Lecture X: Bethany, Part VI

Jmos wqyt. Tbcn sud the Jews, Behold how he loved him T And MKBfr of them mid, Coald not this man, which opened the eyes of the bliiihftve caused that even this man should nol have died? Jesot thenfore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave It was a can, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said. Take ye away the stone. Mtfdta, the sister ef him that was dead, mith unto him. Lord; by this time 1m stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. saith unto h«r. Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldut see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place when the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said. Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou heueet me always: but, because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe tilat thou hast sent me.’* — John xL

in our last we consideFed brielj these wonderful woids When he saw Mary weeping, and the Jewi weeping, he groaned within himself, and said, Where have ye laid him V They said, ‘Come and see.” And at they led him along the path to the cave in the rock, Jesm wept.” Amazing sight! **-Jesus wept.” He was the Son of God, who thought it no robbery to be equal with’Grod — infinite in happiness — and yet he weeps so truly does he feel the sorrows of his own

I. Tke/eeUn of the Jetrs ai this sight,

1. Wanckr- at Ms love. ‘’Behold how he loved him!” These Jews were as yet only worldly men, and yet they were amazed at such an overflow of love They saw that heavenly form bowed down at the grave of Lazarus — they heard his groans of agony — they saw the tears that fell like rain from his compassionate eyes. They saw the heaving of his seamless mantle; but, ah! they saw not what was within. They saw but a Uttle of his love — they did not seeks eternity. They did not see that it was love that made him die for Lazarus. They did not know the fulness, freeness, vastness of that love of his. And yet they were astonished at it. Behold hew he loved him!” Theie is something in the love of Christ to amaze even worldly men* When Jesus gives peace loVAa oyjTvVTk.^^lxsv^. tx<luble when the waves oi tTO]^Ae comfc x wssA %wii — -’^’a.

IiECTURE X. 491

clouds aad darkness, povertjand distress oYerwbelm hit dwelling — when he ean jet be glad in the Lord, and say: ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be iB the yines; the labour of the oliye shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and ikere shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation;” — then the world are forced to say, “Behold how he loved him l” When Jesus is with the believer in death — standing beside hiiBy so that he cannot be moved — overshadowing him with his wing& — washing him in blood, and filling him with holy peace, so that he cries, To depart, and be with Christ, is far better “— then the world cry,” Behold how he loved him! “— ‘’Let me die the death oF the righteous, and let my last end be like his!”

Another solemn day is coming when all ef you who are believers shall be separated, and stand on the right hand of the throne, and Jesus shsdl welcome you, poor and hell<- deserving though you be, to share his throne, and to share his glory.. Then you who are unbelievers shall ay, with bitter wailing, ‘’ Behold how he loved them!”

2* Same dovht hie love*. ‘’ Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?” Yerse 37. It was but a little before that Jesus had given sight to a man that was born blind; and the Jews that now stood around had seen the miracle. Now they reasoned thus with one another. If he xeally loved Lazarus, could he not have kept him from dying? He that opened the eyes of the- blind, could also preserve the dying from death. They doubted his tears, they doubted his words. This is unbelief. It turns asidit the plainest declarations of the Lord Jesus, by. its own ailments..

How many of you have turned aside the love of Christ la the same way t We read, that he wept over Jerusalem. This plainly showed that he did not want them to die in their sins — that he does not want you to perish, but to have SYeriasting life. And yet you doubt his love, and turn aside his tears by some wretched argument of your own. Jesus says: ^’Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This is a simple declaration, but you turn it aside thus: If Christ had t^Vj wanted to give me rest, would he not have ptolx. xMi Mauelf before now? Unbelief tims the Twy aW^A^vji

49t UCTUBBX,

of Christ’s loye into gall and wonnwood* Some men Ae more they see of Christ the harder they grow. These Jews had seen him give sight to the blind and weep orer Laiams, and yet they only grew harder. Take heed that it be not so with you. Take heed, lest the more yoa hear of Christ, and of his lore to his own, the harder yon gam.

II. Th€ grave.

1. The command: ‘Take ye away the stone.” Chiistlii ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts like oar thoagfatai One would have thought that he would have commanded the stone to fly back by his own word. When he rose from the dead himself, the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it; “but he did not do so now. He said to the men, “Take ye away the stone.”

For two reasons. (1.) He wanted to bring out Martha unbelief, that it might be made manifest Unbelief in the heart is like evil humour in a wound — it festers; and therefore Jesus wanted to draw it out of Martha’s heait (2.) To teach us to use the means. The men around the grave could not give life to dead Lazarus, but they could roll back the stone. Now Jesus was about to use his divine power in awaking the dead, but he would not take away the stone.

Have any of you an unconverted friend for whom you pray? You know it is only Christ that can give him life it is only Christ that can call him forth; yet yon can roll away the stone- — you can use the means; you can bring your friend under the faithful preaching of the Gospel. Speak to him — write to him. “Take ye away the stone.”

2. Marthas unbelief: ‘^ Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.” Mary was silent. She did not know what Jesus was going to do; but she knew that he would do all things well. She knew that he was frill of love, and wisdom, and grace. But Martha cries out She forgot all the words of Christ. She forgot his message: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of Gm, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby.” She foigot his sweet saying: ‘’ Thy brother shall rise again;” and, “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth oa me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” She forgot her own declaration, tlia.t 3e«li& Yia xk^oiL QsiA« And see how she would iMkiveYimexdi li«t oxLTSksswjj, ^cl^Nss

LECTumB X. 498

her brothor toiderly, and jet she would haTe the stone kept Oil the mouth of the cave. She was standing in her own light.

Learn how easily jou may £^ into unbelief. A few minutes before, Martha was fidl of faith; but now she sinks

r’n. Oh, what maryellous blindness and sin there is in human heart! Learn. how unbelief shuts out your own mercy. “He did not many mighty works there, because, of their unbelief.” Martha had nearly hindered the restoration of Lazarus. Qh» do. not forget the words of Jesus, nor his wonders of loTe.aod power! ‘^ Is anything too hard for the Lord? “. 3.^ CAt’isfs reproof: ‘^ Said I not unto thee, that if thou ‘wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of Qod?” -r- Verse 40. Christ had sent this message: “This sickness is not unto death;” now he recalls his word: “Said I not unto thee?” as if he had said: Martha, have you forgotten my words? Why do you not believe my words? Am I a liar, or like waters that fail? Am I a man that I should Ue, or the son of man that I should repent? See how unbelief woundeth Jesus. “He that belie veth not God, hath made him a liar.” You will have a deeper hell than the Heathen. They will be cast away because of their sins, but you because of your sin and unbelief. “He that believeth not is condemned already.”

III. Chrisfs prayer and thanksgiving,

1, His prayer was secret. We are not told any words that he prayed; but no doubt during his groans and tears, he was praying to his Father in secret. Even in the midst of the crowd, Jesus was alone with his Father, praying for his own, that their faith might not fail. The tears of Christ were not mere tears of feelmg — they were the tears also of earnest prayer. His is no empty fellow-feeling, but real intercession. Christ teaches you to pray in sudden tiids. £ven when you cannot get any secret place, lift up your heart to him in the midst of the crowd. Ah, brethren! a sincere soul is never at a loss for a praying place to meet with God. If you are a child of God, you will find some secret place to pray. It will not do to say, you will pray when walking, or at your work, or in the midst of company. It will not do to make that your praying time through the day. No; Satan is at your right hand. Get alone with Ot %Y^sil, sgaaeh dme as voa can alone with God. tffx ^3*, «u

4M LBCTURBXI.

dien, in radden temptadons and aflSictions, yn win be able to lift your heart eadlj «Teii among die crowd to yoor Father’s ear.

2. His thanh: <’ Father, I thank thee that ihmi hast heard me, and I knew that thou bearest me always; Inft because of the people which stand by I said it that fintj may belie ve that thou hast sent me.” (1.) See what speed Christ comes in his pvayer; ^*’Thoa hearest me al¥ra78.* Erery intercesnon that Christ makes is answered. The moment he asks he is answered. If we know that Chiisft prays for us, then we know that we have what he desires. (2.) He thanks. So entirely one is Oirist with bis own, tiial he gives thanks in our name. This should teach us not only to prav, but dso to give thanks. (3.) He does this akrad, that ail around might believe on mm. Christ was always necking the convernon cf aouIs — even here, in praying and giving thanks to his Father. He does it aloud, that those aix)und him might believe on him, as the sent of Qod and the Sayiour of die world. Yea, brethren, he records it here, that ye may believe on him. For this end is Christ set before you in the Gospel as the sent of God, the compassionate Saviour, the Mediator and Intercessor, that ye may believe on him.