LECTURE IX BETHANY. —PART V - Robert Murray Mcchene
And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord come and see. Jesus wept. (John 11:28-35.)
I. The calling of Mary.
1. Observe Martha is the messenger. Martha had got a little comfort from that sweet word of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Her faith had been revived by the question,” Believest thou this?” The swelling tide of sorrow in her breast was calmed: “And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary.” Those who have been comforted by Christ themselves, are the fittest messengers to bring comfort to others. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (1 Cor. 1:3,4). God takes his ministers through divers trials and consolations, just that he may make them fitting messengers to comfort others. O it is then we can tell others of the excellence of the apple tree, when we have been sitting under its shadow, and eating its pleasant fruits.
Martha was but a weak believer compared with Mary, and yet she is made the channel of conveying the joyful news to her. It is a great mistake to think that none but eminent believers are made useful in the Church of God. God often feeds eminent believers by a weak ministry. The minister has often less grace than those to whom he ministers. Especially when eminent believers are cast down and perplexed, frequently a very small means is used to lift them up again.
2. She called her secretly. The last time the Saviour was in Judea, they took up stones to stone him to death; and probably some of the Jews who were sitting beside Mary were among his bitter enemies. Martha therefore came in, and whispered softly into Mary’s ear, “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” She feared the Jews. Jesus had done much for her, and she was tender of his safety and of his cause. Thus does it become those of you for whom Jesus has done much to be tender of his honour, tender of his name and cause. You will feel as a member of his body, and that you have no interest separate from him.
3. The message: “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” Mary was sitting sad and desolate in the cottage at Bethany. It was now the fourth day from the funeral, and yet no comfort came. The place of Lazarus was empty; the house looked desolate without him , and Jesus had not come. He had sent them a message— that this sickness was not unto death; yet his word was broken, and he had not come. Mary knew not what to think. Why does he tarry beyond Jordan? she would say to herself: has he forgotten to be gracious? Suddenly her sister whispers, “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” Christ was near the cottage before she knew. So it was that morning at the Lake of Tiberias, when “Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus;” or that evening when the two disciples went to Emmaus and Jesus drew near, but their eyes were holden that they did not know him. So does death come upon the believer in Jesus. “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” So will Jesus come to his weeping, desolate Church, and this cry shall awake the dead.
“The Master is come, and calleth for thee.”
II. Mary’s going.
1. She arose quickly. It is evident that Mary was the more deeply affected of the two sisters. Martha was able to go about, but Mary sat still in the house. She felt the absence of Christ more than Martha. She believed his word more, and when that word seemed to fail, Mary’s heart was nearly broken. Ah! it is a deep sorrow when natural and spiritual grief come together. Affliction is easily borne if we have the smile of Jehovah’s countenance. Why does the mourner rise, and hastily drying her tears, with eager step leave the cottage door? Her friends who sat around her she seems quite to forget. “The Master is come.” Such is the presence of the Lord Jesus to mourners still. The world’s comforters are all physicians of no value. Miserable comforters are they all. They have no balm for a wounded spirit. “The heart knoweth its own bitterness.” But when the Master comes and calls us, the soul revives There is life in his call— his voice speaketh peace. “In me ye shall have peace.” Mourners should rise up quickly, and go to Jesus. The bereaved should spread their sorrows at the feet of Christ.
2. The place: “Now Jesus was not yet come into the town.” Jesus had probably come far that day— perhaps all the way from Jericho. He had journeyed onwards on foot, till he came to the foot of the Mount of Olives, and halted beneath the trees that skirt the village of Bethany. He did not go into the town till he had finished the work for which he came. Perhaps he was hungry and thirsty, as he was that day when he sat beside Jacob’s well, and said, “Give me to drink.” But he did not mention it now. His mind was intent upon his work— the raising of dead Lazarus, and the glorifying of his Father’s great name. “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Christ’s delight in saving sinners, and doing good to his own, overcame his sense of hunger, and thirst, and weariness. Oh! see what a ready high-priest we have to go to. And see what is our true happiness, namely, to do God’s holy will, not much minding bodily comforts. They have most of the mind of Christ, and most of the joy of Christ, who prefer his service to bodily rest and refreshment.
3. The Jews followed Mary. We saw that it was natural kindness that brought them to Bethany; and so natural kindness makes them follow Mary now. They could not comprehend her spiritual grief, and thought she was going to the grave to weep there. Yet this was the means of leading some of them to the spot where they were born again. “Many of the Jews believed on him.” How wonderful are God’s ways of leading men to Christ! “And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not: I will lead them in paths that they have not known.” One soul is led by curiosity, like Zacchaeus, to go and hear a particular minister, and the word is sent home with power. Another goes in kindness to a friend, and is arrested and sent home with a bleeding heart. His name is Wonderful— his ways are wonderful— his grace is wonderful. Learn that it is good to cleave to the godly, and to go with them. They may lead you to where Jesus is.
III. The meeting with Jesus.
1. Mary’s tender humility. With eager footstep Mary hurried over the rocky footpath. Jesus was standing in the same place where Martha met him; and as she approached, he bent his compassionate eyes upon her. Mary saw, and fell at his feet. What a crowd of feelings were in her breast at that moment! She wondered why he had not come sooner. That was a dark mystery to her. She knew he was her Saviour, and the Son of God. She knew that he loved her; and yet she fell at his feet. She felt that she was a vile sinner, worthy to be trampled on. She felt that she was a worm, and that all her hope was in Jesus. Ah! brethren, it is sweet to be able to take Mary’s place. The most eminent believers are the lowliest. Paul said: “I am the chief of sinners;” and , “I am less than the least of all saints.” The nearer you take anything to the light, the darker its spots appear: and the nearer you live to God, the more you will see your own utter vileness.
2. Mary repeats Martha’s complaint: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” From this it is plain that the two sisters had been often conversing upon Christ’s absence; and they had agreed upon this, that if Christ had been there, their brother had not died. It was both presumptuous and unbelieving. Perhaps Mary learned it from Martha. We are very apt to learn unbelief from one another. The Bible says: “Exhort one another daily, while it is called today.” But believers frequently discourage one another.
3. Jesus’ compassion.
(1.) When he saw, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. This is humanity. His eye affected his heart, when he saw her weeping— her whom he loved so well— so eminent a believer— one whom he had washed and justified. When he saw the Jews weeping— mere worldly friends— he groaned within himself. So when he came near, and beheld the city, he wept over it; when he saw the widow of Nain, he had compassion on her; when he saw the multitudes of Galilee, like sheep without a shepherd, he had compassion on them. All this shows his perfect humanity. He is bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh.
(2.) He asked, Where have ye laid him? This also was human. As God he knew well where they had laid him; but he wanted them to lead him to the grave.
(3.) Jesus wept. When he saw the cave, and the stone, and the weeping friends, “Jesus wept.” He wept because his heart was deeply touched. It was not feigned weeping— it was real. He knew that he was to raise him from the dead, and yet he wept because others wept. He wept as our example, to teach us to weep with one another. He wept to show what was in him. “We have not a high-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace; that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15, 16).