The scripture for today is John 11:1-45. Before proceeding take your bible and read this lengthy portion of scripture. You, as a Christian, have heard it before. But please do not rely on memory. Make this a part of your devotion.
I. We are living in a totally different time. There have been times where we have faced flu and there have been many deaths from the regular influenza. The common flu has a death rate of .01 % and Covid 19’s death rate is 01.00%. The position of the decimal point makes a enormous difference.
On Saturday, March 27, 2020, Italy has 10,000 deaths. The epicenter is marching towards Spain. There is no accurate count coming out of China at this time.
We all realize that most, if not all of us will die before Christ returns. The somber stories change as we stare at our own demise. It becomes personal. In the last hours before my mother died she whispered over and over “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” She knew there was death denying, pain easing power in that name.
The scripture you just read opens with this incident report: “Now a man named Lazarus was sick.” It was overwhelming and we soon read, “So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
Now you think this would have made Jesus get a little strut in his sandals. Instead, Jesus stayed where he was for two more days THEN headed to Judea.
By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days.
II. Can you imagine calling for an ambulance and it arrives on the scene two hours after you called? We would be furious. Mary and Martha were saddened that Jesus had not come in time to heal their brother. They were emotionally devastated because their friend, one they had learn to love, had not come quickly.
Jesus was calm even when his disciples reminded him that it was at this place, in Judea where they were headed, that some people had earlier tried to kill him.
In his teaching mode, Jesus instructed them that they were to walk in the day time rather than in darkness so they will not trip nor fall. I am not sure that was much comfort for those who saw stones flying earlier. Sometimes what Jesus taught did not make sense until long after he was gone.
III. As anticipated, when Christ drew near, Mary was advised that he was coming. She went to meet him and those who came to mourn at her house followed her. When Mary encountered Jesus, she fell at his feet and cried, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Do you sense the emotional pain, loss and anger as she cried out to Jesus? In other words, Jesus you failed us!
Dealing with grieving families can be difficult because emotions are raw. Arguments, anger, misunderstandings and pent up feelings appear. Hurt people end up hurting others.
The tomb was foreshadowing what was ahead for Jesus. No other person connected the present to the future. This was a strange and eerie moment.
Arriving at burial sight was repulsive, Lazarus had been in the grave four days. There is nothing more putrid than rotting flesh. That is what the group encountered when Mary led Jesus to the sepulcher. The weeping, the smell from the stench of death …… then, in scripture, comes the shortest and a most powerful scripture found in the bible, “Jesus wept!” (John 11:35)
IV. The very humanness of Christ came gushing with emotions. In mideastern culture, weeping was not simply blotting tears from his eyes. His chest shook and ached, sobbing and perhaps the beating of his chest came from Jesus as he realized that there was now a separation, a divide between himself and Lazarus. Emotions were well displayed and today there are places where professional wailers are hired by families to grieve loudly and show what the families are feeling.
Shut your eyes and place an image of our Lord showing his humanness. Jesus hurt deeply, even knowing that he had the power to reverse the pain and confusion.
Earlier Martha told Jesus that she realized her brother would rise again in the resurrection, at the last day.
Jesus responded, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Now as Jesus asked, I ask you and myself, ‘Do we believe this?”
V. Jesus stood at the opening of that grave and first thanked God and then commanded his dear friend, Lazarus, to come out of the grave. Jesus SHOUTED AND LAZARUS WALKED OUT OF THAT DARK, STINKING GRAVE. Imagine that! Jesus spoke life into the one he wept over a few minutes before. AND HE RETURNED TO LIFE. Looking like a mummy Lazarus came walking out.
( Now say Amen… really, say it loudly, AMEN! – Our God reigns).
VI. Remember, when everything has crumbled around us and health is failing and we are weeping before God, there is STILL fresh, anointing power from Our Father. Believe this and your life will be transformed over and over again.
VII. Memorize verses 25 & 26 and say them every morning this week.
Yikes …. homework. Yes, a blessed, heartwarming homework.
VIII. Prepare your heart for Easter and renew your faith during these days and you will have new visions of the Kingdom of God.
“And He walks with me and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am his own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known”
Song: “In the Garden”
Author: C. Austin Miles