Plotting to Kill
Notes
Transcript
Where is your heart?
Where is your heart?
Here in our Scriptures there are at four actions that display a heart condition
many believed they saw the blessing and were moved to believe
some saw the miracle and tattle tailed - they ran to the Pharisees
Some feared personal lose — selfishness
some sought evil — plotted and schemed.
Where is your Heart?
Gosh i hope that none of you have ever sought to kill someone
but it is likely that we have all wanted to knock someone done a peg,
said things that crushed others,
or maybe schemed on how to get them out of your workplace
or church or organization --- killing their career, etc.
we have probably all “plotted and schemed” at least a little.
my guess ( maybe my hope) is that it is situational or conditional
many times this starts with an emotional response,
and then talking with others, and then losing the battle of the mind.
This is what we have in our verses today.
Let’s read our verses
John 11:45–57 (ESV)
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,
46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.
48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all.
50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.
56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?”
57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
Does it amaze you that all that witnessed the Raising of Lazarus
were not so overwhelmed
that they would fall on their knees and proclaim Him King?
Wouldn’t you think that ALL would come to the realization
that Jesus is the proclaimed Messiah
Everything they heard, everything they saw.
Lazarus in the grave 4 days
and walks out when Jesus calls him to come out
and
not EVERYONE was in awe
Why did their hearts not all simply leap with joy?????
Four heart conditions: God gives us insight
God honoring
Self serving
Fear based
Evil lead
Who killed Jesus?
Who killed Jesus?
This is a good time to explore a hot topic in Christianity and frankly the rest of the World.
Who killed Jesus?
any good crime show has episodes where the result is evident.
a person is killed
they often identify the person, the method of death, even the time.
We have that right
Jesus died, on the Cross, at the sixth hour
What the investigators work to find out is WHO killed them and WHY?
i would suggest we as Christian detectives know the WHY
we have touched on that many times
But Who killed Jesus?
Lets explore — Who are our suspects?
The Romans
The Pharisees
The Jewish non- believers
or is there another party or parties
Honestly, i believe that we miss the point when we look at these suspects
Who killed Jesus?
We did.
humans
Sin nature
and God’s love for us killed Jesus
SPECIAL NOTE: Jesus died but was Resurrected to save us.
Self- Serving
Self- Serving
We are selfish people, come on lets face it
have you been bothered when some one cuts you off in traffic
have you ever been upset someone got a promotion or a raise and not you
have you every been upset that things didn’t go the way that you wanted them.
Understand the sinful heart of the Jews — many believed ---BUT NOT ALL
Fear Based
Fear Based
Fear will often gather people.
Fear will be a crowbar on the door of your heart.
Fear drives our human mind
We know about Ephesians 6:12
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
We know about the armour of God
but we get lulled into complacency
we don’t put it on daily --- only when the enemy has already struck
Put it on Daily — Put it on Always
like capital one cards --- Don’t leave home without it.
in Psychology there is a basic premise that ALL our actions are based on two opposing factors
Pain or Pleasure --- it is the core of our motivations
All things are done for one reason or the other
and at the end of the day we will chose to avoid PAIN or gaining Pleasure
The Pharisees are afraid
losing status
losing control
losing power
losing the way of life that they are controlling.
to put this in current context it would be like the Governor and the House that are ruling in Santa Fe,
plotting to kill ONE MAN in Albuquerque that was doing good
but challenging the status quo
and they fear that world will change.
Fear is like a poison that will spread unless an antidote is administered
Jesus is the antidote for fear
Many of these people in our verses did not believe in Jesus
and did not have access to the power of the Christ.
Evil Lead
Evil Lead
Fear opens the door to evil
Evil is the driver of plotting and scheming
We most often try to disguise the evil in us with words or proper actions
but we must acknowledge that evil is still a part of us.
Free will allows us to chose.
God Honoring
God Honoring
God true people come to Him for help and do not TRY IT with out Him
Christ is not a bike helmet in case of a fall
or a seat belt for just in case
Christ must be our LORD in ALL
Christ must be our ONE THING
or FIRST THING in ALL THINGS
Guard you hearts — Use the Armour ( PUT IT ON DAILY)
Conclusion:
Friends, I pray that you see the heart conditions in these verses.
This is not simply a story it is God’s Word, it is the life and lessons of Jesus,
We must study, and ponder on the Word.
I pray you see these heart conditions in our world today
That you understand that we are all capable of choosing any of them on a daily, conditional or situational occurrence
We can chose to believe and trust in Jesus. To accept and understand that Jesus is in control of all things at all times
or we can be bothered, seek to control, and therefore allow evil to penetrate our armour of God.
Friends
God loves you, God protects you, and God wants good for you.
May we remember that God is Glorified by Progress and doesn’t demand Perfection.
Let go Let God.
Lets Pray.