Lecture IX: Bethany, Part V
‘And ‘when she bad so said, she went her waj, and called Mary ber sister secretly, saying. The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon ’ as she neard tnat, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus -was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The. Jews then which were with her in the house, and con forted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she feU dewn at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeing, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he in the spirit, and was troidpled, and said. Where have ye lud him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept,* — John xi. 28-35.
EL The calling of Mary.
1. Observe Martha is the messenger. Martha had got a
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Hide oomfort front thai sweet word of Jesot, l am At MiiiRection and the life Her faith had been rerired by ’ the queBtip, ‘’ Belieyest thoap this? “The swelling tide of •OROw in bet breast was calmed: Amd when she had said, she went has way, and called Mary.” Those who baie been comforted by Christ tiiemselyes, are the fittest mmOf gen to bring comfort to others. “Blessed be Crod, ercB the Father of enr Lord Jesos Ghiist, thep Father ofmeicieii and the God of all comfort,, whoi comforted us- in all ow tribulation, that we maybe able to comferi them which ait in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselises aie comforted of God.” — 1 Cor. i. d, 4. God takes his miiHi’ ters through divers triab and consolations, just that hi may make them fitting messeneers to comfort others. 0! it is thai we can tell others of the excellence of the apple ti»e, when we have been sitting under its shadow, and eating its pleasant fruits.
Martha* was but a weak bekeTen compared with Maij, and yet she is made the ehannel of conveying the jojfel news to her. It is a great mistake to think that none but eminent believers are made useful in the Church of God. God often feeds eminent believers by a weak ministiy’ The minister has often less grace than, those to whom he ministers. Especially when eminent believers are cast down and perplexed, fiquently a very small means is used tQ lift them up again.
2^ SAe called her secretly. The last time the Saviour was in Judea, they took up stones to- stone him to death; and probably some of the Jews who were sitting beside Mary were among his bitter enemies* Martha therefore came in, and whispered sofUy into Mary’s ear, “The Master is come,.and ealleth for thee.” She feared the Jtews. Jesus had done much for her,, and she was tender of his safetj and of his cause Thus does it’ become those of you for whom us has done much to be tender of his honour, tender of his name and cause. You will feel as & member of his body, and that you have no interest separate fixpm him.
3. The viessage ‘* The Master is come,, and ealleth for thee.” Mary was sitting sad and desolate in the cottage at Bethany. It was now the fourth day from the funeral, and yet no comfort came. The place of Lazarus was emptj; the house looked desolate without him, and Jesus had not come. He had sent them a message — that this sickness
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ifas not unto death; yet his word was brok and he had not come. Mary knew not what to think. Why does he tanry beyond Jordan? she would say to herself; has he fortten -to be gracious? Suddenly her sister whispers, “The Master 18 come, and calleth for thee.” Christ wa» near the cottage before she knew. So it was that morning at the Lake of Tiberias, when “Jesus stood on the shore,, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus;” or that evening when the two disciples went to Emmaus and Jesus drew near, but their eyes were holden that they did not know him. So. does death come upon the believer in Jesus. “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” So will Jesus come to his weeping, desolate Church, and this cry shall awake the dead. The Master ia come, and calleth for thee.”
II. Mary s going. Verses 29-Sl.
1. She arose quickly. It is evident that Mary was the more deeply affected of the two sisters. Martha was able to go about, but Mary sat still in the house. She felt the absence of Christ more than Martha. She believed his “word more, and when that word seemed to fail, Mary’s heart was nearly broken. Ah! it is -a deep sorrow when natural and spiritual grief come together. Affliction is «ay borne if we have the smile of Jehovah’s countenance. Why does the mourner rise, and, hastily drying her tears, with eager step leave the cottage door? Her friends who sat around her she seems quite to forget. “The Master is come.” Such is the presence of the Lord Jesus to mourners till. The world’s comforters are all physicians of no value. Miserable comforters are they all. They have no balm for a wounded spirit. “The heart knoweth its own bitterness.” But when the Master comes and calls us, the soul revives. There is life in his call — his voice speaketh peace. “In me ye shall have peace.” Mourners should rise up quickly, and go to Jesus. The bereaved should spread their sorrows at the feet of Christ.
2. The place: “Now Jesos was not yet come into the town.” — ^Yerse 30. Jesus had probably come far that day perhaps all the way from Jericho. He had journeyed onwards on foot, till he came to the foot of the Mount of Oliv and halted beneath the trees that skirt the village of Bethany. He did not go into the town till he had finied the work for which he came. Perhaps he was hungry and thirsty as he was that day when he sat beside
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Jacob’s well, and said, ^’ Gire me to drink.” Bat lie did not mention it now. His mind was intent upon bis woik — the raising of dead Lazarus, and the glorifying of lui Father 8 great name. I have meat to eat that ye know not of” — ‘^ My meat is to do the will of him that sratme, and to finish his work.” Christ’s delight in saying sinsen, and doing good to his own, oyercame bis sense of bmi and thirst, and weariness. Ob! see what a ready Ugk priest we have to go to. And see what is our true happiness, namely, to do God’s holy will, not much mindng bodily comforts. They baye most of the mind of Chiist; and most of the joy of Christy who prefer his sezrioe ti bodily rest and refiresbment.
3. The Jews followed Maty^Vene 31. We saw that it was natural kindness that brought them to Bethany; and so natural kindness makes them follow Mary now. Thej could not comprehend her spiritual grief, and thought she was going to the grave to weep there. Yet this was the means of leading some of them to the spot where diey were born again. “Many of the Jews believed on him.” — Yem 45. How wondeHul are God s ways of leading men i» Christ I And I will bring the blind by a way that thef know not: I will lead them in paths that they have not known.” One soul is led by curiosity, like Zaccheus, to go and hear a particular minister, and the word is sent home with power. Another goes in kindness to a friend, and is arrested and sent home with a bleeding heart. His name is Wonderful — his ways are wonderful — his grace is wonderful. Learn that it is good to cleaye to the godly, and to go with them. They may lead you to where Jesus is.
in. The meeting with Jestis, — Verses 32-^35.
1. Mari/*s tender humility. With eager footstep Maiy hurried over the rocky footpath. Jesus was standing in the same place where Martha met him; and as she approached, he bent his compassionate eyes upon her. Maiy saw, and fell at his feet. What a crowd of feelings were in her breast at that momeit! She wondered why he had not come sooner. That was a dark mystery to her. She knew he was her Saviour, and the Son of God. She knew that he loved her; and yet she fell at his feet. She felt that she was a vile sinner, worthy to be trampled on. She felt that sbe waa a. vioxicv «xilw. ^V Wc boe was in Jesus. Abl bretbien, ltla«>Nftfc..oli^!XAfeVilsStA^^3Ks^
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place. The most eminent believers are the lowliest. Paul said: ^’ I am the chief of sinners;” and, ^’ I am less than the least of all saints.” The nearer you take anything to the light, the darker its spots appear; and the nearer you live to God, the more you will see your own utter yileness.
2. Mary repeal Martha 9 complaint: ‘Lord, if thou badst been here, my brother had not died.” — Verse 32. From this it is plain that the two sisters had been often ccmreFsing upon Christ’s absence; and they had agreed upon this, that if Christ had been there, their brother had not died. It was both presumptuous and unbelieving. Perhaps Mary learned it from Martha. We are very apt to learn unbelief from one another. The Bible says: ^’ Exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day.” But believers frequently discourage one another.
3. Jems’ compassion, (1.) When he saWy he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. This is humanity. Hia eye affected his heart, when he saw her weeping — her whom lie loved so well — so eminent a believer — «ne whom he had washed and justified. When he saw the Jews weeping mere worldly friends- — he groaned within himself. So when he came near, and beheld the city, he wept over it; when he saw the widow of Nain, he had compassion on her; when he saw the multitudes of Cralilee, like sheep without a shepherd, he had compassion on them. All this shows his perfect humanity. He is bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. (2.) He askedt Where have ye laid him 9 This also was human. As God he knew well where they had laid him; but he wanted them to lead him to the grave. (3.) Jesiuvoept, When he saw the cave, and the stone, and the weeping friends,” Jesus wept.** He wept because his heart was deeply touched. It was not feigned weeping t was real. He knew that he was to raise him from the dead, and yet he wept because others wept. He wept as our example, to teach us to weep with one another. He wept to show what was in him. We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace; that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.** — Heb. iv. 15, 16.
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