John 12:9-11

John 12:9-11 - Daily Devotion - 19 August 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus.REFLECTIONSWritten by Rodney ClarkeThis passage recalls what we read about in chapter 11 – the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus from the dead.To me, it's the different reactions to this event that I find striking. It’s clear that what Jesus did was unparalleled. It defies logic and makes you wonder about the nature of Jesus. A teacher who can perform miraculous signs – in fact, who can raise the dead!But the Pharisees don’t respond with wonder or even curiosity. They feel that Jesus is a threat to their power, which means their position in the social hierarchy is being threatened. In fact, they were so determined to hang onto their power that they plotted to kill not just Jesus, but Lazarus as well! Clearly they valued their social position more than what God might have been saying about Jesus.Then there was the crowd of people who had personally witnessed Lazarus being raised. They flocked to him, and many put their faith in him. Jesus clearly transcended their culture and limited beliefs. What does this amazing sign mean? What does it say about God? What does it say about hope? And what does it say about this humble carpenter from Nazareth? The resurrection of Lazarus clearly proved Jesus’ power and majesty.We know far more about the meaning of the sign now, because of Jesus’ own death and glorious resurrection. We are dead in our sins and under God’s judgment, but Jesus brings us back to life again by his atoning sacrifice on the cross. Like Lazarus, we are given a second chance – not just to be resuscitated for a while, but to be raised forever.Jesus did this sign because he wanted people to understand the nature of his ministry and what he came to do. In the Gospel of John we see the capacity for light and darkness. We see the hope of the crowds in seeing Lazarus’s resurrection, as well as the stubborn resistance of the Pharisees. We know deep down we have the potential for both these responses in our own hearts. Let's look to the hope that Jesus offers, because he has the power to call us out of the darkness and into his wonderful light. ABOUT THE AUTHORRodney is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.