Sunday 01 November 2015
- Bible Book:
- John
“Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’” (vv. 41-42)
Psalm: Psalm 24
Background
This miracle of raising Lazarus seems like a rehearsal of Jesus'own resurrection. There were sisters weeping round the tomb; thehopelessness of the finality of death, culminating in despair andanguish; Jesus arriving late, showing his own sorrow, yet prayingthat the power of God be shown.
In spite of his prayer, Jesus was not believed by everyone anddoubt still lives on today. But let's hear the comments of one(imaginary) spectator on the day:
They said he was dead, but it seemsa bit suspicious to me. How can they prove it?
After all, they're great friendswith this so-called miracle worker - they'd want to try to fool us,wouldn't they? Their brother couldn't possibly have survived ifhe'd really been in that tomb all that time. Unless they'd madesome kind of secret way out, of course! Maybe all the time we werefeeling sorry for them they were hiding him in the house, feedingtheir faces and laughing about the way they were going to play outthe miraculous return.
I think it's all an act. And I thinkthose three were in on it. Yes, the women did a lot of dramaticweeping, but most women can cry convincingly at a funeral. As forLazarus - he may have seemed rather pale and sickly when he cameout from the tomb, but he had to be in there for at least a fewhours, so that none of us saw him go in. Then they pretended thatthis Jesus had turned up late to make it even more dramatic.
They're saying that the authoritiesare out to get Jesus and I can't say I blame them. I think he's arogue and a conman.
And I hope that they'll do the rightthing when they catch him. They need to lock him up and throw awaythe key, or make sure he's good and dead before they seal his tomb- if he has one. They should post a couple of guards as well.
Then let his friends try to get himout of that!
To Ponder
- The spectator above is imaginary, but how do you think youwould have reacted in such circumstances?
- How do you respond when people question the authenticity ofsome of the miracles of Jesus?