Perceptions part 1

One of the most telling verses in the Bible exists in John’s 12 Gospel chapter.  On the heals of resurrection power, the evidence of earth’s greatest miracle sits to eat a meal with the resurrection and the life.

Here’s a little snack:  What do you eat for your first meal after being raised from the dead?  This isn’t something that we give much thought to is it?  If the story of Christ raising Lazarus from the grave wasn’t chilling enough, the resurrected recipient of new life now sits down for dinner with the one who commanded death to vacate his lifeless body.

I can hardly read verse 2 of John 12 without pausing to reflect on my own resurrection experience- and what it felt like to gain new fellowship with God as Jesus exercised His ability to overcome my trespasses and sins.  Perhaps reading this verse allows you the same overwhelming experience: “There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.”  As you read this verse, take time to reflect on the moments following your resurrection:  The joy, humiliation, somberness and overwhelming feeling of the awesomeness of knowing the now presence of almighty God. 

This verse, along with the a few following, allow us a vivid comprehension of life after resurrection.  The realness of this scene is amazingly accurate to what we, as new born babes, experience in the days following our new found life in Christ.  As Lazarus sits across the table from the very one who raised him from the dead, he sees 4 examples of Christianity by which to mimic with his new life: Martha, Mary, Judas and the crowd of onlookers who no other objective but to be spectators of Kingdom work. 

As we snack together this week, decide for yourself who you most resemble as a resurrected child of God: the controller (Martha), the cherisher (Mary), the critique (Lazarus) or the crowd (on-lookers). 


Pastor Mike Carmody