3/14/11- Couldn't God Have Kept This From Happening? John 11:21,32,37

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”


35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

(The Resurrection of Lazarus by Henry Ossawa Tanner d. 1937)

Thoughts: Three times someone said to Jesus, "If you had been here you could have kept this from happening."  In a twisted way, this is faith.  In another way, it is angry faith.  Why didn't God prevent this good man from dying?  God had a further purpose in mind (God's glory- 11:4).   Why doesn't God ride into the rescue all the time and prevent earthquakes, hurricanes, nuclear disasters, tsunamis?  It would be ridiculous to answer this simply- yet the answer is left in the mystery of the purposes of God.  To complain that God did not perform a miracle to prevent tragedy, is a waste of breath and thought.  A more constructive thought would be to believe He is the resurrection and the life (11:25), and that He loves those who are hurting, sympathizing with their pain- as He did Lazarus's. 

Prayer: May those who wonder where you were, find your help and strength, O Lord.  Especially we pray for the people of Japan and Lybia this day.

John Calvin Abridged:  "Lord if you had been here"- The power of Christ ought not to have been limited to his bodily presence.  We show our ingratitude against God when we complain that He did not save us as we thought he ought.  If He does not grant all our wishes we immediately launch into complaints.  There are two dangers here: 1) We rashly desire what is expedient for us- subjecting God to the perverse desires of the flesh; 2) We are rude and impatient in our ardor. 

11/15/10 John 11:1-16 Fearless Jesus

1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

(Lazarus and Jesus, Carl Bloch 1834-90)

Thoughts: Jesus was fearless.  Of course, some would say that his fearlessness eventually ended up with his being killed on the cross.  But the fearlessness of Jesus relies on the strong power of God- who raised Lazarus and raised Jesus.  We should never look at the cross without peering through the lens of the resurrection.  That would almost be like looking at Lazarus' sickness and death without remembering God was glorified through the sickness and death by Lazarus's resurrection!  Jesus' fearlessness is even contagious to doubting Thomas who was willing to go to his death with Jesus at this point. Jesus was much more focused on doing the work of God than trying to avoid his enemies. 

Prayer: Give me courage, in a fearful age, Lord. Give me courage to rely on you- my ultimate hope.

Joihn Calvin abridged: There were others that Christ raised from the dead, but this was the first time he raised someone that had been a stinking corpse.  This might be said to be the last and concluding miracle of Christ for the time of his death was near.  From Christ's love they had a basis for a confident hope in assistance.  Jesus said that the sickness was not unto death to ease their anxiety.  Here Jesus shows that the glory that is due God is also due the Son.  So those who think they worship God but blaspheme Christ are mistaken in their worship of God (Jn. 5:23).  The disciples feigned fear for their Master, but were really concerned for their own safety.  Those who dread their cross shrink from the performance of their duty, and seek to find an excuse for their indolence, thinking they are not robbing God of the obedience that is due Him. Christ boldly goes into Judea relying on God's protection, for God's light shines on us directing our steps.