Daily Bible Reading: John 11:17-31 - Jesus Assures Martha of the Resurrection

There is so much in John 11 that I am breaking it up into 3 posts.  The first was posted earlier, verses 1-16, The Death of Lazarus.  This second post concerns Lazarus' sister Martha who went to meet Jesus on his way to Lazarus.  Verses 17-31 give assurance of the resurrection, not only of Lazarus but of all who believe on Jesus: then, now, and until the Lord comes again.

V17-20 As Jesus was coming, he found that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days.  Many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their  brother. Since they were offering comfort, it seems likely that they had heard of the death of Lazarus and that is when they came to comfort Martha and Mary.  As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him but her sister Mary sat still in the house.

V21-24 Martha speaks to Jesus: "Lord, if thou hadst been  here, my brother had not died".  Martha had faith that Jesus would have been able to heal Lazarus of his illness. She further says "I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee."  To this Jesus answers "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha thinks that Jesus is speaking of the future resurrection at the last day and so she  says "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 

V25-27 It is at this point that Jesus tells Martha a wondrous truth.  "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And whosoever believeth in me shall never die.  Believeth thou this?"  And next we have Martha's confession of faith, "Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."  In these verses Jesus is saying that all those who believe on Jesus, though their earthly bodies will die, yet they shall live.  Paul the apostle said that he would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord.

V28-31 When Martha had finished her confession of faith, she went home and called Mary secretly, saying "the Master is come, and calleth for thee."  And as soon as Mary heard that, "she arose quickly and came unto him."  Martha went to Jesus as soon as she heard he was coming and she received a glorious truth about the resurrection, but Mary chose to stay home until she was called by Jesus.  Perhaps it was better to do as Mary did, and wait to be called  by Jesus but it was in being alone with Jesus that Martha received her comfort concerning the resurrection of her brother.

Jesus had not yet come to the town of Bethany but was still in the place where Martha had met him.  But something more happened, the Jews that had been with Martha and Mary to comfort them saw that Mary got up hastily and went out, and so they followed her thinking that she was going to the grave to weep.  They did not suspect the great wonder that was about to behold them.

The next post will be the raising of Lazarus.
__________________________________
vcg

Will We Know Each Other in Heaven? (Repreached)

2 Samuel 12:15-23

The picture that the bible paints of heaven is altogether wonderful.  And we who are believers more than likely can confess that we do not think about heaven enough, although there is something about it that makes us want to be there.  It awakens a deep emotion in the heart of every believer, a perfection or maybe a feeling of going home because we are pilgrims in this world and heaven is our home and that is where we are going.  But there is one question that bothers people, and that is this:  will we know one another in heaven.

I (Paul Dowling) believe that the bible tells us or at least very strongly hints to us that we will know one another in heaven.   Many of the great men in history believed that we will know one another in heaven.  But, one might say, can you give any evidence from the bible?  Here are several points:

-David's comfort is based upon knowing one another in heaven.  In 2 Sam 12 the passage is about David's sins, and a baby boy is born by adultery, and God in his perfect justice has determined that the child will not live.  The child becomes very sick and dies.  There is no profit from this sin for David.  David prays while the child is alive, weeps and fasts for 7 days and then the child dies.  And then David breaks his fast, washes himself, ceases to pray and the servants don't understand so he tells them why he is not broken more now than when the child was alive. V23  "But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."  There is no more  reason to pray, we don't pray for the dead.   But now he is dead, why should I fast any longer?  Can I bring him back again?  There is only comfort in those words for David if he would know his baby son in the next world.  I don't think there is much comfort in saying that he would go to him but he won't know him when he sees him, what comfort is there in that?  None at all.  David says I will go to him, its comforting to him to think that and say that because he believes that he will know his son when he says them.  David hoped to meet his child again in another world.  The separation would not be forever.  

-Because the apostle Paul expected to recognize the Thessalonian converts at Christ's second coming.  1 Thess 2:17-20  "But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"    What does this mean?  Paul is saying that he wanted to come and meet the converts but he was hindered, he couldn't come.. separated in presence but not in heart.  Paul is hoping for and looking forward to seeing them at Christ's second coming.  Its not much comfort to think that we are separated now but at Christ's second coming you will be there but I won't know you.  What comfort is there in that? None.

Who Lives in Heaven?

Hebrews 12:18-29 

It is necessary and pleasant to study heaven.  If we are saved, we are already a citizen of heaven. Yes, we are citizens of heaven who are exiled in this world, this world for believers is not their home.  The believer is on a pilgrimage to heaven, and every Christian is presently an ambassador of heaven in this world.  Heb 13:14 "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."   Believers look forward to heaven.  Even though heaven is in eternity, it is very near, very close.

Who lives in heaven?  who is presently in heaven?  There are three categories: 

 God lives in heaven, the triune God lives in heaven.   That makes the God of Christianity different from any other God, the triune God that is one God but three persons, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.  Three persons, one God.  This is a foundation of Christian doctrine.  Same in substance, equal in power and in glory.  Same in essence.  The essence of God is holiness, God the Father is holy, God the Son is the holy child, and the Holy Spirit.  Some people might say they don't understand so they can't believe it  but the answer is, of course you can't understand it, nobody can understand it.  How can a finite limited human mind understand the infinite God?  We cannot comprehend infinity because to understand it you would have to be equal with God.  But we believe it just the same because God has revealed himself in the bible. That is faith.  The bible says 1 John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." In John 1:1 the apostle John refers to the Lord Jesus as the Word.  Jesus says I and my Father are one.  The bible says that God's dwelling place is in heaven.  We have faith and trust in God's word that what it says is true even though some of it is beyond our full grasp.  It is the greatest fallacy that we need to understand something before we can believe it.  You don't understand exactly how airplanes work but you trust that they can fly.

Bible Women: Martha of Bethany, Cumbered with Much Serving

Martha of Bethany

Luke 10:38-42, John 11:5-28

Martha and Mary, sisters in the Word of God, both have a very important part in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ as he was on this earth as the Son of man, in perfect sinless humanity and deity.  Previously we have studied Mary, so this study will focus on Martha.

Martha is named in the bible before her sister, she is referred to in Luke 10:38 as "a certain woman named Martha" who "received him into her house" one day when Jesus was visiting the town of Bethany.  We learn much from this verse, Martha is a woman who offers the Lord Jesus hospitality,  the house is called "her house"..it is not Lazarus or Mary who first greets the Lord Jesus, but Martha. Perhaps she is the oldest.  It is certain that Martha was well acquainted with the Lord Jesus, because the next verse tells us about her sister Mary who "sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word." Unlike so many who rejected the Lord Jesus, Martha receives him and desires to serve him, as we learn in the next verses.  Luke 10:40-42 "But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Martha, it seems, took her role of hospitality very seriously.  There must have been quite a few people in the house, probably some disciples of Jesus were there as well.  V40 tells us that Martha was cumbered about much serving,  she was very concerned because this task seemed too much for Martha to handle by herself in a timely manner, and so she asks the Lord Jesus to bid Mary help her.  The Lord Jesus gently rebukes her by repeating Martha, Martha.   Several times in the bible a person is called by their name twice.

Bible Women: Mary Magdelene

Mary Magdalene

What is the first thing you think of when you hear the name "Mary Magdalene"?  Some people think that Mary was a prostitute who came to know Jesus as her Lord, yet there is absolutely no biblical evidence for this lie, that she was a prostitute. Neither should she be confused with the woman who was a sinner that came to Simon's house where Jesus was.  That woman was nameless, and scripture tells us that her weeping and repentance had saved her from her sins. This study will attempt to portray the truth about Mary Magdalene, a woman greatly blessed.

Verses pertaining to Mary are scattered throughout the gospels, each a piece of her story.  We will bring them in chronological order, to best learn the truth.

Luke 8:1-3 is the earliest mention of Mary "And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, and certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,.....and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.".  Reading a few verses before, Luke 7:37-50 is the story of the woman who was a sinner.  Luke 8:1 clearly states "and it came to pass afterward,"  Thus we know that Mary Magdalene was NOT the woman who was a sinner.

Mary, along with others were healed of their infirmities. The name Magdalene signifies where she came from, Mary of Magdala. Imagine what a terrible state this poor woman must have been in.  As the bible often does, it states an incredible occurrence in the simple statement "out of whom went seven devils". This combines with Mark 16:9...he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils."  The devils acknowledge the Lord.  Even today, we are told in Ephesians 6:12,16 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."  In James 4:7 we learn that as believers we have the power thru the indwelling holy spirit to "resist the devil and he will flee from you".

Next in Luke 8:1-3 we learn that Mary and some of the other women who Jesus healed accompanied the Lord and his apostles as he went "throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God:"  Every city and village - the news was spread everywhere, no one had excuse to say that they did not hear the good news. A reminder that today, we ought to be going everywhere telling the good news.  Mark 15:40,41 tell us that Mary was among those women who had followed him from when he was in Galilee, and ministered unto him and came up with him unto Jerusalem.  These women "ministered unto  him of their substance" Luke 8:3. Matthew 27:55-56 confirms that the women followed him from Galilee, with whom one was Mary Magdalene.

The Lamb of God - The Lord Jesus Christ

The Lamb of God - The Lord Jesus Christ

This is a further meditation on the Lamb of God, but this time that perfect sacrifice enters the world as a baby, born of Mary, born a King,  the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:5-11 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Why was the Lord Jesus our perfect sacrifice?  Why was He the perfect Lamb of God?  John the Baptist said upon seeing the approaching Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."  (John 1:29)

In the Holy Bible, old testament, every year one would take a sacrificial lamb, without spot and without blemish, to the priest.  The lamb would be slain, his blood was shed, and the person for whom the blood was shed was thus looking forward to the Saviour to come. Hebrews 9:12,15. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us….and for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance..

When the Lord Jesus shed His precious blood and gave up His life on the cross, He was offered up Once for All.  Hebrews 10:9-10 "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.  He taketh away the first that he may establish the second.  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."