Think of the songs and prayers we all learned as children-J learned them, too. He was thinking about bringing to fulfillment the promises he had made to J all his life. He was thinking about what time would be best for those around J. What was God thinking on Wednesday evening when he called J to himself? He was thinking of what time would be best for J.Jesus was going to act when he knew it was the best time. Jesus was going to display his power-in a way that showed who he really was. There was more to Jesus’ plan for Lazarus than simply healing Lazarus’ illness or preventing a problem before it happened. … “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.” And he told the Twelve, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe” (John 11:15). No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:2). His thoughts were also on what would be best all around-for Mary, Martha, Lazarus, his disciples, and all who would see him raise Lazarus and all who would hear about it. His thoughts were on what was happening and what Mary, Martha and Lazarus were going through. As bold as they were, Mary and Martha were wrong when they said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus was about sixty miles away when he first got word that Lazarus was sick (John 10:40), yet Jesus knew fully what was going on.Sometimes we even blame God because his plan doesn’t seem right to us. We blame ourselves for not knowing it was coming. You could have saved him.” Isn’t that the way it is with grief? You’re mourning a loss, and at the same time wishing that things would have turned out differently. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” What do you hear in their question? What can we read in their words-without adding to them? Do you hear “Jesus! Where were you?” “You should have been here!” “Lord, didn’t you care?” Do we even hear a hint of… “It’s your fault our brother Lazarus is dead. Mary says the same thing a few verses later. Think of the boldness of Martha in this lesson.Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” He who believes in me will live, even though he dies 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha 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. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
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