Opening Hymn Text John 11:47-53 In John 11, Lazarus dies.

Four days later Jesus arrives and raises Lazarus from the dead. Some were obviously pleased and believed in him. Others, not so much. They ran to the leaders in the synagogue, the Pharisees, and told them what Jesus had done. They were not pleased. There was a time when these Pharisees demanded they Jesus perform miraculous signs for them. Now, these miracles present a problem for them. They fear that too many people will turn away From the leaders in the synagogue and follow Jesus. If this happened, it could mean trouble for them. Here is why. The leaders in the synagogue think that the Romans, the government, will take away their power, their place in society. If the Romans believe that there is a possible

insurrection, they would deal with the the Jewish nation harshly. They would destroy the temple and remove the leaders of synagogue. Here is how kretzman put it in his commentary. "They could not deny the fact that miracles were being performed by Jesus, but they hardened their. Hearts as to their meaning and purpose. Their one concern was to possible consequences to themselves and to the Jewish nation as a political unit. If they would take no steps to hinder this ministry of miracles, the result would be that all the common people would believe in Him as the Messiah. The chances were that they would then proclaim Him king of Judea, and this in turn, would result in the Jews losing thelast remnant of political power and standing. The Romans would simply come and destroy the city and lead the people away into captivity." Caiaphas the Pharisee in charge speaks up. Caiaphas speaks as though he knows the answer. The answer to save the temple and the Jewish nation, to save themselves is to

offer up Jesus as an appeasement to the Romans. This would show the government that the church could take care of itself. That they could keep their people in line. It is an evil plot. This is an amazing display of arrogant power. Even before Jesus betrayal and arrest the church leaders put in place a plan to sacrifice one man for all people. They unknowingly put into action exactly what God had chosen for them to do. Even in their selfish wicked conniving, even in mans evil planning, the will of god gets done. The wisdom of man is really never any match for the wisdom of God. Man plots to fulfill his desires and motives. The wickedness of mankind mistreating one another has gone on generation after generation. Man's planning, our planning cannot undo the will of God. A great example from the Old Testament is the story of Joseph. Joseph's father favored him so much that his

brothers hated him and plotted to have him killed. Rather than kill Joseph, they sold him into slavery. He eventually ended up in Egypt. After rising to promenence, he was falsely accused was sent to prison. Eventually he became the second most powerful man in Egypt. A severe famine reunited Joseph and his family. When their father passed away, the brothers worried that Joseph would finally get his revenge against them. "But Joseph said to them. 'Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives'" genesis 50:19-20. The plot of a wicked court unknowingly also does God's will. The Sanhedrin was made up of 70 members that were considered to be religious leaders for the synagogue. They meet to selfishly try and preserve their self-important positions. Caiaphas boldly moves the Sanhedrin along the path that God had already

chosen. He is not even aware that his wiked planning is exactly what god wants. One man was to die to save a nation. More than that, one man was to die to save the world. Very soon after this would come betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. Man's wicked, evil plots do God's perfect plan. This is not the only place that God's plan is carried out in spite of what man says, wants, and does. This is not the only time that God's weakness overpowers the strength of man. In what appeared to be weakness on the cross the power of God is in full display. A thief repents and asks for a place in heaven as he watches Jesus die on the cross. At Jesus death on the cross, even unbelievers were moved to confess god's truth. "When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" (Matt 27:54). This is why Jesus became a man to suffer and die on the

cross. He came that all men might be saved. He wants all men to confess his holy name. This is his desire for you and me. His desire is for you and I to see ourselves for what we are, poor miserable sinners in need of a savior. To repent of our sin and to trust in him as our one and only salvation. This is how god has loved us and this is his desire for us.