The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Word Made Playing with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, pastor Tony is teaching in the book of John. Please open your Bible to John chapter 11 verses 45 through 57.

Tony Clark: All right, let's dive into the word of God together. And make sure you open your Bibles like men. This is, you know, this is our day. Remember it's our day. Open it up like men or you know, just feel manly, you know. John chapter 11 we're going to be looking at verses 45 to 57 or we're going to finish up this chapter as we continue to go verse by verse, chapter by chapter through the Gospel of John on Sunday mornings and the book of Numbers on Wednesdays and so we are in the Old Testament on Wednesdays, the New Testament on Sundays and just having a fabulous time of going through the word of God.

And Father, thank you for this great opportunity to go through your word. We pray, God, that you would just do a great work in our hearts through the teaching of the word of God. Lord, I pray that I rightly divide it, that I will give your heart to the hearts of your people in Jesus' name. Amen. John 11 looking at verses 45 to 57. The title of this message is not impressed. Not impressed. Now, not everyone will be happy or impressed when God does something miraculous in your life. And we will see this in these verses that we are studying.

In verses 38 to 44 that we looked at last time, we saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. And he came forth with the grave clothes still on him according to verse 44. Then at the end of this verse, Jesus said, loose him and let him go. And now we pick up the story in verse 45. Look what it says there. Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary and had seen the things Jesus did believed in him. As we have seen previously, when John uses the author of this book, when he uses the term the Jews, he is referring to the religious leaders and not to the whole Jewish race.

And with this in mind, many of the religious leaders who came to comfort Mary and Martha over the death of their brother Lazarus, when they witnessed his resurrection, many of them believed in him. But there's something else I want to bring to your attention. Is why is it that the Jews came to see Mary and how this verse doesn't mention Martha? Or it could be that Mary being the more emotional and sensitive sister needed more comfort than Martha. Or maybe because Martha was always serving and looking busy that the people thought that she was getting over her grief better and faster than Mary.

Here's my point. Everyone grieves differently. And we need to pay attention to the Marthas who are grieving by trying to stay busy as well as the Marys who are sitting and showing their emotion. Both of them lost their brother, but they dealt with things differently. And so often the Mary the Marthas get overlooked because they're trying to they're grieving, they're getting over their grieving through staying busy and and and people can easily overlook the Marthas when the Mary is sitting there grieving and showing emotion and people will seem to comfort them, but don't forget that Martha is grieving too.

And so often Martha can get overlooked and so often and when a a situation takes place, so often the husband who is trying to grieve and get over by staying busy and he's out working, he's staying busy, so often he gets overlooked because normally the wife who who lost someone as well, the wife, she's the one crying, she's the one and everybody is confident in her and so often the husband or so often the Martha gets overlooked. And we got to make sure we are mindful that everyone grieves differently. And don't forget about the Marthas grieving.

All because they're staying busy, they're still grieving. And we have to pay attention and not lose sight of them. And this could be the reason why Mary is mentioned in this verse and not Martha. Look what it says there in verse 46. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Now, the conjunction but in this verse is contrasting those Jews who saw the miracle and believed and those who saw and went and told the Pharisees what had happened. And no doubt Jesus was a threat to them and this would pose a greater threat between the Jewish nation and the Roman Empire who had control over them at this particular time.

And here's my point that I was making when I first got started. Not everyone will be happy to hear that God has done something miraculous in your life. Not everyone will be impressed by the resurrection of Lazarus that took place in your life. Whether Lazarus is a marriage that was resurrected or whether Lazarus was a job opening that was closed or dead to you that Jesus miraculously resurrected. Not everyone will be happy or impressed. Like these Jews in these verses, many of them will be snitches and go back to plot against you and try to kill your good name or discredit your miraculous promotion that God has done for you by saying that you got that position some other way.

Oh, she got that position. Mhm. I know how she got that. See, and they plot against you. Not everyone will be happy. Not everyone will be happy as what God is doing in your life and the miraculous work that he has done for you. Don't think that everyone be happy. Hey, guess what? You know, I got I got the job. Oh. Oh, did you? Oh. And you think you you you're looking for them to say oh and be just as excited as you and not everyone. There are haters out there. There are people who don't want to see you do well.

They don't want to see the miraculous take place in your life. And and they will plot against you just like they plotted against Jesus. Look at verses 47 and 48. It said, then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, what shall we do? For this man works many signs. If we let him alone like this, everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. And when the when the Jews came back and told the Pharisees and told the religious leaders, should I say, about the resurrection of Jesus, verse 47 says, then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council.

Oh, this was a serious issue to them for them to gather a council. This council was the a meeting of the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish Supreme Court, that consisted of 71 men made up of the chief priests who were former priests who had retired. Uh the majority of them were the Sadducees who were the liberal religious leaders. Also part of this group were the Pharisees who were the conservative religious leaders of the time. This council was called because the Pharisees were told about the resurrection of Lazarus in verse 46. They could do nothing by themselves, so they called this council and said in verse 47, what shall we do?

For this man works many signs. Then we see their true motives come out in verse 48 when they said, if we let him alone, everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. So they no longer had the good of the nation in mind. They are now more concerned about their position being taken away by Rome. And maybe you hear and I just described you. No longer are you concerned about the good of the company, the good of the church. Now you more concerned about keeping your position.

And this can happen to any of us. In the beginning, your heart was right. And you wanted to see the company grow, you wanted to see the church grow, but over time something happens in our hearts. We see something miraculous happen in someone else's life, a resurrection of some sort. And now we become more concerned about our territory, more concerned about our section, more concerned about the group, more concerned about losing our position. This is what is happening in these verses. And I've seen this happen many times, especially for those who are a little more seasoned in life.

You see someone, a young person, young with ideas and fresh and enthusiasm. And all of a sudden you getting your feelings and thinking they trying to replace you and thinking they trying to get you out. And now what you're supposed to be mentoring and pouring into them, now you hold back because now you trying to be more concerned about your position than about the good of the company, the good of the church. And I've seen people hold on. It's all about their territory, it's all about their section and they hold on and and it happens to those who are seasoned in life.

And I I've seen this happen too many times. Now, you're more concerned with your position. This is what was going on here. They were more concerned about their position and Rome coming and taking away their position and their nation. Look at verses 49 to 52. And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year said to them, you know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should perish. Now, this he did not say on his own authority, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and not for that nation only, but also that he would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

Now, in these verses we see that verse 49 says that Caiaphas being high priest that year said to them. Now, really the high priest was Annas. Annas served as the high priest until AD 15. Now, keep in mind he was a multi billionaire at this time because of the illegal business of selling animal sacrifices in the temple. In order for your sins to be forgiven, you had to bring an animal sacrifice to the temple for the priest to offer up. They will lay their hands on the you lay your hands on the animal sacrifice, the animal will be killed in your place and sacrificed for you.

But the sacrifice had to be without blemish. It had to be perfect, so to speak. And so you bring you buy a lamb out in town for a nickel. And you bring it to the temple and the priest had to examine it to make sure that it was without defect. And all of a sudden when they examined it, they will always find some microscopic defect. Oh, see here behind the ear, we see this little spot here. You can offer this sacrifice. But we have some pre-approved sacrifices here, pre-approved lambs for $5. And they were ripping the people off.

And Annas became a multi-billionaire at this time because of this illegal business. So he could focus more on this money-making business. He appointed his son-in-law Caiaphas as the high priest to take care of the religious matters of the temple. And he was appointed as high priest in AD 18. And here's the point. Please don't allow money to take your focus off the things of God like it did with Annas. He allowed the money-making business of the temple to take him away from the religious duties of the temple. And as we know from John chapter 2 and verses 13 to 22 that Jesus made a whip and whipped them out of the temple and overturned tables and said, my Father's house is to be a house of prayer, but you made it a den of thieves.

And I've seen where men and women allowed the money-making business to take them away from serving at church. And And Jesus comes. I'm telling you every time he will come to that job and overturn your tables. And the way that looks is he will overturn that table where that job closes down or they lose funding for that position or or or you know, now all of a sudden they move the job out of the country and now you're without a job. My point is don't become like Annas where you allow a job or a position to take you away from serving in God 's house to church.

Oh, I've seen this happen too many times. Too many times. We allow some job, something to take them away, some money-making pyramid scheme, some kind of thing that all of a sudden people who are serving the Lord no longer can you get caught up by listening to Bible study CDs or something in the car because now you got to listen to some guru who is up the pyramid where you trying to go. You got to listen to him. Talk no longer can you come to church. Now you got to go to meetings where this guru is there and he's he's the head over all of them.

And you got this big meeting. And I've seen it happen time and time again. Some money-making scheme, some money-making business, some job take you away from the the the duties here at church. And now all of a sudden now we don't see you because you too busy chasing that thing, that money-making thing. And you've turned the religious duties of the temple over to other people while you go and chase some money-making scheme. Oh, I've seen it. I've seen it happen. Jesus will come and overturn your tables. He will come and overturn that job. He will come and overturn that company and come and overturn that position.

And then you're without a job. Then all of a sudden we see you here and now we saying what happened? Oh, I lost my job. I had lost my position. Hey, it happens. I've seen it happen too many times. I've seen where guys who were called to ministry, guys who had a heart for God and the church they were serving, they got caught up in some money-making scheme. And next you know, we stop seeing them. We don't see them around. Bro, are you still you know you get those you know you listening in your car?

Oh, no, you know what you know I got to listen to this this person, you know, this this person is is where I'm trying to go. They they where I 'm trying to be, you know. And I've seen it happen too many times. You're Annas. You're Annas. You've turned the religious duties of the temple over to other people. You just drop it and hope that other people pick it up while you go chase some money-making scheme. I've seen it happen. God will come and overturn your tables and overturn that job and overturn because he will not let you put anything before him.

He will not. God said he wouldn't. And I've just seen it happen, so you better heed it now. You better heed it now. Oh, God is speaking to somebody right now. Because you're about to pursue something that's taking you away from what's important. And Annas because of the money turned his religious duties over to Caiaphas, his son-in-law, so he can focus on the business. Oh, I tell you, better be mindful. Better be mindful of those things. So this is because let me just say this because jobs, positions and all that stuff, they come and go.

They come and go. Because this is why verse 49 says Caiaphas being high priest that year. See, the reason why he said that year is because when Rome had conquered and conquered the world and they were conquered Israel as well, if the high priest was there and he was not following the protocol of Rome or what Rome wanted them to follow, they booted them out and put a high priest in who the one who whom they can manipulate. If they will put one, if you won't do it, we get somebody in who will do it.

And that's why he said that he was high priest that year because if he didn't do what Rome wanted him to do, that will be the last year he will be high priest. So that shows us that these jobs, these duty stations, these positions that we we we throw God away for to to have. They're so fragile. They come and go. They here one minute and gone the next. The point is don't you sell out your responsibilities here at the church or God for some job or some money-making pyramid business. Don't sell out. Don't sell out because Jesus is still able to overturn tables today.

And he'll overturn that thing and then you left you left looking silly when all of a sudden all that all of God and all that you gave up the Lord you gave up now for this business or this job and now the job is gone. Now you're looking silly. Oh, see Jesus will accept you back. That's the thing. He'll accept you back. He will. What you tell between your legs, he will. He still will. Now me, I would have been different. I said go out there. No, you want to be out there. I want you to stay out there a little longer.

You got to be thankful I'm not God. Amen. Amen. So Caiaphas said in verse 50 that it was expedient for us that one man should die for the people and not that the a whole nation should perish. Then verse 51 says, now this he did not say on his own authority, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation. Now, in their devious minds, it was better to allow one man, Jesus, to die than have the whole nation perish by Rome. Now, here is where the socialist mindset comes in that says the good of the masses is to be preferred over the good of the individual.

Oh, please keep this in mind. This statement is so true and followed by the world today. They would rather fire you than get the company in trouble. They would rather let you perish than have the media come down on them or the company for what you said or what you stand for. There's no loyalty, no more loyalty. There's no more togetherness. There's no more I got your back. No. You offended certain people or groups. You are on your own. The good of the company is to be preferred over the good of you, the individual. This is the world's mindset, the world's mentality.

It's a it's a different world we live in today. There's no more as we say in the Marine Corps, there's no more esprit de corps. There's no more togetherness, you know. I I got you back. You watch you watch my back, I'll watch your back. No. They will sell you out because the good of the company is to be preferred over the good of you, the individual. That's the socialist mindset. Now, something else I want to bring to your attention and and it it's what it said in verse 51 that Caiaphas didn't say these things on his own authority, but being high priest, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.

He prophesied, which means he spoke forth the words of God. In other words, God spoke through him in this instance. And this is something that we have talked about on Wednesday nights as we're in the Old Testament in the book of Numbers. How God can use anyone to speak his truth. He used a donkey to rebuke Balaam in Numbers chapter 22. In other words, we need to be careful that we don't begin to think that if a person is it born again, they cannot speak God's truth. That's just not true. God used an ungodly king of Bimalech to rebuke Abraham for saying that his wife Sarah was his sister.

Oh, you got to understand that Sarah Sarah was a looker. She was some kind of beauty. At 90 years old she was so beautiful, still at 90. That when they came into Egypt people was like, whoa, did you see who just came in the city? That's did you see her? And they went and told Abimelech about her. Said, man, you got to see this one. Whoa. 90 years old. So of course, he does what a a man took her took Sarah as a into his harem. And all of a sudden that night God spoke to him in a dream.

And all God said was this, Bimalech, you're dead man. He said, whoa, whoa. What are you talking about? My dead man. Said, you have another man's wife. Said, no, no. He said, now God, you know in the integrity of my heart, he said she was his sister. Said, that's another man's wife. So that morning he got up and rebuked Abraham. Abraham, what are you doing? You told me that she was your sister. You lied. And rebuked him. And God spoke through Abimelech to rebuke Abraham. Said, you a liar. You lied. Oh, God is speaking today because there are many people today that you're calling your living girlfriend, your living partner, your wife or your husband and they're not your husband and they're not your wife.

You're not married to them, but you're like, here here's my wifey here. It's a wifey. And God will rebuke you too. And he's rebuking you now for that sort of mess. That is not your wife. That is not your husband. That is your living in your playing house. And God is rebuking you today for that mess. And stop going around calling them your husband. They my husband at home. That's not your husband. Unless Unless Unless Unless you got all the proper you know, that's not your husband and it's not your wife. And God is rebuking you today just like God rebuked Abraham.

He's rebuking you for that mess. I don't care what the world says. Well, you lived together for 7 years. Yes, yes my common law. That law may be coming today. It ain't coming in the eyes of God. And stop saying that and you're lying for it and God is rebuking you today for that. That sort of foolishness. That's foolishness. Stop playing house. And And And And I'm telling you ladies, that I'm telling you it's an old saying, but it's so true, they will not buy the cow when they getting the milk for free. They won't buy it.

That's an old saying. Maybe some of y'all got now what does what does that mean? You know. Somebody explain it to you. Somebody will. So God can use your ungodly boss, coworker, neighbor or family member to speak truth to you and to me. It hurts more when God uses these people. But nonetheless, he uses people like this like he used Caiaphas.

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