"Expedient For Us!"

 "Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." (John 11:50 KJV)

  "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on the cross." (Philippians 2:6-8 NLT)

 Maybe this man, being the high priest, could actually envision Jesus on the cross; seeing that he was so quick to accept the fact that Jesus needed to die for the sake of the nation. Having seen that, if he did, he should have also been reminded that it was a sin to take the life of someone who committed no crime worthy of death! 

 Again, I will relate the story of David, as it was just as bad for him to have one of his faithful warriors killed, just to cover up own foolish sin. And why did David need to take the life of one of his, "The Thirty Mighty Men"? Because it was expedient for him to do so, just to cover up his sin! 

 I once heard a message regarding this sin of David, which places David's sin being based upon the fact that he was not where he was meant to be, when he was meant to be there. As you may know, this sin took place when the kings were meant to be out on the battlefield, not resting at home. When we are not at the place where we should be, when we are meant to be there, sin happens! 

 What is sin? Is it doing something you are not supposed to do? Well, sure it is but that is because you are not doing something that you are supposed be doing; you are missing the mark, a mark being what God expects of you, has told you to do, or what is required for you to show that you love Him.

 As for this Caliaphas, high priest or not, his mind is being used to conjure up sinful thoughts: or as Matthew Henry puts it, "the devil's policy." How can this be the devil's policy, if it is God's will for it to be done? Jesus said that the devil was the father of lies, which he proved himself to be, time and time again. 

 When Adam sinned in the garden, the lie was about not dying, which the devil spoke to Eve about, but Adam was involved in that lie also. Where was Adam? What was Adam meant to be doing? Eve was deceived by the lie, but Adam used the lie to sin! He knew full well that he was not to eat, but he ate it anyways, because he wanted to sin against God! 

 When I was hooked on doing sinful things, things that cause men of God to be sifted like wheat; I can recall several times when God said, "Don't do this, my son!" But I did it anyways, even though God tried to prevent me, I kept on trying until I had my way. God would shut the door, and I would find another door; God would put up a fence, and I would find a latter. 

 Sooner or later, God will just allow us to have it our way; and then we get torn apart by the devil. Yes, the devil is evil and should never be associated with God and His holiness; but the devil too is just a puppet, who can only do what God allows him to do! 

 We have been given free will, because God does not want us to love Him just because He says that we should love Him; He wants us to love Him, because He loves us more than we could ever love ourselves! That is why He did what He did, to send His Son down here, that He could show how much He loves us: it was expedient for us... 

"When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." (Isaiah 53:11-12 NLT)