It was the most amazing thing anyone had ever witnessed. Jesus performed a great miracle. When He came to Bethany, the situation He faced was impossible. His friend Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha and Mary had buried their brother, but were still grieving over the tragic event of losing him. Jesus went to the tomb where Lazarus was laid and commanded others to remove the stone that sealed it. Then Jesus shouted three powerful words, "Lazarus, come forth!" Suddenly the body of Lazarus appeared at the mouth of the tomb, still bound in grave clothes. They loosed Lazarus at the command of Jesus, and sure enough it was Lazarus back from the dead and very much alive!

Those Jews who witnessed this were dumbfounded. Jesus was known to have performed miracles, but many refused to believe in Him. This miracle however was irrefutable. Lazarus was long dead. There was no doubt about it! Martha and Mary were obviously grieving over the loss of their brother. This family was close to Jesus and He was moved by the death of Lazarus.

Then there was the prayer Jesus prayed just before He called Lazarus from the tomb. In that prayer Jesus emphasized His connection with His Father in Heaven. He was so careful to give God the credit and glory for what He was about to do. The Jews present had to realize that this man was no blasphemer!

The resurrection of Lazarus was powerful to convince many of the true identity of Jesus. Only the Son of God, the Christ, could raise the dead. This must be the Messiah! In verse 45 it says, "Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him." We do not know just how many people trusted in Jesus Christ after witnessing the resurrection of Lazarus, but it was enough to trouble those who were enemies of Christ. The reception of some gave the enemies of Christ a bad case of THE RESURRECTION RIGORS.

In verse 46, we read something that is difficult to comprehend. It says, "But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done." Not everyone believed in Jesus upon witnessing this great miracle! This is amazing! After observing Jesus do His best stuff, they still did not believe. More than merely reject Jesus, they ratted on Him. It is difficult to understand their opposition. This was a good thing. Jesus was helping the people He loved, and He was careful to give God all the glory and credit. There was no way this could be construed as blasphemy! Here we see that human unbelief can be so obstinate and so stubborn, that it can persist even in the face of overwhelming evidence.

In Luke 16, we are told about another man named Lazarus, a poor beggar, who sat at the gate of a rich man. In time both died. Lazarus though poor, was rich in faith and was escorted by angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man, who was poor in faith, found himself in Hell, tormented by eternal fire. In his agony, he remembered his five brothers left behind, and asked Abraham if he would send Lazarus back to witness to them lest they end up in the same place of torment. In verses 29-31 of Luke 16, we hear the reply of Abraham. "Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

Abraham was right! In the face of this great miracle, the miracle of resurrection, some still refused to believe. Listen, if you are here and lost today, all you have is me. If you will not respond to the witness of a friend, the sermon of a pastor, the testimony of a gospel tract, then you will never believe in the Son of God. This passage also bears out, that when you reject the truth, there is nothing left but lies. When we turn from the light and life offered in Jesus Christ, all that is left is darkness and death.

As we continue in this chapter, we discover the problem the resurrection of Lazarus created for the enemies of Christ. The Pharisees upon hearing of the miracle of Christ and conversion of many Jews, called an emergency session of the Sanhedrin. Notice verse 47. "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles." Things were getting out of hand. They have become desperate. The perceived threat that Jesus posed would not go away. Something must be done. So they came together in an emergency session to take drastic action. Everyone was asking the question, "What are we going to do?" It was clear to all of them that something must be done. What followed is nothing less than amazing. In the following verses we see the axiom fulfilled, "Man proposes, but God disposes," as God transforms a case of RESURRECTION RIGORS into His own REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE.

The Pharisees were driven by two fears. We see these in verse 48. "If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation." The Pharisees feared two things.

First, they feared the impact and influence of Jesus Christ. More and more people were believing the message of Jesus. There was a growing consensus among the Jews that Jesus was who He said He was, that He was the Christ, the Son of God. His ministry, message and miracles were powerful and had transformed the lives of many.

Second, they feared that the continued influence of Jesus would cause greater unrest which would in turn provoke the Romans to destroying the Jewish nation and their temple. The Pharisees were not a political party and refused to participate with Rome as much as they feared provoking them.

It was obvious to the Pharisees that the solution to their dilemma was to get Jesus. They had already tried to grab Him several times, but He kept slipping away from them. If they did get Jesus, they would stay within the confines of the Law and stone Him.

Put it down, the Devil and his crowd fear the work of God and they get worried when people are getting saved and the cause of Christ is prospering. Listen, if ever so often you do not run into the Devil, perhaps you are walking in the wrong direction. We can count on the Devil and his world system, opposing the work of God going on in a life, a home, a church or a nation. People, we are involved in a warfare. Peter warns the Christian soldier, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."

After the Pharisees spoke their mind, one named Caiaphas stood up and spoke. Notice his words in verses 49 and 50. "And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." The Sanhedrin was comprised of both Pharisees and Sadducees. While the Pharisees were not a political party, the Sadducees were intensely political. They were the wealthy and aristocratic party. All the priests were Sadducees. They were also the collaborationist party. So long as they were allowed to retain their wealth, comfort and position of authority, they were well content to collaborate with Rome. As the High Priest and a Sadducee, Caiaphas stood up to speak. As he takes over the meeting, it is clear that it was the priests who dominated this meeting of the Sanhedrin. It was the Sadducees who did all the talking.

Did you notice the first words of Caiaphas in verse 49b? He said, "Ye know nothing at all." Let me put that in today's vernacular, "You dummies!" The Sadducees were known to be rude duds with attitudes. We see that Caiaphas was true to his cut and clime.

He continues with his own view point and proposal. Notice verses 49b-50. "Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." The Sadducees saw Jesus as a threat not to their religion, but to their riches and ruling position. The recognized the need to terminate Jesus for the sake of the nation. Caiaphas said that it would be better that one man die, rather than or in the place of the whole nation. The only difference here is, how. Why not let the Romans do the dirty work? Who needs to stone Jesus if they can get the Romans to crucify Him!

What is wrong with this meeting? What is wrong with their perceptions, plans and proposals? The answer is given in I Corinthians 2:7-11. Notice the words of Paul as his cuts to the heart of this counsel. He says, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." These men were limited because they were lost! Their wisdom was foolishness because they did not know God nor have His Spirit. They were as Paul says in I Corinthians 2:14b, "spiritually discerned." These men did not know what they were saying, they did not know what they were doing!

Guess what? They will crucify Jesus to save a nation, they will pull off the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and in 70 AD the Romans under Titus will march into Jerusalem any way and take the city and the temple to the ground!

Make sure you know who is influencing you. Be careful who you listen to. This world thinks the wisdom of God is foolishness, but worldly wisdom is foolishness to God and will ultimately fail.

Proverbs 3:5 gives us this wisdom. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." The psalmist David said in Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." We can never afford to neglect the wisdom of God revealed in His Word, confirmed by the Spirit, godly friends, and prayer. The best basis for all our actions and decisions in life is the Word of God!

I John 4:1-4 gives us this warning. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." There are many voices in this world, most of which are contrary to the truth revealed in God's Word. Be careful who you call your friends! Be careful who you listen to, it might cost you more than you think!

Reading the final two verses of our text, it would appear that God was on vacation right now. It says in verse 53-54, "Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples." The dark clouds are advancing and Jesus the Light of the word is retreating! What is happening? Has God surrendered His control?

As we read verses 51 and 52 we realize He has not lost control. We know and serve a Sovereign God! Notice God's commentary on the words of Caiaphas. "And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." Wow! Did you get that? The words of Caiaphas the high priest with the dark heart, were not his own! Out of His dark, dead heart and mind, came words of light and life, because they were not his own. God put His own words in the mouth of Caiphas. The Lord caused this man to prophesy truth that at the time, neither he of the other members of the Sanhedrin perceived! What a confirmation this is of the prophesy of Isaiah! Caiaphas said there was One coming who would bear the sins of the people and nation. Isaiah 53:6 says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." This lost man prophesied that Jesus would die for, in the place of, a people and a nation. As a card carrying member of the Sadducee party, Caiaphas would make sure that Christ's death would be accomplished upon a Roman Cross which would accomplish God's will and fulfill Psalm 22 where it says, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture."

The free will of man and the Sovereignty of God seem at least from our prospective irreconcilable, but to God they are reconciled. Put it down, the full and final eternal purpose of God does not lie in the fickle hands of man, but in the incontrovertible power and will of God to perform it! Hallelujah! God is in control! In the midst of a secret and dark council of men, God inserted His redemptive purpose!