Jesus is Essential
John 12:9–11: Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
But the fact that Lazarus was a walking miracle put him into a place of danger: the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him as well as Jesus! Our Lord was right when He called them children of the devil, for they were murderers indeed. They threw the healed blind man out of the synagogue rather than permit him to bear witness to Christ every Sabbath, and they tried to put Lazarus back into the tomb because he was leading people to faith in Christ.
If you will not accept the evidence, you must try to get rid of it! This quiet evening of fellowship—in spite of the cruel way the disciples treated Mary—must have brought special encouragement and strength to the Savior’s heart as He faced the demands of that last week before the Cross. We should examine our own hearts and homes to ask whether we are bringing joy to His heart by our worship, work, and witness. 1
Walking with Jesus
How would you personally evaluate your worship, work, and witness for Jesus this year? Are you bringing joy into your workplace, into your home, and into church-family? What Christ-like evidence is there in your life that would bring a conviction against you?
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. John 8:42
To have a Lazarus experience, let the grace of Christ lift you up.
Praying
Lord, thank You for sharing Your resurrected power with us everyday.
1. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
