THE PRIESTS RESOLVE TO KILL LAZARUS

SERIES: EVENTS LEADING TO THE CRUCIFIXION

TEXT: JOHN 11:43-53

For the three years of ministry here on the earth Jesus our Lord got many enemies against his ministry. Wherever Jesus went He did good-Acts 10:38. Doing good can attract enemies too.

Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead. He resurrected other people before but not near Jerusalem. He resurrected Lazarus the brother of Mary and Martha, not far from Jerusalem. It was towards the pass-over feast. Many Jews who had come to comfort Mary and Martha saw it and believed in Jesus, that He was the Messiah. Some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. More about resurrection of Lazarus:-

RESSURECTION OF LAZARUS STIRED JESUS TO KILL LAZARUS AND JESUS.

John 11:47-53, The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “what are we to do, for this man performs many signs?” Doing good caused Jesus, enemies. The priests and Pharisees couldn’t perform any miracle, so the acts of Jesus stirred jealousy in them.
Caiaphas, the high priest, suggested to the council that they should put Jesus to death-Vs. 49-51.
They plotted to kill Lazarus too, to destroy any evidence to the people that Jesus had resurrected him-John 12:9-11.

THE LIFE OF LAZARUS WASN’T IMPORTANT TO THE PRIESTS.

Satan comes to steal, to kill and to destroy-John 10:10. It is satan who was working through the priest and Pharisees to kill Lazarus again.
Lazarus was happy to be alive again after tasting the grave, so were Mary, Martha and their friends. The members of the Sanhedrin applauded Caiaphas that it was expedient for the nation as a whole that Jesus should be put to death. Jesus was right when he called these religious leaders children of the devil, for they were indeed murderers-John 8:42-44.

YOU WILL BE PERSECUTED FOR DOING GOOD.

Those who bring others to the Lord are always made the target for persecution.
The early church suffered great persecution under the Roman government of Emperor Nero. Some of the Christians were killed for their faith.
There are times you may have to face persecution due to your faith. Jesus our Lord spoke about persecution of believers-John 16:1-4.

CONCLUSION