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INTRODUCTION
ILLUS: Big news week: Deaths of Ed McMann, Farrah Fausett, Michael Jackson. Murder of A-P Coach Ed Thomas. Other news: Iran
election unrest. Government Health care. Cap and Trade Energy Bill. South Carolina Gov. Hot weather. Then we are dealing our own
personal issues: accidents, hospitals, relatives, jobs, VBS.
If you don’t have enough to worry about our nation is dealing with: a major economic crises, a broken government educational
system, an aging infrastructure. War in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Trying to pacify Muslims, balance Israel and Palestinians. The
North Korea nuclear treat. Family disintegration, homosexual marriage, issues of immigration, health epidemics, an aging
population, Social Security will run out of money, Medicare and Medicaid are running out of money, medical costs skyrocketing,
globalization and loss of US sovereignty, so called global warming, and survey’s say the apparent decline of Christianity in
America.
Thanks for coming today glad to encourage you. Then our text today is more bad news - about the ugliness of unbelief. But as the
kids learned in Bible School “Fear Not“ there is good news in our text
“God’s good can come out of man’s evil.”
QUOTE: Hadden Robinson “Good wins no ultimate victories except out of the graves of apparent defeat.”
TEXT: John 11:47-57 - right after the resurrection of Lazarus.
1. The Problem of Popularity vs. 45-48
- Jesus was good, too good. He was popular with the people for the right reasons - people were believing in Him.
- But through three years of ministry, Jesus divided men - either for Him, or against Him. The religious establishment
was against Him.
- “the chief priests and Pharisees convened a council” - The Sanhedrin - the Jewish legislative
body, given a measure of authority by Rome, quickly called an emergency meeting.
ILLUS: Nervous about those emergency meetings: “Deacons after church” Phone call: “You need to
see your doctor as soon as possible.” Letter from a Lawyer. Email from your child’s teacher wants a
personal meeting at earliest convenience.
- This emergency meeting of the Jewish leaders showed their fear and contempt for Jesus and their deepening unbelief.
QUOTE: John the Gospel of Belief, 177 “Unbelief cannot remain static any more than can
belief, by nature it is progressive…Jesus’ works were too numerous, too real, and too wonderful to be ignored
or dismissed…Unbelief was compelled to declare its true nature which was selfishness.”
- When people reject Christ it is for selfish reasons. The religious leaders saw Jesus as a threat. Romans really
didn’t worry too much about Jesus (seen at His trials by Pilate and Herod) - Messiah’s came and go, Jesus
was probably just another hopeful Messiah. They had an empire to run.
- But to the Jews he was a threat (seen at His trails by Anisas and Caiaphas). They used political language to save their
own hid. Jews were afraid the many miracles would result be a threat to Rome.
- Afraid that Rome would take away their temple and nation - though they hated the Romans they wanted to appease them.
- Jesus was too good. Too popular. The must stop Him at all costs.
- How popular is Jesus today? And for what reasons?
- History shows that Christianity flourishes best when it is marginalized in society, when persecuted. Church is growing
in China for example. We are beginning to face a measure of persecution here now, will grow worse.
ILLUS: George Barna. The Seven Faith Tribes: Casual Christians, Captive Christians, Jews, Mormons, Pantheists,
Muslims, and Skeptics. Atheism is the state religion. Captive Christians are 10% of Christians, most are
casual. Our society is more secular, true Christianity viewed with growing contempt.
- The problem of popularity back then and even today.
2. The Propitiation for the People vs. 49-52
- Easy to mistake this text and congratulate Caiaphas for his wisdom.
- Don’t congratulate Caiaphas for anything. What he had to say was for selfish and murderous motives.
- NLT “How can you be so stupid? Why should the whole nation be destroyed? Let this one man die for the
people.”
- “Don’t you all get it. If we get rid of Jesus, just this one man, we solve our problems - save our temple,
and save our nation.”
- Matthew 26:64-65 shows he despised Jesus accused Jesus of blasphemy.
- Caiaphas wanted to save his hide, keep his political power, and was willing to work with Rome to get rid of public
enemy No. 1 - Jesus.
- The original cap and trade idea - trade Jesus to cap their power under Rome.
- Politically quite the contrary really happened. The death and resurrection of Jesus set the stage for the eventual fall
of the nation and destruction of the temple in just 40 years - 70 A.D.
- Caiaphas words were murderous - here he is a religious leader calling for the murder of an innocent man, with no regard
for justice.
- YET, he gave an unconscious prophecy about the Christian doctrine of substitutionary atonement - one dying for all -
Jews and all nations alike.
- God turned those terrible words from cynical words into saving words, from murderous words into life giving words.
Indeed it was expedient that one man should die for the people of God, and the whole world. What Jesus was providing
was greater than any political victory - eternal life.
- One for all Romans 5:19; Hebrews 9:12-14
ILLUS: One of the fundamental doctrines of Christian faith. He paid the debt that you and I owed. His blood is the
tie that binds. Christ took our place - VBS Kids signed their names to a cross one night - Jesus died for them.
3. The Passover Plot vs. 53-57
- The most holy of holiday’s to the Jews is becoming desecrated by the murderous intentions of the religious
leaders.
ILLUS: Like our own government leaders plotting to murder a leader of an opposition political party on the 4th of
July - Independence Day.
- This plot was one of the cruelest conspiracies the world has ever seen, by any means available - they wanted to be rid
of Jesus, once for all.
- As the people are purifying themselves v. 55, their leaders are staining themselves with blood as they plot a
murder of an innocent man.
- Jesus was an innocent man being tried false capital crimes. The crime to Jews that was punishable by death was
blasphemy - Jesus claimed to be the Son of God - He was. The crime to the Romans that was punishable by death was Jesus
claimed to be the King of the Jews - He was to be.
- So the Jewish leaders had the word put out on the streets, anyone with info about Jesus was to be give it to the Jewish
leaders so they could “seize Him” - not just arrest to try, but to capture to kill.
- So while people were coming to worship, the Passover was required for all Jews to attend, sinster forces were at work
in full view. What a mockery of Passover, and a mockery of justice?
- YET, we have read the end of the story. In spite of man’s cruel intentions, the co-conspiracy of selfish Jewish
religious leaders and the political pawns of Rome - Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
- There was more going on than the religious people and the politicians understood - that still is the case.
- Our world is being turned upside down. America is changing - not for the better. But there is more going on than many
religious people and our poor politicians can ever understand.
- We need to be on the alert - a. watching for the devil who walks about like a roaring lion seeking
someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8); b. watching the signs of the times being prepared when Jesus comes
again in power and great glory (Matt 16:3; 24:42).
- “God’s good can come out of man’s evil.”
CONCLUSION
But make sure you are on God’s side. What faith tribe do you belong to? Casual Christian, Captive Christian, or Skeptic?
A casual Christian is no different from the world, in difficult times will sacrifice their faith for popularity, compromise.
A captive Christian is a world changer, in difficult times they will stand firm, in all times they are the ones who stand out,
whose testimony is strong, leave a legacy like Coach Ed Thomas.
ILLUS: What will this coming week bring? Another big news week? Will you be in the news this week?
When pushed against the wall in a crises - what will your testimony be?
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