In this sermon, we looked at a prophetic moment that took place among the religious leaders after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. While occupied by the Romans, the Jews were allowed to continue living in their homeland and practicing their religion as long as they didn’t violate the rules the Romans set for them. As more people began to believe in Jesus, the Jewish leaders became fearful that His following would catch the eyes of the Romans and put the Jewish nation in jeopardy. Caiaphas, the high priest who would eventually send Jesus to the cross, convinced the Jewish leaders that they needed to kill Jesus in order the save their nation. According to John, God was speaking prophetically through Caiaphas to remind us that He would bring together the Jews and Gentiles into one family as “the children of God.” While this moment solidified the Jewish leaders’ plot to kill Jesus, it’s also a beautiful reminder that it’s only through Jesus’ triumph over death that we are adopted into His family as children of God.
