Scripture: John 12.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

John 12:17-19 (NLT)

17 Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it.

18
That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign.

19 Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

It seems harder and harder trying to reach the unsaved these days. I bet this was no different in Bible days. In this passage this morning though, we see where there were crowds who flocked to be in the presence of Jesus. Since we have difficulty trying to get our family and friends to attend church, I wanted us to look in on what attracted this crowd. Verse 18 says that it was because of all that the people heard was going on in the Jesus crowd. So this made me ask myself, what does my friends hear from me about what is going on in my church? Ask yourself the same question Christian brother/sister. Do our friends that we are trying to witness to, hear enough out of us to make them want to attend church? Or do you suppose that they are even more turned off from church than they were before hearing from us? Friends, we need to talk about the prayers that were answered; about the wonderful Word of God that was expounded from the pulpit or Sunday School teacher; about the sweet relationship that we develop with fellow brothers and sisters; about the miracles God is blessing us with; about the friend/visitor who came to know our Lord at our last service. In the Bible passage, the crowds gathered because of what they had heard! Can your church be full this weekend because of what others have heard from you? Verse 19 reminds me of what Satan does when he’s losing the battle with Christians/children of God, I believe that he must really pout and mutter about how there is just nothing he could do about it!! Praise be to our God and Father and to the Son, Jesus the Christ, for He alone is worthy of our praise!

PRAYER
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Jesus, we have commercialized church so much, with so many programs and so many marketing techniques, that we can’t help but wonder where you fit into the whole idea of YOU calling the lost unto yourself. Thank you for the reminder from Your Word this morning, that the lost will come when they are convinced that the saved are indeed saved, and that there is joy, purpose and personal benefit in attending church on a regular basis. Thank You for the joy of knowing You, and the joy of hearing Your voice through Your Word and through the spoken word at church. May we live according to Your instructions and may we share at every opportunity, the ways that You are blessing us individually and collectively as our respective churches. Lord, You are good and Your mercies lasts forever!

 

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**