So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up. First they took him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time. Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “It’s better that one man should die for the people.” (John 18:12-14)

Read: Acts 17:16 – 18:3, 1 Thessalonians 1:1 – 5:11

Relate: Which is more important, the individual or the group? Would it be more important for me to save the life of one person I know well or thousands I have never met? What if that one person was a sibling? A spouse? My child? Me? The question pops up all the time in Hollywood because the tension it creates tugs at all of us. We can feel with Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis in Armageddon) when he chooses to stay on the asteroid so that it can be destroyed before destroying earth. We can also understand those times when everything is risked so that we can save that one last person. It always seems to work out in Hollywood, but hey, its Hollywood.

So seriously, which would you chose? Biology says it would be a fair deal, genetically, if one person were to sacrifice their life for two siblings, four nephews, or eight cousins. Paul writes that occasionally a person will sacrifice their life for another good person. But would you sacrifice your one child for hundreds of other snot nosed brats you have never met? Would you throw your child into a pack of rabid downright evil people so that they can kill him and through his death be saved?

React: The high priest Caiaphas felt that it was OK for one person to die so that the nation could be saved. Jesus agreed. It was probably one of the few things the two could actually see eye to eye on. The difference, Caiaphas was willing to kill someone he didn’t much like to accomplish this end. Jesus, on the other hand, was willing to die himself that the many might be saved.

Was it worth it? God Himself died… for me. Is it worth it? The sacrifice has already been made and it is not up to us to determine whether or not it should have been done. All we can do is chose if we will honor that sacrifice and live in the freedom it has purchased or to deem it foolish and worthless and ignore the Way it opened? Which will we chose?

Respond: 

God, You gave Your all for me. You were willing to be the One to die that many might be saved. I am one of the many. Thank You. I give my life now for You. I owe it to You already. Help me to live my life in such a way that will bring honor to the sacrifice You made. I give my everything to You.