Obviously the evidence is there, but it doesn’t look much like a garden anymore.
I could work hard to convince myself that there wasn’t a garden there, but that wouldn’t change the truth.
Simple illustration of how some people work hard to try to stay convinced that Jesus isn’t real or isn’t God.
John 12:9-11 says, “Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.”
Poor Lazarus! He died, got raised from the dead, and now those chief priests were trying to kill him.
Their hatred had nothing to do with Lazarus and everything to do with Jesus. They were actively fighting to not believe in Jesus and to stop others from believing.
This week, we’ll probably all be around some fellow Christians as well as some who are fighting against Jesus. We’ll also most likely be around some who haven’t trusted in Jesus yet but are open to it.
I pray we’ll follow the Holy Spirit’s direction in each encounter. Maybe we get to share the Gospel with a receptive person. Or maybe we get to live so purely and genuinely for Jesus that a skeptic will feel their heart softening to the Gospel.