Year 5, Day 259: John 11

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Challenge

• Challenge: God does not merely wish us to be in relationship with Him as we are.  He challenges us to grow, stretch, and transform as we take on the mantle of being His representatives to this world.

For several years now I have seen the 11^th chapter of John as a huge chapter of challenge.  But this really shouldn’t surprise us.  John is clear that miraculous signs are times of challenge in peoples’ lives.  The wedding at Cana brought challenge to Mary, the mother of Jesus.  The feeding of the Five Thousand brought a huge amount of challenge to the crowd and even those who were calling them disciples.  The healing of the blind man in John 9 brought challenge to the blind man, his parents, and the religious leaders.  It should not be a surprise that the chapter of John devoted to the raising of Lazarus is a huge challenge to the community around Jesus.

Jesus lays down a challenge to His disciples.  Lazarus is dead.  Jesus goes to his side.  However, I love the words of Thomas.  “Let us go so that we may die with Him.”  He has no idea how prophetic his words will be.  Jesus is marching into conflict with the religious leaders.  While His disciples might flee in the moment of Jesus’ arrest, they will all face persecution, strife, and all but one will pay with their lives.

Jesus challenges the family of Lazarus.  Both Mary and Martha are brought to confession and points of faith.  They meet Jesus’ challenge head on and grow through the challenge.

The religious leaders continue in the downward spiral of reaction to which we are accustomed.  As Jesus performs this great miracle over the power of death, they are challenged to accept Him for who He claims to be or to get rid of Him.  In the end, they choose to dispose of Jesus.  They feel Jesus’ challenge and opt to get rid of Him.  They choose to maintain their current status quo rather than meet the challenge head on and grow as we saw in Lazarus’ family and Jesus’ disciples.

Challenge is a powerful and threatening thing.  Through challenge, people can find themselves growing in faith rapidly and with vigor.  But challenge can also bring persecution upon our heads.  Jesus knows this.  But knowing this, He still asserts the challenge.  The goal of spiritual growth is worth the price to pay.

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