The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 23 March 2024
Daily Fountain Devotional 23 March 2024 TOPIC: Wisdom Against Evil Conspiracy
TEXT: John 11: 45-57(NKJV)
11:45. Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.
11:46. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.
11:47. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.
11:48. “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.”
11:49. And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
11:50. “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.”
11:51. Now this he did not say on his own [authority;] but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
11:52. and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
11:53. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
11:54. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
11:55. And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
11:56. 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?”
11:57. Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report [it,] that they might seize Him.
Daily Fountain Devotional 23 March 2024 STUDY:
In our text today, we see two reactions to the event of Lazarus’ resurrection. First, the people who saw and also believed in the ministry of Jesus Christ. The other set of people, the religious leaders who should have rejoiced seeing God manifesting his glory, started conspiring together to kill Jesus. Caiaphas, a high priest, incited people with his prophecy that it was expedient that Jesus should die so that their whole nation may not perish.
The plan was that killing Jesus would bring an end to His earthly reign and ministry. They forgot that Jesus’ Kingdom was not of this world (John 18: 36). This religious leaders failed to understand the mind of God and took counsel together to destroy Jesus. However, Jesus was also wise and knowing that the hour of fulfilment of the prophecy was not there then, he withdrew from the Jews and continued the ministry in the background. What great wisdom!
We are daily confronted with opposition from religious bigots as well as persecutions from fanatics, and Islamic warlords plotting our failure and death. These people will never celebrate our success but are always around plotting our failure and rejection. We should never give up-our Lord is with us and he will see us through. We should also learn from Jesus-He did not expose himself to their antics but rather with dew from them. If Jesus, with all power and anointing, could apply wisdom and not power in this situation, then wisdom is profitable in all things.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to escape the plans of all my conspirators, Amen.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: My divine power will give you all you need to live a good life. 2 Peter 1:3
