It's All In How You Respond

John 11:45-57

 After Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead many believed in Him. Their excited testimony of Jesus' miracle, and their own belief in Him as Messiah would've washed over the community, making waves, as it was told, and retold.

But another group was also there that day, and this group went straight to the Pharisees and shared the story.    The Pharisees hated Jesus, and were waiting for an appropriate time to kill him.

One miracle, two very different responses.


The Pharisees and chief priests called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "From that day on they plotted to take His (Jesus') life" (John 11:53). In their reasoning Jesus had to die, otherwise they were going to lose, "both our place and our nation", because the Romans wouldn't tolerate the people's belief in Christ!

How often have we predicted the future in the same way! These men were no more privy to what would happen than we are, yet we fret and strive to control the outcome of things that are beyond our realm of power. They couldn't say for sure that the Romans would take away their political power if the people believed in Christ, but out of fear they decided Christ would have to die to preserve the nation.


In situations that cause us to fear we also have a choice of response.

We can become angry, decide to lash out at the thing that brings fear, and use whatever means we have available to bring it under our control.

Or...we can follow God's instruction, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him...Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret - it only causes harm." (Psalm 37:7a, 8)



And then there is the response we make with greatest consequences of all.

Our response to what Christ has done for us.

, "...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that  He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." ( 1 Corinthians 15:3b-4)

There are many who embrace the free gift of salvation that comes when they believe in Him, taking to heart the words in Romans 10:9-10, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Jesus knew others would choose to reject Him. In John 3:36 He addressed them, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

Another miracle, your response can mean life...or death.