The Word This Week
John 11:17…
Now that the time necessary for the glory of God and of the Son of God to be established has passed, Jesus and His disciples made the journey from across the Jordan River in the region of Perea back to Judea.
This is a potentially dangerous trip, of more than 20 miles on foot with an elevation change of 3500 feet from the lowest spot on earth near the Dead Sea up to the area of Bethany, about 2 miles from Jerusalem.
We remember Martha and Mary had sent a message to Jesus pleading with Jesus to come immediately because their brother Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, was sick. It was apparent to them the sickness was so serious that apart from Jesus’ healing touch Lazarus may die.
Curiously, Jesus delayed two more days after receiving the message about Lazarus before departing.
We know now the wait was necessary for God and the Son of God to be glorified. Jesus had declared, (of Lazarus,) “This sickness is not unto death.”
Then at the end of the two days wait, before departing, Jesus had plainly declared, “Lazarus is dead.”
How could both of these statements of Jesus be true?
In the seventh of the seven miracles recorded by John, (the Holy Spirit,) we are about to find out.
Upon arriving near Bethany, Jesus was met by Martha, still heavy with grief. She apparently left her house to meet Jesus to keep Jesus separated from the Jews, who were at the home to provide comfort through the grieving process. Her faith remained strong enough in Jesus to declare, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” But the unspoken curiosity remained. Why had it taken Jesus four days to get there?
Her despairing expressions elicited one of the greatest statements by Jesus in the Gospels: “I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
Then the same exact process played out with Mary, who left the home to meet Jesus after Martha secretly informed Mary of Jesus’ arrival. The sisters were absolutely devastated with grief over the death of their brother.
While joining in their deepest grief over the cause of death even existing in the world in the first place, Jesus was about to do something about it – that no one expected but Jesus Himself.
Pastor Bill
Now that the time necessary for the glory of God and of the Son of God to be established has passed, Jesus and His disciples made the journey from across the Jordan River in the region of Perea back to Judea.
This is a potentially dangerous trip, of more than 20 miles on foot with an elevation change of 3500 feet from the lowest spot on earth near the Dead Sea up to the area of Bethany, about 2 miles from Jerusalem.
We remember Martha and Mary had sent a message to Jesus pleading with Jesus to come immediately because their brother Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, was sick. It was apparent to them the sickness was so serious that apart from Jesus’ healing touch Lazarus may die.
Curiously, Jesus delayed two more days after receiving the message about Lazarus before departing.
We know now the wait was necessary for God and the Son of God to be glorified. Jesus had declared, (of Lazarus,) “This sickness is not unto death.”
Then at the end of the two days wait, before departing, Jesus had plainly declared, “Lazarus is dead.”
How could both of these statements of Jesus be true?
In the seventh of the seven miracles recorded by John, (the Holy Spirit,) we are about to find out.
Upon arriving near Bethany, Jesus was met by Martha, still heavy with grief. She apparently left her house to meet Jesus to keep Jesus separated from the Jews, who were at the home to provide comfort through the grieving process. Her faith remained strong enough in Jesus to declare, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” But the unspoken curiosity remained. Why had it taken Jesus four days to get there?
Her despairing expressions elicited one of the greatest statements by Jesus in the Gospels: “I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
Then the same exact process played out with Mary, who left the home to meet Jesus after Martha secretly informed Mary of Jesus’ arrival. The sisters were absolutely devastated with grief over the death of their brother.
While joining in their deepest grief over the cause of death even existing in the world in the first place, Jesus was about to do something about it – that no one expected but Jesus Himself.
Pastor Bill