The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-02-28
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH 3.
Lesson Text: "Thc Raising OF Laz-
arus," John xi., 3O-45-Gold-
en- Text; John xi., 20
Commentary.

80. Il is probable that all the events re-
corded I'm Luke ". II, TO xviii. i3. and also
I'm John X, come between the last lesson and
this. aud 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 in
stead OF fastening TO him He tarricd 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 iD. When
Martha heard that He was coming, she went
forth out Of the town to meet HIM, and nj
terward calling Mary secretly 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 60 comfort Martha and Mary
saw Mary 60 forth hastily. not knowing that
her sist9r had called her, they supposed she
had gone to the grave TO weep there. The
must have been poor comfoters, for q.
knew not the comfort OF Thcss. w.. lG.lN.
How few seem 60 know II even now, for even
| at the funeral of believer we have often
heard n portion OF the context but seldom
these words wherein the comfort lics, which
assure us that any hour our departed loved
| ones In Christ may join US, and together we
meet the Lord In the mir.
-. Mary. coming where Jesus was. fell
| down at His feet. uttering the very sano
/ words which her sister had used (ycrsc 2D.
| Now u. 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 IL
/ He had come Lazarus would not have died.
33. Hc would not be troubled without u
| cause. and when we hear Him twice groan-
! iEs In spirit I'm this lesson (see verse 3S) we
| may he sure the cause was very great. Whnt
! could II be2 His dear friends whom lie loved
were in deep sorrow, and He felt sorry for
| them.
! s. His inquiry, ''where have We lnid him2"
| confirms va In tho thought thut IL was the
| work OF death upon this dear friend whom
| Jesus loved (verse ~, which was in part nj
| least the cause Of the Saviour's grooming.
| and while He knew that He would surely
raise up and restore Lazarus to his sisters,
yet H. felt deeply the work Of the enemy and
| saw II In all its terrors and horrors from Abel
60 the very end.
IS. Jesus wcpt." Shortest verso In tho
Bible. but who can tell It's breadth and length
and depth and hcight2 On three different
! occasions Jesus Is said 10 have wopt. Sco
Luke xix. 81; Heb. ", T. In the former text
we see His sorrow for those who, by their un-
belief, were bringing untold suftcrings upon
| themselves. hut into the meaning Of tho lat
Ter we cannot pretend 10 enter.
80. "Behold how lie loved him God is
| love. and all the love Of Jesus wns the mani
testatiou of the love Of God. I'm this was
manifested the love of God toward us. be-
cause that God sent His only hcgotton Son
into the world that We might live through
| Him. II John w.. g).
81 They have not forgotten the uuheCrl
| OF wonder of the opened eyes OF the man who
was born blind. Possibly they had heard OF
! the two resurrcctions In the north country.
of the little girl and the widows son. Like
| Martha and Mary, they feel that, II Jesus Lad
| only been present, He might have prevented
| Lazarus from dying but II il too late now.
for he Is dead and buried, and neither ot the
others had been buried.
3S. They are now at the grave, or cave.
with a stone upon It. and again lie groans
within Himself. We R-e reminded OF the
words In Rom. Will. 23. Ourselves, also,
which have 2. Q 0rsf f-lit. OK 1Ss ep.,k, eySs;
we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting
Tor the adoptlon--to wit. the redemption OF
| our body
-. The stone Is between Him and the dead
| body oi HIS dear friend, and that they can
take away. II Is ours 60 take away every
! thing that may be between Jesus and tho
soul that a. dead in sins. No matter who
may object. because Of the seeming ,mposs.-
hilitios OF the case. let us get away all thu OH
stnrlys and bring the sinner face 10 lace with
Jesus.
49, TAc greatest Of all hindranccs Is unhc-
Ref. IL one place lie could because OF thu,
DO no mighty works. and 1t j. unhcliei
that both keep, sinners under condemnation
/ and keeps saints from entering into ret,
| tJphn ILL.,, Is; Heb ill.,. l9l. In spite oi iool-
iugs or circumstances ur all that our eye, can
scr we must beNov" God. To th' man whose
l!tla Girl had Just died. Jesus sa'd, DE no;
afraid, only believe" MARS v. aGl. a tho
storm nt SEA. when 1t scomed n II the vessel
must - down with all on board. and there
| was nothin. 20 rest upon but tn" word of the
messenger Paul said, Il believe God
Al. The stone being taken away, jesus
Glorii!cl HIS Father by acknowledging Him
9, the one who was about tO WORK, ana lie
thanks Him beforehand for the answer.
Hear Hun also thanking the Father In Math.
Xi., %; Luke ", II. He ever made II mani
fest that the words and WORKS were not His,
but those Of the Father who sent Him. lie
would have US to believe and make II mani
fest 10 all that 'it is God who woricth In us
both TO will and to do OF lis good pleasure
(Phil. H., l3).
~. He always pleased the Father. the
Father always heard Him, because iIn sought
only the Fathers will and glory (John vi,
9S; Will. 90. 50). IL is our privilege 10 be
we'll pleasing In His sight and 30 10 abide In
Him that we may ask what we Will and re-
ceiyc il (lIeb. xiii, ~.
10. The same voice that said in :he begin
ming, Let thcro bo light that spoke 10
Israel from out Of the mist of the fire On the
mount; that spoke and IL was done, COM
manded and II stood fast; that same voice
now cries, Lazarus, come forth,
"a. "Tho mighty word gave life, and sud-
denly he that had been dead stood at thcmoutl
Of the cave alive and well. NhatN wordit was
What word It's! There Is nothing Ike il on
earth. God isin it. The Bible, theword Of God
not only was inspired, but is inspired. II I,
forever settled In heaven, II Is true from the
beginning. and II shall stand forever (Ps
cSiX., 50, 100; Isa. Xl., ~.
As. Many will still believe on Jesus when
they SEQ real life and liberty in those who
bear the name OF Jesus, but mere name "a
live whore there Is no real life will never
honor Christ nor win people to Him. But n.
in the context this miracle stirred up tn,
hatred OF those who We're merely religious
without any reality we may be sure that req
life will work Just that way stlll.-Lessol
Helper.
sCIHSTIrIc TEMPERANCE TEAcHING.
Fifteen million children in the United
States are now studying the effects Of alcohol