they would be breaking the laws themselves. So they convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin, the leaders of the Pharisees and Sadducees. In the opening statements of the Sanhedrin, they pondered, “What are we accomplishing?”  For they had been trying to trap and manipulate Jesus on the law, in hopes of finding something they could accuse him of for breaking the law. But the works of God were too evident a sign from God,“Here is this man performing many signs…,” and the people around Jerusalem were growing in their belief in Jesus. 

But the real reason that stirred in their calloused and stubborn hearts was their fears, compromise, and status quo allegiance to the Romans, “then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

 Then the dross moved to the top of the smelting pot. Caiaphas, the chosen high priest for the year by the Roman autocrats, took charge of the meeting. Being the Roman vassal as High priest, Caiaphas announced his prophecy that Jesus would die, as a catalyst to unite the nation of Israel and the scattered jews and jewish-proselytes living in other countries. Caiaphas had ambitions beyond the Roman’s subjugation of Israel. He saw the death of Jesus and his notoriety as a way to gain control of the hearts and minds of not just the Jewish people, but the children of God and again make Israel the nation of God, but Jesus would have to die according to his prophecy for the nation of Israel’s glory. 

Application - Many political and religious leaders have coined and embraced the phrase “Better the few ___ , for the greater good.” This phrase is wrapped around man’s pride, selfish ambitions, and lack of understanding of the Word of God and the God of the Word. Leaders in our world want the support of the people in order to push what they believe is best for the people, usually because of their biases and perceived understanding of the world’s problems, and if they don’t have it they will try extreme measures to move the masses into their line of thinking, keeping the power of the status quo and eliminate the problem of dissidence without losing the trust of the people in their solution to the problem. The Sanhedrin listened to the voice of its chosen leader, and conspired to kill Jesus in order to save and bring unity to Israel and the scattered believers in the world. He wanted to build back better or make Israel great again according to his desires, not God’s. They forget that God establishes the kingdoms and their rulers for his purpose and will. 

Jesus came to save the world by giving himself as the propitiation to sin’s hold and dominance on mankind in accordance to the will and wisdom of God the Father. Jesus had finished the atonement for man’s salvation and he is still doing the works of God through his Holy Spirit filled disciples, the church of spreading the good news of the Kingdom of God. The Spirit filled leaders don’t follow the humanistic ideologies of the world, instead their phrase is, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God knows what the greater good is for this world, and it is life in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Next, Jesus knew the plans of the Father to save the world through him, and it didn’t require for him to publicly denounce the lies that held captive the world’s leaders and peoples, as well as play into the hands of Satan’s plans of killing Jesus and stopping God’s plan. Let’s look at the rest of the text, “Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.”

Jesus stayed in a rural region, in a small village with his disciples awaiting the coming Passover feast, knowing from the Father that this would be his final Passover with his disciples. Jesus knew the scriptures that foretold the Messiah’s entering into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt and his impending death to finish the work of God for salvation (Isa. 53). He also knew God has a time for everything, and he was to wait for the Father’s timing.

 But in Jerusalem, the people wondered about when would Jesus’ appear at the Jewish feasts. For it is required of every jewish male to go to these seven feasts required by the law of Moses from God. They too pondered the celebration of the coming Messiah as prophesied in Zechariah nine, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. V.9”

The High Priest Caiaphas and the other priests as well as the Pharisees knew the scriptures foretelling the coming of the Messiah as well, and they set in motion a trap to arrest Jesus. They believed this was their time. They had given an order to anyone to reveal the location of Jesus before he entered Jerusalem for the feasts of unleavened bread and the Passover.

Application - Jesus knows the timing is the Father’s domain. So as Jesus’ disciples we too should understand that the timing of events is the Father’s realm. Many believers are wondering when Jesus is going to show up. They too look at the Bible and read the passages on Jesus’ coming, but it is the Father’s decision and timing.

As Jesus’ disciples, we are placed where He desires, to be about the Master’s work, knowing that anytime he could arrive back. (Luke 12:35-48) When Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples were told he would return in the same manner. (Acts 1:4-10) Just as Jesus waited for the Father’s timing, so we too eagerly but patiently await the return of Jesus. 

The world has different plans and timings because they are controlled by the god of this age, Satan. He, like Caiaphas, has his own plans, but he also knows that ultimately God the Father has set all times for his creation. Like the Chief Priest and the Pharisees, mankind is under the rule of Satan, and he will try and manipulate God’s plans. They will try and build and rebuild, and build better the kingdoms of this world, “With pride and arrogance of heart they will say: ‘The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars,’” (Isa. 9:9-10) only to see them fail time and again. And like the Chief Priest Caiaphas’ desire, mankind will be united in the end but not to Jesus Christ, but to an antichrist empowered by Satan. Who one more time will try and destroy the plan of God only to the demise of a deceived world and its god.

Many are the plans of mankind, and few in the world understand the plan of God the Father, or his timing. The world leader’s are obsessed with control, power, and the pressing and stressing of their will on the people of this world. But again God is incontrol of everything, and He has a time and has prepared a place for his people. And he will send His Son with total absolute power and He will reign forever, “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,’The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.’” (Rev. 11:15)  Are you ready?

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess 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 confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I am developing a new webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today.  Thank you

http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com