Wanted Poster

Jan. 22

Read: John 12:1-10

Wanted Poster

“So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.” (v.10)

Whenever you are transformed by Christ - brought from “death to life” - you become a “marked man” whether you realize it or not. (cf. Eph. 2:5) We know that the thief and robber come only to “steal, kill, and destroy”. (cf. John 10:10) So we should not be surprised that the chief priests sought to kill Lazarus as well as Jesus. What was Lazarus guilty of? Nothing more than being raised from the dead by Jesus and his very life represented the power and glory of Christ. He was guilty of being transformed, and the enemy did not like it one bit.

I don’t think this is something that Lazarus would have expected. I am not sure he even knew it was happening. Of all the others who were miraculously healed by Jesus, he gets the honor of being the one who has a contract put on his head. Like Lazarus, we may go about our day never realizing that the enemy has put a bounty out on us as children of God. To be transformed by Christ is to be marked as a target for death by the enemy. The good news is that Jesus holds the keys to life and death. While the enemy is trying to destroy us, Jesus is building us up and strengthening us. As we have seen over the last couple days (check out the previous Devo’s) these attempts to bring suffering and heartache actually backfire because they end up becoming opportunities for STRENGTHENING us and bringing GLORY to Christ. In the enemy’s effort’s to derail us, he is actually making us stronger! (cf. James 1:2)

I was talking with my friend Mike Brown this week who used to be in law enforcement. We talked about how putting on the uniform of a police officer and walking out into the world has drastic ramifications these days. No matter where you go, what you are clothed in will elicit a response. You “activate” the world around you simply by showing up in uniform. If you walk into the precinct - you are met by brothers and sisters in blue. If you walk into the favorite restaurant of the local crime boss… you are met with something else! When you show up to help someone who has called 911… they are relieved to see you. The list goes on and on. Now imagine sending someone out into the world as a police officer ignorant of this truth! Think of the trouble in store for them. They could wander into a situation having no clue what was about to happen.

The scriptures call us to be “clothed in the righteousness of Christ” (cf. Job 29:14, Rom. 13:14, Gal 3:27, Eph. 4:24, Col. 3:10-14}) We put that “uniform” on and go out into the world every day as Christians. We are clothed with the miraculous transformation Christ is working in us. Our lives ought to point towards Christ and his love and redemption. We openly share the way that we were dead in our trespasses and sins, and then made alive in Christ. The end result, just our presence and our lives in general will be polarizing. The enemy will mark us for destruction… just like Lazarus.

Take heart and have no fear for, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) Jesus has indeed “overcome the world” and is dwelling in us as his brothers and sisters. (John 16:33) Are we clothed with Christ enough to be marked by the enemy? Has Satan put a bounty on your head? Everywhere you go with Christ, you will elicit a response… in the end it is a badge of honor really… to live life pointing to Jesus in such a powerful way. Lazarus could be proud that the chief priest put up a wanted poster of him in their lair. Love you guys! - JDP