The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 11:47-48,
"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.'"
This was the response of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews, when told of Jesus raising a man, Lazarus, from the dead. I note in their response their concern that the Romans would destroy both the temple and the nation if they were to allow Jesus to carry on. I'm quite certain they were also concerned they might lose their own exalted positions among the people.
"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.'"
This was the response of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews, when told of Jesus raising a man, Lazarus, from the dead. I note in their response their concern that the Romans would destroy both the temple and the nation if they were to allow Jesus to carry on. I'm quite certain they were also concerned they might lose their own exalted positions among the people.
What I don't detect is an ounce of faith within them for the God they professed to worship. They claimed to be mindful of the law given to Moses by God and enacted their own regulations to prevent the breaching of it (the traditions of the elders). They were careful to memorize, study and teach the Scriptures on Sabbath at the temple and synagogue.
These Pharisees and Sanhedrin leaders were very religious, claimed to be God's people and yet the thought never struck them that in light of these startling miracles of Jesus, his forceful teachings and the following he gained, that maybe they should check in with God about both Jesus as well as the welfare of the temple and the nation.
What these leaders demonstrated was that the only deliverance they thought they could possibly count on was what they might provide themselves through their own craftiness and politics. With the notable exceptions of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (and possibly a few others?) this group of leaders didn't seem to have gathered for a prayer meeting, didn't inquire of God, didn't search the Scriptures as the reports about Jesus came in.
Their thought was, "How do WE fix this?" Not a hint of faith in the God they claimed to worship! They never appear to even check in with God. Sounds like a lot of church leaders today, doesn't it?
As we face big problems today, where do we take them, who do we count on? Is our faith on display?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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