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That's connectwithskip.com. Now let's get into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Pastor Skip Heitzig was a Christian who had been in the ministry and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.
But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus did. Verse 45 is placed there by John because that is his theme. The theme of John is faith, is believe. 98 times he uses the word believe in this book.
That is his theme. He's telling you this so that you would believe. He's showing you why and how people believed. So he closed his book saying many other things Jesus did in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and believing have life in His name. That's the theme of his book. So it's natural that we would find this verse, many, when they saw a dead dude get out of the ground, they believed. The hard part for me is the word many.
It should read everyone who saw the dead dude get out of the ground. All of them believed. Every stinking last one of them believed.
That would make sense to me. But it says many of them believed, which in first some did not believe. And indeed, the very next verse bears that out. But some of them went and tattletaled, went away to the Pharisees and they told him, can I you want to know what Jesus did? Listen, if this were a crusade, an evangelistic crusade, I would understand if it said and some believed and some didn't.
I get that. If this was a church service and an altar call happened, it always happened. Some believe, some don't. But a resurrection of a dead dude from the ground should say they all believed. But here's what I want you to see. This shows you the hardness of the human heart and people say, well, if I could have a miracle, I believe.
Not necessarily. A dead dude got out of the ground. A lot of people didn't believe it. In the Old Testament, miracles happened in the desert. Water came out of a rock, manna came out of the sky, a Red Sea opened up. A lot of people had hardened hearts and did not believe. In John chapter six, Jesus fed the multitudes. And yet after Jesus' sermon, because it was so tough to hear, it says, and many of his disciples turned away and walked no longer with him. Really? After seeing a miracle like that? But that is the human heart.
Some believe and some don't. Then verse 47, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, what shall we do? For this man works many signs. If we let him alone like this, everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. What's wrong with this?
I'll tell you what's wrong with it. You have two groups of people that hate each other, but they agree that they hate Jesus more than any of their differences. Did you see the words in verse 47, chief priests? Chief priests belong to a group called the Sadducees.
You've heard of them, yeah? Sadducees. And then under that is the group called the Pharisees. So you have chief priests, Sadducees, and Pharisees. They're having a meeting together.
That's weird. They never met together. They hated each other. The Sadducees were the theological liberals of the day. They really weren't religious. They were political.
They wanted to appease Rome so that they could maintain their wealthy positions paid for by the Jewish nation and the Roman government. They did not believe in a resurrection. They did not believe in the supernatural world. They did not believe in life after death. They did not believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, that the Bible was the word of God. They only held too loosely the first five books of Moses, the Pentateuch.
That's the Sadducee party. The Pharisees, on the other hand, believed in miracles, believed in a resurrection, believed in the afterlife, believed in spirits and demons, believed all of the Old Testament, the Tanakh, was the inspired word of God. And they also believed that the oral law was to be considered almost on a par with Scripture itself.
Not so the Sadducees. So they fought. One was a highly legalistic religious group.
One was very liberal and more political in nature. They didn't get along. They hated each other with a passion, but they hated Jesus more, and their hatred for Jesus was the only thing they had in common, and that was the mutual element that brought them together. So they have a little conference here. In the midst of their discussion comes an interesting prediction. Verse 49, and one of them, Caiaphas, he's the son-in-law of Annas. He's the high priest that year. I won't go through all the history of that.
I've done it before. Said to them, you know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should perish. Now, he said this not on his own authority, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that he would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Now, what did Caiaphas mean by this? He was really a pragmatist. He was simply saying, look, it's better that he dies than we die.
We better curtail this. We better think of a way to kill him because he's going to cause a riot, and if he causes a riot and an insurrection, they're going to come after us and kill us. So it's better that he dies instead of us. That's what he meant by it. But John says he did not know, he was unwitting to the fact that he was actually prophesying that year that God used his position as the high priest to give one of the clearest predictions of vicarious or substitutionary atonement.
One death is sufficient for all. That's what John means by this. Now, he didn't know he was speaking truth, but God used him to speak truth. Which is interesting to me because some people say, I can't believe that, you know, God could speak through anybody except a premillennial, dispensational, theological this or that, everybody else is wrong. Listen, listen, God can speak through a donkey. Balaam was riding a donkey and the donkey spoke because he wouldn't listen to God, so God said, he'll listen to a donkey talking. So I just want you to hear that because God in heaven is able to give truth. It always has to be compared with Scripture, but he's able to give truth through a number of sources. I've been to university, I've been to colleges, there have been some fabulous donkeys that have given me truth.
Much of what they say is wrong, but there'll be that nugget of it's like, yeah, that was awesome, that was true. So just because they don't believe everything you believe, God can still use them to speak truth. So here's Caiaphas, unbeliever, unregenerate, and he speaks God's word as being in the position of a high priest that you're a clear declaration of substitutionary atonement. Then from that day on, verse 53, they plotted to put him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but he went from there into the country near the wilderness to a city called Ephraim, 15 miles to the north in the hills of the area. And there he remained with his disciples, and the Passover of the Jews was near. Many went up from the country up to Jerusalem for the Passover to purify themselves. Then they sought Jesus and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple.
What do you think? That he will not come to the feast? Both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command that if anyone knew where he was, they should report it that they might seize him. So now the gears, the machinery of the crucifixion are put in place. Let's find him, let's seize him, let's kill him.
Why? To save our nation. It's better that one man die than we die.
Let's save our nation. All of the steps they made, says William Barclay, to save the nation would ensure that they destroy the nation. Jesus predicted what would happen if they rejected him, that the Romans would come and destroy that place, and in 70 AD that's exactly what happened.
In seeking to save their own lives, they destroyed their whole nation. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we return to Skip's teaching, start 2025 off right, exploring the richness of God's word with Pastor Skip's book, The Bible from 30,000 Feet, and accompanying workbook. These resources offer an aerial view of scripture, covering all 66 books of the Bible with a unique flight plan, facts, landmarks, itinerary, gospel, history, and travel tips. They're a perfect tool to help you enrich your Bible study and apply its teachings to your daily life. You'll explore every book of the Bible with Pastor Skip's insightful flight plan, while the workbook provides exercises and questions to guide your reflection. We'll send you The Bible from 30,000 Feet book and workbook as our thanks for your gift of $50 or more to reach more people with God's love through Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Go to connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888 and request your copy when you give. Now let's get back to Skip for more of today's teaching. But the machinery is set in place. This is now the final week of Jesus on the earth. And we'll only be able to read a portion of it, but it really belongs in this. In chapter 12 verse 1, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany. So he was up in Bethany, went to a little village 15 miles to the north. Now he's back in Bethany. It's Passover. Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus, who had been dead, whom he had raised from the dead, there they made him a supper.
Now watch this. And Martha served. Don't be surprised at that, right? Because it's like, yep, that's Martha. But Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him. And then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenert, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Now let me piece something together for you. We know what happens in Bethany. We know that Mary and Martha and Lazarus are there. We know that Jesus is there with his disciples.
The other Gospel writers add an element that John does not. They say that this meal took place in Bethany, but it was at the home of, not Lazarus, and it doesn't say it's at the home of Lazarus here, it just says there's a supper. It was at the home of a leper who was healed, a guy by the name of Simon who was a guy with leprosy. And Jesus cured him. So it was a thank you meal from Simon and probably Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, just a show of appreciation.
Bring Jesus and the gang over, the disciples over. Now I try to imagine what the conversation around the table was like. I mean, Simon was a leper. He could have said, you know, I just got to tell you, being a leper was extremely painful. But then there came that day when I lost all feeling, and I didn't feel the pain any longer. I didn't feel my fingertips, and fingers fell off, and I was wasting away. But then one day, Jesus healed me, and I can't describe what it was like to suddenly have fingers again and feeling and reach up and feel that I had eyebrows.
And I could be with my family. And then of course, he would be saying this, and Lazarus is sitting there. And Lazarus would say, dude, that's a good story, but I was dead.
I saw Abraham, and I saw David, and then I get called back here. Must have been a wonderful conversation. Martha is serving. Please don't fault her for that. Please don't say, oh, there she goes again. She's always on her feet.
I love people who volunteer to serve the Lord. This is her love language, folks. She loved to do that. She was one who works of service was the way she showed love.
And here's what I like about it. She's serving, but this time she's not complaining. Back in Luke chapter 10, that famous story of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus and Martha serving, Martha was complaining.
Lord, tell my sister to help me. Here, there are about 20 people in that house. There's Jesus, all of his disciples, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Simon, probably a few family members or friends.
There's probably about 20 people. She's feeding them all. Not complaining. She's learned her lesson. She's grown in grace. It's interesting, Lazarus is there at the table.
Martha is serving. Lazarus is witnessing. You go, witnessing? He's not saying a word.
Yeah, that's a very interesting fact. You will never find in any of the four gospels Lazarus uttering a single word. But he was witnessing. You say, well, how was he witnessing?
Look at verse 9. A great many of the Jews knew that he was there and they came not only for Jesus' sake, but that they might also see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. Jesus was doing all the talking. Lazarus was just sitting there.
He was exhibit A. He didn't have to say a word. He was witnessing by his life. Listen, listen. Witnessing isn't something you do. It's something you are. And if you say something, that's great.
You should, but it first must begin with who you are. Jesus didn't say, and I will have you go witnessing in Jerusalem, Judea. He said, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth.
Acts chapter 1. So Lazarus is witnessing, just sitting there smiling. I'm the dead dude. I'm alive.
Hi, guys. Then Mary, verse 3. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Martha's love language was serving, or if I can alliterate this a little bit, Martha's love language was perspiring. Mary's love language was perfume, giving a gift. She must, I don't know how she acquired this, because if you go by Judas's calculation in the next few verses of how much this was worth, it's about $10,000 worth of ointment.
$10,000. Oil of spikenard came from India, North India. It was the fruit of a fibrous plant.
The fibrous roots were between 3 and 12 inches that anchored it to the ground. It shot up between 30 and 40 of these spikes out into the air, from which was extruded a very earthy, spicy, scented oil. And because of it coming from such a distance and being so rare, it was of great value. She wanted to just show Jesus how much she loved him. Jesus will say, this is for my burial, I want you to see this, verse 4, it says, But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray him, said, Why was this fragrant oil not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? The other gospel authors do not tell us who it was, it just says the disciples complained. John rats him out. John tells you it was Judas. What Judas said sounds so good.
He has a good mouth and a bad heart. It sounds so spiritual, and he wanted it to make it sound so spiritual. You know I'm concerned about the expenses around this place. I think that this money could have been given to missions or to poor or this or that.
Why are you wasting it on this? Judas's view was bitter because his heart was bitter. A man sees with his eyes what is in his heart. That is in his heart. His heart is wicked. And so he misinterprets every act as wicked.
You know what it's like. If somebody likes another person, they can do no wrong. If somebody hates a person, they can do no right.
They made the decision. Verse 6 tells us, This he said, routing him out further. Not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and he had the money box, and he used to take what was put in it. Jesus said, Leave her alone. Love that about Jesus. It's a good memory verse. Leave her alone.
Just quote that one. My life verse is John 12 verse 7. Leave her alone.
Leave him alone. Now I'm not saying it is my life verse, but She has kept this for the day of my burial. For the poor you will have with you always, but me you do not always have. Leave her alone. She is showing me kindness before I die. In other words, she's giving the roses before the funeral. There's some wives that never get flowers from their husband until they're dead. Then it's, Oh, this is, this display of roses.
Dude, that would have been really cool if you had given that many flowers to her before that happened. Jesus is giving the, she's giving the flowers before the funeral, not at the funeral. Now don't misunderstand what Jesus said when he says, The poor you have with you always. He is not advocating poverty. He is not being aloof from poverty. He is simply quoting Deuteronomy chapter 15. And in quoting that, he is applying that to say, Generous activity is one thing and it's good.
But the priority is personal worship. You have an opportunity here with me. I'm here to show kindness and to show love. And this extravagant love is poured out. You have a personal opportunity for intimate fellowship with me.
But me you do not always have. Now a great many of the Jews knew that he was there. And they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also. Because on account of him, many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
So these guys are unreal. They saw Christ as a threat to their power. They saw Christ as a threat to their nation. The high priest said it's expedient for one man to die instead of all of us to die. But now they think it's expedient for two men to die.
They've become the mafia at this point, the Jerusalem mafia. Let's kill them both. Let's kill Jesus and exhibit A. I want to close, but you know poor Lazarus. He not only died once, he had to die again. There was a resurrection, but he didn't keep living. I mean he will have a final resurrection, but he had to go through it again. So I imagine at the table he's saying, yeah, I'm glad I'm alive and stuff, but I just know what it was like to die.
And I know I'm going to have to face that all over again. So here you have an exception to the rule. It's appointed for every man to die once and after this the judgment. This is the exception because he died twice. Every resurrection is an exception to the rule, but the rule still stands. It is appointed for every man to die once and after this the judgment. What we are celebrating is the glorious truth that Jesus took our judgment, and so when we die, we never really die.
We just move into heaven, into glory, because our punishment has been taken. We're glad you joined us today. Before you go, remember that when you give $50 or more to help reach more people with the gospel through Connect with Skip Heitzig, we'll send you Pastor Skip's book, The Bible from 30,000 Feet, and companion workbook to help you dive into scripture in the coming year. This sweeping aerial view of God's word will help you understand the big picture with greater clarity and gain a deeper appreciation for God's timeless truths. To request your copy, call 800-922-1888.
That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate. For more from Skip, be sure to check out the many resources available at connectwithskip.com slash store. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Make a connection, make a connection at the foot of the cross and cast your burdens on His word. Make a connection, connection. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
