The Plot

The Plot

“When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,  
“As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” 
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,  and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him.  
“But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” 
Matthew 26:21-5
Here is the plot. There were a lot of pilgrims in Jerusalem at Passover Jews from around the world and it was not uncommon for them to riot. Something not in the best interest of the Jewish leadership of the day.
The Jewish religious leaders knew that there were many Jews that believed in Jesus. That thought him at the very least a prophet of God. Thus there was the very real possibility that they might stand up against those who would attempt to kill Jesus.
Therefor the only way to deal with Jesus was in an underhanded way. As we know they did so prior to the Passover and at night when for the most part upright and honest people would be in bed.
These leaders were just the first of many who would come against not only Christ but his followers.
From here on in every corner of the world Christians would be and still are being persecuted. For their message of God’s love and mercy. And all the persecution in the world has not stopped that message.
A Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of he law one honored by the people said of Christianity at the trial of Peter and John.
“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 
              Acts 5: 38,39.
The fact the teachings of Christ are still changing the hearts and lives of the people of this world today is testimony to the fact that it is God who started and is in the teachings of Christianity.
In December of 2013 the United Kingdom parliament heard that one Christian is killed every eleven minutes for their faith.
Think about it,
“MP Jim Shannon said the persecution of Christians is “the biggest story in the world that has never been told”
He said that although the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there are many countries in which these rights are not given.
Shannon alleged that 200 million Christians will be persecuted for their faith this year, while he said 500 million live in dangerous neighbourhoods.”
In early November, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that Christianity is "the most persecuted religion in the world."
Yet despite all this the word of God. Is being preached in all nations.
To the Christian who reads this I would say pray for our persecuted brethren in Christ that God will protect them.
I would also say to our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ that are living in the west, that this is something we need to get political over.
We need to call on our governments to speak out for those who cannot speak out for themselves.
We need to petition them to use what influence they have to help alleviate the persecution of he church as should we.
Think about it.