Passage: John 11:45-57 Speaker: Pastor Lukus Counterman Series: John - That You May Believe
Speaker: Lukus Counterman - As tensions rise in Jerusalem, Jesus becomes a dividing line. His person and works disrupt the status quo such that people must choose to receive him or reject him. The religious leaders feel threatened by this miracle worker, so they seek to make Jesus a scapegoat and have him killed before Rome abolishes their privilege and freedom. They thought that getting rid of Jesus would stabilize Judaism and destroy Christianity, but in the end, it accomplished the exact opposite. The death of Jesus unified his followers and formed a new community known as the church. Jewish nationalism backfired and Rome eventually destroyed the temple and overran Jerusalem. Here in John 11, we encounter a turning point, one that highlights the ultimate significance of Jesus’ death.