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"If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation..."
...So from that day on they plotted to kill him.
John 11:48, 53 CSB
We have this connection with power. 
It has an allure and a pull and once we have it, we don't want to give it up. Even something as common as being a parent. When my children were small I had authority over them, power to decide what clothes they wore, what they ate for dinner, what time was bedtime. As they grew up more power and more authority over their lives shifted to them. 
I had power, and it was for good purpose, but there was a time to hand it over, and there were times when I didn't want to. I wanted to cling to it. 
The guys in this story had power in their community with good purpose and good intention, to keep themselves and their people living in line with God's word and looking forward to the Messiah coming. 
And he was right there in front of them showing sign after sign, and their clinging to power blinded them and led them to become killers. Against the very things they taught.
When people's hearts are exposed like this in the Bible it encourages us to look to our own and see where the same flavour is found. Where in my heart am I striving for or clinging to power, especially where it may have been a good thing. 
Where do I need to see Jesus more.
If he was standing right here, what would he see that needs to shift in me?
#sunday
#worship
#thisisworship

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