TO TAKE HEART AND TRUST GOD IN ALL THINGS IS TO SEE THE GLORY OF GOD
Going about this business of living, whether it' s one day at a time or while making plans for the future, it often happens thot our routine is interrupted by an unexpected turn of events - of which there are many different kinds, not the least of which are disease and death.
Going about his Father's business ... Jesus received word that his friend Lazarus was sick unto death -John 11:1-4 .. .
See the significance of this story in the context of the Apostle John's reason for writing the Gospel that bears his name: "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (20:31}
In writing his Gospel, John first introduced Jesus as the Son of God, then, to confirm his identity as the Messiah, John pointed to John the Baptist's testimony. After telling about the baptism of Jesus, John transitioned to several of Jesus' disciples who also testified about Jesus: Andrew who told Peter 'We have found the Messiah" --- Philip who found Nathaniel and said, "We have found the one Moses wrote about: Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth". Skeptical of Philip's claim, Nathaniel found Jesus and had a conversation with him, after which he had no doubt about who Jesus way, exclaiming, "You are indeed the Son of God!"
Rather than rely solely on verbal testimonies of disciples who had met the Messiah and had been convinced of his messiahship by talking to and listening to Jesus, John did the smart thing: He presented evidence comprised of seven signs (miracles) that proved Jesus to be the promised Messiah.
Please indulge my interest in journalism by thinking with me of John's seven signs as
HEADLINES that might have appeared in The Jerusalem Times: (1) Jesus Turns Water Into Wine. (2) Jesus Heals Royal Prince. (3) Jesus Heals Poor Man Disabled For 38 Years. (4) Jesus Feeds Throng 5,000Strong. (5) Jesus Walks On Water. (6) Jesus Heals Man Born Blind. (7) JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD!
Seven times in his account of the Gospel Story, John presented undeniable evidence to prove that Jesus was the Messiah - the Redeemer of those who by repentance and faith accept Christ as Savior and Lord.
The most striking aspect of the seventh proof is our Lord's authoritative assertion to his disciples before leaving his safe haven to go to the scene of the crisis: This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God. (v. 4)
There's no doubt about Mary and Martha's love for God and devotion to Jesus - which reinforces my contention that to take heart and trust God in all things is to see the glory of God! Sooner or later, we see the glory of God!
By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead several days. To Jesus, though, it did not matter how long he had been dead. Instead, it was as if his friend were asleep - waiting for the Lord God giver of life to wake him up!
Which Jesus did to the amazement of everyone who witnessed the glorious resurrection of Lazarus -John 11:38-45 ... "Loose him and let him go!"
No wonder many skeptics believed in Jesus and received Him into their hearts as Savior and Lord! They saw the wonder of what God can and will do!
Folks: It doesn't matter how long the body of a loved one or your own for that matter has been interred or whatever, when the voice of God shouts "Come forth” or "Arisen or "'Wake up”, guess what! Well, there's really no guessing to it!
A dead body that once housed the soul of a human being - a soul redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and sanctified by the Spirit of God - will respond to the voice of God just as Lazarus did! Be advised:
In our own situation as in that of Lazarus God does not work on our timetable. Our Lord's delay in responding to the sisters' request did not mean denial – either of their need, or the Lord's response to it.
We may have no choice but to wait on God to act on our behalf. Inevitably He will - but a delay is not because God does not care. What it means is:
God our Father has something greater in mind! So:
Jesus took time to prepare the Disciples, Mary, Martha, friends gathered at their home --for a greater understanding of who He is and what all believers have in store for them by virtue of their (our) acceptance of Christ as Savior and Lord.
Remember our Lord's earlier conversation with Martha: “Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even though they die, will live. Everyone who believes and lives in Christ will never die.” (w. 25-26)
Jesus asked Martha two significant questions before raising Lazarus from the dead: "Do you believe this?" (v. 26).
Did not I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"' (v. 40} Jesus said it. That settles it. Believe it.
Martha and many of her friends believed because they actually saw Jesus perform a miracle with their own eyes. But remember what Jesus told Thomas: ". . .Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed."
Blessed are we who have not seen Him bodily and yet believe! We will see the glory of God! Jesus said it. That settles it. Believe it.
Was the death, burial and resurrection of Lazarus the end of the story? What happened next? “Therefore, many of the Jews believed . . . but some of them went to the enemies of Jesus and told them what he had done ... Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin" (11:45-47).
Long story short: They plotted to arrest Jesus in some devious way and get rid of him.
Jesus had already predicted what would happen, saying to His Disciples: “we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests.
They will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Romans who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later He will rise!" {Mark 10:32-34)
Hear once again what Jesus said to Martha that day in Bethany just minutes before He raised Lazarus from the dead: "Did not I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God!" What greater glory could there be than the raising of Lazarus from the dead? Of course, the raising of Jesus from the dead!
But first things first! Before Lazarus could be raised, he had to die, then God the Son act on his behalf. Before Jesus could be raised, He had to die, then God the Father act on his behalf.
Why did Jesus (the perfect Son of God) have to die? "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
If fallen humanity was ever going to be saved from the penalty of their sin against God, a perfect sacrifice would be required - "a Lamb without spot or blemish". God's love for human beings is so great that He spared not His Son, whose love is so great that He freely gave His life - died for our sins -for "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins." Amen!
