Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-03-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON TX, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 8.


DRY Verses. 33-s6-Golden Text, John
ri, 25-commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
stearns.
30. 1t is probable that all the events re-
corded In Luke x, II, to xviii, 43, and also n
John x, come between the last lesson and
this, and that Jesus is now on His way to
Jerusalem, shortly before the last passover.
While He was beyond Jordan Lazarus
took sick, and the sisters sent Him word,
but instead of Fastening to him He tar
ried two days in the same place, and not
till Lazarus was dead and buried did He
set forth to awake him out of sleep (verse
~. When Martha heard that He was
coming, she went forth out of the town &c
meet Him, and afterward calling Mary &C.
cretly she, too, went forth out of the town.
Jesus tarrying where Martha had met
Him.
81. When the people in the house who
had come together to comfort Martha and
Mary saw Mary go forth hastily, not
knowing that her sister had called her,
they supposed she had gone to the grave
to weep there. They must have been poor
comforters, for they knew not the comfort
~
know it even now, for even at the funeral
of believer we have often heard a pOr
ton of the context, but seldom these words
wherein the comfort lies, which assure us
that any hour our departed loved ones in
Christ may join us, and together we meet
the Lord in the air.
80. Mary, coming where Jesus was, fell
down at His feet, uttering the very same
words which her sister had used Verse 2D.
Now if, as some teach US, the coming OF
the Lord means death, Martha and Mary
should have said, Lord we are so glad you
came when our brother died, but they say
that if He had come Lazarus would not
have died
33. He would not he troubled without a
cause, and when we hear Him twice groan-
ing in spirit in this lesson (see verse 3S)
we may be sure the cause was very great.
What could it be? His dear friends whom
He loved were in deep sorrow, and He felt
sorry for them
"a. His inquiry, Where have We laid
himY'' confirms us in the thought that it
was the work of death upon this dear
friend whom Jesus loved (verse -, which
was in part at least the cause of the Sa-
viour's groaning, and while He knew that
He would surely raise up and restore Lag
arus to his sisters, yet He felt deeply the
work of the enemy and saw it in all its
terrors and horrors from A bel to the very
end.
30. Jesus wept." Shortest verse in the
Bible but who can tell its breadth and
length and depth and height On three
different occasions Jesus is said to have
wept See Luke xix, Al; Heb. V, Z. In
the former text we see His sorrow for those
who, by their unbelief, were bringing un-
told sufferings upon themselves, but into
the meaning of the latter we cannot pre-
tend to enter.
36. Behold how He loved him." Goo
is love, and all the love of Jesus was til,
manifestation of the love of God. IN
this was manifested the love of God to
ward us, because that God sent His only
begotten Son into the world that WE
might live through Him" Il John iv, 81
81. They have not forgotten the un
heard of wonder of the opened eyes of the
man who was born blind. Possibly they
had heard of the two resurrections in tn,
north country, of the little girl and tn,
widow son. Like Martha and Mary, they
feel that, if Jesus had only been present
He might have prevented Lazarus from
dying, but it is too late now, for he i
dead and buried, and neither OF the Other
had been buried.
3S. They are now at the grave or cave
with a stone upon it, and again He groan
within Himself. We are reminded of tn
words in Rom. viii, %, Ourselves, also
which have the first fruits of the spirit
even we ourselves groan within ourselVe
waiting for the adoption-to wit, the re
demption of our body"
80. The stone is between Him and tn
dead body of His dear friend, and tina
: they can take away. 1t is ours to tax
away everything that may be between
Jesus and the soul that is dead in sins
No matter who may object, because of tn
seeming impOssibilities of the case, let Il
get away all the obstacles and bring til
sinner face to face with Jesus
40. The greatest ot all hindranccs is IN
belief. In one place He could because c
this do no mighty works, and it is unbt
lief that both keeps sinners under con
demnation and keeps saints from enter
ing into rest (John iii, Is; Heb. iii, 10
l In spite of feelings or circumstances or al
that our eyes can see we must believe God
= To the mar. whose little girl had just died
Jesus said, Be not afraid, only believe
Mark V, 36) In the storm at sea, whc
it seemed az if the vessel must go dow
with all on board, and there was nothin
: to rest upon but the word of the messcI
, ger, Paul said, Il believe God p"
Al. The stone being taken away, Jesu
glorifies His Father by Acknowledged
: Him as the one who was about to worl
e and He thanks Him beforehand for tn
answer. Hear Him also thanking the FL
= Their in Math. xi, 20; Luke X, 81. He eve
made it manifest that the words and work
[ were not His, but those of the Father VIII
A sent Him. He would have us To beliey
and make it manifest to all that lit
God who worlcth in US both to will an
! to do of His good pleasure (Phil. ii, ID
e AZ. He always pleased the Father I'll
? Father always heard Him, because II
, sought only the Fathers will and gor
= (John vi, 3s; will 20, 50). 1t is our priv
II lege to bo wen pleasing in His sight, an
so to abide in Him that we may ask VIII,
we will and receive it Heb. xiii 2D.
43. The same voice that said in the bl
r ginning, Let there be light" that spoi
to Israel from out of the mist of the li
on the mount; that spoke and it was dom
commanded, and it stood fast; that san
Voice now cries - Lazarus. como fort ll'i