TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” John 11:49-50
Read: John 11:45-57
Listen: John 11
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Word of the miracle Jesus performed reached the Pharisees, and they called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. This meeting was like the Supreme Court of the land of Israel. Rome allowed Israel to manage their own people as long as they all stayed in line. Once people began to follow Jesus, the Pharisees started to fear that there would be a revolt and that the Romans would come, kill many and take away their authority. This fear blinded the Pharisees from being able to see who Jesus was.
At the meeting of the Sanhedrin, one man got up and said, “It is better for you that one man dies for the people than the whole nation perish.” When the man said this, he could not have understood at the time just how true these words were. The Pharisees wanted to make an exchange—Jesus for the nation—and they began to plot to kill him.
As we look back on this interaction and the story, we see a picture of what Jesus did on our behalf. The Pharisees sought to kill Jesus to save the people from Rome. Yet, in his death—Jesus saved the world. He defeated sin and death on the cross and paid the debt of everyone. He brought us back to God (see our new July verse below). We are ever grateful that Jesus made the exchange—his life for ours.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Come to our God in prayer and ask him to grow in you a heart of gratitude. Pray something like this, “God, thank you for sending your son to die on the cross for me. Thank you for Jesus making the great exchange—his life for mine. Help me to be ever grateful to you for all you have done. Amen.”
2022 BIBLE MEMORY PRACTICE
Develop spiritual roots and tap in the power of God’s word by memorizing monthly a Bible verse! View previous verses at beyondtheweekend.org/biblememorypractice.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
