Expedient for You

...it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish. (John 11:50)

Expedient: conducive to advantage or interest, as opposed to right. (dictionary.com)

As a person allows their choices to move away from compliance with God's moral principles toward seeking advantages for themselves, the result will always be a life of expediency. Sooner or later people will compromise the principles of truth, honesty, justice and what is right and will become willing to sacrifice someone else's well-being in exchange for their own interests. The example of these religious leaders is a classic case of this very truth.

I believe that up to this point many of these priests and leaders had been trying to maintain some semblance of righteousness, a reputation for obeying the commandments of God. Even after this turning point in their lives they still tried to keep up an outward appearance that they were following God's laws, but in their hearts they had turned away from God and had embraced their own agenda in place of God's will. They had fully chosen a dark master and their lives from that point on became controlled by the prince of darkness as their reason became more insane. Later stories about these men reveal that they had lost their ability to think clearly, to act from principle rather than lust and their behavior became more and more bizarre.

I notice the emphasis by Caiaphas here on selfishness. The expediency was for themselves, not for the benefit of anyone else. And the very presence of the idea of giving preference to expediency over principle betrays the true spirit and motives of these men as being evil. As soon as I begin to use expediency as my preferred method for making decisions I am on the road toward ruin and moral disaster. Expediency may feel good and may bring advantages in the short term, but living for myself at the expense of others will result in destroying my own soul as well as harming many around me.

Even worse is the fact that this suggestion came from the highest official and most influential religious leader in a nation chosen by God to be His representatives on this earth. Spiritual leaders, far from being exempt from accountability are the most responsible for the influence they exert on others around them. They are also higher profile targets of the enemy of souls for he knows that if he can capture their hearts with selfishness that he can access many others more easily through their diabolical influence.

Caiaphas was a corrupt man who had used the system and politics to secure the lucrative position of high priest through fraud, deception and manipulation. He was willing to stop at nothing to keep his political position of power in the country and was ready to resort to murder if need be to maintain the status quo. We recoil in horror when we see people willing to stoop to such degradation of character striving for supremacy and willing to compromise truth for personal advantage. Yet these same motives lie in each one of our hearts ready to spring into action whenever circumstances create a good opportunity for self-promotion. Infected by sin, every one of us is liable to exploit others for our own advantage just as these men had finally become willing to do.

Father, sometimes I catch a glimpse of how selfish my own heart really is and I shudder in horror at what I might do if push came to shove. I begin to realize more clearly how much I need your grace, your restraining power to prevent me from following the example of these men who were so willing to exchange your life for their own advantage. What they didn't realize was that in choosing to turn all their animosity against you they were exposing the true nature of sin for all the universe to recoil from in disgust and horror for all eternity. Help me to grasp the reality of the diabolical power of sin to turn my own heart away from your grace and help me to keep close to you for my own protection. Make me willing to die to self and sinful desires rather than participate in the spirit of these men who preferred subjecting you to torture rather than suffer potential loss of their own comfort and prestige.

Father, put your spirit in me to counteract and dispel the spirit of death that presently dwells in me. Win the battle for my own soul and draw me to keep myself in your presence for safety's sake. Honor your reputation by finishing your experiment of grace that transforms my life to reflect the life of Jesus rather than the example of these self-serving men. I submit to your authority because trusting in your goodness is the only option that really makes sense. I am designed to thrive in your love so help me to remain conscious of your love every moment.

Expediency

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish." (John 11:49-50)

The more that I meditate on these verses the clearer becomes the contrast between the methods and attitudes of the world's way of relating to each other and heaven's methods as demonstrated by Jesus. The world depends on what we can term a hierarchical structure, the arrangement where people are elevated or demeaned depending on their perceived value, status and achievements. I have observed that the basic principles of God's kingdom operate quite differently than the hierarchical system, but sadly most of religion has accepted the world's methods in how churches are operated and governed.

In these verses are displayed evidences, results of running things using the world's methods even in highly religious institutions. The Jewish nation was ordained by God to be His representatives on earth and they were keenly aware of that fact. But instead of learning God's methods and relating to others using His principles they followed the world's methods and the end result was they killed the very Son of God who had initiated their nation originally.

In these words by the high priest, the highest spiritual leader of the true church of that time, one can see the attitude of a person deeply entrenched in the hierarchical way of thinking. The corruption of integrity that ensues from relying on dominance and control rather than respect for freedom and love produced the fruit seen in the character of this evil man. There are two initial statements that Caiaphas made that are revealing about his spirit and character.

I sense that Caiaphas had been waiting for the time when the attitudes and desperation of the other leaders would ripen to the point where he could offer them a plan he had been developing for some time. Caiaphas was thinking larger and longer term than the average leaders and had been waiting for circumstances to come around to favor his ideas, plans that were inspired by the spirit of Satan. The prince of this world had shaped the spirit of these men who had so long resisted the kindness and compassion of Jesus and taken over their hearts progressively. Satan in turn, was working through them to bring about his own diabolical plans to get revenge against the Son of God for what had happened to him in heaven before the creation of this world.

Satan harbored deep resentment against Christ for what had happened to him in heaven that ended in his being cast down to this earth. Now with Jesus living as a human being vulnerable to Satan's power, he saw a chance to vent his rage and revenge against Jesus to inflict on Him all the pain and suffering he could devise. Satan is the author of the spirit of wanting to 'get even' and he could hardly temper his overpowering urge to attack Jesus as a human.

Caiaphas was reflective of the spirit of Satan in the way he related to the people and even to the other leaders. It appears to me from this passage that the lesser leaders, though full of animosity toward Jesus and bitter about His witness about the Father, had still been functioning to some extent in respect for their law. They had been restrained from engaging fully in banding together to overtly organize specific plans to commit blatant injustice against an innocent person. While they often were driven to want to kill him in their rage over being exposed by His statements and actions, they had not yet come to the point of fully degrading themselves to the same level of evil where Caiaphas had already arrived. Caiaphas was biding his time just waiting for circumstances to come around to favor his plans and this final miracle of Jesus had driven the leaders to extreme desperation for a solution that they now presented just the opportunity he needed to introduce his scheme.

But notice how this religious leader treated the other elders of the people. The first words out of his mouth were words of scorn intended to demean and shame the others. Today we might hear him say, “You stupid idiots, you ignoramuses, you are so dumb I can't believe it.” This man obviously had no respect for his peers except for how he could exploit them to help carry out his selfish desire for more power and authority. As he saw their own thinking coming into line with his he knew he could now gain their cooperation for facilitating his plans, the very plans of Satan, to destroy Jesus.

The second thing Caiaphas said here was similar and enforced the first comment. “You do not take something into account here.” Now he is not only insulting them as stupid and ignorant but he points out that they are not thinking big enough to perceive the 'opportunity' they have in front of them. He implies that these leaders have been too restrained by their morality to see the way in which they could satisfy their hateful feelings against Jesus. They had been too intimidated by the restraints of God's law to lower themselves to fully embrace intentional sin and plan an innocent man's murder. But because of these recent circumstances this wicked man saw that they were now finally ready to listen to him and to lower themselves to his level and cooperate with him to unit together in planning the death of Jesus.

What did Caiaphas want them to take into account? It was not morality he wanted them to think about but expediency. Today we sometimes call this pragmatism. The pragmatic thing to do in a given situation becomes the most important method to achieve the outcome we desire no matter how it aligns with truth or morality or justice. This has become the hallmark of politics all throughout history. For Caiaphas this was not a new idea but was one that was in harmony with his own debased character. He had been waiting for the time when a majority of the leaders would be willing to join him to carry out wicked and selfish desires. He pointed out to them that the reasonable thing to do under these extreme circumstances was to simply eliminate one innocent man in order to recapture their own influence and return their country back to the status quo that had been so disrupted by this insurrectionist. For the 'peace' of the nation – which really meant for the benefit of the elite, the powerful and the rich oppressors in control – it was only reasonable – expedient – that the source of all their problems simply be liquidated so that their version of 'law and order' could be restored.

This form of reasoning is very familiar to us, yet it is chilling once a person begins to see its implications clearly. I hear this same refrain frequently in the reasons government uses to make decisions and how churches try to maintain control over members. Corporations, clubs, denominations, nations, all engage in this twisted logic to achieve their desired self-serving ends. People become expendable while the goals of the organization become of ultimate importance. Individual value is ignored while the prestige and power of the 'greater good' becomes the driving force to violating the rights and ignoring the basic freedoms of the individual.

This is the inevitable result of living by the principles of the world while ignoring the true principles of heaven. Sooner or later, following the methods of expediency will result in subverting justice and crushing the innocent. Those in control will eventually stop at nothing in debasing themselves to achieve their desired selfish desires. No one is safe from the dangers inherent in the kingdom of darkness when God's principles are ignored for the sake of expediency.

Without realizing what he was doing though, Caiaphas was actually carrying out the very plans of God who was exposing the fundamental roots of Satan's kingdom through his words and actions. Jesus had come to this world to expose and highlight the true nature of Satan's kingdom in contrast to His own methods and character to make sin explicitly plain and to show how horrific people will become if sin is not removed from their hearts. By stooping to indulge in hatred, pride and expediency, these leaders brought themselves so low in character that they were quickly passing the point of no return. They were hardening their hearts and destroying their consciences so thoroughly that they were moving beyond the reach of the conviction of the Spirit of God to save them from evil. They were slipping into the same condition as the master they had chosen to follow who was motivating them to act out his own hateful passions against God. By rejecting the picture of God that Jesus had come to reveal they came to reflect more accurately the character and spirit of the great accuser, the father of lies who had started the whole experiment of sin long before.

Caiaphas had no respect for his fellow leaders and only offered them scorn to push them into coming into agreement with him. He pressed on them the principle of expediency as the reason upon which to base their decisions. By appealing to their selfishness and pride to motivate them to come into alignment with each other, Satan was able to accomplish his goals through these wicked men. Satan's kingdom scorns respect and relies on shame and intimidation as the reliable means of motivating others to come into agreement. The unity achieved in Satan's kingdom relies on different 'glue' than what God uses to bring about unity in love. This story presents a clear contrast between these two kingdoms.

Let Him Go On

If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him.... (John 11:48)

How very interesting. Out of the mouth of unbelievers God elicits truth at times.

These men who were so hardening their hearts against the strongest evidences of the beauty of God's character were confessing that the words and actions of Jesus were exerting an overwhelming influence to draw people to Himself with love and compassion. They even seemed to imply that if He were not resisted and prevented from continuing His activities that even they might succumb to His drawing and come to believe in Him. They felt that their only choice – if they did not want to end up believing themselves – was to take decisive action to silence His voice before it was too late.

This is a classic example of what is termed the unpardonable sin. In actuality there is no sin that God cannot forgive; but a person who finally is able to silence the voice of God in their hearts by destroying their own capacity to respond to Him removes all ability for repentance. After destroying their own capacity to ever want to believe in the goodness of God as Jesus presented it, a person then feels free to believe whatever they want about Him and they ultimately fall hopelessly into the deceptions of Satan, immersed in what they have chosen to embrace permanently.

But what inspires me in these words from some of Jesus' fiercest opponents is the fact that if I choose to let Jesus go on like this that I can finally come into fuller belief myself. I have spent years searching for real belief – saving faith as it is sometimes called. I determined some time ago to understand this phrase, not just to be able to make logical sense of what it actually means but far more importantly to enter into it fully with my whole heart. That is the reason I am immersing myself in these accounts about Jesus recorded in the book of John, and now I am seeing it better from a most unusual place.

I remember many years ago hearing a quotation that puzzled me a great deal. It was something about 'drawing warmth from the coldness of others'. I often reflected on what this might mean since it seemed to be such an oxymoron. Now I see again how it might apply from this verse. From the coldness of these men's hearts emerges a truth that can actually warm my own heart, the fact that I can choose the opposite of what they chose to do, to let Jesus continue His work of grace in my own life, to let Him go on like He has been doing so that belief can take even deeper root in my own soul.

How exciting to realize that all I need to do is to keep letting Jesus do what Jesus wants to do in order to increase faith and see more people believe on Him along with me. Instead of fighting against the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit within, I can choose to let Him continue by agreeing with Him and letting Him reshape me into His image. I tried very hard for many years to reform my own life into conformity to God's laws but all of those attempts ended in failure. But the problem was not with the law of God for that is simply a description of what God is like. The problem was in understanding that it is not through trying that one is transformed but through the renewing of the mind. And that can only happen by letting Jesus continue to do what He wants to do within me.

Will the world around me come to a crisis like these men suggested if I allow Jesus to go on like this? Well, their assumptions of the outcome may or may not have been accurate, but the real isue was their fear of losing control. They wanted to stay in charge of not only their own lives and destiny but of everyone around them as well. They accurately perceived that if Jesus continued to draw all men unto Himself that reality as they knew it would collapse and they were unwilling to allow that to continue.

But again, I see good news in these words, for I see that evil men resistant of God's drawing love will not always be able to suppress the glory and goodness of God from accomplishing its intended purpose of drawing all to Him. While all will not ultimately come to Him, it is impossible to prevent God from drawing us. Only by steeling the heart and making it impregnable through repeated rejections of His love and beauty can one finally remove themselves from the power of His drawing. But no one will ever be able to stop the inexorable power of the love which never ends, the fire which can never be extinguished any more than they can destroy gravity. Sooner or later the fire of God's passion will either cleanse a person of sin from within or it will consume the person totally because of their choice to cling to sin in preference to clinging to God.

I read in the end of the Bible that Babylon finally falls never to come into power again. My church prides itself in proclaiming this message of a fallen Babylon, yet I fear that many who preach this still do not really grasp the significance of what it means. Babylon represents the counterfeit systems of beliefs about God that infiltrates what all of us have been raised to believe about Him. All of us have been infected to some extent or another by lies about God that cause us to malfunction and to be afraid of Him. This is Satan's studied purpose, to keep fear and confusion about God in our hearts while maintaining that we have the truth and have no need of challenging our own ideas.

God declares that in the end of time Babylon will finally completely fall. That tells me that the false system based on lies about God that has so effectively and repeatedly silenced the voice of God and His activities in so many hearts cannot accomplish its goal of silencing Him completely. When it all comes out in the wash it will be seen that love ultimately cannot be suppressed but will always come out on top. It is those who determine to prevent Jesus from drawing everyone to Himself that will be seen to be fools as the complex labyrinth of false ideas about God finally collapse under the light of the glorious truth about Him that will finally fill the whole earth. (Revelation 18:1-5)

Because God is so good and is fiercely protective of our freedom to choose for ourselves which power will dominate our lives, He allows each one to decide how we will respond to His drawing love for our affections. Many choose to silence His drawing and seek to prevent others from responding like these men chose to do. But love itself cannot be stopped anymore than gravity can be eliminated. Sooner or later gravity will bring things back to earth unless they go so far away that they are captured by another gravity of their choosing.

I see in these words an invitation by God to let Him go on as He has been doing and allow Him to draw me through the attraction of His glory into an intimate relationship of passion and thus to be transformed by His grace and love and peace as I continue to choose to give Him access to my own heart. I can learn from the tragic choice of these men that there is a better way to live. I am encouraged and reminded that I can make a different choice than they did and can ask God to keep on doing what He longs to do within me, drawing me to His heart and awakening responsive love deep in my soul as His acts of love and mercy change me and transform me.

Jesus, I choose right now to let You go on like this so that not only I but many around me will come to believe in You so the kingdom of fear will finally collapse. Fill me with Your presence today and replace my desires with Your plans and Your disposition and Your character. Do this for Your name's sake, Amen.