This morning I was reading from John 10 and 11 and saw something I hadn't seen before, and thought it worth noting. In Chapter 11, which is all about the death and raising of Lazarus, which is both a very painful and glorious bit to read, there is a verse that caught my eye as follows - John 11:16 NIV:
"Then Thomas (also known as Didymus ) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Thomas's statement caught me off-guard, as I had forgot that prior to this that Jesus had been threatened and had moved His base of operations to the wilderness because of the threats. I went back and read the last bit of John 10 to refresh my knowledge of the time before the raising of Lazarus.. It turns out that the threats were more than just a bunch of grumbling guys, saying they need to kill Jesus, they actually had stones ready to stone him! Here is the end of John's tenth chapter, starting with the statement that really got the crowd going.
John 10:30-42 NIV:
[30] "I and the Father are one.”
[31] Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, [32] but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
[33] “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
[34] Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are “gods” ' ? [35] If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came---and Scripture cannot be set aside--- [36] what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? [37] Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. [38] But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
[39] "Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. [40] Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, [41] and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” [42] And in that place many believed in Jesus."
Going back to Thomas's statement, I believe that he was talking about dying along with Lazarus, knowing full well the violence that Jesus had avoided the last time He had been in Jerusalem. Again these weren't empty threats, they actually had tried to stone Jesus, but he had evaded or escaped their grasp. In other words they were actually trying to kill him, but they weren't able to grab him and hold him or bind him. This was very real and Thomas, who apparently was a bit of a pragmatist, recognized the danger. That being said, he didn't shy away from the danger, but instead followed Jesus' lead.
I found this whole bit interesting, for John clearly chose to include this one verse in the midst of the story of Lazarus, for it was important to him, and more importantly, it was important to the Holy Spirit.
In retrospect, looking at the story of the raising of Lazarus, its all glorious and wonderful, and was clearly one the events that absolutely convinced many of His followers that Jesus truly was the Messiah. However, I believe the Holy Spirit wanted it noted that environment in which that great miracle occurred was anything but quiet and peaceful! It was into the midst of that turmoil, into the area where He had been threatened that Jesus, by the direction of the Father, went to minister to Mary, Martha and Lazarus. While His love for them was evident, and clearly a motivating factor, He was aware of the threats, the increasing conflict and the soon to be fulfilled prophesies of His death. Equally interesting was the fact that the Apostles were also aware of the danger, and yet entrusted themselves to the leadership of Jesus, choosing to follow Him, even to their own deaths.
The question this raised in my mind today was whether I would be willing to follow Jesus into a situation that I knew was dangerous? Am I willing to follow Him to my own demise? That is a pretty dark question, and yet it is one that million of our Christian brothers and sisters answer every day, for Christianity is definitely under attack and illegal in many countries, and yet those countries are where the church is growing faster than anywhere else!
We have not really had to contend with this question in most of our western church for many years, and for many of us, the idea of persecution for our faith is a vague idea, and one we don't want to see or experience. However, we are not promised easy lives, and a welcoming attitude by the spirit of the world, rather it is the exact opposite.
Peter wrote the following - 1 Peter 4:12-14 NIV:
[12] "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. [13] But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. [14] If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you."
Paul wrote this in his letter to the Romans 8:35-39 NIV:
[35] "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
[37] "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
They wouldn't have written these things, if this wasn't their present reality, nor the future life of their fellow Christian's. They were looking around them, seeing those things that were coming against them, and speaking of them as something they would be able to conquer, through the power of Christ Jesus in them.
Finally Jesus said the following - John 15:18-21 NIV:
[18] “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. [19] If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. [20] Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. [21] They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me."
Wow, such light and easy promises from Jesus, Peter and Paul! The point is that as times become more difficult, and dark, as societal opinion and voice moves farther from Christianity, those of us who choose to follow Jesus will be given opportunities to choose to continue to follow Him or not. We are already seeing the beginnings of persecution break out in America against Christians, and the forces of this world, identified by Paul, certainly are not going to stop in their effort to silence Christians. The question for myself this morning is whether or not I will continue to follow Him, even if the going gets tough, and my beliefs unpopular or even hated or reviled?
I am encouraged by the story of the raising of Lazarus, that it is into those very times of darkness and threats that the Glory of God will be seen in its Greatest Expression! I am encouraged that the light shines brightest in the darkness (Is. 60:1-3). I am encouraged because Jesus has all power and all authority and He has called us to walk in the same ministry, doing the same and even greater works (John 14:12)! One should note that Jesus made that statement (John 14:12) after He had raised Lazarus from the dead! Wow!
So this morning, my prayer is that the Lord would help me and encourage me! My prayer is that He would help and encourage the church world-wide. My prayer is that we might put our trust in Him, following Him into darkening days, knowing the danger, but expecting Him to be Glorified! May the Name of Jesus be lifted High!
Amen!
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