Good Friday Ponderings
As we near Good Friday, reading the gospel of John got me thinking about how the disciples may have felt as their Teacher faced death on the cross.
The disciples were looking for a king that would have an earthly reign breaking the Roman oppression over their people.
When Jesus died, they struggle with trusting Jesus, remembering His words, and aligning that to the fact that He, their Messiah, died a criminal’s death on the cross.
This is not what they thought Jesus’s reign would look like.
Do you ever look at your life and think, this is not what I thought life would look like?
In much the same way, the seventh sign in the book of John brings us into the lives of Mary and Martha as they cope with their shattered dreams.
If you have never read the story of Lazarus in John 11, you will want to before you read on.
When Our Dreams Are Shattered - Who Do We Turn To?
Mary and Martha’s dearly loved brother, Lazarus, becomes sick. The sisters immediately send word to Jesus – they seemingly have faith that Jesus can do something to help.
They tell Jesus the problem. They did not ask Jesus to heal Lazarus. They simply stated the problem.
Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.
What problems in your life do you need to tell Jesus?
Waiting in the Midst of Shattered Dreams
Sit with Mary and Martha as they wait. The hope rises in their hearts at any sound- footsteps entering their home, the creak of a hinge – that Jesus would come and make this right.
Have you been there? Holding desperately on to hope, but it seems that Jesus is not showing up?
So when Jesus came, he found he had already been in the tomb four days. 11:17
Jesus could have healed Lazarus from a distance, but our relational God chooses to show up in person to be with this family he loved. (despite the disciples warning him that the Jews in Judea are seeking to stone him if He returns, see verse 8)
What Is Our Response to Shattered Dreams?
Martha runs to meet Jesus when He is still two miles away. Her faith is commendable, see verses 21-22.
Jesus gives her hope. “Your brother will rise again.”
Do you need to hear those words from Jesus? Are you running to him with your shattered dreams? (Psalm 31:1-2) Do you need hope today?
However, despite the circumstances, Jesus asks Martha a more poignant question. A question we all must answer.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”
Mary remains in the house and when Martha tells her, “The Teacher is here and calling for you”, she immediately goes to Him. (32) Because we do not hear her tone of voice, it is impossible to discern if she conveyed blame or faith, or maybe a mixture of both.
However, when Jesus sees her sobbing, and the Jews who had come with her also sobbing, He is deeply moved in spirit [to the point of anger at the sorrow caused by death] and is troubled…John 11:33
God is not emotionless. Contrast that what this theologian writes about the pagan gods.
Barclay explains that to the mind of the ancient Greek the primary characteristic of God was apatheia: the total inability to feel any emotion whatsoever. The Greeks believed in an isolated, passionless, and compassionless God. That isn’t the God of the Bible.
Jesus Asks... Where Have You Laid Him?
When we go to Jesus, He mourns with us. Hear Jesus ask you…
Where have you laid all your shattered dreams?
The sisters respond, “Lord come and see.” They take Jesus to the tomb, a simple cave in the hillside.
Would you take Jesus to the cave where you have placed your broken dreams?
…divorce, miscarriage, illness, prodigal children, death of loved ones, broken relationships, or constant disappointments….
Remove the Stone
Jesus commands them to remove the stone despite the protests that there would be a stench after all these days.
We need to let Jesus into our pain. We need to remove the stone to our hearts.
Unbind Him and Let Him Loose
Jesus calls Lazarus out from the cave and tells those there to “take off the grave clothes and let him go”.
When we release our broken dreams to Jesus, He will bring new life to them. This does not mean things will return to the same. It does mean He will use circumstances for His glory.
Will you release your dreams to Jesus and let Him make something new?
We often end the story of Lazarus like a fairy tale, “happily ever after”. However, this small family may have been in danger after the miraculous resurrection. The chief priests desired to kill Lazarus.
This story is only mentioned in the gospel of John. Some commentators think the story was omitted to protect the family who were still living at the time of their writings. (John 12:9-1)
We always need to live with an eternity perspective, that our true, complete “happily ever after” is only when we are with Jesus in heaven. As Jesus reminded Martha in the midst of her circumstances.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.
Does Scripture Show God Has Emotions?
Watch this short video.