Tag Archives: kill Lazarus

THE LAZARUS EVENT

Christian Life, ,

THE LAZARUS EVENT


Something drastic changed Lazarus forever!

Why did Jesus leave him to die? Couldn’t He have just healed him to accomplish His purposes?

Jesus never does anything by half measures. Even if it takes time and distress for those involved, He will do a thorough and complete work for our good and His glory.

Many details come together in this Lazarus event. Jesus was destined for the cross. He called it “being glorified”. Raising Lazarus from death was the final event that triggered the religious leaders to move against Him… the final nail in His coffin, if you will.

First get rid of Lazarus because the sight of him made them mad at Jesus. Then kill Jesus because He was the thorn in their flesh.

“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.”
John 12:9-11 NLT

“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, everyone has gone after him!”
John 12:17-19 NLT

Whenever we read snippets about the Bethany siblings, Lazarus is missing. Why? Did he have an issue with Jesus? We don’t know. Perhaps he stayed out of the way because he was not convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. His sisters were fascinated with Jesus but not him!

So, Jesus needed a powerful way to convince Him that He was who He said He was. Then Lazarus became deathly sick….

In tune with the Holy Spirit, Jesus whiles away two more days before He moves to go back to Bethany. The disciples are puzzled. According to Jesus, Lazarus is beyond help, so why go back to the danger zone?

We know well the events that happened on His return to Bethany. Jesus appears to be sure of His every move. Encounters with the sisters, patiently dealing with their rebuke and confusion over His seeming indifference to their desperate cry for help, He’s got it all in hand.

Then the miracle!  He brought others back to life, but never one whose body had already begun to return to dust. Lazarus shuffles from the open tomb, still shrouded in grave cloths…

Fast forward to the following week. A massive banquet was held in honour of Jesus…Martha in her element, doing what she loved to do, making magic in her kitchen…Mary where she loved to be, at Jesus’ feet, worshipping Him with her best gift.

Where was Lazarus? Right there at the table, sharing in the celebration meal! What had changed? Lazarus! I wonder, did Lazarus taste the terrible experience of dying outside of faith in Jesus? Did Jesus let him die to put this little family back on track?

Martha, doing what she did best with no pressure on her sister. Mary, utterly convinced and at peace with her Messiah. Lazarus, finally accepting and loving the presence of Jesus in his life. A family united in Jesus, at last!

As I said at the beginning, Jesus doesn’t do things by half measures. He always completes what He started. So, instead of trying to hurry the process or cut it short through unbelief, why not let Jesus do His work unhindered because His outcome is always the best!

A BID FOR THE THRONE

Bible Study, ,

A BID FOR THE THRONE

“Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So, the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him.” John 12:9-11 NIV.

How far will people go to secure their own position and protect their beliefs? These religious leaders were stooping to the very lowest, scheming to get rid of Lazarus as well; to silence both him and Jesus because they were a threat to their power and influence over the people and, of course, to their income from them.

Once again, John pointed out that this latest and greatest sign brought another wave of people to faith in Jesus. For the Jewish leaders, this was bad news. Things were getting out of hand as far as they were concerned and they had to take action to put a stop to it before they were completely swamped by Jesus and His followers….and it could only get worse.

“The next day, the crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet Him shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!’

“Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:12-15 NIV

Although this was a spontaneous outbreak of praise from the people, no doubt set off by one exuberant person and taken up by the crowd, it had been prophesied by the post-exilic prophet, Zechariah, centuries before. Surely the religious leaders would have recognised what they were shouting as a fulfilment of prophecy! It should have stopped them in their tracks and alerted them to the amazing truth that they were right in the middle of the fulfilment of their own Scriptures.

“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 NIV.

For these stubborn unbelievers it was a danger sign, not a reason to celebrate the arrival of their rightful and righteous ruler. Had they only listened to Jesus instead of opposing Him at every turn, they would have realized that Jesus was no threat to Rome. The kingdom of which He spoke was unseen and within, transforming people from selfish and greedy getters to compassionate and generous givers because of a new Master in their lives.

They would still be under Roman rule until the Father saw fit to release them from their oppressors, but that would be nothing compared with their release from the burden of religion, sin and the slave-drivers within; the guilt, shame and fear which tormented them and from which Jesus came to set them free. The throne of which their Scriptures taught was not an earthly throne but the control centre of their lives surrendered to Jesus so that He could direct them into a life of peace and oneness with the Father.

Where was Jesus heading when He came riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey accompanied by the crowds in a party spirit? To Pilate’s residence to make a bid to oust Rome…with a mighty army of twelve men and a crowd of revelling children? To the temple where He would challenge the authority of the religious leaders and take over the temple?

Yes, it was His announcement that He had come as a king but…His reign would be a reign of peace – “I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Zechariah 9:10 NIV.

However, that peace would come at a price, His own blood shed for the nations so that they would experience the peace that is much more than the cessation of war — peace with God and the peace of God which transcends understanding.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A Bid For The Throne

Bible Study, , , ,

A BID FOR THE THRONE 

“Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him.” John 12:9-11 NIV.

How far will people go to secure their own position and protect their beliefs? These religious leaders were stooping to the very lowest, scheming to get rid of Lazarus as well; to silence both him and Jesus because they were a threat to their power and influence over the people and, of course, to their income from them.

Once again John pointed out that this latest and greatest sign brought another wave of people to faith in Jesus. For the Jewish leaders this was bad news. Things were getting out of hand as far as they were concerned and they had to take action to put a stop to it before they were completely swamped by Jesus and His followers. And it could only get worse…

“The next day the crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet Him shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!’

“Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:12-15 NIV

Although this was a spontaneous outbreak of praise from the people, no doubt set off by one exuberant person and taken up by the crowd, it had been prophesied by the post exilic prophet, Zechariah, centuries before. Surely the religious leaders would have recognised what they were shouting as a fulfilment of prophecy! It should have stopped them in their tracks and alerted them to the amazing truth that they were right in the middle of the fulfilment of their own Scriptures.

“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 NIV.

For these stubborn unbelievers it was a danger sign, not a reason to celebrate the arrival of their rightful and righteous ruler. Had they only listened to Jesus instead of opposing Him at every turn, they would have realized that Jesus was no threat to Rome. The kingdom of which He spoke was unseen and within, transforming people from selfish and greedy getters to compassionate and generous givers because of a new Master in their lives.

They would still be under Roman rule until the Father saw fit to release them from their oppressors. But that would be nothing compared with their release from the burden of religion, sin and the slave-drivers within; the guilt, shame and fear which tormented them and from which Jesus came to set them free. The throne of which their Scriptures taught was not an earthly throne but the control centre of their lives surrendered to Jesus so that He could direct them into a life of peace and oneness with the Father.

Where was Jesus heading when He came riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey accompanied by the crowds in a party spirit? To Pilate’s residence to make a bid to oust Rome…with a mighty army of twelve men and a crowd of revelling children? To the temple where He would challenge the authority of the religious leaders and take over the temple?

Yes, it was His announcement that He had come as a king but…His reign would be a reign of peace – “I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Zechariah 9:10 NIV.

But that peace would come at a price, His own blood shed for the nations so that they would experience the peace that is much more than the cessation of war — peace with God and the peace of God which transcends understanding.