Religion Without Relationship - Life Lessons From Caiaphas预览

Caiaphas was unresponsive to God’s leading in his life  

God had given Caiaphas plenty of reasons to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

In John 11:43-46, we read about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

Following the resurrection of Lazarus, as some of the Jewish leaders began to sense the impact of Christ’s miracles, a council was convened. The fear was expressed that if Jesus was simply ignored, the whole population might go after Him, and that could bring the Romans down upon them (Jn. 11:47, 48).

In verse 47, the chief priests and Pharisees admit that Jesus had done a lot of miracles and Jesus Himself plainly tells them in verse 64 that Yes, He is indeed the Messiah, the Son Of God.

But yet it was Caiaphas who suggested that Jesus be put to death (49-53).

The scheme to kill Jesus was vigorously discussed in “the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas” (Mt. 26:3), and when Jesus was later arrested, he was led to Caiaphas’ house (26:57; cf. Jn. 18:24). It was he who fiercely interrogated Christ, charging the Savior with blasphemy. This fueled the crowd to a feverish pitch and ultimately brought about the Lord’s death (cf. Mt. 26:62ff).

Caiaphas had all these occasions to think through who Jesus was – the raising of Jesus showed that Jesus was no ordinary man, the chief priests and the Pharisees also did admit that Jesus had done a lot of miracles, but yet, in spite of all these, Caiaphas did not respond to Jesus and see Him as the promised Messiah. 

Caiaphas was a highly religious person. He had spent years learning Levitical law in rabbinical school. He did all the rituals of religion. He fasted, he prayed and observed all the disciplines. But yet something was not right. Caiaphas’ religion did not mean that God was leading him.

When you have God all figured out, wrapped up in a theological and religious bundle, you have only religion left and no relationship.

The moment you believe you have God all figured out, you will become, at best, unresponsive to any new direction God wants to take you. This is true for individuals as well as for churches.

How many opportunities has God given to you to show you who He really is? Look back on the evidence of His working in your life, but yet do you still choose to go on with just the regular motions of religious Christianity without having a personal relationship with the Saviour?

Don’t delay. Come to Him. Acknowledge that Jesus is no ordinary man. He is God who loves you and died for you. Accept Him as your Lord and Savior and live for Him.

Quote

Ultimately, grace can never be earned. Like all gifts it can only be received, requiring that I simply open my hands and trust- Mark Yaconelli

Prayer

Lord, I thank You for all the evidence that You keep showing me each day of who You really are. Help me not to be complacent, not to shun it, not to think I know it all. But respond to You. Amen