“My mind is made up; don’t confuse me with the facts!”
I don’t think anyone has actually said this. I’ve heard it used as an observation when someone else rejects the facts presented to them. There are times our ideologies prevent us from seeing what the Lord is doing. Is it possible we’ve already made our minds up about how He works that we’re oblivious to what He’s actually doing?
After the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11), Jesus caused division. Some saw this as proof that He was the Messiah. Others saw this as proof that He must be stopped. Some of the people who witnessed it told the Pharisees about the raising of Lazarus by Jesus and the religious leaders were afraid. They were concerned about losing their power and Rome coming in to destroy what they’d built.
The High Priest, Caiaphas, reminded the religious leaders that Jesus must die because it’s better for Him to die than to lose the nation—and lose their power over that nation.
Then we read in John 11:53-57
So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
John 11:53-57
New International Version
I remind you what I’ve written before: Jesus was a not pawn on a political and socio-religious chessboard: He was God incarnate and He was the Chess Master. His death would not occur one second before He willed it. Jesus told us this much in John 10:11 saying, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
But on the human side of the equation, these religious leaders traded the Law of God for political expediency. They would rather fix the blame instead of fixing the problem. Hint: the problem wasn’t Jesus.
Their minds were already made up and nothing anyone said was going to change it. Their argument sounds noble except their actions throughout Scripture and history demonstrate they were more concerned with their position than the people. And their very actions against Jesus violated so many parts of the Law about justice and fair hearings.
Jesus was convicted before they ever brought any charges against Him. Their own self-righteousness incriminated them. The die had been cast; the choice was made. There would be no turning back now. And it all happened on the cusp of Passover.
And in their expediency, they missed the exaltation of the Lamb of God. As John the Baptizer declared at the time of the first Passover of Jesus’ public ministry, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Blinded by closed eyes and seared hearts, they missed the chance to see the significance of what lay in front of them. At the time of Passover—a celebration of life and freedom—they had condemned an innocent man to death.
But this innocent man was not a helpless man. The exalted Lamb of God wasn’t due for another few days on this final Passover. In a bit of irony, the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus, was removed from the chaos of the “holy city” as He waited for His hour of destiny. While the Jewish people came to “sanctify” or “cleanse” themselves, their leaders stood with the stain of pride and blood as they plotted the death of the perfect and innocent Son of God.
They had a “Jesus problem”. He had disrupted their way of life and challenged them to live by the letter AND the spirit of the Law. He showed love and compassion that they could not even imagine. He upset the apple cart; threw off the balance; dared to question the status quo; and shook things up.
And He was a problem to them…all because their minds were already made up and the facts didn’t matter.
Are we that different?
Do we assume Jesus won’t save “that person”? What if He does?
What if Jesus takes away something we think is so valuable to us but has actually become an idol to us? What if He does that?
What if Jesus is showing you and me the facts of Who He is? Are we able to change our minds based on what we see Him doing?
Life Meets Theology 