Lazarus Raised

Lazarus Raised
John 11:45-46

45 Then [oun] many [polus] of [ek] the Jews [Ioudaios] which [ho] came [erchomai] to [pros] Mary [Maria] , and [kai] had seen [theaomai] the things which [hos] Jesus [Iesous] did [poieo] , believed [pisteuo] on [eis] him [autos] .
46 But [de] some [tis] of [ek] them [autos] went their ways [aperchomai] to [pros] the Pharisees [Pharisaios] , and [kai] told [epo] them [autos] what things [hos] Jesus [Iesous] had done [poieo] . KJV-Interlinear

45 Many therefore of the Jews, who had come to Mary and beheld what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done. NASB

Stunned, the crowd was. Stunned into silence, and stunned into a motionless state. And that is exactly what you would expect from such a dramatic miracle such as Jesus had just performed.

Yet astonishing as it may seem, there were those who witnessed the miracle. They saw Lazarus walk out, get unwrapped, and probably ask what was for dinner. After all, he hadn't eaten in four days!!!

Those who were hardened in their hearts, as Pharaoh was, rejected the convincing proof of Jesus' power. They ran off as a messenger would on a very important mission, with haste, and with purpose.

They knew that the Pharisees would not be pleased with this latest miracle. And, evil as they were within their own hearts, they rushed to the Pharisees, not to tell them that the Savior has come, but to advise them of the latest miracle and threat to their own positions in society.

Jesus did no harm to anyone. At the very least, if a person was not convinced regarding His divine power and authority, that Jesus would be respected and left alone. Yet evil minded people are driven by their sin natures to evil ends.

Gossips, those who would malign, and those who would judge others, find purpose and pleasure in their attacks against others. They justify themselves based on their own standards established within their own souls. If someone does not measure up in the way they want people to act in life, then they immediately become victims of malicious gossip attacks.

If someone is perceived as a threat to ones established realm, then regardless of the truth, they are subjected to malicious gossip attacks in order to beat them down and limit their competition. And if a gossip, maligner, and judger simply does not like someone, then they attack their victim out of sheer meanness.

Evil will pervert the truth. Evil will use the truth and twist it in such a way as to make it seem acceptable. This is common when one compromises the truth in their life. Evil will forge the truth shading it with little twists which make it false.

Perversion of the truth is just as false as an outright lie. Leaving out facts purposely is a usual debaters technique, a politicians technique, whose purpose is to discredit something which is in fact valid. Their intent is to make themselves look valid, and thus more credible and popular to those whom they intend to impress.

A gossip, maligner, and judger needs an audience who has similar motives. Those who are convinced in their evil state, and therefore have strong conviction in their own purpose, will see the truth, but will never acknowledge it. Their selfish desires and selfish agendas are more important to them, than the needs of the masses on whom they depend for their popularity. Their selfish desires and selfish agendas are more important to them, than the needs of those for whom they are responsible.

Those who witnessed Jesus' miracle chased off to report, but not in favorable terms, the acts of Jesus, to the Pharisees. We see this kind of activity in our current day politics. There are those who know the truth and attempt to obtain it for their constituents. There are those who know the truth, but will do anything in order to just get into an office, being driven by their lust for popularity, and power. They will say anything and do anything as long as it serves their purpose.

Marriages on the rocks will find this behavior between couples. Self first, regardless of the impact to the marriage, or the kids. And you can probably think of a lot of other examples of this principle.

The sin nature drives you, unless you have a positive attitude toward God and comply with His mandate of residing in fellowship and learning Bible doctrine.

When the sin nature drives your life, then evil in all of its many subtle forms will consume you, and though you might think your intentions are noble, they are in fact evil.

Nothing good will ever come from something whose source is evil. It is impossible. Only good can come from something whose source is good, and Bible doctrine within the spiritual life, in the sphere of fellowship, is the only source of good in this universe.

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