- araratchurch
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Last time, Jesus received bad news from Mary and Martha that their brother, Lazarus, is very ill. Jesus didn’t seem to be upset, indicating that this illness would not result in death, but that He could be glorified through it. Then, the next thing we hear is that Lazarus has died! We left the scene as Jesus and His disciples arrived in Bethany, where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus live.
Before heading out on today’s adventure with our guide, let’s see the new people to whom we were introduced last time:
>Martha - Friend of Jesus and sister to Mary and Lazarus
>Mary - Friend of Jesus and sister to Martha and Lazarus
>Lazarus - Jesus’ sick friend and brother to Mary and Martha
Now, let’s head out with our guide to see how this terrible news, suddenly becomes good news:
When Martha hears that Jesus has arrived in Bethany, she runs to meet him outside the town. When Martha sees Jesus, she expresses how much she wished He had been there so that her brother, Lazarus, would not have died. Jesus tells her that even though he’s dead, he will rise again. Martha apparently thinks that He’s talking about in the Last Days when the dead in Christ are raised up in the resurrection. Jesus informs her that He is the resurrection and the life and that whoever believes in Him, though they die, they will live. As well, those who live and believe in Him, will never die. When he asks if she believes this, she says that she believes that He is the Christ, the Son of God Who was to come. Having said this, she runs to tell Mary secretly that Jesus is asking for her. When Mary hears this from Martha, she immediately gets up to go out. At this, the Jews there mourning with her, think that she is going to the tomb to mourn. When Mary sees Jesus, she says the same thing about wishing that He had been there so that Lazarus would not have died. Then she falls at Jesus’ feet crying. Jesus, seeing her and all the other people crying, becomes very troubled and asks to go where Lazarus is laid. Then Jesus also starts crying! When they get to the tomb, Jesus asks them to roll back the stone, but Martha protests, saying that there will be a very bad odor. Jesus insists they do so, and calls for Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Surely enough, Lazarus comes out of the tomb with the grave clothes still wrapped around him. Jesus then tells the people to go and untie him. News of what Jesus has done gets back to the religious leaders. They are worried that if Jesus keeps doing these miraculous things, the Romans may come and take away their temple and their country. Caiphas pronounces that it would be better for one man to die than the rest of them all to die. Our guide tells us that being the high priest for that year, Caiphas says this prophetically, that Jesus will die for the nation. And not for that nation alone, but for the children of God spread all over the world. Jesus, knowing that they are now plotting to kill Him, goes to Ephraim with His disciples. As we leave the scene, the people who have gone ahead to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover, are wondering whether Jesus will come or not. The religious leaders have declared that if anyone sees Jesus, they should report Him so that He can be arrested.
Our highlighted verses for today:
“Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.”
John 11:20-21, 23-26, 32-35, 39-40, 42-44, 47, 49-53, 55, 57 NKJV
Question for reflection:
What does it mean that Caiphas said this as the high priest for that year?
Next time, our guide is going to take us to see what that anointing of Jesus’ feet is all about.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Last time, our guide took us to see the rest of the fiery exchange Jesus had with the religious leaders after He healed the blind man on the Sabbath. Jesus continued His debate with them by indicating that He is the good Shepherd. In fact, He is the Door of the sheep. He made clear to them that they are not among His sheep. However, concerning those who are His sheep, He will give them eternal life. He said no one can prevent this from happening because He and the Father are one. As has become predictable, they again tried to stone Jesus, yet again, Jesus fled the scene and had a successful revival just beyond the Jordan.
Before embarking on today’s itinerary, let’s see the new people to whom we were introduced last time:
>People beyond the Jordan who received Jesus with gladness
Now let’s join our guide and see what this good news/bad news scenario, is about:
Our guide takes us to see Jesus receive some troubling news about His friend, Lazarus. Indeed, Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that he is very ill. (Our guide tells us that this Mary is the one who anointed Jesus’ feet but we haven’t seen that yet.) Amazingly, when Jesus hears the news about Lazarus, He decides to tarry two more days before traveling to Bethany. Jesus tells the disciples that this illness won’t bring death, but an opportunity for Jesus to be glorified. We then hear that Lazarus is asleep and Jesus wants to go wake him up. The disciples think He means natural sleep until He tells them that Lazarus is dead and He’s glad He wasn’t there when He died! The disciples worry that going back to Judea will end with Jesus being killed. We hear Thomas say that they should go with Jesus and die with Him. When Jesus and the disciples reach Bethany, they find that Lazarus has been in the tomb four days!
Our highlighted verses for today:
“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.”
John 11:1-4, 7-8, 11, 14-15, 17, 19 NKJV
Question for reflection:
Why did Jesus say that He was glad He wasn’t there when Lazarus died?
Next time, we get to see the good news part of this story.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Last time, our guide took us to see a man who was born blind, receive his sight! It was very exciting to see, but we also saw that the religious leaders were again enraged that Jesus had performed the miracle on the Sabbath. Jesus ended up informing them that His mission is to make the blind see, and make those who say they see, become blinded.
Before heading out on today’s excursion, let’s see the new people to whom we were introduced last time:
> A man who was born blind
> The blind man’s parents
Now, let’s join our guide to go see the rest of Jesus‘ fiery exchange with the religious leaders:
We enter the scene and find Jesus continuing to engage with the religious leaders. He tells them that basically they are not good shepherds, but that He is not only a good Shepherd, He is the Door to the sheep. In fact, Jesus says He will give His life for the sheep. As well, His sheep will hear His voice. He also informs them that they can’t hear what He has to say because they are not His sheep. Jesus says that He will give His sheep eternal life. He also says that no one will be able to prevent this, because His Father has given Him the sheep. Jesus adds that He and the Father are one. At this, the religious leaders take up stones to again try to stone Him. Jesus then asks them for what good deed He is being stoned. They retort that they are not stoning Him for any good works, but because He, being a man, makes Himself to be God. Jesus flees the scene and goes to a place beyond the Jordan. There, He has great success, with many of the people coming to believe in Him.
Our highlighted verses for today:
“Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. I and My Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. And many believed in Him there.”
John 10:7-11, 16-18, 26, 30-33, 40, 42 NKJV
Question for reflection:
What does Jesus mean by saying that He is the door to the sheepfold?
Next time, our guide is taking us to see a sad scene and then a glorious scene. I’m excited to see what this means!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!