Faith Journey on Paul

Meanwhile in Jerusalem... Chapter 5, Part 2 of 2
The Sanhedrin, the chief judicial council, finally decided that Christ would die because the people were believing in Him and following Him. John 11:45 says, "Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him." This disturbed the council because they were afraid this following would spread and ultimately they would lose their position within Roman rule.

In 48 we read, "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

And, based on their pattern of leading and controlling it is evident that it was their place more than their nation for which they were most concerned. I wonder too, if their style of leading was influenced by the current Roman rule and naturally their selfishness satisfied Roman authority. Perhaps the Sanhedrin's form of religiously oppressing their peoples satisfied Roman authority because it maintained "peace" while the Romans continued to seek their own agendas. These Jewish leaders own selfishness and passion for power did not contradict the greater greed that was occurring within the spread of the Roman Empire.

And then we see prophecy fulfill itself through the words of the high priest, Caiaphas. The sovereignty of God is incredibly demonstrated when those who oppose Him most, are used to carry out His plan. In the mind of the high priest he thought he was issuing his own decision within his own power and position, when he determined that these acts of Christ were reason for death. And with this decision, the chief priests and Pharisees set out to kill Him. How little did they know that the will of God was being executed that day and they, in their blind and self-consumed ways, were being used by the hands of their creator. John 11:50 records the words of Caiaphas, the high priest, it is better “that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

These may have been the ideas of the chief priests or the pharisees, but we know the Father ordains all things. This was what God allowed. Unfortunately for them, they were the ones who carried out the direct plans. And while I, too, have participated in this execution process each time I choose to abdicate my responsibility to His work and His way of doing things, I can’t help but thank Him for keeping my heart from hardening. And I passionately pray that I will surrender anew to Him, and that when I become selfishly consumed in my agenda and my fears that I will surrender those habits of my heart onto the altar so that I would be known as a woman who loved her God.

Next these Pharisees were reaching their goal as we read the full account in John 18 and 19. They, by night because they were afraid of the crowds, brought him to Pilate, the Roman governor. They proceed through a series of mock trials in order to have him crucified, the most horrific means of death at that time in history. And to reinforce their hypocrisy they waited outside the palace so that they would remain ceremonially clean and would be allowed to partake in the Passover.

These teachers and peers of Saul were threatened by Christ because of their fear that He would take over their positions and power. Yet the irony that seems hard to grasp is humbling. For had their eyes been open and their hearts prepared would they have truly crucified the long-awaited Messiah that they had so passionately... studied versus loved. Perhaps somewhere it became only a scholarly search, an indulging of the mind versus a genuine heart search. We mustn't underestimate the grip and voracious pursuit of our enemy, Satan, and how he will use our self-interest to drive us away from a relationship with the Father.

The Lamb of God was sacrificed. John 19:30 reads, When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. It was at that moment when the climax of history had been reached. Here we see how the work of the cross was accomplished when he was resurrected.

In Luke 24:1-6, it says 1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen!" Salvation or justification was finished.

Yet, it is there at the cross that we often tend to hang out and struggle with fleshly indulgences versus vehemently seeking to surrender these temporal passions. We must move to the empty tomb and recognize the power that is ours to be embraced. For we are called to be holy as he is holy.

In fact Philippians 1:6 says, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. He began the good work and now we wait, work, and watch for Him to return. And, it is this work that we must embrace. In the sense that we seek to be found as workman worthy of our calling we must work, not for the purpose of redemption. For that work of redemption is truly complete. Rather the process of sanctification is becoming like minded with Him and reflective of Him in a worshipful pursuit.

Passion and devotion is worthy of our efforts. We, too, must like Saul allow Him to change us from the inside-out. In future chapters, we will see how Saul did just that. So that ultimately we ensure that our devotions remain uncompromising to the cross and its redemption, the resurrection and its power, and finally His return and its finality.

Do you know whose you are? And, do those around you know as well?