LECTURE VII BETHANY. —PART III - Robert Murray Mcchene

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. — (John 11:11-16).

I. CHRIST’S love to a dead Lazarus.

1. He calls him friend.

An eminent infidel used to say that neither patriotism nor friendship was taught in the Bible. He only proved that he neither knew nor understood the Bible. How different the sentiment of the Christian poet, who says,

“The noblest friendship ever shown,
The Saviour’s history makes known.”

Ah! it is an amazing truth that Jehovah-Jesus came and made friends of such worms as we are. True friendship consists in mutual confidence and mutual sacrifices. Thus God dealt with Enoch: “Enoch walked with God three hundred years.” Enoch told all to God, and God told all to him. Blessed friendship— between Jehovah and a worm! So God treated Abraham. Three times in the Bible he is called “the friend of God.” (2 Chron. 20:7); (Isa. 41:8); (James 2:23). “He raised up the righteous man from the East, and called him to his foot.” The God of glory appeared unto Abraham, and we find God saying, “Shalt I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” (Gen. 28:17). So God dealt with Moses: “The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And God said to him, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” (Exod. 33:11, 14). “And when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off.” (Exod. 34:34). Thus did Christ deal with his disciples. Though he was the holy Lamb of God, yet he says: “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” (John 15:15). He admitted them to the closest fellowship; so that one leaned on his breast at supper, and another washed his feet with ointment. He told them freely all that he had learned in the bosom of his Father— all that they were able to bear; of the Father’s glory— the Father’s love. Thus he dealt with Lazarus: “Our friend Lazarus.” Often, no doubt, they had sat beneath the spreading fig tree at the cottage of Bethany, and Christ had opened up to them the glories of an eternal world.

This is what you are invited to, dear friends— to become the friends of Jesus. When men choose friends, they generally choose the rich, or the wise, or the witty— they ask those that will invite them back. Not so with Christ. He chooses the poor, the foolish, babes, and makes them friends— those of whom the world is ashamed. The world changes friends. In the world, if a rich friend wax poor— if overtaken by a sudden failure, and plunged in deepest poverty— friends, like butterflies in the rain, fly quickly home— they look cold and strange, as if they did not see you. Not so Jesus, the friend that sticketh closer than a brother. A true friend does not hide any thing from another which it would be good for him to know. Neither does Christ: “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”

2. Even when dead: “Our friend Lazarus.” Few people remember the dead. They are “a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again”— ”The place that knows them shall know them no more for ever.” In some of the countries where I have been, there are immense burying-grounds where cities have been, but where not a living being now remains. There is not one to remember their name, or to shed a tear over their memory. Even among yourselves, how soon are the dead forgotten! Although you loved them well when living— “lovely and pleasant in their lives;” yet when they are out of sight, they are soon out of mind. But Christ’s dead are never forgotten. There is one faithful Brother, who keeps in mind the sleeping dust of all his brothers and sisters. Death makes no change in the love of Christ — death cannot separate us from his love— death does not take us off his breastplate. “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.”

Ah, my friends! this is to take the sting away from death. You will, no doubt, be forgotten by the world; if you are Christ’s, they never loved you, and will be glad when you are gone. Living sermons are no pleasant objects in the world’s eye. They will be glad when you are under the sod. Even believers will forget you. Man is a frail creature, and memory is fading. But Christ never will forget you. He that said, “My faithful martyr Antipas!” when all the world had forgotten him, remembers all his sleeping saints, and will bring them with him.

II. The mistake.

In the last chapter we had a specimen of the selfishness of the disciples— here of their stupidity. They were beloved disciples— had left all to follow Christ— sincerely believed his word, and loved his person; and yet what remains of blindness in the understanding! “If he sleep, he shall do well.”

1. To sleep, was the common expression for the death of saints in the Old Testament. Thus God said to Moses: “Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.” And to Daniel: “Many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.” To King David: “Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.” (2 Sam. 7:12). “Now shall I sleep in the dust.” (Job 7:21). “Lest I sleep the sleep of death.” (Psa. 13:3). Surely, if they had thought a little, they might have found the meaning!

2. What would have been the use of going to awake him out of a refreshing sleep? Did they think so highly of their Master, as that he would run into personal danger to awaken a sleeping man?

Do not wonder when disciples mistake the meaning of Christ’s words. They have done so before, and may do it again. Every gracious man is not an infallible man. Learn to search patiently into the meaning of his words, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, and especially going to him for light. When you are reading in a dark room, and come to a difficult part, you take it to the widow to get more light; So take your Bibles to Christ.

What was the cause of their mistake? Ans. Fear. They did not want to go into Judea again. They were afraid of being stoned. They saw their Master was bent upon going, and they wanted to dissuade him. They misunderstood his words, be-cause of the averseness of their hearts to his will. This is the great reason of all blindness in divine things: “Through the blindness of their hearts”— “If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine.”

The reason why many of you do not understand your lost condition, is not that it is not taught in the Bible, not that the words are difficult, (the Bible is a plain, simple book,) but it is that you do not wish to be convinced of sin— you do not want your fine dreams of your own goodness and safety to be dashed to pieces. The reason why many of you do not understand the way of forgiveness, is that you do not like it— your heart is averse from God’s way— you cannot bear to have all your righteousness accounted rags, and to be beholden entirely to the righteousness of One. The reason why many saints among you cannot see your rule of duty plain, is that you are averse from the duty. You want to have your own way, and you cannot understand the Scriptures that contradict it. This was the case with the apostles. This is frequently the case in entering into marriage, or a servant fixing on a place. When once a strong desire is formed in the heart, it blinds the mind to the Scriptures. O, pray for a pure heart, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will— that you may walk worthy of the Lord, to all pleasing!

III. The explanation. – Verses 14,15. Christ here explains two things,— 1. His words; and, 2. His absence.

1. Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead!” His disciples had shown great selfishness— great blindness of heart— great stupidity; and yet he was not angry, neither did he turn away. Be he said plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” When he had been teaching them many things, he said, “Have you understood all these things?” (Matt. 13:51). Another time, when he had been telling them of the Father’s house, Thomas said: “Lord, we know not whither thou goest.” With the same admirable patience and gentleness he said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” He “can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way.” Perhaps some of you feel dead and ignorant— you need not keep away from Christ on that account. Take your blind eyes to him, that he may give you sight. He wants you to understand his way and his will.

2. He explains his absence: “I am glad I was not there.” The objection would immediately arise in the breast of his disciples, If Lazarus be dead, why did our Master stay there two days? Therefore he explains that it was for their sake. Had Christ been there, he felt that he must have healed Lazarus. Had he been there, Lazarus had not died. Christ could not have stood in the cottage of Bethany, and looked on the face of his dying friend, and seen the silent tears of Mary, and heard the imploring words of Martha without granting their desire. Therefore he says: “I am glad I was not there.” Ah! learn the amazing love of Christ to his own He cannot deny their prayer. When Moses was pleading with God, God said: “Let me alone.” God could not destroy Israel so long as Moses pleaded for them. So God had to tell Jeremiah, “Pray not for this people.” And so when God wants to destroy, he shuts up his saints that they cannot pray. Jesus kept away, that he might not be overcome by their prayer. The up-lifted hand of a believing Mary is too much for Jesus to resist. The tearful eye of an earnest believer is “terrible as an army with banners.” “Turn away thine eye from me, for thou hast overcome me.” But why was be not there? “For your sakes, to the intent ye may believe.” In the last chapter, we saw he delayed for the sake of the cottagers at Bethany; here is another reason— “For your sakes.” “All things are for your sakes.” (2 Cor. 4:15). For the sake of believers this world was created— the sun made to rule the day, and the moon to rule the night. Every shining star was made for them. All are kept in being for your sakes. Winds rise and fall— waves roar and are still— seasons revolve— seed-time and harvest, day and night, all for your sakes. “All things are yours.” All events are for your sakes. Kingdoms rise and fall, to save God’s people. Nations are his rod— his saw and axe to hew out a way for the chariot of the everlasting Gospel; even as Hiram’s hewers in Lebanon, and the Gibeonite drawers of water were building up the temple of God. The enemies of the Church are only a rod in God’s hand. He will do his purpose with them— then break the rod in two, and cast it away. Specially all the providences of believing families are for your sakes. When Christ is dealing with a believing family, you say, That is no matter of mine— what have I to do with it? Ah, truly if you are of the world, you have no part or lot in it! But if you are Christ’s, it is for your sake, to the intent that ye may believe. The dealings of Christ with believing families are very instructive, his afflictions and his comforts— his way. O learn to bear one another’s burdens, to see more of Christ’s hand among you, to the intent ye may believe!

“There’s not a plant that grows below
But makes his glory known;
And thunders roll and tempests blow
By order from his throne.”

IV. The zealous disciple: What voice is that? It is Thomas— unbelieving Thomas.

1. True love to Christ here. He saw that Christ was determined to go— he saw the danger— he counted the cost. Well, says he, “Let us go also.” Strange, that following the Lamb of God should endanger our very life; yet in how many ages of the Church it has been so! “The time will come when whosoever killeth you, shall think that he doeth God service.” What a cloud of witnesses has Scotland seen, all saying, like Thomas, “Let us go and die with him!” Ah, we do not know the value of Christ, if we will not cleave to him unto death!

2. True zeal toward others: “Let us go.” He does not say, like Peter, “I am ready to go with thee;” but, “Let us go.” Whenever we clearly apprehend the path of duty, we should persuade others to come along with us. It is not enough for a believer to go in the way himsel — you must say, “Let us go.” So Israel: “Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord.” (Jer. 50:5). So Moses to Hobab: “Come thou with us.” So the converted Gentiles: “O house of Israel, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” A Christian should be like a river that fertilizes while it runs— carrying ships, and all that floats upon its bosom, along with it to the ocean.

3. Yet sin mingled with it. Jesus spoke not of dying; on the contrary, he spoke of “not stumbling.” But Thomas was full of unbelief, and full of fear. He heeded not the word of Christ. Learn how much sin and weakness mingles with our love and zeal, and what infinite need we have of one who bears the iniquity of our holy things.