This week’s devotion is based on Cross Examined Week 5 – “Why Kill Him?” (CLICK HERE TO WATCH)
It’s hard to be objective when we desire a certain outcome.
If you want a certain car, even though the financial numbers don’t make it affordable to you, you press forward anyway.
We may have our mind fixed on being a star basketball player, but our height, weight, quickness and skill tell a very different story.
We may want to attend a certain college, but our grades, test scores and financial ability all point away from this reality.
Our emotions can skew reality and blind us to the truth.
The religious leaders of the Jews wanted Jesus dead.
After the raising of Lazarus, this was their mindset:
John 11:47-53 “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
There was only one outcome that the Jewish leaders wanted: Jesus dead.
So when they put Jesus on trial, they weren’t interested in the truth…just a reason to kill him.
Luke 22:66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Christ,” they said, “tell us.”
Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”
70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied, “You are right in saying I am.”
71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”
They weren’t interested in pursuing the objective truth that Jesus was actually the Son of God. They were convinced he wasn’t. Nothing was going to change their mind. Blasphemy was a legitimate death sentence. That’s all the reason they needed.
We can be just as arrogant at times and have a preconceived idea of what we “want” Jesus to be or what we “want” Jesus to say.
We want Jesus to be the healer of every problems and so when we have challenges, we can’t take an objective look at what God might be doing, but rather Jesus is to blame.
We think Jesus might owe us favors if we do things that “honor” him. When we don’t get what we think we deserve or want, we question whether Jesus is really who he says he is.
Forgive us Lord of being only interested in our truth and not THE truth. Forgive us for creating our version of Jesus and expecting him to fulfill it. Spirit of God open our hearts to always be ready to learn and believe more and more of who Jesus is and the significance of what he had done for us.
Apply: What part of your faith might you have a preconceived idea of your expectations? What happens when God doesn’t fulfill those expectations?
Prayer: Lord, keep my heart humble and always open to receiving your truth even when it conflicts with what I feel it should be. AMEN.