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John 11:45-57 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Amen and good morning. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in John chapter 11.
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If you were here with us last week, rest assured, my blood sugar is doing well, and I have nothing but water to drink.
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We're going to begin reading in verse 45 and continue through the end of the chapter for our study this morning.
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And as we do, we're going to be in a passage that in one sense feels almost like an epilogue to the raising of Lazarus.
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Though John intends us to understand that what happens here is actually much more significant than just that.
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The raising of Lazarus is finished.
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The stone has been removed. Jesus has prayed to his father.
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He has cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out.
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And the man who had been dead for four days has walked out of his tomb still wrapped in his burial cloths.
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As we saw last week, that miracle is not merely an extraordinary display of raw power, but a sign revealing the identity of Jesus Christ.
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Jesus had told Martha, I am the resurrection and the life.
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Then he demonstrated that his words were not religious sentiment spoken to comfort a grieving woman,
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because the one who claimed to be the resurrection stood outside of the grave and commanded the dead to live.
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And Lazarus lived.
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Now, if we were writing the story, I suspect most of us would expect John to conclude chapter 11 differently.
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We might expect something like this.
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Lazarus comes out of the tomb.
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Everyone falls down in worship.
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The religious leaders finally admit that they have been wrong about Jesus all along.
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Jerusalem welcomes her Messiah.
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And the chapter ends in universal celebration.
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We, of course, know this is not how the story goes.
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But what more evidence could anyone possibly require that Jesus is the Christ?
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Jesus turned water into wine.
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He has healed the sick.
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He has given sight to a man born blind.
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He has fed thousands with a small amount of food.
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He has walked upon the sea.
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And now, if there were any uncertainty remaining about the kind of authority he possesses,
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Jesus called a man out of a grave after four days dead.
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Surely, this should settle the question.
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Surely, everyone would believe now, but that is not at all what happens.
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And what John shows us in the remainder of chapter 11 is something profoundly important about belief.
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Excuse me, about unbelief.
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The fundamental problem of unbelief is not a lack of evidence.
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The problem is that the human heart does not want the conclusion to which the evidence points.
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There are people in this passage who have just watched Lazarus walk out of his grave,
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and rather than falling before Jesus in worship,
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they begin participating in a process that will lead to his murder.
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But there's even greater truth running behind the surface of these verses,
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because while sinful men begin plotting the death of Jesus for their own wicked purposes,
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God is simultaneously accomplishing his own righteous purpose through their plot.
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The leaders intend murder.
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God intends salvation.
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Caiaphas intends political expediency.
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God speaks through him of substitutionary atonement.
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The council concludes that Jesus must die to preserve their nation,
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while God has determined that Jesus will die to save his people,
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not only from Israel, but from among the nations of the world.
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And so this passage becomes one of the clearest examples in all of Scripture of the mysterious sovereign providence of God,
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who is so completely Lord over human history that even the wicked actions of sinful men cannot overthrow his purposes,
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but are, without excusing their wickedness in any way,
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made to serve the very plan they intend to destroy.
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So let's look at this passage together after a word of prayer.
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Father, we thank you for your word this morning,
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this end of John chapter 11,
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the opportunity for us to take some time to take it up,
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to read it,
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to consider all of its implications.
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We humbly recognize that we need your help to do this.
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We are feeble in our own thinking.
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We have varied distractions in all of our minds,
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even now.
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We need your help to believe its promises and obey its commands,
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to have affection for you, its author.
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So we pray that you'd help us to do this.
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We pray it in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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John chapter 11, I'll begin reading in verse 45.
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Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary
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and had seen what he did, believed in him.
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But some of them went to the Pharisees
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and told them what Jesus had done.
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So the chief priests and the Pharisees
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gathered the council and said,
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What are we to do?
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For this man performs many signs.
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If we let him go on like this,
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everyone will believe in him.
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And the Romans will come and take away
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both our place and our nation.
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But one of them, Caiaphas,
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who was high priest that year,
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said to them,
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You know nothing at all.
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Nor do you understand that it is better for you
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that one man should die for the people,
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not that the whole nation should perish.
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He did not say this of his own accord.
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But being a high priest that year,
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he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.
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And not for the nation only,
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but also to gather into one
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the children of God who are scattered abroad.
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So from that day on,
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they made plans to put him to death.
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Jesus, therefore, no longer walked openly among the Jews,
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but went from there to the region near the wilderness
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to a town called Ephraim.
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And there he stayed with the disciples.
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Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand,
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and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
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before the Passover to purify themselves.
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They were looking for Jesus
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and saying to one another as they stood in the temple,
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What do you think?
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that he will not come to the feast at all?
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Now the chief priests and the Pharisees
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had given orders that if anyone knew where he was,
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he should let them know
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so that they might arrest him.
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All right.
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I'd like to consider this passage this morning
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under four headings.
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Number one, the sign produces division.
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Number two, the leaders protect their position.
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Number three, the priests proclaim more than he knows.
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And number four, the Passover points us toward the cross.
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Well, number one, the sign produces division.
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We see this in verses 45 and 46.
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Look first at verse 45.
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Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary
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and had seen what he did, believed in him.
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That is the response that we want.
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That's what we would expect.
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These are the people who had come to Bethany
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to console Mary and Martha.
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And after the death of Lazarus,
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and because they were present with the sisters,
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have witnessed the events that John just described.
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John tells us that many of them responded
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exactly as the signs in this gospel
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are intended to lead us to respond.
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Perhaps these are some of the disciples
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in the upper room after Jesus' death.
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They believed in him.
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Remember again the purpose statement
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John will give us near the end of this gospel.
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These signs have been written so that you may believe
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that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
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and that by believing, have life in his name.
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So the sign, the miracle of the raising of Lazarus
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points beyond itself to Christ.
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The miracle is not merely saying,
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look what Jesus can do.
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The miracle is saying, look who Jesus is.
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And many saw the sign,
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understood something of what it revealed
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concerning Jesus.
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He is the resurrection and the life.
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And they believed in him.
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But then verse 46 introduces
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one of those contrasts John uses repeatedly
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throughout the gospel.
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We've seen this theme again and again and again.
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Those who receive, those who reject.
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Verse 46 says,
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But some of them went to the Pharisees
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and told them what Jesus had done.
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Now John does not explicitly tell us
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the motives of these people
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and therefore we should be careful
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not to pretend that we know
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more than the text tells us.
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It is possible that some of them
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simply reported the event
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without understanding what the consequences would be.
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But given what immediately follows,
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the contrast is really difficult to miss.
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Some see Lazarus raised and believe.
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Others see Lazarus raised and go to those
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who have already demonstrated their hospitality,
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excuse me, their hostility toward Jesus.
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They've been openly hostile toward him.
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Same Christ, same sign, same evidence,
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different responses.
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And that pattern has appeared
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all throughout John's gospel.
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Jesus reveals himself
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and people divide.
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Some believe, others reject,
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some worship, others oppose.
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Some recognize the shepherd's voice.
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Others accuse him of having a demon.
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The light shines into the darkness,
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but not everyone loves the light.
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And this raises an important question for us.
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Why does one person see the signs of Christ
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and believe while another encounters
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the same testimony
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and remains hardened?
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We are often inclined to assume
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that unbelief is primarily
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an intellectual problem.
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And certainly there are
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intellectual questions worth answering.
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Christianity does not ask people
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to turn off their minds.
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The Christian faith
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makes historical and theological claims
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which should be examined carefully.
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But scripture teaches us
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that unbelief goes deeper
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than just a lack of information.
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Jesus has already said in John 3
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that light has come into the world,
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but people loved darkness
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rather than light
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because their works were evil.
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The issue is not merely
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that they cannot see.
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The issue is that
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they do not want the implications
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of what they see.
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That is precisely what becomes apparent
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in the verses that follow.
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The religious leaders
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are not going to deny
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that Jesus has done
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extraordinary things.
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In fact,
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they will openly acknowledge it.
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The problem is not
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that the evidence for Jesus
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is insufficient.
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The problem is that
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if Jesus really is
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who the evidence indicates he is,
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then they can no longer remain
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the unquestioned rulers
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of their own lives.
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And that remains
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one of the great obstacles
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to faith.
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People sometimes say,
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if God would just show me
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enough evidence,
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I would believe.
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Perhaps.
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But the Bible makes us
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ask another question.
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If God showed you
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enough evidence,
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would you worship him
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or would you resent the fact
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that the evidence requires you
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to surrender yourself
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to him?
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Because Christianity
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does not merely ask you
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to add Jesus
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to an otherwise
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unchanged life.
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It tells you
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that Jesus
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is Lord.
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If you're to have him
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as your Savior,
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he will also
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be Lord.
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If Jesus
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is the Christ,
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the Son of God,
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then he possesses
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rightful authority
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over you
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for your eternal good.
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and it is entirely
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possible for a person
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to resist Christianity
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not because the evidence
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is weak,
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but because the implications
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are costly.
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Sin does not
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merely make us
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ignorant.
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Sin makes us
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rebellious.
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And so the question
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the text places
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before each of us
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is not merely
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have I seen enough
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concerning Christ,
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the more searching
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question is
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what have I done
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with what God
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has shown me
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concerning his Son.
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Because exposure
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to truth
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does not automatically
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produce faith.
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These people
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watched a resurrection.
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The account is clear.
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It's undoubted.
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Lazarus was dead.
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They witnessed
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a man
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come to life
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with words.
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Some believed.
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Sadly,
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some did not.
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You can sit
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under faithful
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preaching for years
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and remain unchanged.
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You can know
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Christian doctrine
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and get it all
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just right.
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You can learn
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Christian vocabulary.
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You can understand
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what the Bible
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teaches about Christ
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and still refuse
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to entrust yourself
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to him.
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The question
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is not whether
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Christ has been
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sufficiently revealed.
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The question
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is whether
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you will
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believe.
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he is the Christ.
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Second heading.
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The leaders
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protect
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their position.
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So John
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goes on
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after this
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account
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has been reported.
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Verse 47.
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So the chief
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priests
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and the Pharisees
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gathered the council
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and said,
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what are we to do?
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For this man
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performs
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many signs.
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The council
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here is
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what's known
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as the Sanhedrin.
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the ruling
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Jewish council
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made up of
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the principal
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religious
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authorities
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of the nation.
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It was a
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mix of both
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Pharisees
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and Sadducees,
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predominantly
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Sadducees.
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And I want you
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to notice
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the extraordinary
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admission they make.
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They do not say
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this man's signs
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fraudulent.
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They do not say
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Lazarus was never
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actually dead.
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They do not
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attempt to produce
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some natural
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explanation for
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what has occurred.
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They just say
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this man
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performs
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many
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signs.
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I'll pass over
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that
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too quickly.
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These are
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Genesis' enemies.
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They're the men
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who want
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to
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stop him.
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And their
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strategy is not
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to deny
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that he is
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doing signs
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because apparently
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the evidence
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has become
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too public
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and too
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overwhelming
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for that
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to be
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plausible.
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Their question
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is,
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not did he
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do it,
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their question
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is,
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what are we
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going to do
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about him?
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That's a
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remarkable
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picture
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of unbelief.
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I'm not
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doubting
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that he has
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done these
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things,
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that he is
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powerful.
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What they're
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doing is saying
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it's going to
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be a problem.
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We've got to
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get rid of
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them.
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They have
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reached the
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point where
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the problem
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in their
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minds is
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no longer
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the evidence.
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The problem
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is Jesus
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himself.
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Verse 48
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explains why.
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If we let
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him go on
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like this,
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everyone will
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believe in
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him.
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The evidence
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will stack
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and stack
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and stack.
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Everyone will
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believe and
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the Romans
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will come
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and take
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away both
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our place
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and our
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nation.
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Do you
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hear the
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fear
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underneath
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these
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words?
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If Jesus
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continues,
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people will
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follow him.
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If people
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follow him,
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Rome may
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interpret the
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movement as
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a political
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rebellion.
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If Rome
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intervenes,
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we may
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lose our
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place and
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our nation.
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Now,
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there is a
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measure of
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historical
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realism in
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their concern.
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Israel lived
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under Roman
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occupation,
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and Rome
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had little
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patience for
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disturbances that
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threatened imperial
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order.
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They very
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wisely allowed
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religious practice
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to go on,
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kind of some
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puppet governance
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that felt
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local.
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They didn't
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strip people
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that they
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conquered entirely
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of their
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identity,
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but it could
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not threaten
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the rule
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of Rome.
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A large
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messianic
16:49
movement could
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certainly attract
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Roman attention,
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but John
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wants us to
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see that their
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concern for
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national survival
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is entangled
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with something
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far more
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personal.
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They are
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afraid of
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losing,
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quote,
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our place.
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That may
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include the
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temple,
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but it almost
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certainly
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includes their
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position,
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influence,
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privilege,
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and authority
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within the
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existing religious
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order.
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Caiaphas was
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appointed high
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priest by a
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Roman ruler.
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father.
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Jesus
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threatens what
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they possess,
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and suddenly
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the issue
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becomes very
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clear.
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They do not
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ask whether
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Jesus is
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true.
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They ask
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what Jesus
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might cost
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them.
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That is one
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of the most
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dangerous ways
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the human
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heart can
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approach
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Christ.
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We begin
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calculating.
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If I believe
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him, what
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will happen
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to the life
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I have
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constructed?
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What
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relationships
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might change?
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What ambitions
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might have
17:54
to die?
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What sins
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would I need
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to abandon?
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What control
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would I have
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to surrender?
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What will
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people think
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of me?
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What might
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obedience
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cost?
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And if the
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preservation
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of our
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present life
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becomes our
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highest good,
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we will
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eventually find
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reasons to
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reject anything
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that threatens
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it, even
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Christ
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himself.
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Jesus said
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earlier in the
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gospel that
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whoever loves
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his life
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loses it.
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The religious
18:24
leaders are
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demonstrating
18:25
exactly what
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he means.
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Their
18:28
overriding
18:28
concern is
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preservation.
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And therefore,
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Jesus must be
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dealt with.
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There is an
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irony here that
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John's original
18:38
readers could
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hardly miss.
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They fear that
18:41
if they do not
18:42
kill Jesus, the
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Romans would
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come and destroy
18:44
their place and
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nation.
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So they arranged
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for Jesus to
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be killed.
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And approximately
18:50
40 years later,
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in AD 70, Rome
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comes and
18:53
destroys Jerusalem
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and the temple
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anyway.
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The very thing
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they attempt to
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prevent by
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rejecting Christ
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eventually overtakes
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them.
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Now, we should
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be careful about
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drawing overly
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simplistic lines
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between every
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historical judgment
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and specific
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acts of sin,
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but John
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certainly wants
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us to recognize
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the tragic
19:13
blindness of
19:15
their reasoning.
19:17
They believe
19:18
they can save
19:18
themselves by
19:19
eliminating
19:20
Jesus, but
19:21
no one saves
19:22
himself by
19:23
rejecting the
19:24
Savior.
19:25
And that applies
19:26
far beyond
19:28
first century
19:29
Judaism.
19:31
Sin always
19:32
makes promises
19:33
about
19:34
preservation.
19:36
If I obey
19:37
Christ here, I
19:38
will lose too
19:38
much.
19:40
If I tell the
19:40
truth, I will
19:42
lose this
19:42
opportunity.
19:44
If I confess
19:45
this sin, I'll
19:46
lose my reputation.
19:47
If I obey
19:49
Scripture, I may
19:50
lose this
19:51
relationship.
19:53
If I follow
19:54
Jesus faithfully, I
19:55
may lose the
19:56
approval of
19:56
people whose
19:57
approval I
19:58
value.
20:00
And the lie
20:01
underneath all
20:02
of it is that
20:03
disobedience will
20:04
preserve what
20:05
obedience
20:05
threatens.
20:08
Sometimes,
20:09
beloved,
20:10
obedience does
20:11
cost us.
20:14
Jesus has
20:14
never promised
20:15
otherwise.
20:16
there are
20:18
things Christians
20:19
lose because
20:19
they follow
20:20
Christ.
20:22
But whatever
20:23
obedience costs,
20:25
disobedience
20:26
ultimately costs
20:28
more.
20:30
The safest
20:31
place in
20:32
all of
20:33
creation is
20:34
not the
20:34
place where
20:35
you have
20:35
successfully
20:36
protected
20:37
yourself from
20:37
every earthly
20:38
loss.
20:39
The safest
20:40
place is
20:41
obedience to
20:42
the Lord
20:43
Jesus Christ.
20:44
Christ.
20:45
These leaders
20:46
are trying to
20:46
control the
20:47
future without
20:47
submitting
20:48
themselves to
20:48
the Lord
20:49
of that
20:50
future.
20:52
And whenever
20:53
we do that,
20:54
fear rules
20:56
us.
20:57
That is worth
20:58
considering,
20:59
particularly for
21:01
us as a
21:02
church.
21:04
Churches, I
21:04
think, can
21:05
begin thinking
21:06
exactly like
21:07
the Sanhedrin.
21:08
God
21:09
how do we
21:09
preserve our
21:10
place, our
21:12
influence, our
21:14
institution?
21:15
How do we
21:16
keep people?
21:17
How do we
21:18
protect the
21:19
organization?
21:20
It begins to
21:21
exist just to
21:22
exist.
21:24
Those questions
21:25
are not always
21:26
in every form
21:27
illegitimate.
21:29
Stewardship does
21:30
in fact matter.
21:31
But the
21:32
moment institutional
21:33
survival becomes
21:34
more important than
21:35
faithfulness to
21:36
Christ, the
21:36
church has
21:37
begun to
21:37
protect the
21:38
wrong thing.
21:40
Christ did
21:40
not promise
21:41
that every
21:42
local church
21:42
would exist
21:43
forever.
21:45
He promised
21:45
that His
21:46
church would.
21:49
Our
21:50
responsibility is
21:50
not to preserve
21:51
ourselves at any
21:52
cost.
21:53
Our
21:53
responsibility
21:53
is to be
21:55
faithful.
21:56
If Providence
21:58
Baptist Church
21:59
exists, the
22:01
Lord tarries for
22:03
another hundred
22:03
years, but
22:05
abandons the
22:05
truth, we have
22:07
failed miserably.
22:10
And if
22:11
faithfulness to
22:11
Christ ever
22:12
costs us
22:13
influence,
22:14
reputation,
22:14
attendance,
22:15
money, comfort,
22:16
or cultural
22:17
approval, then
22:18
let those things
22:19
go before we
22:20
let the truth
22:21
go.
22:23
The church
22:24
belongs to
22:25
Christ.
22:26
He will
22:27
build it.
22:29
Our task is
22:30
to be faithful.
22:33
Third
22:34
heading.
22:36
The priest
22:36
proclaims more
22:38
than he knows.
22:39
See this in
22:40
verses 49
22:40
down through
22:41
53.
22:43
Beginning in
22:44
verses 49, we
22:45
come to one of
22:45
the most
22:46
astonishing
22:46
examples of
22:47
divine providence
22:48
anywhere in
22:49
John's
22:50
gospel.
22:52
There he
22:52
says, but
22:53
one of them,
22:54
Caiaphas, who
22:54
was the high
22:55
priest that
22:55
year, said
22:56
to them,
22:57
you know
22:57
nothing at
22:58
all, nor
22:59
do you
22:59
understand that
23:00
it is better
23:00
for you that
23:01
one man should
23:02
die for the
23:02
people, not
23:03
that the
23:03
whole nation
23:04
should perish.
23:06
Caiaphas has
23:07
apparently had
23:08
enough of the
23:09
discussion.
23:10
You can hear
23:11
the arrogance
23:11
in these words,
23:12
you know
23:13
nothing at
23:14
all.
23:14
You know
23:15
nothing.
23:15
You understand
23:16
nothing.
23:17
This is not
23:17
kindness that
23:19
he's starting
23:20
with here.
23:21
in essence,
23:24
Caiaphas
23:24
believes the
23:25
answer is
23:25
obvious.
23:27
Stop
23:27
talking.
23:28
There's a
23:28
simple political
23:29
solution.
23:31
Jesus is
23:32
one man.
23:33
The nation
23:33
is many
23:34
people.
23:35
If one
23:35
man threatens
23:36
the security
23:36
of the
23:37
nation, then
23:37
eliminate the
23:38
one man.
23:41
From
23:41
Caiaphas'
23:42
perspective,
23:43
that is
23:43
straightforward
23:44
utilitarian
23:46
reasoning.
23:47
one life
23:48
is expendable
23:49
if sacrificing
23:50
that life
23:50
preserves the
23:51
larger group.
23:53
And notice
23:54
that there is
23:54
no concern
23:56
here for
23:56
justice.
23:58
He simply
23:58
calculates
23:59
outcomes.
24:01
Jesus has
24:02
become inconvenient.
24:04
Jesus is
24:04
dangerous to
24:05
their political
24:05
arrangement.
24:06
Therefore,
24:07
Jesus must
24:08
die.
24:11
This is what
24:12
happens when
24:12
political expediency
24:14
becomes detached
24:15
from righteousness.
24:17
Once survival,
24:18
power,
24:19
security,
24:19
or social
24:20
stability
24:20
becomes the
24:21
highest good,
24:22
human beings
24:23
become remarkably
24:24
capable of
24:25
justifying evil
24:26
in the name
24:27
of something
24:28
supposedly
24:29
greater.
24:31
Political
24:32
expediency
24:32
disregards
24:34
decorum
24:36
and principle.
24:38
Things can go
24:39
terribly awry,
24:40
and I'll now
24:41
digress.
24:43
Caiaphas
24:44
believes himself
24:45
to be the
24:45
clearest
24:46
thinker
24:47
in the room.
24:48
And from
24:49
one perspective,
24:50
his statement
24:51
is utterly
24:53
wicked.
24:55
He is
24:55
advocating for
24:56
the murder
24:56
of an innocent
24:57
man.
24:59
But then
24:59
John does
25:00
something
25:00
astonishing.
25:02
He tells us
25:03
that Caiaphas
25:03
has said
25:04
something far
25:05
more profound
25:06
than Caiaphas
25:07
himself
25:08
understands.
25:10
He gives us
25:11
commentary in
25:12
verse 51.
25:12
He did
25:14
not say
25:14
this of
25:15
his own
25:15
accord,
25:16
but being
25:17
high priest
25:17
that year,
25:18
he prophesied
25:19
that Jesus
25:19
would die
25:20
for the
25:21
nation.
25:23
Caiaphas
25:23
speaks.
25:25
Caiaphas
25:25
means one
25:27
thing.
25:28
God
25:28
means something
25:29
much greater
25:30
through his
25:32
words.
25:33
That does
25:34
not mean that
25:34
Caiaphas was
25:35
secretly
25:36
faithful.
25:37
It does
25:37
not mean
25:38
God approves
25:39
his murderous
25:40
intention.
25:41
It means
25:42
that God
25:42
is so
25:42
completely
25:43
sovereign
25:44
that he
25:44
can take
25:44
even the
25:45
words of
25:45
a wicked
25:46
man who
25:47
is conspiring
25:47
against his
25:48
son and
25:49
make those
25:49
words bear
25:50
testimony to
25:51
the very
25:51
salvation
25:52
that man's
25:54
conspiracy
25:54
will accomplish.
25:56
That's
25:57
astounding.
25:59
Caiaphas
25:59
says it is
26:00
better for you
26:00
that one
26:01
man should
26:01
die for
26:02
the people.
26:03
And heaven
26:04
says in
26:04
effect,
26:06
Caiaphas
26:06
you have
26:07
no idea
26:08
how right
26:08
you are.
26:10
One
26:11
man will
26:12
die for
26:13
the people.
26:14
But not
26:15
because he
26:16
is expendable,
26:17
not because
26:18
Rome must
26:19
be appeased,
26:20
not because
26:21
your political
26:22
position needs
26:23
to be
26:23
preserved,
26:24
he will
26:24
die as
26:25
a substitute
26:26
for sinners.
26:28
The heart
26:29
of the
26:29
gospel.
26:31
Jesus
26:31
would die
26:32
for the
26:32
nation.
26:34
That little
26:34
word carries
26:35
enormous
26:36
theological
26:36
weight
26:37
for.
26:38
He dies
26:38
for his
26:39
people,
26:40
in their
26:41
place,
26:42
for their
26:42
benefit,
26:43
as their
26:44
substitute.
26:46
The doctrine
26:47
we're dealing
26:48
with here,
26:48
Caiaphas'
26:49
wicked words,
26:51
is what we
26:52
call penal
26:53
substitutionary
26:54
atonement.
26:56
The heart
26:56
of the
26:56
gospel.
26:58
Penal
26:59
means that
26:59
there's
27:00
sin that
27:01
deserves
27:02
judgment,
27:03
penalty for
27:03
sin.
27:05
Substitutionary
27:06
means that
27:06
Christ stands
27:07
in that
27:08
place.
27:08
He takes
27:09
on that
27:09
punishment
27:10
for his
27:10
people.
27:13
The word
27:13
atonement
27:13
means that
27:14
through his
27:15
sacrifice,
27:15
our guilt
27:16
is dealt
27:17
with,
27:17
it's atoned
27:18
for,
27:19
and reconciliation
27:20
with God
27:20
is accomplished,
27:22
restored back
27:22
to God
27:23
in Christ.
27:26
Jesus dies
27:27
the death
27:27
sinners deserve,
27:28
so that sinners
27:29
who are united
27:30
to him by faith
27:31
receive the life
27:32
and righteousness
27:33
that they
27:34
do not
27:35
deserve.
27:37
It's
27:38
Christianity.
27:39
At the
27:40
cross,
27:41
God does
27:41
not simply
27:42
overlook
27:43
sin.
27:44
If God
27:45
merely ignored
27:45
evil,
27:46
he would
27:46
not be
27:46
righteous.
27:48
The judge
27:48
of all
27:49
the earth
27:49
must do
27:50
what is
27:51
just.
27:52
And
27:53
therefore,
27:53
the wonder
27:53
of the
27:54
gospel is
27:54
not that
27:55
God stops
27:56
being just
27:56
in order
27:57
to become
27:57
merciful.
27:58
The wonder
27:59
of the
27:59
gospel is
28:00
that at
28:00
the cross,
28:01
justice
28:02
and mercy
28:03
meet.
28:05
Our sin
28:05
is truly
28:07
judged.
28:08
Our Savior
28:09
truly bears
28:10
that judgment.
28:13
Isaiah
28:13
had said
28:13
centuries
28:14
earlier,
28:15
he was
28:15
pierced
28:15
for our
28:16
transgression.
28:17
He was
28:17
crushed
28:18
for our
28:19
iniquities.
28:20
And the
28:20
Lord has
28:21
laid on
28:21
him the
28:22
iniquity
28:22
of us
28:22
all.
28:24
Peter
28:24
will later
28:25
say,
28:25
he himself
28:26
bore
28:26
our sins
28:27
in his
28:27
body
28:28
on the
28:29
tree.
28:29
Paul
28:31
says,
28:31
for our
28:31
sake,
28:32
he made
28:32
him to
28:33
be sin
28:33
who knew
28:34
no
28:34
sin.
28:36
The
28:37
consistent
28:37
testimony
28:38
of
28:38
scripture
28:38
is that
28:39
Jesus
28:39
Christ
28:40
died
28:41
not
28:42
simply
28:42
to die,
28:43
he died
28:43
for
28:44
sinners.
28:47
He stood
28:47
where his
28:47
people
28:48
deserved
28:48
to stand.
28:50
He bore
28:50
what his
28:51
people
28:51
deserved
28:52
to bear.
28:54
He
28:54
satisfied
28:54
the
28:55
righteous
28:55
judgment
28:56
of God.
28:57
And
28:57
because he
28:58
did,
28:58
there is
28:58
now no
28:59
condemnation
29:00
for those
29:00
who are
29:01
in
29:01
Christ
29:02
Jesus.
29:04
Caiaphas
29:04
thought he
29:05
was proposing
29:06
a political
29:07
execution.
29:09
God
29:09
was preparing
29:10
a sacrifice.
29:13
And then
29:13
John takes
29:13
the purpose
29:15
of Christ's
29:15
death even
29:16
farther in
29:17
verse 52.
29:18
And not
29:18
for the
29:18
nation
29:19
only,
29:20
Israel,
29:21
but also
29:22
to gather
29:23
into one
29:23
the children
29:24
of God
29:25
who were
29:25
scattered
29:26
abroad.
29:27
God
29:28
there's
29:29
John
29:29
10.
29:30
Again,
29:30
do you
29:31
remember
29:31
what Jesus
29:31
said about
29:32
himself as
29:33
the good
29:33
shepherd?
29:34
I have
29:35
other sheep
29:36
that are not
29:37
of his fold.
29:38
I must
29:38
bring them
29:38
also and
29:39
they will
29:39
listen to
29:40
my
29:40
voice.
29:41
So there
29:41
will be
29:41
one
29:41
flock,
29:43
one
29:43
shepherd.
29:45
Now,
29:46
John tells
29:46
us that
29:47
the death
29:47
of Jesus
29:48
is the
29:48
means by
29:49
which those
29:49
scattered
29:50
people will
29:51
be gathered
29:51
into one.
29:53
Jesus is
29:54
not merely
29:54
dying for
29:56
ethnic
29:56
Israel.
29:57
The saving
29:58
purpose of
29:58
God extends
29:59
to the
30:00
nations.
30:01
Men and
30:01
women from
30:02
every tribe
30:02
and tongue
30:03
and people
30:04
will be
30:04
gathered to
30:04
Christ.
30:05
The cross
30:06
creates
30:07
a people.
30:09
Jesus
30:09
creates
30:10
a church,
30:11
one flock,
30:13
one shepherd.
30:15
The cross
30:15
reconciles
30:16
sinners to
30:16
God and
30:17
because it
30:17
reconciles
30:18
sinners to
30:18
God,
30:18
it also
30:19
reconciles
30:20
those
30:21
sinners
30:21
to one
30:22
another.
30:24
That means
30:24
the local
30:25
church is
30:25
not merely
30:26
a convenient
30:27
gathering
30:27
place for
30:28
Christians
30:28
who happen
30:28
to enjoy
30:29
the same
30:30
style of
30:30
preaching
30:30
or music.
30:32
It is a
30:33
visible
30:33
expression
30:34
of what
30:34
Christ
30:35
purchased
30:36
by his
30:37
blood.
30:38
Do you
30:38
come here
30:39
thinking
30:39
about that?
30:41
This is
30:42
why divisions
30:42
in the
30:43
church are
30:43
so serious.
30:45
We belong
30:46
to one
30:46
another
30:46
because first
30:47
we belong
30:48
to him.
30:50
It's a
30:51
divine
30:51
reality
30:52
that we
30:52
are united.
30:53
God
30:55
and
30:55
notice
30:55
again
30:56
the
30:56
providence
30:56
of God
30:57
in all
30:57
of this.
30:59
Caiaphas
30:59
intends
31:00
evil.
31:01
God
31:01
accomplishes
31:02
good.
31:03
That pattern
31:04
should remind
31:04
us of
31:04
Joseph
31:05
in
31:05
Genesis
31:05
who
31:06
says
31:06
to his
31:07
brothers,
31:08
you meant
31:08
evil against
31:09
me,
31:10
but God
31:10
meant it
31:10
for good.
31:12
Not merely
31:13
God
31:13
responded
31:14
to your
31:14
evil and
31:15
found a
31:15
way to
31:15
make
31:15
something
31:16
useful
31:16
out of
31:16
it.
31:17
The text
31:18
says you
31:18
meant it
31:18
for evil,
31:19
God
31:19
meant it
31:20
for
31:20
good.
31:22
God
31:23
has a
31:23
plan
31:24
and
31:24
God's
31:25
plan
31:25
will
31:26
prevail.
31:30
So
31:30
John
31:30
records
31:31
in
31:31
verse
31:31
53,
31:32
so
31:32
from
31:32
that
31:33
day
31:33
on
31:34
they
31:34
made
31:34
plans
31:35
to put
31:36
him
31:36
to
31:36
death.
31:37
It's not
31:37
the first
31:38
time we've
31:38
seen
31:38
Jesus'
31:39
life
31:39
threatened.
31:40
There
31:40
were
31:40
instances
31:41
where
31:41
Jewish
31:42
leaders
31:43
rose
31:43
up
31:43
against
31:44
him,
31:44
but
31:45
this
31:45
is
31:45
kind
31:45
of
31:45
formalizing
31:46
and
31:46
finalizing
31:47
a plan
31:48
is in
31:49
place
31:49
now.
31:50
This
31:50
will
31:51
in
31:51
fact
31:51
take
31:52
place.
31:54
God
31:54
has
31:54
a
31:54
plan.
31:55
It's
31:55
going
31:55
to
31:56
prevail.
31:58
Fourth
31:58
and
31:59
last
31:59
heading.
32:01
The
32:01
Passover
32:01
points
32:02
us
32:02
toward
32:03
the
32:03
cross.
32:04
This
32:04
is
32:04
54
32:04
to
32:05
the
32:05
end
32:05
of
32:06
the
32:06
text.
32:07
Jesus
32:08
therefore
32:08
verse
32:08
54
32:09
no
32:09
longer
32:09
walked
32:10
openly
32:10
among
32:11
the
32:11
Jews
32:11
but
32:11
went
32:12
from
32:12
there
32:13
to
32:13
the
32:13
region
32:13
near
32:13
the
32:14
wilderness
32:14
to
32:14
a
32:15
town
32:15
called
32:15
Ephraim
32:17
and
32:17
there
32:17
stayed
32:18
with
32:18
his
32:18
disciples.
32:18
This
32:19
is
32:19
about
32:19
20
32:19
miles
32:20
northeast
32:21
of
32:22
Jerusalem.
32:23
Now
32:23
someone
32:23
might
32:24
read
32:24
that
32:24
and
32:24
think
32:25
that
32:25
Jesus
32:25
is
32:25
frightened
32:26
that
32:26
once
32:26
the
32:27
plot
32:27
becomes
32:27
sufficiently
32:28
serious
32:28
he
32:29
retreats
32:29
because
32:30
he
32:30
is
32:30
afraid
32:31
to
32:31
die.
32:32
But
32:32
everything
32:33
John
32:33
has
32:33
told
32:34
us
32:34
makes
32:34
that
32:34
interpretation
32:35
impossible.
32:37
Jesus
32:37
has
32:37
repeatedly
32:38
walked
32:38
away
32:38
from
32:39
danger
32:39
not
32:40
because
32:40
he's
32:40
unwilling
32:41
to
32:41
die
32:41
but
32:42
because
32:42
he
32:42
will
32:42
die
32:43
only
32:43
at
32:43
the
32:44
time
32:44
appointed
32:45
by
32:45
his
32:46
father.
32:46
Jesus
32:47
functions
32:48
on a
32:48
divine
32:48
timeline.
32:50
He
32:50
is not
32:50
controlled
32:51
by the
32:52
Sanhedrin's
32:52
timetable.
32:54
They cannot
32:54
kill him
32:55
one moment
32:56
before the
32:56
appointed
32:57
hour.
32:58
And when
32:58
that hour
32:59
comes
32:59
they will
33:00
not need
33:00
to drag
33:01
him
33:01
unwillingly
33:02
toward it.
33:03
He will
33:04
go.
33:05
His enemies
33:05
are making
33:06
plans but
33:07
they do
33:07
not possess
33:08
ultimate
33:09
authority
33:10
over the
33:10
schedule.
33:12
Jesus
33:12
withdraws
33:13
because
33:13
the
33:13
hour
33:14
is
33:14
approaching
33:15
but
33:15
it
33:15
has
33:16
not
33:16
yet
33:16
arrived.
33:18
And then
33:19
John
33:19
says in
33:19
verse 55
33:20
now the
33:21
Passover
33:21
of the
33:22
Jews
33:22
was at
33:23
hand.
33:24
That's
33:24
significant
33:25
not merely
33:26
a
33:26
calendar
33:27
note.
33:28
John
33:28
wants us
33:29
thinking
33:29
about
33:30
Passover.
33:32
The
33:32
Passover
33:33
feast
33:33
commemorated
33:34
God's
33:34
deliverance
33:34
of Israel
33:35
from
33:35
slavery
33:36
in
33:36
Egypt
33:36
when
33:37
judgment
33:37
fell
33:38
upon
33:38
the
33:38
land
33:38
but
33:39
passed
33:39
over
33:39
those
33:40
homes
33:40
marked
33:41
by the
33:41
blood
33:41
of a
33:42
lamb.
33:43
A
33:43
lamb
33:44
dies
33:44
blood
33:44
was
33:45
shed
33:45
judgment
33:46
passed
33:47
over
33:47
God's
33:48
people.
33:50
And now
33:50
as Jerusalem
33:51
filled with
33:51
pilgrims
33:52
preparing to
33:52
celebrate
33:53
Passover
33:53
the true
33:54
Passover
33:55
lamb
33:55
is preparing
33:56
to enter
33:57
the city.
33:59
John
34:00
the Baptist
34:00
identified him
34:01
at the
34:01
beginning
34:01
of this
34:02
gospel
34:02
behold
34:03
the
34:04
lamb
34:04
of God
34:05
who
34:05
takes
34:06
away
34:06
the
34:06
sin
34:07
of
34:08
the
34:08
world.
34:09
The
34:10
religious
34:10
authorities
34:10
think they
34:11
are arranging
34:12
a political
34:12
execution
34:13
God
34:14
is preparing
34:14
the
34:15
sacrifice
34:15
to which
34:16
every
34:16
Passover
34:17
lamb
34:17
ultimately
34:18
pointed.
34:20
The timing
34:20
here is
34:21
not
34:21
accidental.
34:23
Jesus
34:23
will die
34:24
at Passover
34:25
because he
34:26
is the
34:27
greater
34:27
Passover
34:28
!
34:28
lamb.
34:30
The
34:30
blood of
34:30
animals
34:31
can never
34:31
finally
34:32
remove
34:33
human
34:33
guilt.
34:34
These
34:35
sacrifices
34:35
pointed
34:36
beyond
34:36
themselves.
34:37
A
34:38
greater
34:38
lamb
34:38
was
34:39
needed,
34:40
a
34:40
sinless
34:40
substitute.
34:41
one
34:43
whose
34:43
sacrifice
34:43
would
34:44
not
34:44
need
34:44
to
34:44
be
34:45
repeated
34:45
year
34:45
after
34:46
year
34:46
because
34:46
he
34:47
would
34:47
offer
34:47
himself
34:48
once
34:49
for
34:50
all.
34:51
Verse 55
34:52
continues,
34:53
and many
34:53
went up
34:54
from the
34:54
country
34:55
to Jerusalem
34:57
before the
34:58
Passover
34:58
to purify
35:00
themselves.
35:02
There's some
35:02
profound irony
35:03
in that
35:04
description.
35:05
The crowds
35:06
are preparing
35:06
ceremonially
35:07
for Passover.
35:08
they're
35:09
concerned
35:09
with
35:09
purification.
35:10
In the
35:11
middle
35:11
of all
35:11
that
35:12
religious
35:12
activity,
35:14
the
35:14
one
35:14
who
35:14
alone
35:15
can
35:15
truly
35:15
cleanse
35:16
sinners
35:16
is being
35:17
hunted
35:17
by the
35:18
religious
35:18
leaders.
35:20
It is
35:20
possible
35:21
to become
35:21
so
35:22
occupied
35:22
with
35:22
religious
35:23
observance
35:23
that you
35:24
miss
35:24
Christ.
35:27
These
35:27
people are
35:27
preparing
35:28
for a
35:28
feast
35:28
that points
35:29
toward
35:29
Jesus
35:30
while the
35:30
authorities
35:31
are plotting
35:32
to kill
35:33
Jesus.
35:35
We should
35:36
hear a
35:36
warning
35:36
like that.
35:38
religious
35:39
activity
35:39
and
35:39
saving
35:40
faith.
35:41
Not
35:41
the
35:42
same
35:42
thing.
35:43
You
35:43
can do
35:44
all of
35:44
the
35:44
things,
35:44
all of
35:45
the
35:45
trappings,
35:45
all the
35:46
things you
35:46
should do
35:46
as a
35:47
Christ
35:47
follower,
35:48
but
35:48
still
35:49
miss
35:50
Christ.
35:52
The
35:53
Pharisees
35:53
and the
35:54
Sadducees
35:54
are not
35:55
secularists.
35:57
Caiaphas
35:57
is the
35:58
high priest.
35:59
These
35:59
are
35:59
deeply
36:00
religious
36:01
men.
36:03
Their
36:03
problem
36:03
is not
36:03
that they
36:04
take
36:04
God
36:05
too
36:05
seriously.
36:07
The
36:07
problem
36:07
is that
36:07
they have
36:08
constructed
36:08
a religious
36:09
system in
36:10
which they
36:10
themselves
36:11
remain at
36:11
the center.
36:13
And when
36:13
God the
36:14
Son stands
36:15
before them
36:15
threatening
36:15
their
36:16
authority,
36:17
they choose
36:17
their religion
36:18
over the
36:20
Christ.
36:21
That's always
36:22
a danger.
36:24
Beloved,
36:24
we can love
36:25
reformed theology
36:26
without loving
36:27
Christ.
36:29
We can love
36:30
Baptist
36:30
distinctives
36:31
without loving
36:32
Christ.
36:33
Christ.
36:34
We can
36:35
love
36:35
expositional
36:36
preaching
36:37
and good
36:38
true
36:38
deep
36:38
songs
36:39
without
36:39
loving
36:40
Christ.
36:42
We can
36:42
love the
36:43
routines
36:43
and
36:43
relationships,
36:45
culture,
36:46
familiarity
36:46
of church
36:47
while remaining
36:48
strangers
36:49
to Christ.
36:52
Every
36:52
good theological
36:53
conviction
36:54
must lead
36:55
us finally
36:56
to
36:56
him.
36:59
The purpose
36:59
of doctrine
37:00
is not
37:00
that we
37:01
become
37:01
impressed
37:02
with our
37:02
theological
37:03
precision.
37:04
The purpose
37:05
of doctrine
37:05
is that we
37:06
know God
37:07
truly,
37:08
worshiping
37:08
him rightly
37:09
and live
37:10
faithfully
37:11
before him.
37:14
Verse 56
37:15
says,
37:16
they were
37:16
looking for
37:17
Jesus and
37:17
saying to
37:18
one another
37:18
as they
37:18
stood in
37:19
the temple,
37:20
what do
37:20
you think,
37:21
that he
37:21
will not
37:22
come to
37:22
the feast
37:23
at all?
37:26
The city
37:26
is waiting.
37:28
The tension
37:29
in the text
37:30
is building.
37:32
Everyone
37:32
knows the
37:33
authorities
37:33
are hostile.
37:34
Everyone
37:35
wonders
37:35
whether
37:36
Jesus
37:36
will
37:37
come.
37:39
And
37:39
John,
37:39
riding with
37:40
the benefit
37:40
of everything
37:41
that follows,
37:42
knows the
37:43
answer.
37:44
We know
37:44
the answer.
37:45
Yes,
37:45
Jesus
37:46
will
37:46
come
37:47
because
37:48
the good
37:49
shepherd
37:49
lays down
37:50
his life
37:51
for the
37:52
sheep.
37:53
This is
37:53
not an
37:54
unfortunate
37:54
turn of
37:55
events that
37:55
Jesus
37:56
fails to
37:57
avoid.
37:58
It's
37:58
his very
37:59
mission.
38:02
And
38:02
verse 57
38:03
closes the
38:04
chapter.
38:04
Now,
38:04
the chief
38:05
priests
38:05
and the
38:05
Pharisees
38:06
had given
38:06
orders that
38:07
if anyone
38:07
knew where
38:08
he was,
38:09
he should
38:10
let them
38:10
know so
38:11
they might
38:12
arrest him.
38:15
And so
38:15
chapter 11
38:15
ends with
38:16
Jesus,
38:17
the resurrection
38:18
and the
38:19
life under
38:20
a death
38:20
sentence,
38:21
a broadcasted
38:22
death
38:23
sentence.
38:24
Don't
38:24
miss,
38:24
don't miss
38:25
the irony
38:25
there.
38:26
Jesus
38:27
has just
38:27
given
38:28
life to
38:28
a dead
38:29
man.
38:30
And because
38:30
he gives
38:30
life to
38:31
the dead
38:31
man,
38:32
men decide
38:32
to kill
38:33
him.
38:34
Lazarus
38:34
comes out
38:35
of his
38:35
tomb and
38:35
Jesus
38:36
moves
38:37
toward
38:37
his.
38:39
The
38:39
life of
38:40
Lazarus
38:40
will
38:41
contribute
38:41
to the
38:42
death
38:43
of Christ.
38:45
But the
38:45
death of
38:46
Christ will
38:47
accomplish
38:47
everlasting
38:48
life for
38:50
Lazarus and
38:51
for everyone
38:52
who believes
38:53
in him.
38:55
Let's pray
38:55
together.