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22 November 2007
Word on the Web
John 12 v 17-19
There had been many people with Jesus when he raised Lazarus from the dead and told him to come out of the tomb. Now they were telling others about what Jesus did. Many people went out to meet Jesus, because they had heard about this miracle. So the Pharisees said to each other, "You can see that nothing is going right for us. Look! The whole world is following him."
Jesus had crowds with him often, but that didn't bother the authorities as much as this bunch of people - the ones who were at Lazarus' funeral. Jesus had done many miracles before, but it was usually Jesus himself that the authorities had the problem with, not so much the witnesses.
Now isn't that an interesting thing? Maybe the difference is that these witnesses to Lazarus being raised from death weren't there looking for glamour and a show of miracles. They were there to grieve the death of a friend, so their testimony is sincere with love, and their reason for being there has integrity. Maybe also it's just about the timing; we're in Jesus' last week here, so if ever there was going to be power and the Holy Spirit just kind of tipping out everywhere it was now.
Maybe this says something to us about the integrity of our witness, the sincerity of our devotion to him. Maybe we find power in our faith by meeting Jesus in places of grief and pain, not when we're in a meeting for a good ol' Christian knees up, but when we need to be there. Or by sharing in his pain for those who are 'dead'.
There's a difference between fascination and devotion, between greed and love, between glamour and beauty. We can follow Jesus like the crowds, looking for experience and miracles, feeding fascination, greed & glamour. We can also follow Jesus in devotion, love & beauty. The choice is ours.
Jesus, separate out in my heart my different motives when it comes to meeting with you, in worship times, in other times. Show me where I am seeking love and a deeper life with you. Show me where its all good fun, but not much more (not that there's anything wrong with that!).
I want to be full of you; full of devotion, love & beauty. I think you want that too.
Written by Laurence Keith
Word on the Web
John 12 v 17-19
There had been many people with Jesus when he raised Lazarus from the dead and told him to come out of the tomb. Now they were telling others about what Jesus did. Many people went out to meet Jesus, because they had heard about this miracle. So the Pharisees said to each other, "You can see that nothing is going right for us. Look! The whole world is following him."
Jesus had crowds with him often, but that didn't bother the authorities as much as this bunch of people - the ones who were at Lazarus' funeral. Jesus had done many miracles before, but it was usually Jesus himself that the authorities had the problem with, not so much the witnesses.
Now isn't that an interesting thing? Maybe the difference is that these witnesses to Lazarus being raised from death weren't there looking for glamour and a show of miracles. They were there to grieve the death of a friend, so their testimony is sincere with love, and their reason for being there has integrity. Maybe also it's just about the timing; we're in Jesus' last week here, so if ever there was going to be power and the Holy Spirit just kind of tipping out everywhere it was now.
Maybe this says something to us about the integrity of our witness, the sincerity of our devotion to him. Maybe we find power in our faith by meeting Jesus in places of grief and pain, not when we're in a meeting for a good ol' Christian knees up, but when we need to be there. Or by sharing in his pain for those who are 'dead'.
There's a difference between fascination and devotion, between greed and love, between glamour and beauty. We can follow Jesus like the crowds, looking for experience and miracles, feeding fascination, greed & glamour. We can also follow Jesus in devotion, love & beauty. The choice is ours.
Jesus, separate out in my heart my different motives when it comes to meeting with you, in worship times, in other times. Show me where I am seeking love and a deeper life with you. Show me where its all good fun, but not much more (not that there's anything wrong with that!).
I want to be full of you; full of devotion, love & beauty. I think you want that too.
Written by Laurence Keith
