When something powerful or supernatural or miraculous happens and when it has been real there are always and inevitably consequences.
I have been reading of this situation, and studying the details, in which Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, the friend of Jesus Christ, dies, and Jesus comes and raises Lazarus from the dead.
We read of this amazing incident in John Chapter 11 in the New Testament.
Do take time to read of what actually happened as Almighty God rewards and blesses those who read and study His Holy Word.
If you want to grow spiritually and become an inspired leader, then spend time in the Word of God.
Now, we come to the repercussions following the raising of Lazarus.
There are always consequences.
The raising of Lazarus was a crisis point in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
It was a turning point.
The raising of Lazarus led to the final plot to kill Christ.
Jesus gave Lazarus life, only to have to face death himself.
We never know when we too come to a turning point.
Any moment can be a turning point.
Any service can be very meaningful and significant.
It all depends upon how we react and respond.
Many believed in Jesus Christ as result of this gracious and powerful miracle, but some went and informed.
Some went running with tales.
Such is sin.
These are two responses.
We come to believe, or believe in a deeper way, or run with tales or whatever the equivalent might be.
Having been around Jesus, some went to the wrong group and did the wrong thing.
There are informers and rumour spreaders in every age, and those in the persecuted church certainly know that today.
There are some who run and tell, knowing all the time that what they are saying is wrong and will accomplish no real good.
It was this that made the Jews plan to kill Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
When Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, it sealed his own death.
Unredeemed man and unconverted man can take the loveliest of acts and spoil it all.
Unsaved man can take the works of Jesus Christ and in his sin can seek to contaminate the moving of the living God.
Here we see how perverse human nature is, and how unreasonable it is.
In these verses, envy, fear, and greed emerge, and amazing wickedness is revealed as men appear to dedicate themselves to evil.
Men do that at times and perhaps many more times than we sometimes realise.
They take what is wonderful and beautiful and trample on it.
Sandy Shaw