Why Lazarus?

My Sunday morning routine is drastically different than what it used to be.  Pre-COVID, I would get up, shower, get dressed, and try to be out of the door by 8:30 a.m.  I wanted to get to Christian Life Development on time.  I didn’t want to miss any part of the service.  These days, I get up, shower, get dressed, and head to my dining room table.  I participate in Christian Life Development on Zoom.  And then I head to my pew, I mean my couch, to hear the sermon.  And what a sermon it was.

Last week, Pastor discussed the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead.  This week, we journeyed to John 12:9-11.  Although we often hear about Lazarus being raised from the dead, we miss what happens to him after he is revived.  A great crowd of Jews has come to see Jesus.  Actually, they aren’t only coming to see Jesus.  They want to see Lazarus as well.  They heard the story of his resurrection and want to see him for themselves.

Who can blame them?  My recent prayer requests have included petitions for God to show me miracles, signs, and wonders.  If I got word that a walking miracle was in town, I’d want to see it with my own eyes.  Unfortunately, this didn’t sit well with the chief priests.  They already had plans brewing to kill Jesus.  This recent series of events put Lazarus in their sights.  Now, they wanted to kill Lazarus as well.  But why Lazarus?  What was he guilty of?

Lazarus was guilty of being a survivor.  He was guilty of being a living, breathing testimony to God’s grace and saving power.  And that infuriates Satan.  Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  I’m sure he counted the death of Lazarus as a victory.  And Jesus came and snatched that trophy away.  Hell was outraged.  Here is Lazarus.  Walking.  Talking.  And defeating every evil plan.  He is a symbol of hope.

I don’t know about you, but I’m desperately in need of hope.  The world can chew us up and spit us out…if we let it.  Church, our light is shining.  In a very dark world, we stand out.  It makes us an easy target for lies.  It makes us an easy target for character assassination.  Satan desperately wants to put out our lights for good.  He wants us to become so discouraged that we forget about Jesus and cave to our flesh.  He wants to kill our witness.  He wants to kill our hope.

As long as we live new lives for Christ, we will face persecution.  The hard part is not growing weary in our well doing.  The difficult task is not caving to our feelings and throwing in the towel.  We’re picked on because our lives have the power to impact generations.  We can be the lights that we have been called to be.  If we’re going to be guilty of anything, let us be guilty of holding up the blood-stained banner of Jesus Christ.  Let us be guilty of living lives that reflect God’s love. 

The truth of the matter is that Lazarus is not the only one on Satan’s list.  We are as well.  But just like Lazarus, we have a new life in Christ.  A life that is supposed to be lived abundantly.  Not bound in despair.  We were called to life and life more abundantly.  We were called to hope.  My hope is that you shake off the feelings of “why me” and rejoice in your calling.  The atmosphere is shifting.  Miracles, signs, and wonders are within our grasp.  #wepreach

Let’s talk it out:

• How do you handle attacks of your character?
• When others have personal encounters with you, do they leave feeling refreshed or drained?
• Think of a time when you did not display the love of Christ. What prevented you from doing so?
• What’s more important- your witness or satisfying your flesh?