Spiritual Food for Women

John 11:36-47

36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 

39 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.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 

42 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.” 

43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

44 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.”

45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 

46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 

47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.

“I Know That You Always Hear Me”

In verse 36, the Jews misinterpreted Jesus’ weeping. Did Jesus love Lazarus? Absolutely! But Jesus was not crying because Lazarus was dead. He was getting ready to resurrect him very soon. He was possibly crying for two reasons. Remember verse 33 when Jesus “groaned in His spirit and was troubled”. This meant that He was actually agitated. Then in verse 35, Jesus wept. He was agitated by the people’s lack of faith in who He was as God’s Son. This agitation turned into sorrow as He began to weep. He was also weeping with the sisters as they grieved for their brother. He was feeling empathy and compassion for them. Yes, Jesus loved Lazarus, but He wasn’t crying for Lazarus. He was saddened because of the spiritual blindness of these people, and He was moved with empathy and compassion for them in their blindness as they wept for their brother and friend. In verse 37, some of the people were questioning, “Couldn’t this man who healed the blind man also heal this man?” Of course He could have! But Jesus waited before coming to Bethany because He was going to do something to bring more glory to God than just healing the man! 

In verse 38, Jesus groaned in Himself again as He went to the tomb. Then in verse 39, He told them to take the stone away. Martha tells Jesus that “by this time there is a stench”, because he has been dead for four days. Martha was saying, paraphrasing, “Lord, it’s too late. If only you would have gotten here sooner.” Even she, as faithful as she had been to Jesus, doesn’t hold out hope that Jesus can heal her brother. It has been four days! He is decomposing by now! By now, the smell will be awful! What is the point of taking away the stone? But there was hope…..because God in the flesh was standing before her! 

As Jesus saw the people grieving over Lazarus, and heard Martha’s statement of hopelessness when He asked them to take the stone away, He asked her, “Did I not tell you that if you would only believe in Me that you would see the glory of God?” Jesus was pleading with Martha, and with all of them, to have faith in Him… to have faith in His Father. If only they would believe in Him. If only they could see who He really is. After all He had done to prove to them that He was the Messiah, how could they still not see? Why were they so blind? 

I love verse 41 when Jesus lifts up His eyes and thanks His Father. “Father, thank you for hearing Me.” In verse 42, Jesus explains why He verbally thanked His Father by saying out loud, paraphrasing, “And I know that You always hear Me, but I wanted to thank you out loud so that everyone standing here will hear Me giving You the glory, and maybe then, they will believe that You sent Me.” Then in verse 43, we see Jesus cry out those famous words, “Lazarus, come forth!”

Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, whose flesh was already decaying, came out of the tomb still bound in graveclothes with a cloth around his face. Jesus told them to loosen the graveclothes so he could freely move. Lazarus’ body was lifeless, but Jesus, who is “the life”, put life back into his body again. Lazarus’ body was destroyed, but Jesus remade him so that he was whole again. Lazarus was dead, but Jesus, who is “the resurrection,” brought him back to life again. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25). Jesus resurrected Lazarus’ fleshly body and made him whole again. He gave Lazarus a new life that he wouldn’t have had otherwise. This is parallel to how Jesus remakes us when we are baptized into His death and raised to walk a new life. Before we are baptized, we are dead spiritually. Our soul has been destroyed by sin. Through God’s grace and our obedience, Jesus breathes life back into our dead and decayed souls, removing the sin that had destroyed us. He remakes us into His image. It is then up to us to remain in that new and remade state of being through continually allowing His Word to renew our minds. (Romans 12:2) It takes time, effort, and diligence. It takes study and prayer. It takes being involved in growing God’s kingdom… the Lord’s church. It takes a lifelong commitment. It is to be taken seriously, because people’s souls, including our own, are of the utmost importance to Jesus as they should be to us. It is also a parallel of the second coming of Jesus. Jesus will resurrect those who have died in the Lord, and give them a new life in heaven. Those who are alive when He returns will also be given that new life in heaven. We will all be changed. We won’t have our decaying fleshly body anymore. We will have a body that will never decay. We will have a new, incorruptible body that will stay perfect for eternity. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

In verses 45 and 46, we see two different reactions to this event. Verse 45 says that many of the Jews who came to comfort Mary believed in Him. Verse 46 says that some of the ones who were there and witnessed this sign went and told the Pharisees about it. This sign that Jesus performed was meant to separate those who believed from those who didn’t (or refused to). It definitely fulfilled its purpose. When the Pharisees heard about what had happened, all they said was, paraphrasing, “What are we going to do about this man? He does perform many signs?” So… they were willing to admit that He performed many signs, but they wouldn’t swallow their pride and admit that only someone from God could perform such signs. It really made no sense. The people’s blindness is overwhelming to think about. But it is no different today. The world’s blindness today is just as overwhelming. The Bible is all the evidence anyone needs of who God is, and who His Son is. Every word contained in it is for the betterment of humankind while we live here on earth and await Jesus’ return. It is all for our own good. And every word contained in it leads to the salvation of our souls for eternity. It is hard to fathom why anyone would reject it. What is the alternative to believing in Jesus? What is the alternative to following the Bible? The answers to these questions are scary. They lead me to what I feel is one of the scariest passages in the Bible. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” That last part… ”there are few who find it”. Does that send chills down anyone else’s spine as it does mine? The alternative to following Jesus is being one of the majority who doesn’t find the way to eternal life. I want to be in the minority. Don’t you?

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 11:32-35

32 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.”

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 

34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

35 Jesus wept.

“Jesus Wept”

Mary and Martha… such different people. Jesus loved them both. Both loved Jesus with all their hearts. But they are so very different in their personalities. Mary was more outwardly emotional while Martha seemed to internalize hers more. As Mary fell at Jesus’ feet sobbing, she said that her brother wouldn’t have died had He been there. It says that Jesus “groaned in the spirit and was troubled” when He saw Mary and the rest of the Jews who were with her crying. When I read this in the past without studying it, I just assumed that when it said Jesus “groaned and was troubled”, it meant He was sad. But when I looked up the phrase “He groaned” on “Blue Letter Bible”, it said the phrase actually means that He was angry. It means “to snort in anger”. The phrase “was troubled” means “agitated”. Why was Jesus agitated? He was agitated because the people still don’t really get it. They still don’t understand that He is the Son of God, the Messiah who was foretold about in the Old Testament. Instead of understanding that Jesus was God and had the power to not only heal Lazarus, but resurrect Him, they were all weeping because they thought they would never see him alive again. Jesus asked where Lazarus was laid, and the people showed Him. Then comes the shortest verse in the Bible. “Jesus wept.” (vs. 35) Jesus knows that He is going to raise Lazarus from the dead, so why did He weep? 

With these two words, we see Jesus’ empathy and compassion. He felt sad for Lazarus’ sisters and the other people who are grieving and in so much pain over the loss of their loved one and friend. This shows us that Jesus also feels empathy and compassion for us when we grieve, struggle, and stumble through this life. He knows how we feel because He felt it. What began with Jesus feeling agitated (groaning in His spirit) over their spiritual blindness ended with Him weeping in empathy for the sisters that He loved so much. I’m sure He feels all these same emotions that He felt that day, about us when we go through difficult and sad times. And how does He feel when we fall away? How does Jesus feel when we choose the world over Him? Does He weep over our lost condition? I realize that I have caused my own anguish at times in my life when I was spiritually blind. I’m sure that Jesus “groaned in His spirit” over me at times. There is no doubt in my mind that I have agitated Him many times. However, I feel like He has wept with me in my times of grief as well…..even grief that I brought on myself by wrong choices. Jesus loves us so much. We can see it in those two words, “Jesus wept.”

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 11:28-31

“She Arose Quickly and Came to Him”

28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 

30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 

31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

“She Arose Quickly and Came to Him”

In verse 28, it says that Martha went secretly to Mary to tell her that Jesus had come and wanted to see her. Why secretly? I would assume that it was so as not to draw attention to Jesus. Jesus was still on the outskirts of town and hadn’t come into Bethany yet. I’m sure He was wanting to visit with the sisters without a crowd around Him. It seems that Mary dealt with things differently than Martha. Back in verse 20, we learned that when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out of the house to meet Him. No crowd followed Martha out of the house when she went out to meet Jesus. She got up discreetly and left the house. However, when Mary heard that Jesus wanted to see her, she got up abruptly……so abruptly that all the Jews who were in the house comforting her began following her. Why? They could have been following her out of concern for her emotional state. She may have been showing her emotions more than Martha. We all grieve differently. It seems that Mary may have been more openly distraught than Martha. Martha may have kept her emotions inside, while Mary may have openly expressed hers. Verse 31 says they thought she was going to her brother’s tomb to weep, so they followed her. These Jews were doing what any church family should do when a member has a tragic loss. They were surrounding this family with comfort, love, and support. They seemed especially concerned about Mary, since they were following after her to make sure she was not alone in her grief. This is what we as Christians should do for each other. Some people need more emotional support than others, but everyone needs their church family to show up for them in the wake of a tragedy. Losing their brother Lazarus was a tragedy for these two sisters. The Jewish community showed up for these sisters, and they were to be commended for that. We can learn from their example and be there for one another. 1 Corinthians 12:26 says this, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” We should be there for one another in the good times and the bad times. Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” We should have no jealousy towards anyone for their good fortune. We should have only happiness for the good fortune of others. And we should take no joy in anyone else’s misfortune, but have empathy for them, and pray for them. Galatians 6:2 takes it a step further, saying that we should bear one another’s burdens. When we do this, we are fulfilling the law of Christ. When one member struggles, we all struggle. When one member falls under the weight of a heavy burden, we should all put our backs under that burden and help them carry it. I’ll end with 1 Peter 3:8, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;”. I believe this verse says it all about how we are to treat not only each other as members of the Lord’s church, but all people. We always show compassion. We love as brothers and sisters. We are tenderhearted. We are courteous. And most of all, as brothers and sisters in Christ…..we must be of one mind through it all.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 11:24-27

24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 

26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

“Yes, Lord, I Believe…”

“Your brother will rise again.” These were Jesus’ words to Martha as she was grieving for her brother. But Martha didn’t fully grasp what Jesus was saying as she thought He was talking about “the resurrection at the last day” when everyone would be raised. Martha was confident that her brother would be raised up at that last day. But this is not what Jesus was talking about in this instance. In verses 25 and 26, we see another one of Jesus’ “I am” statements. He says, “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.” 

Jesus teaches us that physical death is not what really matters. We try so hard to keep our physical bodies alive. We do everything possible to keep our loved ones alive, because we want to keep them with us. And this is what we should do! We are supposed to take care of our physical bodies, because they are a gift from God. We are supposed to take care of our loved ones. Our bodies house our souls. But…..what if we tried just as hard to keep ourselves spiritually alive as we do to keep ourselves physically alive? It is our souls that will live forever. Jesus doesn’t just provide life. He is life (vs. 25). Without Him, there is no life. Jesus was not just resurrected. He is the resurrection. Without Him, our physical bodies would die, and everything would be over for us. If we believe in Jesus, we will never die. Our physical bodies may die, but our souls will live with Jesus forever. What does Jesus mean by “believe”?

Belief includes obedience. Belief is a total commitment to Jesus. It is living our lives as a “living sacrifice” in His honor for His glory. (Romans 12:1) If we truly believe in everything Jesus says, then we will obey Him in every sense of the word. We will live for Him. In Luke 6:46, Jesus asks, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” This is such a valid question. Why would I call Him “Lord”, but then ignore His commandments? 

Then Jesus asks Martha the question that we have all been asked when we obeyed the gospel, “Do you believe this?” “Do you believe in who I am?” “Do you believe in what I am capable of doing?” “Do you trust Me?” Then Martha makes that great confession that we have all made if we are Christians, “Yes Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God… ” I remember being asked, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?” With all my heart… I answered… “yes”. We will see Martha someday if we remain faithful! What an example of faith! Sometimes Martha gets a bad rep, kind of in the same way the apostle Thomas gets a bad rep for doubting Jesus. Often, we are only shown a picture of Martha as “the frustrated sister,” who fussed to Jesus about her sister, Mary, not helping her prepare the meal for the guests. We remember her as the sister who was reprimanded somewhat by Jesus for her attitude towards her sister. But we are shown a different picture here… a picture of a woman of great faith and trust in Jesus. Martha had no idea what was about to happen at this point. Her brother was dead, and had been sealed in the tomb for four days. Lazarus was a disciple of Jesus, and Martha knew that her brother would be raised on the last day, but she certainly wasn’t expecting what would happen next! 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 11:12-23

12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 

13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 

18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 

19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 

21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 

22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

“Lord, If You Had Been Here…”

Jesus had just told the disciples that they were going to wake up Lazarus, because He was asleep. I can just see the disciples’ confused looks at each other. “Asleep? I thought he was sick.” Then the disciples made a very logical statement, “Lord, if he is only asleep, then he will get well.” When Jesus said that Lazarus was asleep, he meant that Lazarus was dead, but the disciples didn’t realize that. So Jesus spells it out for them in verse 14, plainly saying, “Lazarus is dead.” Then he says that he was glad he wasn’t there for their sakes, so that they would believe in Him. Jesus didn’t mean that he was glad that Lazarus suffered and died. He meant that he was glad he wasn’t there to heal Lazarus while he was sick, because raising him from the dead was a much more powerful miracle. The disciples had already seen Jesus heal sick people. Raising someone from the dead would make much more of an impact on their faith, and the faith of everyone present, than healing someone who was sick. It would show Jesus’ power over death, which shows His deity as the Son of God. Who but God has power over death? If there was any hint of doubt in the disciples’ minds, this miracle should have cast it out. Jesus knew the minds of His disciples, and knew that this needed to be done to deepen the roots of their belief and faith in Him. It is also a shadow of things to come, as Jesus Himself will also be resurrected after being murdered by crucifixion. Of course, Jesus doesn’t tell the disciples that he is going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He ends the conversation with, “Nevertheless, let us go to him.” Did the disciples put the pieces together at that point? Jesus said he was going to wake Lazarus up from sleep. The disciples didn’t understand His words, so He told them that Lazarus was indeed dead. I just wonder if the lightbulb came on, and they realized at that point what Jesus was planning to do. Just my thoughts….. 

In verse 16, we see Thomas make a bold statement. Remember, the disciples don’t understand Jesus’ statement in the previous verses about walking “in the day”. All they know is that Jesus is going into enemy territory. And Thomas says, “Let’s go with Him, even if we die with Him.” Thomas has been called “Doubting Thomas” all because of what happened after Jesus’ resurrection. But couldn’t the same be said of all the disciples who fled that night, and of Peter who denied Jesus? I think maybe Thomas has gotten a bad rep. In John 20:25, Thomas said he wouldn’t believe that Jesus had risen unless he touched the prints of the nails in His hands and put his hand in His side where the spear was thrust. But maybe we have given Thomas this nickname without remembering what He said here in John 11:16. “Doubting Thomas” showed great courage and faith as he was willing to walk back into enemy territory with Jesus. 

The fact that Lazarus had been dead for four days is very important to note. The Jews considered a person truly dead with no hope on the third day. Before that, there were no physical changes in the person’s appearance. After four days, there would be signs of decomposition, bloating, discoloration, and, of course, the awful smell as gases began to enter the body. Jesus purposely waited until after that third day so that there would be no doubt in the Jews’ minds that Lazarus was resurrected. 

Since Bethany was only about two miles from Jerusalem, many Jews had come to comfort Mary and Martha in their time of grief. This was another convenience for Jesus in performing this miracle at this specific place. He knew word would get back to Jerusalem quickly, and the Pharisees, scribes, and Jewish leaders who wanted to stone Jesus would soon hear about this amazing event. 

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him while Mary remained in the house. Martha’s words in verse 21 cut like a knife. Try to imagine the grief of Martha as she spoke these words, “Lord, if only You had been here, my brother would be alive.” Let’s put ourselves in Martha’s shoes. What if this had been our child, our husband, our sibling, our parent, or our best friend? Would we not have said the same thing? These were not harsh words to Jesus, but words of faith in Jesus’ abilities. How do we know she is not angry with Jesus for not being there for her brother? We know this because of what she says in verse 22. Notice that Martha does not ask Jesus to raise her brother from the dead, yet she implies she believes He could do so if it were God’s will. She said she knew that whatever Jesus asked of God, God would do. She believed in Jesus’ connection with the Father. She still had faith in Jesus even though Jesus did not come in time to heal her brother. How many people would have been angry with Jesus? How many people today get angry and blame God when a loved one who is sick passes away? How many have said, “But I prayed for God to heal him/her. Why didn’t God answer my prayer?” We don’t understand the big picture. Only God sees the big picture, and we just have to trust Him and know that He is always working for us as His children…..no matter what happens. Just like God had a purpose behind Jesus’ delay in going to Bethany, He has a purpose for everything in our lives. Was Martha disappointed that Jesus didn’t get there in time to heal her brother? Of course she was! Any human being would be disappointed. Martha was grieving, but in her grief, she never lost her faith in Jesus. What a lesson she taught all of us in that moment when she went out to meet Jesus! She could have lashed out with her words in anger, but she didn’t. Her strength of character is amazing! Let’s never forget the courageous faith that she displayed in such a sad and trying time. Martha’s words: “Even now I know that God will do whatever you ask Him to do”. Wow. Martha was a true disciple of Jesus. 

Jesus recognizes true discipleship. He knows if we are true disciples or just fair-weather disciples. Have you heard of fair-weather friends? Those are “friends” who are with you when everything is good in your life, but when you fall on hard times, guess what? They suddenly disappear. Fair-weather disciples are people who follow Jesus when things are going well, and when it is convenient to follow Him. But when the going gets tough, they fall away and are nowhere to be seen. Then there are the people who only turn to Jesus when something bad happens, but forget about Him when everything is going well again. I guess they would be called bad-weather disciples. We have to be disciples in all kinds of weather…..from the worst of storms to the most beautiful of days. 

In verse 23, Jesus says, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha didn’t realize that Jesus meant that Lazarus would physically rise from the dead, as we will see in the next verse. She thought Jesus was just giving her some words of comfort in her time of grief. Little did she know what would happen next! Jesus was saying, “Don’t worry, Martha, I’ll take care of Your brother and My friend.” This reminds me… ALL who are in Christ have nothing to fear. Just as Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again”, He has promised us that we will rise someday and be with Him forever. 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 11:4-11

4 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.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 

6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 

7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 

10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 

11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

“Walk in the Day With Jesus”

Jesus’ close friends, Mary and Martha, sent Him a message that their brother, Lazarus, was sick. Jesus made this statement, paraphrasing, “This sickness will not lead to his death. It is for the glory of God so that the Son of God will be glorified through it.” Jesus knows exactly what He is going to do at this point. Verse 5 says that Jesus loved all three of these siblings. But verse 6 says that He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then, in verse 7, He told His disciples that they would go to Judea again. Some may ask, “So why didn’t He immediately go to Lazarus, heal him, and end his suffering?” If Jesus loves Lazarus, why let Him remain sick any longer than necessary? 

Let’s answer a question with a question. What was the most important thing to Jesus? The most important thing to Jesus was bringing glory to God through Himself. Jesus was on earth to fulfill the will of His Father and bring glory to Him. If we go back to verse 4, we see that Jesus was going to use Lazarus’ sickness to both glorify God and prove that He was indeed the Son of God. Why did Jesus say that Lazarus’ sickness was not unto death when he actually did die? Jesus meant that Lazarus would not stay dead. Death was not the final outcome of Lazarus’ sickness, because Jesus would later intervene on his behalf. Death is not our final outcome if we are in Christ. We may die physically someday if Jesus doesn’t come back before that happens, but spiritually we will still be very much alive. Jesus will intervene on our behalf before God if we have been faithful followers of Him. Then, He will raise all faithful followers up to meet Him in the air. Then Jesus will be glorified for eternity. If we are members of His body (church) and remain faithful to Him until death, we will get to witness His glory for eternity. 

When Jesus said that they were going back to Judea, the disciples were understandably concerned, because Jerusalem of Judea was where the Jewish leaders had tried to stone Him (John 8:59 and John 10:31-39). The disciples wonder, “Why do you want to go back there where they are trying to kill you?” What Jesus says next is so encouraging not only for His disciples, but for us as well. Jesus says, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.” The twelve hours of daylight symbolize Jesus’ time on earth as He goes about His ministry. Walking “in the day” symbolizes walking with Jesus. The disciples have nothing to fear as long as they walk with Him. If we walk with Jesus, we have nothing to fear. As long as we keep our eyes focused on the “light of this world”, Jesus Christ, we will stay on the right path, and we will not stumble. In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus and His disciples were in a boat when a storm came up. Jesus was asleep in the boat. The disciples were afraid the ship would sink, and they would all drown. They woke Jesus up, begging Him to save them. What did Jesus say? “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” And of course we know what happened next. Jesus saved them. They had no reason to fear. If they had gone down with the ship that day, what would have happened? Well, they were faithful followers of Jesus, right? Jesus would have saved them spiritually. No matter what happens, if Jesus is in our boat, we are safe from the storm. In Matthew 14:22-33, when Peter walked on the water to Jesus, He was so brave as he stepped out of that boat with his eyes fixed on Jesus, wasn’t he? But…..the second that he took his eyes off Jesus and started focusing on all the scary turmoil around him with the waves and the wind, he grew afraid, and he started to sink. We can’t do that in our lives either. We can’t focus on all the scary turmoil around us, grow fearful, and allow ourselves to sink. It is easy to lose ourselves in fear and negativity in this world right now. So…..eyes up, ladies! Eyes on the “light of this world”! And we will not be afraid, or stumble, or sink! When Peter realized that he was sinking, he cried out to Jesus to save him, and of course, Jesus was there to pull him up. What did Jesus say to Peter? “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus was saying, “I was here with you, Peter! You had no reason to fear!” He is saying this to us as well! 

In verse 10, Jesus proceeds to say the opposite of what he says in verse 9, “But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” Walking “in the night” symbolizes walking without Jesus or walking away from Jesus. Without Jesus, we have no light to guide us through this life. We are stumbling blindly through this world of darkness without Him. And the fear that we have when we aren’t walking with Jesus is crippling and traumatic. Physical darkness causes fear, confusion, panic, and trauma. It stops us in our tracks when we suddenly can’t see. Spiritual darkness is so much worse because sometimes Satan disguises himself as light. It is like living in a false existence where you are fooled into believing that everything is ok…..that you are ok…..but deep inside you know that everything is not ok, and you are not ok either. 

In verse 11, Jesus tells His disciples that they are going to wake Lazarus up because he is asleep, and he calls Lazarus their “friend”. We are Jesus’ friends. Remember John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” He has laid down His life for us… His friends. We remain His friends as long as we follow Him.

Let’s never forget 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” If we belong to Jesus, we are “walking in the day”. As we walk, we have perfect love through Him, and His perfect love casts out all fear within us. If we walk in fear, do we really have that perfect love? Do we really belong to Jesus? We belong to fear if we are allowing it to control us. If Jesus is in control of our lives, then fear has no control. Let us all allow Jesus to have control of us, and He will cast out ALL fear. 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 10:38-11:3

38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 

39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 

41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.”

42 And many believed in Him there.

1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 

2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 

3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

“Many Believed in Jesus Because of John’s Testimony”

“If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me.” (vs. 37) Jesus was saying, paraphrasing, “If My works are not from God, then I wouldn’t expect you to believe in Me.” Then He expounded on that in verse 38, paraphrasing, “Even if you don’t believe what I say, you can believe the works that I perform, because they are from God. If you believe My works are from God, then you should believe that God is within Me, and I am within God.” Well, this statement enraged them again, and they tried to take Him captive, but He escaped. How did He escape? I’m sure He was outnumbered. He escaped because it wasn’t time for Him to be glorified just yet. It wasn’t time for Him to fulfill the will of His Father just yet. God’s timetable was at work, as it always is. Then Jesus retreated to the place where John was first baptizing, and stayed there. Several people came to Him and told Him that even though John didn’t perform any signs or miracles, they realized that everything he said about Jesus was true. This tells us that they believed in Jesus because they believed John’s testimony about Him. This shows us the importance of John’s testimony about Jesus. What about our testimony about Jesus? Is it relevant to the people around us? Our testimony is highly relevant, and Jesus commanded that we go, baptize, and teach in Matthew 28:18-20. How else are others going to come to Christ if not through our testimony about Jesus?

Chapter 10 ends on a good note with many believing in Jesus. If we look back to John 1:12, it reads, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” These people who came to Jesus on this day when He was beyond the Jordan professed their belief in Him. If they remained faithful in their belief until their deaths, and we remain faithful, then we will meet them in heaven someday. 

In John 11:1, we are told about a man named Lazarus from the town of Bethany who is sick. Mary and Martha are his sisters. Verse 2 confirms which Mary is being talked about. She is the Mary who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil and wiped His feet with her hair (John 12:3). Jesus would stay with this family sometimes, because Bethany was only 2 miles from Jerusalem. 

Just as a side note, I would like to focus on Mary and Martha for a bit.  Of course, this is the same Mary and Martha that we read about in Luke 10:38-42, where Jesus taught a powerful lesson through these two sisters. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, hanging on every word that He said, while Martha was busy getting everyone served dinner. Martha was very frustrated with her sister for not helping her and voiced her frustration to Jesus. She says to Jesus, paraphrasing, “Don’t you care that my sister is not helping me at all? Please make her help me.” (Luke 10:40) I fully believe Martha expects Jesus to reprimand Mary and tell her she needs to help her sister, but that is not what happens at all. I can just hear the love that Jesus has for both of these ladies in His response to Martha’s frustration. He says in Luke 10:41-42, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” In other words, Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are worried about things that are not really that urgent at this moment. There is only one truly urgent thing: listening to and following Me. Mary has made the wise choice, and I won’t tell her to do anything different.” I am sure this had a huge impact on Martha and caused her to think about what is truly important in life. And it caused her to examine her harsh judgment of her sister. This account should make us all realize what Jesus is truly looking for in His followers. Jesus loved both of these ladies so much. He knew that Martha meant well in serving everyone, but He wanted her to see that her sister’s heart was in the right place. The fact that Martha was serving the guests was not the problem. At some point, someone would need to serve the guests dinner. It was Martha’s attitude towards her sister, who was fully focused on Jesus, that was the problem. It was also the fact that Martha was so wrapped up in serving that she didn’t realize what a gift she had sitting in her living room…..Jesus, the Messiah. I mean… who cares about what needs to be done at such a special time as this! Mary wasn’t being lazy by not helping her sister serve their guests. She was just simply in awe of Jesus! We could be seeing the classic type A and type B personalities in these two sisters. We see type A in Martha, a perfectionist, who thrives on competition and has a more stressed personality. We see type B in Mary, a laid-back person who is more flexible and less stressed. Both of these types of people are valuable in the kingdom for these very characteristics. At the same time, both types of people can be too far one way or the other, and hurt the kingdom.  Are we in awe of Jesus like Mary was? Do we allow worldly activities, chores, and life in general to distract us from what is truly urgent? Such as praying? Bible study? Attending church services? Do we take the time to sit at the feet of Jesus as Mary did? Or are we too busy? 

Jesus had a close relationship with this family, as we can see from the message sent to Him from these sisters regarding their brother being sick… ”Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” This is very touching to me. These two sisters knew that Jesus loved their brother and wouldn’t want anything to happen to him. They also knew that Jesus could make him well. As we study through this chapter, we will see the faith that Martha shows in a statement she soon makes. 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 10:34-37

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 

35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 

36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 

37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;

“Didn’t My Father Call the Prophets gods?”

The Jews had just told Jesus that they were not stoning Him for His good works, but were stoning Him because He spoke blasphemy when He made Himself God. The response by Jesus was interesting. He quotes Psalm 82:6 to make a point, which reads, “I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.’” What this passage means is that the human beings that God used to speak, prophesy, or perform miracles in His name were called “gods”. Then Jesus makes His point in verses 35 through 37. Paraphrasing, He says, “If My Father called humans ‘gods’ because they spoke, prophesied, and performed works in His name (and we never question the Scripture), then how can you say that I, who is set apart and sent by God into the world, am blaspheming when I say I am the Son of God? If I do not do the works of My Father, then feel free not to believe Me”. Jesus’ works showed who He was. So why was it wrong for Him to say who He was? Jesus had been sent by God to speak and do works in His name. This is no different from the prophets of old who spoke and did works in His name, and the Father called them “gods”…..”little g gods”, that is. Jesus was trying to get them to calm down and put down the stones, so He could continue to teach them. Jesus had every right to say that He was the Son of God, because everything that He said and did was in the name of the Father. He gave no credit to Himself… only to the Father. This is a mini-lesson for us. We are not to credit ourselves for the things we do for the kingdom here on earth. We shouldn’t seek any recognition for what we do. If someone gives us recognition and encouragement, then that is great. As Christians, we should encourage each other and build each other up. But we shouldn’t seek it. God gets the credit for what we do because we belong to Him. We wouldn’t be able to do anything if it weren’t for Him. 

Let’s go back to John 3 when John the baptizer’s disciples came to him concerned, because all of the people who were originally following John were now going to Jesus and His disciples to be baptized (John 3:26). Then John says some words that we can all take to heart, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven” (John 3:27). It was meant to be for everyone to leave John and go to Jesus. And Jesus would not have been able to do any good works unless God allowed Him to do so. Pure and good works come only from God. John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). That should be our attitude as we do our part to grow the kingdom. Jesus must increase, and we must decrease. 

We don’t need glory from other humans for things that we do. Is it nice to be encouraged for the things we do? Of course. Should we build others up who are working in the kingdom? Absolutely. But… if no one gives us a pat on the back, are we okay with that? Are we going to quit when we feel like no one appreciates us? No, we never quit, because all that should matter to us is that God is pleased with us, and one day He will reward us, and we will live with Him in glory. 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 10:30-33

30 I and My Father are one.”

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 

32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

33 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.”

“For Which Good Work are You Stoning Me?”

Jesus had just said in verses 28 and 29 that no one could snatch His sheep out of His hand or His Father’s hand, which led to His statement in verse 30, “My Father and I are one.” This obviously outraged the Jews, because they picked up stones to throw at Him again. This was the second time they had attempted this. The first time was in John 8:59, when Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” However, Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple through the middle of them. (John 8:59) But, this time, He addressed these people who wanted to stone Him with a statement and then a question. He said, paraphrasing, “I have shown you many good works from My Father. Which good work are you stoning Me for?” Jesus had done nothing but good things for people. What reason would they have had to hurt Him? 

In verse 33, the Jews told Jesus that they were not stoning Him for His good works. They were stoning Him for blasphemy, because He, as a man, was trying to make Himself God. So they recognized His good works, but wanted to stone Him for something He said? It didn’t make a lot of sense. If one of them were blind, lame, or sick, and Jesus healed Him… I wonder… would they still have wanted to stone Him for claiming to be God? They didn’t care that a blind beggar got his life back through the healing power of God through Jesus. It wasn’t directly affecting them, so they didn’t care about it. What if it had been one of their children who was healed? Would that have made a difference? Just some questions in my mind as I think about these verses. I wonder if the Pharisees, who were supposed to be experts in the law, remembered the prophet Isaiah’s prophecies about the Messiah giving sight to the blind. I wonder if they remembered the ones below:

With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened… (Isaiah 35:4b-5).

As a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. (Isaiah 42:6b-7)

When Jesus healed the blind man, it should have been a big red flag to the Jewish leaders and Pharisees of who He was. If they were experts in the law, why didn’t they understand this? Here is why. In Isaiah 42:16, Isaiah prophecies:

“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16).

However, when we read Isaiah 42:20-22, we see the sad truth:

“He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious. But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue spoil with none to say, “Restore!” (Isaiah 42:20-22)

If only the Jewish leaders and Pharisees knew these verses! But wait… they did know them! They knew them like the back of their hand. Little did they know, they were reading about themselves! Isaiah was not only talking about the Israelites of old, but also about them. They were spiritually blind and refused to be healed by the Messiah. They saw but did not observe, as Isaiah said. There is a difference between looking at something and observing it… really seeing it. They were not really seeing Jesus for who He was. Jesus was the One who would lead the blind in the right direction. He was the One who would give them sight. He would turn the darkness into light. Jesus was the Light!! But the leaders of His time wanted to remain blind and in darkness. They were the ones who loved the darkness more than the light (John 3:19). What about people today? The world is in the same boat. They are the ones who look but don’t truly see. They hear but don’t listen. All we can do is keep spreading the Word and praying for blind eyes to be opened. Just as Jesus opened the blind man’s eyes physically, He can open the eyes of the spiritually blind. I was once blind, but now I see. I walked in darkness, but am now walking in the light. And because I realize how spiritually blind I was, I want to help others to see, and I pray that God will open the doors for me to do so for His glory. 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

John 10:26-29

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 

28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 

29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

“No One Can Snatch Us Away From Jesus”

“I’ve told you who I am. I’ve shown you who I am, but you do not believe me.” Jesus has provided witnesses. He has told them multiple times in multiple ways. He has done miracles that only God could perform. So why don’t they believe? Well…..Jesus gives a fairly simple answer to this question in verse 26. He says, “You don’t believe, because you are not My sheep.” This was not a failure on Jesus’ part. He had done everything possible to make them see who He was. He had done nothing except the will of God. This failure was on the heads of the Jewish leaders, scribes, Pharisees, and any other Jew who didn’t believe. These people thought they belonged to God. They thought they were the chosen of God. But they didn’t realize that if they didn’t belong to Jesus’ flock, then they didn’t belong to God’s flock, because they are the same. 

How do we know if we are a part of Jesus’ flock? Jesus tells us in verse 27. Again, it is a simple answer. To be a part of His flock, we must first hear His voice. He is the good Shepherd who has laid down His life for us. We should want to hear His voice. Of course, when Jesus says hear, He means listen, right? I can remember hearing the Word preached, but not really listening to what was being said. We have to intentionally listen and apply what He tells us to our lives. Next, Jesus has to know us, which He will if we are intentionally listening to His voice with an open heart. And last, we have to follow Him. Following Him means doing what He says for us to do. Doesn’t this sound fairly simple? 

So why was it so hard for the Jews back in the day? The Jews were looking for an earthly king, not a poor carpenter’s son from Nazareth. They wanted a Messiah who met their terms. They had a vision of what the Messiah would be like, and they would not have it any other way. They were God’s chosen people, the children of Abraham… they were too important to follow a man with no earthly status, no important family name, or no place to even call home. They couldn’t let this man threaten their positions in the temple as the spiritual leaders of Israel. And don’t you know they were judging the ones whom Jesus chose to be his twelve disciples? Can’t you just hear them? “And what about these mere fishermen that He has following after Him? Why would He choose these men? And look…..He even has a tax collector following Him!” These Jews were missing the point entirely. Jesus didn’t care about a person’s past. He didn’t and doesn’t care about a person’s job, hometown, or family. He cared back then and still cares now about a person’s heart, and that is all. He only cares about our hearts, and He knows if our hearts are right or not. Why is it so hard for us today? One word… distractions! Do we let the world distract us from God? I know that I’m guilty of being distracted by things that don’t matter at all!  Isn’t that what Satan wants? He wants to keep us distracted. He wants us to spend all our time scrolling on our phones on Facebook or TikTok and never opening God’s Word. He wants us to spend all our time binge-watching shows. Satan is so happy when he sees us choosing those things over God. Satan loves for us to be too busy in the world for God. He wants us to take on too much in the world so that spiritual things are rooted out of our lives. Satan wants us to spread ourselves so thin with worldly, meaningless things that we let the things that truly matter… the spiritual things… slide to the back burner. And eventually, Satan hopes that they slide off the stove completely. It is a slippery slope when we let the world lead us instead of Jesus. Satan knows he has us if he keeps us distracted from what is truly important. He knows that if we are so worn out by all the distractions we face every day that we might just let Jesus slip through the cracks of our lives. I don’t want to let that happen in my life anymore. We are human, and we fall short, but we can always do better… try harder… and be more diligent in our spiritual lives. Jesus deserves our time and very best effort! Let’s give it to Him! Let’s slow down. 

What are the blessings of hearing the voice of Jesus, having Him know us personally, and following Him? Again, another simple answer in verses 28 and 29. Jesus says that we will have eternal life, and we will never die. Then, he says the most comforting thing… ”no one can ever snatch my sheep out of my hand”. Isn’t that comforting? Jesus goes on to say that His Father has given His sheep to Him, and no one will ever snatch them out of His Father’s hand either. Jesus’ hand and His Father’s hand are the same. Why can no one snatch the sheep out of the Father’s hand? Because the Father is greater than all! Nothing can separate Jesus from His sheep. Listen to Paul’s words in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Who is the only person who can separate me from God? ME! And I know deep down if I am truly one of Jesus’ sheep or not. I just have to ask myself four questions and answer them honestly. Am I listening to Jesus? Does He know me? Have I obeyed Him? Am I faithfully following Him daily? In order for me to be able to say yes to these questions, Jesus has to be first in my life…..His church has to be first as well. I ask myself: Can I say yes to that? 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we must remain faithful until death or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first. (Rev. 2:10)

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!