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25 October 2007
John 11 v 28-37
After Martha said this, she went back and talked to her sister Mary alone. Martha said, "The Teacher is here and he is asking for you." When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. Jesus had not yet come into the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews were with Mary in the house, comforting her. When they saw her stand and leave quickly, they followed her, thinking she was going to the tomb to cry there. But Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled. He asked, "Where did you bury him?"
"Come and see, Lord," they said.
Jesus cried.
So the Jews said, "See how much he loved him."
But some of them said, "If Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man, why couldn't he keep Lazarus from dying?"
British society is known for being reserved and stoical, and many people see God like this. But here we see how much of a feeling God we have. First, Martha tells Mary that Jesus is asking for her - Jesus wants to spend time with us, to comfort us and strengthen our faith. Then we see that he was 'upset and deeply troubled'. The original Greek implies it was anger that he felt - he is angry at the hold death has over us, and the pain it causes to people he loves. And we hear how Jesus wept. Romans 12:15 says to weep with those who weep, and we see here the empathy and compassion he feels with us. This is not an unfeeling God we serve.
This passage also contains different human responses to Jesus. In Luke 10:41, Martha had let busyness get in the way of spending time with Jesus, and wanted to draw Mary away from him; but now, she wants to bring Mary to him, to share in the comfort she's received from him.
When she heard Jesus was calling for her, Mary responded immediately by rising up and going to him. And like Martha, Mary does not let her disappointment damage her relationship with Jesus, but instead falls at his feet, the place of humble submission to his will.
Then there's the response of the mourners. Most saw the Jesus that cared. Yet a few had hardened their hearts toward him, despite knowing Jesus had performed the miraculous in healing a blind man.
Consider which of these responses you most relate to. Ask for his help to respond immediately to him, and to keep your heart soft towards him. Thank him that he's not unfeeling, but is a passionate God.
Written by Dan Cooper
John 11 v 28-37
After Martha said this, she went back and talked to her sister Mary alone. Martha said, "The Teacher is here and he is asking for you." When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. Jesus had not yet come into the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews were with Mary in the house, comforting her. When they saw her stand and leave quickly, they followed her, thinking she was going to the tomb to cry there. But Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
When Jesus saw Mary crying and the Jews who came with her also crying, he was upset and was deeply troubled. He asked, "Where did you bury him?"
"Come and see, Lord," they said.
Jesus cried.
So the Jews said, "See how much he loved him."
But some of them said, "If Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man, why couldn't he keep Lazarus from dying?"
British society is known for being reserved and stoical, and many people see God like this. But here we see how much of a feeling God we have. First, Martha tells Mary that Jesus is asking for her - Jesus wants to spend time with us, to comfort us and strengthen our faith. Then we see that he was 'upset and deeply troubled'. The original Greek implies it was anger that he felt - he is angry at the hold death has over us, and the pain it causes to people he loves. And we hear how Jesus wept. Romans 12:15 says to weep with those who weep, and we see here the empathy and compassion he feels with us. This is not an unfeeling God we serve.
This passage also contains different human responses to Jesus. In Luke 10:41, Martha had let busyness get in the way of spending time with Jesus, and wanted to draw Mary away from him; but now, she wants to bring Mary to him, to share in the comfort she's received from him.
When she heard Jesus was calling for her, Mary responded immediately by rising up and going to him. And like Martha, Mary does not let her disappointment damage her relationship with Jesus, but instead falls at his feet, the place of humble submission to his will.
Then there's the response of the mourners. Most saw the Jesus that cared. Yet a few had hardened their hearts toward him, despite knowing Jesus had performed the miraculous in healing a blind man.
Consider which of these responses you most relate to. Ask for his help to respond immediately to him, and to keep your heart soft towards him. Thank him that he's not unfeeling, but is a passionate God.
Written by Dan Cooper