Murdering the Resurrected

By Chaplain (Col) Stephen W. Leonard, USA, Ret.

Sin and stupidity have a lot in common, while one truly stems from the other. You would think in ancient Israel that it would take some real smarts to be a chief priest, who were some of the primary leaders of the Jewish people. They must have something going for them in the intelligence department.

Yet these very same men were nothing but boneheaded in their planning to put a resurrected man to death, all because he had become popular for a very good reason. He was once deader than a door nail, but now lived before them, astounding the crowds, but not their Jewish leaders.

It was these same chief priests who conspired to kill Jesus, and it was they who planned to put Lazarus to death, both of them because of their acclaim among the people. Throngs were cheering Jesus because of His miracles and, likewise, astounded by Lazarus, because he had been dead for four days and now walked among them fully alive, raised from his grave by Jesus.

Both Jesus and Lazarus stirred up attention that the chief priests thought should be on them. It was beyond strange that these chief priests were not amazed by the mighty power that Jesus showed by healing the truly blind, those lame from birth, and raising the dead to life.

The chief priests were not only unthoughtful about Jesus’ supernatural powers, but gave no thinking at all to His teaching about truth, salvation, and the one and only way to eternal life! Many were drawn to the message of this One, who claimed to be God’s only Son, and were following Him to their own salvation. The chief priests, however, were simply content in their sin.

Sin is such that it drives many to stupidity. The uninterested become boneheaded as sin mesmerizes them; they are caught unaware in its web. The brilliance and clear ramifications of the Gospel are deadened in the minds of those whom sin deceives in unbelief.

Not even the miracles of the blind seeing, the lame walking, and the dead living can turn their hearts to a Savior who has the power to give them actual entrance into eternal life. Stupidity reigns in their heads, while sin rules their hearts. Such is likewise true today in the common marketplace and among those captured by the world and the culture.

As we approach again the celebration of Easter, an empty tomb, and the miracle of resurrected life, do not let the truth pass you by. Cling to the Life-Giver, turn from stupidity, and walk in the assurance of life.

Encouragement