WEBVTT

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 Well, last Sunday we heard about one of the greatest miracles that Jesus ever did,

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 raising Lazarus from the dead.

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 And we continue that story this morning.

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 I'm reading from John chapter 11, verse 45 and 46.

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 Therefore, many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did,

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 believed in him.

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 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

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 So now we come to the response to this great miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead.

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 As we heard last Sunday, it wasn't just Mary and Martha who witnessed this.

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 There was a whole group of witnesses.

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 And let's just go back and trace this out quickly.

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 Back to verse 19 of chapter 11.

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 When Jesus first arrived in Bethany, John tells us that many Jews had already come to Martha and Mary

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 to comfort them in the loss of their brother.

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 Now, if Jewish funerals were like some of ours,

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 we might have assumed that these visitors had all gone home already before Jesus even arrived.

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 Lazarus had already been buried for four days.

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 But then we come down to verse 31.

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 And we discover that at least some of these visitors were still there with Mary and Martha.

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 There were some who were in the house comforting Mary, John tells us.

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 And these Jewish friends follow Mary out to the place where she meets with Jesus when he arrives.

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 John tells us that these friends, at least some of them, were weeping along with Mary in verse 33.

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 And some of them remarked at how Jesus himself wept.

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 But some of them said,

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 Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?

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 Then we finally come to the moment of the miracle.

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 Jesus prays to his father and says at the end of his prayer,

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 I've said what I said in this prayer for the benefit of the people standing here,

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 so that they may believe that you sent me.

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 Literally, it's on account of the crowd standing around.

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 So these Jewish friends who had been with Mary are all here at the tomb with her,

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 and with Martha, and with Jesus.

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 And then Jesus does the miracle and raises Lazarus from the dead in the sight of all of them.

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 So we've had this group of witnesses,

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 and now we find out about their response to the miracle.

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 What's their reaction?

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 John tells us in verse 45 and 46.

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 He tells us that many of them who had seen what Jesus did believed in him.

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 The miracle that they saw with their own eyes sealed the deal.

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 Yes, you really are, just as Martha says, the Messiah, the Son of God.

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 But John tells us also that some of them went to the Pharisees and told them about what Jesus had done.

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 Now, this is kind of an ominous statement.

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 On the one hand, we might think, well, that's great.

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 You go tell those Pharisees what Jesus did.

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 Give them some more evidence that Jesus really is the Son of God and the Messiah.

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 But on the other hand, the Pharisees have been plotting to kill Jesus.

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 They are his enemies, his opponents.

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 They've been looking for opportunities to get their hands on him.

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 So why are they going to Jesus' enemies?

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 Now the Pharisees will know where Jesus is.

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 And he's not far away.

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 Bethany is just two miles outside the city of Jerusalem.

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 So this is almost kind of like reporting Jesus to the local police.

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 As if he just committed a crime or something.

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 Well, this report triggers a big meeting.

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 Verse 47.

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 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

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 The Sanhedrin is the ruling council in Israel.

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 It's also the highest judicial body in the land.

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 Except for the Roman authority, which was over them at the time.

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 So you can maybe think of it a little bit like the legislative assembly and the Supreme Court of Canada merged together into one.

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 But a religious version.

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 Made up of chief priests.

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 Pharisees.

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 Scribes.

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 Sadducees.

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 Elders.

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 Wealthy.

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 Individuals.

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 So big meeting.

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 And now we hear a little from John about what was said at this meeting.

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 What are we accomplishing?

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 They asked.

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 Here is this man performing many signs.

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 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him.

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 And then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.

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 Can you hear the frustration that they have about Jesus?

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 What are they so worried about?

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 They're worried that everyone will come to believe in Jesus.

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 That's what they don't want to see happen.

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 People are coming to believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

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 And Messiah means king.

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 And if the whole nation gets behind this man as their king, their Messiah,

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 then it would almost certainly be perceived as a revolt.

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 And cause the Romans to come hard against them.

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 It would ruin this whole little bit of freedom that we have underneath the Romans

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 to be our own nation that we've got going here in our little corner of the Roman Empire.

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 So these were the kinds of things being said at this high-level meeting.

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 And we can't help but wonder,

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 where, O leaders of Israel, is your faith in God?

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 He promised that the Messiah would come and reign on David's throne.

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 And if Jesus is that Messiah,

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 which the signs are overwhelmingly pointing to,

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 if Jesus is that Messiah, then why should we fear the Romans?

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 If God is with this man, then who can be against him?

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 So there's not a lot of faith in God happening amongst this group of religious leaders

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 and political leaders.

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 And there's something else that's dark and ugly here.

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 Is it really just Rome that you're worried about?

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 Is it really for the greater good of the nation that you are worried?

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 Or is it your own positions of power and influence and wealth

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 over the people of Israel that you're worried about?

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 If Jesus does become king, where does that leave the Sanhedrin?

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 Out of a job.

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 Out of the spotlight where they love to be.

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 It leaves them under authority instead of over the people like they're used to.

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 No longer the ones who decide what's true and how things will go in the land.

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 It leaves them with people not believing in them anymore and instead believing in Jesus.

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 That's what's really going on here beneath the surface.

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 We see Jesus as a threat, they say.

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 And we cannot, we must not let him go on like this.

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 Because if we do, everybody will believe in him.

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 That's how compelling the signs were.

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 Verse 49.

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 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up.

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 You know nothing at all.

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 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people

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 than that the whole nation perish.

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 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year,

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 he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation.

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 And not only for that nation, but also for the scattered children of God,

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 to bring them together and make them one.

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 So from that day on, they plotted to take his life.

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 So Caiaphas, the high priest, the top dog, interjects at the assembly,

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 and he gives his own evaluation of what we should do here.

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 And it seems that what he says is accepted by the group.

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 Decision made.

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 What's best here is that this one man, Jesus, die.

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 It's better that than the alternative,

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 which is that he puts the whole nation in danger,

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 and the whole nation perish.

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 So this is the solution that the high priest puts forward.

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 But notice who the primary benefactors are here.

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 It's quite something how he words it, isn't it?

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 He says, you all do not realize that it is better for you,

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 and that's a you plural, as in it's better for you guys,

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 here at the meeting, that Jesus die, than the whole nation perish.

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 So whose interests come first here?

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 Those of the nation?

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 Or those of the Jewish leaders at the meeting?

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 He could have said, it's better for the nation.

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 But no, it's better for you guys if it goes this way,

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 if Jesus dies.

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 This is the man in the highest religious position in Israel.

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 What a sad solution.

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 And it's clear that this is what Caiaphas meant,

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 because look at what John says next in verse 53.

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 He says, so from that day on, they plotted to take his life.

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 Now the NIV translation and a few others,

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 I don't think get it quite right here.

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 Plotted is probably not quite the right meaning

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 of the word that's used in the original language.

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 The word used here means to reach a decision

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 about a course of action.

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 It means to resolve, to decide something.

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 And here's why this is so important.

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 This moment is not just the Pharisees doing more

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 of what they've been doing all along,

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 plotting and scheming.

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 This moment is the moment that the decision was made official

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 by the Sanhedrin to take Jesus out.

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 The Pharisees have been plotting and scheming for a long time,

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 but now this is more than just the Pharisees.

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 This is the whole Jewish ruling council.

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 Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, teachers of the law.

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 It's now official.

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 Decision made.

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 This man needs to go.

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 They resolved.

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 They decided to take his life.

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 And notice what's missing.

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 This is not a decision to bring him in

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 so that we can question him some more.

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 There's no mention of any need to put Jesus on trial

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 or examine him.

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 The decision is made to take his life,

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 as in to kill him.

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 This is not good.

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 Now let's go back for a moment.

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 What are we to make of this statement that John makes,

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 that Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation?

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 This is kind of a strange, maybe a little bit unexpected remark.

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 And we're probably wondering here,

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 did Caiaphas even know that he was prophesying,

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 that God was speaking through him?

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 Because it sure doesn't seem like Caiaphas is speaking from God.

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 It seems like he's proposing a very human and even sinful solution

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 to the problem of Jesus that the leaders have.

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 It's better for you guys that Jesus die

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 than for the whole nation to perish.

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 And it seems obvious by how the council responds

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 that this is how they understood Caiaphas' words.

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 We got to figure out a way to take his life,

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 to put an end to him.

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 But then John tells us

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 that Caiaphas did not say this on his own.

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 Literally, he did not say this from himself.

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 Amazingly and mysteriously,

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 Caiaphas was also speaking from God.

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 Or maybe we might say, rather,

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 that God was speaking through him.

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 And I'll be honest,

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 I'm still trying to wrap my head around this a little bit.

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 John makes special mention

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 that he was the high priest that year.

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 And the high priest,

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 at least in Israel's history,

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 was responsible for,

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 partially for revealing God's will to the people.

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 He had the urim and the thummim,

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 those kind of dice that would be rolled

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 to consult with the Lord.

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 In some ways,

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 the high priest is a mediator

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 between God and man.

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 And so prophecy,

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 or speaking from God,

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 was something that we might expect

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 to hear from the high priest.

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 And so,

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 it seems,

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 as John is saying,

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 that because he was the high priest,

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 God deliberately chose to speak through him.

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 But as Caiaphas spoke,

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 surprisingly,

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 it seems that what Caiaphas intended

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 and what God intended

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 were two different things.

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 Caiaphas predicted that Jesus would die

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 as a substitute

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 on behalf of the nation.

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 And that's exactly what happened.

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 But Caiaphas intended Jesus' death

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 so that the nation wouldn't be wiped out

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 by the Romans.

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 Yet God intended Jesus' death

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 to save his people

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 from their sins,

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 to save them from perishing

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 in a much greater

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 and a much different sense.

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 maybe what Caiaphas envisioned

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 was that somehow,

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 in the midst of all this,

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 the scattered children of God,

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 Jews from all over,

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 would come together now

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 and be united,

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 even though this Jesus turned out

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 not to be the Messiah

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 that they had been hoping for.

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 But what God intended

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 was that through his son Jesus,

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 all of his children,

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 who are scattered all over,

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 both Jew and Gentile

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 would come to believe in Jesus

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 and would be made into one flock,

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 one people of God,

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 united in Christ,

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 their Lord and Messiah.

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 So that's my best guess

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 at what's going on here.

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 There is one word of prophecy spoken,

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 and yet it seems

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 two different intentions.

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 There's Caiaphas' intention,

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 and there's God's intention.

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 And amazingly,

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 even though there are

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 two different intentions,

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 there's only one result

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 and one outcome.

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 We might sum it up

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 in the words of Joseph

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 to his brothers.

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 What Caiaphas intended for evil,

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 God intended for good,

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 to accomplish what is now being done,

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 the saving of many lives.

00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:48.919
 That's what the death of Jesus

00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:50.299
 is all about,

00:16:50.919 --> 00:16:52.559
 by God's intention,

00:16:53.179 --> 00:16:53.700
 salvation,

00:16:54.039 --> 00:16:55.620
 the saving of lives.

00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:58.779
 So Jesus will die for the nation

00:16:58.779 --> 00:16:59.580
 as a substitute,

00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:01.240
 and it will result

00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:03.159
 in salvation for people

00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:04.619
 and a bringing together

00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:06.380
 of all the children of God

00:17:06.380 --> 00:17:07.940
 so that they may be united.

00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:09.799
 Prophecy fulfilled.

00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:12.380
 But you know,

00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:13.420
 the more I thought about this,

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:14.440
 the more I realized,

00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:15.420
 isn't this something?

00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:18.000
 Here they are

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:20.140
 in the middle of this meeting

00:17:20.140 --> 00:17:22.799
 trying to decide

00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:24.839
 what to do with God's Son.

00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:26.880
 Plotting,

00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:28.000
 scheming,

00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.380
 and now coming to a decision

00:17:30.380 --> 00:17:31.480
 to kill Him.

00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:33.980
 And yet,

00:17:34.420 --> 00:17:35.380
 in that very meeting,

00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:36.119
 God is there.

00:17:37.380 --> 00:17:38.720
 And God is speaking.

00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:41.799
 He even uses one of them

00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:43.720
 to declare what He will bring about.

00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:48.019
 through their plotting,

00:17:48.220 --> 00:17:49.860
 through their decision,

00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:52.500
 something good.

00:17:54.100 --> 00:17:56.180
 Something much more necessary

00:17:56.180 --> 00:17:57.720
 than the salvation

00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:58.720
 and the unification

00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:00.380
 that they have in mind.

00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:02.380
 God is able to bring about

00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:03.380
 His plan,

00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:09.400
 His good purpose,

00:18:10.060 --> 00:18:11.740
 through the plotting

00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:13.000
 and scheming

00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:14.280
 of wicked men.

00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:17.039
 the very word that sealed

00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:18.000
 Jesus' fate

00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.299
 at this meeting,

00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:21.319
 at least on the human level,

00:18:21.700 --> 00:18:22.720
 was ultimately

00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.579
 spoken by God

00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:26.619
 to bring about salvation

00:18:26.619 --> 00:18:28.119
 for His people.

00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:31.159
 And this is what the apostles

00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:32.199
 came to realize

00:18:32.199 --> 00:18:34.179
 after Jesus had ascended

00:18:34.179 --> 00:18:34.719
 into heaven.

00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:35.579
 Maybe you remember

00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:37.579
 later,

00:18:38.119 --> 00:18:38.959
 Jesus' followers

00:18:38.959 --> 00:18:39.759
 come to

00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:41.339
 have some conflict

00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:42.579
 with these same leaders

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:44.139
 in Acts chapter 4

00:18:44.139 --> 00:18:45.259
 and they're threatened.

00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:47.559
 Don't you talk about Jesus anymore.

00:18:49.059 --> 00:18:50.559
 And they gather together

00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:52.099
 and they pray.

00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:54.339
 And this is what they say

00:18:54.339 --> 00:18:55.439
 in Acts chapter 4.

00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:58.980
 You spoke by the Holy Spirit

00:18:58.980 --> 00:18:59.580
 through the mouth

00:18:59.580 --> 00:19:00.680
 of your servant, Lord,

00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:03.100
 our father David.

00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:06.019
 Why do the nations rage

00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:07.140
 and the peoples plot

00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:08.220
 in vain?

00:19:09.080 --> 00:19:10.360
 The kings of the earth

00:19:10.360 --> 00:19:11.299
 rise up

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:12.940
 and the rulers

00:19:12.940 --> 00:19:14.299
 band together

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.460
 against the Lord

00:19:15.460 --> 00:19:17.620
 and His anointed one.

00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:21.160
 Indeed,

00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:23.539
 Herod and Pontius Pilate

00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:24.220
 met together

00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:25.220
 with the Gentiles

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:27.440
 and the people of Israel

00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:29.059
 in this city

00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:30.539
 to conspire

00:19:30.539 --> 00:19:32.019
 against your holy servant,

00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:32.860
 Jesus,

00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:34.079
 whom you anointed.

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:36.200
 But now listen

00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:37.019
 to what they say.

00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:38.839
 They did

00:19:38.839 --> 00:19:39.960
 what your power

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:41.140
 and will

00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:42.759
 had decided beforehand

00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:44.400
 should happen.

00:19:46.900 --> 00:19:48.079
 Isn't that something?

00:19:48.860 --> 00:19:50.019
 Do you hear that?

00:19:50.660 --> 00:19:51.960
 Here in this meeting

00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:53.160
 of the Sanhedrin,

00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:54.960
 even though powerful men

00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:55.600
 are at work

00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:56.880
 against the Lord Jesus,

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.700
 plotting and scheming

00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:00.500
 and planning

00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:01.400
 and deciding

00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:02.700
 to bring Jesus down,

00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.120
 God is totally

00:20:04.120 --> 00:20:04.940
 in control

00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:06.420
 and He is even

00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:07.140
 bringing about

00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:08.180
 His good purpose

00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:09.019
 and His will

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:09.800
 through

00:20:09.800 --> 00:20:11.279
 their decision.

00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:15.540
 Something He's already

00:20:15.540 --> 00:20:16.100
 decided

00:20:16.100 --> 00:20:16.900
 should happen.

00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:20.160
 I think there's a word

00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:21.000
 for us in this

00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:23.300
 for our day,

00:20:23.580 --> 00:20:24.120
 isn't there?

00:20:26.280 --> 00:20:26.920
 I've seen

00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:27.480
 and I've heard

00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:28.759
 such concern

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.440
 from Christians

00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:30.519
 all over the world

00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:32.460
 about what is happening

00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:33.580
 right now

00:20:33.580 --> 00:20:34.380
 in our days,

00:20:34.840 --> 00:20:36.220
 about powerful people

00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:37.900
 in positions

00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:38.600
 of leadership,

00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:40.980
 people who have

00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:42.019
 great influence

00:20:42.019 --> 00:20:42.820
 and are wealthy,

00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:44.280
 who are working hard

00:20:44.280 --> 00:20:45.200
 to bring about

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:45.960
 what they want

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:46.299
 to see

00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:47.000
 and it seems

00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:48.620
 that they're succeeding.

00:20:51.100 --> 00:20:52.240
 Now don't get me wrong,

00:20:52.299 --> 00:20:53.120
 we should be sad

00:20:53.120 --> 00:20:54.559
 when laws are made

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.620
 that are unjust

00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:56.519
 and immoral

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:57.299
 or when people

00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:58.059
 are harmed

00:20:58.059 --> 00:20:58.660
 or hurt

00:20:58.660 --> 00:20:59.860
 by the powerful

00:20:59.860 --> 00:21:01.720
 or people

00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:02.640
 are taken advantage

00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:03.080
 of

00:21:03.080 --> 00:21:04.259
 by the wealthy.

00:21:06.059 --> 00:21:07.360
 But let's not forget

00:21:07.360 --> 00:21:08.259
 that today,

00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.860
 just as then,

00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:11.899
 God is still

00:21:11.899 --> 00:21:13.659
 totally in control

00:21:13.659 --> 00:21:15.619
 of the situation.

00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:18.359
 It's not just

00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:18.899
 that he's off

00:21:18.899 --> 00:21:19.519
 to the side

00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:20.599
 and only occasionally

00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:21.419
 intervenes

00:21:21.419 --> 00:21:22.159
 just to make sure

00:21:22.159 --> 00:21:22.879
 that things still

00:21:22.879 --> 00:21:23.979
 go according to plan.

00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:24.819
 No,

00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:27.159
 he is working

00:21:27.159 --> 00:21:28.099
 through

00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:29.439
 what these people

00:21:29.439 --> 00:21:30.000
 are doing

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:32.500
 to bring about

00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:33.500
 his good purpose,

00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:35.579
 his will

00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:37.319
 for his people

00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:39.039
 and nobody

00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:39.939
 can stop him.

00:21:41.099 --> 00:21:41.500
 Nobody

00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:42.419
 can thwart him.

00:21:47.419 --> 00:21:48.299
 So things

00:21:48.299 --> 00:21:49.000
 are heating up

00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:50.200
 for Jesus.

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.899
 It's now official.

00:21:53.899 --> 00:21:55.179
 The religious leaders

00:21:55.179 --> 00:21:56.000
 are maybe thinking,

00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:57.500
 now we can finally

00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.359
 start printing

00:21:58.359 --> 00:21:59.379
 the wanted posters

00:21:59.379 --> 00:22:00.099
 and putting them

00:22:00.099 --> 00:22:00.960
 up on the walls

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:02.159
 here in Jerusalem

00:22:02.159 --> 00:22:03.099
 and in every town

00:22:03.099 --> 00:22:03.659
 in Israel.

00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:06.240
 verse 54.

00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:08.160
 Therefore,

00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:09.759
 Jesus no longer

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.480
 moved about

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.120
 publicly

00:22:11.120 --> 00:22:12.580
 among the people

00:22:12.580 --> 00:22:13.240
 of Judea.

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:14.800
 Instead,

00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:16.220
 he withdrew

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:17.000
 to a region

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:18.060
 near the wilderness

00:22:18.060 --> 00:22:19.820
 to a village

00:22:19.820 --> 00:22:20.620
 called Ephraim

00:22:20.620 --> 00:22:22.420
 where he stayed

00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:23.500
 with his disciples.

00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:25.779
 So again,

00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:27.580
 Jesus gets

00:22:27.580 --> 00:22:28.120
 out of town.

00:22:28.820 --> 00:22:29.600
 He puts

00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:30.200
 some distance

00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:31.140
 between himself

00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:32.140
 and them.

00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:33.360
 he finds

00:22:33.360 --> 00:22:34.060
 a small village

00:22:34.060 --> 00:22:34.580
 on the edge

00:22:34.580 --> 00:22:35.080
 of the wilderness

00:22:35.080 --> 00:22:35.820
 and he stays

00:22:35.820 --> 00:22:36.560
 there for a while

00:22:36.560 --> 00:22:37.400
 with his disciples.

00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:42.180
 I want to encourage

00:22:42.180 --> 00:22:43.040
 you to put yourself

00:22:43.040 --> 00:22:43.820
 in the shoes

00:22:43.820 --> 00:22:45.380
 of Jesus'

00:22:45.580 --> 00:22:45.940
 disciples

00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:47.120
 in this time.

00:22:48.580 --> 00:22:49.340
 How are they

00:22:49.340 --> 00:22:50.300
 feeling right now

00:22:50.300 --> 00:22:51.840
 as they follow

00:22:51.840 --> 00:22:52.700
 Jesus through

00:22:52.700 --> 00:22:53.520
 all of this?

00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:56.259
 Did they feel

00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:56.759
 safe?

00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:00.920
 Perhaps

00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:01.420
 they're feeling

00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:02.320
 like fugitives,

00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:04.039
 men on the run.

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:07.980
 But even

00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:08.700
 though from

00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:09.500
 their perspective

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:10.480
 it probably

00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:11.100
 looked like

00:23:11.100 --> 00:23:11.519
 things were

00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:12.519
 spiraling downward

00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:13.220
 and out of

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:13.680
 control,

00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:15.800
 all this time

00:23:15.800 --> 00:23:17.340
 God was

00:23:17.340 --> 00:23:18.100
 totally

00:23:18.100 --> 00:23:19.320
 in control

00:23:19.320 --> 00:23:21.340
 and all

00:23:21.340 --> 00:23:21.700
 they needed

00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:22.180
 to do

00:23:22.180 --> 00:23:23.700
 was trust

00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:23.960
 him

00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:25.220
 and keep

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:26.120
 following Jesus.

00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:35.179
 God

00:23:35.179 --> 00:23:35.979
 and his

00:23:35.979 --> 00:23:36.239
 son

00:23:36.239 --> 00:23:36.619
 Jesus

00:23:36.619 --> 00:23:37.859
 are seated

00:23:37.859 --> 00:23:38.739
 right now

00:23:38.739 --> 00:23:39.519
 on heaven's

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:39.799
 throne

00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:42.299
 and no matter

00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:43.079
 what happens

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:43.559
 in our world

00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:43.959
 they are

00:23:43.959 --> 00:23:44.559
 personally

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.439
 seeing to it

00:23:45.439 --> 00:23:46.219
 that everything

00:23:46.219 --> 00:23:46.839
 goes

00:23:46.839 --> 00:23:48.079
 just as it

00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:48.379
 should

00:23:48.379 --> 00:23:50.659
 even in our

00:23:50.659 --> 00:23:51.239
 day today.

00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:53.259
 and so I

00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:53.519
 want to

00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:54.000
 encourage you

00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:54.480
 this morning

00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:55.200
 to trust

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:57.759
 and obey.

00:23:58.259 --> 00:23:58.799
 Keep

00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.259
 following

00:23:59.259 --> 00:23:59.720
 Jesus.

00:24:01.099 --> 00:24:01.759
 He is the

00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:02.039
 way,

00:24:02.779 --> 00:24:03.599
 the truth

00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:04.519
 and the

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:04.839
 life.

00:24:05.960 --> 00:24:06.759
 Let's pray.

00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:12.059
 it's such a

00:24:12.059 --> 00:24:12.539
 privilege

00:24:12.539 --> 00:24:13.700
 Lord Jesus

00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:14.359
 to know

00:24:14.359 --> 00:24:15.240
 your story

00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:17.279
 to know

00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:17.640
 you

00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:20.160
 to belong

00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:20.599
 to you

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:21.099
 and to know

00:24:21.099 --> 00:24:21.579
 that we are

00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.019
 safe

00:24:22.019 --> 00:24:23.640
 because we

00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:24.140
 have you

00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:24.660
 for our

00:24:24.660 --> 00:24:25.099
 shepherd

00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:26.359
 our king

00:24:26.359 --> 00:24:27.500
 our lord

00:24:27.500 --> 00:24:30.500
 and we

00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:30.980
 long for

00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:31.400
 that day

00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:31.740
 when you

00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:32.279
 will return.

00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:35.119
 We long

00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:35.619
 to see

00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:36.299
 the fullness

00:24:36.299 --> 00:24:37.599
 of the

00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:38.119
 kingdom of

00:24:38.119 --> 00:24:38.379
 heaven,

00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:38.859
 the kingdom

00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:39.319
 of God

00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:39.720
 that you

00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:40.359
 spoke so

00:24:40.359 --> 00:24:40.919
 much about.

00:24:42.659 --> 00:24:43.419
 I pray

00:24:43.419 --> 00:24:43.740
 that you

00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:44.079
 would help

00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:44.519
 us to be

00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:45.259
 patient and

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:45.819
 to trust

00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:46.119
 you.

00:24:47.379 --> 00:24:48.019
 Even though

00:24:48.019 --> 00:24:48.339
 we don't

00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:48.859
 know just

00:24:48.859 --> 00:24:49.460
 what or

00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:50.960
 when all

00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:51.279
 of this

00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:52.079
 will unfold.

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:55.899
 May you

00:24:55.899 --> 00:24:56.579
 be glorified

00:24:56.579 --> 00:24:57.059
 in us.

00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:59.099
 In Jesus

00:24:59.099 --> 00:24:59.519
 name.

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:00.799
 Amen.