John 11:45-57
I wonder if the chief priests and Pharisees would have seen that Jesus was truly the Messiah, if they had paid attention to Jesus’ miracles and the message he spoke. Verse 48 exposes the motives of these leaders – they convened a meeting of the Council and expressed fear of the Romans taking away “both our place and our nation.” The reference to the nation would mean the Romans not allowing them to govern themselves any longer, perhaps dispersing them through other nations like the Babylonians had done centuries before. But what does “taking away our place” refer to? Is it the removal of the temple and their worship, or is it the power and authority they wielded over the people? Perhaps the two were intertwined and they were blinded by the religious and political system it created.
Those who were supposed to shepherd the people toward God had become so wrapped up in their rules and own authority that they missed it when God himself showed up. May we not fall into the same deception! Don’t miss God in the structure and busyness of church, or when success comes our way and people think well of us. We are not called to lord it over others, but to lead as humble, servant-hearted shepherds.
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