“But the chief priest and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.”
~ John 11:57
Hi James and Ellen,
How do you feel when you find out that a guy, gal or kid who you know has died? How do you feel when you find out that a guy, gal or kid who you know is very sick and that the guy, gal or kid may die? A guy, gal or kid who knew the guy, gal or kid who has died will probably more often than not feel an intense sadness and/or an empty loss and/or an aching grief. A guy, gal or kid who knows a guy, gal or kid who may be on his or her deathbed probably will more often than not feel a sense of helplessness and/or a fear of separation and/or a desperate urgency. Your dad’s Uncle Joe on Christmas Eve called your grandpaa to tell your grandpaa that their ma was in the hospital. When your grandpaa’s ma called your dad’s Uncle Joe last Sunday morning – which was the day before Christmas, to tell your dad’s Uncle Joe that because she was not feeling very well that she was not going to go over to his place for lunch – which she did weather permitting every Sunday, your dad’s Uncle Joe decided to go to the house where your grandma’s ma is living to check on her. When your dad’s Uncle Joe went into the house were your grandpaa’s ma is living, your dad’s Uncle Joe found his and your grandpaa’s ma very disoriented, half dressed, without her glasses on, dirty dishes in the sink, some cabinet doors and the refrigerator door open and a very red, sore looking leg. Your grandpaa’s ma has cellulites in one of her legs. After your dad’s Uncle John took his and your grandpaa’s ma to the hospital and after your grandpaa’s ma began to receive antibiotics, your grandpaa’s ma began to feel better. When your grandpaa’s bro called your grandpaa last Sunday night, your grandpaa immediately began thinking that maybe he and your grandmaa should drive to Volga, South Dakota – to be there if . . ., even though your grandpaa knew that he would not be able to do anything even if he was living in Volga – which is where your grandpaa’s ma is living. When your grandpaa’s dad began to experience health issues – some of them quite serious, your grandmaa and grandpaa thought that they were saying their final good-byes to him the last three or four times that they spent time with him. Death can be either very insidious, menacing and/or sinister or death can be something quite innocuous, a relief and/or a celebration. How death is faced and which death door is passed through will depend on whether the guy, gal or kid who has died has made or has not made a decision of faith in Jesus by accepting or not accepting what Jesus did through His sacrificial death while being hung and nailed to a cross. A guy, gal or kid who has made the decision of faith to accept Jesus’ ransom payment – which was the blood that He shed while giving up His life while being hung on and nailed to cross for his or her sins, will pass through death’s door and he or she will begin to live an eternal life in heaven that will be joy and hope filled while a guy, gal or kid who did not made the decision of faith to accept Jesus’ ransom payment for his or her sins will pass through death’s door and he or she will begin to live a tormented life in hell where hope and joy cannot ever exist. Every guy, gal and kid who has ever lived on planet Earth, who are now living on planet Earth and who will live on planet Earth, has already or will one day pass through either heaven’s pearly gates or through hell’s brimstone portals.
Apostle John in his John Book – in John 11, recounts Lazarus’ death. Lazarus and Jesus were friends. Lazarus lived in the town of Bethany. Jesus was in the city of Jerusalem when he got word that Lazarus had become really sick. The city of Jerusalem and the town of Bethany are located about two miles from each other – making it about a half an hour walk. Mary and Martha were Lazarus’ sisters. Mary had made Jesus’ day one day when she poured a whole bottle of perfume on His feet and then used her hair to wipe Jesus’ feet. When Jesus was told that Lazarus was about ready to die, Jesus’ answer was that Lazarus was going to sleep. Jesus stayed a couple of more days in the city of Jerusalem before Thomas was able to convince the rest of Jesus’ twelve disciples to go with him to the town of Bethany to check on how Lazarus was doing. Jesus went along with them. When they got near the town of Bethany, they were told that Lazarus had been dead for four days – that he had already been put in a tomb. When Jesus got to the town of Bethany, Martha met Him. Martha told Jesus that if He had been there that Lazarus would not have died. Martha struggled with her bro dying. Martha needed someone to blame his death on so . . . Jesus told Martha that Lazarus would live again. Martha told Jesus that she knew that Lazarus would live again – like on the very last day when all the saints will be resurrected but . . . Martha wanted her bro to be alive right at the moment. After she had talked with Jesus, Martha went back to her place and sent Mary to talk to Jesus. Mary was crying when she saw Jesus. Mary also told Jesus that if He had been there that her bro would not have died. Jesus asked Mary where Lazarus had been buried and . . . Jesus woke up Lazarus from being dead.
What did Jesus get for doing what He did? Verse 57 says, “But the chief priest and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.” Awakening Lazarus woke the jealous spirit that the high priest had. Have you been awakened by Jesus?
John 11 (787)