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Tag: Lazarus

  • Lazarus – HELP from the grave

    Lazarus – HELP from the grave

    Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
    And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.

    עָזְרֵ֤נוּ אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י יִשְׁעֵ֗נוּ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר כְּבֹֽוד־שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וְהַצִּילֵ֥נוּ וְכַפֵּ֥ר עַל־֝חַטֹּאתֵ֗ינוּ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמֶֽךָ׃

    Psalm 79:9 – NASB, Masoretic Text

    Where does my help come from?

    I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

    My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

    Psalm 121:1-2 KJV
    map from Bethany ascent to city of Jerusalem

    Each year as the festival crowds approached Jerusalem, weary and faithful Jews making the pilgrimage would pause to rest in places nearby before their walking ascent up the hill leading to the Temple.

    Bethany would have been one of these places – a town where Jesus would stay with a good friend and later perform a sign the He IS the Messiah of Israel.

    John 11:

    Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany…

    John’s Gospel begins by mentioning the village along with details of Mary and Martha which do not happen until later, but of course have already happened by the time John writes his Good News to the churches and unbelievers.

    Although we have just read of a story from the festival of Hanukkah where Jesus may have also stayed over at Bethany (we cannot be certain), I remind us that John’s Gospel is not strictly chronoligical.

    The importance here relates to the characters – the real people of this family living in the village of Bethany outside Jerusalem. And what we are about to witness is not only a miracle and sign of Jesus, but the human love of true friends of this family by the Lord.

    A messenger asks Jesus to help a friend

    3 So the sisters sent a messenger to tell Yeshua, “Lord, your close friend is sick.”

    These friends knew where to find Jesus, where He was preaching.

    Jesus most likely had already been in this part of Judea, but departed for Samaria and other distant places as was His custom traveling from town to town preaching the Good News.

    4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

    John gives us an important background to their friendship without providing specific details of where Jesus was teaching, but he tells us something important about this family in Jesus’ earthly relationships.

    5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

    John 11:5

    It is the same description John uses so often to describe the Incarnate Lord Jesus – ἀγαπάω – agapaō – ‘of persons to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly.

    Christians are to love the world in this same way Jesus loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus. For John uses this same word to describe how God ‘loved’ humans made in his image.

    “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

    John 3:16 NASB – agapaō

    Yet the messenger might have thought Jesus’s response to be somewhat dismissive. “This sickness is not to end in death…”

    6 Yet, when Yeshua heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. Then, after the two days, Yeshua said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

    What do we fear?

    Even in the unexpected crisis of these last days what does man fear most?

    Death!

    It was the death of their brother Mary and Martha feared. And the Apostles also fear capture and death due to several previous attempts by Jerusalem’s religious officials to kill their friend Jesus. The Disciples fear death even though Jesus had demonstrated His power over nature time and time again.

    8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, not long ago the Jews wanted to stone you to death. Do you really want to go back there?”

    9 Yeshua answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day don’t stumble, because they see the light of this world. However, those who walk at night stumble because they have no light in themselves.”

    Jesus again assures His own Apostles that He is the Light of the world and reminds that Jerusalem’s leaders have no light of God in their actions.

    Lazarus

    … and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

    Of course the Apostles continue in their regular banter questioning the Lord as to His motives. Yet before we proceed to Jesus’ sign, let’s take a closer look at His friend Lazarus.

    Λάζαρον –

    Λάζαρος
    Lazaros – Lazarus = “whom God helps” (a form of the Hebrew name Eleazar)

    Jesus also tells a parable of another man, Lazarus, a poor beggar who died and God helped.

    אֶלְעָזָר

    el·ä·zär’  – same meaning in Hebrew was the name of Aaron’s son, also a Levite Priest, as well as several others in this Bible.

    Clearly, if Jesus is going to help Lazarus it is God who helps the man close to death.

    Lazarus is dead

    Jesus has not spelled it out in His first mention to the Apostles as they attempt to convince the Lord not to return to Judea.

    12 Then the disciples said to him,

    “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.”

    (The Disciples certainly do not care to risk returning to Bethany near Jerusalem.)

    14 Then Yeshua told them plainly,

    “Lazarus has died, but I’m glad that I wasn’t there so that you can grow in faith. Let’s go to Lazarus.”

    How does Jesus know these things?

    Can a mere man know such truths?

    Of course the Disciples had witnessed such knowledge possible only from God before. Yet like us, they lack faith that Jesus can take authority over the situation as it involves their mortal lives.

    16 Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to the rest of the disciples,

    “Let’s go so that we, too, can die with Yeshua.”

    Isn’t that how we feel when confronted by death?

    How will Jesus help us, we ask ourselves?

    Can the Son of Man HELP a man already dead?

    That’s the question lurking in the back of our minds when we pray to God.

    Can God help me even though I am dead? Will the Lord keep me from death?

    Jesus returns to Bethany and eventually Jerusalem to answer the immediate questions of Lazarus’ death, the soon-to-be asked questions about the Disciples’ deaths due to following Jesus and most importantly our eternal questions about death appointed to each mortal man and our only hope of resurrection to the Light of eternal life.

    To be continued, God-willing...
  • Your Mistake – You Don’t Know the Power of God

    Your Mistake – You Don’t Know the Power of God

    Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.

    Matthew 22:29 NLT

    The Power of God

    Psalm 68:

    God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
    and those who hate him shall flee before him!
    2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
    as wax melts before fire,
    so the wicked shall perish before God!
    3 But the righteous shall be glad;
    they shall exult before God;
    they shall be jubilant with joy!

    18 You ascended on high,
    leading a host of captives in your train
    and receiving gifts among men,
    even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.

    19 Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah

    28 Summon your power, O God,
    the power, O God, by which you have worked for us…

    34 Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel,
    and whose power is in the skies.

    35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary;
    the God of Israel—

    he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
    Blessed be God!

    Who is in Control?

    Political and religious bickering such as is common in every age postures man against man and promotes idea against ideal. Jesus encountered such controversies as part of everyday life and ministry, yet refused to become entangled in issues of authority.

    The hidden question beneath numerous inquiries to Jesus from religious officials of every belief was, ‘do you see why we are right and that you are wrong?’

    Their assumption of the Son of Man was that Jesus would have taken control (like they would have seized power) IF He IS the Son of God.

    Yet God did not sacrifice his only Son for power of control, but for forgiveness of sins.

    When do powerful leaders look upwards to the Lord in humility?

    Where was the humility of Jerusalem’s religious leaders in the presence of their Messiah Incarnate? They continued to cling to what little control Rome would allow. To relinquish power to Jesus would mean giving up authority of their position. 

    Perhaps the best illustration of the questions of authority of the Lord Jesus Christ from officials in control of the people takes place in their first dialogue after clearing the Temple.

     MATTHEW 21:

    Quotes & Events:

    “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

    Jesus, surrounded and worshiped by crowds, rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. (Christians celebrate this occasion as Palm Sunday.) He drove out all who were buying and selling from the temple of God.

    “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

    He healed the blind and the lame in the courtyards of the temple. Crowds continued to praise Jesus, while the established religious authorities continue to question their witness to miracles.

    … they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?”

    “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

    Jesus left for Bethany, home of Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead! He returned the next morning and crowds continued to follow and Praise the Lord.

    Do you suppose the multitudes praising Jesus in Jerusalem included those who had witnessed the resurrection of Lazareth in Bethany?

    Yes! Of course. 

    Resurrection – Only by the Power of God

    John 12:

    Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead…

    9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

    10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

    12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

    To be continued…

    By What Authority? – Leaders, Law, Scriptures, God

     

     

     

     

  • For you will always have the poor – 2

    For you will always have the poor – 2

    “For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” – John 12:1 NKJV

    This remark of Jesus cuts right to the quick, does it not? A sense of urgency here: the Son of Man is about to depart from the company of those the Lord came to save.

    An earlier story (in the home of Lazarus)

    Once again, I ask us to examine the 5 W’s of the gospel accounts.

    In the first part of this series we examined the gospel of Mark.

    We established some facts:

    1. It took place on Tuesday, two days prior to the Passover.
    2. It took place in Bethany, in the home of Simon the Leper.
    3. An unnamed woman came in and broke an alabaster flask, anointing Jesus’ head.
    4. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?” [Once more, ‘to themselves.’]
    5. Jesus praises the unnamed woman.

    Read carefully a similar, earlier incident from the gospel of John:

    John 12:

    Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

    Again, earlier – six days before the Passover, not two. And as we mentioned the Passover that year was a Thursday; therefore, most likely on the evening of the Sabbath, Friday, not the following Tuesday after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

    Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, for a final Sabbath meal with his dear friends.

    2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.

    Once again, we are in Bethany, but with all certainty Lazarus is hosting the meal with Jesus as honored guest in his own home (not one of another resident of Bethany who will host them all just four days later). Martha, Mary, Lazarus and Judas Iscariot are all named in addition to Jesus.

    3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

    Some new detail

    In addition to naming Lazarus, Mary and Martha, we now learn that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. It is the act of a servant, an act of humility. Furthermore, we learn from the Apostle John, who wrote this account and knew the disciples well, that Judas complains about the value of the pure nard. It is Judas who suggests to all the value that could be uses for the poor; yet John reveals Judas’ motive in mentioning the poor, that Judas steals cash from this treasury of the disciples.

    4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

    7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

    Jesus, of course, ignores the false suggestion that Judas and the disciples can sell Mary’s expensive ointment for a profit to ‘help the poor.’ Jesus defends Mary’s generous and kind act of worship.

    I ask us, though: aren’t you and I just like Judas in that way?

    Don’t we so often accuse the generous act of another in a way to imply that we could be better stewards of their gift to the Lord?

    Jesus’ last Sabbath before the Sacrifice

    Exodus 16:26  שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תִּלְקְטֻהוּ וּבַיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לֹא יִֽהְיֶה־בֹּֽו׃

    It is now Saturday, the Sabbath.

    9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

    10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

    The Triumphal Entry

    12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

    Jesus, the Twelve and some followers had traveled one final journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, via Bethany. In preparation for the time at hand, they rest in the home of their risen friend, Lazarus.

    Do you remember what Jesus had assured Mary after Lazarus had been in the grave four days?

    (This was not the first resurrection Jesus caused, but it was the most recent.)

    John 11:

    25 Jesus said to her, [ctt title=”“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” tweet=”Do you believe this? – John 11:25-26 ESV” coverup=”Q4g8Y”]

    Do you believe this?”

    27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

    No words speak more of the life of one who believes than these:

    To be continued…