_THE DISCIPLINE OF SICKNESS_ ‘Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.’ John 11:1 Lazarus, ‘whom Jesus loved,’ was allowed to be sick, and in pain, and weary, and to languish, and suffer, like any other man. I. SICKNESS CAN NEVER BE ANYTHING... [ Continue Reading ]
_A LOVED FAMILY_ ‘Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.’ John 11:5 The characters of these three people seem to have been somewhat different. Of Martha, we are told that she was ‘careful aud troubled about many things,’ while Mary ‘sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.’ Of Lazarus... [ Continue Reading ]
_DIVINE DELAY_ ‘When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place where He was.’ John 11:6 It is impossible not to remark an intentional and most instructive connection between this verse and the preceding one. Our Lord loved the family of Bethany, all three... [ Continue Reading ]
_LIFE AND WORK_ ‘Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.’ John 11:9 God has marked out beforehand the length of the life. This was true, first and foremost, of the life of Christ. His day had it... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP_ ‘After that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.’ John 11:11 The death of true Christians is ‘sleep,’ and not annihilation. I. IT IS A SOLEMN AND MIRACULOUS CHANGE.—The sharpest sting of death is the sense of unpardoned sin. Christians have nothing to f... [ Continue Reading ]
_‘THAT WE MAY DIE WITH HIM’_ ‘Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow=disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ John 11:16 This was the devoted resolution of St. Thomas directly our Lord had given the word to His little company to return into Judæa, quite well knowi... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MOURNER’S HOPE_ ‘I am the Resurrection, and the Life.’ John 11:25 Our Church has chosen these words of comfort and of hope to be the very first to be sounded in the ears of Christian mourners as they bring some well-loved form to the churchyard—‘the garden of the dead.’ Before the lifeless b... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MASTER_ ‘The Master is come.’ John 11:28 There are five different Greek words in the New Testament translated ‘Master’ in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us think of these five characteristics of the Master. I. THE OVERSEER.—He the Overseer and we the underworker... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE TEARS OF CHRIST_ ‘Jesus wept.’ John 11:35 The emotions of Christ were perfectly true to nature. The Saviour dissolved in tears, presents a spectacle of apparent effeminacy of character not in keeping with His dignity and greatness. Yet, was it really so? Tears are not always marks of weaknes... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RAISING OF LAZARUS_ ‘Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth.’ John 11:43 I. THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. (_a_) _ He was vehemently moved_ against the havoc wrought by sin in the world, and the necessity of submitting to the presence of the prying Jews. (_b_) _ He shed quiet tears_... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE GATHERED ONES_ ‘But that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.’ John 11:52 This prophecy is the more remarkable as being—with the exception of Balaam’s—the only prophecy in the Bible which was spoken by a bad man. The great design of the whole... [ Continue Reading ]