Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” – John 11:25-26
Ecclesiastes 10:12-13
12 Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words.
13 Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness.
When driven by intense negative emotions, we are capable of doing really strange, bizarre, and unthinkable things.
Imagine creating something beautiful for someone you love. It might be something as simple as a glazed clay pot, or as complicated as a painting or beautiful flower garden that took months of planning, cultivation, and care. Then you argue and you end up “hating” each other for a time. In due time, you apologize and reconcile, and all is well.
However, in the interim what happened to the handiwork of your love? In the heat of your anger, you trashed it. You trashed the very thing you created out of love, for the one you love, because of the heat of the moment. Now that is pretty insane, is it not?
Some religious leaders can be very territorial and protective. This can produce great jealousy and fierce competition. So, it was at the time of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 11 tells the story of Lazarus, the beloved friend of Jesus. Lazarus becomes ill and his sisters send for Jesus in the hopes that he will do a miraculous healing. Before the Lord Jesus Christ arrived, Lazarus died.
When the Lord Jesus Christ came to their house, it was a scene of great mourning and remorse. Both of the sisters wondered out loud why He had not come sooner. They had no doubts that if He had come sooner, He would have healed His friend (John 11:21). But now it was too late, Lazarus was dead! Perhaps there was a bit of resentment brewing.
Why the delay? The Lord Jesus Christ had purposely waited two days before beginning His journey to Bethany where Lazarus was sick and dying. The sisters wished with all their hearts that he would’ve arrived “on time” and saved the day.
But all of these events were only setting the stage for the Lord Jesus Christ to perform His final and greatest miracle before His death on the cross and resurrection. And with the miracle, He would disclose an incredible new truth.
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
The Lord Jesus Christ stated unequivocally claiming to have the power of resurrection and life within Himself. He asserted that He was able to raise somebody from the dead. Who would make such a claim if they could not back it up? Only the insane or the deluded.
But the Lord Jesus Christ was neither. But in fact, it is indeed true. How can we be sure? The Lord Jesus Christ provided a demonstration for all to see, using three words.
John 11:43 He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”
What happened next was wonderful, incredible, and astonishing. But it really happened. Lazarus walked out of the tomb alive!
At a moment like this, each person has only two choices: belief and awesome wonder or unbelief and rejection. Both reactions occurred among those who witnessed the miracle.
Many believe.
John 11:45 Therefore, many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.
But for the rest, because of jealousy and fear, insanity set in. They saw the miracle; you chose not to believe. Insanity simply says, kill Him!
John 11:46-53
46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.
48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”
53 So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.
Really! If you kill a person Who is the resurrection and the life, how can you guarantee He would stay dead? What permanent, lasting damage can be done to a person Who has the power of life and resurrection in Himself?
REFLECT & PRAY
Anger, fear, jealousy, or embarrassment the source of many of our self-inflicted acts of foolishness. Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. – Proverbs 29:11
Father I recognize that it is way too easy to become angry and lose control. Strengthen my spirit not to act out my anger. Encourage me to be wise and not foolish. Cultivate constraint and control within me.
INSIGHT
The Father provides His perspective regarding such unwise responses. Foolish clamor begins as sheer folly and ends in wicked madness.
Ecclesiastes 10:13 Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness.
From beginning to end, a fool’s words are worthless and pointless. The longer they talk, the crazier things become. The words of a fool lack sense at the outset and go downhill from there into utter, irrational madness.
“We may try to hurt others with our lies, slander, insults, slurs, mocking, and words of fury, but the one we are hurting the most is really ourselves” (Wiersbe).
Ironically, fools talk in excess, but their words accomplish at best nothing or at worst harm.
Proverbs 10:19 Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but the wise listen to others.
Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt” (Abraham Lincoln).
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Dr H Reflections 