December 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S
B U S I N E S S
786
Internat iona l Ser i es of Sunday School Le s s EXPOSITION OF THE LESSON, 9 9 -
Frederic W . Farr Fred S. Shepard John A . Hubbard Thomas L. Colwell Mabel L. Merrill
BLACKBOARD OUTLINES, - DEVOTIONAL COMMENT, ~ COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES,' ELEMENTARY, - ~ ~ - - BHB
The central fact in the narrative is brought out in the conversation of Christ, and it has been and will be the great comfort of all bereaved mourners to the end of time. It is this: that to all who believe in Christ He is the resurrection and the life. Christ raised the dead Lazarus to demonstrate this fact and bring it within the vision and reach of man. The Bethany family was a Christ-loved and a Christ-lov ing household. It was the abiding place of Jesus, and this immortalizes it. We know nothing of any other home in Bethany. What is the advantage of religion? It does not protect the home from sickness and death. True, but it gives comfort and privilege in the scenes of sorrow of which a worldly family knows nothing. It brings resignation and trust where otherwise would be rebellion and despair. It gives the consciousness of the presence and sympathy of God and the assurance of infinite love. The sisters of Bethany put their case in the hands of Christ. They send Him an urgent message and make Him a companion in their trial. “ Lord, he whom Thou lovest is sick.” There is a world of comfort in the assurance that our loved ones are also beloved of God, and in being able to appeal to that love on their behalf. Sorrow demands interpretation as well as consolation. We seek to know the reason for it. Christ gives the philoso phy of it. He said the trial was intended for the glory of God. It is a source of strength to the child of God to know that when he is passing through some severe trial, it has for its object the glory of God. What explanation can infi delity give of sorrow and pain? We are assured that the glory of God is connected with the highest well-being of His. people. Whatever exalts Him, glorifies us. We, are glori fied with God. We may not understand the process but we can accept the result in simple faith. When Jesus receives the message from the home in Beth any he delays two days until He finishes His work in Perea. The call of friendship must be held subordinate to public duty. Delay has its mission. It is a test which disciplines and develops love. It gives time for the death of Lazarus to become more widely known. It gives death a stronger hold upon the entombed man, and this makes the miracle of raising him more wonderful. The dealing of God with His people is not cold, heartless, and purposeless. All His arrangements are those of love and wisdom. The comfort which Christ brought to the sorrowing sis ters is instructive for all time. He set before them the priv ilege of being in a true and living relation with Him. He showed how a Christian united to Him should think of death. Scripture calls death night, and we associate night with sunrise. It also calls death sleep, and we associate sleep with an awakening to fresh life and renewed strength. It puts death among the Christian’s possessions. “ All things are yours” , and death is among the “ all things.” It is united to a song which celebrates the believer’s vic tory. 1 Cor. 15:55-57— “ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and
DECEMBER 14, 1924 THE RAISING OF LAZARUS John 11:31-44 Golden 'Text: “ I am the resurrection, and the life.” 11:25. . Lesson Text: John 11:1-44. Devotional Reading: Psalm 91:1-7. S ym p a th iz e s / " V d iets f e a r s T A with fl B and B-* ORROWING \ F UESTIONINGS X “ Believest thou this?” —John 11:26 The miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection is the climax of a long series of miracles recorded by John to establish the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. It is also the climax of the resurrections wrought by Christ. It is John kROVES OWER tion of power on the part of Christ in working this miracle. He took the daughter of Jairus by the hand, He touched the bier on which the widow’s son was lying, but in the raising of Lazarus He simply spake the word of life. He showed that all that is necessary for Him to raise the dead is a mere volition and the spoken word. This miracle is also a climax of the revelations of Christ. Each miracle recorded in John’s Gospel is designed to set forth some characteristic of Christ. This one gives the greatest manifestation of all. It gives at the same time the clearest evidence of His deity and His humanity. He raises the dead; that is Deity. He weeps; that is humanity. Spin oza, the infidel philosopher, said at one time: “ If I could accept the resurrection of Lazarus, I would dash to pieces my entire system and embrace without reluctance the faith of the Christians.” He could give, however, no valid reason for its rejection. We joyfully accept the fact, so destructive to skepticism and so edifying to faith, that Jesus Christ has the power to empty the sepulcher and to raise the dead. Inasmuch as this miracle gives the highest revelation of the Savior, we may suppose that He is very near the end of His earthly career. Why should He remain longer on the earth when He has made His complete revelation? The raising of Lazarus called out the utmost wrath of His foes. A crisis had been reached. They must overthrow Christ or He will overthrow them. They determined that Île must die, and from that moment they gave themselves no rest until they saw Him nailed to the cross. It was but three short months from this time that the Savior bowed His head upon the cross and cried: “ It is finished.” LESSON EXPOSITION F. W. Farr gun its work. greater than the miracle of the raising of Jairus’ daughter, or the raising of the widow’s son at the gate of Nain. Death had taken a deeper hold and a longer grip on Lazarus. Corruption had already be- Moreover, there was a greater manifesta
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