What was the source of conflict among the religious leaders of the Jews that motivated them to reject, conspire, and collude to crucify Jesus?
The Deity of Jesus. When Jesus declared and was declared to be the son of God. When Jesus told people that he was before Abraham with the language claiming to be the “I AM”.
This so offended the totality of the religious leaders of both liberal and conservative Judaism. Sadducees were the elite leaders, and the Pharisees were, as a whole, a much more common group of Jewish leaders. Both groups hated Jesus.
These religious leaders, through persuasion and public spectacle, manipulated many of the ordinary people and gained permission from the Romans to see Jesus die the death of the condemned. Why? Because they rejected any hint of the legitimacy of Jesus being Messiah. On the days leading up to the Passover, Jesus was crucified, died, buried, and resurrected.
Fast forward to Pentecost. The first message to the Jews concluded with Peter declaring to the Jews, “That same Jesus you crucified is Jehovah and Messiah!”
That declaration brought the conversion of over three thousand Jews on one day.
From that time, the belief in Jesus being the Messiah and Jehovah spread throughout the known world.
As Christianity spread from the Jews to the broader world of non-Jews, Gentiles, the uniqueness of Christianity gained many more adversaries.
When entering the Paganistic world with a multiplicity of Gods, the polythiestic world with dozens and hundreds of dieties.
Paul stood on Mars hill and used the graven image, “To the Unknown God,” to declare to them, The God of Everything.
“For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:23-28
Paul declares to them, Jesus is the God of Everything.
Jesus is not the God of the moon or the sun. Jesus made the moon and the sun.
Jesus made everything. Jesus made everyone. Jesus is available to everyone. Everyone can experience Jesus.
E V E R Y T H I N G
This speaks to the original Shema of the Jews.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:” DEUTERONOMY 6:4
– notice, not a period, but a colon.
What does a colon mean? The singular nature of God is the root cause for what follows.
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” DEUTERONOMY 6:5
THE GOD OF EVERYTHING REQUIRES YOUR DEVOTION TO BE UNDIVIDED AND COMPLETE.
While meditating on this, I did a Google search, “The God of Everything.” The third listing was a link to “The Goddess of everything else.”
I had a moment of clarity.
When we are unwilling to give the One God everything, we are, either by intention or, by default, giving devotion to a spiritual reality, The worship of an unintentional diety, opening the door to darkness.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:21-23
A singular focus in our devotion connects us to the Spirit of the Living God. However, a divided focus speaks to the true devotion and homage to the God of everything else that gives us over to darkness.
This should persuade us to challenge ourselves to fully and completely surrender everything about us to the God of Everything.
For those dealing with internal conflict and confusion, let me suggest something to you.
“Delight yourselves in God, yes, find your joy in him at all times. Have a reputation for gentleness, and never forget the nearness of your Lord.
Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7
Just some thoughts this morning,
To the God of Everything!
In Him, By Him, Through Him,
Scott A. Phillips
I dealt with this topic during our midweek service. The above is my attempt to write out the extemporaneous message that I had with no prepared notes.