36
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
January 1932
FEBRUARY 28, 1932 JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD J ohn 11:1 to 12:11
The people saw that Jesus sympathized with the sufferers, but immediately they began to criticize. They thought He could have kept Lazarus from dying, and there fore, because He did not, they inferred that His action in the matter must have been wrong. Whatever the Lord does, if it does not agree with what we think He should do, is immediately the subject o f criticism. Could we see as He sees and know as He knows, we would say, “ He can do the thing we want; but if He does not, there must be some good reason.” And with this, we should be content. These men and women who stood at Lazarus’ grave re vealed the nature o f every human heart, the readiness to find fault with the Lord who, even though it is not seen, is doing all for the good o f those whom He loves. IV. T he C ommand of the L ord (38-42). As a man, Jesus could weep with those who wept; as God, He could call one back from the dead. Taking charge o f the situa tion, He at once requested the friends to remove the stone from the mouth o f the tomb. This seemed to be a request which could not be granted. In that country, de composition sets in at once, and after a few days, a body may have lost even the semblance o f its former appearance. Mar tha reminded the Lord that Lazarus had been dead for four days, and that, by this time, the body would be decomposing; to remove the stone, therefore, would be to pollute the very air. Certainly there can be no question concerning the reality o f the death o f Lazarus. Those who knew the circumstances were fully aware o f his decease. In reply to all objections, Jesus reminded Martha of the promise that had been made. The Lord!s people may forget His prom ises, but He does not forget. Believers have enough promises to meet all their needs, but faith is required to rely implicit ly upon each promise, however impossible o f fulfillment it may appear. In this case, it looked as though there could be abso lutely no hope, now that Lazarus was dead and buried. But in obedience to Jesus’ word, the stone was removed from the tomb. In so doing, the sorrowers mani fested their faith in Him who was there to work a miracle. When there is an ac ceptance of His word, there may be the confident looking for His work to be per formed. Then Jesus offered a peculiar prayer, thanking the Father that He had been heard. Evidently He had prayed aloud for God to work, and now He is thanking the Father for the answer to that prayer. And He adds: “ Because o f the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.” It was not for His own, but for their sakes that He had prayed. V. T he M iracle by the L ord (43, 44). As a man, Jesus could share the sorrow and grief o f the ones whom He loved; as God, He could speak to assuage the sor row, silence the grief, and restore the dead. It should be noted that this was not strict ly a resurrection from among the dead, but a restoration to natural life. No one ever had true resurrection from the dead until after Christ rose; He was “the first born from among the dead.” All before that who were raised from the dead experi-
Lesson T ex t : John 11:32-44. Golden Text: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Bethany T he S cripture record says that Beth any is a Sabbath day’s journey from Jerusalem. By actual measurement, it is two miles. I f we approach Bethany from Jerusalem, we must first descend into the Valley o f Jehosaphat, and then climb the historic old Mount o f Olives, which is “before Jerusalem on the east.” W e cross its rocky, tree-covered summit,
apparent lack o f interest is found in His desire to bring fuller and richer blessing to the family than they could otherwise receive. I. T he S orrows of M ary (32). Mary’s sorrow was deep and poignant. But her grief was not unmingled with hope, for in spite o f the fact that Lazarus had died, the Lord had now come, and with Him present, anything could happen! While her sorrow was deep, it was whol ly submissive. The difference between Mary and Martha is nowhere more clearly revealed than in this passage. While both sisters used the same words in addressing Jesus (vs. 21, 32), the attitude of each reveals a different condition o f heart. Un like Martha, Mary falls at Jesus’ feet, the place of yieldedness. She found her place there when all was sunshine, and when no cloud darkened her sky, and there she was content to receive the teaching from His lips (c f. Lk. 10:39). It. was at His feet that she showed her sympathy and under standing when she anointed His feet with ointment, against the day of His burial. The lowly place at His feet is always the place of learning. Here again, she is at His feet in humble submission, with the trust and reliance which honors and glorifies Him, even when her sorrow is so deep within her heart. II. T he S ympathy of J esus (33-35). Jesus’ sorrow was real and deep, and He was not ashamed to have it seen. In Him, we behold the God o f all compassion. Hu man woe touches H im ; He hears the cry of every human heart; He knows all the sorrows o f all the race. Human ignorance touches H im : He “was moved with indig nation in the spirit” , (v. 33, margin). The people were ready to reject the only One who could heal their wounds and remove their sorrows. But He was touched with the ignorance of their sin. With the same sympathy, He yearns over every sinner to day. Human impenitance touches Him as He looks upon the bondage into which sin has drawn the sinner. He waits to see that penitance and submission which will per mit Him to step in with relief. He sympa thizes with every human woe, and He un derstood the sorrow that faced Him in the home o f Mary and Martha and Lazarus, whom He loved. III. T he C riticism by the P eople (36, 37). BLACKBOARD LESSON
and begin the descent o f its eastern slope. W e go down less than a mile when we.come out upon a little pla teau dotted with sil very o 1i v e t r e e s . Looking down below us we see, not two hundred yards distant, nestling in a little
Outline and Exposition When Lazarus lay sick unto death, the hearts o f his sisters turned to the Lord, who they knew loved Lazarus, and who they realized had the power to sustain him in life. The Lord had already brought some to life from the dead, and surely, they thought, He could perform a miracle so that His own friend need not die. They sent therefore to Jesus with an expression o f their dire need. The response o f Jesus at this time is very strange. Having re ceived the message, so urgent and so filled with the agony o f torn hearts, the record reads that “he abode two days still in the same place where he was.” There is no account of His having done anything there; He merely waited. T o human eyes, this appears cruel and unsympathetic. But we must come to the place where we will trust the Lord, however little we may un derstand His actions. The reason for His cove in the hills, the little village o f Beth any. How quiet and peaceful it seems, as it lies there surrounded by olive trees which are gently swaying in the breeze! The rough stone houses are tumbling into ruins, but their historic associations make even the ruins beautiful to us. In the very center o f this little village of perhaps twenty-five houses, there stands what is reputed to be the house of Mary and Mar tha. The walls and roof have evidently been built since the time o f Christ, but the floor is very ancient. W e can easily believe that the stone threshold of the door was pressed by the feet o f the Son o f God. It was through this door that Martha ran to tell Jesus o f the death of her brother. Just about fifty yards east o f the house o f Mary and Martha is the tomb o f Laz arus. A narrow passageway, just high enough for a grown person to stand up right, descends by about twenty steps into a tomb chamber. The passageway is of later construction than the tomb, the lat ter being very ancient. Around the walls are the places for bodies. W e can imagine Lazarus in one o f them, rising and coming forth at the call o f the Master.
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online