Scripture to Read: John 12:10–11
Though the crowds continued to seek Jesus and even Lazarus, some for the right reason and some for selfish reasons, there were also the religious leaders. They were definitely seeking to find Jesus, and now they also wanted to find Lazarus, but not for anything good. We read in John 12:10–11, But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus. Lazarus had not been raised from the dead for very long, but because of this miracle, many placed their faith in Jesus as their Messiah and Lord of their lives. The religious leaders hated that people were turning to follow Jesus, and so they wanted to kill Lazarus to remove him altogether. The problem with the religious leaders is that their spirits were dead because of their sin-filled lives. God describes what a lost person is like in Ephesians 2:1–3, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. The religious leaders were dead inside, and death reigned within them. Life is only possible through Christ, and they wanted Him dead too.
Challenge & Application
• Why were the religious leaders bent on killing Lazarus?
• What was the problem with the religious leaders and with many people today?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!