Many years ago I was privileged to pastor a young lady who’d come to faith on an alpha course our church had run. I asked her how she’d found her way to Alpha. She replied that some people from church had been handing out fliers for alpha in the train station, and her partner had taken one. He’d got home, looked at the flier and thrown it in the bin. Arriving home from work later, she had noticed the flier in the bin and wondered it was. She fished it out, read it and decided to attend the course, despite her partner’s scepticism. As a result, she had marvellously come to faith, and was now seeking to follow Jesus!
This kind of amazing story reminds us that God can use even ‘negative’ actions, or opposition, to achieve his purposes. In fact, if her partner had not ‘opposed’ the course, but instead just filed the flier away somewhere, she may never have come to faith at that particular time. God was at work in a contested situation.
If that was a small (but miraculous) example of God’s ‘mysterious ways’, then today’s passage is arguably the biggest example of them all. Jesus’ actions have aroused the determined opposition of the religious leaders of his day. The raising of Lazarus – a clear demonstration of his Messianic identity – has significantly increased the stakes. Jesus is no longer just an unorthodox rabbi, he is a destabilising influence, a threat (v48). So, he must die. That is the blunt conclusion (v53).
But what the religious leaders don’t realise is that, albeit for completely the wrong reasons, they are only fulfilling the Lord’s purposes all along. In what must be the greatest unintentional prophetic word of all time, Caiaphas declares the gospel in his words of condemnation: ‘You do not realise that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.’
Looking back, John can see clearly what God is up to: Jesus’ death acts as a representative sacrifice for humanity – not just for the Jewish nation, but also for the world (vv51-52). As it turned out, Jesus’ death only maintained the political status quo for another 35-40 years. In the late 60s, a huge rebellion began, which ultimately led to the destruction of ‘the temple and the nation’ (v48).
But Jesus’ death – praise be to God! – saved humanity for all time. And more than that, his death also paved the way for a new humanity, one which is ‘made one’ in Christ (v52).
Today, let’s give thanks that God is at work in all circumstances, however confusing or challenging they may appear. We only see a part of the picture – God sees it all. Perhaps take a moment to reflect on times in the past when God has worked in surprising ways in your life. And pray with confidence to trust in that same Lord for now, and for the future. He is always faithful.