Daily Dose of the Word of God - John 12: 9-11

Gregg DeMey, Lead Pastor

Transcript

Gregg DeMey  0:08  

Good morning - Pastor Greg here. Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's Daily Dose of the Word of God. It's Thursday, April 3. We're still in the season of Lent as we are journeying with Jesus toward Jerusalem and the cross.  Today's reading is from John 12, verses 9 to 11.

Gregg DeMey  0:28  

Meanwhile, a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there Jerusalem, and came. Not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So, the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well. For on account of him, many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in Him.

Gregg DeMey  0:51  

Here's what I know - whenever there is positive spiritual momentum in the wider world, at our church and in your personal life, there will also be resistance - obstacles put up by the power of darkness. Rther than being discouraged by the resistance and obstacles, sometimes it does me good to keep shining a light on the positive Holy-Spirit created momentum that is gathering. At the end of John chapter 11, the crowd around Jerusalem had been asking, "Is Jesus, the rabbi from Nazareth, coming to the Passover Feast this year? He's a rising star. We hear his teaching is amazing and powerful and he's been healing! He raised this man Lazarus from the dead! Where can we see him? Where can we hear him?" Super strong momentum.

Gregg DeMey  1:45  

Jesus had been on the down low for a few days, but then in John chapter 12, Jesus resurfaces for a dinner, is anointed by Mary with his expensive perfume, gets hassled by Judas Iscariot,and then gets mobbed by crowds in these verses from today. Jesus presence was not a welcome sign for everyone -there was resistance - and now that Jesus was back, his influence was growing and the momentum was surging, a new solution emerges for the power brokers in Jerusalem: Let's kill them both. Jesus has to go (obviously),but Lazarus too. Jesus was not deterred by this Resistance, by Judas'perverse understanding of what was going on, or by the plot to kill him. Rather, Jesus pushed through and pressed forward to fulfill his mission as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world for all time and eternity.

Gregg DeMey  2:57

  
Let's pray. Lord, we trust and we know that your Spirit is working good and graceful things in and around us. We know your Spirt is also working around our church these days in both visible and invisible ways. We accept that there will be resistance, both visible and invisible. There will be obstacles along the way. Help us keep our eyes on you. Help us keep our eyes on Jesus today. Help us keep our eyes on the prize of your promises. It's in your mighty name that we pray, amen.