Easter Sunday
April 24, 2011
It's All About Life
Mark 16:-7
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Dear friends,
Today each of us says it with great joy, “It's Jesus, Peter, and me; and it's all about life!” During Lent we've seen Peter's sin filled life, but today we see Peter being welcomed back to life.
Early this Easter morning three women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body. But instead of a cold dead body, they find a angel who tells them that Jesus isn't in the tomb. He's risen! Go tell Peter!
The message singled out—of all people—Peter. After Peter's track record of disobeying Jesus and even denying Jesus, we would expect the angels to tell the women to tell everybody, except Peter.
But this is the Gospel. There's life after sin because it was all for Peter. The cross was for Peter. Jesus' death was for Peter. The resurrection was for Peter. Now there is forgiveness for Peter.
After Peter denied Jesus, he must have felt dead. But to hear the words of the angels as the faithful women reported what they heard, Peter must have felt the weight of death lift. Then as he investigated the empty tomb, the hope of life continued to grow. And then Peter saw Him in the flesh. His certain death was stopped by Jesus' death on the cross... and then Jesus came back from the dead to tell him that he was forgiven. Certain death became certain life!
One last time we are see ourselves in Peter. Certainly in our sin. But just as certainly in the forgiveness of our sin. Because Christ physically rose from the the dead, our certain death also became certain life! Easter is all about life.
This is why we cry out this Easter with Peter: He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Alleluia!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Good Friday
Good Friday
April 22, 2011
It's All About Death
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
How would you like to die? There are many answers to that question. But we can all agree that we don't want to die slowly. For most folks dying quickly is a blessing.
I heard of a pastor who died suddenly, as he was getting out of his car in the church parking lot. It happened on Easter Sunday.
If I could choose how I'd like to die that'd be in my top two. But I'd sure like to be able to preach my Easter sermon first, then go home and eat Easter dinner, and then turn on Bach's Easter Cantata, and then my heart stops.
Fast, painless, and cheap, too.
Christ's cross was slow, painful, and costly. But He considered it a joy.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3)
How would you like to die? Jesus chose how He'd die. Of the thousands of millions of deaths that have and will occur—from Abel to someone's last breath taken before the Last Minute of the World—none, save one, maybe any difference to anyone.
This Holy Friday, don't grow weary and lose heart. Consider the joy of the cross and what He accomplished there for you.
Amen.
April 22, 2011
It's All About Death
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
How would you like to die? There are many answers to that question. But we can all agree that we don't want to die slowly. For most folks dying quickly is a blessing.
I heard of a pastor who died suddenly, as he was getting out of his car in the church parking lot. It happened on Easter Sunday.
If I could choose how I'd like to die that'd be in my top two. But I'd sure like to be able to preach my Easter sermon first, then go home and eat Easter dinner, and then turn on Bach's Easter Cantata, and then my heart stops.
Fast, painless, and cheap, too.
Christ's cross was slow, painful, and costly. But He considered it a joy.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3)
How would you like to die? Jesus chose how He'd die. Of the thousands of millions of deaths that have and will occur—from Abel to someone's last breath taken before the Last Minute of the World—none, save one, maybe any difference to anyone.
This Holy Friday, don't grow weary and lose heart. Consider the joy of the cross and what He accomplished there for you.
Amen.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday
April 21, 2011
It's All About Cleansing
John 13:1-15
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Only two disciples are mentioned by name in our Gospel account of the Last Supper: Judas and Peter.
Jesus knew was Judas was about to betray Him. But He still washed Judas' feet along with all the rest of the disciples. Why did He wash Judas' feet? Why didn't He just have Peter, James, and John kick Judas out of the upper room? Or better yet, why had Jesus called Judas to be one of His disciples in the first place?
Because of His great mercy. He wanted Judas to go to heaven. So He allowed this sinner to hear His Word of forgiveness countless times. Jesus washed his feet, but in the end Judas tragically rejected forgiveness.
On the other hand, Peter rejected the foot washing. Perhaps the other disciples felt akward or even ashamed that Jesus was having to the perform the lowliest dirtiest of all jobs. But no one said anything. And then Peter spoke up and told Jesus that He'd never wash his feet.
But at least this time Peter listening when Jesus answered.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For He knew who was going to betray Him, and that was why He said not every one was clean. (John 13:6-11)
What was it that Peter would later understand? That because of Jesus' sacrifice, by His making Himself nothing, the lowest of the low, the most shameful sin-carrier of mankind, Peter was clean in God's eyes.
This foot washing pictured the love that sacrifcies our get-our-own-way attitude and clings to our Father's will so that another person's best interests are looked after. And getting clean is in everyone's best interest, because everyone is filthy because of sin.
Everything that Jesus did for us is about getting us clean. Hours before He gives up His body and sheds His blood on the cross, He gave His church His true body and blood to eat and to drink for the cleansing of sin.
As we join Peter in eating and drinking this Holy Supper, let us rejoice that it's all about cleansing.
Praise be to Christ, our Savior who washes us clean!
Amen.
April 21, 2011
It's All About Cleansing
John 13:1-15
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Only two disciples are mentioned by name in our Gospel account of the Last Supper: Judas and Peter.
Jesus knew was Judas was about to betray Him. But He still washed Judas' feet along with all the rest of the disciples. Why did He wash Judas' feet? Why didn't He just have Peter, James, and John kick Judas out of the upper room? Or better yet, why had Jesus called Judas to be one of His disciples in the first place?
Because of His great mercy. He wanted Judas to go to heaven. So He allowed this sinner to hear His Word of forgiveness countless times. Jesus washed his feet, but in the end Judas tragically rejected forgiveness.
On the other hand, Peter rejected the foot washing. Perhaps the other disciples felt akward or even ashamed that Jesus was having to the perform the lowliest dirtiest of all jobs. But no one said anything. And then Peter spoke up and told Jesus that He'd never wash his feet.
But at least this time Peter listening when Jesus answered.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For He knew who was going to betray Him, and that was why He said not every one was clean. (John 13:6-11)
What was it that Peter would later understand? That because of Jesus' sacrifice, by His making Himself nothing, the lowest of the low, the most shameful sin-carrier of mankind, Peter was clean in God's eyes.
This foot washing pictured the love that sacrifcies our get-our-own-way attitude and clings to our Father's will so that another person's best interests are looked after. And getting clean is in everyone's best interest, because everyone is filthy because of sin.
Everything that Jesus did for us is about getting us clean. Hours before He gives up His body and sheds His blood on the cross, He gave His church His true body and blood to eat and to drink for the cleansing of sin.
As we join Peter in eating and drinking this Holy Supper, let us rejoice that it's all about cleansing.
Praise be to Christ, our Savior who washes us clean!
Amen.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
April 17, 2011
What Does The Donkey Say?
Matthew 21:1-11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
I've always been confused about the role of the donkey on Palm Sunday. Did riding on that donkey make Jesus more royal and regal? Or did it make Him ordinary and plain? I think that when these questions are answered, they'll help to inform our view of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and of Holy Week itself.
Growing up I heard that Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem was kind of like a President riding in a limo into Washington, D.C. The basic idea was that a donkey was considered to be a royal animal or at least an animal that carries royalty. But, of course, we usually think of donkeys as lowly animals, lowly beasts of burden used by common people to carry ordinary people and mundane cargo.
Consider some other people in the Bible who have ridden on donkeys. Maybe this will help us to understand the significance of the donkey. Moses' wife and kids rode on a donkey as they traveled with Moses as he went to tell Pharoah to let God's people go (Exodus 4). Balaam, a false prophet, rode a donkey on his way to curse God's people (read Numbers 22 to see how God used the donkey to actually save Balaam's life). Wise Abigail brought herself and many gifts to David on a donkey (1 Samuel 25). King Saul's invalid son Mephibosheth rode a donkey, but he never ruled anything (2 Samuel 16). We read last Sunday how the Shunammite widow rode a donkey on her way to cry and grieve at Elisha's feet over her dead son (2 Kings 4). There were a couple of other folks who rode on donkeys, but explaining who they were would take too long. Suffice to say, none of them were kings.
Another picture of Palm Sunday and Jesus riding a donkey was of a general who has conquered an enemy and was given a ticker-tape parade (or what the Romans used to call, a triumph, essentially a controlled riot) as he rides along in a chariot or on his war horse. I've also heard experts say that in the Middle East the donkey was an animal that symbolized peace, so that contrary to riding a war horse, Jesus was using this symbolism to show that He was a peaceful king.
Bottom line: there are lots of ways to understand what the donkey says or symbolizes. But the only way to understand Jesus' very intentional use of a donkey is to read Zechariah.
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10)
The folks laying down palms and cloaks on Jesus' path knew their Bibles. They knew God's Word because their parents had diligently taught them. So these kids grew knowing the promises about the Savior, the Messiah. Along with the buzz about Lazarus' resurrection, riding a donkey into the Holy City of David silently shouted, “This is the Messiah! This is the Christ! This is the Anointed One!”
Many in the crown, to be sure, were certain that Jesus was finally going to lead a coup d'etat against Pontius Pilate and Herod. A moment like Palm Sunday didn't come along very often, and they thought, Jesus riding a donkey was yet another sign that He was Messiah, the Chosen One. One can almost imagine people laying out palm branches leading toward the Roman palace and Herod's mansion. Perhaps they could even see Jesus' purpose in raising Lazarus from the dead to rally the people to His cause. And it had worked. Jesus had it all in the palm of His hand: the power, the crowd, the momentum. This was it!
Then He allowed the moment to pass.
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,”He said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”
The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“ ‘From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise’?”
And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night. (Matthew 21:12-17)
Instead of going to the Roman palace and kicking out Pilate, He went to the Temple and kicked out the money-changers. Then He healed some people, had one more debate with the chief priests, and finally went back to Bethany. Huh? This isn't how you start a revolution.
To understand what the donkey says and what Palm Sunday is all about, just one thing. Move it. Move all of it back one week. Wouldn't this celebration have been so much more appropriate after Jesus rose from the dead?
So why ride a donkey now? For the same reason He rose Lazarus from the dead. To announce His true identity—the Son of God made flesh—and to bring about His true purpose—to suffer and die for our sin.
This Holy Week let us watch and pray and comtemplate our Savior's identity and purpose. The donkey says a lot. He says, “I am carrying your Savior. I am carrying your Salvation.”
Amen.
April 17, 2011
What Does The Donkey Say?
Matthew 21:1-11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
I've always been confused about the role of the donkey on Palm Sunday. Did riding on that donkey make Jesus more royal and regal? Or did it make Him ordinary and plain? I think that when these questions are answered, they'll help to inform our view of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and of Holy Week itself.
Growing up I heard that Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem was kind of like a President riding in a limo into Washington, D.C. The basic idea was that a donkey was considered to be a royal animal or at least an animal that carries royalty. But, of course, we usually think of donkeys as lowly animals, lowly beasts of burden used by common people to carry ordinary people and mundane cargo.
Consider some other people in the Bible who have ridden on donkeys. Maybe this will help us to understand the significance of the donkey. Moses' wife and kids rode on a donkey as they traveled with Moses as he went to tell Pharoah to let God's people go (Exodus 4). Balaam, a false prophet, rode a donkey on his way to curse God's people (read Numbers 22 to see how God used the donkey to actually save Balaam's life). Wise Abigail brought herself and many gifts to David on a donkey (1 Samuel 25). King Saul's invalid son Mephibosheth rode a donkey, but he never ruled anything (2 Samuel 16). We read last Sunday how the Shunammite widow rode a donkey on her way to cry and grieve at Elisha's feet over her dead son (2 Kings 4). There were a couple of other folks who rode on donkeys, but explaining who they were would take too long. Suffice to say, none of them were kings.
Another picture of Palm Sunday and Jesus riding a donkey was of a general who has conquered an enemy and was given a ticker-tape parade (or what the Romans used to call, a triumph, essentially a controlled riot) as he rides along in a chariot or on his war horse. I've also heard experts say that in the Middle East the donkey was an animal that symbolized peace, so that contrary to riding a war horse, Jesus was using this symbolism to show that He was a peaceful king.
Bottom line: there are lots of ways to understand what the donkey says or symbolizes. But the only way to understand Jesus' very intentional use of a donkey is to read Zechariah.
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10)
The folks laying down palms and cloaks on Jesus' path knew their Bibles. They knew God's Word because their parents had diligently taught them. So these kids grew knowing the promises about the Savior, the Messiah. Along with the buzz about Lazarus' resurrection, riding a donkey into the Holy City of David silently shouted, “This is the Messiah! This is the Christ! This is the Anointed One!”
Many in the crown, to be sure, were certain that Jesus was finally going to lead a coup d'etat against Pontius Pilate and Herod. A moment like Palm Sunday didn't come along very often, and they thought, Jesus riding a donkey was yet another sign that He was Messiah, the Chosen One. One can almost imagine people laying out palm branches leading toward the Roman palace and Herod's mansion. Perhaps they could even see Jesus' purpose in raising Lazarus from the dead to rally the people to His cause. And it had worked. Jesus had it all in the palm of His hand: the power, the crowd, the momentum. This was it!
Then He allowed the moment to pass.
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,”He said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”
The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“ ‘From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise’?”
And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night. (Matthew 21:12-17)
Instead of going to the Roman palace and kicking out Pilate, He went to the Temple and kicked out the money-changers. Then He healed some people, had one more debate with the chief priests, and finally went back to Bethany. Huh? This isn't how you start a revolution.
To understand what the donkey says and what Palm Sunday is all about, just one thing. Move it. Move all of it back one week. Wouldn't this celebration have been so much more appropriate after Jesus rose from the dead?
So why ride a donkey now? For the same reason He rose Lazarus from the dead. To announce His true identity—the Son of God made flesh—and to bring about His true purpose—to suffer and die for our sin.
This Holy Week let us watch and pray and comtemplate our Savior's identity and purpose. The donkey says a lot. He says, “I am carrying your Savior. I am carrying your Salvation.”
Amen.
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Fifth Sunday in Lent
April 10, 2011
A Resurrection That Led to The Resurrection
John 11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead to make sure that Good Friday and Easter would happen, all according to His design and plan.
(1) Consider who was there to see Lazarus' resurrection.
(2) Consider the timing of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) Consider the location of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) And consider what the Scriptures tell us is the result.
Early in His public ministry, in Nain (Luke 7), Jesus healed the son of a widow in public. The reaction by the people is one of fear and awe. Jesus' reputation continued to grow. This resurrection seemed to be the incident that cause John to ask Jesus if Jesus was the promised Savior (Luke 7). But this public resurrection seems to be too early in Jesus' public life for it to be the catalyst for a conspiracy against Him.
In His next resurrection as His popularity grew, He purposely hide His power from the public. When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead (Mark 5 and Luke 8), He only allowed her Mom and Dad and Peter, James, and John to actually be in the room when the miracle happened.
There were many folks outside of Jairus' house who were wailing with grief. These people laughed at Jesus when He said that this twelve year old was just asleep. He was telling them that as easily as they woke up their child from sleep, He was going to raise her from the dead—and they despised Him for this cruel joke that He was pulling on the parents.
But the miracle happened and Jesus promptly told the witnesses not to speak of it. It's not clear how long it took for the townsfolk to figure out that she was alive again, but certainly it didn't have the impact of seeing Lazarus walk out of his grave.
But perhaps more important than who saw the miracle was the timing of this particular miracle. He did it just before Passover. And then He went to Jerusalem, a city where His enemies were planning to kill... except not during the Passover Feast.
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.” (Mark 14:1-2; parallel Matthew 26:3-5)
But Jesus went to Jerusalem at Passover... and forced the chief priests and teachers of the law to finally deal with Him. Palm Sunday wasn't just about Jesus' cumulative greatness; the people were in a frenzy because of this last miracle, the resurrection of Lazarus. So many people had seen it and they all lived two miles from Jerusalem (instead of all the way up north in Galilee like Jairus' daughter and the widow's son).
The result was that dozens, if not hundreds of eyewitnesses to an undeniable miracle, poured into the Holy City just as thousands of pilgrims were arriving for the Feast of Passover.
And the result of that was that Jesus had to die. Lazarus, too.
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there 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 putting their faith in Him. (John 12:9-11)
And everything turned out for the best for everybody involved. The chief priests' conspiracy to murder Jesus turned out just fine, and instead of a riot against them, they were able to turn the mob against Jesus.
But even all their crafty plans were used by Jesus to His own plan and purpose. By raising Lazarus He forced His enemies to kill Him during the Passover, the feast which involved slaughtering an innocent perfect lamb. The lamb's blood was painted on the doorframe so that the angel of death would pass over them. The original Passover had happened in Egypt, and had resulted in the deliverance from slavery and into the Promised Land.
The original Passover pointed directly into the future to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus shed His bled and died. Then He rose from the dead. Good Friday and Easter happened because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The empty tomb in Bethany led to Jesus' empty tomb and to our forgiveness and salvation.
Praise to Christ who raises the dead from their sleep!
Amen.
April 10, 2011
A Resurrection That Led to The Resurrection
John 11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead to make sure that Good Friday and Easter would happen, all according to His design and plan.
(1) Consider who was there to see Lazarus' resurrection.
(2) Consider the timing of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) Consider the location of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) And consider what the Scriptures tell us is the result.
Early in His public ministry, in Nain (Luke 7), Jesus healed the son of a widow in public. The reaction by the people is one of fear and awe. Jesus' reputation continued to grow. This resurrection seemed to be the incident that cause John to ask Jesus if Jesus was the promised Savior (Luke 7). But this public resurrection seems to be too early in Jesus' public life for it to be the catalyst for a conspiracy against Him.
In His next resurrection as His popularity grew, He purposely hide His power from the public. When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead (Mark 5 and Luke 8), He only allowed her Mom and Dad and Peter, James, and John to actually be in the room when the miracle happened.
There were many folks outside of Jairus' house who were wailing with grief. These people laughed at Jesus when He said that this twelve year old was just asleep. He was telling them that as easily as they woke up their child from sleep, He was going to raise her from the dead—and they despised Him for this cruel joke that He was pulling on the parents.
But the miracle happened and Jesus promptly told the witnesses not to speak of it. It's not clear how long it took for the townsfolk to figure out that she was alive again, but certainly it didn't have the impact of seeing Lazarus walk out of his grave.
But perhaps more important than who saw the miracle was the timing of this particular miracle. He did it just before Passover. And then He went to Jerusalem, a city where His enemies were planning to kill... except not during the Passover Feast.
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.” (Mark 14:1-2; parallel Matthew 26:3-5)
But Jesus went to Jerusalem at Passover... and forced the chief priests and teachers of the law to finally deal with Him. Palm Sunday wasn't just about Jesus' cumulative greatness; the people were in a frenzy because of this last miracle, the resurrection of Lazarus. So many people had seen it and they all lived two miles from Jerusalem (instead of all the way up north in Galilee like Jairus' daughter and the widow's son).
The result was that dozens, if not hundreds of eyewitnesses to an undeniable miracle, poured into the Holy City just as thousands of pilgrims were arriving for the Feast of Passover.
And the result of that was that Jesus had to die. Lazarus, too.
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there 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 putting their faith in Him. (John 12:9-11)
And everything turned out for the best for everybody involved. The chief priests' conspiracy to murder Jesus turned out just fine, and instead of a riot against them, they were able to turn the mob against Jesus.
But even all their crafty plans were used by Jesus to His own plan and purpose. By raising Lazarus He forced His enemies to kill Him during the Passover, the feast which involved slaughtering an innocent perfect lamb. The lamb's blood was painted on the doorframe so that the angel of death would pass over them. The original Passover had happened in Egypt, and had resulted in the deliverance from slavery and into the Promised Land.
The original Passover pointed directly into the future to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus shed His bled and died. Then He rose from the dead. Good Friday and Easter happened because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The empty tomb in Bethany led to Jesus' empty tomb and to our forgiveness and salvation.
Praise to Christ who raises the dead from their sleep!
Amen.
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