Subscription Lists
Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
In John Chapter 11 and at verse 3, when Lazarus is sick, Mary and Mary, his sisters, send an urgent message to Jesus, but just as information. They do not say “Come right away!” Jesus is their best friend. Jesus is their best doctor, and Jesus delays two days.
Jesus does not rush in to heal the sickness and deal with the anxiety, and remember Jesus has the power and ability to heal at a distance, but on this occasion He doesn’t. The delay is quite deliberate.
This can be one of the hardest things to do – to see someone in need – and to stand back for a season, knowing that it is God’s will for you to do so.
Jesus want to ensure that what happens here will bring glory to God. Jesus has a higher aim – a higher goal – and Jesus takes the long term view.
What is it all going to lead to? The final outcome will not be death, but life.
Verse 9 – Jesus says that the day has twelve hours. The length of the day has already been decided. The length of my day has already been determined. The Psalmist knew this too. “God, you have counted the number of my days, even before I was born.”
I do not know how long your day is, and I don’t know how long my day is, but God has decided these things. You cannot lengthen your day nor shorten it.
If you are walking in the light of God no man can touch you prematurely. Your day will be long enough to do what God wants you to do. You are immortal until your work is completed.
Jesus knew that He was walking in the light of the Father, but if a man is walking in darkness then it is possible that he may fall or stumble, and not be able to do what God wants him to do.
We must be careful we do not fall – physically and spiritually. We are to seek to complete the work which Jesus Christ has given us to do.
From these words of Jesus we learn that to Jesus death is just like someone falling asleep, and Jesus is speaking about Lazarus’s death.
Verse 16 – Jesus then decides to go to Bethany, and Thomas says, “Come on – let’s go – we’ll all go – He’ll be killed – we may as well be killed too!” Here is courage. They know the life of Jesus is in real danger, and their life too is under threat. They are aware of the danger and they are prepared to go on. There are not many people around today like that.
Jesus and his men make their way to Bethany and when they arrive Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days. The community has gathered around Mary and Martha in their time of mourning. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house.
Verse 21 – If only had been here my brother would not have died. And yet, she has faith that Jesus Christ can heal the sick. Jesus talks to Martha. Then Jesus meets Mary and she too has faith in Jesus to heal the sick, but her faith does not stretch to raising the dead!
We see here two sisters meeting Jesus, and their words are quite similar, but their reactions are different. Different people react differently to bereavement.
Some talk and talk and talk. Others say very little, and just weep. Some think a lot and some feel a lot. Some are confused in their mind whilst others are overwhelmed in their hearts.
We also see here how sensitive Jesus is.
To Martha Jesus has quite a lot to say. With Mary Jesus just asks a question and weeps.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Word from Scotland" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.