GO BACK AND TAKE BACK
“…Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead for four days. …”
(John 11:39 KJV).
*
The body of Lazarus,
according to tradition, had been embalmed with spices and perfumes, wrapped in
linen grave clothes, and had, most likely, started to decompose. “…by this time he stinketh…”
(John 11:39 KJV).
According to an old proverb,
it was believed that the soul hovered over the body for 2 or 3 days, before it
took flight for good. So by the fourth day, there was no doubt Lazarus was
considered truly, fully, and completely DEAD.“…Martha, the
sister … saith … Lord, by this time he stinketh: …”
(John 11:39 KJV).
Martha advises Jesus, the WORD, that her brother, MORE THAN
LIKELY, “stinks” by now. Based on her level of faith, she sees opening the tomb
as unnecessary and possibly a disregard for, the feelings, of the MOURNERS. “…
for he hath been dead for four days. …”
(John 11:39 KJV).
Martha had resolved and relinquished all HOPE regarding
Lazarus’ physical LIFE. Her brother was DEAD. Dead is DEAD and by now “…he stinketh…” (John 11:39). “…
by this time he stinketh…”
(John 11:39 KJV).
When something or someone DIES; your HOPE, DREAMS, and
PRAYERS, regarding that something or someone, DIES too! “…Lazarus is DEAD…”
(John 11:14 KJV). “…he stinketh: for he hath been
dead for four days. …”
(John 11:39 KJV). Lazarus was in “….the
place WHERE the DEAD was laid…”
(John 11:41 KJV).
When something or someone is DEAD people BURY it or them
somewhere! When you BURY something or someone you deposit it or them into a
GRAVE. Once it or they are deposited into a GRAVE decomposition happens.
Decomposition causes things and bodies to putrefy and smell or stink. “…
by this time he stinketh…”
(John 11:39 KJV).
Martha was attempting to prevent Jesus from exposing her
brother in his decomposed condition. Plus it was forbidden to open a tomb once
it was closed. In addition, there were concerns about touching that which was
considered unclean. Martha, most likely, didn’t want people SEEING Lazarus, her
beloved brother, in a state of corruption. Would you? “…he
hath been dead for four days
…” (John 11:39 KJV).
Many people don’t like seeing a loved one’s casket go into
the ground. I know I don’t. And I certainly wouldn’t want to exhume the body
after many days and open the casket again for ALL to see. “…TAKE ye away the STONE….they TOOK away the STONE from the PLACE “WHERE” the DEAD was
laid…” (John 11:39-41 KJV).
Martha has no clue that Jesus is
about to perform a MIRACLE. She is still operating partially in the natural, at
her current level of faith, with her limited knowledge of THE POWER OF GOD’S
WORD, and from her narrow perspective of THE RESURRECTION. “…TAKE ye away the STONE …” (John 11:39-41 KJV).
A stone was often used to MARK a
memorial event. A memorial event - such as the death of a loved one, the death
of dreams, the death of prayers, or the death of HOPE is unforgettable.
However, once something or someone is DEAD we are not interested in exhuming it
or them. “...They TOOK away the STONE from the
PLACE “WHERE” the DEAD was laid…” (John 11:39-41 KJV). Jesus wanted
the STONE removed. “…TAKE ye away the STONE …” (John 11:39-41 KJV).
The
death of HOPE was NOT meant to be a memorial event. “...They
TOOK away the STONE from the PLACE …”
(John 11:39-41 KJV).
However, the thought of exhuming dead HOPE, DREAMS,
DESIRES, or PRAYERS may be difficult. After a while, you may not even FULLY
remember what some of them were. “… by this time he (THEY) stinketh…”
(John 11:39 KJV).
Martha didn’t SEE the BIGGER picture. When Jesus tells YOU to
roll away the STONES you’ve placed over your DEAD hopes and dreams; there is a
GREATER dependency upon HIS WORD he is trying to REVEAL to you through the
POWER of his Holy Spirit! “…Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that
if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (John 11:40 KJV).
Like
Lazarus, DEAD hopes and dreams have been buried so long, they have decomposed
in the heart and they stink! You became sick of your hopes and dreams a LONG
time ago. “…he
stinketh: for he hath been dead for four days. …”
(John 11:39 KJV). “…when
Jesus came, he found that he had lain in The grave four days already…”
(John 11;17 KJV).
Once something or someone is DEAD; those in mourning make an
attempt to move on and began a new era of life without it or them. "…"Behold,
the former things have
come to
pass, Now I declare new
things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."
(Isaiah 42:9 NASB). "…Behold, I will do something
new…” (Isaiah
43:19-20 NASB).
DEATH changes or transforms
the familiar, especially for those still ALIVE, because usually there is NO
HOPE for restoral or revival of that which has DIED. “…I will lead the blind by ways they have not
known, along “unfamiliar”
paths I will guide them; I will turn
the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them…”
(Isaiah 42:16 NIV).
Jesus told the by-standers to roll away the stone. “…TAKE ye away the STONE …” (John 11:39-41 KJV). What CAN be done in human
strength God leaves to YOU. “...They TOOK away the STONE from the PLACE “WHERE” the DEAD was
laid…” (John 11:39-41 KJV).
What
CAN ONLY be done in supernatural strength or POWER is entrusted to Jesus, the
WORD. “…Lazarus, come forth…he that was dead came forth…”
(John 11:42-43 KJV).
Remember, Martha had a level of faith, because she
believed that she would see Lazarus again in the resurrection. She had,
however, no FAITH experience, in regard to the resurrection, beyond seeing on the last on the last day. JESUS SAID: “…thy brother shall rise again…Believest
thou this? …” (John 11:23-27 KJV). MARTHA
SAID:
“…I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day…”
(John 11:23-27 KJV).
is the resurrection a future experience or is it experienced at salvation? jesus, the word said: “…I am the resurrection
and the life…”
(John 11:25 KJV). “…Lazarus, come forth…he that was dead
came forth…” (John 11:42-43 KJV). “…YOU were dead in
your sins
and ... [NOW]…God
made you ALIVE with Christ.
He forgave [you]… all [your]… sins…” (Colossians 2:13 NIV). “…YOU
were dead in
your sins…”
(Colossians 2:13 NIV). “..Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away;
behold, ALL
THING ARE BECOME NEW…” (2 Corinthians
5:17 KJV).“… [The] Good News about Christ (THE
WORD OF GOD). It is the power of God at work (through HIS HOLY SPIRIT), saving (RESURRECTING
AND GIVING LIFE TO) everyone who believes (DEPENDS UPON HIS WORD)…”
(Romans 1:16 NLT).
Martha was HOPEFUL she would SEE Lazarus again “IN” the
resurrection, but she had no HOPE for his resurrection in the HERE and NOW. “…I know that he shall rise again …” (John 11:23-27 KJV).
During
DARK experiences of DEEP sadness, grief, disappointment, regret, or sorrow HOPE
can weaken, fluctuate, or totally DIE. The centurion said: “…I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!...” (Mark 9:24 NIV).
Jesus sympathizes with your
weaknesses. “…We do
not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses…” (Hebrews 4:15 NASB). “…When Jesus therefore saw her
weeping, and the Jews who came with her also
weeping, He was deeply
moved in spirit and
was troubled …Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying,
“See how He loved him!” …Jesus, again
being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was
a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
Jesus said, “Remove the stone...”
(John 11:33-39 NASB).
God is both a
sympathetic and comforting Father. “…Blessed
are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted...” (Matthew 5:4 KJV). “…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…”(2
Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV).
However, God is not an enabler. He will sympathize,
comfort, and STRENGTHEN you. “…Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our
sufficiency is of God…”
(2 Corinthians 3:5 KJV). “…“… [His]… power is made perfect in weakness…” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV). “…[God will] … grant
you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with
might by his Spirit in the inner man…”(Ephesians
3:16 KJV). “…May
…God … work
in us what is
pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ…”
(Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV). “…it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure…”
(Philippians 2:13 KJV).
He will EMPOWER you
to ROLL AWAY the STONE. He will empower you to roll away the disappointment,
the doubt, the heartbreak, the time factor, thinking you are too old, thinking
it’s too late, or thinking it’s “now” impossible.“... Remove
the stone...” (John 11:33-39 NASB).
QUESTIONS AND FOOD FOR YOUR THOUGHTS:
1. IF YOU HAVE GIVEN
UP ON CERTAIN HOPES, DREAMS OR PRAYERS WHAT DOES JESUS, THE WORD, TELL YOU TO
DO TO GET BACK ON TRACK? COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF
GRACE (UNMERITED FAVOR) AND GET “HIS” HELP. “..Let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that we may obtain mercy, and find GRACE to
help in time of need…” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV). “…ask me for anything in my name (Jesus), and I will do it...” (John 14:12-14 NLT).
2. AFTER YOU PRAY, WHAT IS THE NEXT THING YOUR NEED
TO DO OVER YOUR DEAD HOPES, DREAMS, OR PRAYERS? SPEAK THE WORD. “…SPEAK THE WORD ONLY …”
(Matthew 8:5-9 KJV). “…THE WORDS THAT I
SPEAK unto you, they ARE SPIRIT, and they ARE LIFE…” (John 6:63 KJV). “…the things which are impossible with men ARE
POSSIBLE WITH GOD…”
(Luke 18:27 KJV). “….I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: IS THERE ANY THING TOO HARD FOR ME?”
(Jeremiah 32:27 KJV). “… [GOD]… IS
ABLE to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or THINK…”
(Ephesians 3:20 KJV).
3. JESUS, THE WORD TOLD MARY AND MARTHA TO
GO TO THE PLACE OF THE DEAD, BUT WHAT WAS THEIR OPINION OF GOING BACK? THEY THOUGHT THE DEAD WAS SO DEAD, IT WAS STINKING NOW.
“…Martha, the sister of him
that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this
time he stinketh: for he hath been dead for four
days.
…” (John 11:39 KJV).
4. WHAT
WAS THE RESPONSE OF JESUS, THE WORD OF GOD? HE REMINDED
THEM, THAT REGARDLESS OF THE STENCH, THEY WOULD “SEE” THE GLORY OF GOD. “…"Did I not say to you that
if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (John 11:40 KJV).
45. WHAT DOES JESUS,
THE WORD, WANT TO REVEAL TO MARY AND MARTHA? THE WORD
WANTS TO REVEAL GOD’S PRESENCE, GOD’S GOODNESS, AND THE CONFIRMING “POWER” OF
HIS HOLY SPIRIT! “…Then you will know that I the Lord (THE WORD) have spoken, and I (GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT) have
done it, declares the Lord (THE WORD)...’”
(Ezekiel 37 NIV). “…he that was dead came forth…” (John 11:42-43 KJV).
YOUR HOPES, DREAMS, OR PRAYERS ARE NOT DEAD! GO BACK TO THE PLACE YOU BURY THEM AND "SPEAK" THE WORD ONLY!!!
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