...death for us...

Palm Sunday of Lent

“45 Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. 53 So from that day on they planned to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness, and he remained there with the disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he” John 11:45-56?

Here we see the moment when Caiaphas, the High Priest and leader of the Sanhedrin, decide to put Jesus to death. We see Jesus’ response to this when He leaves the area for a town named Ephraim, about 12 miles outside of Jerusalem. This decision was a theological statement: no human court of law could force Jesus to the cross. Such an action and decision was the Father’s determination and Jesus’ own act of His will.

I want you to consider that Jesus returned to Jerusalem when He was ready to hand over His life to those who wished to crucify Him. He died of His own free volition to save us from eternal hell and damnation. Jesus knew He had come into the world for one reason: to become the final and complete sacrifice for our sins.

So today consider the depth of the love of Jesus to voluntarily die for you and me. Pray for faithful living for the remaining days and hours of your life.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.