It Had To Happen… April 12, 2003 HHM Pastor Jim Parisi
It Had To Happen… Something just had to happen.
The time was near that God would loose his power through the resurrection
How long can we let this go on they cried?
Even when the devil thinks he has won by putting Jesus on the Cross.
God steps in the situation and shows us his Glory.
How it all works in the plan of God.
Ro 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
God had a plan for His purpose. Jesus was Gods purpose for that day.
The days and weeks before and after Jesus died on the cross were in the sovereign ordered plan of God.
Man may have been scheming and plotting… calculating and conniving
Looking to get rid of Jesus “their problem”.
Never realizing they were just… small bit players of a greater work ahead.
God knew all their sinful actions would fit right into His Eternal Plan.
We see now today that not a any natural man could not have orchestrated the symphony of events that were about to unfold in the next few weeks .
Events that were to change mankind’s destiny forever.
No one but God could coordinate the coming events in such a way as to have such a profound impact on mankind in that day.
Let alone its future to the instant of time we live in today..
We still are having our world influenced… by the events of that one faithful day.
The day when Jesus would hang on a tree for the sins of humanity, then rise on the third day and ascends to the Father.
What a testimony of one life as to have something happen almost two thousand years ago and still directly effect our lives today.
The Pharisees knew the problem which lay ahead caused by the miracles the people had seen through Jesus’ ministry here on earth.
The devil was wringing his hands in fear looking for the perfect plan.
The Government of the day Rome knew the problems a man like this could cause for them ahead.
They would want Him to be gone or disappear also.
Fear of the unknown can change the men of God into the pawns of Hell.
How can you see something with your own eyes… know that a miracle has been performed before you and still fear the face of man?
The High Priest Caiaphas, (Ki’a’fas) was fearful of losing power over the Jews of that day.
Here in John 11 we see his answer to the problem at hand… Jesus Christ.
John 11:45-50 45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.
See there’s always some one to tell the tale…
47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 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."
That’s right… let’s not see why this man can do these works.. let’s just fear the face of man kill Him before we loose it all.
49 And one of them, Caiaphas, (Ki’a’fas) being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, 50 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."
What an expedient plan he thought of , to get rid of this one man so that they may save then selves.
Get rid of Him, this Jesus and our problem is over the devil though.
Many had seen and believed. . . But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
The two classes which continually reappear in the Gospel history.
"It is remarkable that on each of the three occasions on which our Lord raised the dead, a large number of people were assembled.
And some still didn’t believe enough and sent Him to the Cross.
In two instances, the resurrection of the widow’s son and of Lazarus, these were many witnesses of the miracle;
In the third (of Jairus’ daughter Luke 8 ) they were necessarily cognizant of it.
Even in their unbelief… she rose from her sleep and walked again.
What do we Do with this man the Pharisees wondered? This man does many miracles--"
While we do little, ’this man,’ by His ’many miracles,’ will win the hearts of all that come before Him;
This popular enthusiasm will bring on a revolution; it will be our end authority over the people
Which will hasten the Romans upon us, and we all will go down in one common ruin.
They were ready for action.. The Action was to be against Jesus.
How could they fear and not believe Jesus after seeing the signs and wonders of His life and ministry.
How could they fear him after they spoke to Lazarus… after he was raised from the dead?
That’s what the bible says…
John 12: 1- 11 1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead,* whom He had raised from the dead.
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead … then what they want to kill him???
JN 12:9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Because of Lazarus they now believed. .
Now the Pharisees want to kill Lazarus too. ..
John 12:10 = But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
The devil hated Lazarus because He was a testimony of Christ’s Resurrection Power.
He hates you also if you’re his testimony in this earth.
There was danger of a mass movement of the people to Jesus.
The chief priests plotted to remove the living evidence.
Get rid of the proof.
The world will try to take you also.. To tarnish and stop your testimony.
The devil tried to take him out and stop the testimony but he couldn’t.
Multitudes flooded Bethany to see Lazarus, the living evidence of the power of Jesus.
Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem.
That little, insignificant village was about to be the stage for a display of blazing glory.
Lazarus has a STATED PURPOSE in the history of Christianly.
His testimony was going to be used by God.
He had a testimony that would change all the hearts of the men that came in contact him. His sphere of influence.
He was the living evidence of a man being raised from the dead.
A testimony that ONLY God could be Glorified through it.
John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
Lord let my testimony Glorify YOU. Should be our prayer and cry.
Palm Sunday is a time to ready our selves for the coming resurrection.
But it also a time to fortify and gird up our testimony for the coming King.
Lazarus was going to be instrumental in manifesting the glory of God…
No where in the Bible does Lazarus ever speak.
Yet he was speaking volumes by his living testimony.
Lord make me a living testimony of your Love and Glory. Amen
