John 11:4-9

John 11:4-9 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”

The scriptures today tell us Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet he stayed where he was two more days. Consequently, we know since He only did what the Father told him to do, He had a purpose for his actions, did not merely act with callous indifference toward the needs of his friends or tarry because of fear for his life. Those who tried to stone Jesus were in great darkness: He understood that already. John declares early in his record of Christ's ministry: In him [Jesus] was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:4-5) Without the light shining in the darkness, people would continually fight against God's purposes; their lives would never truly change and turn toward him; righteousness would not reign on the face of the Earth. Jesus had to turn his face back to Jerusalem; He had to fulfill his ministry that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Jesus never would have run away from his calling or thought to hide in a cave, fearing what evil men might do to him. He might slip away in a crowd, letting the Holy Spirit guide his steps, listening to that still small voice giving him direction; but He came not to do his own will but the will of the Father. After Jesus' words dispersed the angry crowd who wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery, He told her to go and to stop sinning. Then he proclaimed, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12) He understood God sent him to a wicked and depraved generation where people had gone their own way since Adam and Eve rejected God's best in the Garden of Eden. He saw what that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) Yet knowing this, the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16) willingly embraced the cross and turned toward Judea, knowing He came to dispel the darkness. Only the Son could bring the light and love of his holy Father to a people held fast in the grip of darkness and sin, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) Therefore, Jesus traveled to the home of his friends, not only to deliver Lazarus from the shroud of death, but to bring hope to the lost in Jerusalem and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Today the light of Christ has shined upon our hearts and lives and made us sons and daughter of the Most High. Peter told the church, We have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19) We have been sent into the world as salt and light, as Christ's representatives to a hurting world where people stumble in darkness, searching for happiness and coming up empty. Paul challenged the church: So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17) When we walk into a room, the light of Christ should walk into that room. We must spend time with him, sit in his presence, seek his face, hear his voice, let his light shine in us and through us that mercy and grace might overflow with abundance and songs of praise might break forth from our lips. Jesus said, Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. (John 7:38) Let the river of life flow in us today, dear Lord. Even so, come, sweet Jesus, come.

Tomorrow morning Mom is preaching: Christ, Our Victory, Our Righteousness, Our Joy! If you do not attend somewhere else, we would love to see you at our church, Evergreen Foursquare, where our son, Doug Bursch, from Live from Seattle at KGNW 820 is pastor. Service is from 10:00 to 11:30 A.M. 2407 M Street SE, Auburn WA 98002 (Next to Pioneer Elementary School)