Prayer: Dear God, open our eyes to things we have missed before. Open our hearts to learn more. May we be something others see to help them know your love and believe. Amen
Reading: John 12: 1-11 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Whoa! What? There was a plot to kill Lazarus, too? The man who was dead already once but raised by Jesus? I did not know this! Most of our reading today from John 12 is the story of Mary Anointing Jesus (v. 1-8) and I'll admit I kind of skimmed through it. Then I realized I was to continue on through v. 11. So, I kept reading and came upon a bit of information I don't really recall: The Plot to Kill Lazarus!? I admit I read those last few verses again just to be sure. I will also admit I then looked at the margin notes in my Bible because, when uncertain, always try to learn more. Here is what I read, "This brief passage about the plot to kill Lazarus is found only in this Gospel. It links the plot to the one that began to be hatched against Jesus after he raised Lazarus from the dead (11: 45-57). So, of course, I then backtracked into John 11 and reread the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and this time especially noticed the chief priests and Pharisees just beginning their plan to put Jesus to death starting with finding him and arresting him. On to John 12, fast forward over the story of Mary and the jar of costly perfume again, and we see the the plotting to kill net widening to Lazarus. And why? Because a great crowd of the Jews learned Jesus was around and they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. (v. 9) Those crowds were deserting the chief priests and Pharisees and believing in Jesus instead. So they realized they not only needed to get rid of Jesus but also Lazarus. And now I have gone on much longer in a GROW Time devotion than usual. What can we take away from this Whoa! What? reflection? Keep your eyes open for new bits of God's word you may not have noticed before. Always try to learn more. I learned to be a Lazarus - a person Jesus has given new life to and a way Jesus is seen in the world. We each may not draw crowds or become the target of a plot to be stopped. We only hope to love and lead others to believe. -- Ruth Gates
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