John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
Okay Friends, you can pull in your tongues and close your mouths now, the continuation of the Scrip-Bit drama is at hand. (smile) And while you’re chuckling or shaking your head in sorrow for me, hear what Ed Howe has to say. ‘If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you grow old.’ That’s very true. And I believe it was Winston Churchill who said that a man’s greatest ability is to be able to laugh at himself. Oh Friends, occasionally we need to lighten up and laugh at both our problems and ourselves, for by so doing we remove some of the pain and trauma we’re feeling. And then we often discover that the problems aren’t really as bad as they first seemed. If nothing else, laughter is a great energizer, and when we participate in it, it buoys our energy and spirits, giving us a better perspective on our current problems and life as a whole. Our society needs to laugh a great deal more than we do, especially the dour and sour believers who always look as though their best friend had just died and think that being serious is a Christian virtue. My people, nothing could be further from the truth, and we’d be surprised at how just a little more laughter would ease a lot of the stress, strain and tension so rampant now in our world. However, let’s get to our Bit before we spend the entire time on laughing and laughter. Unfortunately, Lazarus’ death was one of those problem times that his sisters Martha and Mary could not laugh. But when Martha heard that Jesus was approaching, she ran out of the house to meet Him along the way, ‘but Mary sat still in the house.’ (John 11:20) It seems that the sisters had opposite personalities; Martha the busy, get it done now, extroverted type, while Mary seems to be the soulful introvert, more intent on ruminating that bustling around. This is reflected in there different reactions here and also when Jesus came to dinner. (Luke 10:38-42) But Friends, say what you want about Martha and her busy body, her faith was rock solid. Listen to what she tells Jesus when she meets Him. ‘Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.’ (John 11:21-22) Oh mih people, do we have that kind of undaunted, undoubting faith? I sure hope so, because that’s the only kind of faith that’ll get us successfully through this crazy, violent, evil world we now inhabit. Note too that Martha did not berate Jesus for not coming earlier, or anything like that. She just made two simple statements that showed she believed Jesus had special favour with God. How many of us would have been so calm eh? Not too many. We’d probably be ranting at Jesus for not coming before. But Martha’s strong faith led her to the wise, sensible action, as it ought to. If she knew deep down that the Father would grant any request Jesus made, why get upset and rail at Him? My brethren, that’s the kind of strong, unshakeable faith believers today need. Sadly though, it cannot be bought, but must be earned, and not in a short space of time either. It only comes from experiencing difficulties, turning to Almighty God for help, and then seeing Him do wondrous things in our lives. I’m sure Jesus appreciated Martha’s show of confidence, but He simply replied: ‘Thy brother shall rise again.’ (John 11:23) Martha obviously did not get His true meaning, for she answered: ‘I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ (John 11:23) Though Martha had oodles of faith, it doesn’t seem that she expected Jesus to bring Lazarus back to earthly life after being so long in the grave. That’s when ‘Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.’ It wasn’t the first time that Jesus had made such a startling claim. He’d said it to the Jews who wanted to stone Him for breaking the Sabbath by healing on it, and making Himself equal to God. ‘For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth (gives life to) them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.’ (John 5:21) He also said it in greater detail to the crowd while teaching in Capernaum. ‘And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day… No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John 6:39-40,44) And if you want to hear it in a stronger, more assured voice, then listen: ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (Hades) and of death.’ (Rev.1:17-18) My Friends, Jesus wasn’t a mad prophet, making all sorts of weird, dubious claims. He proved Himself right here on earth; walked His talk, which many before and after Him could not do. And He’s doing it in heaven on our behalf right now. I therefore urge us all to take a firm hold of His yoke which is light and easy and let’s build the kind of faith, the strong, sure, steadfast kind that He wants us to have, but which can only be developed through adversity. Let’s be like Martha, confident in Christ’s abilities and in His treasured relationship with our Heavenly Father. It’s the only true and sure way to go. And this Easter time that’s nigh, when we celebrate Jesus’ eternal triumph over death, is the best time to sit and ponder it all and come to the only wise and sensible decision: Jesus is risen, therefore death has no hold over me! We’ll continue this tomorrow, God willing. Till then, be strong in the power of Christ. Much LOVE!…Jesus’ resurrection…the greatest triumph of all time…
Okay Friends, you can pull in your tongues and close your mouths now, the continuation of the Scrip-Bit drama is at hand. (smile) And while you’re chuckling or shaking your head in sorrow for me, hear what Ed Howe has to say. ‘If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you grow old.’ That’s very true. And I believe it was Winston Churchill who said that a man’s greatest ability is to be able to laugh at himself. Oh Friends, occasionally we need to lighten up and laugh at both our problems and ourselves, for by so doing we remove some of the pain and trauma we’re feeling. And then we often discover that the problems aren’t really as bad as they first seemed. If nothing else, laughter is a great energizer, and when we participate in it, it buoys our energy and spirits, giving us a better perspective on our current problems and life as a whole. Our society needs to laugh a great deal more than we do, especially the dour and sour believers who always look as though their best friend had just died and think that being serious is a Christian virtue. My people, nothing could be further from the truth, and we’d be surprised at how just a little more laughter would ease a lot of the stress, strain and tension so rampant now in our world. However, let’s get to our Bit before we spend the entire time on laughing and laughter. Unfortunately, Lazarus’ death was one of those problem times that his sisters Martha and Mary could not laugh. But when Martha heard that Jesus was approaching, she ran out of the house to meet Him along the way, ‘but Mary sat still in the house.’ (John 11:20) It seems that the sisters had opposite personalities; Martha the busy, get it done now, extroverted type, while Mary seems to be the soulful introvert, more intent on ruminating that bustling around. This is reflected in there different reactions here and also when Jesus came to dinner. (Luke 10:38-42) But Friends, say what you want about Martha and her busy body, her faith was rock solid. Listen to what she tells Jesus when she meets Him. ‘Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.’ (John 11:21-22) Oh mih people, do we have that kind of undaunted, undoubting faith? I sure hope so, because that’s the only kind of faith that’ll get us successfully through this crazy, violent, evil world we now inhabit. Note too that Martha did not berate Jesus for not coming earlier, or anything like that. She just made two simple statements that showed she believed Jesus had special favour with God. How many of us would have been so calm eh? Not too many. We’d probably be ranting at Jesus for not coming before. But Martha’s strong faith led her to the wise, sensible action, as it ought to. If she knew deep down that the Father would grant any request Jesus made, why get upset and rail at Him? My brethren, that’s the kind of strong, unshakeable faith believers today need. Sadly though, it cannot be bought, but must be earned, and not in a short space of time either. It only comes from experiencing difficulties, turning to Almighty God for help, and then seeing Him do wondrous things in our lives. I’m sure Jesus appreciated Martha’s show of confidence, but He simply replied: ‘Thy brother shall rise again.’ (John 11:23) Martha obviously did not get His true meaning, for she answered: ‘I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ (John 11:23) Though Martha had oodles of faith, it doesn’t seem that she expected Jesus to bring Lazarus back to earthly life after being so long in the grave. That’s when ‘Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.’ It wasn’t the first time that Jesus had made such a startling claim. He’d said it to the Jews who wanted to stone Him for breaking the Sabbath by healing on it, and making Himself equal to God. ‘For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth (gives life to) them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.’ (John 5:21) He also said it in greater detail to the crowd while teaching in Capernaum. ‘And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day… No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John 6:39-40,44) And if you want to hear it in a stronger, more assured voice, then listen: ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (Hades) and of death.’ (Rev.1:17-18) My Friends, Jesus wasn’t a mad prophet, making all sorts of weird, dubious claims. He proved Himself right here on earth; walked His talk, which many before and after Him could not do. And He’s doing it in heaven on our behalf right now. I therefore urge us all to take a firm hold of His yoke which is light and easy and let’s build the kind of faith, the strong, sure, steadfast kind that He wants us to have, but which can only be developed through adversity. Let’s be like Martha, confident in Christ’s abilities and in His treasured relationship with our Heavenly Father. It’s the only true and sure way to go. And this Easter time that’s nigh, when we celebrate Jesus’ eternal triumph over death, is the best time to sit and ponder it all and come to the only wise and sensible decision: Jesus is risen, therefore death has no hold over me! We’ll continue this tomorrow, God willing. Till then, be strong in the power of Christ. Much LOVE!…Jesus’ resurrection…the greatest triumph of all time…
SCRIP-BITS 