“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’”

Yesterday I related the conversion testimony of the missionary Bruce Olson. He felt like most Christians do who have experienced God in their lives with such assuredness. He was excited and wanted all his friends to know Jesus. At church, he tried to explain what had happened. The other high school boys accused him of getting super spiritual.  They looked at him like he was an animal in a zoo.  He told his pastor. The pastor’s response was, "Well that's wonderful, that's fine, Bruce.  I'm happy to hear that you've had such a fulfilling experience. But don't forget that you were confirmed in the church right here in this building and at that moment of confirmation you dedicated yourself to Christ. The Christian life began for you even before that, however, when you were baptized and given your name."

He told the pastor that he walked home after confirmation thinking is that all there is to it. He had hoped there was something more.  His pastor said, "Olson, I prayed over each of you boys when you were confirmed. Are you telling me that my prayers meant nothing? You've got to believe in your confirmation vows, that they were real and meaningful"

"Well, I believe in them now. Jesus is real to me now. I've been changed.  I've begun to feel for people when I never did before. Jesus is in my life now. If he was before I never knew it."

After Pastor Peterson rebuked him, he thought how could something so good, so basically simple, make people so upset?

There was a real purpose to Bruce Olson's life now.  Before, religion was just a ritual.  Now there was a vital relationship like the Jews who for the first time no longer followed traditions. Christ was real. It was a relationship that was exciting.

There were Pharisees who also saw the resurrection but did not believe in Him. Instead, they desired to go to the Sanhedrin, the chief priest, and report what was going on. 

In Luke 16 we have recorded a story of another man called Lazarus, who was a very poor beggar who did not even have bread enough to eat. He was literally dying outside the gate of a rich man who let the dogs eat the crumbs that fell on the floor by his table rather than give it to Lazarus. However, we see the scene later after both die. The rich man is in hell or Hades and Lazarus was in paradise.  The rich man cries out asking that Lazarus place his finger in water so he might touch his tongue for some relief.  Abraham tells him that request was impossible. Then he pleads to let Lazarus go and warn his brothers so that they might change their ways.  Abraham tells him they have the prophets and they have the word, if they have hardened their hearts, they will not believe even if a dead man has come up from the grave to warn them.

This story confirms that very fact. Here is Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, the brother of Mary and Martha, come back from the dead.  Yet the Pharisees with hardness of heart, refused to believe.  They were more concerned about the thoughts of the chief priests than they were of God.

The chief priest and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. Their purpose was not to worship and glorify God nor to follow or obey their creator, but rather to establish their own position and authority and secure it in cooperation with the Roman government.

Many politicians today exhibit the practice that survival in a political office is more important than right or wrong. We see many clergymen today think their position and popularity are more important than speaking boldly the truth of the word of God.

Application:  What is your purpose in life?  Why do you do what you do?  Is it for yourself or for God?  One will end in destruction, and one will end in life.

Prayer:  Lord, I want everything I do and all that I say to bring glory to you. May that be the purpose in my life.  Your spirit soul rule in my heart to make this happen

Dale