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Day 3: “Jesus, Determined to Go”

John 11:45-53 45  Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,
46  but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47  So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.
48  If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49  But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all.
50  Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
51  He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
52  and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
53  So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

In John 11, Jesus goes to Bethany, a village just two miles from Jerusalem, because his friend Lazarus has died, and he is going to raise him from the dead. To the disciples, the journey represented danger:

His disciples had objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”


Fair warning...prudent question...reasonable and protecting one they love...

Yet, Jesus is determined to go.


He knows exactly what he is doing, and going to Bethany, no matter how close to Jerusalem is his way of saying, "I lay down my life, no one takes it from me."

After the resurrection miracle of Lazarus, the Pharisees hatch their plot because they see in Jesus a rival to their rule. John 11:47-50 records it:

"Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation." Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

It's a prophecy of truth spoken by a man seeking to stop Jesus, but it ends up only be partially true.

Jesus' journey to Bethany begins this period of time that will lead towards his own death. Caiaphas was prophesying Jesus’ death, even though he was only hungry for power. Jesus' death would be for the whole nation, even the whole world;  but it would not spare the nation.  The rejection of Jesus as Messiah would leave the nation vulnerable, and 40 years later destroyed.

Politics is usually short-sighted, and often acting with cunning desperation.  What do we have to do to retain power?  We have to stop this person...this thing lest we lose what we have.  Power, Fear...they often go hand in hand.
God is always purposeful...resolute...determined to bring about righteousness, and fulfill the purposes of redemption.  He's not after power, and he's not acting in fear.

Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. 
He was determined to go. 
And everything changed because he was!

Think about it for us.  What will happen to us today if we are "determined" to live today for God's purposes? What barriers of anger, hatred, resentment, or bitterness will come along to seek to throw us off of those purposes?  What, Who will unwittingly act so that we have to act decisively to stay determined?
  
Be Discerning...Be Awake... Be Determined!

A good prayer for daily determined Saints:

"Lord God, Everlasting Father, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit will in all things (today) direct and rule our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen"

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