If He Wants You to Live

John 11:51-12:19

Desperate. Ironic foolish contradiction. Stubborn unbelief.

Here were the leaders of a nation; feeling their own power, prominence, & privilege threatened; conniving and clamouring not only for themselves but also fearing the end of nation. And, their best move is to plot to kill the Man sent from God, and also to kill the man the Man had raised from death to life!!

When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus. (12:9-11)

Jesus has proven by Lazarus' resurrection that He is Lord over life and death. Some saw, all had heard how Jesus had called Lazarus back from the grave. And their best plan?! Kill Jesus, and kill Lazarus too!

Did it not strike any on the Sanhedrin (but perhaps Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea) that if God the Son gives a person Life; if He wants him to live, death can never have him?!

How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
...Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
Psalm 62:3,5,6

I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues?
Where, O grave, is your destruction?
Hosea 13:14

O Jesus, help me to live in this certainty and hope today. Death around me! Death in me! Death because of me! But if You want me to live, I will live!!

PPaul