Jesus Raises Lazarus

-

One of the most moving stories for me in all the miracles that Jesus did is in John 11:38-44. Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave. He came there it appeared too late to do anything. In fact, when Mary and Martha see Jesus they say to him at different times. "If you had been here, my brother would not have died." 11:21,32. They didn't understand he needed for him to die to demonstrate the power of God through him. But, the reality of it is is that they spoke out of their grief and pain and lack of understanding that we all experience at times when trying to understand what an infinite God is doing. Not that it is completely possible for us to ever completely understand.

Jesus also still weeps as he sees the tomb verse 35. It is the shortest verse in the Bible, but filled with meaning. Jesus was not distant from their pain, even though he would move the stone in a few moments. Lazarus would one day go back into the grave once more. Only to one day hear that same voice again at the end of the ages. Jesus is "God with us". He sees our heartache and pain and identifies with us. He didn't rebuke Mary and Martha for their comments, though on some level they were not true. He understood they spoke from brokenness. Jesus is kind to the brokenhearted.

Jesus showed that same sensitivity at a different place with a man whose son was possessed by a demon. The demon would throw the boy to the ground and make him foam at the mouth. Think about how that would make you feel as a parent to see your child go through that. Then he brings him to the disciples and they could do nothing for him. It would make me want to scream. It would surely make me upset. Then, Jesus speaks to the man after coming down from the mountain. At this point, the man's faith is deeply shaken. He says he does believe, but to help him in his unbelief. To help him through this struggle that he is in. His faith is small, but Jesus said that faith of a mustard seed is all that is required. So, Jesus honors the man's small faith and the boy is healed. I'm glad God works with mustard seeds. I'm so there. . . .



Popular posts from this blog

Some thoughts about the church in Corinth

-
Image
    Since March of this year, I have been doing a verse by verse study of the book of 1 Corinthians.  I have also listened to the class on 1 Corinthians taught on the bibleproject web site.  In that class, the teacher spends some time speaking about the controversy of chapter 11 and Paul's role of women in the church.  Though Dr. Lucy Peppiatt has some different views than mine it is a very interesting class that I would recommend.        I have found it encouraging that though the Corinth church had many problems Paul still had a lot of good things to say about them.  For example, in chapter 1 verse 4, he says that he always thanks God for them because they have been enriched in every way.  It says that they do not lack in any spiritual gift.  He never questions their salvation, though he does describe them in chapter 3 as "infants in Christ".  Paul may have written another letter to Corinth which remains lost that was possibly more direct and harsh.  But, he never gives
Read more

Introduction and chapter 1 of 1 John notes

-
  Study of 1 John started November 5, 2023 1 John Introduction The author- John was possibly born in Bethsaida (John 1:44) and was a son of Zebedee and Salome.  It appears his mother helped with the financial support of Christ (Mark 15:40,41).  He and his brother James were called “sons of thunder” Mk 3:17.  John lived in Ephesus, the capital of the province of Asia Minor, the Roman proconsul resided there.  John may have been battling against Gnosticism during his later years.  It said that deity cannot unite itself with anything physical such as a body.  It understood that knowledge is superior to virtue.  John battled against this by saying that Christ came in the flesh.  It is possible that 1 John may have been written around 90 A.D.   Wycliffe divides the book up into these sections Fellowship’s conditions 1:5-10 Fellowship’s conduct 2:1-29 Fellowship’s characteristics 3:1-24 Fellowship’s cautions 4:1-21 Fellowship’s cause 5:1-21 1 John 1 John begins by saying that which was from
Read more

The wise men Matthew 2

-
    Matthew chapter 2 starts like this 2  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,  [ a ] wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  2  saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”   3  When Herod the king heard  this,  he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  4  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.   5  So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6  ‘But   you, Bethlehem,   in   the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’  ” I've always thought that there were three wise men who came to find Jesus, but the scripture doesn't actually ever say that there was 3 men.  It says that there were wise men who gave Jesus three gifts
Read more