To start with a thought. What would it mean to be like Lazarus? It's an odd proposition, and I'll admit that myself. But, within this idea, there is a revelation of humanity and the life of Jesus that we need to explore.
John 12:9-21
In John 12 verse 9-10, it starts with saying "When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus."
Wow. Have you seen that before? The power and example of Jesus' power in Lazarus' life was the reason that many people deserted their prior way of life.
Q: Are people desperate to meet Jesus because of the life we now have?
Verses 17-19 continue this idea, stating - "Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyonehas gone after him [Jesus]!”
Verse 20 goes onto say, "Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.”
Notice that people didn't gather to hear Lazarus boast in speech about what Jesus had done for him (although I believe that we must, and that it's our duty to do so as well), but rather because they were desperate to meet Jesus and to see Lazarus' life. It was the people's chatter about the tangible power of God through Jesus' miraculous sign in Lazarus' new life that had people desperate to meet Him.
Q: Are our lives a testimony to the resurrecting power of God to those around us?
Which leads to the main takeaway...
This example of Lazarus' life ultimately points straight into the heart, power, and lifestyle of Jesus. Like Lazarus' new life, Jesus' wasn't defined by words without action. Jesus didn't only talk about what He was going to do - He actively lived it. For example, if Jesus had only talked about the morality of sacrificial love, but didn't display it Himself, His words would have held no power. But, because of His nature of both speaking and putting things into action (for whenever He speaks, His Word impacts reality causes an eternal ripple effect), we have a God who led Himself to the cross, to rise on the third day, displaying the most powerful act of sacrificial love that the world has ever seen. Thanks to Jesus, we have the chance at resurrection life, like that of Lazarus' (whose ultimate resurrection was the resurrection of His soul in Christ, not just His earthly body).
So where do we go from here? To prayer. May we ask Jesus for our lives to draw people desperately to Him, and that they're reflective of His miraculous resurrection power. May we pray to have an outcome like that of His miraculous work in Lazarus' life - salvation for the many.
Amen.
John 12:9-21
In John 12 verse 9-10, it starts with saying "When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus."
Wow. Have you seen that before? The power and example of Jesus' power in Lazarus' life was the reason that many people deserted their prior way of life.
Q: Are people desperate to meet Jesus because of the life we now have?
Verses 17-19 continue this idea, stating - "Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyonehas gone after him [Jesus]!”
Verse 20 goes onto say, "Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.”
Notice that people didn't gather to hear Lazarus boast in speech about what Jesus had done for him (although I believe that we must, and that it's our duty to do so as well), but rather because they were desperate to meet Jesus and to see Lazarus' life. It was the people's chatter about the tangible power of God through Jesus' miraculous sign in Lazarus' new life that had people desperate to meet Him.
Q: Are our lives a testimony to the resurrecting power of God to those around us?
Which leads to the main takeaway...
This example of Lazarus' life ultimately points straight into the heart, power, and lifestyle of Jesus. Like Lazarus' new life, Jesus' wasn't defined by words without action. Jesus didn't only talk about what He was going to do - He actively lived it. For example, if Jesus had only talked about the morality of sacrificial love, but didn't display it Himself, His words would have held no power. But, because of His nature of both speaking and putting things into action (for whenever He speaks, His Word impacts reality causes an eternal ripple effect), we have a God who led Himself to the cross, to rise on the third day, displaying the most powerful act of sacrificial love that the world has ever seen. Thanks to Jesus, we have the chance at resurrection life, like that of Lazarus' (whose ultimate resurrection was the resurrection of His soul in Christ, not just His earthly body).
So where do we go from here? To prayer. May we ask Jesus for our lives to draw people desperately to Him, and that they're reflective of His miraculous resurrection power. May we pray to have an outcome like that of His miraculous work in Lazarus' life - salvation for the many.
Amen.