by Hugh DeLong<\/p>\n
It is difficult for us to read the events in John 12 and feel the same excitement that gripped the people in Jesus’ day. The city is filling up with people who have come to celebrate and observe the Passover.<\/p>\n
“Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves<\/em>” (John 11:55).<\/p>\n
“The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead<\/em>” (John 12:9).<\/p>\n
“On the next day, the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem<\/em>” (John 12:12).<\/p>\n
“So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. <\/em>For this reason, also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign<\/em>” (John 12:17-18).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And finally,<\/p>\n
“So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him’<\/em>” (John 12:19).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
What follows is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus – and then<\/strong>, his showing himself alive for 40 days. With the first sermon, and with many of the Passover crowd still in the city, 3,000 obeyed the gospel, then 5,000 men (Acts 4), and then many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Thus, the ‘explosion’ of this movement behind Jesus as the Son of God. We are just another set of numbers to add to this, but each of us is important to God. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.<\/em> For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ<\/em>” (Galatians 3:26-27).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Hugh DeLong It is difficult for us to read the events in John 12 and feel the same excitement that gripped the people in Jesus’ day. The city is filling up with people who have come to celebrate and observe the Passover. “Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[448,383],"class_list":["post-91881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-church","tag-growth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3702,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-could-jesus-be-in-the-grave-three-days-and-nights-if-he-died-on-friday-and-rose-on-sunday\/","url_meta":{"origin":91881,"position":0},"title":"How could Jesus be in the grave three days and nights if he died on Friday and rose on Sunday?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 11, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: From Friday around 6 p.m. to Sunday around 6 a.m. is 36 hours that Jesus was in the grave. How does that cover the three days and three nights (72 hours) that Jesus himself predicted? Answer: \"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28894,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/its-only-friday-sunday-is-coming\/","url_meta":{"origin":91881,"position":1},"title":"It’s Only Friday, Sunday Is Coming","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Floyd Chappelear Sentry Magazine, December 31, 2003 Searching the scriptures can be exceedingly profitable. It can also be an exercise in futility. The Jews searched them seeking eternal life (at least this seemed to be their expectation when the Lord told them to examine the sacred text), but they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25195,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-does-god-delay\/","url_meta":{"origin":91881,"position":2},"title":"Why Does God Delay?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford At some point in their lives, all Christians have to deal with the disappointment and frustration of God not answering their prayers on their timetable. They want something that is godly and good, they pray for it, and. . . nothing. When we are wrestling with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/stopwatch-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":39843,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-cant-figure-out-when-jesus-ate-the-passover-meal\/","url_meta":{"origin":91881,"position":3},"title":"I can’t figure out when Jesus ate the Passover meal","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Before last night I was convinced that Thursday was the date of the crucifixion. But after discussing it with another preacher, I'm not so sure. Knowing that you also take the Thursday crucifixion date position (I've seen\u00a0your articles and charts), I want to inquire of you so I can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16817,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/three-days-and-three-nights\/","url_meta":{"origin":91881,"position":4},"title":"Three Days and Three Nights","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 15, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Matthew 12:38-42 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jesus\u2019 statement that he would spend three days and three nights in the grave has puzzled people through the ages. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If Jesus died on Friday afternoon and was buried just before sundown and then arose before dawn on Sunday, that is only 36 hours. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some try\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25424,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-many-passovers-did-jesus-attend-during-his-ministry\/","url_meta":{"origin":91881,"position":5},"title":"How many Passovers did Jesus attend during his ministry?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Some say that Jesus attended three Passovers during his ministry and by that try to determine long He preached His gospel. 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