January, 1937
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
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whether Mary could understand His ac tions or not, she knew that He was the Lord, and she trusted that He would do nothing but the right thing. Perhaps her trust in this hour of need grew out of her position in the days when the sun shone upon her path (cf. Lk. 10:39: “Mary . . . sat at Jesus’ feet” ). And her habitual attitude of worship likewise prepared her to be “ at his feet” when the sunlight began to depart from His path (John 12:3, 7). The Lord’s human sympathy with sor rowing hearts is seen in the fact that He “ groaned in the spirit” (v. 33). Before Him were set the results, the effects, of sin in the human race: sorrow of heart, separa tion between loved ones, death, burials, and corruption, these all causing distress and heartache. If sin had not entered the world, none of these things would have been known. The Lord’s perfect humanity is revealed in His inquiry as to where the body of Lazarus had been placed (v. 34). There was a mingling of the human and divine in Jesus which cannot be understood fully, though we may see it and believe it. Jesus then uttered the remarkable words, com posing the shortest verse in Scripture, “Jesus wept.” What was it that could cause such a One to weep, knowing, as He did, what was immediately to occur? It was human woe, trouble, and sorrow that touched Him. “ In all their affliction He was afflicted” has a wider application than merely to Israel’s woes. Jesus Christ has a place in His heart for the sorrows of every child of Adam, and He has comfort to im part to each one. It is true that “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” The Lord Jesus waits only for the weary heart to be laid at His feet; then He will put forth His healing hand and bring joy where sorrow reigned (cf. Matt. 11:28-30). The unbelief of the Jews became very evident (vs. 36, 37). They accused Him of being callous because He had not responded immediately to the call of the sisters and thus preserved Lazarus from dying. III. T he M eeting with D eath (38-44) Jesus asked that the stone be removed from the mouth of the grave, but He was told that Lakarus had been dead so long that decomposition had begun (vs. 38-40). We may certainly conclude that Lazarus was actually dead, and that nothing but the touch of the living God could restore life. For the benefit of the onlookers, Jesus lifted His voice to the Father and gave thanks that His request had been granted (vs. 41, 42). He was always eager to strengthen the faith of His followers as well as to arouse faith in others. He desired them to believe that He had been sent from God, and that the God who had made all things and in whose hand was all life, stood in their midst in the person o f Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, He spoke to the dead Lazarus, and His command was obeyed (vs. 43, 44). This miracle was not a resurrection in the sense of the raising of a new body; this was a restoration to life. Lazarus later in life died again and was buried. There
10:7). The cross tells of His blood which was shed in order that a way might be provided by which sinners who would trust in Him might enter heaven. This little green ladder does not reach the top of the cardboard. It represents those people who are trying to reach heaven by good deeds. One who has received the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour will perform good deeds, but it is Christ who saves, not the good works which the Christian may do. There are other people who try to enter heaven by what they call a clean life. This white ladder does not reach the top, and neither does a “clean life” admit a person to heaven, for no one except Jesus Christ has ever lived a perfect life. This yellow ladder suggests gold. Some men and women think that the giving of their money to the poor or to the church will help them to reach heaven. The Bible teaches that Christians should give, but giv ing does not cause any one to reach heaven. Only by coming to Christ, the Door, can one be sure of reaching heaven. He has said:, “ Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Not understanding the import of the Lord’s words, Martha voiced her faith in the fact that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Son of God. Well would it be for many people if, when they failed to grasp the fullness of the Lord’s words, they were willing to hold fast to what they did un derstand. Too many people lose the com fort provided by what they do know be cause of their doubt and questions concern ing what is not known. II. T he M eeting with M ary (32-37) It is noticeable that Mary’s words were identical with Martha’s (v. 32). But in stead of defiantly standing before the Lord and boldly finding fault, Mary “ fell down at his feet” in worship, even as she spoke. Whatever the Lord had done or not done,
Lesson: When a person is taking some thing which does not belong to him, he often hears some one cry, “ Stop, thief.” The Lord Jesus said that there are many people who are not generally considered thieves, who really are. In the parable of the Good Shepherd, He spoke of those who did not enter the sheepfold by the door, and He called them thieves and rob bers. This cardboard marked “ Heaven” re minds us of the sheepfold about which Jesus was talking. You will notice that there is a door near the bottom with a red cross on it. This door reminds us of the words of Christ: “ I am the door” (John Lesson Text: John 11:23-28, 32-44. Golden Text: “ I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25). Outline and Exposition I. T h e M e e t in g with M a r t h a (2 3 -2 8 ) L AZARUS, a friend of Jesus, had be come ill, and his sisters sent to Jesus requesting Him to come to their aid. When He received the message, the Lord strangely refused to go at once but waited until Lazarus actually had died. Such ac tion looked selfish and careless, but it was the will of God that thus it should be (cf. vs. 1-15). When at last the Lord appeared, Martha met Him with a greeting savoring of a rebuke. It implied that He could have come before, but that in not doing so He was to blame for the death of her brother (v. 21). Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise again (v. 23). This promise proved of little comfort in her loss, for she already knew of the resurrection at, the last day (v. 24). Because the truth of a resurrec tion from among the dead had not yet been heard, she possessed no other belief than the common one held by her people that there would be a general resurrection of all the dead. Jesus gave one of the astounding reve lations concerning Himself in verses 25 and 26. Using the expression “ I am,” implying His deity (cf. Ex. 3:14), He declared to Martha that He was not only the resur rection, but also the life, to the extent that one that believed on Him, though he should die, yet should live; and whosoever lived and believed on Him should never die (cf. vs. 25, 26, R. V .). These words have brought comfort and assurance to countless sorrowing hearts, and the words would have no meaning were Jesus not God.
FEBRUARY 21, 1937 THE POWER OF JESUS OVER DEATH J ohn 11:1 to 12:11
What Time is it Now on God’s Clock?
It Is the Midnight Hour Send for our 3 Prophetic tracts (8 large pages in each tract). All new revised editions. Tract No. 15:. "WHAT TIME IS IT NOW ON GOD’S CLOCK?” Tract No. 17: ‘‘ UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS” Tract No. 18: ‘‘ FEARFUL WARNINGS FROM GOD.” This tract also contains Mother Shipton’s astonishing prophecies, written in the year 1449 A. D., of things taking place today. The price of any one of these tracts is 70 eents per 100, or 200 for $1.25. For less than 100 tracts the price is 10 cents for 10 tracts. Send also for our booklet, ‘ ‘ IN HEAVEN AND BACK TO EARTH AGAIN,” 5 cents each. Samples of all cur tracts 10 cents. Emmanuel Bible Tract Depot P. 0. Box 3114 Ballard Station, Seattle, Wash.
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